Tatiana frowned.
«But it looks like…The arsenic and sleeping pills have improved your brain functions a bit, after all.»
Camelot stared at her for a few seconds.
«Was that an insult to my garden just now?»
«Are you right.»
«Then you will get even more for my insult.»
He tightened his grip on the sword.
«I was already starting to think that you were praising me.»
Tatiana raised her weapon again.
She had no intention of listening to him.
But before she could attack, a strange rumble came from the hallway.
Boom!
Then another one.
Boom!
Camelot and Tatiana looked at the door at the same time.
A figure appeared in the doorway.
Camelot screamed:
«Adrian?!»
The blond man stood, staggering on his bound legs.
His hands were held behind his back and tightly bound.
The mouth was also covered with a piece of cloth.
He tried to take a step into Camelot’s bedroom.
It didn’t work out.
Adrian collapsed to the floor.
«Mmmm.»
Camelot stared at him in silence for a few minutes.
I…
He looked at Tatiana.
Then back at Adrian.
I think I was a little mistaken in my guesses.
Tatiana clicked her tongue irritably.
Adrian began to writhe violently on the floor, trying to free himself.
Camelot approached him.
«Wait a minute.»
He crouched down and untied the cloth on his face.
Adrian inhaled instantly.
«YOU!»
Camelot staggered back.
«Calm down.»
«What kind of calm is that?!»
Adrian tried to get up, but his bound legs failed him again.
He collapsed back down.
«That vile maid broke into my room at night!»
He looked at Tatiana.
«She woke me up!»
Tatiana was silent.
«And then she put a rapier to my throat and tied my hands and feet.»
Adrian tried to sit up.
«She even gagged!»
Camelot looked at Tatiana.
«Are you serious?»
«He could have been in the way.
In choosing an heir.»
«Is that why you tied him up?»
«Of course.»
Adrian snorted indignantly.
«I have nothing to do with it.
I don’t really care who the heir is!»
Camelot froze.
Adrian looked right at him.
«Don’t you think I dream of getting a title?»
«But don’t you?»
He exhaled heavily.
«I don’t care if you become the heir or someone else.
I’m studying at the academy.
I have a completely different life.»
Camelot slowly lowered his sword.
The last pieces began to take shape in my head.
Adrian really annoyed.
He teased me.
He was smiling too complacently.
Sometimes he said things that I wanted to take as a threat.
But now Camelot understood.
It wasn’t a real desire to destroy him.
It was a rivalry.
The usual family rivalry between brothers.
And somewhere deep inside Camelot already felt it.
Despite all the barbs, Adrian was part of that family.
My brother.
Camelot looked at Tatiana.
«At first I thought Adrian was trying to take my life.»
«And you were wrong.»
«Yes.»
He paused.
«Because I heard lies from you that he was in the greenhouse.
And then I found out that he could become the heir if I didn’t receive the gift.»
Camelot looked at the bound blond man.
«Everything was too perfect.»
Adrian rolled his eyes.
«You finally get it.»
«But then I remembered something.»
«What?»
«We’re brothers, after all.»
Adrian was silent for a few seconds.
«Don’t sound so weird.
I’m not going to cry over your words.»
Camelot chuckled.
«Why?»
«Because it sounds creepy.»
«Okay.»
Camelot shrugged his shoulders.
«Brotherly rivalry.»
Adrian looked away.
«That’s fine.»
Tatiana suddenly raised her rapier.
«Are you done exchanging favors?»
Camelot instantly turned around.
«Almost.»
He stepped between her and Adrian.
«What is it?»
Camelot gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
«Why are you trying to kill specifically me?»
Tatiana looked at him.
Her face became completely calm.
«Because the council will be checking on you tomorrow.
And the scariest thing is that I feel this power in you.
I already know their verdict.»
Camelot felt the tension return again.
«And?»
Tatiana smiled.
«Sometimes, to keep an old name…»
She raised her rapier.
«…
we need to remove the one who inherits it.»
[Truth partially discovered.]
[Suspect: Tatiana.]
[ Motive: Protecting the interests of the Canham family.]
[ Additional Information: Classified.]
Camelot looked at the last line.
Protecting the interests of the Canham family?
He frowned.
No.
It’s not over yet.…Tatiana is a murderer.
But who said she was really alone?
Camelot was in no hurry to answer.
He was looking at Tatiana, holding the sword in front of him, but his thoughts were already far away from what was happening.
[…Spy of the Black Sun.]
These words appeared in the grimoire just a few seconds ago.
Camelot called up the grimoire again to look at the information about her.
[Code Name: ?]
[Name: Tatian]
[Age: 48]
[Race: Human]
[ Gender: Female ]
[ Status: Senior Servant of the Canham family]
[Profession: Estate Manager.]
[ Combat Skills: Detected.]
[ Magic Art: Classified.]
[Affiliation: Black Sun.]
[Rank: Black Sun Spy]
Camelot carefully reread the last line.
The Black Sun?
What is it anyway?
The organization?
A cult?
The Empire?
The name of some crazy astronomy club?
He had no idea.
And the most annoying thing was that it was impossible to ask directly.
If he says:
What is a Black Sun?
He will immediately give himself away.
So Camelot decided to do what he knew best.
Bluffing.
He slowly lowered his sword.
Tatiana watched his every move carefully.
«So it’s all about the Canham family?»
«Yes.»
«And you’re willing to kill me for him?»
«Not just for him?»
Tatiana looked at Adrian.
«For the sake of the future.»
Camelot frowned.
He took a few steps around the room, as if trying to make sense of what he had heard.
In fact, he was feverishly sorting through the options.
The Black Sun.
The Black Sun.
The Black Sun.
My head was empty.
No memories, hints, or even inscriptions from the grimoire.
Then Camelot stopped.
And then, in a completely calm tone, he said:
«If it’s not you…»
He looked Tatiana straight in the eye.
«Then why does Black Sun want me dead?»