I knew that Duke Heswin had good political acumen, but I hadn’t expected him to be able to persuade Duke Frederick so quickly.

[I am truly sorry, Your Highness.]

Duke Heswin’s mansion.

In the spacious reception room, Duke Frederick’s face as he apologized profusely while sweating profusely was still vivid in my mind.

[It’s all my fault. I forgot my place and dared to be too greedy. I forgot that Her Highness the Crown Princess should naturally ascend to the position of Empress……]

Duke Frederick bowed his head repeatedly. Sinclair didn’t say anything to him. He just thought to himself.

If Elaina had seen this scene, would her heart have softened even a little?

If so, I would have brought her along.

[Duke Frederick’s thinking was short-sighted, but since he has apologized so sincerely, perhaps Your Highness could forgive him just this once.]

As expected, it was Duke Heswin, who had been quietly observing everything, who stepped in to mediate the situation.

[Moreover, since he has shown this much sincerity… I implore you to consider Duke Frederick’s feelings.]

Whether he thought he might not receive forgiveness from the enraged Sinclair, or whether he had received a hint from Heswin, Duke Frederick gave Sinclair the biggest card he could offer at the moment.

It was handing over complete command of all the private soldiers belonging to the Frederick duchy to Sinclair.

Unlike the last time he made a big mistake, this time there was no negotiation at all.

[I was blinded by greed for a moment, but my loyalty to Your Highness is sincere. So please, give me another chance to be loyal to Your Highness in the future.]

Sinclair finally accepted the apology of Duke Frederick, who was still trembling.

[Let me give you one piece of advice, Duke Frederick.]

Along with a very chilling response.

[If something like this happens again, no matter who tries to mediate, your head will fly off in the blink of an eye.] [Y-Your Highness……] [From today on, never speak the Crown Princess’s name again. That is the only way you can preserve your life.]

Anyway, from Duke Frederick’s perspective, this was fortunate enough. He nodded his head over and over again while apologizing repeatedly, and only then did Heswin begin to bring up other matters.

[If we gather the private soldiers of the Heswin, Frederick, Walter families, and Eric Connor, we won’t be outnumbered at all. Your Highness is surely aware of this. The problem is the soldiers belonging to the imperial palace.]

This must be the main point. Not arranging reconciliation with Duke Frederick or anything like that.

However, Heswin’s observation was flawless. It was something Sinclair had been pondering over continuously as well.

[Hister will probably kill the Emperor, won’t he?] [Yes. And he’ll try to frame me as the culprit and execute all of you along with me.] [Your Highness, do you perhaps have a plan regarding that? I was thinking… perhaps we should bring in the collateral line just in case.] [You mean Aneli Hayworth? But that woman still hasn’t sided with us yet……]

Duke Frederick, who had been fidgeting and watching Sinclair’s reactions, muttered with a somewhat surprised expression at the sudden mention of the collateral line.

Just as Hister did, all of Sinclair’s people knew. They weren’t unaware. The fact that Aneli still hadn’t come over to Sinclair’s side.

[If you want to grasp the collateral line, you must first observe Hister’s movements. Hister is at odds with the collateral line, so he’ll try to eliminate them in some way.] [That’s true. Especially in Aneli Hayworth’s case, she holds a very deep grudge against Yuria.] [I have no intention of giving up anything to bring the collateral line into my grasp.]

Sinclair’s thoughts were extremely resolute.

Even now, there was the involvement of the Heswin, Frederick, and Walter families. Of course, they were Sinclair’s people now, but Sinclair didn’t fully trust them.

You never know.

As Frederick did last time, one of those three might reveal their greed again and harbor vain hopes.

The target could naturally be the position of Empress that Elaina should occupy, or it could be the power that could be gained by putting the Emperor forward.

Of course, if the collateral line took his hand, things would become easier, but there was no need to take the initiative to do so.

Reaching out to gain something could never be done empty-handed.

[But Your Highness……] [I’ll take care of that matter myself.]

So Sinclair cut off their words resolutely.

[The Emperor will soon be assassinated. Make sure you prepare your private soldiers to be mobilized at any time. Once Hister starts moving, it’s no exaggeration to say that it will be a race against time from then on.] [Yes, understood. You need not worry about that matter at all.]

The conversation went on longer than expected because Heswin kept asking about future plans. Before they knew it, morning had come, but that was fine.

Everything was going according to Sinclair’s thoughts and calculations.

There was no need to be anxious or worried unnecessarily anymore. He was that confident. Hister’s intention to eventually kill the Emperor and ascend to the imperial throne was of no concern. He had read through such intentions long ago.

He would eventually eliminate Hister and become the next Emperor, and of course, Elaina would become Empress. Sinclair could stake his life on that.

……But why did he feel so uneasy?

As if he were being chased by something.

‘No. It’s just… my imagination.’

In front of the Crown Prince’s palace, which he had arrived at before he knew it. Sinclair got off his horse and bit his lip slightly, lost in his own thoughts.

They had confirmed each other’s true feelings. They knew each other’s love. And they had promised. That no matter what happened, they would stay by each other’s side. Just like the vows they made on their wedding day.

Yes.

That was enough.

Just as Sinclair was about to clench his fist, at that very moment.

“Lord Sinclair.”

At the sudden voice, Sinclair turned around.

And there he saw Schuler, his face inexplicably pale.

Had something happened to Elaina while he was away?

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, it felt like he could hear his heart plummeting to the ground. Sinclair, now urgent, was about to open his mouth to speak, but Schuler’s movements were a bit faster.

“Right after you left last night, Lady Elaina commanded that she would inspect the Crown Prince’s palace.”

“……What?”

Sinclair’s brow furrowed slightly at Schuler’s words, which were not easy to understand.

“I don’t know why she suddenly decided to do so… but it seemed like she was looking for something……”

For what?

In this Crown Prince’s palace?

“I tried to dissuade her several times, but it was of no use. So I alone accompanied Lady Elaina… and the place she went……”

“……”

“It was that room. The room that only you, Lord Sinclair, are allowed to enter.”

……What?

In that moment, Sinclair’s golden eyes, which had been shining in the morning sunlight, began to darken. He stood there frozen, staring at Schuler as if he had just heard words that should never have been uttered.

“Of course, she didn’t find anything… but something is strange.”

That portrait.

“If she had wanted to look around the Crown Prince’s palace, she would have said so when you were present, and there was no reason for her to investigate secretly like that.”

The one depicting Ren.

The one depicting me as a child.

Thus, the only evidence by which Elaina could know everything.

“What on earth was she looking for……”

But how?

How did she know about the existence of that room, and how could she have known that portrait was there?

Whose intervention could it be?

Sinclair’s face, which had remained completely composed while conversing with Heswin and Frederick, and even while arguing with Hister or the Emperor in front of everyone, began to crumble subtly like a poorly built stone tower.

“Lord Sinclair, do you know…!”

And unfortunately, Schuler’s words could not continue.

“Elaina.”

It was because Sinclair cut him off with an extremely urgent voice.

“Yes?”

“Where is Elaina now?”

“Ah, it seems she couldn’t fall asleep all night. As soon as dawn broke, she said she would take a walk near the Crown Prince’s palace with Judith and Anna. That was just a moment ago.”

“Guide me there.”

Sinclair said with a precarious expression, as if he might crumble like a dry leaf if pressed too hard.

“Right now!”

However…..

“Good morning, Your Highness Crown Prince Sinclair.”

A sudden familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

“I am truly sorry to visit at such an early hour.”

A voice he absolutely did not want to hear right now.

“However, given the current situation, I believe Your Highness will understand my inadequacy.”

“……”

“I, Ryan Henard, greet Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

……As Ryan greeted him very politely and without any lack of courtesy even in this situation, sparks flew from Sinclair’s eyes as he looked at him.