Chapter 56 The Mastermind
Princess Rifine's personal maid, Mei.
The content of the letter delivered to her was──about the assassination plan for the princess.
As Rifine rapidly solidified her position, the extreme opinions that had been spreading within the Noble faction began to quiet down...
As a result, those nobles with particularly radical thoughts were on the verge of losing their standing.
Mei's family, the Viscount Hartner family, was one of them.
Therefore, they likely resorted to this barbaric act.
"Damn it!! I can't believe that Mei would betray me!! She's forgotten all the favors I've done for her!!"
In the main residence of the Viscount Hartner family.
Though not exactly wealthy, the head of the family, Nolan Hartner, who was not suffering from poverty either, cursed the daughter who had caused his capture.
Standing before him were 2 high-ranking nobles──Carlot Granbell and Cas Belmont, looking down at him with exasperated expressions.
"To try to use my daughter as a tool for assassination is not just a failure as a noble, but as a parent as well. That's not betrayal."
With that, Carlot proudly puffed out his chest.
"You may not know this since you've been holed up in your territory, but the Detached Palace is already under the control of my daughter. In the face of her cuteness, the feelings of a cheap parent like you are nothing but dust. After all, even I have been completely charmed by her!"
"Don't start bragging about your daughter here, you doting parent."
Cas wore a different exasperated expression directed at Nolan Hartner.
At his gaze, Carlot was indignant.
"What are you saying! No matter where it is, Yumie's cuteness is the best in the world!! Besides, your daughter seems to be infatuated with our Yumie too, doesn't she?!"
"Ha! Right now!! Your daughter is just like you, completely clueless, so she hasn't noticed Monica's overflowing charm yet!! Soon enough, your daughter will be all over Monica, and you'll be pushed to the back of her memory!! You better spoil her now while you can, so you at least stay in her mind!!"
"What did you say!? You wanna fight!?"
"Bring it on!!"
What am I even witnessing, thought Nolan Hartner strongly.
Just when it seemed like the two great nobles of the kingdom had come together, they easily overpowered his knights and took control of the main estate in the blink of an eye──right in front of him, they were casually bragging about their daughters.
In such an absurd and ridiculous situation, Nolan could only lament his own misfortune in a daze.
"Dad, stop saying obvious things like how cute Yumie is and let's wrap this up. Wasn't it you who was complaining that we can't move Yumie away from the Detached Palace until things settle down?"
"Oh right, that's true."
It was none other than the still young Neil Granbell who ended this nonsensical situation.
At just 12 years old, he was chosen to be Prince Sigurt's sparring partner and was currently helping his father, who was both a hero and a warrior, in subduing the Hartner family.
His skills were already far beyond those of an average knight.
One couldn't help but think this was the difference in their backgrounds.
"Damn... what a 'perfect plan'... it's falling apart before it even gets executed...!!"
Thus, those words were directed at no one in particular, just a mere soliloquy.
However, Carlot shattered the previously lighthearted──though he was serious──atmosphere and pressed Nolan.
"Hey, what did you just say?"
"...? I said that if a plan falls apart before execution, it's meaningless..."
"No, before that. 'What a perfect plan,' you said... the way you said it, it seems this isn't a plan you came up with alone."
Indeed, the reason Carlot and the others were able to swiftly subdue the Hartner family was not solely due to the weight of the crime of assassinating the princess.
With the belief that the Viscount's family alone wouldn't dare to do such a big thing.
They tried to overwhelm and capture them without giving them time to react, in order to uncover the background.
"Which house is it? Wellrozzo, or Dortpan? To be honest, this time, I'll let you off with just your head."
It seems like too heavy a crime to be let off, but the assassination of the princess is such a big deal.
It's enough to have the entire family destroyed and the whole clan executed without any complaints.
That's why Mei's abnormal behavior of presenting the evidence without hesitation and Yumie's skill in making the princess so infatuated with her is admirable, and he's naturally being a proud parent in his heart.
Hearing Carlot's words, Nolan started laughing from the bottom of his heart.
"Kuhahaha!! So that's it!! I've been used!!!"
"What do you mean?"
Carlot was puzzled by Nolan's sudden laughter.
Nolan, who found it hilarious, told him.
"I was told by a certain person. If I arrange for my daughter to infiltrate the Detached Palace, they will provide any convenience. They asked me to leave the Noble faction and welcome me as a member of the Royal Family faction."
"What...?"
Carlot frowned at the unexpected words.
Nolan, who has been active as a member of the Noble faction until now...
Considering the current political situation where Sigurt is almost certain to be the next Crown Prince, he has been secretly trying to get into the Royal Family faction.
"That's right, you seemed to think I was a pawn of the Noble faction, but you were mistaken!! It's not the Noble faction who sees the princess as a threat and is targeting her... It's rather the Royal Family faction!!"
"...We've been considering that from the start. Even now, most of Granbell's knights remain in the Detached Palace to guard the princess."
"That may be true. But, that person is well aware of it too. After all, they instructed me to use my daughter knowing full well that she has already fallen into the hands of the princess. In fact... here you are, coming all the way to the Hartner territory to capture someone like me, a mere low-ranking Noble."
"......"
It takes 3 days to travel from the royal capital to Hartner territory, even with horses enhanced by magic.
This means that if something were to happen at the Detached Palace, those here would be powerless to do anything.
Even so, the princess's security is tight.
There shouldn't be any problems──.
"...Yumie is unprotected."
"What? What do you mean?"
As if to interrupt Carlot's thoughts, Neil muttered quietly.
Cas didn't understand why Yumie's name came up here, but Carlot seemed to realize something, and his expression turned pale.
"Princess Rifine changed because of Yumie. If Yumie is gone, the princess will revert to her old self... and even if not, she might rush into danger alone, sneaking past security for Yumie's sake."
Neil wasn't that close to Rifine yet.
Still, he knew her personality through Yumie and, more importantly, how much she adored Yumie.
That's why he understood.
If Rifine found out that Yumie was caught up in a power struggle, she would be devastated.
He could imagine the reckless actions she might take in such a situation.
All of this was just Neil's speculation, with no evidence to back it up.
But the influence Yumie had on those around her was significant enough to make it seem possible.
"Who exactly is 'that person'? Tell me everything you know, right now."
Carlot pointed his sword at Nolan with a dangerous look in his eyes.
The tip of the sword was shallowly embedded in his throat, blood flowing down, yet Nolan maintained a creepy smile without faltering──he spoke a name that no one had anticipated.
"Of course, it's him! The top of the Royal Family faction. Sigurt Dia Ortria──this country's first prince, His Highness, that person!!"
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