The meeting room where the officials of the royal palace gathered.
The people gathered here were all followers of the 1st prince, Morgan Alexander.
It was a meeting because of the results of the investigation of the underground temple that started a month ago.
Among them, Deputy Minister of Instructors for Foreign Affairs, Chris Vieri, said.
“In the end, I couldn’t figure it out. I have obtained the authority to investigate after a long time, but it is very regrettable.”
This investigation came about because Shed Solbakken, the undersecretary of the mission in charge of all kinds of technology, had done it.
At this, Shedd smiled wryly and sipped his tea in silence.
“Ah, I didn’t mean to rebuke Shedd very much. It’s just that I’m a bit sad about it.”
It’s an obvious lie, but Deputy Minister Shedd had nothing to say.
After obtaining the authority to investigate, there was a bit of a dispute over who was in charge.
This is because Deputy Minister Shedd took over the command of the investigation.
“I’m sorry, but what can I do? Vice Minister Shedd’s people and the Rue family couldn’t find it either.”
“Still, I think it’s okay. Didn’t you confirm that poor Cruz wasn’t ambitious?”
“you’re right. Who will find out what Deputy Minister Shedd didn’t find out?”
“It won’t be a big deal even if the authority to investigate goes back to Deputy Cruz.”
At the quick pace of the bureaucrats following Deputy Minister Shedd, Chris gave a nice smile without saying more.
This was enough to vent my anger and keep me in check.
However, Deputy Minister Shedd also had no intention of just getting over it.
“Come to think of it, Deputy Secretary Chris, what about the news about poor Cruz?”
“… … Miss Cruz?”
“Hasn’t it been dark since we went to Illami’s estate? Since he’s the vice-instructor, he must have some information.”
It was a question because I knew that Deputy Secretary Chris had been out of work for quite some time.
Since it is a department in charge of diplomacy, there is no choice but to be fluent in the news of each family, foreign race, and Feyer continent.
If you don’t know, it will be a sufficient basis to check.
“Actually, lately I’ve been focusing on listening to information from the central government.”
It was Deputy Minister Chris who returned the answer saying he did not know.
This was partly because the Illami family arbitrarily hid Cruz’s visit to the Matu tribe.
It was hard for them to know that.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, the Duke of Leon Rothstein is visiting the palace tomorrow.”
“… … Are you Duke Leon? It’s strange, to come directly to the palace without being called by His Majesty.”
Deputy Minister Shedd unknowingly crumpled his forehead because he spit out unexpectedly plausible information.
“So you have to be careful. Looking at the recent situation, there is no reason to come.”
“That’s right, I’ve already informed Lord Morgan, so it must have been of some help.”
Deputy Secretary Chris’ people proudly began to treat the information he said as if it were important.
Vice Minister Shedd and his followers, who were about to take a hit, had no choice but to lick their appetites.
smart.
In the meantime, when I heard a knock, my eyes focused for a moment.
The one who came in was none other than the instructor’s bureaucrat.
Deputy Minister Chris, who heard something from him, frowned greatly.
Deputy Minister Shedd did not miss this and asked.
“What’s up? From the looks of it, it doesn’t seem like normal news.”
“… … That is.”
A heavy silence hung over the conference hall at the sight of Vice Minister Chris, who could not open his mouth.
After thinking about it for a while, he carefully opened his mouth, probably thinking that he shouldn’t hide it.
“I have information that Lord Cruz is returning to the palace with the Marquis of Brisman and the Matu tribe.”
“… … Is this information correct? Are you with that Marquis of Breezman?”
“They say it’s true.”
No wonder Shedd and other officials were surprised.
Although Breezeman is a Marquis of the frontier, he is a person that no one, including the duke, can ignore.
As well as managing the most important places militarily.
Because of various problems, it is also doing an excellent job of governing a place that is difficult to develop.
Noticing his influence, many people in power, including Morgan, reached out, but he was the one who rejected them all.
But the Marquis of Breezmann is coming with Cruz?
“And the Matu people, why do they go with you?”
“That’s right, even when they visit the kingdom, they travel alone, not with outsiders.”
So did the Matu.
A tribe with high fighting ability, but because of their closed nature, no one is welcomed.
The only thing they welcomed was the queen of the kingdom.
The fact that two people who didn’t match at all came to the capital together was a move that included political intentions.
“When are you arriving?”
“It says tomorrow.”
If Cruz had known this news immediately after departure, the instructors, including Deputy Secretary Chris, would have been credited.
But knowing this now was an obvious mistake on the part of Deputy Secretary Chris.
I figured it out so late was also because of his instructions to focus on the central investigation.
Sensing this, Deputy Minister Chris quickly hit the ground running.
“Is there anything special? It’s certainly a bit unusual, but you’ve confirmed the low ambitions of poor Cruz, haven’t you?”
It’s true that it’s too late to figure out the whereabouts of the 2 prince.
He was saying that there was no basis for Vice Minister Shedd’s conclusion that he was not ambitious.
“you’re right. It’s strange that the Marquis and the Matu are coming together, but what are you going to do with that?”
“The Mage Tower Gun revealed that low-ranking Cruz’s talent was amazing, but that’s all.”
“Ahmyo, that kind of thing can’t threaten the deterioration of Morgan.”
It was an addition of words from an aide so as not to overtake the lead in the conversation.
In the future, if Morgan becomes crown prince, the actual power will be divided among the followers.
By that time, Deputy Minister Chris and Deputy Minister Shedd will compete for real power.
For that time, the two were already holding each other in check.
‘There’s no way Prince Cruz threatens the lower Morgan.’
Thus, they lost the opportunity to quickly respond to Cruz’s return.
* * *
Arriving at the capital, I changed my clothes and was preparing to enter the palace.
Next to him were Marquis Brisman and Phrexia, who had also changed their clothes.
“I guess everyone knew we were coming.”
“I guess so, the instructor said they figured it out yesterday.”
“You mean yesterday? It’s later than expected.”
I left the Matu territory and moved as quickly as possible, but I expected this kind of movement to reach the palace.
I’m not going back alone, Marquis Brisman and Phrexia are accompanying me.
“It must have been because he was paying attention to the central investigation. There must have been some that were not very wary of the lower movements.”
“I guess Marquis Brisman’s ears were in the instructor.”
“ha ha ha! By the way, are you okay? I heard that the war on the Feyer continent has entered a temporary truce… … .”
It was a question of whether it would be okay to put forward a ceasefire in the Feyer continent as a basis for opposition to the plan I would announce later.
“Don’t worry. You won’t be able to oppose my plan with anything like that.”
“You are well, my dear.”
Hearing the Marquis’ boisterous laughter, he glanced sideways.
Dressed according to the manners of the royal palace, Phrexia’s face did not show any tension.
“Isn’t Phrexia nervous?”
“It’s possible. It’s my first time coming to the palace.”
“Doesn’t it look like that at all?”
“Since I came here on behalf of my fellow countrymen, I am just hiding it. If you show a weak side, the Matu people will be seen as such a people.”
“You’re in great shape.”
Soon after, word came to him to enter the palace.
When the gates of Daejeon opened, I saw bureaucrats filling the seats.
Not all bureaucrats gathered for an audience with the queen in Daejeon, but this time was an exception.
It was not a place made for a simple report, but a place requested with an agenda to announce a major issue.
jerk, jerk.
He stood in front of the queen, passing by the gazes of the bureaucrats who were curiously looking at Marquis Brisman and Praxia.
After completing the greeting according to the etiquette, the Queen’s majestic voice rang out.
“You’ve raised your level even further in a period of about a month, Cruz.”
“Thank you, Mama.”
“And to come directly to the palace. What a big deal, Marquis of Brisman.”
“Have you been well, Your Majesty?”
After greeting the two, the Queen turned her gaze to Phrexia.
Even so, Phrexia only swallowed once and did not show emotion on her face.
“I would like to hear your introduction.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. My name is Phrexia, a first-class wizard of the Matu tribe and the representative of the tribe.”
“I am really curious about the declaration that Cruz will make, since he came as the representative of the Matu tribe.”
The queen stared at me with interest, and the bureaucrats stared at me with puzzled eyes.
In response, I lowered my head slightly, then turned around to stare at the officials.
“Before I declare, I will tell you something I experienced while heading to Illami’s territory. Deputy Secretary Chris, would you like to come forward?”
Vice Minister Chris rolled his eyes for a moment at the sudden call.
Soon after, he walked out with a nonchalant face.
“The instructor was in charge of escorting the river demons’ wagon, am I right?”
“… … Yes, that’s right.”
“I used a wagon in Drude Hills, but the attitude of the river demons who run it was very spectacle.”
I didn’t know what I was trying to say.
“There, I saw the strong demons treating the people of the kingdom as if they were slaves. Also, they asked for money other than the specified amount.”
“… … !”
Deputy Minister Chris distorted his expression as if this was the first time he had heard it.
Other officials were also surprised.
However, some of them bit their lips hard as if they were right.
‘Perhaps the authors were the ones who turned a blind eye to the gangma tribe’s behavior.’
With the help of the Marquis of Brisman, as well as the lord of Druid Hills.
I knew that the instructors and other officials from several departments were in collusion with the strong demons.
It was a situation that Deputy Minister Chris really didn’t know because it was something that was happening under him.
Of course, I had no intention of seeing it that way.
“What do you think about this? Deputy Secretary Chris.”
“… … If true, I think it is truly regrettable.”
“You talk like it’s someone else’s business. An unfortunate incident like this happened, but is it okay for the head of the vice minister to say that?”
“That’s right, Deputy Secretary Chris. This is not something to just get over.”
“We need to thoroughly investigate and punish those who bystanders until the situation reaches this point.”
As if this was an opportunity, the officials raised their voices one by one.
Among them, there were those who did it without calculation.
Most of them were political actions to keep Vice Minister Chris in check.
Deputy Secretary Chris couldn’t say anything and just glared at the instructor’s officials.
“The data gathered from the victims’ evidence will be announced at a later date. Anyone who has objections to this, step forward now.”
“No, lower.”
“How could there be any objection when the people of the kingdom were treated badly by strangers?”
Other officials actively agreed with the idea that they had a clear cause to check Deputy Secretary Chris.
“Good answer. I think the root cause of this incident is the treaty with the river demons.”
“If it’s a treaty… … ?”
“It’s a treaty in which only the strong demons get all kinds of benefits in the name of escort. What time of day are they still transported by wagon?”
In response, the officials kept their mouths shut as if they had promised.
It is true that unfair treaties are true, but there were quite a few people who took advantage of this unfairness.
Most of them were Morgan’s followers.
“Because of this, the reality of the kingdom is that it is difficult to respond to changes in the Feyer continent. Even if you exclude this incident, I think this is the biggest problem.”
“… … However, lower. If the treaty is broken unilaterally, there will be trouble.”
“you’re right. If you break it, other immigrants with similar treaties will rise up.”
“I never said a word about destroying it. I have no intention of doing that.”
At my assertion, the bureaucrats held their breath and waited for the next words.
“To solve this problem, Illami and Rothstein will connect these two territories with a road.”
“… … !”