Hidden truths and revealed facts (4)
“Huh.”
With an exclamation, the shape of a normal face that was sure to be everywhere shook and disappeared.
What appeared after that was a face half-hidden with long hair.
“I was perfectly concealed through the artifact… … How did you find out?”
A thick scent that cannot be hidden even with the clumsy costumes of the attendants.
The well-packaged honorifics and the glimpse of self-image through his hair were enough to make us guess his identity.
“I felt a presence.”
“Unfortunately, that doesn’t explain it.”
The ladies-in-waiting who were carrying the food had already taken a step back and moved to a distance where the conversation could not be heard.
The 4th prince, Raiden del Carrot, who turned his head to confirm this, continued to speak.
“I asked because I was curious about the way that perfectly penetrated my identity.”
Contrary to the soft tone, in the atmosphere that had cooled down, the eyes of the 4th prince met.
It was nothing but emptiness, with no emotion felt in it.
“A leisurely, hedonistic step. stable breathing. Nevertheless, the attitude of being a bystander all the time.”
“… … .”
“You wouldn’t say that an explanation isn’t enough.”
Just as there is a saying that a seat makes a person, people tend to behave appropriately.
However, the question of the 4th prince was still unresolved.
“Wouldn’t it be if you simply felt suspicious? What is my identity as the 4th prince, who is new to me and does not even engage in external activities?”
His face reflected in the shallow light was astonishing.
It was obvious, but I had no intention of addressing his curiosity.
I sat down with a sad expression on my face.
“I don’t think that’s a very important point in the current situation.”
“… … okay. Excuse me for this.”
Is it an apology for hiding? Or is it an apology for the rudeness of trying to dig up information?
In any case, the prince approached with natural steps and sat down next to Countess Esula.
Then, the Count cleared his throat as if trying to lighten the mood.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness the 1st Prince. I never hid my identity with bad intentions.”
“Does not matter. Now that it has been revealed, there is no need to apologize.”
Because I knew from the very beginning of the meeting.
Rather, when it would be revealed, I was just looking forward to it.
There must have been a reason why the person who would later become the emperor of the Commonwealth Empire came to Esteban even while hiding his identity.
And the reason was with me.
“count. Is it okay if I talk here?”
“… … yes. Please do as you please.”
The Count treats the man dressed as an attendant with a respectful example.
As I was staring at him in a funny way, the 4th prince’s question came straight to me.
“Then I will tell you directly. Why did you pick out the plains of Galderde when you could have received something better?”
I raised the corners of my mouth at those words.
“I think I’ve already told you this too.”
to achieve a political goal.
It was also an excuse that we talked about in the previous meeting.
Of course, it was just an excuse that no one would accept.
“From my point of view, I can’t think of any other reason than that. As an example… … okay. I found something through the information power that grasped the whole situation of this civil war… … .”
“It sounds like a leap forward.”
“Anyone can inflate assumptions.”
It was an interesting situation.
Where did the original purpose go, and the one who sees and the one who tries to hide has changed.
Nevertheless, the fact that does not change is the fact that I am the one holding all the clues.
I leisurely picked up the tableware.
“What if you really do?”
“… … .”
“Maybe something has changed.”
Look at the smiling half face with the same expression as the first time and smile at it.
The face hidden behind the mask must not be smiling.
In the end, the winner in this fight couldn’t be the 4th prince who didn’t have any information.
“It’s fate that we met like this, and I’ll give you interesting information.”
“… … Interesting information?”
“yes. Please think of it as a return for preparing a surprise gift.”
I lowered my head slightly and muttered in a low voice.
It was a light conversation that started in passing, but never take the content lightly.
“Barbarians are aiming for the land of the Empire.”
For the first time, a small crack appeared on the smiling face of the 4th prince.
* * *
The 4th prince, who refused to attend the party on the pretext of being a sneaky guest, was in deep trouble as he looked out the window as he was busy preparing for the party.
It was not the fault of the first prince, who personally made him go to a foreign country far away by sabotaging all his schemes.
To be precise, what he said at the end of breakfast could be the starting point of all the troubles.
– Barbarians are targeting the lands of the Empire.
Recalling the memory of that time, the 4th prince’s eyes slowly closed.
-… … You mean they’re after the empire?
– The final battle will be the summer to come. They’ve already reached the jaws of the Empire.
It was a staggering sound, regardless of whether or not it could be trusted.
10 years… … No, even looking back on the 100 years longer than that, barbarians never crossed the empire.
Also, I didn’t know if it was targeting Esteban, but I didn’t even feel the slightest hint of it right away.
However, the first prince did not forget the advice, as if he were right.
-If you don’t believe it, try tracking the barbarians’ movement. Of course, by then you could say it was already too late.
-… … .
-It is up to His Highness, the 4th prince, to hear this information.
“… … It’s a pointless story.”
With a relaxed gesture, the 4th prince took out a cigarette and bit into it, drawing the smoke deep into his lungs.
Then, as if to shake off the lingering feelings in his chest, he let out a very long breath.
Whoa.
I was uncharacteristically surprised to figure out my identity, but in the end, this was also the realm of information.
In other words, if he knew in advance the information that he had disappeared from the imperial palace, he could easily find out by comparing the list of attendants.
Now, he had no interest in the first prince.
… … I wanted to believe that.
‘If so, what is that confidence?’
Questions that linger in your mind and won’t leave.
How could he have foiled his plan?
Why did you end this situation on the condition that you receive only a small piece of land?
And why did you tell me this at the end?
‘… … Do you really mean that there is intelligence that the Empire has not grasped?’
Recalling the morning, Leiden del Carrot’s interest was eventually fixed on the first prince.
It was an obsession to the point of not even knowing English.
It was then.
Seruk-
A shadow rose from behind the 4th prince, and a man wearing a black mask appeared.
As if he had been there from the beginning, the 4th prince also did not seem to care.
“Your Highness Raiden. I have brought the information you told me through contact with the home country.”
“yes. Let me listen.”
A masked man approached and put his mouth to my ear.
“There is no sign of war at this time.”
“… … .”
“Nothing is known about their movements, but we have dispatched a spy just in case, so the information you want will be in your hands soon.”
“… … okay.”
So was it.
The first prince simply wanted to shake me up by bluffing.
Maybe in order to get out of the situation that he asked as if he was questioning him… … .
The moment I thought so, the report from the masked man continued.
“Apart from that, strange news has been coming in from the northern border recently.”
“You mean strange news?”
“That’s right. Apparently, there are too many suspicious parts to dismiss as a simple phenomenon… … .”
“Tell me.”
“yes. That is… … .”
Thus, the sudden revelation of the first prince began to flap its wings in an unfamiliar direction that no one had predicted.
Exactly in the direction he wanted.
* * *
thud!
The dust piled up on the books wafts around and fills the office.
It is dust that has accumulated for at least ten years.
George frowned, but quickly opened the window to ventilate.
“… … What is this?”
“These are the things you should keep in your head from now on.”
What I just took out were books on strategy and tactics that were dormant in the royal library.
George wiped off the dust and checked the title, revealing an expression of dread on George’s face.
“Are your aides trained in strategy and tactics these days?”
“I don’t know that far. Probably not.”
“Then did I actually come as a staff member?”
“No way.”
From noble mtl dot com.
He shook his head, as if he had no idea what he was thinking.
understand to some extent.
“I’ve never studied anything like this in my life.”
“Then you can do it now.”
“… … .”
Won’t you let go of your face?
When I glared at him with an emotionless expression, he began to linger and pick up the dust accumulated on the book.
I sat down on the chair and lifted the teacup without disturbing it.
“It is essential for future plans. Memorize every single sentence within a month at the latest.”
“Then what about the party for the evening?”
“I will let you go. If you memorize them all within a few hours.”
George’s expression turned to tears, as if he were about to die.
Right now, I didn’t expect him to use excellent strategic tactics.
However, waiting for a war to come in a state of ignorance about strategy and tactics is quite different from looking at the situation with sufficient knowledge.
“I won’t ask you to take on the role of advisor right away. But I have to come up to the level where I can give simple advice.”
The future of the aide already decided.
George sighed deeply and compromised with his fate.
That doesn’t mean the boy’s expression was red.
“Even so, it is impossible to memorize this much in a month… … .”
“Take care of that part.”
“Yes, yes.”
He opened the bookshelf with an expression that he didn’t know anymore.
Soon, watching the banquet of the writings engraved on the first page, billion! and let out a moan like death.
I looked at the party invitation and smiled.
At that moment, George’s mysterious voice was heard.
“Your Highness the First Prince. I have a question for you.”
“hmm.”
“Do we have to prepare for war at a time like this?”
He was turning the pages of the bookshelf with an expression of incomprehension.
Eventually, George noticed my gaze and tilted his head before continuing.
“According to Your Highness, aren’t the people of the Commonwealth Empire going to have no energy fighting barbarians anyway?”
“I guess so.”
“Then, Your Highness thinks, are you preparing for a situation where they don’t go to war?”
certainty that there will be a war.
What he meant was that if there was such a thing, there would be no need to prepare for war from now on.
It was done in a hurry, even given the tight deadline of one month.
It was a natural question for George, but it was safe to say that the future had already been decided.
“We are not preparing to face the Federation Empire bastards.”
Information provided to the 4th Prince.
Perhaps they are poking around here and there to check the facts.
And by now, you should be aware of the aura of warfare that hangs over the empire.
‘Exactly, it made me think that way.’
I approached continental evangelism, leaving behind George, whose questions were still unresolved.
In the first place, if the barbarians have enough potential to overrun the empire… … It wasn’t.
Wasn’t that why, just before, he had left aside the countries bordering the barbarian lands and crept into Esteban?
In that situation, they were aiming for the Empire, the reason I said confidently.
There was a terrible famine in the land of the barbarians.
The land of barbarians that was exceptionally cold that year.
The raging winds froze the creatures living there, and cannibalism occurred frequently due to severe famine.
Barbarians gradually moved south for food to live on, which inevitably led to clashes with neighboring countries.
And the place that took such a direct hit was the Confederation Empire, which is the continent’s largest producer of grain and well-known for its abundance of food.
When the case was severe, a battle at the level of local warfare occurred.
The only difference from the past is the fact that I informed them of this fact.
I slowly returned to my seat and tapped the desk with my finger.
‘Then how am I going to come out now?’
To skillfully hide a handful of lies in the midst of the truth to come.
It must have already been known that food resources are rapidly leaking into the barbarian lands.
And recently, he must have realized that the clashes with the barbarians moving south had become more frequent.
In the meantime, the information I gave out will come to them with the certainty that a war will break out.
“… … Daegwan, what are you planning again?”
I raised the corners of my mouth at George’s scratching question, and said,
“nothing.”
All you have to do is move as you have done so far.
Planning has already begun.