The next person Ferdinand visited was Assistant Alex.

“Who’s here to see me?”

“Ferdinand Schpraeger, temporarily holding all the authority of the current Schpraeger.”

As there was no particular connection with this person, it didn’t readily come to mind why he had come to see him. However, turning away someone who came all the way here would leave unanswered curiosity.

The authority of the duke felt heavy.

“Lead the way.”

“Understood.”

Alex rose from his seat to greet Ferdinand. However, before he could come out from behind the desk, the door opened. Ferdinand, with his long legs, walked in confidently and stood in front of Alex.

“I have something to say.”

“Yes, that’s why I brought you in. Is it something urgent?”

Ferdinand did not allow himself to be moved aside, blocking the way, despite Alex’s desire to sit on the sofa and have a conversation while enjoying tea.

Although Ferdinand was much younger, his imposing presence was significant.

“All right. What do you want to say?”

“Do you know the secret of the Crown Prince?”

“A secret…?”

It was such a broad question that Alex chuckled and thought back to the conversations he had with Lehard.

And not entirely certain, but with a hint of suspicion, he asked:

“Are you talking about the Crown Prince supposedly being dead?”
At Ferdinand’s words, his eyebrows raised slightly. It was a small change in expression, but with that, Alex realized that his expectations were roughly on target.

“I’ve come to reveal the secret hidden in the Crown Prince’s death.”

“I thought your abilities had improved in a short period, but it’s impressive. Have you already figured it out to that extent?”

Alex casually replied as if he knew what abilities Ferdinand possessed and how far he could use them. Later, as an afterthought for Ferdinand, he added a word.

“My ability is to recognize the abilities of others.”

That was the ability Alex had been hiding.

Alex had royal bloodlines extending from the imperial family. Although he was a distant relative even from the Crown Prince, the ability he manifested was similar to that of the former emperor.

If he could awaken the dormant ability of the former emperor, Alex could recognize abilities.

However, since abilities related to the imperial family were not manifested, Alex had kept his ability hidden until now.

“So, what did you find out?”

As Alex asked again, implying that Ferdinand should hurry and tell him, Ferdinand remained silent for a moment before answering.

“You were involved in the Crown Prince’s death.”

Of course, not now. Since Crown Prince Lehard is openly alive.
In other words, what Ferdinand is talking about is the time before Lehard reversed someone’s time, and at that time, Lehard died from a fall.

“How are they related?”

When Alex asked again, Ferdinand quickly responded.

“He was affected by an object containing a curse that evokes hatred. With that, you clouded the mind of Crown Prince Lehard, causing him to fall and break his neck.”

Alex gasped in surprise. The words were not easy to take lightly, hearing that I influenced the Crown Prince’s well-being with hatred.

“It wasn’t just a fall.”

To the unexpectedly heavy story, Alex sighed and let out a weak laugh.

“How did I become clouded in mind?”

“I don’t know. I only saw you say that. Instead, there was something left for my father.”

Alex focused on Ferdinand’s story.

Even if Lehard is alive now, it would be better to know more about what happened back then. It could be a means to understand the opponent’s moves.

“She gave a paper with a marigold drawn on it.”

“Marigold…”

As Alex pondered why I would give it to Duke Supraher, he soon thought of one possibility.

“Queen Lena.”

What Etienne had thought about for a long time, Alex immediately realized. There was no other choice. Knowing oneself well is oneself.
Drawing marigolds was not something Lehard did because he enjoyed flower tea.

In fact, one of the reasons Lehard enjoyed flower tea was to consume marigolds.

Because Lena Hwangbi, who seemed meek on the surface, was always uncomfortable and could strike at any time, Lehard took a timid revenge in his own way.

A past scene naturally came to mind and disappeared, where he was teased and pressed about why he behaved like that when he grew up.

“The fact that I drew marigolds means that an object with a curse is certainly Lena Hwangbi’s.”

Thankful for Alex’s explanation, he nodded as if expressing gratitude and asked.

“If I caused the Crown Prince’s death… what did I do afterward?”

“You left.”

That was all that was recorded in his father’s memories. Alex never showed himself again after that.

“I… did that, huh?”

Alex laughed as if feeling disheartened. When Lehard suddenly said one day that he would die, Alex was just surprised. But now, it felt more bitter. That I was among those who took his life.

“Not anymore.”

Ferdinand intervened as if reading Alex’s mind. Alex reluctantly nodded in response to his advice to face reality.

Ferdinand was right. Lehard is alive and will soon become the emperor.