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Chapter 52
Night Walk (3)
“Haah…”
“A sigh?”
“No. I just heard that a little while ago.”
At Berenice’s answer, Bronwen pouted and muttered.
“Anyway, it sounds like a date.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Since greetings are done, both of you, sit, okay?”
While the two were talking, Kaiden, sitting cross-legged on Bronwen’s sofa, spoke up.
“Prince, I thought I told you that’s my seat?”
“It’s mine now.”
“Hey!”
“Did you just say ‘hey’ to royalty? How dare you?”
“Eeek!”
Bronwen grabbed the back of her neck as she looked at Kaiden, who responded with a brazen expression.
Even for someone who lived a near-immortal life, it seemed Kaiden, a member of the royal family, was overwhelming.
‘Well, he’s not an ordinary man,’ Berenice thought, shaking her head. She then pulled a small package from her bosom and handed it to her.
“What’s this?”
“Macarons made by the mansion’s chef.”
Remembering that Bronwen, who loved sweets, had probably tried almost every dessert in town, Berenice had prepared this as a special gift.
The chef had once led the kitchen of a fairly famous dessert shop before entering the Marquis’ household, so it was sure to suit Bronwen’s taste.
And indeed, as Bronwen bit into a macaron, her cheeks flushed with delight.
“I thought I’d never get to eat these again after coming to the Marquis’ house, but here I am.”
“You know our chef?”
“I was a regular at the dessert shop where he worked.”
Seeing Bronwen so happy over a few macarons, Berenice decided she would definitely bring desserts next time, but then her gaze met Kaiden’s intense stare.
He looked displeased, arms crossed as he glared at her.
“Done giving the gift? Then sit, won’t you?”
“You’re so rude, Prince.”
“Use honorifics, Crow Princess.”
There would never be a day when these two could talk amicably.
Convinced of that, Berenice glanced around and perched herself at the edge of the sofa where Kaiden sat.
Since Bronwen wouldn’t sit next to him, she gave her the guest chair.
She briefly wondered if that really counted as a concession, but seeing Bronwen grumbling as she sat in the guest chair, Berenice felt her choice had been correct.
“You’re the youngest of the Wiltiera family. I intended to help you, but I didn’t expect I’d end up helping that prince too.”
“Our goals align, so I thought it would be more efficient to move together.”
“That may be so… but, Prince, free riding is a bad thing. Do you understand?”
“Oh, so you were sulking because I didn’t pay?”
“I’m not obsessed with money. I’m just talking about human decency…”
“Got it.”
Before Bronwen could finish, Kaiden pulled a hefty-looking pouch from his bosom and tossed it to her.
Bronwen’s eyebrows twitched in surprise as she caught it. Kaiden motioned with his chin for her to open the end of the pouch.
Inside was a pouch full of gold coins, substantial and heavy-looking.
How much was that? Even at a glance, it didn’t seem like a small amount.
“I never imagined our client would have such noble character.”
“…Bronwen?”
“What’s today’s task? Leave it to me, no matter how much.”
“Didn’t you just say you weren’t obsessed with money…?”
“I’m not obsessed with money, youngest Wiltiera. I just happen to love gold very much.”
…Is there really a difference…?
Bronwen, clutching the pouch of gold in both hands with sparkling eyes and even changing her tone, looked so excited it made Berenice shift her gaze slightly, feeling a little awkward.
“Do you know how much it costs to run a whole organization?”
“Ah…”
“You need to earn while you can. You’re a merchant’s child and don’t know that?”
“The White Crow shouldn’t be short on money…”
Rumors about the Wiltiera mansion’s secret treasury were exaggerated, but what the White Crow had was real. Bronwen, as the last surviving member of her bloodline, owned all the family’s wealth.
“What did you just say?”
“…I said nothing.”
Bronwen tied the pouch tightly and held it elegantly to her chest, smiling gracefully at Kaiden—a perfect professional expression.
“Let’s start with the progress update.”
“Which one would you like to hear first, sir?”
“Berenice’s.”
“First, investigating Bledin’s journal is progressing alongside tracking his last known whereabouts. So far, nothing unusual… but he spent about a week near the northern border, which is suspicious, so we’re focusing there.”
The northern region of Egonid was rugged and snow-covered for more than half the year. The border was established to protect citizens from beasts rather than humans, and aside from soldiers dispatched twice a year for rotations, outsiders rarely visited.
Bledin went there? Why?
“There’s a Wiltiera outpost there, but no one has seen your brother.”
If there had been, the Marquis would have known. The Marquis would never have missed the news while searching for his suddenly missing eldest son.
“I’ve already sent my crows, so we’ll be contacted if they find anything.”
The ‘crows’ were guild members hidden around the streets, disguised as beggars, tavern girls, or clowns, gathering information for Bronwen.
Berenice recalled how Bronwen had helped her during past information-gathering, realizing once again what a powerful ally she had.
“…Thank you.”
Bronwen nodded at Berenice and turned her gaze to Kaiden.
“You wanted to know who the Crown Prince met right before he died, didn’t you?”
The effect of the gold seemed to have worn off. Bronwen, back to her usual self, spoke to Kaiden, who nodded.
“It’s… rather suspicious.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Crown Prince did take a carriage out of the castle, but the carriage looped far away and returned to the castle.”
“…What?”
Like Bledin, Kaiden wanted to know who his older brother met before he died. If not possible, at least determine the location he visited.
Knowing the person would have been ideal, but if not, starting with the place would allow them to trace the people connected to it—and eventually, who the Crown Prince met that day. But the castle?
“Did he get out or stop anywhere?”
“No. Interestingly, the only person who got in or out of that carriage was the Crown Prince.”
“Which means…”
“If the Crown Prince met someone before dying, it happened inside the castle.”
It seemed like this investigation would be more cumbersome than expected.
“So we have to search the castle.”
“There are a few suspects. But Prince, you want certainty, not just suspicion, right?”
“…Yes.”
“Then wait a little longer. My crows are working hard, so we’ll know soon.”
“I’d also like you to find out why my brother had to ride the carriage.”
“Aren’t you asking too much?”
“The pouch I gave you wasn’t light, was it?”
“…Right. The Crown Prince didn’t ride the carriage for no reason. I’ll look into it too.”
Berenice and Kaiden fell silent, lost in thought.
They hadn’t learned much new, but even small pieces of information were comforting.
Bledin headed north; Lukadin to the castle. Something awaited there.
Since they couldn’t immediately go north, that task had to be left to the White Crow.
“The castle will be left to you, Prince Kaiden, and me.”
“You too?”
“There are areas I cannot enter, even as a prince.”
“For example?”
“The Empress’ private chambers.”
Kaiden fell silent at Berenice’s answer. Clearly, that was a place beyond his reach.
He spent more than half the year at the northern border fighting barbarians and the rest of the time at the Empress Dowager’s palace, rarely concerned with the capital. Additionally, the Empress kept a distance from Kaiden, fearing him. Any attempt to gather information there would instantly arouse suspicion.
“The Empress won’t let me go easily, so there will likely be another summons soon.”
“One time won’t be enough, though?”
“Better than having no chance. Besides… I doubt the Empress will easily give up on me or Wiltiera, so I’ll gather information while handling her appropriately.”
“Oh… you know how to put on a decent face, then.”
Kaiden looked at Berenice, who smiled confidently, and his face broke into a broad grin.
