Chapter 12:
Separate Battles
“SO, NORT WAS CONNECTED to Cordis Sligar?”
“Yes. I looked into the merchants Cordis does business with regarding his medicinal herbs, and I discovered one of them was Nort. I’m sorry it took me so long to find the connection.” Alf told Romello solemnly.
“I wish I did not have to worry about it, but I suppose I understand. After all, you were investigating Curtis this whole time.”
“It’s true. I only began investigating Cordis because suspicions were raised due to the attempted attack during the party. I cannot thank Berne and Lady Merellis enough.”
“Do you know where Berne is right now?”
“Yes, we’re working together on our investigation. Berne is currently undercover in Nort’s company, which is doing business with Cordis.”
“Isn’t that sending him a bit too close to the fire? I don’t think he’d blow his cover, but what if they figure out he’s actually Abel from Tasmeria?”
“He knows the dangers, and that’s why he decided it was necessary to get the information as quickly as possible. This situation is serious.”
“I see…” Louis let out a sigh. He was very worried about Berne. He knew how important his mission was. The only reason why nothing ended up happening at the party was because Berne had managed to get that information beforehand. But the two of them had been together since childhood; the thought of him being alone in enemy territory filled him with great anxiety.
He shook his head as if trying to shake that anxiety away too. He was far away from Berne right now. He couldn’t let himself get carried away with his emotions. Louis had to do his part to ensure that Berne could carry out his mission, and that included keeping a calm head about him. He tried to switch his perspective.
“Anyway, back to the main point. So…we’re certain that it was actually Cordis who planned the attack on the dukes from Rimmel?” Romello had a sharp look on his face, the kind of expression he got when he was doing his job as the prime minister.
“Yes, it’s definite. Through Nort’s company, Cordis hired the men who came here to attack. He was the one who planned it and delivered the orders.” Alf seemed unbothered by the intensity of Romello’s gaze and answered in a calm tone of voice.
“I see. So that means Cordis was behind the incident with Baskar as well?”
“Yes, it seems that way.”
“Do you have proof?”
“We’re working on it.”
“What motive would Cordis have to do this? I realize that if he gets rid of both his father and brother, he’d be able to take over the family outright, but why would he involve his entire country in the plot and put their reputation in danger?” Louis asked.
“I’m not sure. He could get rid of all the other dukes in one fell swoop, so maybe he was trying to take over all of Rimmel? It would be easy for him if he had connections to someone with a common enemy of Tasmeria. That’s all I can think of at this point.” Romello heaved a deep sigh. It sounded louder than he intended in the study. The room was so quiet and there was such a heavy air inside that it almost felt like the room was cut off from the flow of time itself.
“Still, what’s clear is that he’s been planning this for a year, maybe two. That means he’s an extremely thorough person. We were extremely fortunate that Berne and Merellis were able to stave off the attack.”
“There’s one thing I must correct about that,” Alf said, his expression clouding over for the first time. “He has been planning this for much longer—perhaps four or five years.” He said the words carefully, as if sensing the weight of them.
“Four or five?! But why…” Romello asked aloud, then in the middle of his sentence, he stopped himself as he realized what Alf meant. His face hardened and his body froze. “Wait, you don’t mean the incident with Wels…?” He turned so stiffly toward Alf that one might think him a marionette.
“Yes. I think it’s very highly possible that Nort and Cordis were pulling the strings behind it,” Alf’s voice was very strained, and his brow was furrowed. He had clearly expected this reaction.
“Wait a second! Are you sure about this?!” Louis was so shocked that he raised his voice unintentionally. It was no wonder—if this were true, then this would prove House Anderson had a connection to Rimmel. And even if Gazell hadn’t been aware of it, the fact that someone in his family, someone so closely related to him, had been behind such a plot would surely force the entire Anderson family to take responsibility for it.
“Yes, without a doubt. A spy I have near Nort overheard him talking about it. I’m sure he’ll uncover definitive proof soon.”
“Obviously I’m glad I heard this information, but at the same time, I wish I never heard it…” Romello murmured as he looked up at the ceiling.
Once again, a heavy silence fell on the room. Neither Romello nor Louis made eye contact. They were both lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Louis sighed and looked up. “I’m sure Alf’s spy will find proof sooner or later, especially if they’re embedded near Nort.”
“You sound awfully calm about this, considering it threatens your future wife’s family.”
“There’s no way I’m calm,” Louis responded, his voice trembling.
“I’m sorry. Alf, if you learned this much, surely you can find out where Wels has hidden the ore?”
“Yes. I found someone we can negotiate with, so I believe that will come into light quite soon.” Having someone to negotiate with would make the process of getting information go much more quickly, just like when they had investigated Count Talbot’s involvement with human trafficking.
“Then please continue, as quickly as you can.”
“Of course.”
“Wait!” Romello suddenly interjected. Louis gave him a questioning look. “I want you to investigate the location of the ore from Nort’s side. At the same time, I want you to check whether or not Wels or someone close to him is in direct contact with Nort.”
“Father… Don’t tell me you suspect General Gazell…?”
“We can’t completely rule him out, right? Of course I don’t think he was involved, and I want to believe that’s true, but I can’t rule him out because of my own personal feelings. The ones I’m truly suspecting are Wels’s wife and child. His entire inner circle is suspicious.”