Kapitel 98: [Chapter 98] You kept informing, didn't you?
The lords who were growling until a moment ago now looked puzzled.
One lord with a loud voice shouted without hesitation, just as Neris expected.
"Didn't the Lord of Fenelon tell you directly! He said nothing has arrived, not the promised food, charcoal, lumber, nothing!"
"To whom, to you?"
"Yes?"
In response to the unexpected question, he stammered in a foolish voice.
Neris calmly opened her lips. Unlike the shouting opponent, she seemed to be speaking as usual, yet her voice reached everyone in the room as if she were whispering in their ears.
It was the confidence that came from meticulous vocalization and an attitude that never faltered. It was the confidence that came from absolute skill.
"Did the Lord of Fenelon directly tell you that?"
"Are you trying to catch me off guard?"
"No, I'm reminding you that you disregarded the procedure. Where and how much was purchased, when it was expected to arrive, how Fenelon responded. All these matters were discussed only in my study, so why does everyone here know before I even announce it?"
Well... Naturally, wouldn't they know? Information gathering is a skill necessary to survive in this game.
In essence, while it was true that others shouldn't have known about the information related to this incident before Neris disclosed it, was it really possible that they didn't know?
Some in the audience, who thought Neris was making excuses for herself, frowned disapprovingly. Seeing this, Neris spoke in an icy tone.
"You casually mentioned the Elandria family without me ever introducing my distant relatives. Perhaps it has always been like that until now. Distrusting official announcements, feeling anxious, exploring and obtaining information privately. It was so natural that you convened an emergency meeting before the official announcement, invited the responsible party, and didn't realize anything was amiss."
It was as she said.
Maindulrant was indeed an ancient land, and the pride of the noble families with deep history was no less than that of the rest of the nobles in the Vistaria Empire.
The elders, literally brought in by the Grand Duke, known as the 'Elders' in this land, considered themselves nothing less than kings of the world. Especially after the previous Grand Duke's death.
With prideful individuals competing against each other, intrigue was a habit, and those who learned something later than others often met their demise. Those more skilled than others eventually either manipulated the young lord or harbored ambitions to kill him.
Now that all those individuals were gone.
The old elders were no more, and the subordinates the Grand Duke had brought in managed the order. But what they advocated was pure meritocracy, which to the previous lords who had not yet adapted, seemed like the same intrigue demanded by the past."
Collusion. Corruption. Conspiracy. Isn't that a kind of skill?
The lords thought they had done nothing wrong. So, they looked at each other in confusion.
The icy voice eventually sharpened like a blade.
"In a society without rules, it's inevitable. If you're anxious, you have to remedy it yourself. But now that His Grace has ascended, don't waste time on such matters. What you must know will be revealed in due time. If you act as if you have no interest in official announcements and behave as you please, false information will eventually prevail."
In the spreading information, there is often falsehood. Especially when people believe even the most nonsensical talk if it comes from someone they consider to have provided good information so far.
Some faces turned sour at the mention of 'false information.' At Neris's gesture, Dora, who was behind her, placed a bead-like communication device on the table.
Some faces turned red and green as they realized it was a magical communication device. When Neris lightly tapped the magical device with a bit of magic, a lively voice began to flow from it.
<White Swan Castle! Is this the White Swan Castle?>
"Yes."
Neris spoke calmly and gracefully. There was joy in the voice that came from the magical device.
<This voice belongs to Lady Advisor! She just finished distributing the porridge and is about to resume work!>
"It seems to be going well."
<Thanks to the efforts from the center! We were worried about the outbreak of the epidemic, but with everything you sent, the outlook is good.>
The voice coming from the magical device was passionate and sounded cheerful. Alongside it, the voices of lords and others mixed in.
Hilbrin murmured as if sighing, "Lord of Fenelon..."
The report of the missing items was either false or the items had been found. It was definitely one of the two.
No one questioned whether the voice itself was manipulated. Since it was easy to confirm where the magical device was connected to.
Furthermore, as Hilbrin, who had ties with the Lord of Fenelon, recognized the voice, the situation was clear.
After exchanging greetings with the Lord of Fenelon, Neris ended the communication. Then, she looked around the meeting room.
Soon, an announcement fell from her lips.
"Everyone must leave as they must be busy. Except for the few I will call."
The faces of those who anticipated they would be the chosen ones turned pale. They were the ones who had tried to deceive and steal the relief supplies.
They even actively spread the news of the missing relief supplies, thinking they had succeeded.
These were not luxury items but items to aid the dying people immediately. Neris had no intention of letting those who tried to steal them get away with it.
Even though the drivers Neris had dispatched were top Morier officials, ensuring the theft scheme would fail in itself.
Neris pretended to be a victim, deliberately pretending that the relief supplies had disappeared. By the time the rumor of 'the relief supplies missing' had spread enough, she secretly delivered the items to the Lord of Fenelon, a fact unknown even to the two managers working in her study.
"It was a trap from the beginning."
Taking on such a big responsibility, scratching the lords.
Karl smirked, and Hugin narrowed his displeased eyes.
Neris called out the names of some individuals related to the incident and finally added the names of those two.
"...including Karl Sidney. Hugin, come to my study later, and you can leave now."
"How did you know?"
Alone in the study with Neris and Dora, Hugin, standing alone, asked as if intrigued.
From the first encounter, his quarrel with Neris had been quite evident. So, it was surprising to Dora, who had not felt positively about him, that Karl was imprisoned, leaving Hugin behind.
Even his tone lacked respect for his superiors. However, Neris responded nonchalantly.
"You kept informing, didn't you?"
"What do you mean by informing me?"
"You always brought everything I needed to know, informed me of the essentials regarding the Fenelon matter, pointed out when I exceeded my authority... It seemed like you had a lot of complaints, so it's better that way. Otherwise, wouldn't everyone have known that you were helping me? Be careful."
Interpreting the ongoing quarrel in that way? Dora still looked puzzled, but the frown on Hugin's face disappeared.
He took off his glasses, then fiddled around his right temple and tore off the flesh covering his entire face.
It was a perplexing sight. Under that flesh, a fairly decent and sharp, much younger-looking face appeared, compared to the lower manager Hugin, who was quite young.
The young man raised the corners of his mouth in a smirk.
Hugin's nervous face, undoubtedly natural, suited the man's calm and composed expression.
He took out an old pair of glasses from his pocket, put them on, and exaggeratedly bowed.
"Nice to see you again. I knew you were quick-witted, but not surprised by the dirty tactics used by those in the deepest darkness."
"Indeed, it's been a while."
The voice and face. Neris recognized that face... it looked exactly the same as now, but she knew the man with a different hair color and a foolish expression.
Dora looked at Neris with a puzzled expression. Neris replied with a slight smile.
"I didn't know His Grace was managing even the managers of my dormitory. Talfrin, how long have you been there?"
The manager of the dormitory where Neris had stayed for years. It was him.
He was someone she saw every day in a very ordinary manner. Perhaps the letters placed in Neris's room were also his work. However, at that time, he had a much more sluggish and dull voice than he did now.
She had never suspected him even once. Even when the dormitory manager's room was empty on the night Cladwin was seriously injured.
Come to think of it, the dormitory manager had changed in the year Cladwin graduated.
"Oh, don't worry, it wasn't because of the Lady Advisor that I infiltrated. That dormitory is easily accessible to campus news, and even if the place is left empty at will, there won't be any inquiries. There were a few of us like me scattered around Carten. But how did you know my name? I used a different name back then."
Talfrin, with sharp and slightly cunning eyes, scrutinized Neris as if dissecting her thoroughly. She shrugged her shoulders.
"We had a conversation in the library, didn't we? I heard your name then. Is that your real name?"
"Close enough. You have a good memory indeed."
When Neris was momentarily lost in the past, Cladwin had mentioned Talfrin's name.
Although he spoke in admiration, Talfrin, even now without his disguise, did not show any particular fondness towards Neris. However, a moment later, he blinked and nodded his head.
"I did help, but I don't think it was as easy to figure out as you say. I've done similar things a few times, but no one has ever read my intentions to help from my words. Give me a hint. I'll make sure not to get caught next time."
"Indeed, it's not your fault. Your performance was excellent."
Neris raised her chin slightly and spoke gently.
"Just, I didn't think your master would actually leave the castle empty knowing I was coming."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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