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“…SO, you’ve come to the conclusion that I’m an ally and a true friend of Heilland’s?”
“Yes, Lady Crowne… I mean, Lady Beatrix.”
Riddhe nodded as Beatrix, seated opposite him, smiled sweetly.
Warm sunlight shone on the well-kept garden of the Crowne residence. At this time, Heilland would be on the brink of colder weather, but the climate in Erdal was different. Come to think of it, today was the final day of Heilland’s founding festivities.
“When I left Heilland, Princess Alicia said that I am free to make all my own decisions during my visit to Erdal,” Riddhe said. “On top of that, I have concluded through observation that you can be trusted because you will never betray Princess Alicia or Empress Elizabeth.”
“Well! I’m honored that you think that of me.” Beatrix smiled again as she lifted her teacup elegantly to take a sip.
There was neither surprise nor upset in her demeanor, which meant she’d figured out that Riddhe was no mere guest and was on a secret mission.
Aside from the reasons he listed, Riddhe also decided to secure Beatrix as an ally because of her powerful influence over both domestic and international affairs, despite the fact that she was no longer a royal.
Needless to say, Riddhe was in an extremely dangerous situation. Even with the empress’s backing, he had no other allies in Erdal, which meant that he would be in trouble if the empress decided to turn against him.
In that respect, it would be good to have Beatrix on his side. Outside of the chancellor, she was the only one Elizabeth would listen to. With her help, Riddhe should be able to stay in the empress’s favor.
And there was one last reason.
“The man I’m after sent an assassin to Heilland six years ago to kill my father. I won’t be surprised if he tries that again,” he said.
“Yes, Lord Riddhe… I understand your worry for Her Majesty.”
“It’s definitely a situation I don’t want to imagine.” Riddhe grimaced and shrugged, not denying her words.
The fact that the empress was still safe meant the mastermind had no wish to harm her, but that might change if he was backed into a corner. Should such a situation arise, Riddhe would need someone other than the empress to know the truth.
“I’ll request an audience with Her Majesty tonight.”
The wind, scented with autumnal flowers, blew between them, ruffling Riddhe’s red hair as he leaned in close to whisper.
“Things will be set in motion tonight, one way or another. When that happens, Lady Beatrix, I hope you will continue to be Heilland’s ally.”
Beatrix returned her cup to its saucer with a clink. Closing her eyes for a moment, she opened them again and looked straight at Riddhe. “Lord Riddhe, as the foreign minister’s wife, I cannot make any promises. I may be Heilland’s ally, but I am, first and foremost, a loyal subject of Erdal. But…”
Riddhe held his breath.
“This is my answer as Beatrix. As a member of House Jorum, with Chester blood flowing within me, I accept your appeal. I will not forgive anyone who tries to hurt my beloved children.”
Beatrix giggled like a young girl as Riddhe floundered for a response.
“You’re not very good at dealing with women, Lord Riddhe. Sometimes, it’s easier to appeal to a woman’s emotions rather than using logic or potential benefits. Her Majesty is not the only one precious to me. James and Alicia are my lovely children, too.”
The eyes of the most powerful noble in Erdal, also the sister of the former emperor and pseudo-parent to the current empress, shone with affection.
“I, Beatrix, swear on my royal blood to protect you, Lord Riddhe.”
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THAT night, Riddhe and Albert paid the empress a visit.
“Apologies for the late hour, but I simply cannot find another time,” the empress greeted him with a raised glass as Riddhe entered the room.
She looked to be winding down after a day of official duties. Sitting in her armchair, her long, wavy hair reminiscent of the scorching sun, she was dressed in a glossy velvet dress. Her aura was powerful, like the king of beasts, but she was also extremely attractive.
The knight who had escorted them in had disappeared out the door, leaving the three alone in the room. After confirming they were indeed alone, Riddhe approached the empress.
“Is your inspection going well?” she inquired. “Or have you perhaps been neglecting your duties? It seems like you’ve been getting invited to various social events to secure your popularity these days.”
“Everyone has been very kind to me, and I’ve heard many interesting stories, some of which I’d like to hear Your Majesty’s opinions on.”
“Fine.”
The empress looked at a chair, and Riddhe took the signal to sit close to her. Pouring out a glass of wine, she passed it to him. As she moved to do the same for Albert, she noticed him standing by the door and tilted her head.
“What are you doing, standing so far away? Come. You may be a servant, but you’re also a guest and allowed some wine.”
“O-Oh, that’s…” Albert stuttered as he turned pale, looking to Riddhe for help.
“Please forgive Albert, Your Majesty,” Riddhe cut in smoothly with humor. “He’s overwhelmed with emotion at the chance to see you up close like this. He’s served my family since childhood, but the sight of the mighty empress is very humbling for him.”
Elizabeth seemed convinced, probably aware of her intimidating and fearsome reputation. Only a rare few were like Alicia, able to hold their own against her.
“To the enduring friendship and prosperity of our two countries,” she said instead, her red lips quirking in a smile. “So, who are you investigating right now?”
“Your Majesty’s right-hand man, Chancellor Eric Yggdrasil.”
The empress’s eyebrow twitched at Riddhe’s answer. She took a sip of wine and shrugged in a bored manner. “That man is not a unionist.”
“Yes, that is true,” Riddhe agreed. “The Lord Chancellor is not a unionist, at least not until he is nominated as the next potential emperor.”
The empress remained silent as she took another sip from her glass.
Though they disappeared from the public eye when the empress ascended the throne, the unionists were a long-standing political faction with a long history. At their peak, they held power over Erdal’s rulers and sent countless armies north to Heilland.
When Elizabeth was caught in the struggle for succession, many conservatives in the Erdalian Senate called for unification with Heilland, hoping to achieve their desired wish to rebuild the collapsing empire.
As the Senate’s figurehead, former Crown Prince Raven supported the idea of unification as well. On the other hand, Elizabeth, a rising star backed by Beatrix’s support, dismissed the idea with a laugh.
Another prominent figure against unification was Eric Yggdrasil, Crown Prince Raven’s close friend and right-hand man.
“It seems that Lord Yggdrasil was promised the position of chancellor should His Highness Raven become emperor,” Riddhe said.
“…My people like telling you old stories, I see.”
“It is through no fault of theirs. I was the one who asked, and they kindly shared with me.”
Chancellor Eric Yggdrasil served in a position closest to Empress Elizabeth, supporting the empire by promoting her radical policies and acting as liaison with the nobles.
In the past, he was a close confidante to Raven, first in line to the throne, and Elizabeth’s political rival. When Erdal was in turmoil, he admonished his friend, who had become a puppet of the Senate, and tried to guide him away.
However, Yggdrasil’s repeated warnings failed to rouse Raven, and the two eventually parted ways.
That happened shortly before Raven was imprisoned on suspicion of a plot to assassinate Elizabeth. According to one theory, the assassination was planned by the crown prince’s retainers, and Raven was innocent. Whatever the truth was, the crown prince died in prison.
It set the nobles talking.
That Raven was not suited to be emperor.
It was fortunate that Yggdrasil did not fall along with him…
Unlike Elizabeth, who commanded her subjects with an overwhelming charisma that bordered on fear, Yggdrasil gained trust with his intelligent and gentle nature. The nobles had nothing but praise for his respectful and familiar manner.
“I heard something that bothered me about Lord Yggdrasil. However, the few who shared that information with me didn’t believe it themselves, so it’s probably nothing more than a baseless rumor,” Riddhe said.
“Doesn’t matter. Speak freely.”
Riddhe bowed respectfully to the empress as he reached for the carafe and poured more wine into the empress’s empty glass while watching her through his long bangs.
“Chancellor Yggdrasil once mentioned unification with Heilland to Your Majesty. However, he was unable to change your mind about the issue.”
The empress’s expression remained stony as she swirled the wine in her glass. Riddhe leaned forward boldly when neither confirmation nor denial came forth.
“I think the rumor is true. Lord Yggdrasil has a reason to wish for the unification of our countries. Or rather, he had a reason that he’d since lost. Am I right to say that?”
The empress didn’t answer; her red lips tightly closed as she stared at Riddhe.
Finally, just as her lips parted, her glass slipped from her fingers and shattered loudly on the floor.