“If you tell me the appropriate time, I will provide an escort when you move. I will also provide ample funds for purchasing necessary supplies, so you need not worry too much.”

For now, understanding the situation is the priority.

Leoprick shrugged his shoulders as he looked at his wife.

Amelia seemed to be deep in thought about something.

If only I could know what thoughts were packed into that small head of hers.

He thought this as he lifted his slightly cooled tea.

“If you have anything prepared, you can act without considering my situation. Whatever you do, I intend to adapt to the circumstances.”

He said in a calm tone, smiling gently towards her.

Not knowing what will happen next, I was just thinking we should take it slow.

Rather, if Amelia showed more interest in him during this process, it would be even better for him.

In fact, the reason he waited so patiently, putting aside numerous things he wanted to do and focusing only on her, was for one reason alone.

He wished Amelia would give him even a little attention.

Achieving something long desired required a brief period of waiting.

So postponing other matters a little was nothing.

Leoprick smiled, mentally gauging the line within which he could move based on what he remembered and knew.

Perhaps charmingly enough to enchant her.

[This is the timeline separator]

Today’s Leoprick was a bit strange.

Was he originally the type to observe situations like this?

To the point of being a bit confusing, perhaps to the point of mistaking that he had always been this way, he showed a different side from what I knew.

The him I remember was always someone with a strong sense of responsibility who would take action immediately when something happened.

But today’s him was somewhat…

‘I don’t intend to do anything.’

I tilted my head, recalling him saying he would just watch for now with a relaxed face.

It’s definitely different from before.

Is there something I’m missing?

“Are you alright, Your Highness?”

Seeing me looking serious, Betty cautiously asked.

I nodded with a small smile to her.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just have some things to think about.”

“Mm, I thought you might.”

Betty smiled awkwardly at my words.

Betty had been trying to hide her surprised face the whole time at Leoprick’s words earlier.

Even Betty, who was just getting to know him, was like that, but for me who thought I knew him well, today’s events were quite disconcerting.

It’s certainly concerning.

I let out a small sigh, remembering how I had been pondering what to answer throughout our conversation.

“Oh, Betty. How’s the investigation going on Lloyd that I asked about?”

But there was too much to do to keep dwelling on just that.

I asked Betty, recalling the secret note Jennifer had sent earlier.

[I’ve looked into the route taken by Viscount Alois after stopping in Wayne’s.

At first it seemed he was heading straight for the capital, but he changed direction a few times. Upon checking, it appears he visited the territories of Duke Derek Valois and Count Felice. The time spent wasn’t long, but it seems worth checking into.]

Jennifer had hidden the facts she discovered while tailing Lloyd in a seemingly innocuous note.

Whether using special paper or some other method, she had hidden the note about Lloyd between the initial front page of the note and the blank back page.

Probably out of concern that someone else might intercept the letter.

Duke Derek Valois and Count Felice were supporters of Lloyd even before the regression.

They were particularly bad among Lloyd’s forces.

It wasn’t yet time to recruit them at this point in time, but…

Seeing that Lloyd had visited them, this too seemed to be flowing differently from what I remembered.

And that fact lent a bit more weight to my hypothesis that Lloyd had also regressed.

I looked at Betty, recalling the note Jennifer had sent.

She then pulled out a piece of paper from her chest with an “Ah”.

“I received this from a maid working at the Alois mansion. It’s a note summarizing the young lord’s recent schedule.”

“Did you compensate her well?”

“She said working at the mansion was difficult, so I helped her transfer to another family. She heard working for the lord of her hometown village was more comfortable, so I sent her there.”

Betty said as she handed me the note.

I nodded and unfolded the note she gave me.

And I picked out a few notable items from the schedule.

“Here, find out why he returned so late from the Perje Marquis family’s ball, and the reason why the Valois Duke’s daughter has been frequenting lately. He’s been visiting the shopping district often, find out what his purpose is.”

“I thought you might ask, so I’m already looking into it. I heard the Valois Duke’s daughter has recently become close with the Alois Duchess. I’m looking into what her real motive is.”

Betty answered matter-of-factly, as if she had anticipated it.

“It seems like it’ll be easy to send people into the Alois household, so we should find out soon, but the Perje Marquis family is the problem.”

Betty smiled awkwardly, saying it was difficult to send people in or bribe anyone in the Perje Marquis family because they had so many long-serving staff.

“It looks like it’ll take a bit more time than expected. I’m also looking into the shopping district, so I’ll find out soon.”

“As expected of you, Betty. Thank you.”

I grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

Betty smiled and returned the thumbs up.

Then she added with an “Ah”.

“And that business proposal was written after visiting the Perje Marquis family. It seems he met someone there.”

“At the Perje Marquis family’s?”

So that’s the point.

I nodded and said to Betty.

“I’ll ask you, Betty. I’ll narrow down some suspects too, so please keep looking into it.”

“I will, Your Highness.”

“Alright. And could you tell Hayley? To move as soon as she’s ready.”

Investigating is one thing, but we need to proceed with what needs to be done.

I calmly instructed Betty while mentally recalling the busy tasks ahead.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“And let them know that everything is on the Crown Prince’s orders.”

“I’ll relay that.”

Betty nodded as she wrote down my instructions.

I’ve done what I can for the food shortage in the north and the epidemic in the east.

Next is to prevent the imperial business support from going to Lloyd’s side.

And as thoroughly as possible, make it so Lloyd cannot recover.

That was what needed to be done by Leoprick’s side.

So that he could have the strongest imperial authority in history.

To draw out the people’s praise and regional nobles’ respect in his name, and to cut off the sprouts of those who might oppose him.

Although I was a bit uneasy not knowing what purpose he was moving with now, what I needed to focus on was solidifying his position.

I let out a small sigh, recalling Leoprick’s overly relaxed face while talking about the northern and eastern matters.

Still, his capabilities as a leader are excellent and his affection for the empire is trustworthy.

Derek Valois was too ambitious and Count Felice was greedy despite being stupid.

Lloyd is someone with the schemes to appropriately utilize all of that.

If those three have already made contact, we need to prevent their power from growing further.

The first thing to do for that is to block the passage of this business proposal.

I judged it better to give Leoprick a reason to reject the business proposal under Lloyd’s name before telling him to reject it.

I thought about who among Lloyd’s former associates could create a business proposal of that caliber.

“Please find out quickly who Lloyd contacted at the Perje Marquis family.”

The review is next week, right?

Betty nodded as I added.

I will, Your Highness.

A faint solemnity rang in her voice.

[This is the timeline separator]

“No results yet?”

Arianna asked innocently as she popped a chocolate from the snack tray into her mouth.

Lloyd sighed as he sat on the sofa, staring into space.

“I believe I said the review is next week.”

“Oh, right. I keep forgetting. I’ve been so busy lately.”

Arianna primly smiled as she drank her portion of orange juice.

“I don’t like coming to the capital for this reason. It’s so hectic I keep forgetting things, you know?”

“Don’t you think there’s a problem with constantly forgetting?”

“Can’t be helped, can it? That’s just how I’m made.”

Arianna shrugged at Lloyd’s sarcastic remark.

Lately she keeps asking when the results of the imperial support project will be out at every opportunity, it’s killing me.

Amelia never forgot something once you told her.

Though she says it can’t be helped, he sometimes regretted why he chose Arianna Valois of all people.

Even while knowing better than anyone that there was no substitute as good as her.

“By the way, are we meeting here today? It seems the appointment time has passed.”

No, actually there was one more.

A substitute not quite as bad as Arianna Valois.

Though no one could match Amelia, they would still be reasonably usable.

Except for being much more difficult to recruit than Arianna.

He knew Arianna’s desperation, but he didn’t know her desperation.

She wasn’t someone who had any connection with Amelia before, nor someone who stood out as much as Amelia or Arianna.

Lloyd immediately contacted her through Arianna after hearing that Adela Gilloyte had spent quite an intimate time with Amelia at his mother’s party.

The more talent the better in a situation like this.

Lloyd nodded as he looked at the clock following Arianna.

“Time has passed. I’m sure it was supposed to be here.”

“She didn’t seem like someone who would be late for an appointment.”

“Let’s wait a little longer and if she doesn’t come, we’ll move right away.”

That’s why he endured the hassle of leaving the mansion and visiting the shopping district in person.

Even though it was to avoid his mother and Duke Valois’ eyes, bringing Arianna along was for that reason.

The reason that one more person was needed.

And if possible, the need for similar people to put their heads together.

Lloyd raised one eyebrow as he waited for the other party who was late for the appointment time, contrary to the content of the letter that had readily accepted the meeting.

“Still, looking at what’s been brought out, it seems she doesn’t intend not to meet… oh my.”

“I apologize for being late.”

Just as that clock hand moved a little more, he was about to rise from his seat.

It was then, as he was enduring Arianna’s chatter thinking that.

After a short knock, the door opened immediately and the person they were waiting for appeared.

“I had an urgent matter to deal with, so I’m a little late. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting, Young Lord. Lady Valois.”

“Not at all. We’re grateful you came to meet us like this. Please come in.”

Arianna got up from her seat with a bright smile and welcomed her.

She even tidied up her slightly disheveled appearance, as if she had rushed here, and sat down across from Lloyd with her.

While Arianna held onto her and rambled on with a few unnecessary words, Lloyd quietly observed her.

Adela Gilloyte.

Before the regression, the woman who drove out her young brother and finally took the position of head of the family.

According to what I’ve learned, she had a one-sided love for Leoprick.

Lloyd intended to recruit this woman today.

A woman educated as a family head like Amelia, with ambitions to even buy up a merchant guild in the near future.