Chapter 164: The Witch and The Contract of Magic (6)
To prevent any possible misunderstandings, let us clarify that Sophia didn’t give Adelaide a pinpoint lecture like, “if you say this, the other party will respond like that.”
That would be more in the realm of fortune-telling rather than strategy.
She had merely predicted three possible scenarios, preparing responses for however the situation might unfold.
“If the lord readily permits the investigation of the tower and no one objects to this, praise the lord and elevate his authority. We’ll be able to investigate the tower with the lord’s goodwill and legitimate grounds, so after that, it will be Dorothea’s domain.
“If the lord refuses the investigation, or if he tries to allow it but those around him object, then pretend to be overtly angry. Say something like, ‘We said earlier that this is a matter of the bloodline’s honor, yet you ignore that?’ If they become flustered and try to accept, that’s good, and even if their response remains unsatisfactory until the end, it’s fine. We’ve already created grounds to force our way in.
“Lastly, if we get permission for the investigation itself, but some restrictions are imposed or they ask for a grace period—“
***
That evening.
The lord’s wife secretly summoned her confidants and asked, “What about them?”
“Lady Adelaide has finished martial arts training with the guards and is now in conversation with the lord. The maid called Sophia is going around questioning retainers and servants about whether there’s anyone who might hold a grudge against the tower or the children there.”
“Useless efforts… What about the other two?”
“The female mage has been holed up in her room since eating dinner. Judging by the male and female voices coming from the room, it seems she’s talking about something with the knight who was with her. The content is trivial chatter.”