Liliana couldn’t gauge the duke’s true feelings from his emotionless voice alone. Some might interpret his stoicism as restraint, believing he was doing his best to keep his sadness in check, while others might see only the words of a cold father indifferent to his daughter’s suffering.
“Was it truly illness that took Lady Liliana’s voice?” Riley asked nervously, as though he’d finally steeled his resolve.
“What do you mean?” Abram replied, his tone as measured as ever.
The difference in their ages really shows. And father has the advantage of experience—many more years than His Highness could hope to match.
Liliana cracked a smile. Riley was clever and mature for his age, but he still couldn’t hold a candle to the duke.
I wonder how he’ll proceed.
“Of course, I’m aware that some illnesses never fade,” Riley continued, “but I also think we should consider the possibility that her condition is the result of a hex.” Little did he know the very subject of his concern was listening in.
“Like His Majesty’s?” the duke asked. Liliana couldn’t see him, but she could easily imagine the faint, knowing smile that must have crossed his face.
I knew the king was in poor health, but could a hex truly be to blame?
Liliana gaped in astonishment. It wasn’t the kind of claim one made lightly, yet both Riley and Abram seemed to take it seriously.
“That’s right. In His Majesty’s case, we’re stuck without a solution, and his condition only grows worse.” Riley paused, fighting to keep his composure. “But Lady Liliana might recover. We’re fortunate to have Mr. Bergson with us today—he might be able to find a way.”
“I see...” Abram replied, his tone devoid of warmth. “I appreciate the thought, but it won’t work. My daughter’s condition isn’t the result of a hex.”
“It’s not...?”
“I asked the minister to examine her shortly after his arrival.”
Riley sounded surprised, but the duke’s composure didn’t waver. Liliana frowned involuntarily as silence settled over the room.
I thought father wanted to cure me...
When he had brought up the matter with Bergson, Duke Clarke had seemed perfectly willing to believe that Liliana was cursed. He had even insisted she have it removed, lest the crown prince reconsider their engagement. Yet here he was, trying to convince Riley that she would never speak again. Liliana couldn’t begin to read his intentions.
“That is most unfortunate,” Riley said, his voice tinged with genuine sorrow.
“Indeed. But I sincerely appreciate your consideration,” Duke Clarke replied, matter-of-factly as ever.
The prince must not have found anything suspicious in Abram’s answers; he moved on to matters of politics and the management of the duchy, as if eager to shift the tone of the conversation. Liliana leaned back against her couch, continuing to listen.
An hour later, the meeting drew to a close. It would have been a logical point for Liliana to stop eavesdropping, but she chose to keep tracking her father. Abram instructed his chamberlain to escort Riley to the guest room, then headed to his office. Liliana used rekke and saw that his butler was there with him.
“Welcome back, master.”
“Hey, Philip.”
“How was your meeting with His Highness?”
Abram sneered. “He asked if she lost her voice to a hex.”
“Oh my...” Philip muttered. He didn’t press for details, but Liliana could hear him stifling a chuckle.
“Any updates?”
Philip lowered his voice considerably. “You-know-who have begun to act.” He must have spoken vaguely in case anyone overheard—not that it would matter against Liliana’s spell.
There was a pause before Abram let out a deep groan. “The Bringers of Calamity...”
“Indeed.”
“Haven’t heard that name since the attempted coup sixteen years ago.”
Liliana knew exactly what he meant—she had learned about it early in her history education. Sixteen years ago, in what was considered the greatest crisis to ever befall Slivegrandia, usurpers had attempted to seize the throne. In response, the king at the time had personally taken up his sword, commanded the knights’ order, and rounded up the insurgents in one decisive move. He had been so daring and resolute in battle—and so merciless to the traitors—that he came to be known as the “Demon God,” as feared as he was revered. It was during that same coup that Abram had distinguished himself, earning his place as premier.
“Indeed, master. And with how suspiciously our neighboring countries have been acting, I’m sure some will grow overly eager in their pursuit of glory.”
The duke snorted. “This’ll be trouble. It was trouble back then as well. Those with power or connections to royalty kept being assassinated one after another, with no clue as to who was responsible. Identifying their leader was no easy task.”
“Yes, that was how the story went,” Philip replied.
At the time, credible rumors had circulated among nobles that people with various motives were hiring assassins. Many dismissed them as hearsay, and the rumors never reached the broader public. As a result, only a few high-ranking nobles were even aware of the so-called phantoms—the Bringers of Calamity.
There hadn’t been much hope for peace when those in power were dying in rapid succession. Many assumed Slivegrandia would go years—perhaps even generations—without a stable ruler. Yet the previous king quelled the rebellion and purged his political enemies. His efforts to rebuild the kingdom’s strength afterward earned him a reputation as both wise and formidable.
“Find out what they’re up to,” Abram commanded. “Report every single finding at top priority.”
“Understood.”
On the one hand, Liliana found it reasonable that the duke would be wary of the assassins from sixteen years ago. On the other, it struck her as odd. He was a realist—far too rational to believe in “phantoms.” Something felt off.
Why are they coming up here? Why now?
She had never heard of the “Bringers of Calamity” before—at least, not in the context of Slivegrandia.
They appeared not in the game, but in its sequel.
Liliana lowered her eyes as a strange uneasiness swept over her. The second game had been set in a different country, and the Kingdom of Slivegrandia hadn’t been mentioned once. As her thoughts whirled, her father and the butler moved on to other matters of the duchy.