I Became the Narrow-Eyed Villain in a Dropped Novel

Chapter 136:

Til’s letter began abruptly with work-related matters, without any greetings.

[Regina hasn't been watched or tracked within the Ravens yet. I've checked multiple times, so I'm sure. I don't know if it's because they haven't discovered Regina's behind-the-scenes work yet, or if they think she's not a threat. Or maybe they trust her because she's family.]

Well, the last one isn't it.

He wasn't the type to place special trust in family.

Considering what he did to his eldest son, Benjamin, he wasn't someone who would go easy on someone just because they were family.

He might have thought that a clumsy surveillance attempt would be counterproductive, especially with Til attached to her.

Or maybe he just didn't care at all.

[She isn't actively doing anything right now. I watched her to see if she had a change of heart and sided with her father, but that didn't seem to be the case. She says she can't make any conspicuous moves because there's a fierce power struggle over who will be the Duke's successor. I'm not knowledgeable enough about political fights to tell if she's just making excuses and playing around or if it's really difficult for her to move, so I let it go. Time will tell.]

When she came for the Eight Council meeting, she said the Duke had five children, so excluding Regina who was pushed to the frontier and Benjamin whom I had, three remained.

When I heard from Regina last time, she said it was hard to say who was clearly in the lead… I should have the Strategy Division look into it.

[Noah has also started to move in Leitche. News of him contacting the demons within Leitche is being heard through the Ravens. It's still being treated as one of the common demon rebellions, so I don't have to worry about him dying in a ditch, but just in case, I plan to help if needed.]

To think he was already caught in the Raven's intelligence network.

Since his supporter was Falsh, it would be more accurate to say his influence had grown that much, rather than that he was caught due to simple carelessness.

Both Regina and Noah were cards I prepared to target the Duke of Leitche hiding behind the curtain, so they couldn't be discovered yet.

I needed to interfere so that the Duke and the Ravens wouldn't pay attention to them.

Fortunately, there was a simple solution.

As if she had anticipated my thoughts, when I turned the letter over, Til had written down the solution.

[You make the Duke busy on your end. The Ravens' biggest interest is how you move, so the more spectacularly you draw their attention, the easier it will be for us to move. I'll contact you again in a month, so until then…. Til.]

The sentence written after 'until then' was smeared with ink, so I couldn't read it.

It didn't seem like someone had intercepted it midway, as it was too crude… well, judging by the length, it probably wasn't anything important.

“Ron.”

“Yes, Count Valheit.”

“What happened with the matter I asked you to look into regarding the Vestol Embassy?”

“The event is scheduled to be held in four days as planned. It is said that esteemed guests from various countries, as well as the Empire, will be attending.”

“Then….”

“I will prepare everything so you can leave for the venue immediately.”

“Alright.”

Things like this weren't even surprising anymore.

“Since it's a social event, shall I prepare different clothes?”

“Is there a need for that?”

“As it is Vestol's most important national holiday, there are recommendations on what to wear.”

When Ron clapped, expressionless servants entered carrying several sets of clothes.

Unlike the monochrome clothes I usually wore, these were clothes with a rather intense blue color.

After excluding the burdensome clothes, only the one with a blue cape that came down to the shoulders remained.

“Let's go with that one.”

“Understood. I will have it loaded onto the carriage. What will you do about a gift?”

“Do I need to prepare something like that too?”

“Of course. If you go empty-handed on their Independence Day, they will take it as an insult, no matter how graciously Count Valheit himself has visited.”

No, they would think Valheit himself visited just to insult them.

I wanted no part in such diplomatic disputes.

“Prepare it as you see fit.”

“Understood. A sword decorated with blue flowers and light-blue jewels should be sufficient.”

I felt a little sorry thinking about the Finance Head grumbling later, but it couldn't be helped.

An ordinary incident couldn't draw the attention of the Duke and the First Duke.

They would probably pop their eyes out if I used Vestol as bait.

'They'd be thrilled to death if I said I'd put the Vestol navy in their front yard.'

I smirked, imagining the two old men fuming.

***

The Vestol ambassador waited for his guest, his posture stiff with tension.

The Vestol Independence Day event tomorrow was the first major event he was hosting since being appointed as ambassador.

It had only been half a year since the previous ambassador was recalled due to several unfortunate incidents, like the assassination of the Assembly of Well-being's chairman, and only two months since he had arrived as the successor.

Frankly, it had been a nightmarish two months.

The days spent wrestling between the merchants' association whining to stop the Empire's malicious business interference and the Imperial officials who looked at him with suspicious eyes flashed through his mind.

'I was originally planning to settle that troublesome issue on Independence Day.'

The ambassador sighed unwittingly and shook his head.

Independence Day was a day even the Empire, which gritted its teeth at Vestol, would congratulate without complaint.

It was also a day when numerous countries gathered under the pretext of friendship to exchange pleasantries and secretly form agreements behind the scenes.

This time, the ambassador had put special effort into the merchants' association issue.

It was a golden opportunity to smoothly resolve the problems that arose from the Assembly of Well-being interfering in Imperial politics.

That is, if an unexpected figure hadn't announced his visit.

“Ambassador, the carriage carrying the esteemed guest has passed the checkpoint.”

“I understand. Make sure everyone is fully prepared so we don't give them any reason to find fault.”

Tension filled the empty event hall.

The esteemed guest who had arrived a day before the celebration… was just that much of an uncomfortable presence.

The ambassador took a deep breath at the sound of horse hooves.

As the soldiers guarding the event hall entrance gave a crisp salute, the ambassador forced a smile.

“Welcome, Count Valheit.”

“My, you've gotten quite thin since I last saw you, Ambassador.”

“…That was the former ambassador.”

“Ah, is that so? I'm not good at remembering faces.”

The man, smiling with his eyes closed, strode forward and offered a handshake.

He had heard he was the old snake of the Empire and expected him to be much older, but he didn't look old at all.

"The newly appointed…."

“Let's save the introductions for later. I have no intention of taking much of your time with the celebration just around the corner.”

These damn Imperial nobles.

While cursing internally, the ambassador maintained a gentle expression.

“Then I shall escort you inside right away.”

“Ah, please wait a moment. My other friends will be here soon.”

“Other friends…?”

“Ambassador!”

Before the ambassador could wonder, an embassy staff member came running breathlessly.

Skillfully excusing himself, the ambassador stepped back for a moment.

“Has someone else arrived?”

“Yes, the Imperial Guard Commander and Leitche's Military Attaché have arrived.”

The ambassador glanced at Valheit.

The Count waved, as if he had noticed the gaze.

“What is the purpose of their visit?”

“They said they were invited, but we never sent an invitation for today. I've checked multiple times, so I'm certain.”

“That's right. The invitation wouldn't have been sent from our side.” Fınd the newest release on novel⦿fire.net

“Pardon?”

“Conduct a minimal inspection and then escort the two of them here.”

Although he still wore a look of incomprehension, the ambassador chewed the inside of his lip as he watched the staff member leave.

'The Imperial Guard Commander and a military attaché… but why?'

The Imperial Guard Commander, who could be called the Emperor's hands and feet, was somewhat understandable.

It was a public secret that the Emperor and the Count were close.

What he couldn't understand was the visit of Leitche's military attaché.

A military attaché, a soldier who stayed at an embassy to assist with diplomatic affairs, was on the surface just another diplomat.

But as they were related to the military, they were naturally regarded with more caution than ordinary diplomatic personnel.

Especially a military attaché from a country as insidious as Leitche.

“We are shortening the procedures as much as possible to escort the guests invited by the Count. Please wait a moment.”

“Thank you. I honestly thought I'd get kicked in the rear.”

If it were up to me, I would.

If my home country hadn't threatened me not to ruin relations with the Empire any further, I would have politely asked him to go home.

“I will arrange a separate place where no one else can approach. I hope you have a good time with your guests.”

“You speak as if you will be absent.”

“…?”

What did he mean?

Why would he need to be there when they had gathered soldiers to chat?

“If the Imperial Guard Commander and the military attaché intended to just chat, would they have come here instead of one of the many pubs on the street?”

“Are you telling me to observe as well? It seems like a military-related matter, so that's a bit….”

“Observe? How disappointing. You, Ambassador, are the star of today's meeting.”

The Count's words were becoming increasingly difficult to understand.

He shows up unannounced, calls for soldiers from the Empire and Leitche, and then suddenly says the star is the ambassador of Vestol?

“It seems you need an explanation, so I shall kindly provide one. The purpose of today's meeting is to resolve the conflict between the Empire and Leitche in the southern waters.”

“What does that have to do with me or Vestol?”

“Of course, it has to do with you. Wouldn't the Vestol navy have to mediate?”

“…Us? Mediate? With our navy? Why?”

Looking at the Vestol ambassador, who was so flustered he had forgotten all diplomatic rhetoric, Count Valheit chuckled unpleasantly.

“If Vestol, which controls the strait that crosses the two continents, doesn't handle such issues, who will?”

“This is not an issue that a mere ambassador can decide. Military matters require close communication with the home country.”

“I have no intention of demanding a conclusion on our first meeting. I'm suggesting we begin the discussion. There's no problem with that, is there?”

What kind of nonsense was this.

I had to refuse.

As he racked his brain to put it as nicely as possible, the Count lowered his voice and took a step closer.

“Do you know a man named Brauder Stetten?”

“Pardon?”

Why was the name of that fool who tried to blow up his own brother coming up?

“That fellow is quite friendly with the people of Vestol, isn't he? He borrowed a lot of money too.”

“I have heard as much, but….”

“It's a well-known fact that among those friends he made is the Assembly of Well-being. Those who know, know that the Assembly of Well-being secretly supported the Stetten family in various ways.”

He had a vague idea of what the Count was trying to say.

The ambassador prayed that his guess was wrong, but Valheit drove the nail in.

“Brauder said he would testify to the fact that Vestol was deeply involved in Imperial politics if it could reduce his sentence. I had a bit of trouble shutting that flippant mouth of his.”

“Is that a threat?”

“What an awful thing to say! I'm telling you that I helped Vestol out of goodwill.”

Valheit's closed eyes, which were creased as if in grievance, held a hint of a smile.

Damn it.

The angry face of the Foreign Minister, who had warned that no more diplomatic disturbances would be tolerated as domestic issues were urgent, came to mind.

“The guests have arrived.”

The ambassador snapped to his senses at the guard's loud shout.

He had no intention of being dismissed as soon as he was appointed.

“I will listen to the story. I cannot promise anything more than that.”

“I know. It's not like I came here to put you in a difficult position, so would I really shout you down?”

Valheit smiled and turned his head.

He could see two soldiers approaching, escorted by guards.

Especially Leitche's military attaché in the desert-colored uniform, who was fuming with a vein popping on his forehead.

“How dare Vestol do this to us…!”

“Let's talk inside, Military Attaché. Now then, may I ask you to lead the way?”

Cutting off the loudly shouting military attaché, Valheit looked at the ambassador with a disagreeable smile.

I've stepped in it.

Looking at the military attaché, whose face had turned beet red, the ambassador decided to resign himself to his fate.

Please, let me get through today safely and greet Independence Day.