The young Duke of Aldrant, due to his poor health, avoided social gatherings and even skipped the evening meal with the Emperor. Initially taken aback by the Northern Duke’s unexpected absence, the Emperor felt awkward. However, reports emerged that Duchess Ivet, who attended the banquet alone, lifted the spirits with lively conversation, easing the tension.
When the sun was high, the locked doors finally opened after rising as much. Knights who had been standing guard alternately and for no apparent reason greeted Gezell as he finally stepped outside. Someone among them called him just as he was about to leave.
“Your Grace.”
“Why do you do that?”
“I apologize. In the ear…”
Upon hearing this, Gezell looked at the mirror hanging on the opposite wall. Despite thinking it was wiped clean, there was still a trace of blood on his ear. When a servant hurriedly brought a towel soaked in water, Gezell wiped it off and handed it back.
His expressionless face appeared noticeably tired compared to the previous day. No one dared to voice the curiosity burning among the guards about why the king spent the night in the knights’ quarters and even the guards on duty were curious. Whatever had happened seemed significant enough for the king to intervene personally. Moreover, this was within the palace walls. The vigilance to prevent any leakage of information was as high as the fortress, and everyone maintained silence as if it were a habit to lock away secrets when it came to the safety of the North.
“How is the King of Cornia?”
“As usual. After finishing breakfast with the Emperor, he is currently having tea with the nobles of Pheraira.”
Gezell nodded at Anton’s response. Leaving the knights’ quarters and heading towards the main tower, he raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight.
The sunlight at noon, after interrogating people all night, was like a harsh medicine stimulating the nerves. The attendant walking beside him immediately raised a shade, but Gezell even brushed that aside and quickened his pace.
“Duke Gezell, how is your health?”
After finishing lunch and sitting alone in his office, the Emperor welcomed Gezell warmly. Gezell bowed and approached him.
“You look pale. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Bring some tea for the Duke. And…”
Gezell raised his hand to interrupt the Emperor’s instruction to the attendant to entertain the guest.
“Your Majesty, please excuse the attendants for a moment. I have something important to discuss.”
The Emperor’s office was always guarded by his personal guards. Asking to dismiss them abruptly without prior notice was impolite and risky. The Emperor’s gaze also changed uncomfortably.
“What’s the matter? Be careful with your words.”
Gezell remained silent. The gazes of the two rulers clashed silently but sharply. After a brief moment of silence, the Emperor’s arm, resting over the back of his chair, rose lightly.
“Everyone, step back.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The guards and attendants lowered their heads and exited the room. Alone, the Emperor and Gezell remained, with the Emperor settling more comfortably in his chair, smiling wryly as he eased the tension.
“Now, speak freely. It’s the first time I’ve seen you so eager for something.”
“I have received intelligence about individuals plotting an invasion of the imperial palace.”
“What?”
The Emperor sat up abruptly. He looked at Gezell with a gaze that seemed to say he had heard an unbelievable story and sighed as if dismissing absurdity.
“You claimed to be unwell, skipped breakfast, and now you bring up such baseless rumors? You’re not a prophet, and yet, why such a groundless story? Conflicts, big and small, are common, but an invasion of the imperial palace?”
“As I said. There are rumors of someone harboring ambitions against the throne.”
“Who on earth would think such a thing?”
“Even if I tell you now, you won’t believe it.”
“Huh.”
With a sound that revealed his utter perplexity, the Emperor looked away. Gezell also paused for a moment, waiting for a response, as he seemed to collect his thoughts.
The prisoner had knelt in front of the tribunal after just one night, but the problem was that he was only a pawn on the chessboard, and the information he possessed was limited. The information he could obtain was that Cornia’s royal sorcerer had abducted Rensley, and the location where Rensley was taken was a space created by magic. Why Rensley was taken remained unknown, and Felix, despite being questioned, consistently claimed innocence. Still, there was no reason to believe him.
Even though the information was scarce, it was a crucial clue. The story was challenging to handle even if one knew about it. Summoning beings from another world, even summoning magic itself, was an extremely advanced practice. Creating a separate space from the existing one and sealing it off from others was a kind of magic that had never been mentioned in any book or record. It was a magic even Gezell, with his extensive knowledge, had never attempted. If the prisoner’s words were true, Cornia had obtained a tremendous magician. A magician with a unique ability that even Gezell couldn’t easily confront. If such a person took Rensley, there must be a significant reason.
Cornia’s king was audaciously undertaking dangerous actions within the Emperor’s realm. What was the goal of Felix Elbanes, who had eliminated competitors to secure the throne, now acquiring a new magician and intentionally targeting the imperial palace? If Gezell knew the whole story, the Emperor’s conclusion wouldn’t differ much from his own.
“How can I believe what you’re saying? Yesterday, you claimed to be unwell, and now, could it be you’re lost in delusions from studying too much? There are cases where people immersed in books end up like that, or so I’ve heard.”
“It’s still a suspicion, but with Your Majesty’s assistance, we can prevent it.”
If it was a false alarm? Even so, it didn’t matter. What mattered now was alerting the Emperor.
Gezell, bowing his tall stature, met eyes with the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, do not forget that Aldrant is the bastion of the entire continent. I do not speak for personal gain. My stories are all for the mutual prosperity of the continent.”
The Emperor’s pupils flickered. As one ascended to a higher seat, suspicions increased. He doubted Gezell, Felix, all the kings of neighboring countries, and powerful nobles.
The Emperor seemed to be deeply pondering the reason for suddenly bringing up such astounding words. Was he trying to manipulate forces by shaking himself with plausible words, or did he have plans to strike from behind? If this tip was genuine, who might be the ambitious figure Gezell was pointing to?
Even if a king from any country genuinely aimed for imperial conquest, it was unrelated to Gezell. Aldrant would maintain the same stance as before if another continental war broke out. However, if this process involved dragging his fiancé into it, the story would inevitably change.
“So, what are you trying to say? What are you suddenly bringing up to demand from me?”
“I mentioned it’s a suspicion. I want to gather evidence. I need Your Majesty’s assistance.”
“Assistance?”
“To confirm, I need to briefly leave Molbessa and visit Aldrant. You understand that magical procedures are required for such travel. Grant passage quickly and provide a pretext. If you say I’m leaving temporarily due to urgent news from the north, people won’t question it.”
Wrinkles appeared on the Emperor’s forehead.
“You act as if giving orders. If you’re so confident, do as you please. Why do you need my permission?”
“…As I mentioned, it’s still at the suspicion stage. I want to move as discreetly as possible.”
Clearly, Felix’s side was also monitoring their movements. They might not have noticed the information obtained from the prisoner yet, but it was only a matter of time.
The operation to deceive Gezell and the others’ eyes by using a subordinate transformed into Rensley was simple but not a bad idea. The reason for its failure was one. Cornians were unaware of the truth behind the scenes. They might have thought Gezell and Rensley had an ordinary military relationship, so they calculated that this method would work. That’s why they needed to act swiftly. If Rensley was held captive on the other side, the secret could be exposed at any time, and the situation would change along with any new knowledge. It was best to finish it before it changed.
Gezell didn’t know how to create a world in another dimension, nor did he know exactly how that world connected to the human world. He might be able to denounce Felix now and mobilize the imperial army. Fighting Felix and his magician wouldn’t be difficult. But unless he knew the core of the matter, there was no guarantee they could recover Rensley. If they acted recklessly and allowed Felix to harm Rensley for evidence destruction, any countermeasure would be nothing but an ineffective mistake.
Staring at the Emperor’s contemplative face, Gezell threw a question that was now useless.
‘What if I had revealed the fact about the Duchess from the beginning?’
Would this situation have been avoided?
Member of the Royal Guard, a junior knight recently promoted from squire, and not just any stepbrother treated recklessly in his youth but as the Duchess of Aldrant – if they had reunited under such circumstances, could the King of Cornia dare to commit such a reckless act?
The disappearance of one knight and the Duchess of a whole country being missing were entirely different matters. Moreover, even if ten guards followed every step, no one would have found it strange.
“There are conditions.”
Emotional regrets were of no use in resolving the situation. Nevertheless, for a moment, Gezell, who almost fell into different thoughts, lifted his head at the Emperor’s words. The Emperor had a stern look, as if he had made up his mind.
“I will grant permission. You may go back. However, leave the Duchess at the palace. I cannot let you take all your subordinates. How many do you think you’ll need? Would ten elite soldiers be enough?”
“Do you need a hostage?”
“I can’t just follow your words without any explanation or evidence. In a situation where I don’t know at all if your words are true or not.”
“…Alright. No need for guards. The more people, the slower the movement. I’ll go alone.”
Even the Emperor couldn’t hide his surprise at that statement.
Kings or emperors never traveled alone on long journeys. No, they shouldn’t. If there was a problem with the king’s safety, the whole country could fall into chaos. There were always people around to protect the monarch. It was said that those in high positions found it difficult to gain true friendship or love, but being alone was equally challenging in the life of a ruler.
“What if something happens?”
“If Your Majesty helps, there won’t be any problems. Please ensure that people don’t speculate about the reason for my departure. Leaving a few people behind might even be regarded as a deception. It would seem like temporarily vacating the palace for some business.”
The Emperor’s expression showed surprise, but Gezell’s face remained unreadable. The Emperor, as if determined, opened a locked shelf in one place on his desk, took out a piece of paper, wrote a few lines with a pen, stamped it, and handed it to Gezell.
It wasn’t made of gold just because it was the Emperor’s pass. It was a document consisting of a special paper and phrases that certified it as the Emperor’s document. Gezell put it in his pocket.
“When will you depart?”
“I will leave immediately.”
“Your complexion doesn’t look good. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
Gezell left without answering.
The person he met before departure was Anton. He was the only one who knew the current situation.
“It’s good for us that the fake Rensley is pretending to be injured. Thoroughly monitor him so that he doesn’t come into contact with the outside and keep up the pretense that Maelrosen is resting at the lodging only due to the injury, with no other problems with his well-being. Be especially cautious if the prisoner volunteers. The opponent is a genius in transformation magic. In the future, harbor suspicions about anyone’s appearance, no matter who or how they may look.”
“I will accept the command. However, Your Grace, it is too far for you to go alone.”
“Some need to stay in the bustling city, and someone must remain in the palace. We cannot leave only Princess Ivet. There is no need to worry. I can depart because you are here.”
“…If I had been a bit more careful… Please, punish me later.”
“I do not intend to hold my subordinates responsible for unforeseen events. Since the incident has already occurred, we must focus on rectifying the situation as quickly as possible. Deliver this to Princess Ivet and, there’s one thing I ask of you.”
Gezell handed over a note. Anton accepted it, waiting for further instructions.
“There is no plan for a day or two. Contact the top of Kyros and ask them to gather as much detailed information as possible about the current situation of the Cornian royal family and Prince Felix Elbanes from his time as a Crown Prince until now. There must be someone in the upper ranks who knows a lot.”
“Understood.”
“…Secretly inform Lady Frida. If anything happens… leave the throne to her.”
“Your Grace!”
In response to the ominous command, Anton involuntarily raised his voice. However, he soon closed his mouth and directed a gloomy gaze into the void.
Gezell suddenly disappeared, leaving no one in front of Anton. He clenched the received note tightly and turned away immediately.
End of Volume 4
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Idk if it’s smart for him to go by himself, doesn’t he to face like 2 or 3 ELEMENISTS…. I don’t if this gonna end well