Hidden truths and revealed facts (3)
The sound of chirping sparrows. Twilight waves that spread softly.
“Whoa.”
Breathe in the cool dawn air into your lungs and stretch.
In order to change my mood, I came out at dawn to practice, and despite the late spring weather, my body was quite cold.
Talk- Talk-
The cold drizzle touches your fingers.
It rained just in time, so the timing was good.
I murmured involuntarily at the cold sensation felt at my fingertips.
“I’ll have to go in soon.”
I tied my coat so that my sword would not get wet and stepped inside the castle.
Even if it wasn’t the first prince’s treasured sword that he used before, the attitude towards the sword was already ingrained in his body.
“Oh, have you been?”
Baron Vidor, who had been cleaning his office since dawn, welcomed me by putting down a bundle of papers.
As we got closer, it was unusual for her eyes to be wide open as if she hadn’t slept at all.
It wasn’t hard to guess why.
“Preparations for the party.”
“Whew… … I think we can somehow make it to the scheduled time.”
“It seemed so.”
As I was walking down the hallway, I saw servants who were moving with their hands busier than usual.
It wasn’t a very welcome story from my point of view to suffer from early morning for something like an envoy.
I said, looking through the stack of papers.
“Have you heard from them?”
“Guys… … Oh, do you mean the envoys of the Commonwealth Empire?”
“hmm.”
A private meeting with the delegation that I promised with my father.
Fortunately, the answer that came out of the baron’s mouth was exactly what he had been waiting for.
“As long as it’s before the party starts, they say it doesn’t matter.”
“… … is it.”
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the actions so far were the process of waiting for that moment.
What are they thinking, and how will they move… … Considering such a fact, the place called the meeting was not appropriate.
“Then call me to the office in two hours.”
“All right.”
I slowly unbuttoned the raindrops on my overcoat.
He could feel the baron’s gaze following the tattoo revealed through the open sleeves.
“Preparation for the bath.”
“… … George has already told the ladies-in-waiting to prepare the bath water. I have been away for a while to prepare clothes to change into.”
“The adjustment seems to be going well. What do you think?”
“It is surprisingly fast to acquire knowledge. It is not an exaggeration to say that if you teach one, you will learn ten.”
“Right.”
Although it was a trivial task, it was clear that it was difficult to act naturally unless you had a fair amount of experience, as it required an understanding of the schedule or coordination of workers.
If the baron, who is in the position to teach him, praises him, then his ability is outstanding.
“Pay attention to George’s education. Shouldn’t you be finishing your duties as temporary aide soon?”
“ah… … ! Yes, I will keep that in mind!”
“Send him up as soon as he arrives.”
Then, without looking back, I headed for my room.
The face in the mirror looked even more hopeful than before, so it was just regrettable.
‘I didn’t say a word that I would let you go back to the territory… … .’
Laughing while thinking about that, even thinking to himself was like a devil.
* * *
with a splash-
“Hmm.”
The hot bath water washes away the wet body with rainwater.
After dipping my head in and taking it out, it couldn’t have been better.
It was after that that I felt the popularity.
smart-
“I have prepared a change of clothes.”
A grunting voice came from outside the door.
Before I could enjoy my rest, I answered the uninvited guest as if it was annoying.
“Leave it loose.”
Then, along with the sound of clicking the tongue, the sound of the hem of the clothes falling to the ground was heard.
I was told to leave it roughly, so I really threw it to the ground.
I laughed at the scene that looked vivid even without checking it through the senses.
“The award will have to be canceled.”
I left my body in the calm water that wrapped around my body and lay my head down.
Unfortunately, however, the excitement that satisfies the heart did not come up as before.
It’s because of that uninvited guest grumbling outside.
In the end, I had no choice but to finish the short break by wiping my body.
“So, what about the report?”
“I left everything in silence.”
“… … tell me more.”
“Two employees of the association knew the truth. I gave him the right amount of money and immediately dispatched him as an investigator in a remote area in the north.”
“It’s a reasonable silence.”
As a result, the story of Mithril Mine will not spread for at least a month.
And that period was enough time to fully absorb ownership of the plains.
However, it seems that it was an area that George could not understand.
“It’s nothing else, it’s a mithril mine. Wouldn’t it be better to shut your mouth permanently?”
Seongcheol Shin.
In other words, this ore, called Mithril, was so rare that its value was incomparable to gold.
Its hardness is comparable to that of adamantine, and its aura conductivity is such a treasure that no other ore can compare.
“If that was also the land of the Federation Empire, there is no way that there would be a conflict.”
“I guess so.”
The benefits that Mithril Mine would bring to Esteban could not be counted.
If you consider that the beginning of the Hundred Year Crusade, one of the great wars on the continent in the past, was to take away the leadership of the Mithril mine, you will be able to guess its value.
And what he said just now, he pinched that part and talked about it.
But my thoughts were the same.
“Does not matter.”
“It doesn’t matter… … What, do you intend to go to war with the people of the Federation Empire?”
“From the moment they planted the seed and induced the rebellion, the relationship between the two countries has already gone astray. This agreement can be said to be a show-off ceremony.”
“It is, but… … .”
“Wars always happen. The timing is just unclear.”
I remembered the war with the Commonwealth before the return.
Even though he was fooled by Asus’ tricks and decided to go to war with them, the war could be said to be inevitable.
from a very long time ago. They were planning to eat Esteban… … .
Of course, it was also true that all the puzzles were completed only when I was about to die.
“If a war is unavoidable, it would be better to hold the reins from this side.”
“… … .”
Anyway, the moment I figured out the Mithril distribution route, rumors had no choice but to fly.
As before, I had no intention of watching them find a mithril mine.
Even if it is unknown whether its existence will hasten the ignition of the fuse called war.
‘but. That’s why I’m just moving.’
For Esteban of a better tomorrow.
To live now without regrets.
This was also directly related to my goal of not repeating the mistakes of the past.
“But only then will it be like a lamp before the wind.”
I finished my short bath and shook my head.
My eyes reflected in the water were shining.
* * *
“Your Highness the First Prince. Thank you for inviting me to breakfast.”
Countess Esula, who represents a perfect example of depth but never heavy, suitable for the position of breakfast.
After that, the person who appeared to be an attendant nodded.
I gestured for the seat across from me and said.
“Sit down.”
“thank you.”
drooling-
The Count, who sluggishly pulled out the chair, sat down cautiously.
Then, as if she had been waiting, the lady-in-waiting approached and began to place tableware on the table.
“Do you have any other drinks you enjoy?”
“I usually look for Cort Dame 80 Year Old.”
“Then do it.”
It was a very good taste to enjoy as an aperitif.
When the drink he had ordered came out and his lips were wet, the conversation began in earnest.
“I read the letter from the Federation Empire. Speaking of which, who in the Commonwealth Empire thinks this is a plot?”
“Based on the information we have confirmed, we are convinced that it is the Holy Empire.”
“Are you saying that the two countries are playing around with the traps dug by the Holy Empire?”
“It is as you say.”
I gently turned the wine glass around and asked the question again.
“What do they gain from doing that?”
“It is the assumption of the Federation Empire that they will probably use this incident as an excuse to interfere in internal affairs in the name of protection.”
“Hmm.”
“That’s why His Majesty the Emperor sent me home with the goal of strengthening friendship with Esteban and uncovering the atrocities on the part of the Holy Empire.”
Holy Empire and Commonwealth Empire. And Esteban, who serves as a kind of peace zone between the lands of barbarians.
Hearing this story alone, it could have been seen that the Holy Empire was really trying to gain indirect benefits by separating Esteban and the Commonwealth Empire.
“But I think they handed over the land they asked for too easily for something like that.”
If they had really come to support the truth, they would not have responded to the request for land.
As a result, the current situation looks like giving money for an agreement.
The answer to that was simple.
“This is just the cornerstone of friendship. Of course, apart from that, the collection of information to uncover the crime will continue.”
“Right. Externally, it is an area of support, but is it a picture for the future?”
“Exactly.”
From noble mtl dot com.
It’s all a conversation made up of lies.
Like a staged play, they dutifully follow the script while noticing each other’s intentions.
And the ending has already been decided.
“Then Esteban should follow that will and try to uncover the truth.”
“Your Majesty will be pleased too.”
For me, who knew everything, it was just a boring peek.
‘Disgusting.’
Why did you give the land?
From their point of view, they gave it up willingly because they thought they could get it back at any time.
Rather, they would think that it was a cheap deal if they paid off this job in exchange for 20 kilometers of land that was difficult to manage.
‘It’s a rough land because of the existence of the Holy Empire.’
In fact, Esteban’s position was like that.
‘But what about in this life?’
It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to take a look at their strategy, and I’ve even taken away the mithril mine.
Unlike the past, the causal relationship that forms the future has been completely destroyed.
Just in time, the food brought by the lady-in-waiting began to climb onto the table.
An exclamation flowed from the earl’s mouth.
“Hoo!”
“It’s a bacon dish with Esteban’s specialties. It was specially prepared for the delegation.”
“It’s good enough to overdeserve.”
It wasn’t sarcasm.
It was a direct order to prepare more excellent food than ever before.
My hand stroking the knife was cold.
“By the way, doesn’t the person in the back fit into a ‘seat like this’?”
“… … yes?”
“Didn’t you just stand in the back from a while ago?”
Leaving behind the bewildered count, I looked at the man over my shoulder.
“Since we prepared good food, how about eating together?”
“… … Big! How could I have an attendant join me for dinner with Her Highness?”
“okay?”
I put down the knife and got up.
Then, as if he didn’t care, he looked at the smiling man’s face and smiled at him.
“You must have been bored standing there for a long time, but please take a seat.”
“… … .”
“Or do you really not fit into ‘this place’?”
And whispered softly.
“His Highness Leiden del Carrot.”