After our embarrassing infiltration, we returned to the palace.
Neither Maria nor I could muster the courage to face each other until the following day.
“…….”
“…….”
Of course, a day wasn’t enough to erase the memories, so we found ourselves at a loss for words for a while. Eventually, I had to break the silence.
“So, what now? I’ve loosely assembled a list of candidates to target, but they’re all significant figures in their own right, so we can’t just barge in like before.”
“…True.”
When I spoke up, Maria averted her gaze as she reluctantly responded. Every time I tried to meet her eyes, she turned away, clearly indicating that yesterday’s incident had left quite an impression on her.
“They’re all at least ministers or higher. It’s true that they must show me some respect in my presence, but that doesn’t mean they’ll follow my orders without question or necessity.”
She frowned slightly as she said this.
“We don’t have much time left. The Inspection Team will reach a conclusion in just a few days.”
“We can’t afford to leisurely dig for information one step at a time. I know that.”
She pondered for a moment.
“…I guess the only option left is to summon them all at once and check.”
“Is that really feasible?”
These people wouldn’t just come because we called them. It wasn’t a matter of respect for the royal family; it was that these individuals were simply too busy. Anyone holding public office would at least be a minister, and if they were nobles, they’d be firmly positioned in the top tier of the Imperial Council or the aristocracy.
At that level, every second that passed held immense value. Gathering such people at once would be a challenge, even for Maria.
After all, they were officials acting under the Emperor’s orders.
Yet, Maria calmly nodded in agreement to my observation.
“It is possible.”
“What’s the justification for that? It would be difficult even for an Archbishop.”
To my surprise, she smiled at my point.
“Well, as long as there’s a compelling justification they can’t refuse, it should work, right?”
—
Two days after Maria confidently declared victory, we headed to the banquet hall of the Imperial Palace.
“…Truly, being born with a silver spoon in your mouth is the best.”
It wasn’t my place to say this, but I couldn’t help myself.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Since we were in front of others, I lowered my head slightly and used formal language with Maria.
We were here because we were the hosts of today’s banquet. Well, technically it was Maria, but since I was known as her partner at such events, I came as part of the set menu.
“I can’t believe you really managed to call them all.”
I muttered to myself. Maria, having overheard me, raised her nose slightly.
“I told you, right? They wouldn’t be able to refuse.”
As she directed the attendants and conducted the final checks in the banquet hall, I scanned the list of attendees. All the people we targeted were indeed listed.
No, everyone who held some influence from the Palatinate had gathered here.
How was this possible? The answer was simple.
“Would those sensitive to power skip a banquet organized by a charity that the Empress personally donated to under her own name?”
“Probably not…”
If I were in the same position, I wouldn’t be able to escape from that either. Besides, the list of nobles who had their names registered in the charity even before the Emperor contributed was quite illustrious.
With Yom’s assistance, even the Marquis of Württemberg was present, along with several other noble families. Of course, some were embroiled in the corruption scandal of Baron Ulm and had voluntarily taken a leave of absence, but that’s a common occurrence in the capital, so no one was particularly concerned.
In fact, ever since the Emperor got involved, there had been a noticeable surge in those knocking on the door of the charity asking to be accepted.
And now we had the result: the list of participants.
“Aside from the Chancellor and the royal family, it looks like everyone who is anyone is here.”
Chancellors weren’t supposed to attend such events in the first place, and as for the royal family, it was considered a breach of decorum for others to intrude on a charity event hosted by Maria. Considering that, it was essentially true that everyone who could come had come.
Maria finished giving her instructions and turned back to me.
“So, you’ve memorized everything, right?”
“Of course.”
Today’s banquet was ostensibly the inauguration ceremony of a charity organization. But the real purpose was to gather all the targeted individuals together and determine who the true key player in this affair was.
Of course, someone careless enough to reveal such things at an event like this would have never climbed their way up to such heights in the first place. Everyone would certainly play their parts well.
Yet, the reason we were confident was quite simple.
“Did you remember the voice clearly?”
“Of course.”
We had evidence in the form of both the voice and silhouette.
The content of the crystal orb alone wouldn’t serve as solid evidence for the Inspection Team. However, it provided enough information to identify who we had seen captured in the basement.
The voice and body shape alone were more than sufficient to home in on a specific individual.
Thanks to Maria’s assurance that there was no manipulation using magic, we were confident.
From this point forward, it was going to be just like the last time we raided the nobles’ mansions.
While Maria kept busy at the banquet hall, I would verify the attendants of each noble.
And I would identify exactly who the person we spotted in the basement was.
We ruled out the possibility that any of them might not be present.
‘This person openly displaying that they’ve got someone planted in the Inspection Team is unlikely. If a high-ranking noble reveals such a weakness to others, it’d only be possible if there were a rock-solid trust between them.’
I agreed with her words. Usually, if someone shared something that might expose their vulnerabilities, it would be with a close associate who’s always within their sight. Particularly at an event where major politicians gathered openly.
Maria and I locked eyes. We nodded in unison.
Then the doors to the banquet hall swung open.
As the nobles began to make their entrance, we strode into the fray with our arms crossed.
—
“Hahaha! I had no idea Your Majesty was so devoted to supporting the poor!”
“As a royal of this realm, it is merely my duty. With the capital overflowing with resources, isn’t it only natural for someone of noble blood to ensure that no one goes hungry?”
“Having a monarch like you as a princess is a great fortune for this country.”
“Too kind of you.”
The atmosphere in the banquet hall was intense. No, the hall itself was lively and cheerful. To be precise, it was the conversation between those clearly aligned with the Empress faction and Maria that felt perilously strained.
When interpreting the dialogue we had just shared, it essentially boiled down to whether they were playing faction games with their overflowing wealth, and them retorting whether a minor princess with little power could really challenge them.
Of course, given the nature of the gathering, most chose to keep the exchanges civil. But just like everywhere, there’s always that one slippery eel lurking about. The same went for the Empress faction.
Still, the caliber of the attendees meant they couldn’t simply turn around and walk away. So after a few exchanges of barbed words, they eventually returned to more typical conversations.
“Regardless, your efforts are much appreciated. I hope my contributions prove beneficial.”
“Today’s good deed will return as tomorrow’s fortune, won’t it?”
Watching how the sharp words abruptly gave way to a warm and cordial end, I made a firm resolve to steer clear of deep entanglements in the political arena.
Seeing them exchange pleasantries with such shameless faces was truly unsettling. They could just as easily stab each other in the back later.
This wasn’t just horror done differently; this was the epitome of a horror movie.
In any case, Maria and I attended the banquet, displaying our partnership as we greeted the distinguished guests.
Now it was time for us to move separately.
“I’ll be counting on you.”
“Leave it to me.”
I escorted Maria back toward the heart of the political melee and made my way to where the attendants gathered.
Typically, they would stay with their masters, but here, that wasn’t possible. Particularly in the VIP room where Maria was, the status of those allowed in was so high that they had no choice but to remain in a separate area.
That separate area wasn’t anything fancy, just the regular banquet hall.
“Oh! Aren’t you about to become a royal consort?”
“…Good day.”
I was hit with a powerful first punch right off the bat. These people were speaking based on what they heard and saw, leaving me with no space to retort.
“Nice to meet you for the first time. I’m—”
“I’ve heard you’re the third son of the Brandenburg Elector. If it’s not too much trouble—”
“This is a tonic from my territory; it’s reputed to be highly beneficial for masculinity.”
“Could you tell me a bit more about that?”
With rumors of my impending marriage to Maria swirling about, a crowd eager to get on my good side quickly surrounded me. I deftly turned them away and surveyed the area.
‘Damn it, this way, I won’t be able to observe my targets.’
For a while, I was trapped amidst the crowd, scratching my head in confusion.
Having never found myself in such a situation before, I couldn’t figure out how to respond to these people. Not to mention, I couldn’t exactly shove them aside, could I?
As I fumbled about, searching for an escape route, a familiar voice drifted through the tapestry of noise.
“Ahem, could you step aside for a moment?”
“Oh, yes.”
It was Yom.
As the eldest son of the Württemberg Marquis, who wielded considerable influence in the capital, the crowd parted like the Red Sea when he made his presence known.
Of course, there were still some clingers on, but they were easy enough for me to shrug off.
“I apologize. I have someone to meet, so I hope you don’t mind if I make some space?”
“Yes, yes….”
Thanks to Yom clearing half the way, I squeezed through the remaining crowd with ease. Letting out a sigh of relief, I exchanged greetings with him.
“Thanks for the help.”
“Not at all.”
Fearing another surge of people might approach, I quickly linked arms with him and headed toward a spot where the attendants gathered, making sure it had a good view.
“What brings you here?” I asked.
“Well, one could say that,” he replied mysteriously.
Not being able to disclose the full details, I settled for a vague answer and took a seat.
I felt a bit guilty for using Yom like a protective talisman against the crowd, but for the sake of my mission, I justified it. I promised him a valuable monster byproduct later and engaged in light chatter while I surveyed the attendants.
While they weren’t quite the high-profile figures their masters were, they still held important positions and were eager to mingle. Table discussions were lively, with some attendees even making rounds to socialize with various groups.
“Hm.”
However, among them, I noticed a few peculiar individuals.
There were those who remained silent, merely focusing on devouring the food in front of them without engaging in any conversation.
It was blatantly odd.
In any social circle, as one moves up in ranks, the value of connections becomes increasingly paramount. It was common for matters to either get blocked or pushed through entirely based on unexpected relationships.
Yet, here they were, silent at such an event?
In situations like this, it usually boils down to two types: those too inexperienced to engage with others or those who’ve landed themselves in a position where socialization isn’t necessary.
I ruled out the incompetent option entirely. A person that oblivious would never have the capability to be chosen as an aide to someone attending an event of this caliber.
Thus, my gaze honed in even more on them. I couldn’t tell who was who, but it was clear these were the people I needed to keep an eye on.
Among them, my attention was particularly drawn to one individual.
He seemed familiar.
Not in the way that I recognized his face; I’d never seen him before.
Yet, that body shape felt eerily recognizable. Although his clothing was loose-fitting, deducing someone’s figure from the contours of their silhouette wasn’t a difficult feat. Knights always had to be aware that their opponents might be concealing something, making it second nature to differentiate such things over time.
While I couldn’t gauge his height as he was seated, that silhouette was strikingly similar to the one I’d seen last in the sewers.
“Yom.”
“Yes?”
“I need to step away for a moment to confirm something. I’ll just be a minute.”
“Go right ahead.”
I stood up and made my way toward the suspect.
With measured steps, I approached.
Suddenly, one of the main protagonists of the banquet approached, leaving the attendants visibly startled.
But I ignored their flustered reactions and zeroed in on him.
I stood before him.
He too set down his glass and looked directly at me.
Slowly, etching his face into my memory, I asked, “Have we met somewhere before?”
His response was to take a moment of silence, searching for an answer.
“I feel like we’ve crossed paths once.”
I probed once more. All eyes turned to us. Finally, he reluctantly muttered a reply.
“I think you might be mistaken.”
That voice was identical to that of the individual I’d replayed countless times in the crystal orb.
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