Chapter 56

Episode 56

I spent the days leading up to the Imperial banquet productively.

I practiced magic quietly in my room during the day and danced with Lady Lucia in the evenings.

Jericho, in his usual exaggerated way, claimed that watching us dance brought the phrase “match made in heaven” to mind.

He was prone to hyperbole, but Selendis also gave positive feedback, so I assumed we were ready.

Both commented that our dance, in addition to the movements themselves, exuded a harmonious aura due to our appearance and chemistry.

As I mentioned before, the Empire had a unique custom of assessing ‘dance compatibility’.

Dance was used for both social and ceremonial purposes, and this custom was a somewhat superstitious concept derived from that.

Many nobles would flock to the banquet to witness the dance compatibility between Lady Lucia and Prince Arthur.

Count Apellai, who was determined to secure the marriage, would be lobbying various nobles, asking them to pay close attention to their dance.

According to our investigators gathering information near the Count’s mansion, numerous nobles had been visiting him.

“Whew, it’s been hectic since morning. Preparations are almost complete, Inspector. The Azure Dragon Knights are ready for escort duty. We can depart anytime.”

I checked my watch at Jericho’s words.

There were still three to four hours until the banquet. We were scheduled to enter the palace and meet Prince Arthur beforehand.

“Alright. Let’s get going. Jericho, bring the Lady.”

“Understood.”

I left the room, Selendis following behind.

Something had been bothering me for the past few days.

A look of concern lingered on Selendis’s face.

I knew the reason.

“You still want to dissuade me, don’t you?”

My words were blunt, but Selendis understood immediately.

“He’s a member of the Imperial Family. Even if he’s not in line for the throne, this plan is too reckless.”

“If there were another way, I would have chosen it. But there isn’t. The Count has cleaned up everything so thoroughly.”

Even on the day of the banquet, none of the reports from our investigators contained any useful information.

Everything problematic surrounding the prince and his mother had been meticulously erased.

This alone showed that Count Apellai was no ordinary man.

Forcing a scandal would be digging our own grave. The Lucius Inspection Unit might have some influence on local officials, but we were still a regional organization.

“I’ve mentioned the purpose of adjutants before. We’re confidants for a reason. It’s our duty to understand our Lady’s heart.”

“Are you certain the Lady doesn’t want this marriage?”

“She hasn’t expressed it outwardly, but I know.”

If I hadn’t known she was the mastermind, I wouldn’t have attempted such a risky plan.

But I couldn’t tell Selendis and Jericho, “Actually, I’m a transmigrator, and I know the Lady is the mastermind. She has bigger plans, so I can’t let her marry someone like Prince Arthur.”

I could only prove it with results. That my choice was right.

“It’s not that I don’t trust your intuition, Inspector. But… I don’t think this is a matter to be decided by intuition.”

She was more persistent than I expected.

But on the other hand, it meant she cared about my well-being, which I appreciated.

“Haven’t you ever thought, while serving the Lady, that she has grand ambitions, unlike her appearance?”

“Yes, I have. She created the Inspection Unit for the sake of the territory and its people, didn’t she?”

“I believe she has even greater ambitions.”

“Greater ambitions…”

I just smiled instead of answering. Would she believe me if I said she was capable of conquering the world?

“Anyway, the Lady needs to stay in the Dukedom. That’s why I’m trying to stop this marriage.”

“Even if things go well, I doubt the Duke will stay silent.”

“He might be angry on the surface. But deep down, he’ll be grateful. I can’t imagine how he feels about giving away his precious daughter, even to a prince.”

Beyond wealth and honor, all aging fathers wanted was for their children to be happy.

Of course, there were exceptions, those who prioritized the family’s status above all else. But Duke Kalisto, despite his position, was a family man.

As we were about to leave for the palace, Jericho came running.

“Inspector! The Lady requests your presence immediately!”

She should be ready to leave. What was going on?

“I’m not sure either. She’s changed into her banquet attire, but she wants to speak with you. Maybe it’s mission-related?”

“Alright. I’ll go. You two go ahead and prepare for departure.”

I hurried to the Lady’s room. She was alone.

I bowed my head respectfully.

“You called for me, my Lady?”

“How does it feel to be a mage?”

“It’s not all sunshine and roses. It’s difficult to use magic in public.”

We had discussed this yesterday. I had told her that I hoped she would change the secretive magic system when she took over the world.

Was this related to that?

“What are you planning to do at the banquet?”

I had kept my plan a secret. Even the Lady didn’t know I was going to ask her to dance.

“I have no plans other than serving you well, my Lady.”

“I don’t believe you.”

The Lady walked towards me. A sweet fragrance filled the air.

“Didn’t you say you would gladly learn to dance if it meant breaking off the engagement?”

I remembered.

It was when she had offered to teach me dancing instead of Selendis.

“Then, it’s reasonable to assume you’re planning something to break off the engagement. What do you have to say about that?”

I had trusted Jericho and Selendis to keep their mouths shut, but I had no choice but to be honest now. The Lady seemed displeased.

“To be frank, I was planning to ask you to dance first when the music starts at the banquet.”

“First? You?”

“Yes. To provoke Prince Arthur’s jealousy. That’s my plan. Selendis and Jericho are not involved. If you wish to punish someone, punish me.”

The Lady chuckled, repeating the word “dance”.

“I knew it. It was strange that you suddenly wanted to learn to dance. The Aubrey I know has no interest in social gatherings.”

“There was no other way. If I can provoke Prince Arthur’s jealousy, it won’t be difficult to instigate a duel. After that-“

“Sometimes I wonder if you have multiple lives. Why are you so reckless?”

The smile vanished from her face. She slowly circled me.

“This banquet is to celebrate my engagement to Prince Arthur. It’s only natural for him to be my dance partner. Trying to steal that from him is no different from throwing your life away. You might succeed in your mission, but you won’t be alive to see it.”

“I’m willing to sacrifice anything for the success of the mission.”

“Don’t.”

It was the first time she had spoken to me with such a cold, chilling tone.

“You’re… precious to me. You mustn’t throw your life away, no matter the circumstances. We still have much to do in the Dukedom. It would be problematic if the Inspector position became vacant before the Inspection Unit is fully established. Selendis and Jericho are capable, but they can’t replace you.”

“…I apologize for my shortsightedness.”

The Lady’s expression softened.

“I’ll give you the fourth order. Do nothing until we leave the capital. Can you do that?”

She handed me a written order.

The fact that she had prepared a written order meant she had known all along. I was lucky I had confessed things could have gone very wrong.

“As you command.”

“And Lady Rosalyn sent a letter last night. She’s staying at the Apellai mansion.”

“We already know her whereabouts. I’ll take note of the letter.”

“Don’t be too hard on her. Shall we leave now?”

I felt a sense of disappointment, as I hadn’t prepared another plan. At this rate, the engagement was inevitable.

I escorted the Lady outside and helped her into the carriage. Then, I informed Jericho and Selendis about the fourth order.

Their reactions were similar. I thought they would be disappointed, but they seemed relieved.

“See? I told you it was too dangerous. You only have one life.”

“I still don’t understand.”

“What do you mean?” Jericho asked.

We rode our horses slowly, following the carriage.

“I wasn’t planning to ask the Lady to dance out of the blue. She said something at the Caribe villa. About being dance partners.”

“Oh, she was probably just joking. It’s a common delusion. It’ll be cured if you stay focused. I can prescribe some medicine if needed.”

“Maybe the Lady wants to become a member of the Imperial Family.”

“I don’t think so.”

Their eyes turned to me at my firm conclusion.

“If that were the case, she wouldn’t have created the Inspection Unit. It’s been a little over a month since we started operating. The timing doesn’t add up. She created it to consolidate her position within the Dukedom.”

“That makes sense, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens at the banquet tonight. The Lady’s intentions are a mystery.”

After a long journey through the main road, we arrived at the outer gate of the Imperial Palace.

A vast plaza was filled with various carriages.

There were even more people. People from all walks of life were gathered, including central officials and nearby nobles.

The sight alone broadened my horizons. The Dukedom was impressive, but it paled in comparison to this.

“It’s House Kalisto’s carriage! It seems Lady Lucia has arrived.”

“Oh! She’s finally here!”

“It would have been wonderful if Duke Kalisto had come as well.”

The nobles murmured and made way for us. The carriage stopped, and I opened the door to escort the Lady.

“Who’s that young man offering his hand to the Lady?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before…”

“Isn’t he the Inspector of the Lucius Inspection Unit? I heard he’s a young and capable man. They say he always completes his missions flawlessly.”

“Oh? Such a person exists?”

Comments poured in from all sides. I ignored them and focused on escorting the Lady.

Then, a group of nobles parted, creating a path.

A young man, dressed in extravagant attire that clearly marked him as royalty, walked towards us.

I had never met him before, but I recognized him from the portrait in Jericho’s report. He was Prince Arthur, the third prince of the Empire.