“That’s right. For the Empress to reach out to the Blatnik ducal family means she’s willing to make a concession…”

Jieselgrante rinsed her mouth with tea and nodded in agreement with Count Preston’s words.

“There may be an intention to use the young lady of Blatnik to attempt to restore relations with the Duchess of Blatnik… But it’s too early to jump to conclusions.”

At this point, she became curious about Cabelased’s skill.

‘How does he find out about these things?’

The Empress was a meticulous person.

She only entrusted work to those she had observed for a long time and deemed trustworthy, and she rewarded them handsomely for it.

So those who had once formed ties with the Empress or the Antares family did not foolishly kick away their own rice bowl.

As such, it was not easy to plant people deep within.

“I have one question. How did you manage to plant a spy on the Empress’s side? It couldn’t have been easy.”

She too had tried to plant someone on the Empress’s side after grasping some suspicious circumstances.

But there were difficulties in penetrating deeply.

“We’ve had a spy planted in the Imperial Palace for some time. But it was difficult to extract important information.”

Count Preston answered her question, and Cabelased continued the explanation.

“If Crown Prince Joshua hadn’t intervened, the situation wouldn’t have changed much even now.”

“That’s right. He essentially stepped in to create a situation disadvantageous to himself.”

Jieselgrante mulled over their words a few times before realizing.

‘Could it be… that?’

With her lips slightly parted in surprise, Jieselgrante voiced her rising suspicion.

“Did the Crown Prince’s side have Duke Cardia followed?”

“That’s correct. I heard the Crown Prince’s side had you followed as well, young lady.”

As Jieselgrante nodded, Count Preston continued.

“It seems they judged there was nothing more to uncover by following you. The Crown Prince’s next target became Duke Cardia. The Duke succeeded in using the surveillance to his advantage to obtain information.”

The moment she realized her guess was correct, goosebumps slightly raised on the skin exposed outside her dress.

People who worked for wages in the Imperial Palace were generally tough.

From those peeling onions in the kitchen to the servants, almost everyone.

If not, they couldn’t endure in the Imperial Palace.

Especially those who worked close to the imperial family were tight-lipped and deeply loyal.

It was nothing short of a miracle to turn a close errand runner of the Empress into a double agent.

‘A frightening person…’

As she looked at him with such thoughts, Cabelased slowly blinked and gazed at her.

The shadows cast by his lush black eyelashes made his eyes appear even more profound.

As Cabelased tilted his head slightly, his fine black hair swayed softly.

Jieselgrante, who had been staring quietly at his appearance, hurriedly averted her gaze.

And she gulped down the cooled tea.

Because somehow her throat felt parched just looking at him quietly.

“And then the Empress and the young lady of Blatnik had lunch alone, it seems.”

At Cabelased’s words, Jieselgrante let out a faint sigh and asked.

“Then should we consider that the Empress’s side has succeeded in recruiting the Blatnik ducal family?”

“It doesn’t seem so. Apparently, they haven’t given a definitive answer yet.”

Count Preston, who had been nodding at Cabelased’s words, soon added with a sigh.

“But it’s difficult to feel at ease. There are movements from the Empress’s side to attempt reconciliation with the Duchess of Blatnik.”

“I see.”

Jieselgrante nodded slightly and lowered her gaze.

Wondering a little about what choice the young lady of Blatnik might have made.

It seemed necessary to quickly find a way to meet with the young lady of Blatnik.

“I think it’s right to assume there’s an intention to secure the young lady of Blatnik as the next Empress, what do you two think?”

Both Jieselgrante and Cabelased nodded simultaneously at Count Preston’s question.

This time, the Empress’s intentions were too transparently readable.

It would be to bring in the Blatnik ducal family as the Crown Princess to counter Duke Amaterasu and the Cardia ducal family.

“Then what should we do now? The situation doesn’t seem to be flowing very favorably…”

“For now, please let me know immediately as soon as new reports come in.”

“Understood.”

As soon as the words ended, the three rose from their seats. And without anyone taking the lead, they left the meeting room.

Because they knew well what each had to do next.

It was only when they had passed through the long corridor and reached a fork that they briefly stopped and looked at each other.

“You said you had an appointment? Take care on your way.”

Jieselgrante said, looking alternately at Cabelased and Count Preston.

Count Preston nodded as if understanding, and Cabelased stared blankly at Jieselgrante’s face before opening his mouth.

“Don’t come back too late.”

Watching this scene from the side, Count Preston cleared his throat and said.

“It seems you should hurry…”

As Cabelased turned his steps with a face full of regret, Count Preston, who had exchanged eye greetings with Jieselgrante, also moved to follow him.

Jieselgrante, taking her eyes off the two retreating figures, immediately headed towards the study.

Standing by the study window, Jieselgrante briefly watched Cabelased and Count Preston getting into the carriage before sitting down at the desk.

And she began to quickly write a letter.

「To the young lady of Marquis Howard.

Have you been well?」

While Jieselgrante was hastily writing a letter to the young lady of Marquis Howard, Cabelased and Count Preston arrived in front of a luxurious and massive mansion.

Alighting from the carriage, Cabelased glanced at Count Preston and said nonchalantly.

“Your cravat is a bit disheveled.”

“…Is that so?”

Count Preston, after fixing his cravat, followed behind Cabelased who was walking ahead as if nothing had happened.

After handing over the invitation to the men in black suits standing at the entrance, Cabelased walked into the mansion with familiarity.

“So this is it. That place they say not just anyone can enter.”

Whispering quietly so only Cabelased could hear, Count Preston looked around with eyes full of curiosity.

Befitting a social gathering exclusively for the highest-class men of the Facies Empire, it was filled with rare artworks, and all those gathered in small groups chatting were familiar faces.

“Why didn’t you invite me here until now?”

When Count Preston blurted out somewhat grumpily, Cabelased turned to look at him with indifferent eyes and murmured.

“One should take care of their own affairs. That was the condition we agreed upon when we decided to join hands.”

“Ah, yes.”

Count Preston was nodding with a slightly pouty expression when it happened.

“Well, it’s been a long time. Welcome, Duke Cardia.”

Duke Blatnik, who had been conversing with other nobles, spotted Cabelased and approached to greet him.

“It’s been a while, Duke Blatnik.”

“Since Duke Cardia has graced us with his precious presence, it would only be fitting to serve equally precious wine. Wouldn’t you agree, Count Preston?”

“Yes, yes…”

After exchanging brief greetings, the wine tasting session began in earnest.

The nobles gathered in the hall spent time appreciating top-grade wines.

However, no matter how long the tasting continued, unlike Count Preston whose cheeks had flushed red with intoxication, there was no sign of alcohol on Cabelased’s face.

“It seems not only your mind is strong.”

“What do you mean?”

As Cabelased asked while swirling his wine glass, Count Preston replied.

“I’m saying this because the alcohol content of the wine seems quite high… But who have you been looking for?”

Only then did Cabelased realize that he had been searching for someone among the people freely moving about and conversing in the hall.

The one his subconscious was looking for was Count Frederick.

He recalled the conversation he had with Jieselgrante about him not long ago.

‘I think I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it one last time since you seem to have forgotten. The idea that marriage and love are separate is nothing but nonsense.’

It was quite an aggressive statement.

He was someone who rarely regretted his words after speaking them, but at that time, he felt it was a mistake.

But Jieselgrante, with an expression that didn’t seem to mind at all, had said this.

‘I’m telling you this because you seem to misunderstand, but Count Frederick and I are just working together for the same purpose, not the kind of relationship you might misunderstand.’

It was an quite satisfactory answer.

Recalling that moment, the corners of Cabelased’s mouth curved up in satisfaction.

‘I wanted to say something to Count Frederick if I met him again.’

It didn’t seem to be today.

“…It seems to be now.”

Right on cue with Count Preston’s signal, Cabelased turned his head towards Duke Blatnik.

The foreign royal who had been conversing with Duke Blatnik since the start of the tasting session was about to leave his seat.

Cabelased nodded slightly towards Count Preston and moved towards Duke Blatnik.

And only after praising him for procuring the precious wine did he bring up what he wanted to say.

“I’ve been hearing rumors that your daughter has been frequenting the Imperial Palace recently… Is that true?”