Bab 145: [Chapter 145] The Fearsome One is Powerless
"So, the pretty one is living in the western palace with her mom? The crown prince is doing something cute."
Adrian was impressed as he received Zavel's report.
He also knew something about Crown Prince Clewin of Maindlandt. He was a very intelligent and ruthless person, which was Adrian's assessment of him so far.
"I thought there was a problem because there was no woman, but..."
That bold woman was indeed the crown prince's weakness, just as Adrian had vaguely expected. Moreover, the crown prince himself didn't seem to be hiding that fact.
"He was appointed as an advisor right after graduating from the academy, and they often have meals together. To these people, they're already treated as a married couple."
Camil would love to hear this story. He had already ordered an investigation into the owner of the jewel and told them to bring it back as soon as possible. Now, they could even get their hands on the crown prince's weakness.
"If I give the order to kidnap her right now, my head will roll, won't it?"
Adrian, who was barely a member of the imperial family, had a lower official status than the crown prince. The crown prince was equivalent to the crown prince, and the imperial family was traditionally respected, but Clewin didn't seem to care about that.
"After all, my great-uncle was a crazy guy who imprisoned people without trial."
Ordinary people would feel a sense of crisis with such thoughts, but Adrian just laughed. In his eyes, Crown Prince Clewin of Maindlandt, who was called a monster, was a predictable person who lived according to his rational mind.
"What about the guards?"
"They're very strict. Although it looks like there's no one around, there are always eyes watching, and there's no chance of sneaking in."
"Ah, ah, ah!"
Adrian's eyes gleamed darkly. The previous assassination attempt had ended with the loss of eight moons. It seemed that the crown prince had indeed put in a lot of effort.
"Did you find out the Marquis's goal?"
"Yes. It seems like he's planning to poison the crown prince. I saw him frequently touching the emerald ring, so I suspect there's poison inside."
"Ah, I see. I've been wanting that ring anyway. It's enormous, beyond measure."
Can't have it, can I? Adrian muttered in disappointment, as if talking about a commodity being sold at a store. Zavel waited quietly for instructions.
After a moment, Adrian spoke with a cold gaze.
"Let's actively help the Marquis. I want to get into the beast's mouth. If there's still meat left after the beast finishes eating, that's a bonus."
Ah, the thought of meat made him hungry. Adrian sternly told Zavel.
"Don't tell the princess about the book we found in Nellis's office yet. I'll report it separately later."
Adrian had carefully kept the book, which was evidence of the Marquis's rebellion against the royal family, and was planning to report it to Camil separately. It wasn't a lie, but he also wanted to fulfill his own 'small' personal desires.
Thinking about how much more money he could extort from the timid Tiphian Marquis made him feel very good. Adrian ignored Zavel's 'you're-so-full-of-yourself' gaze and proudly nodded.
"Go!"
***
As soon as Adrian got a sense of the atmosphere, he started to swagger around the White Swan Castle like it was his own home. Not in a good way, either.
"Ah, you're the one with the pretty daughter, right? When can I pay my respects?"
"What's this? You call this wine? It's not even fermented. I'll have to treat you to some real wine."
"Hey, you, pour the wine. Ah, you're not a servant, but a manager? So what?"
Half-consciously, half-naturally, Adrian was offending people's feelings. The people who heard his words were so displeased that they couldn't think straight for the rest of the day.
Now, the people of the White Swan Castle were complaining about Adrian at least ten times a day. In just a few days, the atmosphere had become as tense as broken glass, and Nellis felt it keenly.
"Advisor, when is he leaving?"
"I don't know, he came without saying how long he'd stay."
He was indeed showing the exact behavior of an unwelcome guest.
"Is it because the Marquis brought him that he's causing trouble? Not only did he dare to disturb our crown prince, but he's also being so brazen! How did he even get out of prison? He's like a royal dog!"
The female lower-ranking official who had come to deliver documents suddenly became agitated and spewed out harsh words. She was normally a calm and careful person.
"No, a careful person like her would curse the Marquis, not the royal family."
Nellis smiled wryly.
"I'll give you a warning. If you cause any more trouble, I'll call the soldiers to take him away. You'll be confined to your room."
"That's going too far. He's still a member of the royal family, after all."
"What's the point of being a royal family if we can't even protect our own people? The title of 'royal family' is just a formality, and in reality, it's just an empty position. As an advisor who has received the authority of the crown prince, I have every right to speak my mind."
Nellis's words were true. The high-ranking nobles were only tolerating Adrian because they were afraid of Camil's revenge.
Adrian, who was not just a nephew of the emperor but a distant cousin, was treated as a member of the royal family only because he and his parents didn't have a title worthy of recognition.
Usually, those with a distant bloodline, farther than the children of the current or previous emperor, would find a better way to live by entering a family with a title or owning a small estate. Then, their surname would change, and they would no longer be treated as members of the royal family.
In other words, Adrian's royal title was not a testament to his greatness, but rather evidence that he and his parents were average and lazy. It was fortunate that he met Camil, who wanted to use him as a tool.
"Advisor..."
The official, who had heard the words about standing up to the royal family, was moved. Nellis, feeling burdened by her passionate gaze, quickly reviewed the documents and handed them back.
"Go. Tell others the same thing. If they threaten to retaliate, mention my name."
"Yes!"
Unlike when she had entered the office with a gloomy face, the official left with a bright smile. Nellis watched her back and slowly fell into thought.
"Adrian probably doesn't plan to stay long. He's trying to finish everything within a short time, which is why he's being so conspicuous."
Originally, Adrian's excuse for coming here was to mediate the conflict between the Marquis and Crown Prince Clewin. However, none of the three men were interested in that formal reason for his visit.
Clewin was living his daily life as usual, as if Adrian and the Marquis weren't in the castle, while the Marquis didn't leave his small room. And Adrian was wandering around, chatting idly like a guest at a friend's house.
There was no need to give the enemy too much time. Nellis glanced at his watch and stood up, finishing his thoughts.
"I should go see the Crown Prince."
Although they hadn't made a promise, Clewin and Nellis usually took a walk around this time. It had become a habit that felt uncomfortable to break.
The distance from Nellis's office to Clewin's office wasn't far, and there was a shortcut through a deserted corridor near the training grounds. Since he was running a bit late, Nellis naturally took that route.
As he walked through the dark and quiet corridor, Dora suddenly gestured to him without a word. It was a signal to be quiet.
Not only was there an unwelcome guest causing trouble in the castle, but also, after the previous assassination attempt, Dora had become sensitive to even the smallest sounds around him. Nellis closed his mouth and stopped walking.
After a moment, Dora relaxed and bowed his head.
"Your Highness."
Then, Clewin emerged from the darkness of the corridor.
It seemed he was on his way back from practicing swordsmanship at the training grounds. His trousers, which were tightly wrapped around his legs, were stained with sweat, and his shirt, which was loosely tied, revealed a faint sheen of sweat.
He put his finger to his lips, and then pulled Nellis into a nearby storage room. The door closed silently.
The storage room was dark. Although it wasn't complete darkness, with a small window letting in some light, the fact that it was dimly lit remained unchanged. Several wooden crates and a pile of straw covered the floor.
Only after hearing Dora's calm voice once and then a stranger's voice did Nellis understand the situation.
"What's going on here? This is a storage room, isn't it?"
"Ah, I apologize. I got lost. Do you know which way the dining hall is?"
The person who had been hiding suddenly revealed themselves with an unnaturally loud footstep. Nerys narrowed her eyes.
Considering the sudden sound of footsteps, it was not a stealthy approach for an attack. Perhaps it was a spy from Adrian's side wandering around to secretly familiarize themselves with the castle's layout.
She turned around to look at Cladwin. His face was closer than she had expected, momentarily surprising her.
"Why are we hiding?"
Nerys asked with her mouth forming the words, to which Cladwin smirked and replied in the same manner.
"We don't need to announce the fact that we occasionally use this path."
Although it was a situation where they could have simply apprehended the intruder, Nerys nodded her head in agreement as Cladwin seemed oddly pleased. It was a sign of her understanding.
Outside, Dora and the spy were in a scuffle.
"We can't leave someone lost on the road. We'll escort them."
"No, there's no need for that. Attend to your business."
"We can't leave a guest like that."
As their voices gradually faded into the distance, leaving only faint echoes, Nerys held her breath until the surroundings quieted down, then let out a deep sigh.
"Why?"
Cladwin chuckled and asked. Nerys glared at him.
"Why are you here? You weren't chasing the spy alone, were you?"
"Oh, I was taking a shortcut since I knew you were coming, and that guy was sneaking around. Reminded me of the old days."
"Don't do that in the future. What if I had set a trap for you?"
"Concerning movements to worry about, Yaeon is monitoring. It's okay."
Even if Cladwin fell into a trap, he had the skills to escape. However, to be cautious wouldn't hurt, so Nerys gave him a few more nagging words. Then, she turned and placed her hand on the door handle.
"Let's go in now. The walk time is over."
"Is that so?"
It was that moment.
Sasaak.
The surroundings fell silent, and that small sound pierced her ears like a blade. Nerys stiffened in an instant. The faint sound of a small animal scurrying around, and the rustling of straw colliding with each other...
It was a mouse.
A firm hand grabbed her trembling arm without a word, and she was naturally embraced.
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, it seems like I wanted to pass through this path today."
Cladwin whispered casually and chuckled cheerfully. Her face turned red. He spoke as if he had heard even the unspoken words.
"Bring a couple of cats and leave them in the warehouse."
Cats were kept in the castle to prevent mice from stealing food. However, it was originally difficult to keep even remote corners completely clean. Nerys reluctantly agreed without refusing.
"Thank you."
"Are you so scared of mice?"
Nerys hesitated for a moment. Then she whispered softly.
"Actually, I'm not scared of mice."
"Then?"
"It's my own helplessness that comes to mind when I see a mouse that scares me."
The sunlight entering the warehouse suddenly illuminated Cladwin's hair like gold.
The warehouse was just as quiet now as it was before. However, the space that had felt silent until a while ago was now peaceful.
Nerys understood the reason. It was the warmth enveloping her.
Was it because of this tranquility that she ended up saying such unnecessary things?
Cladwin seemed to want to ask something as he pursed his lips but ultimately didn't speak. It was as if he was waiting for her to say what she wanted when she wanted.
She appreciated his kindness. Therefore.
She could only say this.
"It's a joke. I'm fine."
This time, the sunlight illuminated Nerys' petite face. Cladwin gazed at her for a very, very long time.
He held her like that until a busy thoroughfare appeared. As if he didn't want to let go of something precious.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone