episode_0014

Episode 14.

Count Roberts.

His exact name is Graham Roberts. He is a resourceful person who grew the company he inherited from his predecessor into the largest company in the Lustier Kingdom.

His astuteness and judgment make him a great merchant. However, in the novel, it was not only because of those abilities that he achieved greater success than he has now.

In the novel, Count Roberts, who was the first to collude with Carmel, gets involved in dark business. With the queen’s connivance, a large amount of opium was brought into the Lustier Kingdom from the East.

The king also becomes increasingly intoxicated by Carmel’s opium. He loses his normal judgment and becomes unable to resist things that ruin the country and Princess Sera. From this point on, Carmel gradually took control of the Lustier Kingdom.

Therefore, Count Roberts’ business is something that must be stopped.

I knew that letters had already been exchanged several times between the Roberts family and Carmel. However, we failed to obtain the letter itself. The queen’s letter was not something that could be easily opened even with the princess’s authority.

then…

Today’s schedule is empty.

I spoke to the maid who was waiting right next to me.

“Anna, please tell the Count Roberts family that I will be visiting them. It is also said to be a secret meeting rather than an official visit.”

“You mean Count Roberts. When will I be notified of the visit time?”

“Right now.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Anna left at a brisk pace. I immediately finished getting ready to go out, and when I heard that the carriage was ready, I left the room.

* * *

“Haha, welcome, Princess Sera. I don’t know what to do with this precious person’s visit!”

Count Roberts showed his respect with an exaggerated gesture towards me getting out of the carriage. I also gave a concise reply and followed behind him.

It is a luxurious mansion befitting the richest man in the kingdom. The garden was also maintained with the same magnificence as the palace garden.

Count Roberts and I crossed the bridge over the garden pond and entered the mansion.

The living room of the mansion was also majestically decorated. The red carpet and luxurious furniture seemed to overwhelm the viewer.

In reality, the arrangement may have been intended to be intimidating. If mediocre merchants come here, they will feel like their liver is being shriveled.

As soon as Count Roberts entered the room, he bit everyone, including the maid. And as soon as he sat down with me, he asked.

“Now, let’s listen to the story, princess. What is your visit today?”

“Today I came to talk about the queen.”

In just a moment, I can see hundreds of thoughts passing through Count Roberts’ eyes. He shrugged and said as if he didn’t know anything.

“Are you talking about the new queen? Heh, why did I… Well, let’s hear the story.”

“You are planning a new business this time, Count Roberts? And that too while holding hands with the queen.”

Count Roberts’ eyes suddenly become sharp. But soon, a look disguised as joy covered it up.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. There are no such plans. Isn’t it just a rumor?”

“Are you sure you don’t have any? The plan is to bring in opium from the East.”

Count Roberts’ expression suddenly changed to a cold expression. A finger covered in fancy rings tapped the table uncomfortably.

“On what basis are you saying that?”

“There was a snitch, Count Roberts. He is a very close person to the Count. I could bring clear evidence right away, but I came here to give Count Roberts a chance.”

“Opportunity?”

“Opportunity to get back on the right path. If you bring in that much opium, you know what will happen to the kingdom. I will give you a chance to correct the mistake of having such a wrong mind.”

“…What specifically?”

I smiled like an angel and held out my hand to him.

“Hold hands with me, not with Carmel. We cannot allow the opium trade, but we promise to make it profitable. Of course, it’s legal.”

Count Roberts’ eyes stare intently at my face. As if trying to understand my true intentions.

But soon Count Roberts spoke with a pretentious smile.

“Haha, I’m sorry, princess, but I have never held hands with you, so I have no idea what you’re talking about. Opium, Graham Roberts, I have never even thought of such disloyalty! Perhaps snitching is just a frame-up.”

I couldn’t help but be disappointed. To the greed of Count Roberts.

That’s foolish. In the novel or here.

The reason I came here on purpose and revealed that I knew was really to give him a chance.

Only one chance. An opportunity to get out of the dark business and continue living as the richest person in the Lustier Kingdom.

If you had held my hand, I would have been able to remain as a proud representative of this country and a subject through the information I had.

Count Roberts has just kicked away a unique opportunity.

I said, withdrawing my hand.

“Would you really not regret it?”

“Is there anything other than regretting it? I really don’t.”

The fact that he’s come out here so confidently means that he’s confident that there’s absolutely no snitch. He probably expected to have read the contents of the letters exchanged with Carmel.

But I know much more detailed information than that.

Under the earl’s instructions, the name of the cargo ship loaded with opium that would arrive at the dock in the middle of the night was ‘Eunbangul’.

“Is that all you have to say? Haha, sorry, this was a mistake. While you’re here, would you like to have a cup of tea, princess?”

I smiled and told him.

“No. I don’t want to mention anything they give me.”

With those words, I left the room straight away.

* * *

Even in the early hours of the morning, the dock was full of the port’s unique liveliness. The sailors were shouting something in a somewhat harsh voice.

Meanwhile, a large cargo ship enters the dock. The name engraved on the hull is ‘Silver Bell Lake.’ It arrived 3 days later than the expected arrival date.

After docking the ship, someone comes down from the deck and hands a bundle of documents to the port official. The official scribbled something on it and handed it back to the sailor.

Philgret and I did not miss the opportunity and approached them.

“Excuse me. Can I take a look at those documents?”

“Yes?”

“This person is Princess Sera, the first princess of this country. And I am Pilgret, captain of the royal guard. Hurry up and send me those documents.”

When Pilgret showed off his seal, the hands and feet of the official holding the document trembled. Philgret sighed, snatched the document from his hand, and handed it to me.

“Let’s see… The shipped goods are ‘medicine.’ Hmm, but it’s not just medicine, right? Under what circumstances do you grant permission to bring in goods without even checking them, manager?”

“Well, that’s… An official letter was sent to give permission for this ship only, without asking or questioning… I’m sorry!”

“It’s an official document… Can you show it to me?”

The crew of the Eunbangul, who must have realized that the situation was seriously wrong, rushed to the deck with blue faces. I immediately ordered Philgret.

“Secure the ship, Pilgret.”

“Yes, princess.”

When Pilgret gestured, the soldiers disguised as ordinary passers-by followed him and boarded the Silver Bell. After shouting and clanging, Pilgret gave me a hand signal from the deck to let me know that the cleanup was complete.

The official document that the official brought in had the unmistakable royal seal. It would have been absolutely impossible for a single official to refuse. At least the reason they were shaking like this was because they realized that this was wrong.

“Please do not disclose this matter to anyone. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes! Oh, of course!”

After putting the documents I received from him in my arms, I climbed onto the boat. Philgret and the soldiers were already unloading the cargo from the ship onto the deck.

When I opened one of the boxes, a black dried substance wrapped in paper came out. After carefully checking, Philgret approached me and said.

“It is as the princess said. It’s all opium.”

“ Leave only one box to use as evidence and throw all the remaining contents into the sea. ”

“Yes, princess.”

with a plop! with a plop!

Opium, which would be worth an enormous amount in market value, is thrown into the seawater. I didn’t think it was a waste at all.

The crew of the Eunbangul, including the captain, all looked as if they had been sentenced to death. In fact, there was a high possibility that this would be the case. The importation of drugs is strictly prohibited in this country.

“Considering the seriousness of this incident, these individuals will be investigated directly by the royal family. Take them all to Lurie, Pilgret.”

“Yes, princess.”

The sailors tied up in rows are lowered to land from the Eunbangul Lake.

After ordering Philgret to search the ship, I also went down to the ground.

* * *

“Ha…”

I shuffled through the pile of documents in front of me. It’s the same no matter how many times I see it. In the investigative records of the Silver Bell and its crew, nothing was found that linked the Roberts family.

‘That’s pretty cool, Count Roberts.’

It appears that he was meticulous enough to be confident that there would not be a snitch. They went through several steps through agents and tried to make it difficult to catch them.

Those agents are probably fictitious, or have already been dealt with.

I think it would be rather difficult to tie Count Roberts down with just this case.

But the damage will not be small.

The funds invested in the purchase of opium and the Eunbangul were completely wasted. You’re probably pounding your fists on that mahogany table right now.

Of course, this is still not enough.

I had no intention of stopping until the complete downfall of the Roberts family, and thus bringing Carmel to its knees before me again.