Chapter 537: A Dangerous Road Ahead
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 537: A Dangerous Road Ahead
"Good evening, Baron Hanson."
"Good evening."
Hanson, his hair graying at the temples, offered a smile as he greeted the palace maid walking toward him. Having crossed paths frequently within the palace, they were well-acquainted.
"Is your work finished for the day?"
The maid blinked, her eyes filled with curiosity. "It seems a bit late today. I recall you usually make it a point to head home before sunset."
"Today was a bit different. The gardens over at Prince Albert’s estate have been neglected for too long. Even I had to spend extra time conceptualizing the pruning and layout. Today was just the preliminary design; I’ll likely be busy for several more days to come."
Hanson shook his head with a weary smile, explaining himself patiently.
He was the official royal landscaper, as well as a renowned architect and artist in Belland. The design of the entire Royal Garden had been the work of his hands and those of a few other masters. However, as he was slightly junior to the other masters in terms of seniority, the "grunt work"—coordinating logistics and even getting his hands dirty—usually fell to him.
"That sounds exhausting," the maid sighed, sympathizing with his plight.
She clearly held a great deal of affection for this old Baron. Though he was over fifty, he retained the sophisticated charm of a mature man and had never married. After the initial greeting, she sought out other topics to keep the conversation going. Hanson, ever the gentleman, showed no sign of irritation at her persistence.
"Oh, is this your new assistant? I don't believe I've seen him before."
After chatting for a while, the maid finally shifted her attention to the figure behind Hanson—a small, thin youth with a face covered in freckles.
The boy seemed painfully shy, shrinking behind Hanson’s back and refusing to even lift his head.
"Yes, he’s quite talented. I’m planning to train him as a formal disciple," Hanson replied with a smile. He then pulled out a pocket watch, glanced at it, and offered a polite farewell. "My apologies, I have a few matters to attend to. I must take my leave."
"Ah... of course. I’m the one who should apologize for keeping you..."
"Not at all. It is always an honor to converse with a beautiful lady."
Hanson walked away with a brisk pace.
The maid watched his retreating figure, unable to stop her hands from cupping her cheeks, which had flushed a deep crimson.
"...Baron Hanson is as handsome as ever. If only I could become his wife."
"Why don't you just keep 'bumping' into him here every day? You'll win him over eventually," a fellow maid teased, nudging her with an elbow.
"That’s exactly what I plan to do. After all, the Baron is a man of habit and immense self-control. The route he takes every day almost never changes. Waiting here is a sure bet."
"Except..."
The maid’s nose wrinkled slightly, a look of confusion crossing her face.
"The cologne he’s wearing today... it doesn't seem to be the one he usually uses."
*
"Baron Hanson Will, Royal Landscaper."
At the palace exit checkpoint, Hanson handed his token—which granted him free passage through certain areas of the palace—to the Royal Knight on guard for inspection.
The Royal Knight examined the token with professional rigor. Once he confirmed everything was in order, he handed it back, and the stiff, serious expression on his face relaxed.
"Hard work, Lord Baron. Going home so late? It seems the First Prince is keeping you quite busy."
Hanson passed through the same gates at roughly the same time every day, so he was on familiar terms with the guards. Beyond official business, they often exchanged pleasantries.
"It can't be helped. Everyone knows we can't just give the First Prince's estate a cursory glance anymore. Everything has to be rushed."
Hanson glanced left and right, noticing that there were significantly more knights on patrol than usual. He asked curiously, "But what’s going on today? I feel like the entire palace is under lockdown."
"Sigh, word is someone was bold enough to attempt an assassination on the Second Prince while he was en route. They’re hunting for the assassin now."
"An assassination?" Hanson looked shocked. "Is... Prince Andrew alright?"
"He’s fine, he’s fine. This is the Imperial Palace; neither Fighting Spirit nor Mana can be used here. Besides, the Second Prince has so many people watching over him—there's no way anyone could actually hurt him. Still, an attack on a prince is a grave matter. We can't let the assassin escape. The Vice Commander is organizing a massive sweep as we speak."
"Then..."
Hearing this, Hanson showed a hint of trepidation. He looked at himself, then at his timid assistant, and hesitated. "Should we... undergo a more thorough search as well?"
"No need, no need. Why would you ever try to assassinate the Second Prince, Baron Hanson? You have no reason to do such a thing. Besides, you’ve been busy at the First Prince’s estate all day; you have a perfect alibi. No one would suspect you."
The knight waved him off. His nerves had been frayed all day, and he found it relaxing to talk to an old acquaintance like Hanson.
Of course, he also knew for a fact that Baron Hanson couldn't possibly be the assassin, but he wasn't at liberty to disclose that kind of insider information.
"My thanks."
Hanson removed his hat and bowed slightly with a hand over his chest. "Then I shall not disturb your work any further. I’ll be going."
"Please, go ahead."
Under the watchful eyes of an entire squad of Royal Knights, Hanson calmly walked out of the palace, his shy disciple following closely behind.
Outside the palace lay a broad thoroughfare, wide enough for dozens of carriages to drive abreast.
In a prominent spot, the carriage that usually transported Baron Hanson was waiting exactly where it was supposed to be.
There were many carriages parked before the palace, and many eyes from unknown sources were constantly scanning the area.
The moment Hanson stepped out of the gates, he felt several sets of hidden gazes fall upon his face.
Finding nothing of interest, most of those gazes quickly shifted away, though one or two remained, cautiously tracking his every move.
Hanson’s expression didn't change in the slightest. As if completely oblivious to the covert surveillance, he boarded the carriage with natural grace.
"Hyah!"
The coachman flicked the reins, and the carriage began to roll slowly down the wide street.
It continued until it finally vanished into the shadows at the end of the road... nothing happened.
*
"It seems the first step was a success."
Inside the carriage, all the light-blocking curtains had been drawn, leaving the interior dim. "Baron Hanson" placed his hand against the side of his neck, just below the jawline, and gave a sharp tug.
A highly elastic, lifelike face mask was peeled away, revealing the handsome, youthful face of a man.
It was the First Prince, Albert.
Opposite him, the shy "disciple" lowered her head. A cascade of long hair spilled out from beneath the cap. When she looked up again, she had transformed back into Albert’s maid, Lawenny.
"It’s a good thing we had this identity to use. Otherwise, even getting out of the palace would have been a nightmare. How are things on the other end?"
"Don't worry, it was handled cleanly. Baron Hanson and his disciple won't wake up before the sun rises tomorrow."
"Good."
Albert pulled back a sliver of the carriage curtain, gazing at the palace as it turned into a blurred silhouette against the night sky.
"Heh. It seems my dear brother is truly determined to kill me before the Charity Gala."
Albert let out a mocking laugh.
An "assassination"? That was likely just an excuse Andrew used to mobilize the Royal Knights.
If he was willing to take such drastic measures within the palace grounds, then what madness would the humiliated and enraged Second Prince resort to in a place like the Lower District...
It was harrowing to imagine.
"It seems this road will be even more difficult than I anticipated."