“Still, it won’t be long before everyone learns that Princess Lowellmina is staying at the manor. This will surely damage Your Excellency’s unbiased position. In fact, it will be impossible to deny reckless accusations that you were an active participant!”
“Yes, I’m aware. Have you learned anything from the trace evidence found in the assassins’ stronghold?”
“My apologies. Unfortunately, we’ve had no favorable results yet.”
Keskinel groaned quietly.
Even the Prime Minister couldn’t hide his surprise when news arrived that Lowellmina had been attacked, but his response had been swift. He had requested confirmation of the princess’s safety and sent every trusted soldier in the capital after the fleeing assassins. It wasn’t long before several reports pinpointed the assailants’ hideout, and a raid unit was quickly sortied.
Unfortunately, they were too slow. The culprits were nowhere to be found, and all information about their identities and scheme had been destroyed. Keskinel’s people were still analyzing the scant surviving evidence.
“Fear not, Your Excellency. I assure you those responsible shall be apprehended. Considering the circumstances, only Second Prince Bardloche or Third Prince Manfred could have issued such an order. If we can close the net around them…”
“That’s easier said than done,” Keskinel mumbled. “The way I see it, this situation isn’t so straightforward.”
“It’s not? What do you mean…?”
Keskinel explained the predicament to his perplexed subordinate.
“Princess Lowellmina was almost assassinated…?!”
“Yes. Word is spreading throughout the capital.”
Three top officials were gathered with Third Prince Manfred at his manor. They all scowled at the messenger’s report, reeling with shock.
“That’s ridiculous! An attempt on the life of an Imperial royal from inside the capital?!”
“What a disgrace! The world will mock us as a land defended by fools!”
“What the heck is Keskinel doing…?! More importantly, where did the assailants even come from?!”
“Surely Bardloche must have sent them.”
“That simpleton! How stupid can one person be?! Now even more citizens will flock to Princess Lowellmina!”
The officials could not disguise their consternation as they discussed the situation.
Lowellmina’s brisk progress was a nuisance for Manfred’s faction. He would have gained an incredible advantage had she genuinely died. However, Manfred and his aides had concluded that assassination was too risky. Whether it was a success or, as in this case, a failure, the result would be the same.
If the princess had perished, news would have spread worldwide that Bardloche and Manfred fought dirty, and that the Imperial Family deserved the same for its cruel methods. In short, the royals’ reputations and the Empire’s authority would suffer.
Did Bardloche deserve Manfred’s scorn for such an ill-advised stunt, or had the Second Prince determined there was no other path to the throne? Either way, this was an inconvenient development for the Third Prince and his faction.
“…Strang.”
“Yes.”
Strang stepped forward at Manfred’s call. Despite his young age, the prince had previously promoted him to a high-ranking position, affording him command of various political and military matters. Others naturally opposed this, but Strang’s accomplishments prevented them from criticizing him publicly.
“What do you make of the situation?”
“As the others have said, it’s natural to presume Bardloche’s faction is responsible,” Strang answered eloquently. “The throne is nearly within Princess Lowellmina’s grasp. Prince Bardloche, on the other hand, is stuck in a difficult position. Princess Lowellmina’s death would have been a fortuitous tipping of the scales for him.”
“But would Bardloche even opt for such methods?”
Second Prince Bardloche wasn’t the brightest when it came to political strategy, but he was an accomplished soldier proficient in the military arts. Manfred couldn’t imagine his brother resorting to a covert killing, especially if the target was a frail woman.
“It’s conceivable that he resorted to assassination after feeling driven into a corner. Or perhaps one of his subordinates devised the scheme without Prince Bardloche’s knowledge.”
“My allies and his are low on morale. Maybe he’s lost control of the reins,” Manfred said. Quietly, he added, “I’m no different.” He tossed a cold glance at the officials talking around him.
The members of his faction hadn’t pledged unwavering loyalty. Those with a powerful sense of allegiance were few and far between. Almost everyone who supported Manfred and the Imperial Family acted out of self-interest, hoping to reap the benefits once he was crowned Emperor.
Furthermore, Lowellmina had come out on top after the siblings’ long, calculated struggle for the throne, and the princes’ followers were increasingly worried they’d wind up with nothing. Manfred had promised future benefits to the provinces. He couldn’t expect loyalty. Undoubtedly, these officials constantly searched for opportunities to jump ship and save themselves.
Well, that just makes ’em easier to use.
To Manfred, bonds of loyalty were dangerous. Profit was much more manageable and straightforward.
Strang felt the same. Manfred had hired the man for his talent, but it was overwhelmingly obvious that Strang’s greatest desire was to earn independence for his native Wespail. And so the Third Prince had promised to grant its freedom once he became Emperor. So long as no other faction made the same offer, Strang would not betray him.
It’s not like I have to keep my end of the bargain anyway, Manfred thought before addressing the room. “At any rate, I just wish Bardloche hadn’t screwed up.”
“It was a foregone conclusion. After all, the Empire is currently in the palm of Princess Lowellmina’s hand.”
“I know, but I’m still disappointed.”
Had Bardloche succeeded, the upset would have allowed Manfred to rush in and steal the throne if he played his cards right.
As his liege contemplated, Strang quietly offered a thought. “Perhaps he was doomed to fail from the very start.”
Manfred threw Strang a baffled look. “What do you mean?”
“Bardloche’s faction is the main suspect, but what if…”
“Assassinate Lowellmina…?!”
Bardloche jumped out of his chair after a report arrived at his estate from his trusted retainer Lorencio.
“That’s idiotic! What’s goin’ on?!” Bardloche shouted hoarsely.
“My deepest apologies. I acted of my own accord without Your Highness’s permission…” Lorencio replied, his head bowed in shame. “Everything was done in preparation for Your Highness’s grand ascension…! Please, I beg for your forgiveness…!”
“Hell no!” Bardloche roared vehemently. “What kind of pathetic excuse for a soldier fails to assassinate a female opponent?! You’ve destroyed whatever scrap of dignity we had left!”
Lowellmina’s faction currently held a significant lead over Bardloche’s. His men endured, thanks to their warriors’ pride, but this unexpected twist was like a knife to the heart.
“I understand your anger! However, please allow me to explain. While I schemed in secret, I did not actually fail!”
“Is this some kind of sick joke?!” Bardloche’s hand reached for the sword at his waist. He could easily slice a person’s head off with a single stroke, but Lorencio’s words spilled out before the prince had a chance.
“It is no jest! Before those I planted in the capital could act, someone else attacked Princess Lowellmina! The commotion that followed put my ambush at risk, so I had no choice but to abandon the mission and withdraw!”
“…!”
Bardloche’s hand froze on his sword hilt. Although Lorencio’s plot never came to fruition, he felt no inclination to forgive the man. Still, the Second Prince couldn’t ignore the news that someone else had tried to kill Lowellmina.
“…Who’s the other assassin?”
“I don’t know. Most of the capital is convinced we are to blame, so no one seems interested in finding the true culprit. However, it is likely Manfred’s faction…”
That made sense. Bardloche’s own faction aside, his brother had the most to gain from Lowellmina’s absence.
However…
“It wasn’t Manfred,” Bardloche muttered.
“What…?”
Lorencio’s hypothesis had helped the Second Prince realize who really orchestrated this chain of events.
“I see. So that’s how it’s gonna be, huh?”
Bardloche cast a scowl at the empty eastern sky. Beyond the horizon lay the distant capital of Grantsrale.
“You win this round, Lowellmina!”
“Yes, it was all my doing!”
Lowellmina shouted, “Yay!” and struck a victory pose from the comfort of her own room.
“Ahhh, yes, it really couldn’t have gone better. But this is all in a day’s work for us, right, Fyshe?”
“If you mean to say our success is thanks to the information network Your Highness maintains regularly, then I agree,” replied Lowellmina’s aide, Fyshe Blundell. “Without it, we wouldn’t have been able to swiftly detect Bardloche’s agents who slipped into the capital.”
“Heh-heh, I certainly haven’t just been playing around this whole time.”
Unlike her brothers, Lowellmina had no domain of her own. Thus, she made the capital her base of operations, but the princess was more like a freeloader, unable to command the city as she pleased. Far from it, actually. It was the heart of the Empire, and Lowellmina had no right to tyrannically control who came and went. There were plenty of rival faction members in the capital as well.