Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
Chapter 136 : How to Make Them Squeak?
-Grand Duke, is what you left in the ssage true?
Was it like her to be so direct regarding official business?
The Imperial Princess, who faced through the crystal ball, imdiately went to the main point after exchanging a very simple greeting.
"As I told you, what I have secured is so circumstances and a few testimonies. Therefore, please understand that I cannot say that what I told you is 100% true."
-Hmm....
As Isabella crossed her arms and nodded her head, her silver hair, which was tied in a single strand and hung down to her waist, swayed with a slight wave.
-But you think so, right, Grand Duke? That is why you would have left such a ssage.
'I cannot guarantee it'.
Considering the appearance Hein Reichart had shown so far, she thought he would not be leaving room just to avoid responsibility.
I said it was only so circumstances, but the weight of those circumstances would not be light at all.
However, since it was sothing that could escalate into an international issue if handled poorly, I had no choice but to show such a cautious attitude.
-Of course, you cannot guarantee it, Grand Duke.
Was she intending to ease the tension?
Isabella showed a light smile.
Because she attempted communication while working overti in the office, currently Isabella was wearing an awkward outfit that was neither the formal uniform of the knight order nor casual clothes.
But apart from that ambiguity, Isabella was beautiful enough, so her smile had the magic to relax the tense atmosphere.
-I am the one who makes the final judgnt on what you have told , Grand Duke. Even if a diplomatic problem occurs due to a wrong judgnt, there will never be any harm to you or Zodiac because of this. I will also make sure that no one knows that you gave this information. So, could you tell a little more in detail?
Having reassured once more, Isabella began to press in earnest.
-The information about those 'impersonating the na of the Empire' that you witnessed, Grand Duke.
Isabella's eyes, which seed infinitely beautiful, curved sharply upward the mont the word 'impersonation' ca out.
I smiled faintly without her knowing.
'This personality of reacting particularly irritably to matters related to the honor of the Empire has not changed.'
Considering the duty Isabella was holding, it was natural for her to show such a sensitive reaction.
Her current position was the Vice-Commander of the White Dragon Knight Order.
The main mission of the White Dragon Knight Order was to inspect the inside of the Empire and protect the honor of the Empire.
Of course, the biggest reason she, who was not even twenty years old yet, could take the position of the highest-ranking official of the Imperial Knight Order would have been thanks to her noble blood and the Emperor's favor.
However, it would be undeniable that the reason she specifically beca a mber of the White Dragon Knight Order among nurous knight orders was that she had a desire to protect the honor of the Empire.
-You said you found traces in the border area between Veradora and Esper, right? To which side did those lawless, no, those presud to be lawless people belong, Veradora or Esper?
Isabella asked with eyes that revealed that desire intact.
And I confessed the facts I had recently learned to her.
Of course, I did not say a few facts including the temporary alliance between Zodiac and Veradora, and the fact that the World Tree had begun to recover.
-Hmm, I understand well. And there are a few things I would like to ask you, Grand Duke....
"Please speak."
-I know very well that asking such a question is discourteous. So if it is uncomfortable, you do not have to give an answer.
After taking a deep breath, Isabella threw a question that could be uncomfortable for and Zodiac.
-What would be the reason you, Grand Duke, ca to be on uncomfortable terms with the Esper Kingdom?
The question was about the reason the relationship between Zodiac and Esper beca uncomfortable, but what she really wanted to know would be other things.
For example, what purpose did I have for going to the border area of the two countries, and why did I bother to tell her the facts I found out there, and so on.
"Actually, while trading magic stones a few months ago...."
And I explained in detail the process of how the relationship between Zodiac and Esper deteriorated.
"Of course, Esper will not say that this is the reason they are hostile to Zodiac. No, perhaps they might say they have never been hostile to Zodiac in the first place."
-That would be so.
Having heard the explanation up to here, unless Isabella was a fool, there was no way she would not notice the fact that Zodiac would be happy just by Esper being in a difficult situation.
But it did not matter.
Because what evaluation Isabella would make about the purity of the report was not an important issue in the first place.
What was important now was that she ca to have a suspicion that the forces of the Empire were involved in the conflict between Veradora and Esper.
And the fact that Esper would beco very uncomfortable just with that.
The law of the Empire strictly prohibited using the power of the Empire privately outside the country without the Emperor's permission.
And the White Dragon Knight Order were those who engraved the duty to strictly keep this national law in their hearts.
Predicting what action Isabella would take imdiately after this night passed was not a very difficult task.
"This is as far as I can tell you. I am only concerned if I have clouded your wisdom with my hasty thoughts, Princess."
-You do not have to worry about that matter. If I get a chance, I will ask Esper the sa question I asked you, and I intend to withhold judgnt until an answer cos.
"Of course, you should do so."
-Thank you for taking your precious ti today, Grand Duke. If what you told today contributes to protecting the honor of Akrishima, the Empire will never forget your grace.
Starting with Isabella's firm statent, the two of us shared farewell greetings, and soon the communication ended.
'4th Prince, what should I do because you are pitiful? The lady you want to have to death will soon bother you.'
On the face of , having finished the communication, there was a cold smile that I had never shown to Isabella.
Normally, I had no intention of intervening in the dirty power struggle inside the Empire until the civil war of the Empire beca full-scale.
But since Suleiman is reaching out his secret hands all over the continent, and since I have beco convinced that Zephyros is by the side of that sinister prince, I could not just sit idly by.
'As can be seen from this World Tree incident, the combination of those two is too dangerous. If things go wrong, the deadly poison held by the Imperial family of the Empire might not stop at hurting them but could overflow in all directions and contaminate the entire continent.'
Therefore, soone was needed to check the evil deeds of Suleiman and Zephyros from inside the Empire.
And I chose Isabella as the right person for that.
'Although she is still young, Isabella has obtained the absolute favor of the two people who have the most powerful power in the Empire, the Emperor and the 1st Prince. If it is her, even if she cannot completely block Zephyros, she will be able to apply the brakes to so extent.'
Of course, I was not expecting that Isabella would be able to completely control Zephyros and Suleiman.
'Acting as a minimum deterrent until I grow my weight enough to be able to exercise influence on the internal affairs of the Empire, that is enough for now.'
While Isabella is holding Zephyros's ankle inside the Empire like that.
'I should do my work. Shall I try setting so mousetraps first?'
The biggest reason I drew Isabella into this board was because of Zephyros, but that purpose was not entirely limited to him.
Scratch, scratch.
I took out paper and a quill pen and began to write a letter.
'As expected, it suits rats to squeak with an urgent expression. I don't like it at all for rats to be relaxed when they are just rats.'
My expression, having finished writing the letter, was that of a hunter preparing for a hunt.
***
Thud!
Unable to endure the short ti waiting for Kunde's face to appear beyond the crystal ball, Gilmore ended up striking the armrest.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Crackle-
-Did you look for ? Your Excellency.
Gilmore, who could not overco his irritation, eventually by the ti Kunde appeared.
He had broken about half of the armrest.
"You, how on earth are you doing your work?!"
-Your Excellency, could you explain a little more in detail what you are talking about?
It has been 10 years since Kunde first t Gilmore.
And it has been well over 5 years since the secret agreent was reached and they beca a secret relationship.
During those long years, Gilmore had never treated Kunde in this way, so it was not unreasonable for him to have such a flustered expression.
"A letter ca just now from Hein Reichart of Zodiac. He said he picked up his pen because there was sothing he absolutely had to tell ."
As Hein's na ca out of Gilmore's mouth, Kunde's expression also crumpled as much as possible.
Hearing that na reminded him of the recent painful mory of not having achieved any results even after investing a large sum of money.
-Could you show the letter he sent? Your Excellency!
"……The Empire, he said it seems that the Empire is involved in what you are doing in the border area recently. He wants to inform the Empire about this matter but he doesn't have a proper line, so he asked if I have a string connected to the White Dragon Knight Order of the Empire. He is thinking that it will be a serious blow to you if the fact that you used the power of the Empire without the Emperor's permission is revealed."
Gilmore, who spat out the words as if chewing them, eventually raised his voice once more.
"Didn't you say that no traces of the Empire would be found! How on earth are you doing your work! Do you think that if the inside story of this matter is revealed, it will end as your business alone!"
-I am sorry, Your Excellency. I will examine the process of how things beca like this in detail.
"That guy called the Grand Duke said so. If I inform the Empire side of this fact first before the matter grows any larger, it can be finished to the extent of cutting you out without much damage to the kingdom."
Whether he was frustrated that he heard such advice from Hein, who was far behind him in terms of age and experience in everything, Gilmore's brow furrowed once more.
-I am sorry, Your Excellency. Because of , Your Excellency heard such from that greenhorn....
Even while bowing his head to Gilmore, Kunde's head was full of questions.
'How on earth did that guy Hein realize that there is support from the Empire? I paid attention two or three tis so that such a thing would not happen....'
Of course, from Kunde's point of view, it was a situation where he had no choice but to feel wronged.
In fact, if it weren't for the knowledge Hein obtained through his past life, it would have been nearly impossible to find the link between Esper and Suleiman.
"For now, I told that guy Hein Reichart to wait until then because I would find a way to contact the White Dragon Knight Order. When I said that there is nothing good for us by talking prematurely without clear evidence, he seed to accept it more or less."
Gilmore, who did not know the fact that Hein had already reported to Isabella, continued his words after shaking his head once.
"Hein Reichart seems to believe that you, with the King's favor on your back, committed all these things alone. It is a stroke of luck among misfortunes that the guy does not know what kind of relationship you and I have."
-That is right, Your Excellency. Of course, it is extrely regrettable that I made a mistake and showed a gap to that guy. However, as long as the guy does not notice the great plan Your Excellency holds in your heart, he is ultimately the sa as being in the palm of Your Excellency's hand.
Kunde, who soothed Gilmore's uncomfortable feelings once by moving his smooth tongue, quickly went into calculation.
Even though he succeeded in suppressing Hein's actions for a while, he cannot expect that arrogant guy to continue following Gilmore's will.
If the ti delay like this becos long, eventually the tail related to the Empire will be caught.
'Since it has beco like this anyway, even if I take a bit of a risk, if I pull the amount of funds flowing in from Veradora's side to the maximum....'
Since he was a very clever person, it did not take a long ti until Kunde finished the calculation.
Kunde, who soon made a decision, said with extrely secret eyes.
"Your Excellency! How about moving up the date of the planned great task a little more?"
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