Chapter 189
I drank tea at the inn.
One question kept lingering in my mind.
It wasn't because of the war.
It seemed like there would soon come a situation that was still unpredictable, due to the aftermath of the war. The empire's circumstances looked to be getting complicated. Especially if Madam Mien seized power.
Moreover, if the Grand Duke was defeated and went into hiding, he was said to return leading an even greater force. It was still unclear if that time had come.
The Grand Duke was the ringleader of the rebellion, so if he returned, it would be an invasion of the empire. Not to reclaim Imperial power, but to resurrect the Holy Theocracy.
Then should we confront him as the Imperial Army?
Why us? Why defend the empire?
That 'why'? lingered in my mind.
We had no intention of getting involved in a power struggle, nor any desire to block the Grand Duke's new army as the Imperial Army.
"Madam Mien went to the palace."
"How do you see her?"
"She's the kind of person who, to make her son emperor, would even harm the current emperor."
"That serious?"
Donnie continued.
"According to reports. They say the Madam's nature is cruel and sly. As you expected. The northern army's commander is in her grip."
"I see."
"It seems her goal isn't just to make her son emperor, but she harbors ambition to devour the empire herself."
There appeared to be enough ambition for that.
The Iron Lady was poised to take the Grand Duke's seat. It all depended on how Roman treated his own biological mother.
I looked out the window with Donnie.
He spoke quietly.
"Do you think there will be a civil war?"
"Yeah. The military won't let Madam Mien seize power. Ending the civil war won't be easy. Furthermore, the empire might collapse and an age of war ensue."
It was hard to see such results as being due to what we were doing. The Grand Duke had been corrupting the empire for so long, it would be no surprise if such matters toppled it too.
"You have no intention, young master?"
"I have no ambition for Imperial power."
I truly had no interest in Imperial power.
I could, for my purposes, hold onto royal authority for a while. But even that depended on Roman.
No matter how things changed.
We had our own path to go.
We would follow our own independent route.
/ / /
Several tense days passed.
It was just like the calm before a typhoon.
Every day, scores of messenger pigeons flew to each legion, and the air among the various families in the capital was tense. Each family's knights stood armed and at the ready.
"Russell went to the central region?"
― Yeah. He'll be at the gate soon.
"You should go to the new territory with elder sister too, elder brother."
― You think things will go that far?
"Because of the kidnapping risk."
― Got it. Is the special forces unit enough for backup?
"Yeah. The knight order needs to guard the stronghold."
― Take care of yourself.
"You too."
That was Ross, who had moved to the stronghold through the door of light.
Bellen, who could open the door of light with her ring, was with Ross. Special forces could be summoned at any time.
I contacted the information unit squad leader.
Currently, 12 members of the information unit were in the capital. Among them, the youngest, Bran, and three others from the first row had infiltrated the palace.
"Is there any troop movement?"
― There's been no particular movement yet.
"What about Syren?"
― It's quiet. The knights are dressed in civilian clothes as usual, but there are a few new knights.
"New knights?"
― Yes. Our spies report there are knights they've never seen before. Also, the knights no longer eat in the dining hall but have meals delivered to the knights' meeting hall.
"Did anyone spot the Grand Duke or the Royal Guard?"
― They say the Grand Duke and the Royal Guard are rarely seen even within their own family.
So the elites weren't at their family estate.
"What about the Royal Guard?"
― They're wearing helmets now, unlike before. They wore them inside the inner court too. But there's something odd.
"What is it?"
― Some members of the Royal Guard came out of the palace, went into a building, and haven't come out since.
"How long?"
― This is the third day they haven't come out.
Does the Grand Duke also have a door of light?
"What about secret passages in the palace?"
― Two members from the second row are monitoring inside the passage. There's been no troop movement.
"Any word from the imperial household?"
The squad leader reported new information.
So I gave separate orders to the operatives inside the palace. The squad leader would also handle things at his discretion.
After cutting off communication, I paused to consider the situation.
I didn't see any elites at Syren.
It meant the Grand Duke wasn't there.
They must have predicted their family would be ambushed first and evacuated. They wouldn't be hiding in other families. If that was the case, the amazing intelligence I received was likely true.
I would have done the same if I were the Grand Duke.
Lure us to Syren, then strike the most critical target. There is only one place worthy of that.
The Imperial Secret Council.
"They swapped the knights, it seems."
"How?"
"They disguised Syren's elites as royal guards. The royal guards are posing as Syren family's new knights."
"That information might be true."
"So far."
But I wasn't completely certain of that information.
It could just as well be something orchestrated by the Grand Duke.
The information wasn't perfectly accurate, either.
"What kind of move do you think the Grand Duke will try?"
"He might kill everyone in the Secret Council. He could just say we did it."
"He could use poison too."
If we took the antidote in advance, only our members would fall. After that, he could finish everyone off for good. If the poison had an antidote, it wasn't a deadly poison. We could prepare for it.
"You're not going to call Priest Roman?"
"It'll start before that."
This time, the issue wasn't revealing the Emperor's hidden bloodline, but exposing that the current Crown Prince was a fake. Apprehending the Empress and the Grand Duke came first.
The Grand Duke would never allow himself to be captured without resistance. No matter how things progressed, I'd summon Priest Roman to this place if needed. But most likely, I wouldn't need him.
"Have the special forces stationed in the sewer that connects to the palace's secret passage. Have Information Unit Row 2 wait disguised inside the passage."
"Understood."
The Grand Duke was not at Syren.
Nevertheless, we would hit the Syren family.
We would do exactly as we'd been done to us.
"Leave Syren in Hans's hands. Tell him to disguise themselves as raiders and burn everything down. Warn him the captain of the Royal Guard or Art Syren may remain, so be careful."
"Understood."
Donnie left the room.
I stood at the window with the now-cold tea in hand.
The night view of the capital was quite beautiful.
In a few days, a bloody storm would blow.
I wondered how things would turn out.
/ / /
I formally entered the palace.
I had been appointed as investigator for this matter the Emperor was to announce and investigate.
Upon entering, I listened to communications from the information unit spies who'd infiltrated the palace. The information I hadn't been able to confirm proved to be true. There was more, too.
The operatives entered through a secret passage. Then disguised themselves as part of the guard. The palace regulations forbade masks, so they wore only the guard armor and helmet.
The security captain was standing by in the outer court, and Lord Watts had deployed his family's knights all around the capital while he himself stayed at the Capital Defense Command.
The Emperor dressed in ceremonial robes looked at his own face in the mirror. He felt his cheek, trimmed his beard, and put on a simple, ceremonial gold crown.
"Let's go."
"Yes, your Imperial Majesty."
The Emperor and I left the chamber together.
The Emperor had already widely informed the capital that he would make an important announcement. He hadn't said what about.
So all the elders of the Secret Council and the heads of the five great families were present as observers. Senior palace officials gathered as well. Excluding the family heads, everyone else belonged to the Grand Duke's faction.
"His Imperial Majesty enters!"
As the Emperor entered the Secret Council chamber, all those gathered bowed deeply. Only the Emperor and the secretary sat, the rest always stood.
The elders and officials stood to the right near the door. Observers and witnesses stood to the left. There was considerable space in the center—deliberately arranged so.
The Emperor immediately ascended to the throne on the platform. Chamberlain Tos and the actual guards lined up behind the Emperor, and our operatives lined up below the platform.
I went and stood among the witnesses.
There were Madam Mien, the real father of the fake crown prince, and one other—currently wearing a spirit's mask.
The Royal Guard did not enter the Secret Council chamber.
There were 33 people gathered.
I examined them quietly.
No one wore a mask. No one radiated strong magic power. The Grand Duke was not among them. The captain of the Royal Guard was absent too. Where was he?
The Secret Council official stepped out.
He held a heavy scroll.
"Now! His Imperial Majesty will preside over a critical announcement of the Imperial Household! All elders, references, and observers present, please pay attention!"
The hall fell silent.
The Grand Duke's faction didn't know at all what the Emperor would announce. The only strange thing was my presence there.
"Investigator Roger Hader, step forward."
I took a step forward.
The official shouted again.
"Roger Hader, please declare that what you are about to testify contains not a shred of lies or fabrication."
"I, Roger Hader, as the Emperor's deputy investigator, promise to speak only the truth."
"Investigator, designate your witness."
I looked at the man with burn scars on his face.
"What is your name?"
"Boldan."
"Where do you live now?"
"In the western slum."
"Your wife bore a son, correct?"
"Yes."
"What are your son's distinguishing features?"
"Brown hair and brown eyes. Three moles on his back, and a wart behind his left ear."
I looked at the elders.
"What you just heard are the distinguishing features of Mr. Boldan's son, who lives in the slum. I now request that Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince be summoned as witnesses."
"Summon the Empress and the Crown Prince."
The official left the Secret Council chamber.
Even if the Empress had swapped the baby, it didn't matter.
"Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince enter."
All but the Emperor bowed slightly in greeting as the Empress approached her seat. The Crown Prince, wearing a hat, was sound asleep.
The Empress stared at me.
Then she turned to the Emperor and spoke.
"Is the Secret Council treating me as a criminal? What in the world are you thinking, Your Majesty?"
"Let's begin."
Her gaze moved from the witnesses back to me. She looked just as formidable as Madam Mien.
"Investigator, begin your statement."
I stepped forward.
"I'll ask Her Majesty the Empress."
A sneer appeared at the corner of her lips.
"Before you gave birth to His Highness the Crown Prince, you visited your maiden family, the Syren line, didn't you?"
"That's correct."
"Her Majesty stated that she visited the Syren family just before giving birth. At that time—"
I addressed the elders.
"At that very time, Mr. Boldan's wife gave birth at home, and soon after, assailants broke in, kidnapped his wife, and attempted to kill Mr. Boldan."
A commotion erupted in the hall.
"Mr. Boldan barely managed to escape and followed the assailants. He witnessed them entering Syren, two days before Your Majesty the Empress went there."
"What nonsense is this!"
"Mr. Boldan's wife, after giving birth, was found as a corpse! The child, however, was missing! Subsequently, the Empress entered the palace and announced she had given birth to the Crown Prince!"
"That's a lie!"
Her voice rose even louder.
"But the Empress was never pregnant! The boy claiming to be the Crown Prince is not the Empress's son! He is Mr. Boldan's son right there!"
"How could that be!"
"On what basis do you make such a claim!"
"He's falsely accusing us!"
The Secret Council chamber erupted in chaos.
I raised my voice louder.
"Mr. Boldan's child and the Crown Prince share identical features! How could a slum-dweller know the Crown Prince's features unless the boy is indeed his son! That Crown Prince is a fake!"
"Speak sense!"
"This is slander! Told to him by some palace maid! Where did you fine people cook up such a plot?"
The atmosphere grew tense.
The Emperor stood.
"Chamberlains, remove the Crown Prince's hat and clothes."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
As the chamberlain approached, the Empress laughed.
She glared at the Emperor.
"I thought you'd keep quiet, and this is the scheme you hatch? Suit yourself, do as you please."
The chamberlain removed the Crown Prince's hat and clothes.
He had brown hair and brown eyes, as said. But there were no moles on his back and no wart behind his ear.
They had swapped the baby.
Through the information unit, I already knew this child existed. I knew where the boy's real mother was, too.
"Your Imperial Majesty! Of the distinguishing features stated by the witness, only the brown hair and brown eyes matched."
"Arrest that investigator!"
"How dare he utter such nonsense!"
"Silence!"
At the Emperor's roar, silence fell.
He spoke again.
"Were there any traces indicating removed moles or wart?"
"None at all, sire."
Rage filled the Emperor's eyes.
The Empress laughed.
He continued.
"There's another witness, yes?"
"I request the palace maids be called as witnesses."
The palace maids began entering the Secret Council chamber. Ten came in at once, silencing the room. Among them, there was only one real witness.
Now, there was no further need for those witnesses.
Since the Empress had swapped the child.
The other witness would reveal the rest.