“Here is the list of the missing persons from the Heresy Tribunal you asked for, Your Highness.”
Seongjin, flipping through the documents Dasha handed him, remarked,
“The number is smaller than I expected?”
“Yes. Considering the scale of the incident, there were almost no unidentified bodies.”
Seongjin nodded his head as he reviewed the materials.
Initially, he had requested her to investigate Priest Hayes, but even after several days, the results were not as fruitful as expected.
It was said that he came to the capital with only a single letter of recommendation from a rural countryside church. And, since he was assigned to the Heresy Tribunal almost at the end of the Dark Sect’s purge, it was impossible to find any significant connection between him and the remnants of the Dark Sect.
Moreover, Hayes was known to be extremely taciturn. Not only did he lack personal connections, but he also hardly communicated for work purposes, being thoroughly isolated even within the Heresy Tribunal.
‘However, it was definitely not a feat he could have accomplished alone…’
Considering Jonathan’s case, at least four people were involved: one heresy interrogator, two guards who beat him, and one priest who was recording the statements.
Furthermore, considering that most of the prisoners in the underground dungeon were Grey Plague patients, it’s possible that more than one or two teams were involved.
There were undoubtedly colleagues of Hayes, or perhaps a separate group unrelated to him, existing within the Heresy Tribunal.
‘And now that their plan has gone awry, they’ve likely already fled.’
With Cardinal Benitus fervently rooting out the Dark Sect, remaining in the Heresy Tribunal was tantamount to suicide.
Seongjin focused on the list of missing persons for this reason.
“Wolfgang, a junior priest, Clemens, a junior priest, Inquisitor Fabian… Hmm.”
After reviewing the list of nine missing persons, Seongjin picked out five and handed them to Dasha.
“Let’s start by looking into these individuals.”
Among the missing was one Inquisitor, plus a list of four priests assigned before and after the outbreak of the Grey Plague.
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll get started right away.”
“Ah, honestly, I wonder what good all this is…”
“Pardon?”
“…Ah, never mind. Just talking to myself.”
In truth, his motivation for the investigation had hit rock bottom lately.
The Holy Emperor and the Twins probably knew the whole story. He even thought that Arenja, despite being a part of their group, might know their identities or at least the extent of their organization.
But when he asked Bruno, the leader of Arenja, for information about this, the response sent by Arenja was as follows:
– It’s not yet the time.
According to Bruno, who had a short career as Arenja, it seems there’s some kind of backlash involved in revealing information that goes beyond mere manpower. And the resulting consequences could never be good.
‘So, they mean to say, do what you can for now, right?’
No, it’s like digging in vain while the answer is right in front of him.
Seongjin was grumbling to himself when Dasha, who was gathering the documents and about to stand up, suddenly hesitated and turned back to Seongjin.
“Your Highness, this is purely my personal curiosity, but…”
“Yes?”
“You’ve been wearing that outfit a lot lately. Is it your preference?”
“Oh, this?”
Seongjin tugged at the hem of his garment.
“Does it look a bit flashy to you too, Dasha?”
Indeed, Seongjin was wearing the latest creation from Madame Justine. It was a splendidly colorful outfit adorned with vibrant butterfly patterns.
“It may look a bit much, but it’s surprisingly comfortable.”
Excluding the banquet clothes tailored for his birthday celebration, this was probably the most recent outfit he had tailored.
Madame Justine’s craftsmanship was quite exceptional, so despite the numerous elaborate decorations, it was the most comfortable and best-fitting among Seongjin’s clothes.
‘Besides, I’ve been growing lately.’
Regrettably, though it hadn’t been long since it was made, the ankles and sleeves were already showing signs of becoming too short.
That’s why, determined to get his money’s worth, he wore it constantly within the Pearl Palace.
“Why? Does it look that bad?”
“No, not at all. I just thought it was a very futuristic design and got curious.”
Dasha backed away, dripping cold sweat.
“You can be honest with me, Dasha.”
Seongjin gave her a warm smile.
“Like a crazy Brittanian, or a clown from Bertrand Street, or a heretic if I just add flowers to my head…”
“…Ah, no, not at all! I’ll report back as soon as there’s progress in the investigation! Please rest easy, Your Highness!”
As Dasha hurriedly left the room, Seongjin tilted his head and examined his outfit.
‘Do you think it looks that strange too?’
[It is a bit avant-garde, isn’t it?]
Certainly, to Seongjin, who was no expert in design, the butterfly pattern did seem overly modern.
He had heard that Salon de Mercier had a separate staff member who specialized in drawing designs, but he wondered who could have created such a design.
* * *
“Wow! Did you guys see? Eldest Young Master Siegmund himself visited our dressmaking room today!”
Inside the sewing room, brightly lit as if it were midday, even at night.
The employees of Salon de Merci were busy gossiping while catching up on their overdue overnight tasks.
“Isn’t he as splendid as the rumors say? He has an aura that’s just different from ordinary people.”
“How can the wolf crest of his family suit him so well?”
“I’m so jealous that he was escorted by that person. I would love to be Isabella Scarcepino, even for just one day!”
Then, a young lady, who had been quietly listening to their chatter, let out a soft laugh.
“Hehe. You guys have nothing to be envious of.”
“Yi-seo, aren’t you jealous?”
“No, not at all.”
Yi-seo, as she was called, put down the design she was working on and lifted her head.
She had an exotic appearance with uncommon black hair and deep brown eyes, a rarity in Delcross.
“Unfortunately, the chance will not come to Miss Scarcepino. She’s cast in the role of the jealous villainess.”
“Jealous… what?”
The employees looked at her, baffled.
Seo Yi-seo. She was a new recruit at Salon de Mercier, having settled in the Imperial Capital not long ago. Sometimes, she would make strange remarks that were hard to understand in the context of Delcross’s common sense. The employees usually brushed them off as her hometown’s style of humor.
“Most importantly, she’s not the Eldest Young Master’s type.”
“…And how would you know Eldest Young Master Siegmund’s ideal type?”
“Yeah. The lady from the Scarcepino family is one of the most beautiful women in the capital.”
The employees’ questions, tinged with disbelief, were met with a relaxed smile from Seo Yi-seo.
“The type that someone like him likes is always specific. Someone pure and kind-hearted, yet occasionally surprising in unexpected ways.”
“…Surprising? How so?”
“Hmm, let’s see? Maybe by falling in front of him at an unexpected moment, or spilling tea.”
“What?”
“Or perhaps by getting drunk and crying, or suddenly slapping his cheek?”
The employees, who had been eagerly listening for any useful information, let out a deflated sigh.
What? Slapping the youngmasters cheek just like that?
He’s one of the most promising swordsmen on the continent and a noble from the North. They’d be lucky not to be beheaded on the spot.
“Kikiki. Yi-seo sometimes says really weird things.”
The employees burst into laughter at the seemingly absurd joke, then picked up their sewing materials again.
“Remember? Yi-seo did the same during the last parade. What did she say? That Prince Logan is really handsome but his character is too good, which makes him unattractive?”
“What? Is that true?”
“Hmph. It’s a matter of personal taste. Please respect it.”
Seo Yi-seo replied demurely and buried her nose back into the design she was working on.
“So, Yi-seo, do you prefer someone like Eldest Young Master Siegmund then? The cold, bad-boy type?”
“Well, maybe? He did look quite handsome today. But it was unexpected that the cold Northern young lord didn’t have black hair.”
“…?”
What does the Northern young lord’s hair color have to do with anything?
The employees were confused, but then, as if struck by a sudden thought, Seo Yi-seo chuckled.
“More than that, I was surprised to see Prince Morres today. Reading about someone and seeing them in person are quite different. Maybe he’s more my type? Looks like I’ve got a case of the second male lead syndrome.”
“What?”
The employees stopped their sewing in unison and stared at her.
Is she serious right now?
“Do you even know what kind of person Prince Morres is?”
“Well… there’s a difference between someone with bad-boy charm and a total scoundrel, right?”
They realized that Yi-seo, being new to Delcross, might not be aware of all the local nuances.
Pitying glances were thrown Yi-seo’s way.
“Hehe, who knows?”
Undeterred, Yi-seo went back to her sketching.
“He might act like a scoundrel on the outside, but deep down, he could be someone who has carried great inner wounds since childhood. Eventually, he might be drawn to a woman who truly understands his pain.”
“…Inner wounds?”
The employees exchanged bewildered glances.
Her fabrications are getting more elaborate with every telling.
“Oops! I might be causing character destruction here. I’m just too chatty today.”
“…?”
“Well, talking about this now is pointless.”
After completing another butterfly wing in her design, she added with a confident smile.
“Anyway, you’ll all find out after the birthday celebration ends.”
* * *
Emerald Palace.
This splendid detached palace, where the Second Queen Melody resided, was a beautiful place with a lush green garden and a small glass greenhouse.
Having returned to the Imperial Palace after a long time for some rest, Sisle lay sprawled on a couch in the greenhouse, idling away the entire morning.
“Hey, Sisle.”
Melody, gently stroking her daughter’s silver hair, spoke soothingly.
“It’s nice to spend time with you after so long, but shouldn’t you start getting ready soon? Your audience with His Majesty is approaching.”
However, Sisle, with her face buried in the pillow and eyes closed, did not move an inch.
“It’s not just today, is it? We can postpone it.”
“But, dear. You’ve been away from the palace for so long. It’s a rare audience, and His Majesty might feel neglected.”
“I already paid my respects upon my return. Besides, His Majesty is busy with audiences with diplomatic delegations and such. Seeing him once should be enough.”
Unable to persuade her stubborn daughter, Melody sighed softly.
“Really, when did children grow up so fast? It feels like just yesterday you clung to His Majesty’s robes all day.”
“…….”
“You know, Sisle? When you were little, you hardly wanted to walk on your own. You always insisted on being in your father’s arms. His Majesty had such a hard time separating you from him whenever he had to attend state meetings.”
Lying still, receiving Melody’s caresses, Sisle slowly blinked her eyes.
Her childhood memories were always similar.
Herself, toddling after the sunlit, gleaming hem of the imperial robes.
And occasionally, the Holy Emperor turning back to check on her.
If only she could return to those times…….
“Your Majesty, Your Highness.”
t that moment, a servant approached swiftly, bowed, and said,
“A letter from the southern front.”
He then respectfully presented a small tray with a white envelope to Sisle.
Melody, visibly excited, asked,
“Oh my, is it from Prince Owen again?”
“Yes, it’s a letter personally addressed to the Princess.”
Sisle sat up on the couch and, with a slightly eager heart, unfolded the letter.
+++
—To Sisle.
I heard you embarked on a long journey. With the birthday celebration approaching, you must have returned to the Imperial Palace by now.
Regrettably, I won’t be able to return for the celebration this time. The situation in the southern front is stable, but the atmosphere here is still a bit too tense for me to leave.
We’ve just started interacting with the Volanta tribe.1 Chieftain Chikutaruku seems quite dignified and wise, and I believe we can maintain a good relationship with them.
However, the response from other tribal leaders around us is not so friendly, and there’s always a risk of conflict reigniting.
It’s not much of a consolation, but I’ll send a gift to father and you soon.
P.S. Always take care of yourself. If anything happens, don’t forget to consult with Imperial Father.
+++
Melody, who had been reading the letter alongside, smiled gently.
“How thoughtful of him to care for you so deeply. It’s truly heartwarming.”
However, Sisle’s expression darkened as she finished reading the letter.
Owen-orabeoni, did you know this?
Sometimes I’m terribly afraid of His Majesty.
