🌹🌹🌹
AFTER a small tea party in the castle courtyard, Riddhe and Albert bid goodbye to Beatrix and the princesses before taking their leave.
The twin princesses, who seemed to have taken a great liking to Riddhe, waved innocently as they left. Walking away, Riddhe whispered to Albert, who was following him.
“What do you think, Al? I’m thinking the man with the scarred hand is Adam Fisher.”
“I agree, Master,” Albert whispered back. “The time of his death and his condition before that all match. Most importantly, he mentioned ‘failing’… He could be referring to what happened to Master Loid.”
“Probably. In that case, the person he was referring to must be the mastermind… We’re finally getting close to that despicable man.”
Things were falling into place. The mastermind was a high-ranking official in the Erdalian Senate. Among those, only a few would know about and recruit someone like Adam Fisher, a nameless child born in an orphanage and working as a merchant apprentice.
Riddhe stopped mid-step.
If Adam really was the man with the scarred hand, there was only one possible suspect, and he was standing at the end of the hallway now.
Behind him, Albert gulped.
Chancellor Yggdrasil stood in the faint darkness as if hiding from the rays of the setting sun. The smile on his face was kind, but a chill ran down Riddhe’s back.
Knowing he couldn’t stand there forever, Riddhe stepped forward. Each step brought him closer to the man, and his heart thumped in fear.
“Father… Father!!”
He remembered the hard cobblestones under his feet as he raced to the dungeon and the coldness of his father’s skin under his touch.
That day, he had lamented, begged for forgiveness, clung to Loid, and firmly vowed to seek revenge no matter how long it took.
And now, the enemy could very well be the one standing before him.
The man who had possibly ordered Loid’s death.
Riddhe swallowed the rage swirling in his chest, putting on a calm expression as he neared the chancellor. The man gave a graceful bow, the dark green robes on his thin body spreading out.
“Lord Riddhe,” he greeted. “I was worried that you might have been inconvenienced during your time here, but I see my worries were unfounded. It is good to see that you are well.”
“Thank you for your concern. Everything has been proceeding smoothly, all thanks to your consideration.”
“That’s good to hear. You too, Mister Albert. Please let me know if you need anything.”
“Thank you, my Lord.”
Yggdrasil bowed slightly again with a smile, and Riddhe responded in kind, careful not to let the other man realize how nervous he was. Just as they were about to leave, the chancellor stopped them again.
“I heard that you visited the archives of the Royal Capital Guard. Please be more careful. There are some who are upset that Her Majesty is showing you such favor, and actions like that speak a little too loudly for their comfort.”
Riddhe sensed Albert stiffening beside him, but he turned back with a confident smile. “You are really something, Lord Yggdrasil. Nothing in this empire escapes your notice.”
“You overestimate me. I just have a tendency to hear about things.”
“Even so, it is surprisingly quick. Almost as if my movements are being watched.”
“Please don’t take offense,” the chancellor frowned in apology. “Some things are necessary considering the circumstances.”
Of course. Everyone was interested in Riddhe, the special ambassador stationed in Erdal, right after Empress Elizabeth and Princess Alicia formed their secret alliance.
Mastermind or not, Yggdrasil had every reason to keep a close eye on Riddhe.
…And naturally, he’d have eyes everywhere to accomplish that.
Riddhe placed a hand on his chest and gave a polite bow. “Thank you for your advice. It is not my intention to create a rift with Erdal… I will be more careful in the future.”
“I’m glad you understand. May the guardian star watch over you, Lord Riddhe.”
With a final kind smile, the chancellor turned and walked away. Riddhe and Albert stood and watched until he turned a corner and went out of sight.
✦ ✦ ✦
🌹🌹🌹
AFTER some deliberation, Riddhe wrote a letter to Heilland.
As it stood, Yggdrasil was the most suspicious Erdalian official that could be connected to Loid’s case, but it was still just conjecture. Besides, the only proof he had right now was that Adam Fisher and Eric Yggdrasil had known each other.
However, if Yggdrasil was really the mastermind, then it was necessary to send word to Heilland as soon as possible. Having concluded that, Riddhe framed the letter to hint at his suspicions.
“But, Master, there’s no way someone can tell that just from reading the letter. You’ve made no reference to it at all,” Albert pointed out.
“Of course not. We’re in enemy territory right now. There’s no way I’m going to spell out something so dangerous in case the letter gets intercepted.”
“I guess, but…”
“Don’t worry,” Riddhe answered with a snicker. “The letter will reveal its message to the right reader.”
Albert didn’t reply as he rolled up the letter. Watching him, Riddhe thought back to the blue-haired princess the letter was addressed to and the loyal adviser who was always with her.
Clovis Cromwell would be able to interpret his letter. This trust in his “friend” was ultimately not misplaced, but Riddhe had no way of knowing for certain at that point.
Albert had asked if they should inform the empress that they’d uncovered a possible suspect so she could get rid of him quickly. However, Riddhe shook his head and called Albert optimistic, advising that they should focus on gathering more information for now.
He had two reasons for this.
First, Yggdrasil was Erdal’s chancellor, the leader of the Senate, and the empress’s closest confidante. While the empress had joined forces with Alicia, it wasn’t wise to make such a big accusation without definite proof.
Second, he still lacked hard evidence. The man with the scarred hand and his unnatural death, and the powerful Senate official who knew him… While these things hinted at Yggdrasil, they were not conclusive evidence.
Even if he took the risk, it was possible the chancellor had already destroyed any damning evidence, such as the contract he signed with Loid. Besides, the chancellor could probably predict what they would do next, so the cons of taking the risk far outweighed the pros.
“Anyway, if Yggdrasil is really the mastermind, there are things that still don’t make sense.”
“Erm, are you referring to the fact that the mastermind is a unionist?”
“Huh, what a great guess”!” Riddhe marveled at his servant’s unexpected insightfulness. “Yes. According to Cromwell, the mastermind’s goal is to unify Heilland and Erdal by destroying the relationship between the countries and instigating war. The whole thing is ridiculous and depressing.”
But it didn’t make sense for Yggdrasil to do something like that. Riddhe frowned.
“I heard Empress Elizabeth opposed the unionists in the Senate and ousted them from office when she ascended to the throne. If Yggdrasil is a unionist, why would she give him the position of chancellor?”
Dealing with Yggdrasil was a big problem for Empress Elizabeth back then. As the husband of the second princess, he was a talented man in ways different from herself. As the empire’s new ruler, she must have been desperate to have such a man as an ally.
But it would be a different story if he was a unionist. To save the empire from the brink of destruction, Elizabeth removed anyone who reminded her of the old regime from the political arena. In such a situation, she should have placed Yggdrasil in a safer, less politically influential position.
“That means Empress Elizabeth doesn’t believe that Eric Yggdrasil is a unionist. And she may actually be right… But then, why does he want to unify Heilland and Erdal? As the chancellor, shouldn’t he be advising the empress instead of coming up with ridiculous plans? Just what does he want to achieve?”
Riddhe was painfully aware he had no information or allies to answer that. That was why he told Albert to focus on gathering more information for now.
“We need to know what kind of person Yggdrasil is, what he wants, and what he doesn’t. We also need to make sure we know who our enemies and allies are.”
With that in mind, Riddhe spent the next week mingling with the nobles, attending tea parties, dinner parties, and watching operas.
Fortunately, the foreign minister’s wife often sent him tons of invitations to social events. He was Empress Elizabeth’s special guest from Heilland, after all. Rumors of the empress’s secret alliance with the Heillander princess had gotten out, and many influential Erdalians were eager to meet Riddhe. As the former heir to a duchy, Riddhe was a natural in such social settings, knowing the best ways to navigate the world of splendor.
When he was still alive, his father complained that Riddhe always wore his heart on his sleeve, but he believed that he had grown in that respect over the past six years. As a special ambassador, he charmed the nobles well, skillfully extracting the information he needed. He was so adept that Albert, who had served him since childhood, couldn’t help but feel his eyes burning with tears of pride.
In that way, Riddhe learned who Yggdrasil’s allies were and who Heilland’s were.