Chapter 164

“More than that, about this state request.”

“Uh, uhh. The clock tower mission?”

“Yes. Shall we change the participant list. By adding the names of the members newly brought in from Trevaga.”

After thinking, Ornel raised one hand as though telling her to wait.

“Wait, wait a second?”

He hurried over to his desk, rummaged through the drawer, and found something.

After staring at it for quite a while, he ran back to Remi again.

“Let’s put it on hold for now.”

“Why? Wouldn’t it be better to do it now. We already have a mountain of backlogged work……”

After looking around, Ornel bent his waist toward Remi.

Then he whispered meaningfully, as though telling a major secret.

“Well, it looks like Oshinil is trying to stick someone into that mission.”

Remi’s eyes grew round.

She, who hardly ever showed emotion, withdrew the hand holding the documents with a surprised face.

“Oshinil?”

Oshinil.

That was the slang civil servants used among themselves for ‘the invisible hand.’

And if it was the invisible hand of the empire, there was only one.

The empress consort beloved by the emperor, and her offspring, Fides.

The imperial citizens did not know it, but the civil servants working for the imperial palace did.

That Ardiana’s standing had been gradually falling lately.

As the Crimson Princess was pushed out, the one seizing power was Fides.

“I don’t know who it is yet either. But they told me to make a spot open because they intend to stick one person into the joint force.”

Remi swallowed dryly.

If it was an order that had come down from Fides or the empress consort, the moment something went wrong, her head could be cut off.

Because these days the influence of ‘Oshinil’ was that strong.

“I-I understand.”

Remi put the documents back into the envelope.

Then, with a tense face, she pushed it into the deepest part of the drawer.

* * *

At the same time, the imperial palace.

“So, I would like you to take charge of that mission yourself and oversee it.”

From the exceedingly high throne came a low and solemn voice.

The back of the woman kneeling below the steps stopped with a start.

It was Ardiana.

Standing beside the throne, Empress Consort Lavenia smiled with her eyes.

“What an honor it must be, Ardiana. To personally investigate a new form of magic stone that has never appeared before. It would have been nice if our Fides could have done it.”

She drooped her brows as if regretful.

“As you know, Fides is terribly busy these days. They say state affairs are so heavy that he cannot even sleep well. How painful.”

Ardiana raised her head.

Then, while desperately hiding her expression, she smiled.

“It is all right. I too know well that Brother is busy.”

“Yes, how can you be this broad-minded?”

Seeing the empress consort speaking affectionately, the emperor smiled.

He looked at Ardiana again.

“As you know, the old palace site holds great meaning for our Talochium imperial family.”

“……”

“Because the fact that the clock tower of the old palace has been encroached upon by magic stones means that this imperial palace, where I dwell, is likewise not free from the threat of magic stones.”

The emperor slowly stroked his beard.

“It seems you understand that point well too. Since it is an important mission, I hear you gave the right to commence it to the most capable mercenary company these days? I also plan to mobilize the House Luminen that I cherish.”

“That is correct.”

“Yes. If it is a place gathered with excellent hunting dogs and holy knights, then naturally a member of our imperial family must go out and supervise it.”

Ardiana drew in a short breath.

She had to manage her expression, but a sneer kept forming at the corners of her mouth.

“I wish I had many children like the kings of neighboring countries, but by chance I have only you and Fides, so I am sending you alone.”

The emperor was speaking as though participating directly in the clock tower mission were some great honor.

But Ardiana knew.

What the real meaning hidden behind it was.

“However, does such a thought not suddenly arise? Leaving aside Valentis and those children, is it truly the right choice to expose you as you are to the hunting dogs……”

“Your Majesty. The authority of the august imperial house will fall. Should we not send Ardiana to supervise, while making sure it is not revealed that the child is a princess?”

Lavenia’s voice echoed through the palace.

As if that were exactly the answer he wanted, the emperor nodded.

“Right. That is very right.”

The emperor rose from his seat.

“It would be best for you to participate under the identity of association president instead of princess. There are guards recommended by Fides, so I will attach a few to you.”

Having finished speaking, the emperor turned his back without the slightest hesitation.

The empress consort likewise followed behind him.

The footsteps of the two people grew distant, and soon, bang, the door shut.

Once no one was left in the audience chamber, Ardiana staggered from her place.

The maid attending her from nearby ran over at once.

“Your Highness……!”

Supporting her, the maid whispered.

“Are you all right? Your complexion……!”

Ardiana waved her hand as though saying it was fine.

Then she answered in a sunken voice.

“I am all right. It is because of the poison I drank this morning.”

The maid bit her lip.

Ardiana had been poisoned again that very morning.

The attempts to poison her to death had already been many, so it was not surprising.

But that did not mean it was all right.

“Still, I think it would be better if you took an antidote……”

“You know it too. Most poison no longer works on me. Because I have built up resistance. The same goes for antidotes.”

“Even so……”

“Enough. Let us go to the Blue Palace.”

The maid stared blankly at Ardiana as she left the audience chamber.

The two of them left the maze-like main palace and entered the garden.

In the distance, the Blue Palace, Ardiana’s palace, could be seen.

After sensing whether there was any sign of people around, the maid moved closer to Ardiana’s side.

“It seems His Highness Fides has truly resolved himself this time.”

Ardiana did not answer.

“Who in the world pushes an imperial family member into such a dangerous mission? If it is something that requires imperial family involvement, then why in the world did they hire mercenaries and the Holy Knights? Are you not resentful, Your Highness?”

Ardiana stopped walking.

Turning her body, she looked at her maid with lonely eyes.

“……Even if I am resentful, what changes?”

The maid was left with nothing to say.

“Nothing changes. Time in the imperial palace stopped long ago. Brother and the empress consort will never stop until the day my breathing stops.”

The maid pressed her lips tightly together.

Ardiana gently patted her shoulder.

“However, even so, I must remain in Talochium. The imperial citizens are suffering, and the debt owed to the mercenaries only grows by the day……”

Deep and dark sorrow welled up in Ardiana’s eyes.

“At the very least, I must take care of them. As a member of Talochium’s imperial family, I must protect them.”

Ardiana began walking again.

The maid wiped the tears welling at the corners of her eyes and ran to stand by her side.

“I will go with you. The guards His Highness Fides attached cannot be trusted. Frankly speaking, how do we know they will not try to harm Your Highness?”

However, Ardiana shook her head.

“No, you remain in the palace.”

“Pardon?”

“If by any chance I am injured or die, would there not be the association’s aftermath to handle.”

“Your Highness……!”

“Aside from me, there is no one who knows the association as well as you do. If I disappear, His Majesty the Emperor will surely neglect the association. He probably will not disband it entirely. Without the association, it would become difficult to hire mercenary companies as efficiently as now. After that, he will probably delegate the authority of association president to you, who know this work well.”

“……”

“Therefore it means that at least you must preserve your body in preparation for any possible situation.”

The maid, and at the same time the chief administrator of the Frost Association, Kardia, had no choice but to nod.

“Who in the world could stop Your Highness.”

Ardiana looked back at Kardia.

“That is why I told you to run away. I gave you chances many times, but the one who remained by my side is you.”

Kardia smiled bitterly.

“……Adeline and Deilanne both must have wanted to remain by Your Highness’s side too. They just could not break that stubbornness of Yours.”

The two people smiled and entered the Blue Palace.

Inside the palace managed by only nine people, it was cool and cold.