บท 44: Cloud of Suspicion
Translator: Cinder Translations
...
The capital city of Aldor, Crystal Glare Castle, remained shrouded in a tense and somber atmosphere.
Although it had been some time since the royalist army reclaimed the capital, the level of martial law had not decreased in the slightest. Soldiers patrolled the streets and alleys at every few steps, often stopping suspicious individuals for thorough interrogation, delving into their family histories.
The once lively taverns were now eerily quiet. Customers came in, bought their drinks, and left hurriedly. Those who did sit down for a drink exchanged only trivialities, far from the spirited debates that usually ensued after a few drinks.
A couple of horse-drawn carriages raced towards the palace. In one of them sat a tall, lean man with a pointed beard—Earl Merlin, in charge of the kingdom's intelligence system.
At this moment, Earl Merlin sat with closed eyes, outwardly calm but inwardly troubled.
On the night that Princess Catherine led her troops to reclaim the capital, a massive fire broke out in the grain warehouse, destroying nearly eighty to ninety percent of the stored provisions. This fire had severe consequences, directly disrupting the royalist army's plans to march south and quell the rebellion.
Fire prevention at the granary was always a top priority, with stringent measures in place. Even in the event of a fire, it was inconceivable for almost all storage facilities to be engulfed.
Clearly, this was a provocation—a serious one. Giles, the traitor, was blatantly slapping the royalists in the face, saying, "You think you've won, but I have plenty of tricks left to deal with you, right under your noses."
One could imagine how furious Princess Catherine was. During the emergency meeting following the fire, in a fit of rage, she drew her sword and cleaved the table before her, swearing enmity with Giles until death.
As the head of intelligence, Earl Merlin was naturally tasked with investigating the truth behind the fire. However, the more he investigated, the more perplexing it became. He painstakingly reviewed the information he had gathered repeatedly in his mind, pondering how to report the situation to His Majesty the King and Princess Catherine.
King Rodney XVI of Aldor had finally recovered from his illness after being brought back to the capital by his daughter. Now, he was gradually resuming his duties of state.
After a thorough search by the royal guards, Earl Merlin hurried into the palace. In such times, even he, a core member of the royalists, was not exempt from scrutiny.
He rushed to the study door of King Rodney XVI, and the attendant inside promptly announced his arrival. The King immediately granted the Earl entry.
Upon entering the study, Earl Merlin found Princess Catherine already present.
"Earl Merlin, how goes the investigation into the warehouse fire?" King Rodney XVI waved off Merlin's formalities, getting straight to the point. Approaching forty, King Rodney XVI was usually a benevolent monarch, but the strain of constant state affairs had prematurely grizzled his hair. At this moment, his face was marked with visible concern.
"Your Majesty, I regret to inform you that we have yet to make any substantial breakthroughs in the case."
Despite the sorrow he felt upon delivering such bad news so soon after the King's recovery, after much deliberation, Earl Merlin decided to report honestly.
Princess Catherine, standing beside the King, interjected, "Have you encountered any difficulties?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Allow me to explain." Earl Merlin pulled out a parchment scroll and began to report the information currently at his disposal.
"According to the sentry's testimony, the fire broke out only after Supervisor Fuler Bart entered the warehouse. Another soldier voluntarily went in with him to provide illumination. No other individuals entered during that time."
"So, the culprit must be between these two?"
The Earl nodded solemnly. "Let me start with the soldier. We've gathered his background—he comes from an honorable lineage and has served under Viscount Klein for over three years. Those familiar with him have positive impressions, including Viscount Klein himself, who does not believe him to be a spy. None of these individuals recall any suspicious behavior from him. It's important to note that military camps, relatively speaking, are more closed off than other places; it's nearly impossible to deceive everyone."
Catherine said, "So the likelihood of this soldier being the culprit is low. What about Bart?"
The Earl continued, "The warehouse supervisor indeed has significant suspicions, and Your Majesty should know this supervisor."
"Yes, from what I recall, he is quite capable and diligent in his work. During his tenure as supervisor, there were never any incidents of theft or corruption," Catherine replied.
"We've questioned everyone in his network—colleagues, friends, superiors—and none have reported anything unusual. He has shown considerable loyalty to the royal family. During Hals' Rebellion, he faced quite a few hardships because of it."
"So, does he have any relatives?" The princess noticed something missing from Earl Merlin's list of identities.
The Earl nodded again. "Your insight is keen, Your Highness. According to Bart's wife, there is something unusual about this supervisor."
"What kind of unusual?" Catherine asked with slight annoyance.
"Bart is clear in every other aspect, given his position, he meets many grain merchants daily, making it difficult to identify suspicious individuals. However, his greatest suspicion lies in his recent mental state."
"You're not suggesting Bart is actually mentally ill and started the fire in a fit of madness?" Catherine's tone sharpened.
"No, Your Highness. Bart's mental state was normal until about two months before the fire. His family has no history of such illnesses, but his wife reports he suffered from severe insomnia during that time. Despite trying various sleeping aids, nothing worked. After a period of anguish and exhaustion, Bart finally managed to sleep, but began talking in his sleep. However, his wife swore she never heard him do so when they slept together."
Catherine was intrigued. "What did Bart say?"
King Rodney XVI, who had been quietly listening from behind his desk, straightened up, waiting for Earl Merlin's response.
Earl Merlin looked down at his notes and replied, "Most of it was unclear murmuring, but I have a few phrases Bart's wife managed to decipher."
Placing the rolled parchment on the King's desk, after both had read it, they found the following recorded:
"Who are you? Stop following me."
"Where am I? Why can't I get out?"
"I won't listen to your nonsense, get out of my head."
"I've done everything you asked, everything is hidden well, no one will find it, please leave."
"I won't do it! It will get me hanged."
"Let me go! Please let me go!"
"Master, master, I will continue to listen to your teachings, do not abandon me."
"Your servant will swear to complete the mission, my supreme master!"
Earl Merlin added, "The latter two weeks' statements were particularly suspicious. The final statement Bart's wife heard was the last thing he said in his sleep. Despite suffering from insomnia for some time, Bart maintained his habit of going to bed early. Concerned, his wife couldn't sleep, and shortly after he said that last statement, Bart woke up, saying he needed to go for a walk to clear his head. After that... the warehouse caught fire."
Catherine and King Rodney XVI exchanged a glance, both seeing the same question in each other's eyes: "What does this mean?"
Seeing the confusion in the King and Princess's eyes, Earl Merlin himself suddenly had a strange thought: Could Supervisor Bart have been enchanted or under some spell?
He quickly shook his head, dismissing this idea as absurd, even to himself.
(End of the Chapter)
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