“By chance, huh……”
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Maryam frowned, showing signs of doubt. Information had spread to the Empire that there was a traitor within the royal faction, but the Queen, who was directly involved, did not know? It either meant that she was incompetent or that the traitor had taken action so cautiously. Neither way was pleasant.
“I don’t doubt the credibility of the information, as I have seen and experienced it myself to know that you are competent, contrary to the rumors, but honestly, I’m quite surprised.”
“After all, I am a Prince. There is a lot of information coming in even when I stay still.”
“That’s true. Ah, I didn’t mean to look down on you. I apologize.”
Ahem, Maryam coughed and quickly apologized. She momentarily wondered if Renato knew the traitor’s identity, but didn’t ask. Maryam assumed the reason why he didn’t tell her directly was that she should try to do it by herself.
Contrary to her conjecture, Renato didn’t know who the traitor was. He only knew that in his previous life, a close vassal to the Queen betrayed her, letting the rebels take over the capital, and Maryam passed away after suffering from serious fatal injuries.
So Renato advised Maryam to look around. It would be easier to spot the traitor now than several years later when the rebellion happened. Even if she couldn’t find out right away, she would be more cautious in her plans in the future, now that she had recognized the existence of a traitor.
“No, I should be the one to apologize because I couldn’t make it clear. I have a reason for that.”
“Uhm, I understand.”
“And please dig up some more behind the merchant guilds that smuggled kesnips and other kingdom herbs a few months ago.”
“Hmm? Do you mean the merchant guilds connected to the smuggling organization that Khalid captured? But the investigation and punishment have already been completed……”
“The people caught back then cut off the tails. The person pulling the strings behind was someone else. If you dig a bit deeper, you can get an idea of how to get a grip on Marquis Ishbart.”
“……How do you know that? Something that our kingdom’s investigation unit and intelligence department couldn’t find out…… Did you hear that from the information guild leader mentioned earlier?”
Maryam was truly amazed and asked. Her heart pounded differently than when she heard there was a traitor. Marquis Ishbart was the right-hand man of her arch-enemy, Duke Vint, and someone who ran a grand merchant guild controlling the kingdom’s economy.
He could not win commercial rights in Esteban territory and his force was weakened due to his recent conflict with Renato, but his power could not be ignored. If she found evidence that Marquis Ishbart was involved in smuggling, she could deal a strong blow to the noble faction.
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“No, I just know an Empire’s noble who did business with Marquis Ishbart.”
Renato calmly said. It was because of Marquis Medus that he knew Marquis Ishbart was involved in the smuggling. When Marquis Medus made the poison, he obtained and used smuggled herbs that wouldn’t leave traces. At that time, Marquis Ishbart’s merchant guild provided herbs to the Marquis.
“The places uncovered last time seemed like independent merchant guilds, but their actual owner is Marquis Ishbart. Please try tracking the flow of funds or getting information from the merchant guild leaders.”
“……Why are you helping me like this?”
“Because it’s good for me and his highness if Your Majesty’s royal authority is more powerful than now.”
Renato replied in a nonchalant tone. Although he wasn’t willing, right now, he had no choice but to increase Maryam’s power. When her royal authority had stabilized to some extent, she would no longer restrain Khalid or try to use him.
Above all, if Maryam succeeded in taking down Marquis Ishbart, Marquis Medus who had dealt with him and the palace doctors who followed him would naturally suffer considerable damage, so it wasn’t anything bad to Renato.
“Haha! I guess I really don’t seem trustworthy to you.”
Maryam laughed out loud in amusement. Her laughter drew attention from the surroundings for a moment, but then people quickly glanced away.
“It’s not that you are not trustworthy, I just want the promise to be kept.”
Renato replied with a calm face. The day he believed in Maryam would probably never come in his lifetime. For him, Maryam was someone he had to keep in check.
He had already finished talking with Khalid about this. Although the man accepted Maryam’s apology, he agreed with Renato’s thoughts about not trusting her again.
“As I said before, there is something I have to do after returning to the Empire. I don’t want any variables to happen until it’s done.”
“You mean that I have to be politically stable so that I won’t bother Khalid?”
Maryam asked with a smile. She should have been offended by how he treated her as a problematic variable or a hindrance, but she just smiled.
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“You are asking a question that is difficult to answer.”
Renato smiled just like Maryam. That was his answer.
“Anyway, that’s all I can tell you.”
“Okay, thanks for the advice. Go back safely…… And I hope you can achieve what you want, too. It’d be good to meet again in a better situation than now.”
Maryam raised her hand to tap Renato’s shoulder, then turned in Khalid’s direction. She seemed to have something to say to him.
“Hyung-nimm!”
When Renato completely looked away from Maryam, he heard a loud voice from behind.
“Hyung-nim, hyung-nim!”
Trudy came out with Max and ran like a puppy meeting his owner. Then, he clung to Renato’s waist and hugged him.
“Good morning! Did you sleep comfortably last night?”
“I slept very well. Trudy, what about you?”
“I slept really well, too!”
“I’m glad. Then get on the carriage first.”
Renato lightly stroked the soft golden hair and led the child into the carriage. Then, with eyes full of emotions, he looked around the guesthouse and its surroundings. He only stayed for a few weeks, but perhaps as he felt much more at ease at this place than back in the Empire, he had become quite attached to it, giving him mixed emotions.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Ah, your highness.”
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Staring blankly at the guesthouse, Renato turned his head when he heard a voice next to him. Khalid had already approached at some point and was standing by his side.
“Did you say goodbye to Her Majesty?”
“Yes, what about you? What did noonim say? She was laughing out loud earlier.”
“I gave her some information.”
“Information?”
Khalid twitched one eye at Renato’s answer. He seemed quite concerned about what the two were talking about.
“I will tell you later. I think the talk will be long…… By the way, Her Majesty the Queen Consort seems unable to come out in the end.”
Renato looked around and murmured regretfully. A few days ago when they visited her, Laila said she wanted to see Khalid and Renato off.
“It seems that she ultimately couldn’t win against the palace doctors’ opposition.”
“It can’t be helped. After all, health comes first. We have to leave now, so please get on the carriage. The days are getting warmer, so the way back will be more comfortable than when we came.”
Khalid reached out his hand to help him get into the carriage. Renato did not turn down his favor. Renato, getting into the carriage with Khalid’s escort, lastly took in the sight of the royal castle. Soon after, he glanced away and sat down, beckoning Louis to close the window.
Tak, hearing the window close, Renato buried himself in the chair. He then gently closed his eyes. It was time for him to return to the Empire.
* * *
“Hyung-nim, hyung-nim. I can see the imperial castle over there!”
Dangling from the carriage window, Trudy pointed his hand to the distant imperial castle and shouted. The child’s voice was so loud that it resounded in the carriage.
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“Is that so? Already?”
Renato, leaning on the chair with his eyes closed, said in a tired voice. His body felt heavy, tired from the arduous journey. He opened his eyes with an exhausted face and fixed his posture.
“We arrived in the capital sooner than expected.”
“That’s true.”
Renato agreed with Louis and looked out the window. Their return to the Empire was more comfortable than expected as the weather in the Khan Kingdom, which seemed like early winter even in spring, was getting fairly warmer in May. When they departed from the kingdom, the frozen mountain roads all melted, making it easier to move. Thanks to that, they could reach the imperial capital within a fortnight after leaving the kingdom.
“It is already summer in the Empire.”
Louis lightly fanned his hand when the humid air flowed in through the open window. It was a warm spring when they left the Empire, but when they returned, a hot summer was about to begin.
“Time seems to fly especially fast this year.”
Louis muttered in a sentimental tone. Just last year, he never expected that the environment around him would change like this. During the past 20 years, Louis’ daily life had been very monotonous.
Renato, Louis’ liege, was a Prince that didn’t seem like an imperial family member. He only stayed at the Imperial Palace all day except for the times he needed to show his appearance as a Prince or attend events and banquets under the Empress’ orders. As Renato had few visitors, the Prince’s Palace was always quiet.
Still, when Imperial Consort Ludmilla was in good health, the Prince’s Palace was a bit lively. She often visited Renato and spent time with him. After Trudy was born, the three would enjoy refreshments or go for a walk together.
That was probably the happiest time in Renato’s life. But that time was shattered by Ludmilla’s illness and Blanche’s interference.
Having received a probation order, Renato was isolated in the Prince’s Palace. With Tristan’s help, he visited Ludmilla a couple of times a month and met Trudy several times while avoiding Blanche’s eyes, but he could not regain the vitality he had before.
Although Louis felt frustrated by the situation, he helplessly accepted it. As an attendant, all he could do was worry about Renato who withered day by day, and take care of his meal.
But this year was different. Last winter, shortly after Ludmilla passed away, Renato changed. It could even be said that he felt like a completely different person. Louis’ daily life also changed drastically.
“By chance, huh……”
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Maryam frowned, showing signs of doubt. Information had spread to the Empire that there was a traitor within the royal faction, but the Queen, who was directly involved, did not know? It either meant that she was incompetent or that the traitor had taken action so cautiously. Neither way was pleasant.
“I don’t doubt the credibility of the information, as I have seen and experienced it myself to know that you are competent, contrary to the rumors, but honestly, I’m quite surprised.”
“After all, I am a Prince. There is a lot of information coming in even when I stay still.”
“That’s true. Ah, I didn’t mean to look down on you. I apologize.”
Ahem, Maryam coughed and quickly apologized. She momentarily wondered if Renato knew the traitor’s identity, but didn’t ask. Maryam assumed the reason why he didn’t tell her directly was that she should try to do it by herself.
Contrary to her conjecture, Renato didn’t know who the traitor was. He only knew that in his previous life, a close vassal to the Queen betrayed her, letting the rebels take over the capital, and Maryam passed away after suffering from serious fatal injuries.
So Renato advised Maryam to look around. It would be easier to spot the traitor now than several years later when the rebellion happened. Even if she couldn’t find out right away, she would be more cautious in her plans in the future, now that she had recognized the existence of a traitor.
“No, I should be the one to apologize because I couldn’t make it clear. I have a reason for that.”
“Uhm, I understand.”
“And please dig up some more behind the merchant guilds that smuggled kesnips and other kingdom herbs a few months ago.”
“Hmm? Do you mean the merchant guilds connected to the smuggling organization that Khalid captured? But the investigation and punishment have already been completed……”
“The people caught back then cut off the tails. The person pulling the strings behind was someone else. If you dig a bit deeper, you can get an idea of how to get a grip on Marquis Ishbart.”
“……How do you know that? Something that our kingdom’s investigation unit and intelligence department couldn’t find out…… Did you hear that from the information guild leader mentioned earlier?”
Maryam was truly amazed and asked. Her heart pounded differently than when she heard there was a traitor. Marquis Ishbart was the right-hand man of her arch-enemy, Duke Vint, and someone who ran a grand merchant guild controlling the kingdom’s economy.
He could not win commercial rights in Esteban territory and his force was weakened due to his recent conflict with Renato, but his power could not be ignored. If she found evidence that Marquis Ishbart was involved in smuggling, she could deal a strong blow to the noble faction.
Sponsored Content
“No, I just know an Empire’s noble who did business with Marquis Ishbart.”
Renato calmly said. It was because of Marquis Medus that he knew Marquis Ishbart was involved in the smuggling. When Marquis Medus made the poison, he obtained and used smuggled herbs that wouldn’t leave traces. At that time, Marquis Ishbart’s merchant guild provided herbs to the Marquis.
“The places uncovered last time seemed like independent merchant guilds, but their actual owner is Marquis Ishbart. Please try tracking the flow of funds or getting information from the merchant guild leaders.”
“……Why are you helping me like this?”
“Because it’s good for me and his highness if Your Majesty’s royal authority is more powerful than now.”
Renato replied in a nonchalant tone. Although he wasn’t willing, right now, he had no choice but to increase Maryam’s power. When her royal authority had stabilized to some extent, she would no longer restrain Khalid or try to use him.
Above all, if Maryam succeeded in taking down Marquis Ishbart, Marquis Medus who had dealt with him and the palace doctors who followed him would naturally suffer considerable damage, so it wasn’t anything bad to Renato.
“Haha! I guess I really don’t seem trustworthy to you.”
Maryam laughed out loud in amusement. Her laughter drew attention from the surroundings for a moment, but then people quickly glanced away.
“It’s not that you are not trustworthy, I just want the promise to be kept.”
Renato replied with a calm face. The day he believed in Maryam would probably never come in his lifetime. For him, Maryam was someone he had to keep in check.
He had already finished talking with Khalid about this. Although the man accepted Maryam’s apology, he agreed with Renato’s thoughts about not trusting her again.
“As I said before, there is something I have to do after returning to the Empire. I don’t want any variables to happen until it’s done.”
“You mean that I have to be politically stable so that I won’t bother Khalid?”
Maryam asked with a smile. She should have been offended by how he treated her as a problematic variable or a hindrance, but she just smiled.
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“You are asking a question that is difficult to answer.”
Renato smiled just like Maryam. That was his answer.
“Anyway, that’s all I can tell you.”
“Okay, thanks for the advice. Go back safely…… And I hope you can achieve what you want, too. It’d be good to meet again in a better situation than now.”
Maryam raised her hand to tap Renato’s shoulder, then turned in Khalid’s direction. She seemed to have something to say to him.
“Hyung-nimm!”
When Renato completely looked away from Maryam, he heard a loud voice from behind.
“Hyung-nim, hyung-nim!”
Trudy came out with Max and ran like a puppy meeting his owner. Then, he clung to Renato’s waist and hugged him.
“Good morning! Did you sleep comfortably last night?”
“I slept very well. Trudy, what about you?”
“I slept really well, too!”
“I’m glad. Then get on the carriage first.”
Renato lightly stroked the soft golden hair and led the child into the carriage. Then, with eyes full of emotions, he looked around the guesthouse and its surroundings. He only stayed for a few weeks, but perhaps as he felt much more at ease at this place than back in the Empire, he had become quite attached to it, giving him mixed emotions.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Ah, your highness.”
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Staring blankly at the guesthouse, Renato turned his head when he heard a voice next to him. Khalid had already approached at some point and was standing by his side.
“Did you say goodbye to Her Majesty?”
“Yes, what about you? What did noonim say? She was laughing out loud earlier.”
“I gave her some information.”
“Information?”
Khalid twitched one eye at Renato’s answer. He seemed quite concerned about what the two were talking about.
“I will tell you later. I think the talk will be long…… By the way, Her Majesty the Queen Consort seems unable to come out in the end.”
Renato looked around and murmured regretfully. A few days ago when they visited her, Laila said she wanted to see Khalid and Renato off.
“It seems that she ultimately couldn’t win against the palace doctors’ opposition.”
“It can’t be helped. After all, health comes first. We have to leave now, so please get on the carriage. The days are getting warmer, so the way back will be more comfortable than when we came.”
Khalid reached out his hand to help him get into the carriage. Renato did not turn down his favor. Renato, getting into the carriage with Khalid’s escort, lastly took in the sight of the royal castle. Soon after, he glanced away and sat down, beckoning Louis to close the window.
Tak, hearing the window close, Renato buried himself in the chair. He then gently closed his eyes. It was time for him to return to the Empire.
* * *
“Hyung-nim, hyung-nim. I can see the imperial castle over there!”
Dangling from the carriage window, Trudy pointed his hand to the distant imperial castle and shouted. The child’s voice was so loud that it resounded in the carriage.
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“Is that so? Already?”
Renato, leaning on the chair with his eyes closed, said in a tired voice. His body felt heavy, tired from the arduous journey. He opened his eyes with an exhausted face and fixed his posture.
“We arrived in the capital sooner than expected.”
“That’s true.”
Renato agreed with Louis and looked out the window. Their return to the Empire was more comfortable than expected as the weather in the Khan Kingdom, which seemed like early winter even in spring, was getting fairly warmer in May. When they departed from the kingdom, the frozen mountain roads all melted, making it easier to move. Thanks to that, they could reach the imperial capital within a fortnight after leaving the kingdom.
“It is already summer in the Empire.”
Louis lightly fanned his hand when the humid air flowed in through the open window. It was a warm spring when they left the Empire, but when they returned, a hot summer was about to begin.
“Time seems to fly especially fast this year.”
Louis muttered in a sentimental tone. Just last year, he never expected that the environment around him would change like this. During the past 20 years, Louis’ daily life had been very monotonous.
Renato, Louis’ liege, was a Prince that didn’t seem like an imperial family member. He only stayed at the Imperial Palace all day except for the times he needed to show his appearance as a Prince or attend events and banquets under the Empress’ orders. As Renato had few visitors, the Prince’s Palace was always quiet.
Still, when Imperial Consort Ludmilla was in good health, the Prince’s Palace was a bit lively. She often visited Renato and spent time with him. After Trudy was born, the three would enjoy refreshments or go for a walk together.
That was probably the happiest time in Renato’s life. But that time was shattered by Ludmilla’s illness and Blanche’s interference.
Having received a probation order, Renato was isolated in the Prince’s Palace. With Tristan’s help, he visited Ludmilla a couple of times a month and met Trudy several times while avoiding Blanche’s eyes, but he could not regain the vitality he had before.
Although Louis felt frustrated by the situation, he helplessly accepted it. As an attendant, all he could do was worry about Renato who withered day by day, and take care of his meal.
But this year was different. Last winter, shortly after Ludmilla passed away, Renato changed. It could even be said that he felt like a completely different person. Louis’ daily life also changed drastically.
