Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: A Day Too Fine for Paperwork
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My focus just isn't coming together. On a day as nice as this.
"Aria. Ink's dripping."
"Ah, got it."
Phew. The spirit caught it before it hit the papers. Otherwise, that would've been a disaster.
But this is all because of Lord Adelian.
'I wonder how he figured out who I am. And knowing that, why does he still work me this hard?'
Oops. Nearly snapped the quill. But anyone would think the same, right? It's not wishful thinking for better treatment—it's an objective fact.
Even if I'm far from the succession and lack ambition, I'm still a princess of this nation.
I could offer far more value than being used like a paperwork slave... er, clerk handling documents.
Especially since I'm from the Kruger family, one of the three grand dukedoms quietly clashing with the Teteria imperial house.
And this isn't me bragging, but after painstakingly plotting a perfect escape and heading to the labyrinth city, no one should've been able to uncover my identity.
"Secretary Halon."
"Speak."
"What kind of person is the young master?"
My question came out unusually serious and earnest, unlike our usual grumbling banter. It must've caught him off guard—his hand paused mid-motion, and that's rare for someone who works like a golem.
"A wicked employer."
"Ah, that's true!"
As expected of Secretary Halon! We just click so well!
He rubbed his slightly fatigued eyes, flipped to the next paper, and spoke.
"Publicly speaking, he doesn't have the best reputation. Right after Duke Kaiman stepped away, he started wandering the streets nonstop."
Fair enough. I'd overheard the maids gossiping that around now, he's probably showering gold everywhere and swimming in lakes of liquor.
"But he's not really like that, is he?"
"That's something only a few of us—you and me included—know. Even inside the inner keep, it hasn't spread beyond the knights. The outer keep even less so."
It's a bit puzzling. Most people would care about bad rumors, but Lord Adelian seems to flaunt them even more.
"What do you think he's doing right now? Why cling to that false reputation? Why not gather vassals for meetings like other heirs, solidify his power, and avoid being this exposed?"
There are so many lurking issues, obvious and subtle. He's not yet officially the confirmed heir, so rivals like Gadia are one thing, but even the collateral lines must be eyeing him hungrily.
With Duke Kaiman—the surest deterrent—vanished for reasons only his closest know, why? Why not charm people, restore his reputation, and gain support?
Nothing like this appeared in my studies. It's incomprehensible behavior.
Even a petty rural lord wouldn't act this way. He must know how fatal rumors of squandering fortune while gallivanting are, which makes it even more baffling.
"What kind of person... is the young master?"
What does he want, keeping me here as a mere paperwork aide instead of involving me in internal affairs, while pitting himself against none other than First Princess Celia in the capital?
Even if Princess Celia is undervalued due to her Trait issues, she's quietly the firm heir to the throne.
'What on earth is he doing in the capital with his true nature hidden?'
And what's with the sirens? Suddenly handing out those reality-breaking artifacts as perks only for inner keep staff.
"Don't even try to understand."
"Huh?"
Secretary Halon must've noticed my endless musing, as he addressed me.
"He's not someone a normal person's mind can grasp. He never has been."
Whether in history books or bards' tales.
Those whose names inevitably rise were never ones judged by common sense.
With that, Secretary Halon finished today's papers, stood, and approached.
"Want help? You buy lunch."
"Sure!"
For now, the joy of finishing early outweighed any resentment toward Lord Adelian. All those doubts vanished in an instant.
* * *
Following Cain's words, I stepped out of my room to find a portly middle-aged man, impeccably dressed as before, twirling his mustache in circles.
"As the rightful heir of Grand Duke Kaiman Kruger, Adelian Protector Kruger receives the words of Her Imperial Highness, First Princess Celia von Teteria."
No formal imperial edict from His Majesty, so no need to kneel in reverence. I gave a perfunctory bow as per etiquette—respectful yet casual—then stood at an angle.
It clearly irked him; the princess's envoy twitched his brow.
What could he do? His unofficial visit meant Celia trusted him somewhat, and he'd know about the last incident.
He'd grasp who held the upper hand now.
"Her Highness conveys that you are to come to the princess's detached palace tomorrow at 1 p.m."
"Oh, really? That's troubling. Calling me like this might fuel the rumors... I'm just so concerned for Princess Celia's well-being that I'm hesitant, out of pure goodwill?"
So that's why. To get back at me for humiliating her after she underestimated me and lodged a complaint with House Kruger over the last affair.
Spot on—his mustache quivered furiously at my words.
Still, as the princess's envoy, he mechanically rattled off words without further reaction.
In short, several pages just to say, "I have something to discuss, so meet me."
"...That is the full command I was given. Farewell."
Once the envoy's face turned red and purple and he departed, I chuckled and turned to the kids peeking slyly from the room.
"Before I go, let's tug a few more nerves."
Rif smiled, uncharacteristically. Rachel scratched her belly and chimed in.
"Whoever it is, tough luck. Looks like they grabbed a walking disaster right before leaving and got their composure wrecked."
Rachel cackled, but Luna shot her a glance, and she covered her mouth.
"No filter around the young master."
"Nah, honestly, that's how it'd look from an outsider's view."
As Rachel defended herself—"How often do you get to splash mud on a highborn princess's image?"—Luna's eyes narrowed further.
"So the young master's scandal is mud-slinging?"
I cheered Luna on silently as she cornered Rachel, who was getting backed into a wall.
Go Luna. Go Luna. Rachel's been getting too cheeky with me lately.
"At least we get to come along this time, Lord Adelian."
"Yeah, she said bringing guards is fine."
I'd love to stroll in boldly with Cain and toss the sanctuary into chaos.
'But that guardian who met Cain is nagging at me.'
The sanctuary connects to secret passages known only to royals and the capital's underground waterways. A clumsy approach could backfire on us.
By the original plot, he's someone who dies in a few years, so infiltrating later would've been fine.
'Still, waiting openly for him to die feels off.'
Put sanctuary entry on hold for now.
"Rachel, think you can behave?"
"Of course."
"Sorry, Luna and Rif. The capital's a special case."
―Not at all, Administrator.
"Don't worry, young master."
"Cain and Rachel handle security then. And Zero."
At my call, Zero emerged from the green gem to face me.
"Yes, Lord Adelian."
"I've got a separate task for you."
I smiled slowly, and Zero's expression turned subtly wary.
"What is it?"
"You need to visit Arman."
I figured his cautious nature would slow his response, but he proved more decisive than expected.
From a full audit of his fleet in the southern isles, calculating mutual gains at the bare minimum when we allied.
Cost projections for replacing ships and crew to boost quality, plus detailed plans on how.
Having prepared everything, Arman contacted me—and ultimately joined hands.
The Arman I know won't betray once committed.
'So, time to draw him deeper into the Innocent matter too.'
Of course, nothing's 100% with people. Especially in reality.
The Arman I know never betrays others—that's from novel and game lore.
Now it's real; any variable could jam the gears.
What if a ninja pops up out of nowhere, shuriken to Arman's throat, threatening him?
That's why for those I've pulled to my side, I set one to two safety measures.
Common ones: divine contracts they can't easily escape, unaware. Debts of gratitude. For Rachel, oaths too.
How to place that debt on their shoulders? Start by giving them what they desperately need.
Sure, it seems coldly calculating, but minimal safeguards are essential for me.
No saves here.
Plus, my warped sense of reality could snag my ankle anytime.
'So, one more layer on Arman makes sense.'
It's basically a low-cost, high-efficiency future power-up anyway.
"Can you infiltrate Arman's estate?"
Finished thinking, I asked Zero, who scratched his oversized head.
"Honestly, we haven't done a proper infiltration yet, Lord Adelian. The palace—we entered through the front gate with alarms off. The garden party—the maze had intentionally open paths."
The continent's greatest empire, Teteria's capital. Most estates have reinforced alarm magic.
"So, slipping in and out clean without a trace is tough. But we can get in, trigger alarms without getting caught, and escape."
Zero grinned slowly.
Confidence suits you, Zero. There were days you slumped, feeling useless.
I gave him an approving look, then nodded lightly at "no getting caught, even if spotted."
"Even better. If you could go totally undetected, I'd still want you to reveal yourself once."
Zero looked puzzled.
"You have something in mind. But why me over Senior Cain? Not that I'm complaining."
Teasing about the trust, I replied.
"I'll time it with my meeting with Princess Celia. Plus, our party's faces and builds are all known by now."
Sorry, Zero, but you'd need to disguise as someone else.
"Publicly, I want to stay as Innocent's slightly exposed contact point."
That said, showing Arman I'm no rumormonger wastrel last time nags at me.
Opening up about Innocent now might ruin that position.
Cain on the job could spark faint suspicions, but with me, Cain, and Rachel elsewhere, Zero disrupting in disguise simplifies it.
Zero nodded with a knowing smile.
"Understood. I'll handle it exactly as you wish, Lord Adelian."