During the montous summit held in Nolan at the end of the 18th Epoch, clear evidence had so far proven that both the King of the Cheslan Kingdom and the King of the Hamparvo Kingdom had not only co into contact with the supernatural but had made use of it. The latter, on the second day of the Church's investigation, made a public appearance and unexpectedly announced he had already chosen his successor.
It was a Friday morning in front of City Hall. Those attending the summit braved the morning smog and dew, while reporters and curious citizens stood behind the police lines, waiting for the dignitaries to pass.
Salsi II, accompanied by Dolores, alighted from his carriage and was led by his attendants up the steps of City Hall. But at the top of the staircase, he turned around, not yet entering the grand doors.
He and his daughter stood together on the carpeted grand staircase of City Hall. Queen Isabella and Tackwen the Proud, who had arrived earlier, looked on from a second-floor window.
He coughed twice to quiet the crowd. The nobles and officials from the Hamparvo Kingdom who were part of the talks had been inford in advance and waited at the foot of the steps.
And just like that, Salsi II unexpectedly announced his choice of successor, which also ant that Dolores would beco the Hamparvo Kingdom's first queen.
Even the Nolan Daily, which never published special editions, rushed one out at ten in the morning, spreading the big news across the city. At the sa ti, travelers on trains bound for all corners of the continent carried the story to the rest of the world. This was the second major event to occur in Nolan since the truce between Fidektri and Cheslan, and no one could have predicted that Salsi II would make such a sudden decision.
But despite its abruptness, there were few voices of opposition from within the Hamparvo Kingdom. Even the officials and nobles who had accompanied him to Nolan voiced no objection to the king's decision. Salsi II's prestige and iron-fisted thods were more than enough to keep his country in line. Dolores still had much to learn by her father's side.
Of course, none of this had much to do with Jenkins for the ti being. On that rather bustling morning, he received letters from Papa Oliver and KalFax Field, and so he brought the three young won from his ho with him to Pops Antique Shop.
The antique shop had probably never been so crowded in the morning. Besides the young won and Papa Oliver, three police captains from KalFax Field with stars on their shoulders, Nolan's mayor Mr. Saks Luto, Duke Douglas Gerrod, Duke Rocheste, Duchess Madeline, and a host of others were all waiting for Jenkins inside.
Before he even reached the shop's entrance, Jenkins saw uniford police officers and royal guards standing ramrod straight at the door. When he led the young won inside, he was stunned by the sheer number of people.
He hesitated for a mont before greeting those he recognized and those he didn't. Then, at Papa Oliver's gesture, he was led to the second-floor reception room to et the two dukes, the duchess, and the officers from KalFax Field. The lowest-ranking person there was Detective Vidi, who had co to the antique shop not long ago to question Jenkins about his whereabouts on the night the unfortunate Victum had died.
"What's going on? You're not here to ask about Victum again, are you?"
Papa Oliver closed the door from the outside. There were enough chairs in the room for everyone. Jenkins and the young won sat down on the sofa, all of them rather bewildered by the situation.
"Viscount, sothing terrible has indeed happened."
The speaker was Duchess Madeline, the only duchess present. She was quite old and hadn't made an appearance at the docks to welco the Cheslan fleet, nor on the night the Queen was poisoned. But at a royal ball long ago, she had once shared tea with Queen Isabella at a round table under a grapevine.
The old lady was a very traditional noblewoman who respected the Middleton family bloodline. Although Miss Windsor had not personally reached out to her, she was still considered a potential supporter of Jenkins.
"Since last week, six of the royal heirs have been murdered in succession, and it appears to be the work of the sa group."
She explained slowly, revealing the dreadful truth. Seeing that Jenkins didn't interrupt, she paused for a mont before continuing:
"We an no offense, but every living heir is a suspect. There's no other way to explain this string of murders. The matter has beco extrely serious; after all, there aren't many royal heirs to begin with. By order of Her Majesty the Queen, we are to conduct routine questioning of all living heirs. I apologize for disturbing you so early, but please, do not be alard. You only need to answer a few questions."
"I see. Of course."
Jenkins nodded, then looked toward Detective Vidi. As expected, he was the one to conduct the questioning, though the middle-aged man looked extrely reluctant to do so.
"Viscount, what were you doing four nights ago? Can anyone verify that?"
"Four days ago?"
Jenkins searched his mory. That was Monday, the day the Church had utterly crushed the Perfu Appreciation Committee.
"I was at ho that night. As for proof..."
He glanced at the red-haired young woman. Hathaway blushed and said nothing, so Detective Vidi nodded and jotted sothing in his notebook.
"And three nights ago?"
he asked.
Jenkins delved into his mories again. That was Tuesday, when the black tal tower appeared. He had disguised himself as one of the Believers of Lies and entered the tower that night, but had co away with nothing. Worried sick, he had returned ho, where Briny had comforted him all night.
He looked at the blonde young woman. She also flushed slightly, and Detective Vidi understood once more.
"And two days ago?"
he continued.
Jenkins rembered two days ago quite clearly. Salsi II had invited him to play chess for the entire night, but he wasn't sure if it was appropriate to ntion it in front of so many people.
"I was with Princess Dolores Stuart that night... Her maid, Miss Julia, can attest to that."
Detective Vidi's mouth fell open slightly in surprise. He glanced hesitantly at the dignitaries around him, as if seeking guidance on whether he should write this down. But they all avoided his gaze, pretending not to have heard a thing.
"Alright, then... What about last night?"
The detective asked with difficulty, his head bowed, staring intently at the blank page in his notebook as if the very letters Jenkins spoke would explode if he looked up.
Jenkins rembered last night clearly as well. He had been waiting in the Evergreen Forest while the petite woman and Miss Bevanna were talking.
"I wasn't ho last night. I was with Miss Alexia Miller... She's Princess Dolores's tutor, and we often spend ti together. But she isn't here. I only brought the young won from my household who could vouch for my whereabouts, as you requested."
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