The atmosphere in the men's reception room changed completely with just me and Alben there.
Alben opened his mouth as he moved the black pawn.
“As you instructed, we are currently investigating the Night society within the Night society. It seems that the source of funds is beginning to emerge. If you give us two weeks, we will finish it completely without Your Highness needing to touch it.”
“It’s finally time to let Chansley go.”
My fingers pushed the white phone forward.
“After we take down Chansley, that leaves us with Beltheor and Lamekal. It’s time to start laying the groundwork to attack them.”
“You sow seeds during the harvest season.”
“And if we can harvest during the sowing season, it will be the icing on the cake.”
The black knight ate the white pawn.
"Beltheor, the 3rd princess's political marriage partner is a powerful man in the south. The war of succession is a central political fight, so I don't think it's a problem for a marquis of the border to get involved."
"Yeah, we have to rule it out."
"If you have any idea, please tell me."
"The South is forming a large cartel centered on the military supplies business. The production of conventional weapons such as swords and spears can be done at the blacksmith level. However, artifact-grade tactical weapons and strategic weapons that require concentrated magic and alchemy are difficult for one family to handle the mass production alone."
"Oh man, if there's a split in that tight-knit cartel, the South will go crazy."
“Isn’t the manufacturing industry where technology and resources are essential? Especially resources. I’m trying to attack that area.”
I smiled and took the black knight away. Alben said, narrowing his brows.
“The real problem is the third Princess’s relative named Lamekal. Marquis Lamekal has enormous influence in the palace and the capital."
"It is no exaggeration to say that all the nobles who follow the Third Princess are followers of Lamekal."
“He really is a great gentleman. He was once my role model... not really, no.”
I was happy to pretend not to hear.
"Lamekal is a hotbed of corruption and if we don't wipe out his accomplices in the process, there will be a bloodbath in the Imperial City.”
"If you weed out those rotten guys and put an honest official like me in their place, the empire's prosperity and glory will be endless."
"That's right. I'd like to gradually destroy things that seem distant and unrelated to Lamekal. I'd like to make him sit back and relax until the very end, unaware that the end of the fuse is tied around his own neck like a noose."
“As expected from Your Highness. You have good taste.”
I told Alben in detail about the incident that would be used as the starting point of the fuse. Alben, who had been listening to it all, laughed wickedly as if he was excited and happy.
“The capital is going to be in chaos.”
The dark secret conversation ended there. The remaining time was spent playing chess and engaging in relatively low-risk conversations.
“By the way, I heard that the general residential area of the pioneer area is almost completed?”
“The poor will start to move in soon. The person in charge will likely be appointed from among the royal family.”
“Isn’t this the policy proposal that Your Highness has proposed? I think it would be reasonable to carry it out directly and win the hearts of the people.”
"I'd like to, but I think Father would have something else to do with me."
“If it’s something else...?”
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Cedella came in and delivered some news.
“Your Highness, His Majesty the Emperor has summoned you.”
“I guess I should go and see.”
I stood up as if she had been waiting. The smiling face seemed to have already figured out Desmond II's business.
***
I changed into a conquest dress. After that, Michael accompanied me to the main palace.
The place the servant guided me to was not the office, but the waiting room in front of the audience room.
“What, what is it? Eve, you’re here too?”
Desmond II did not call only me. The 6th Prince Derek, who had arrived first, greeted me with a shaky and uncomfortable face. His immediate knight, Snorlet, who was standing behind him, politely placed her hand on her chest and greeted me.
I bow to Derek and say a greeting. About the same time, other royals came in with their own knights. They were Rosenite and Brigitte.
"Oh, my? It was surprising to meet Betty on the way here, but Derek and Eve were there too?"
Rosenite spoke in place of the greeting and secretly glanced at me.
It seems that she is concerned that I am suffering from a scandal in various gossip magazines because of what she did at the last masquerade ball.
Of course, I didn't even glance at Rosenite which looked like a burn.
Meanwhile, Brigitte sat down across from me. Our eyes met over the table.
“How have you been during the summer rainy season, Betty?”
“It’s all good.”
"It's a happy thing for me, who always thinks of my sister."
"Are you only thinking about me? Actually, I should be the one asking how you're doing. I heard you made a flower arrangement with roses during the rainy season?"
“...Ah, did you hear that?"
“I didn’t know you had such a hobby. So, the flowers you picked were pretty?”
It was clear that she was mocking me with the scandal of the gossip magazine in mind. Rosenite's ruby eyes, watching from the side, rolled around.
I took it lightly as if joking.
“Yes. It was a pretty flower to make potpourri with. I got drunk on it.”
“Hmph, okay.”
Far from being embarrassed, Brigitte's interest was dampened by my confident attitude. After all, she knew that my scandal was nothing more than a sensational rumor produced by the gossip press.
Besides, if the rumors were true, so what? It wasn't a big deal that the royal family was a bit of a pervert.
But the panicky reaction came from the wrong place.
“I got really drunk...”
Rosenite gaped blankly. Brigitte stared at her for a while, wondering why she was doing this, but soon gave up trying to understand.
“It’s been a while, Rosie. How did you spend the summer rainy season?”
The rather gentle tone of voice was proof that Brigitte was still trying to win over Rosenite.
"I just spent the day reading books."
"Book?"
My eyebrows furrowed. It was too ascetic and intellectual an activity for Rosenite to undertake during a week of pleasure.
'Brigitte must have had similar thoughts as well, as she furrowed her brows.'
Then, Brigitte soon figured out the meaning and made a pitiful face.
“Ah, Rosie. You seem to have been feeling quite uneasy lately, huh?”
"Yes?"
“Yes, I understand. Lately, a certain Young Lady, who is known as Night Rose or something, has been making a fuss in the social world with her considerable power behind her. Even so, it is just a passing gossip. The only true rose is you.”
“Oh, yes, uh...”
“If it comes down to it, this older sister can be a better political supporter for you. I will push you to higher heights that you could never reach with dirty scandals. What do you think?”
It was Brigitte's idea to humiliate me and win Rosenite over.
“Dirty gossip. I don’t like hearing that.”
"Yes?"
Rosenite's reaction was completely different from what Brigitte had expected. Rosenite, who always acted so disgustingly, suddenly showed her true face with a serious expression.
She even went so far as to cleverly recite the self-respecting remarks I had taught her.
“And I just thought, I'm a white rose, I don't get involved in politics, I've gotten this far by building my reputation solely on socializing, and I don't need my sister to push me into power.”
"What..?"
Brigitte wasn't the only one who was surprised at this moment. Derek, of course, and even I opened our eyes wide and opened our mouths.
'Oh my God. Does she even know what she just said?'
Rosenite has been with Brigitte for some time now. It was no different from coldly rejecting the hand of persuasion that had been extended with great effort.
Naturally, the atmosphere at the table became cold.
Brigitte didn't say much. She just said something cold, with all the pretense of gentleness she had been used to.
"That's stupid."
As expected, Rosenite did not fully understand the situation. The look on her innocent face as she looked back at me was so stupid that it seemed as if she was asking what she had done wrong.
'No, but why is she looking at me at this time?'
The awkward atmosphere as if we were on the same side, embarrassed me.
It seemed necessary to lighten the mood, so I stepped forward.
“Sister Betty.”
"Why?"
“Sister, Father is coming. You probably know why he always calls us."
“That’s right.”
“Again. I guess that explains why Father didn't bring us right away but left us in the waiting room together for a while. Don't you think it was your intention to speed up the story by letting Betty hear the context beforehand?”
“Huh, that’s a lot of talk.”
It's a trick to get information. Brigitte thought and snorted.
“Well, I’ll give you a hint.”
"Thank you."
“Don’t you see that everyone here has a direct knight who has advanced to the semi-finals of the martial arts tournament? This is to give you a chance to test the skills of the knights after the reorganization.”
"Yes?!"
The final question was Derek's.
"A test of the Knights' skills? But the homunculus..."
Derek couldn't hide his embarrassment. The homunculus was still struggling with the issue of cooperation.
Brigitte was also frustrated, but she didn't show it.
“Be prepared, this will be a dispatch mission.”
“Dispatch?”
This time, Rosenite was embarrassed and asked back. But Brigitte had lost all reason to be kind to her. There was no explanation.
Just then, the chamberlain led them to the audience room. Desmond II sat on a throne at the end of the high platform and greeted them.
“Blessings and glory to the Sun of Hadelamide. See you, Father.”
“Everyone, sit down.”
A greeting appropriate for a public occasion was made.
Desmond II is trying to restart the national functions that were paralyzed during the summer rainy season. He had a rather weary look on his face. He rubbed his temples and got straight to the point.
“You must have heard the general situation from Betty.”
For a moment, the expressions on Rosenite and Derek’s faces became mysterious as they had not heard the specific story. Brigitte was also puzzled.
It was clearly Brigitte's mistake. But there was no use in showing the siblings fighting in front of our busy father. I stepped forward.
“You wish to dispatch us with a detachment of knights to the ‘Gray Wall Outpost’ guarded by an intermediate homunculus.”
“Oh, okay. I see you listened to the explanation well.”
“I could guess it without even having to hear it. I thought you would prepare for the punitive expedition in earnest once the rainy season is over. To do that, you need to inspect the Gray Wall outpost and test the skills of the reformed knights.”
"Yes, we plan to start the expedition within the first half of next year."
"I will do my best to carry out the imperial command so that there is no disruption to the plan."
I bowed my head politely and my eyes sparkled.
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