Chapter 67
With the Crown Prince’s carriage at the lead, a line of smaller carriages and knights filed into the Blois ducal manor. Standing in front of the mansion, Nox signaled Cedric with a glance when the carriage halted before him.
Cedric strode forward with disciplined steps, knocked on the carriage door, and then opened it. The Crown Prince emerged, golden hair catching the light as it swayed. Nox maintained a respectful distance as he bowed.
“I greet His Highness, the Small Sun of the Empire.”
“…It has been some time. How have you been, Duke Blois?”
“I remain as ever. And Your Highness, have you been well?”
“I, too, am as always. You know well, do you not? Our station demands we sit behind a desk all day with nothing but work before us.”
“Your Highness speaks truth.”
“Had I known the Blois Duchy was so beautiful, I would have visited sooner.”
“I am honored, Your Highness. Please, allow me to escort you inside.”
Though exchanging polite greetings, neither man’s expression changed much. No, there was a subtle difference in the Crown Prince. He was carefully widening the distance between himself and the Duke. Watching from the side, Dylan clicked his tongue inwardly.
Long accustomed to such reactions, Nox led the Crown Prince toward the banquet hall with a calm, unreadable expression. Though only one man had been invited, a grand banquet had been arranged to properly host a member of the Imperial Family.
Louis was mildly surprised by the lavish reception but did not show it. The two men engaged in formal conversation, discussing everything from trivial matters to the state of the Pelles Empire, treating one another with strict professionalism.
After dinner, Louis retreated to his guest room and sank onto the sofa with a deep sigh. Dylan, who had attended him the entire time, finally spoke.
“You worked hard, Your Highness.”
“…I can hardly even remember what I ate.”
Louis muttered as he loosened his stifling cravat. Dining alone with such an unpleasant counterpart was far more taxing than he had imagined. Even though the food was exquisite, every glance at Duke Blois sitting across from him killed his appetite. Particularly under the chandelier, that gleaming black hair made him scowl unconsciously.
“‘We’re searching diligently for the human, so please be patient.’ Those words are no different from what every other lord has said.”
“Indeed.”
“I didn’t come here to hear such clichés.”
Time had passed since the divine prophecy had descended, and yet not a single clue had been uncovered.
“Could it be that this human isn’t even in our empire?”
“We cannot rule out that possibility, but neither can we simply trust the word of the nobles, can we?”
“True enough.”
Rubbing his eyelids with two fingers in weariness, Louis whispered softly,
“Come out.”
“Yes.”
Two figures slipped silently from the shadows. They were shadow knights, agents Louis used only for covert missions. While Louis had been meeting with the lords, he had secretly ordered them to investigate each estate.
“Do as you’ve done thus far. Search thoroughly.”
“By your command, Your Highness.”
At his order, the shadow knights vanished from sight. Concealing their presence, they perched atop the mansion’s roof, waiting for the night to deepen and for all within to sleep. Then they moved.
They first surveyed the grounds surrounding the mansion, then methodically checked the outbuildings near the main residence before finally slipping inside. Splitting up, the two glided silently through rooms and hallways, leaving no trace of their presence.
One of them descended to the second floor. Finding little sign of life, he was able to check the rooms easily… until a sudden blade pressed against his neck, freezing him in place. He even forgot to breathe.
“How dare vermin like you skulk about my estate, spying in the dark.”
The chilling voice told the shadow knight exactly who held the sword to his throat: Duke Blois. He had been planning to escape at the first sign of an opening, but Nox was faster.
Crack.
“Urgh.”
Before the knight could even react, Nox twisted his arm with brutal speed, snapping it. The pain must have been immense, but the shadow knight let out only a short grunt, refusing to scream.
Nox had anticipated that the Crown Prince would not simply take things at face value. The Imperial Family had always been distrustful, especially toward high-ranking nobles.
That was why he had stayed in his own chambers tonight, abandoning his usual nightly visits to Sia’s room. As expected, two suspicious presences had been prowling around his estate.
When one of them drew too close to Sia’s quarters, Nox could hold back no longer. He struck. Though he longed to slit the man’s throat right there, he could not kill a servant of the Crown Prince, not now that he knew who they were.
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