The golden eyes that had grown wide in surprise at the unexpected encounter soon narrowed.
It can't be a coincidence that he met Leo in a place like this.
“Why are you...”
“Hey, nice to meet you!”
Are you here?
Leo greeted him so loudly that Perdes had no choice but to swallow what he was about to say.
But Perdes was glad to meet him.
Even if he hides his identity, it doesn't seem like he can just talk nonsense.
The space between Perdes' eyebrows narrowed.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, how have you been?”
Fortunately or unfortunately, Leo was looking towards the inn and not at Perdes, so he couldn't see what expression he was making.
“How have you been? Yes. I have been doing well. Ah, the reason I came here is...”
Meanwhile, the informal speech continued.
Moreover, as he continued to ask and answer questions on his own and kept looking towards the inn, Perdes was also about to look in that direction.
“Yes! It’s been a while since we last met, let’s go have a beer! Sorry, but a friend is coming over, so I’ll be back soon!”
Leo shouted loudly and grabbed Perdes' arm.
“Please do so.”
Perdes, who was following him in a panic, turned around when he heard a low-pitched voice with a peculiar accent.
However, the person who was supposed to be the owner of that voice was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, Byblos was seen looking back and forth between Perdes, Leo, and the inn as if he were interested.
Byblos, whose eyes met Perdes', smiled and pointed with the tip of his chin to the inn where Leo had come out.
Are you saying you'll go in first?
"That sounds good," Perdes nodded.
The place Leo took Perdes was a quiet alley a little away from the inn.
After pushing Perdes into the alley and making sure there were no eavesdroppers, Leo stood outside and politely apologized to Perdes with both hands clasped together.
“I apologize for behaving so selfishly, Your Highness.”
“It will be fine if you are the master.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Leo, who had changed his title quickly, carefully observed his expression and asked.
“Will you let Her Excellency the Duke know that I am here?”
What is this?
As Perdes stared at the words he couldn't understand, Leo made a tearful face and earnestly begged.
“I just followed them because I was curious where they were going, and I had no intention of entering the Empire. So please don’t tell the young lady.”
Hmm. From what he hears, it looks like Adele told this man not to return to the Empire either.
Adele must have been up to something, seeing as she didn't even let Leo, who she treated like an errand boy, come.
'What is that?'
Surely you're not trying to kill the Emperor?
No. She said that what she wanted was not simply to kill the Emperor but to wipe the Empire itself off the map of the continent.
Suddenly, Perdes remembered the peculiar accent he had heard earlier.
It was definitely an accent he had never heard before in the Empire.
So you're a foreigner... No way?
Perdes' eyes widened as a hypothesis suddenly occurred to him.
“I really want to break up with you here...”
“The man who answered your question earlier, was he a foreigner?”
Perdes interrupted Leo and asked urgently.
Then Leo asked him back, slightly embarrassed.
“Didn’t you come to pick them up?”
Should I answer yes?
At the moment when Perdes was pondering, Leo's eyebrows furrowed as he finished assessing the situation with excellent intelligence.
“That wasn’t the case.”
“...”
Even if he insisted that it was true, it would soon be revealed as a lie, so Perdes did not do so.
Leo groaned and rubbed his forehead.
“I thought it was Her Excellency the Duke who sent you, but it wasn’t. I’m a little confused.”
“It’s the same for me too.”
Since he's already been caught, he should ask openly and shamelessly.
“What mission did Adele give you? Was the man you answered earlier a foreigner? Since you wrote the name of the Cosmos, that means there is something to be escorted, but what is it? And...”
"Eait a minute."
Leo waved his hand to stop the barrage of questions.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t answer any of those questions.”
The sad face suddenly brightened up.
Leo lifted his chin slightly and spoke in a haughty tone.
“This is a ‘special’ mission given to me by Her Excellency the Duke. I cannot reveal it carelessly.”
It was very unlucky for him to pronounce the word 'special' so strongly as if it was emphasizing that he was special rather than his mission.
He was originally an unlucky guy.
"Yes?"
If that's the case, then I have a way.
Perdes curled the corners of his lips and took out the magic communication ring that he had been wearing on a chain around his neck like a necklace because it was too cumbersome to wear on his hand every time.
“Then let’s ask Adele directly.”
"Gor a moment...!"
When Perdes made it seem like he was going to contact Adele at any moment, Leo was startled and grabbed his hand.
The once arrogant face instantly became mean.
“Please calm down for a moment...”
“I’ve calmed down enough.”
“...That’s right. I’m the one who can’t calm down.”
Leo bit his lips as if he was wondering what to do, then let out a long sigh.
“Understood. I will tell you everything I know, but please keep it a secret from Her Excellency that I followed you.”
“Yes.”
Two very contrasting faces faced each other.
Leo scratched his head and told what he knew.
“Actually, I don’t know much. I was just asked to tell Her Excellency the Duke to send someone named Frankie Lloyd immediately.”
“Have you ever figured out what Adele wanted you to send?”
“Yes. I followed along because I was curious about that too, but I haven’t figured it out yet.”
“Could it be something being carried from above?”
“That’s... What they’re transporting are slaves.”
What did I just hear?
A slave?
“Really?”
When Perdes asked in surprise, Leo nodded calmly as if he had expected that.
“Yes. They are definitely slaves, with the slave mark branded on their bodies. There are a hundred of them.”
Not only was it legal to employ slaves in the Empire, but some of the miners who mined fur in Leopold's duchy were slaves.
So it was completely understandable that Adele wanted to buy slaves.
Perdes couldn't understand why they were trying to bring in slaves using the Cosmos upper class to take revenge on the Emperor.
Not one or two, but a whopping hundred.
'What on earth are you thinking, Adele?'
Do you intend to raise them as private soldiers who will point their swords at the Emperor?
But that would take too long, and it would be noticeable.
The more he dug into Adele's behavior, the more incomprehensible it became, and the deeper the wrinkle between Perdes' eyebrows became.
“This is all I know.”
At those words, Perdes, who had been lost in his own thoughts, looked at Leo.
Leo, whose eyes met, raised both hands to shoulder height and continued speaking.
“I really don’t know anything more. I swear on God’s name.”
“Do you believe in God?”
“No, I’m an atheist.”
But why do you use the name of God?
When Perdes laughed as if he found it ridiculous, Leo smiled awkwardly and asked.
“Then you will keep your promise, right? I will leave immediately, so please keep it a secret from Her Excellency that I followed them.”
“There is no need to leave.”
"Yes?"
“Instead, I will join the procession.”
There was silence for a moment.
“What do you mean...?”
“The surest way to keep a secret is to become an accomplice.”
When Leo asked cautiously, not understanding what Perdes was saying at once, Perdes smiled brightly in front of Leo for the first time and spoke.
“So I will join the procession and go with them to the capital of the empire.”
I glanced around here and there, trying to find the rat the Emperor had hidden, but the rat didn't even show its claws as if it had noticed that its presence had been discovered.
This is why I hate quick-witted people.
There were occasional exceptions, but generally, those who were quick-witted were annoyed.
Maybe the reason the Emperor has been quiet all this time is because I have been quiet.
Unlike my previous life, where I had openly struggled to escape the Emperor's grasp, this time I did not express it directly, but secretly used my men.
Like a swan that appears peaceful and elegant on the outside, but is kicking its feet hard under the water.
“Or maybe it was because he knew I frequented the Duke’s basement often.”
I don't know what the Emperor wanted, but I'm sure it was in the basement of Duke Leopold's residence.
So maybe he's planning to trick me into bringing it to him.
“If we meet today, we’ll know which one it is.”
1:00 p.m. A luncheon with the Emperor was scheduled.
It was also the day when all the servants of the ducal residence in the capital went to Leopold's duchy.
It was sent to keep them out of danger, but it was beneficial in many ways, as it allowed us to get rid of spies.
I should probably go to the palace soon, but I wonder how ready I am to leave.
As I was walking towards the central hall to meet the butler, I came face to face with Sir Aldor, who was just coming up the stairs.
It can't be a coincidence that he met Leo in a place like this.
“Why are you...”
“Hey, nice to meet you!”
Are you here?
Leo greeted him so loudly that Perdes had no choice but to swallow what he was about to say.
But Perdes was glad to meet him.
Even if he hides his identity, it doesn't seem like he can just talk nonsense.
The space between Perdes' eyebrows narrowed.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, how have you been?”
Fortunately or unfortunately, Leo was looking towards the inn and not at Perdes, so he couldn't see what expression he was making.
“How have you been? Yes. I have been doing well. Ah, the reason I came here is...”
Meanwhile, the informal speech continued.
Moreover, as he continued to ask and answer questions on his own and kept looking towards the inn, Perdes was also about to look in that direction.
“Yes! It’s been a while since we last met, let’s go have a beer! Sorry, but a friend is coming over, so I’ll be back soon!”
Leo shouted loudly and grabbed Perdes' arm.
“Please do so.”
Perdes, who was following him in a panic, turned around when he heard a low-pitched voice with a peculiar accent.
However, the person who was supposed to be the owner of that voice was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, Byblos was seen looking back and forth between Perdes, Leo, and the inn as if he were interested.
Byblos, whose eyes met Perdes', smiled and pointed with the tip of his chin to the inn where Leo had come out.
Are you saying you'll go in first?
"That sounds good," Perdes nodded.
The place Leo took Perdes was a quiet alley a little away from the inn.
After pushing Perdes into the alley and making sure there were no eavesdroppers, Leo stood outside and politely apologized to Perdes with both hands clasped together.
“I apologize for behaving so selfishly, Your Highness.”
“It will be fine if you are the master.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Leo, who had changed his title quickly, carefully observed his expression and asked.
“Will you let Her Excellency the Duke know that I am here?”
What is this?
As Perdes stared at the words he couldn't understand, Leo made a tearful face and earnestly begged.
“I just followed them because I was curious where they were going, and I had no intention of entering the Empire. So please don’t tell the young lady.”
Hmm. From what he hears, it looks like Adele told this man not to return to the Empire either.
Adele must have been up to something, seeing as she didn't even let Leo, who she treated like an errand boy, come.
'What is that?'
Surely you're not trying to kill the Emperor?
No. She said that what she wanted was not simply to kill the Emperor but to wipe the Empire itself off the map of the continent.
Suddenly, Perdes remembered the peculiar accent he had heard earlier.
It was definitely an accent he had never heard before in the Empire.
So you're a foreigner... No way?
Perdes' eyes widened as a hypothesis suddenly occurred to him.
“I really want to break up with you here...”
“The man who answered your question earlier, was he a foreigner?”
Perdes interrupted Leo and asked urgently.
Then Leo asked him back, slightly embarrassed.
“Didn’t you come to pick them up?”
Should I answer yes?
At the moment when Perdes was pondering, Leo's eyebrows furrowed as he finished assessing the situation with excellent intelligence.
“That wasn’t the case.”
“...”
Even if he insisted that it was true, it would soon be revealed as a lie, so Perdes did not do so.
Leo groaned and rubbed his forehead.
“I thought it was Her Excellency the Duke who sent you, but it wasn’t. I’m a little confused.”
“It’s the same for me too.”
Since he's already been caught, he should ask openly and shamelessly.
“What mission did Adele give you? Was the man you answered earlier a foreigner? Since you wrote the name of the Cosmos, that means there is something to be escorted, but what is it? And...”
"Eait a minute."
Leo waved his hand to stop the barrage of questions.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t answer any of those questions.”
The sad face suddenly brightened up.
Leo lifted his chin slightly and spoke in a haughty tone.
“This is a ‘special’ mission given to me by Her Excellency the Duke. I cannot reveal it carelessly.”
It was very unlucky for him to pronounce the word 'special' so strongly as if it was emphasizing that he was special rather than his mission.
He was originally an unlucky guy.
"Yes?"
If that's the case, then I have a way.
Perdes curled the corners of his lips and took out the magic communication ring that he had been wearing on a chain around his neck like a necklace because it was too cumbersome to wear on his hand every time.
“Then let’s ask Adele directly.”
"Gor a moment...!"
When Perdes made it seem like he was going to contact Adele at any moment, Leo was startled and grabbed his hand.
The once arrogant face instantly became mean.
“Please calm down for a moment...”
“I’ve calmed down enough.”
“...That’s right. I’m the one who can’t calm down.”
Leo bit his lips as if he was wondering what to do, then let out a long sigh.
“Understood. I will tell you everything I know, but please keep it a secret from Her Excellency that I followed you.”
“Yes.”
Two very contrasting faces faced each other.
Leo scratched his head and told what he knew.
“Actually, I don’t know much. I was just asked to tell Her Excellency the Duke to send someone named Frankie Lloyd immediately.”
“Have you ever figured out what Adele wanted you to send?”
“Yes. I followed along because I was curious about that too, but I haven’t figured it out yet.”
“Could it be something being carried from above?”
“That’s... What they’re transporting are slaves.”
What did I just hear?
A slave?
“Really?”
When Perdes asked in surprise, Leo nodded calmly as if he had expected that.
“Yes. They are definitely slaves, with the slave mark branded on their bodies. There are a hundred of them.”
Not only was it legal to employ slaves in the Empire, but some of the miners who mined fur in Leopold's duchy were slaves.
So it was completely understandable that Adele wanted to buy slaves.
Perdes couldn't understand why they were trying to bring in slaves using the Cosmos upper class to take revenge on the Emperor.
Not one or two, but a whopping hundred.
'What on earth are you thinking, Adele?'
Do you intend to raise them as private soldiers who will point their swords at the Emperor?
But that would take too long, and it would be noticeable.
The more he dug into Adele's behavior, the more incomprehensible it became, and the deeper the wrinkle between Perdes' eyebrows became.
“This is all I know.”
At those words, Perdes, who had been lost in his own thoughts, looked at Leo.
Leo, whose eyes met, raised both hands to shoulder height and continued speaking.
“I really don’t know anything more. I swear on God’s name.”
“Do you believe in God?”
“No, I’m an atheist.”
But why do you use the name of God?
When Perdes laughed as if he found it ridiculous, Leo smiled awkwardly and asked.
“Then you will keep your promise, right? I will leave immediately, so please keep it a secret from Her Excellency that I followed them.”
“There is no need to leave.”
"Yes?"
“Instead, I will join the procession.”
There was silence for a moment.
“What do you mean...?”
“The surest way to keep a secret is to become an accomplice.”
When Leo asked cautiously, not understanding what Perdes was saying at once, Perdes smiled brightly in front of Leo for the first time and spoke.
“So I will join the procession and go with them to the capital of the empire.”
***
I glanced around here and there, trying to find the rat the Emperor had hidden, but the rat didn't even show its claws as if it had noticed that its presence had been discovered.
This is why I hate quick-witted people.
There were occasional exceptions, but generally, those who were quick-witted were annoyed.
Maybe the reason the Emperor has been quiet all this time is because I have been quiet.
Unlike my previous life, where I had openly struggled to escape the Emperor's grasp, this time I did not express it directly, but secretly used my men.
Like a swan that appears peaceful and elegant on the outside, but is kicking its feet hard under the water.
“Or maybe it was because he knew I frequented the Duke’s basement often.”
I don't know what the Emperor wanted, but I'm sure it was in the basement of Duke Leopold's residence.
So maybe he's planning to trick me into bringing it to him.
“If we meet today, we’ll know which one it is.”
1:00 p.m. A luncheon with the Emperor was scheduled.
It was also the day when all the servants of the ducal residence in the capital went to Leopold's duchy.
It was sent to keep them out of danger, but it was beneficial in many ways, as it allowed us to get rid of spies.
I should probably go to the palace soon, but I wonder how ready I am to leave.
As I was walking towards the central hall to meet the butler, I came face to face with Sir Aldor, who was just coming up the stairs.
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