Royal Capital Elesina (2)
The sudden appearance of the prince threw the king into disarray, but he responded with cold composure.
"I don't recall summoning you here. Leave at once."
"You must hear this."
"Are you daring to challenge my authority?"
"I am not challenging Your Majesty."
"You're defying my direct order to leave! You have no right to interfere in Siel's marriage!"
Even as the king's fury erupted, Prince Gail remained utterly calm.
"It's a misunderstanding. I have no intention whatsoever of meddling in Siel's marriage. I simply came across vital information related to another matter—something I believed Your Majesty and the assembled nobles needed to know. I apologize for the intrusion."
Caught off guard by the unexpected turn, the king stammered.
"W-what is it?"
"It's a letter from Viscount Russell Naigel, the regent governing Szczecin County."
"Szczecin?"
The king scowled. It was a clear signal of his irritation at dredging up a settled issue.
The pro-king nobles who had supported the first prince seized the moment. In particular, Duke Otumur Nemibier, the leader of the pro-king faction, stepped forward to back the first prince.
"Your Majesty, the Szczecin County affair has always been shrouded in mystery. Even for a remote territory far from the capital, it's suspicious that no envoy even arrived to respond to the royal decree you personally issued. Moreover, the Marquis Antonio, appointed to lead the investigation, is the liege of Viscount Servio. If you would recall, Calix Szczecin is the one who sealed whose mana hole?"
The marquis bristled at the duke's implication of doubt.
"Are you saying you can't trust me?"
"It's not about trust. Appointing a stakeholder as mediator simply isn't fair."
"Then how can we trust Viscount Russell? He might be colluding with the suspect, Young Lord Calix."
Duke Otumur flashed a triumphant smile. The marquis had walked right into his trap. He turned to King Clibuo at once.
"Your Majesty! Russell Naigel, former captain of the Blue Lion Knights, is renowned as an honorable Sword Owner—a true knight who never compromises with injustice. He's also a recipient of the Royal Honor Medal. To distrust a war hero's report would mean rejecting the entire administrative system of our kingdom, proudly called the 'Nation of Knights'!"
Damn it!
Marquis Antonio desperately suppressed his twisting expression.
Sensing the shifting mood, the king stepped in to support the marquis.
"Ahem, let's not overinterpret. Surely the marquis didn't mean that."
"I don't distrust Sir Russell either. However..."
Duke Otumur gave the marquis no room to retort.
"Why not review the letter's contents first? We can debate afterward."
Unable to find grounds to refuse, the king had no choice but to nod.
"Hmph. First prince, read the report."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The contents of Russell's letter were straightforward.
The attempted assassination in the count's household is true. ... To avoid the noose, Young Lord Gramvine sealed his own mana hole. ... All punishments were carried out under the authority of Russell Naigel, regent of the count, with unanimous consent from the remaining knights. ... This report is submitted to the royal family and the Noble Council.
"I served with him in the Royal Guard, so I recognize his signature. It's definitely Russell Naigel."
Marquis Sorbeil, who leaned neutral, confirmed the letter and spoke. Known as the Sword of the Kingdom, he was a renowned class 7 swordmaster. Representing the kingdom's martial prowess, he famously stayed above factional squabbles, maintaining an aloof, scholarly demeanor. Yet among the few he truly respected as knights, Russell was one. He wouldn't look kindly on the marquis's political attack.
With Marquis Sorbeil weighing in, the scales tipped completely.
In the Nation of Knights, Lock Kingdom, suspecting a war hero without evidence was a blatant blunder.
This isn't the issue at hand!
Flames of anxiety rose in Marquis Antonio's chest. The goal here was to shatter the pro-king faction, leaderless after losing their head, and scatter them. But the first prince's timely entrance had made him their new focal point. The nobles, expected to crumble, rallied solidly around him.
A new board was set: king versus prince, father versus son, and the pro-king and noble factions whose fates had reversed.
The old labels no longer fit. It was simply the First Prince faction versus the Fifth Prince faction.
Another war of succession had begun.
Marquis Antonio resolved to wrap up this cursed Szczecin affair quickly.
"I didn't mean to doubt a prestigious knight like Viscount Russell. However, relying solely on the unreliable testimony of lowly assassins regarding Young Lord Gramvine's involvement means we need more investigation until solid proof emerges."
"We can't leave the count's title vacant forever."
"From what I've heard, Young Lord Calix is only 15 and lacks the skill for a knighthood. In our kingdom, famed as the Nation of Knights, high nobles should at least be Sword Owners."
Duke Otumur snorted at the obvious ploy.
"Hmph! A Sword Owner at 15? I recall Marquis Antonio himself didn't reach that until past 50. Am I mistaken?"
"Ahem! Demanding Sword Owner prowess from a young lord is harsh, of course. But to inherit a high title, he must at least reach class 4 User status to prove his potential."
That was the goal from the start. Sneaky bastard!
The duke grumbled inwardly at the stinginess but found no real flaw in the marquis's sound argument. Calix was 15 now. Reaching class 4 would take at least 3-4 years.
It's a long wait, but it means no domain war in the interim—not bad. With the royal marriage pushing everything else aside, it's probably just a delay.
With Duke Otumur offering no strong counter, only the king's decision remained.
"I will conclude. The Noble Council shall form a special investigation team to continue probing the assassination attempt. If decisive counter-evidence emerges, we will issue new rulings via inquiry. However, this is limited until the child of Szczecin County reaches User status. Should Calix Szczecin prove class 4, the team disbands immediately, and succession is granted. Any objections?"
"A wise judgment, Your Majesty."
Marquis Antonio bowed swiftly, driving the nail home. Duke Otumur didn't know Calix well—just the son of a tragic early-death genius swordsman—so he'd backed off. But the marquis, having investigated beforehand, knew Calix was a hopeless dullard with slim odds of reaching class 4.
The verdict seemed fair but heavily favored their side. He barely suppressed a smirk.
Heh, they'll rage later when it backfires. That Szczecin family... always a thorn. Time to punish them properly.
That evening after the inquiry, Marquis Antonio summoned a servant upon returning to his mansion.
"You there!"
"Yes!"
"Ser... No, summon Ranchano!"
"Understood, my lord."
Ranchano was his trusted aide running Variegata, the marquis's intelligence agency.
"You summoned me?"
"I have a task. But... keep Viscount Servio in the dark."
"Hmm... A sharp one like him will notice even if we tread lightly. I'll bury it in paperwork—he won't know unless he digs."
"I don't care about details. As long as that bastard gets a harsh lesson."
"Someone's crossed you again, I see. Shall I procure a dark knight like last time?"
"I liked that one. Clean, quiet—no mess."
"I'll look into it."
"Good work."
After the meeting, Prince Gail met again with the man who had approached him recently.
"Thanks to you, it all worked out."
"You're too kind."
Gail shook his head at Jerard's humility.
"No, truly—a perfect moment. Who else could conceive appearing just as His Majesty abandons the pro-kings, swallowing them whole? Frankly, I wonder if you're a prophet."
I'm wondering too. How did Calix, from so far away it'd take over a week even on horseback, know?
Jerard swallowed the words rising in his throat. With his position still shaky, voicing that would shift the prince's favor to Calix instantly.
"I anticipated it because I know their ways well."
"Ah, right. Viscount Servio's the marquis's schemer, and you're the viscount's. Haha, both must be seething."
"Don't underestimate them, Your Highness. They took a hit, but they got what they wanted. The fifth prince's betrothal isn't broken."
The prince frowned at Jerard's warning.
"Tch! Any way to stop it?"
"Royal marriages rest solely with His Majesty. I have no counsel there."
"Just wishful thinking. Pay it no mind."
"You're no longer a blade in the shadows, Your Highness. Foes will guard against you now—easy wins like today will be rare. But it's not all bad. You've shed the dark for the sun. Summon the pro-king nobles, solidify bonds, and instill faith that following you means victory."
Gail nodded, smiling contentedly.
"The sun... resonant. By the way, shall we invite Szczecin County to our faction this time?"
"Not a bad idea. Sir Russell has symbolic weight. You rallied them personally with his letter. But give little. Fishermen don't bait caught fish."
"Heh, I thought you and Viscount Russell were closer, delivering it yourself."
"Misunderstanding. I helped their escape in exchange for debt relief—a mere transaction, no special favors."
"I see."
Jerard felt a chill as their eyes met—the prince's gaze seemed to pierce his secrets. In truth, he'd only followed Calix's advice so far. Gaining the prince's trust was bonus beyond his merits. The 'cunning ambitious' type, he felt no guilt. But he feared seeming like a Szczecin spy or falling short of expectations.
Thankfully, no deep suspicion showed.
"Anyway, I'm thinking of visiting Szczecin myself."
"Personally, Your Highness?"
"To request a public statement of support."
"Regretfully, Sir Russell and Young Lord Calix want no deep ties to central politics."
"Rejection's fine. My mere visit will have Siel's dogs spinning tales."
Jerard disliked the prince's fixation on Szczecin but lacked grounds to object now. Without Servio's pursuers, he'd volunteer himself. Regrettable.
He forced a smile and bowed.
"As you wish, Your Highness."