Chapter 93
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Chapter 93
Kelofeldt was a vast trading company spanning the entire Continent and a major force backing the current Emperor.
He had leveraged the Kelofeldt Trading Company thoroughly—not only for economic advantage but to establish the foundations of his early power.
The Emperor had repaid them accordingly, and Kelofeldt had risen to become the absolute leader of the merchant world.
"When His Majesty restructured the trade system, he granted special privileges to the Kelofeldt Trading Company."
"When he ascended the throne, the other trading companies refused to obey his orders despite his imperial authority."
"Exactly. Our options were limited."
Cassion remembered it well.
"So Kelofeldt, which had no ties to the previous Emperor and was the most cooperative, grew. Thanks to the rigorous inspections implemented from that point onward, we've greatly reduced instances of Empire citizens going hungry from spoiled fish or moisture-damaged grain entering the market."
Kelofeldt walked alongside the Emperor's path, and thus the Kelofeldt Trading Company became a merchant house trusted and favored by most of the Empire's people.
Many know that Kelofeldt is practically the Emperor's third arm.
"This was done to undermine trust in His Majesty."
"So the strategy is: Kelofeldt is no longer safe either?"
"That's how I see it."
Cassion nodded while flipping through a grimoire.
"I agree with your assessment. But an ordinary merchant would have no reason to do such a thing."
"That's why they deliberately set a trap."
A problem twisted from the start. Waiting for someone other than themselves to step on the mine.
"...I believe you and I are thinking along the same lines."
Cassion understood instantly.
The premise of this problem was fundamentally wrong.
"It wasn't a storage shed that Hexagon abandoned and failed to retrieve."
"He left it there as an invitation. A passing ant walked right into the trap."
Hexagon had ensnared one of the Emperor's greatest forces—Kelofeldt—without lifting a finger.
"So that's why you're asking me to create a powder."
"Only magic can achieve an antidote of that caliber."
"Hmm..."
Cassion, narrowing his eyes as he studied me, deliberated for a long time with his arms crossed.
"I should do it. It's His Majesty's matter, and you've come to ask personally."
Why is this so easy?
"You're wondering why it's so easy—it's written all over your face. I repay favors too, you know."
Before his words even finished, Cassion was already scribbling down the antidote preparation method.
"I remember when you saved me at the Hunting Grounds."
"...You really are Dale's friend."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Cassion, who had been writing rapidly with his pen, suddenly looked up.
"But don't you want to see Dale? It's been so long since you've seen him."
"Of course I do."
"Dale wouldn't be jealous between you and The Emperor, would he?"
"Dale isn't that kind of person."
"He's more than capable of being exactly that."
Cassion laughed as if bewildered.
"I know my husband better than anyone."
"...I hope that faith lasts."
He muttered something under his breath that I couldn't quite hear. His expression didn't look particularly pleasant for some reason. Had he cursed?
But perhaps I was wrong.
It was possible that Cassion knew things about Dale that I didn't. A strange uneasiness settled over me.
As melancholy crept in, I craved something sweet.
"Don't you have any sugar here?"
I paused mid-sip of my tea and searched for sugar cubes.
"I've heard you prefer sweet things, so I made it quite sweet. Do you need more?"
"I need at least five sugar cubes in it."
"My."
Cassion clicked his tongue.
"The only ones who've ever adjusted their cooking to my tastes are The Emperor and Dale."
"..."
Cassion, who had been resting his chin in his hand in silence, narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Last time I saw him, it seemed like he was doing most of the cooking. Does it suit your palate?"
"Dale is a culinary genius. There's nothing he can't do. He's even skilled at making cakes and cookies."
"Given how dedicated he is to everything, he's certainly achieved remarkable results."
"Dale was naturally good at cooking from the start, wasn't he?"
It seemed Dale and Cassion were closer than I'd realized. He even knew about things from the past?
"Didn't Dale tell you?"
Cassion clicked his tongue.
"That man lived on just enough to fill his stomach. He had absolutely no interest in food or desserts. He even found drinking tea bothersome."
"I didn't know... I thought Dale was good at everything..."
"Dale never cared about cooking or such things. He found eating itself tedious and barely managed one meal a day, let alone three. If someone didn't force him to eat, he'd go a whole week without a single meal."
"...The Dale I know always sat at the table with me and ate well."
"That's why I was surprised when I first saw it. Cooking, no less. I wonder when he learned."
Cassion chuckled softly and looked at me.
"If he learned to cook to suit your tastes, then he must have worked incredibly hard to succeed."
* * *
Dale took a brief respite for the first time in ages.
"...."
At some point, Enya had begun visiting me. I found myself anticipating the afternoon hours when she would call.
But now that the pressing matters had concluded, there was no reason for Enya to seek me out.
The ball that typically followed the hunting festival had been cancelled this year due to the incidents.
I had no pretext to see her.
"Had the young lady not stepped forward, we would have faced considerable trouble. I wonder—did she perhaps conduct detective work while in hiding?"
One of my aides murmured in astonishment.
The incident had been resolved with the antidote powder that Cassion had created.
Moreover, we had succeeded in preventing the trading company's mass production plans, thereby minimizing the damage.
The matter concluded with only minor losses for the company.
In exchange for distributing the powder to the nobility, I had secured their consent to establish a Medical Clinic.
However, suspecting that Hexagon had left behind more than just this, I spent time investigating whether their influence extended elsewhere.
During this work, I had no time to meet Enya—it had already been a week since I last saw her.
"Ha...."
The faint sigh that finally escaped caused my aides to tense.
"Y-Your Majesty. The young lady has not attempted to elope again, we assure you!"
"We have confirmed she is not meeting any men. You need not worry. She remains within the Mansion all day!"
My aides spoke in haste, one after another.
Yet their words did nothing to dispel the dark atmosphere that enveloped me.
'Foolish lot.'
Getty quietly raised the corners of his mouth.
What His Majesty needed now was not that.
"Your Majesty."
Getty stepped forward and respectfully presented a document. His eyes gleamed with a confidence that bordered on arrogance.
"Would you like to spend quality time with the young lady?"
"...."
"Even if the ball has been cancelled, it matters not. Do you know why?
His voice, infused with an almost rhythmic cadence, was as sweet as temptation.
"Because I, Getty, possess a splendid idea!"
In that instant, my indifferent gaze shifted to the document. My eyes narrowed in a flash.
* * *
"A debutante ball?"
I widened my eyes at the news that had arrived from the Imperial Palace.
"Yes, Miss! A debutante ball is held every year for noble ladies, isn't it? But this year, His Majesty the Emperor will be attending as well."
"The Emperor himself?"
For the noble ladies, it was a once-in-a-lifetime important occasion, but it had nothing to do with the Emperor.
The Emperor never bothered to attend such gatherings—so what sudden wind had blown his way?
"Could it be...?"
I stretched out lazily again and pondered quietly.
'Is the Emperor's girlfriend making her debut at the ball?'
I made a plausible guess.
There was no reason for someone as busy as the Emperor to leisurely attend a playground for noble ladies otherwise.
'I thought she wasn't nobility, but she is?'
I figured there must be a reason for the secrecy. Perhaps the difference in status was too great.
But if that wasn't it, I couldn't fathom what else it could be.
Because he wore a mask, it was difficult to discern the Emperor's true intentions.
I occasionally felt, during our few encounters, that he would have been troublesome if he hadn't been on my side.
"This is no time to be lying about, Miss! Get up at once."
"Me...? Why?"
Just when I'd finally resolved matters with the Emperor and could rest for the first time in weeks since returning to the Family Estate.
"Because you must attend the debutante ball, Miss!"
I sprang up like a coiled spring.
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