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HOWEVER, the only thing Fritz felt was panic.
The truth was that he’d poisoned his own mother, even if it was just with a numbing drug. The pain of being betrayed by his beloved, the one he was doing all this for. The suspicion that his only ally, the chancellor, was working to fulfill his own motives. All of it tormented Fritz, and Alicia’s surprise attack caused him to explode into uncontrollable anxiety.
If Alicia spoke the truth, then the chancellor could very well have formed the alliance to frame him.
In that case, would it be right to support Yggdrasil’s decision to keep Empress Elizabeth away from the trial? Rather than hang on to the treacherous relationship with the chancellor, wouldn’t it be wiser to summon his mother and blame Yggdrasil for everything?
“Please, please make a decision,” Alicia pleaded.
“No, Your Highness! She is lying!” Yggdrasil shouted.
“Your Highness!”
“Your Highness!”
Alicia and Yggdrasil’s voices echoed throughout the room, and it took all of Fritz’s willpower not to scream at them to shut up. He had to decide what to do next.
To believe the chancellor and deny Alicia’s request.
Or to overrule the chancellor and grant Alicia’s request.
…Which was the path to his salvation?
Before he could answer, the door to the throne room burst open, and a knight rushed in. With a hurried bow, he moved to Fritz, apologized again to the crowd, and whispered something in the crown prince’s ear.
“We’ve received word that our citizens are gathering outside the main gate. There are several hundred present already, with more coming. The Royal Capital Guard is responding to the situation, but there is a possibility that a riot will break out if this continues. Please tell us how to proceed…”
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IN the early hours of the day of Riddhe Sutherland’s trial, a ship from Heilland arrived in the port town of Sampston.
Due to the tense situation between the two countries, the Coast Guard was initially reluctant to allow the ship to dock. However, a strong request from Dudley Hopkins of Ist Company cut through the red tape, and the crew was permitted to land.
Dudley intervened because the ship belonged to the Mercurius Company. Though the ship had arrived far ahead of schedule, they still had arranged to meet. Moreover, Dudley’s extraordinary business intuition told him that the Heillanders were sure to bring a priceless gift to the meeting.
The Coast Guard was less convinced and leveled cold glares at him, whispering that the president was acting willfully again because he had the empress’s favor. Despite that, Dudley stood proud in the harbor, his small eyes narrowing as he spotted the man who’d just stepped off the ship.
“Dudley! My friend!”
“Lord Nicol, I’m glad you made it safely.”
Jude Nicol, the Marquis of Rozen, strode forward and clasped the shorter man in a hug while Dudley gave Jude a pat on the back. Pulling away, Jude looked down at the chubby president of Ist.
“Wow, you really helped us. The Coast Guard was so thick-headed, they would have turned us back to Held if you hadn’t stepped in… We almost had to dock at that cliff over there and climb into Erdal.”
“Let’s be thankful you didn’t have to resort to that. It’s a pain for Ist to cover for smugglers entering our empire unless it’s worth the effort.” Dudley looked up at Jude with a raised brow as the two walked along. Jude just smiled mischievously in return.
“Oh, you’ll find this extremely worthwhile—much more than you can imagine! In fact, today’s gift comes with an intended bonus, too… And whether the gift is yours to claim will depend on your next actions.”
With that, Jude turned back and signaled to the ship. Dudley turned as well to see Princess Alicia’s adviser, Clovis Cromwell, make his way off the ship, a nondescript robe clutched in hand.
Dudley’s eyes widened at the sight of the Heillander princess’s closest subject before him, then burst into laughter.
“I see, I see!” Dudley laughed heartily. “This is indeed an amazing gift! Rejoice, Lord of Rozen; the guardian star must be smiling upon you.”
Clovis and Jude looked at each other, relieved at Dudley’s unexpectedly welcome reception. Soon, they were leaving Sampston in a carriage.
It was strange to see Dudley in such a hurry, but the president must have been as desperate for time as they were. Luckily, Ist’s carriage passed through all the checkpoints without issue, and the group quickly arrived at Kingsley. Stopping at Ist’s office in the capital, Clovis finally learned why Dudley was in such a good mood.
“Lord Clovis?! Why are you here?!”
The one who had shouted looked at Clovis with wide eyes, reflecting the adviser’s exact response. Pressing a hand to his temple, Clovis took a moment to gather his thoughts, then looked once again at Albert, House Sutherland’s servant.
“I’m glad you’re safe, Mister Albert. Could you please update me on the situation right away?”