"What a mess, huh?"
"Then help me out here! Especially since you're the one who started this feud in the first place!"
"Hey, hang on a second. I did come up with the plan to help out poor Count Baelz, but you approved and agreed with me. I'll apologize that it ended up in a feud, but even if we'd done nothing at all, Zandra would've come after us eventually anyway. Things worked out just right."
"Then just help me already!"
"Slugging it out isn't my specialty. I'll let you handle this one. There's nothing I can do anyway."
"If there's nothing you can do, then there's nothing I can do, either."
"Hey, come on, now. Being too humble makes you come off as sarcastic. If you get out there and engage, plenty of supporters will reconsider defecting to Zandra's side. Those who stay are your true supporters. You can do it."
"You're impossible. Just you wait. I'm definitely not letting you off the hook helping when it comes to my work as ambassador, you hear?"
With that, Leo put on his coat and left the room.
I heaved a long sigh as I watched him go.
Zandra had gone on the offensive, but she hadn't won over any of our main sources of influence. She was currently after our relatively new supporters. Losing them wouldn't be too serious a blow.
The main concern was how to preserve the most fundamental and key members of our support base. But it was Leo's job to figure that out.
What I needed to think about were the intentions behind our enemy's actions.
"Sebas."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"What would you do if you were Zandra? Who would you go after?"
"If it were me, I wouldn't make any proactive attacks, knowing that any attempts to do so would be easy targets for interference. If I were to go after my rival's supporters at all, I would wait a while longer. I think I would be more concerned with retaining my own supporters for the time being."
"I understand all that, but Zandra's mad, and she is attacking us. What would you expect in that case?"
After considering my question for a moment, Sebas looked at the package of sweets on the table, then seemed to have a burst of insight before he murmured in response.
He'd realized it too—as I'd expected. It was obvious to anyone who gave it a little thought.
"Lady Finne. I would target Lady Finne."
"Exactly my thought. Once Leo and I are gone, she'll be the only main representative of our faction left. That'll make her the obvious target."
"Indeed. However, simply targeting Lady Finne openly will raise one problem."
"Right. Father would step in. But say she were out making rounds to help secure our supporters, and she happened to be attacked by some thug? Then Father's anger would be directed at us."
"Will you leave Lady Finne back at the castle, then? I don't believe I have seen her recently."
"No, I've sent her somewhere safer. The castle isn't perfectly secure, and we can't risk one of the castle staff being coerced to fetch her outside."
The Castle of the Imperial Sword had impeccable security, but only toward outside intruders. It didn't apply to the possibility of coercion from within. The upper floor, where the emperor resided, was impenetrably guarded, but I couldn't send Finne under my father's care just because she might be in danger.
"Somewhere safe? As far as I know, being with you is the safest for her."
"No. Word that it was me who contacted Count Baelz must be out by now. I'll be on top of Zandra's list of enemies to kill. I can't afford to keep Finne with me."
"I see. Perhaps getting Count Baelz involved was a mistake, after all? Zandra may have realized that you've been concealing your true aptitude. A hawk hiding its claws. I can't imagine that risk was worth it."
"I can't keep playing the fool forever, and it must've become somewhat apparent once I sent Elna to assist Father, anyway. Plus, a little research will reveal that you used to be a high-profile assassin. Zandra's probably still under the helpful misunderstanding that you're the one behind everything."
"You mustn't underestimate your siblings. Better to assume the worst. Those three brothers and sisters of yours have your father's blood in their veins, just the same as you do."
"I know. Don't worry, I'm not underestimating anyone. In fact, I doubt there's anyone who thinks more highly of those three than I do."
I sent Finne away from me because I was on maximum alert for danger.
Zandra's attacks were, without a doubt, an attempt to draw Finne out of hiding. Even if she didn't accomplish that, she still would have gotten some of our supporters to defect. That would be a loss in terms of our influence, but better than losing Finne.
"Yes, you certainly don't appear to be underestimating them. In fact, you seem unusually serious. Might that be because Finne is involved?"
"Yeah, I guess. She's Duke Kleinert's daughter. If we lose her now, we'd have no hope of recovering."
"Is that really all there is to it? Normally, once you understood an opponent's target, you would plan a counterattack. This time, you've gone entirely on the defensive. Is that not because you are reluctant to place Lady Finne in harm's way?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"Nothing at all. I think it's a good strategy. I think Lady Mitsuba would be quite pleased, as well."
Sebas remarked with a knowing smile. I was about to argue but decided to stay silent. I knew full well that no matter what I said, my steward would have an even sharper comeback.
Instead, I wordlessly started preparing to head out.
"Going somewhere?"
"Yeah. Some steward guy once told me to not underestimate my rivals. I'm going to go check that Finne's safe."
"Excellent idea. Once you arrive, telling her you were worried for her safety will be the perfect finishing touch."
"As if I'd ever say something like that."
"That's a shame. So, where have you hidden her?"
"Somewhere you're very familiar with. The very safest place in the capital, where the strongest person in the capital lives."
"I see. The Amsberg manor, then? She will certainly be well protected there."
That was precisely right.
Having earned Sebas' approval, he and I headed for the manor of Supreme Archduke Amsberg.