Chapter 171

One month after Bridget asked for Monica’s help, Nero finally awoke from his hibernation. As it happened, Ryn was visiting the attic room at the time. It had been a while since the spirit’s last visit, and she’d evidently heard all about the duel and about Galanis, the Flute of the False King. Nero sleepily rubbed his eyes with his forepaws as he listened to Ryn explain what had happened. About the magic battle with Huberd Dee over Monica and about how the Gem Mage had obtained an ancient magical item and made spirits into puppets. By the time she had finished, Nero seemed wide awake. His golden eyes glittered. “Blast. I’m so mad I hibernated through all that. I could’ve been right in the fray if I’d been awake!” Monica was quite relieved he’d been asleep. If Nero had gotten involved in either incident, things might have truly spiraled out of control. After all, he was the Black Dragon of Worgan, an incredibly dangerous being whose existence had once shaken the whole kingdom. Monica was sure both Ryn and Nero would have been more than happy to involve themselves in the duel. Just thinking about the trouble they could have caused had her shaking. At that point, Ryn went to the window and opened it. “In any case, I have other matters to attend to. I will now take my leave. I believe it will be some time before I come to collect your next report.” Monica suddenly realized that Ryn’s visits to her attic room had become less frequent since the beginning of the year. “Um, Miss Ryn… Have you been really busy lately?” “Yes. I am very busy participating in Lord Louis’s underhanded schemes.” Monica grimaced at her casual reply. “…U-um, is it something you can tell me about?” “I suppose I haven’t been forbidden from speaking of it.” She hadn’t been forbidden, but Monica figured it wasn’t something she should be spreading around carelessly. As a spirit, Ryn was somewhat lacking in the ability to read the room or gauge the feelings of others. I wonder…what Mister Louis could be plotting. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t curious, but her gut told her that if she asked for details, she’d get mixed up in whatever it was. So she decided not to press the issue. Standing before the window, Ryn gave a perfect curtsey. Then the wind began to swirl around her. “I will take my leave. So long,” she said before leaping out the window and flying away on the night breeze. The air had warmed slightly since the start of Widdol, and white flowers now bloomed on the trees outside the window. For a little while, Monica gazed out at the spring night. Once Ryn was completely out of sight, she quietly closed the window and locked it. “Nero?” she asked, uncharacteristically meek. Nero’s whiskers twitched. “I’ll tell you what else happened while you were hibernating now.” “Somethin’ you don’t want the maid lady or Loun-loun Lountatta to know about?” Monica nodded, then summed up what had happened while Nero was asleep. First, she told him about the possible link between Duke Clockford and the cursed dragon incident. Second, she explained how the Abyss Shaman and the Witch of Thorns were helping her investigate the duke. Finally, she told him about how Bridget had found out Monica was a mage and had volunteered to join her infiltration into the duke’s estate. After hearing the whole story, Nero prodded his chin with his paw like a human and hummed in thought. “This Bridget girl… Oh, right, I remember. She’s that prickly lady who completely ignored my sexy pose.” “Your…what? Wait, what are you talking about?” Nero ignored the question and muttered to himself in understanding. “So the prickly lady suspects the sparkly prince to be an impostor… What do you think about it, Monica?” “I’m about…half and half, I guess. Something is definitely wrong with the prince…but I don’t think it would be that easy to find someone with the same exact face.” After all, not many people had such rare, beautiful features. “But humans can change their face with magecraft, yeah? Remember the festival? That gross, goopy clay guy?” Nero was probably talking about Ewan and his body-manipulation magecraft. The man’s face had melted and shifted like clay, making him look exactly like someone else. One could certainly use a technique like that to take on Felix’s appearance. “Remember how I said body-manipulation magecraft is forbidden in Ridill?” said Monica. The Empire to the east permitted it, but even they had only lifted the ban recently. According to Bridget, Felix’s personality had changed ten years ago, so the timeline didn’t fit. “And the duke wants a war with the Empire, so I doubt he would bring in their techniques and skills…” At that point, Nero had a realization and began smacking Monica’s knee. “I, in my wonderfulness, just had an epiphany. I bet that sparkly prince is the real prince’s twin brother. I’ve read stuff like that in books before.” “I think there’d be records if someone from the royal family had a twin,” said Monica. “Yeah, I guess so.” Nero backed down without argument. His tail swished back and forth in disappointment. Monica slowly exhaled, then took a letter out of her pocket. It was a new message from Raul, telling her the place they would meet before their infiltration mission. It was only two weeks away. Raul had also approved Monica’s request to bring along a helper. Nero leaped onto her shoulder and peered at the letter, then smirked with pride. “That helper—you’re talkin’ about me, right? Ah, first an attendant, next a gardener.” “No, you’ll be staying home this time.” “Meow-what?!” The helper Monica was referring to was Bridget, of course. “While I’m sneaking into Duke Clockford’s estate, I want you to protect the prince.” “Ugh. Guess I can’t complain… Just be sure to get me lots of books to pass the time, got it? In fact, bring me every Dustin Gunther novel in the library. And especially the ones from the Adventure of Bartholomew Alexander series.” “I will, I will,” she assured him dismissively. Something was bothering her, making her uneasy. Why do I feel like I’ve overlooked something? She went through her recent memories one by one. The Galanis incident, Huberd’s duel, the New Year’s ceremony, visiting her adoptive mother, the Cursed Dragon of Rehnberg, the festival, her night out in Corlapton… “…Oh!” She suddenly recalled the conversation she’d had with Mary at her mansion before seeing Ike in Corlapton. “I pay particular attention to what the stars say about the future of the kingdom and the royal family… But for around ten years now, I have found Prince Felix’s fate alone unreadable.” According to Bridget, ten years ago was when Felix fell ill, and she was temporarily unable to see him. She’d said she thought the real Felix was being kept locked away in the duke’s estate. But Monica was now considering a much less favorable possibility. Could the real prince…? Could he be…?