"I'm weak when it cos to slander and intrigue, but..."
"What are you trying to say now..."
"Still, after dozing in parliant for a few years, there are things you can guess. For instance, the expression 'pirates' ans there's been a major problem with Osdern's influence, which controls the colonies with a powerful navy."
That probably wasn't it. She thought while shaking her head. Unless Daria's control over Osdern had reached at least the level it was at the ga's opening, there was no way she would already be turning her attention to the colonies. The map of the 'Golden Claw' visible in the status window still hadn't left Osdern's mainland.
"Isn't there another hypothesis?"
"Well. What's certain is that Daria has acquired military power. When she's already strong enough as an individual, why would she need it?"
Is it because of ?
That was a reasonable guess. But she didn't really think they would bring an army. Pirates, no less. There must be so other use for them.
"Whatever they plan to use the military power for, according to this cipher, we should assu their work in Nine Holder is sowhat complete. That ans the longer we delay returning to the capital, the more dangerous it becos."
The phrase 'building many structures on seized land' ant they had begun preparing to build a Hunter Association and welco 'Hunters.' Building structures, hiring people, and creating a society that needed Hunters required ti. She estimated at least five years. But considering the start timing of the 'Golden Claw,' the groundwork would already be finished at this point.
But why were they targeting Cider's research? It seed like they already had everything they needed.
The space-ti machine that Dr. Sullivan had asked the information broker about. Were they looking for that? But there was nothing like that among Cider's inventions. If there were, it would be an invention comparable to the 'Golden Claw.' Or maybe they wanted him to create it? That's why the magical engineers...
Either way, it was certain they would have to oppose them. Though it didn't feel very real yet.
That was all they could learn from this letter. Since they couldn't go to Nine Holder, it was information they couldn't hear anywhere else, but there was nothing they could do here right now.
"It's unexpected that the Duke is under such surveillance that he can't even send letters."
After being lost in their respective thoughts for a while, Cider suddenly spoke up.
"Why is that?"
"Pinent House, the Duke's residence, is a palace even older than Augustum, and the servants are all from honorable backgrounds who have served the royal family for generations. But for the Duke to be under such surveillance that he can't send a single letter is hard to understand. Even if they don't need to worry about the Duke's reactions, they should still care about society's eyes."
"But a lot of people died last ti. Many were injured too. When filling the shortage of personnel, wouldn't it be possible to insert their own people?"
"Even if that incident beca an opportunity, to place such unverified individuals as the Duke's close associates... ah, yes. That part wouldn't be a problem. They just need to threaten the Duke."
The Duke would have voluntarily planted Daria's agents as watchers among his close associates.
"So he sent this cipher through Cordelia. How did he manage that?"
It didn't seem like the watchers would have allowed the Duke to et Cordelia. There was no natural way for two people with no connection to et, and even if there was an excuse to create a connection, it wouldn't be easy to evade the watchers' eyes.
"I have a suspicion, but maybe this cipher wasn't created by the Duke either."
"Then who? In this situation, soone who could help the Duke..."
"There's one person. Soone no one would suspect."
Esperanza's head shot up. Right. There was one person. Soone that Daria, Cyrus, and perhaps even the Queen couldn't imagine. That's why they wouldn't have watched them, and even if they encountered Cordelia, they wouldn't have been suspicious.
"Anyway, Galliston knows that person's value better than anyone and utilizes them better than they utilize themselves."
Cider got up from his seat and brought a thick book from Esperanza's table. His gray eyes sparkled with curiosity. Esperanza chuckled and hugged a cushion.
"To prove that, shall we try solving the cipher with the wrong key once?"
??????°??☆????°??????
Five days before the Duke's cipher arrived at Glailly House. Pinent House, which had overco the dungeon's damage and begun renovating, was noisy from morning.
"Where do you lowly things think you're touching! Won't you get out of the way?"
A voice filled with irritation poured out. Duke Galliston Edmund confird the location of the listening device with his eyes.
Alexandra was 'the person no one would suspect' and therefore useful. But he couldn't let his guard down.
"Your Highness, you cannot enter!"
"I want to see my sick nephew, and you're saying I need permission from the likes of you?"
The Duke's new attendant had no choice but to endure the barrage of fan strikes from the Duchess on his shoulders and head. Edmund raised the corners of his mouth so slightly it wouldn't show. He couldn't help but enjoy seeing Daria's person, who had dared to lift his head and recite orders before the Duke, getting beaten obediently.
"Edmund!"
Duchess Sherbury, who had discovered Duke Galliston wrapped in thick blankets, practically ran into the room. She didn't forget to slam the door shut to prevent the attendant from entering.
"I can't believe you're sick!"
The Duchess shouted loudly.
"I'm fine. It's not that serious."
"Like hell! This is the first ti I've seen you sick like this since you were fifteen. I nursed you quite diligently back then. You were an ungrateful brat though."
Duchess Sherbury, who had been chattering, suddenly stopped and read the room. When the Duke didn't scold her and slowly sat up, the Duchess thought she could nag a bit more and started grumbling with her hands on her hips.
"Are you trying to use
as a nurse again? You know I can't do such rough work, yet you do this. You just want to tornt your poor aunt."
"Would I hire a nurse like you? I wouldn't make such a waste."
At the sa ti as those words, he raised his hand. The Duchess, who recognized the simple hand signal, widened her eyes. It was sothing they had used instead of spoken language when they were a bit closer. When she was an ostracized exiled princess and he was a boy crushed under his father's shadow.
She hadn't thought Edmund would still rember. The Duchess, who had softened a bit, tapped her fan.
"Hmph, hmph. What did I ever do wrong?"
"You never do anything properly no matter what task you're given."
"That's why you cut my dignity maintenance allowance too, huh? You know how miserably I'm living because of that."
It didn't an she was starving or nding worn clothes to wear. However, collecting and showing off jewelry was the Duchess's only pleasure and only pride. Life without it was miserable. Edmund sighed.
"From next month, you'll be able to receive the original amount. If you don't disappoint
again. Though I wonder what task I could entrust to you... Since you're here anyway, have so tea before you go."
Red tea water appeared in the form of letters on the table.
"Sitting here like this reminds
of your nasty hobby. You made many enemies."
"What, what. Are you going to scold
again? I've been living so quietly lately."
"I wonder. The ban on entering the royal palace still hasn't been lifted, but I hear you frequently visit ballrooms."
"This ti I just enjoyed the party quietly and left. Really, you can ask anyone!"
The Duke sighed audibly. After wiping the tea water with his handkerchief, he dipped his fingertip in the cup and wrote again. Slowly enough for the Duchess to read.
"Don't you rember at all how you thoroughly humiliated the hostess of that ball ten years ago?"
"I was young then too! I don't do that anymore. So about the dignity maintenance allowance..."
The lawless one of high society, Princess Alexandra. Edmund chuckled while recalling that notorious reputation. Even when ostracized, even when impoverished due to her exile status, a princess was still a princess. Alexandra was suddenly incorporated into Osdern royalty through marriage talks with the forr king's beloved youngest son. And using royal protection as a weapon, she thoroughly took revenge on the society ladies who had looked down on her.
What she used then was ciphers. She would send invitation cards written in cipher to ladies she wanted to tornt, then make them solve the cipher with the wrong key to derive the wrong answer. It was a clever and malicious form of harassnt, but it couldn't be publicly criticized. The opponent was the exiled princess they had ostracized until just before, and now she was a duchess.
"Rember that if you cause problems again, I cannot overlook it. His Majesty is watching."
"Of course! ...Yes, I know better than anyone how generously you're overlooking things. Yes, that's right."
The Duke paused his hand. He looked up at Duchess Sherbury, then slowly wrote in large letters.
"I trust you'll do well."
"...I always do well. I've always listened to you well."
The Duke nodded and took out his handkerchief to wipe away the tea without leaving traces.
"Oh my!"
The Duchess picked up the teacup with trembling hands and poured tea over it. Then she practically threw the teacup down and stood up abruptly.
"I, I should go now! Edmund, it was an accident, really! Is there anyone outside? Co clean this up!"
The Duchess who left in a fluster truly looked frightened. The Duke slowly clicked his tongue while looking at his shirt sleeve soaked through.
'Alexandra is generally useless, but...'
Still, the intuition and petty scheming she had honed while being pushed around in high society were quite decent. His letter would safely arrive at Glailly House. If Daria and Cyrus hadn't sufficiently planted their forces in high society and the postal service. It was also a good opportunity to confirm that.
"Your Grace, please refrain from receiving guests."
The supervisor who had barely managed to send away the Duchess spoke stiffly upon returning.
"I'll be careful."
Edmund Seton answered while wiping his multicolored shirt sleeve with the already wet handkerchief. However, the shirt soaked with tea water only beca more soggy.
Just when he thought he could breathe a little easier, it had already beco stifling again. This stuffiness wouldn't be relieved for quite so ti.
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