"I'm weak when it comes to slander and intrigue, but..."
"What are you trying to say now..."
"Still, after dozing in parliament for a few years, there are things you can guess. For instance, the expression 'pirates' means there's been a major problem with Osdern's influence, which controls the colonies with a powerful navy."
That probably wasn't it. She thought while shaking her head. Unless Daria's control over Osdern had reached at least the level it was at the game's opening, there was no way she would already be turning her attention to the colonies. The map of the 'Golden Claw' visible in the status window still hadn't left Osdern's mainland.
"Isn't there another hypothesis?"
"Well. What's certain is that Daria has acquired military power. When she's already strong enough as an individual, why would she need it?"
Is it because of me?
That was a reasonable guess. But she didn't really think they would bring an army. Pirates, no less. There must be some other use for them.
"Whatever they plan to use the military power for, according to this cipher, we should assume their work in Nine Holder is somewhat complete. That means the longer we delay returning to the capital, the more dangerous it becomes."
The phrase 'building many structures on seized land' meant they had begun preparing to build a Hunter Association and welcome 'Hunters.' Building structures, hiring people, and creating a society that needed Hunters required time. She estimated at least five years. But considering the start timing of the 'Golden Claw,' the groundwork would already be finished at this point.
But why were they targeting Cider's research? It seemed like they already had everything they needed.
The space-time machine that Dr. Sullivan had asked the information broker about. Were they looking for that? But there was nothing like that among Cider's inventions. If there were, it would be an invention comparable to the 'Golden Claw.' Or maybe they wanted him to create it? That's why the magical engineers...
Either way, it was certain they would have to oppose them. Though it didn't feel very real yet.
That was all they could learn from this letter. Since they couldn't go to Nine Holder, it was information they couldn't hear anywhere else, but there was nothing they could do here right now.
"It's unexpected that the Duke is under such surveillance that he can't even send letters."
After being lost in their respective thoughts for a while, Cider suddenly spoke up.
"Why is that?"
"Pinement House, the Duke's residence, is a palace even older than Augustum, and the servants are all from honorable backgrounds who have served the royal family for generations. But for the Duke to be under such surveillance that he can't send a single letter is hard to understand. Even if they don't need to worry about the Duke's reactions, they should still care about society's eyes."
"But a lot of people died last time. Many were injured too. When filling the shortage of personnel, wouldn't it be possible to insert their own people?"
"Even if that incident became an opportunity, to place such unverified individuals as the Duke's close associates... ah, yes. That part wouldn't be a problem. They just need to threaten the Duke."
The Duke would have voluntarily planted Daria's agents as watchers among his close associates.
"So he sent this cipher through Cordelia. How did he manage that?"
It didn't seem like the watchers would have allowed the Duke to meet Cordelia. There was no natural way for two people with no connection to meet, and even if there was an excuse to create a connection, it wouldn't be easy to evade the watchers' eyes.
"I have a suspicion, but maybe this cipher wasn't created by the Duke either."
"Then who? In this situation, someone who could help the Duke..."
"There's one person. Someone no one would suspect."
Esperanza's head shot up. Right. There was one person. Someone that Daria, Cyrus, and perhaps even the Queen couldn't imagine. That's why they wouldn't have watched them, and even if they encountered Cordelia, they wouldn't have been suspicious.
"Anyway, Galliston knows that person's value better than anyone and utilizes them better than they utilize themselves."
Cider got up from his seat and brought a thick book from Esperanza's table. His gray eyes sparkled with curiosity. Esperanza chuckled and hugged a cushion.
"To prove that, shall we try solving the cipher with the wrong key once?"
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
Five days before the Duke's cipher arrived at Glailly House. Pinement House, which had overcome the dungeon's damage and begun renovating, was noisy from morning.
"Where do you lowly things think you're touching! Won't you get out of the way?"
A voice filled with irritation poured out. Duke Galliston Edmund confirmed the location of the listening device with his eyes.
Alexandra was 'the person no one would suspect' and therefore useful. But he couldn't let his guard down.
"Your Highness, you cannot enter!"
"I want to see my sick nephew, and you're saying I need permission from the likes of you?"
The Duke's new attendant had no choice but to endure the barrage of fan strikes from the Duchess on his shoulders and head. Edmund raised the corners of his mouth so slightly it wouldn't show. He couldn't help but enjoy seeing Daria's person, who had dared to lift his head and recite orders before the Duke, getting beaten obediently.
"Edmund!"
Duchess Sherbury, who had discovered Duke Galliston wrapped in thick blankets, practically ran into the room. She didn't forget to slam the door shut to prevent the attendant from entering.
"I can't believe you're sick!"
The Duchess shouted loudly.
"I'm fine. It's not that serious."
"Like hell! This is the first time I've seen you sick like this since you were fifteen. I nursed you quite diligently back then. You were an ungrateful brat though."
Duchess Sherbury, who had been chattering, suddenly stopped and read the room. When the Duke didn't scold her and slowly sat up, the Duchess thought she could nag a bit more and started grumbling with her hands on her hips.
"Are you trying to use me as a nurse again? You know I can't do such rough work, yet you do this. You just want to torment your poor aunt."
"Would I hire a nurse like you? I wouldn't make such a waste."
At the same time as those words, he raised his hand. The Duchess, who recognized the simple hand signal, widened her eyes. It was something they had used instead of spoken language when they were a bit closer. When she was an ostracized exiled princess and he was a boy crushed under his father's shadow.
She hadn't thought Edmund would still remember. The Duchess, who had softened a bit, tapped her fan.
"Hmph, hmph. What did I ever do wrong?"
"You never do anything properly no matter what task you're given."
"That's why you cut my dignity maintenance allowance too, huh? You know how miserably I'm living because of that."
It didn't mean she was starving or mending worn clothes to wear. However, collecting and showing off jewelry was the Duchess's only pleasure and only pride. Life without it was miserable. Edmund sighed.
"From next month, you'll be able to receive the original amount. If you don't disappoint me again. Though I wonder what task I could entrust to you... Since you're here anyway, have some tea before you go."
Red tea water appeared in the form of letters on the table.
"Sitting here like this reminds me of your nasty hobby. You made many enemies."
"What, what. Are you going to scold me again? I've been living so quietly lately."
"I wonder. The ban on entering the royal palace still hasn't been lifted, but I hear you frequently visit ballrooms."
"This time I just enjoyed the party quietly and left. Really, you can ask anyone!"
The Duke sighed audibly. After wiping the tea water with his handkerchief, he dipped his fingertip in the cup and wrote again. Slowly enough for the Duchess to read.
"Don't you remember at all how you thoroughly humiliated the hostess of that ball ten years ago?"
"I was young then too! I don't do that anymore. So about the dignity maintenance allowance..."
The lawless one of high society, Princess Alexandra. Edmund chuckled while recalling that notorious reputation. Even when ostracized, even when impoverished due to her exile status, a princess was still a princess. Alexandra was suddenly incorporated into Osdern royalty through marriage talks with the former king's beloved youngest son. And using royal protection as a weapon, she thoroughly took revenge on the society ladies who had looked down on her.
What she used then was ciphers. She would send invitation cards written in cipher to ladies she wanted to torment, then make them solve the cipher with the wrong key to derive the wrong answer. It was a clever and malicious form of harassment, but it couldn't be publicly criticized. The opponent was the exiled princess they had ostracized until just before, and now she was a duchess.
"Remember that if you cause problems again, I cannot overlook it. His Majesty is watching."
"Of course! ...Yes, I know better than anyone how generously you're overlooking things. Yes, that's right."
The Duke paused his hand. He looked up at Duchess Sherbury, then slowly wrote in large letters.
"I trust you'll do well."
"...I always do well. I've always listened to you well."
The Duke nodded and took out his handkerchief to wipe away the tea without leaving traces.
"Oh my!"
The Duchess picked up the teacup with trembling hands and poured tea over it. Then she practically threw the teacup down and stood up abruptly.
"I, I should go now! Edmund, it was an accident, really! Is there anyone outside? Come clean this up!"
The Duchess who left in a fluster truly looked frightened. The Duke slowly clicked his tongue while looking at his shirt sleeve soaked through.
'Alexandra is generally useless, but...'
Still, the intuition and petty scheming she had honed while being pushed around in high society were quite decent. His letter would safely arrive at Glailly House. If Daria and Cyrus hadn't sufficiently planted their forces in high society and the postal service. It was also a good opportunity to confirm that.
"Your Grace, please refrain from receiving guests."
The supervisor who had barely managed to send away the Duchess spoke stiffly upon returning.
"I'll be careful."
Edmund Seton answered while wiping his multicolored shirt sleeve with the already wet handkerchief. However, the shirt soaked with tea water only became more soggy.
Just when he thought he could breathe a little easier, it had already become stifling again. This stuffiness wouldn't be relieved for quite some time.