* * *
Meanwhile, the Second Prince and his group were unaware of what was happening outside.
Juliet and Fatima had staged a play just after they locked the door of the Amber Palace’s council room tightly.
“How far has the investigation proceeded?”
“Investigations have been completed up to the central region.”
The people inside the council room were nobles gathered by the Second Prince, Cloff, with the Emperor’s permission.
Their purpose was to address the recent incidents across the continent where magical beasts were rampaging.
“All reports from each region are consistent.”
A noble, with a grave expression, placed a round object on the table.
It was a smoke bomb familiar to the nobles.
“It’s reported that unidentified assailants threw these smoke bombs and then disappeared.”
The magical beasts went berserk after inhaling the gray smoke, causing many people to get injured.
This phenomenon was occurring everywhere on the continent.
It was clear that the strange smoke made the beasts aggressive, but the identity of those spreading the smoke bombs was the issue.
“Who could be doing this, and for what purpose?”
All the nobles in the council room had suffered major damages in their territories due to the rampaging beasts.
It was natural since Cloff had specifically chosen such nobles.
Not all of them belonged to the Second Prince’s faction, but about half could be considered either friendly or neutral towards him.
“Could it be the work of barbarians?”
“Do you think the barbarians possess such technology?”
“True. If it was their doing, they wouldn’t need to hide their identities.”
“Perhaps it’s the dark mages who were driven beyond the borders…”
Various opinions were exchanged, but no one could provide a clear speculation.
Catching the culprits who threw the smoke bombs would resolve the issue, but they seemed to know the imperial army’s movements and easily escaped.
“It seems the mastermind is well aware of the inner workings of the imperial army.”
Someone raised a question as the meeting progressed.
“Isn’t something strange?”
It was someone the Second Prince had planted in advance.
“What do you find strange?”
“Think about it. While magical beasts are causing chaos across the continent, isn’t it odd that only the northern region remains untouched?”
He pointed to a large map in the center of the table.
The map had red markings indicating damages across different regions. As he pointed out, the vast northern region had noticeably fewer recorded damages.
“You have a point.”
“It’s odd that there haven’t been any casualties in the north.”
“Isn’t the north known for frequent appearances of magical beasts? Shouldn’t they have suffered more?”
“Exactly! It seems like someone in the north is behind this!”
“Right, how is this possible without the Duke being involved?”
Cloff smirked in satisfaction.
Everything was going according to plan.
“Let’s not jump to conclusions without solid evidence.”
Although the Second Prince pretended to be neutral, he rejoiced in seeing the discontent on the nobles’ faces.
“But Baron Serban’s observation is correct, Your Highness.”
“Duke Carlyle has always been disrespectful to the imperial family, hasn’t he?”
“The north has always been that way.”
“He’s an unpredictable man.”
Many nobles had been wary of the Duke’s growing influence, especially after Marquis Guiness disappeared.
Once the suspicion ignited, Cloff didn’t need to intervene.
Soon, public opinion will turn against Duke Carlyle.
Cloff was elated.
When the time is right and suspicions about the Duke peak, he’ll present the fabricated evidence and completely dispose of him.
“Your Highness, I request a thorough investigation of the Duke.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll ensure the matter is settled.”
Cloff hastily concluded the meeting.
The nobles left the council room, looking very displeased.
The Second Prince and his aides exchanged meaningful smiles.
“Things are progressing smoothly.”
“Yes, Duke Carlyle’s days of acting arrogant are numbered.”
With a satisfied smile, he took out a round metal object.
It was the same smoke bomb a noble had brought as evidence during the meeting.
The only difference was the Duke’s emblem engraved on it.
“Now all I need to do is present this to the Emperor at the right moment.”
“It’s a smoke bomb engraved with the insignia of the Carlyle Dukedom, isn’t it?”
Due to the calamity, most of the nobles suffered, and everyone was keen to find anyone even slightly suspicious.
Normally, who would be so foolish as to engrave their family’s insignia on a smoke bomb? One would be suspicious from the start.
“Right. Then the infuriated nobles will naturally tear the Duke apart.”
Anger and envy can easily cloud judgment.
Blinded by curiosity and anger, the nobles won’t leave Duke Carlyle alone. Even if he is the Duke from the North, turning all the Empire’s nobles against him is risky.
“And seeing this, His Majesty the Emperor will also be furious.”
The aide chuckled as he agreed with the prince.
“No matter how strong Duke Carlyle might be, he won’t be safe.”
“An impressive plan, Your Highness!”
“That’s too much praise.”
In truth, there wasn’t much of a grand scheme.
They just created a smoke bomb according to the instructions given by the Empress’s healer and set up an atmosphere implicating the Duke.
But, intoxicated with a sense of victory, the prince and his entourage exchanged pleasantries and finally left the conference room.
Unbeknownst to them, a woman was hiding behind the shadow of a door in the corridor.
She remained leaning against the wall until their footsteps faded.
The woman, dressed in clothes borrowed from a maid serving Princess Fatima, was Juliet in disguise.
Perhaps because the external guards were strict, the internal security of the Amber Palace was rather lax.
Juliet reflected on the conversation she had overheard.
– No matter how strong the Duke of Carlyle might be, he won’t be safe.
The information was worth falling into the lake and sacrificing the diamond necklace.
‘So that’s what happened.’
It wasn’t surprising.
She had suspected that the Second Prince, Cloff, was up to something.
But she hadn’t realized he had prepared to this extent.
‘A smoke bomb with the family’s insignia… They did think this through.’
Normally, such a childish tactic would never work. But the prince and his group had laid a solid foundation.
Most of the nobles had suffered major losses due to the calamities.
If the Carlyle Dukedom is pinpointed as the culprit, they would swarm him like bees.
The real mastermind behind all of this was probably Second Prince Cloff. However, Juliet knew well that at this point, the actual truth wasn’t that important.
Juliet tapped the floor with her heel a few times and smiled subtly.
It would have been a major blow if she had been taken by surprise…
But now that she knew in advance, it wasn’t that concerning.
However, she found it hard to believe this strategy came from the Second Prince. He was ambitious but lacked such cunning.
‘It must be Dahlia’s doing…’
Juliet pondered about Dahlia for a moment.
Last time it was Marquis Guinness, and now prince Cloff. It might be their fault for getting used, but what could Dahlia gain from toppling Duke Carlyle?
“Who’s there!”
Distracted by her thoughts, Juliet turned towards the voice.
A servant from Amber Palace stood there.
Without showing any signs of panic, Juliet recited her prepared lines.
“Ah, I am a maid serving Princess Fatima.”
“What business does the princess’s maid have here?”
Instead of answering, Juliet feigned surprise:
“Didn’t you hear? The entire palace is in chaos. The princess asked if you could help her find the necklace.”
Juliet answered without a change in her expression.
The servant seemed genuinely confused:
“The princess is looking for me?”
“Yes, she’s downstairs.”
“Alright. Wait here for a moment.”
As soon as the servant left to report to a superior, Juliet erased her smile.
She planned to go downstairs where Fatima was waiting and feign unconsciousness again.
‘Darn.’
But luck wasn’t on her side.
The sound of footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.
It sounded like at least two or three guards.
‘This is troublesome.’
A couple of servants might be manageable, but if there were several, one of them might recognize Juliet.
Then they would question why Countess Monad, pretending to have fainted, was walking around in a maid’s dress.
As Juliet turned towards the stairs at the end of the corridor, she bumped into someone.
“I’m sorry…”
“Juliet.”
As she was about to pass by with her head down, she froze at the familiar voice.
Looking up, she was even more surprised.
“…Roy?”
To her disbelief, it was someone she knew.
There stood Roy, impeccably dressed as always.