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Chapter 6
The road to the Imperial Palace was long and treacherous. As soon as the carriage passed through the city gates, it entered a rugged forest trail. The deeper into this vast forest one travelled towards the palace, the closer it led to the imperial hunting grounds; inside, the roads were well-paved, without a single stone jutting out to trip a foot.
“Sir Christian. Your identity has been verified.”
There was another checkpoint at the entrance of the hunting grounds, but the Reigel Guards were granted unconditional passage without question. Sworn to absolute loyalty, they moved for no one other than the Emperor’s command; to block a Reigel Guard was tantamount to blocking the Emperor himself.
Christian withdrew his hand, which had been resting outside the carriage window. Spanning from the back of his hand across his wrist were various abstract patterns and brands. Sonidore, who had been hiding crouched low beneath the window frame to avoid being seen inside the carriage, caught sight of them and tilted her head. His hand was quickly covered again by a black leather half-glove.
“You may get up now.”
At his words, Sonidore and Terry stumbled as they rose and sat back down on their seats.
The fact that the Crown Prince would never wake up was a secret, and the hiring of Sonidore, a dream artisan, for that reason was also a secret. Those who knew that the Crown Prince was currently in critical condition were only a few—the Emperor’s closest confidants, the pillars and loyal subjects of the Empire. It was an utmost confidential request known only to the Emperor himself, four Reigel Guards often called the Emperor’s hounds, the physician who first treated the Crown Prince, Sonidore, and Terry.
“I assume you know you cannot formally enter and exit the Imperial Palace.”
Hearing that, Sonidore nodded her head and replied.
“Are we infiltrating under forged identities? Like a maidservant or an attendant…?”
“To infiltrate as a maid or attendant, you must undergo advance training. There is no time for that.”
Since he was right, she quietly closed her mouth. This wasn’t just a noble house—it was the Imperial Palace; how strictly managed and trained would they be? Moreover, Sonidore’s basic domestic skills were practically rock bottom to take the risk of entering as a maid. An incident might occur where she accidentally poked the Crown Prince in the eye while washing his honorable face. Working in such a disastrous manner, there was no way she could avoid the suspicion of the head maid or other servants, so she would likely be caught in no time.
“There are various ways to obtain a pass, but repeatedly going in and out of His Highness the Crown Prince’s quarters will bound to draw attention no matter what. His Majesty has ordered you to use a secret passage instead of forged identities.”
“A secret passage? Wait, if it’s a secret passage… it literally means a secret.”
“Only a select few know about it.”
A secret passage known only to a select few. Upon learning something she shouldn’t have wished to know, Sonidore put on a gloomy face. Another reason for her death had been added.
“It was a secret I didn’t particularly want to know, though. Since it feels kind of unfair, please tell us one of your secrets, Sir Knight.”
At her thoughtlessly blurted words, Terry, who had been sitting quietly, had his eyes light up.
“May I ask the question for that?”
“No. Both of you be quiet. You’re giving me a headache.”
“Aw.”
Christian pressed his hand to his forehead at their excited appearance, looking as if they had come out on a picnic. He couldn’t fathom why they were being so carefree. Enduring the firm refusal, Sonidore seemed to decide there was no helping it, pulling out a bag of snacks from a bag enchanted with lightness magic. She then began to eat enthusiastically. For a while, the carriage was filled only with the rustling of the bag and the nerve-grating sounds of crunching snacks.
Christian was convinced that this woman’s head was definitely broken somewhere. Otherwise, there was no way she would bring snacks right into the carriage and sit there crunching on them. From Sonidore’s perspective, it was a mindset of eating everything she wanted to try before dying, but there was no way Christian would understand that.
Frowning as if he were looking at something he shouldn’t be seeing, he shifted his gaze slightly. He then saw his assistant, Terry, desperately trying to hide his trembling fingertips. Yes, that side at least fell within the bounds of normal. Except for acting like he was losing his mind whenever he saw a Reigel Guard.
As Christian kept glancing over, Sonidore hugged the bag close and asked.
“Would you like some?”
She said it so casually, even though her expression practically screamed that she couldn’t spare even a single piece.
“No need.”
Then I won’t hesitate. She wore an openly relieved expression as she chewed on a chocolate chip cookie. Sonidore thought of ginger cookies—rolled thin with a rolling pin, cut into human shapes with a cutter, and glazed with sugar. To think she couldn’t eat ginger cookies before she died. That was truly a sad thing, but if she could taste various kinds of special desserts made by the palace chefs, it didn’t matter.
“Once we infiltrate inside the passage…, stop eating and listen seriously.”
“I am always serious when I eat. Please go on.”
“……Once we infiltrate, I will give you an artifact enchanted with polymorph magic, so you, assistant, follow me, and you remain waiting in the room until we bring His Highness.”
Their plan was as follows: Terry would wear a ring artifact enchanted with polymorph magic and transform into the appearance of the Crown Prince. He would act as the Crown Prince, while the real Crown Prince would be brought out separately to receive treatment. Using the secret passage known only to a select few, that is. Of course, Terry wouldn’t be standing in permanently; it was only a temporary measure until they could bring in a professional actor.
Since the Crown Prince was frequently ailing even usually, fortunately, the excuse of being bedridden still worked for now. However, once a fortnight, a month, or two months began to pass, suspicion would inevitably arise. Because no one knew how long Sonidore’s treatment method would take, a stand-in was an absolute necessity.
However, Sonidore found it puzzling. Could they really just swap the Crown Prince with a commoner so easily like that? It sounded like an unrealistic story straight out of a fairy tale. There were plenty of other methods besides that.
“I’m just asking out of curiosity, but couldn’t His Highness leave his place under the guise of going to recuperate in some rural estate with good air?”
“You certainly have a lot of questions. Anything that invites suspicion must be avoided.”
She spoke, tossing a snack into her mouth. Though her expression was blank, her eyes were quite sharp.
“About the temporary stand-in. Wouldn’t it be better to use an attendant who is well aware of His Highness the Crown Prince’s usual demeanor?”
“It is His Majesty’s order. Moving as the smallest possible unit most efficiently is what he desires. Besides, do you think it’s that easy to find an attendant born with bold guts and acting talent? Not only is there no time to spare, but there is no need to add more elements to monitor at a point when we don’t know when His Highness will wake up.”
“…….”
“…….”
Sonidore nudged Terry in the side with her elbow and asked.
“Hey, are you good at acting?”
If it were herself, she had a bit of confidence in acting. You could call it an occupational hazard, or rather, an essential virtue required of a dream artisan. Only then could she act naturally inside a client’s dream and elicit the desired reaction. She had even learned a bit from her mother when she was young. Terry answered her question with a sour look.
“I’ve never done it before.”
“Then try it now. Acting like a delicate, sickly young boy.”
“Ah, Lady Sonidore! If that leaf outside the window falls, I shall surely die!”
He reached his hand out toward the empty air, speaking with a wistful gaze. It was a very dramatic scene. The tone of his voice sounded just like a theater actor performing passionately on stage. Sonidore stared at Terry in silent pity, then turned to Christian and said.
“See that? If you make him a stand-in, he’ll be caught in just one minute.”
“……His facial expression acting isn’t half bad. We just need to refine his tone of voice.”
When she threw him a look of total disbelief, he let out a sigh and added.
“Just don’t open your mouth at all.”
“Then is there any point in having a stand-in?”
“It is only until the professional actor arrives at the palace. It will be three days at most, so just hold out until then. It is enough just to show His Highness in an awake state.”
It seemed the Emperor viewed them as nothing more than disposable pawns to use once and throw away. Like an ointment to be squeezed out to the very last bit and discarded. Terry realized the reason why he had been forced along and wore a foul look, but in the end, he couldn’t even complain properly and merely muttered softly under his breath. Even without being forced, he undoubtedly would have followed on his own anyway. Sonidore was no different from family to him, and sending her alone made him far too uneasy.
If the Emperor wanted to, the contract could be voided at any time. Though they had written a contract, stamped it with thumbprints, and exchanged copies, it meant nothing if it was torn up and destroyed. Once they succeeded, he could just kill them on the spot without keeping his promise.
Christian’s words reminded them of that fact once more.
“His Majesty trusts no one easily. He instructed that if you perform any foolish acts, you are to be disposed of right on the spot.”
“Wh-Why would you say that right in front of the parties involved…?”
Sonidore trailed off, her eyebrows trembling faintly.
“Besides me, several other Reigel Guards will be monitoring each of you. I hope you act wisely.”
“…….”
“Then, is the agreement settled?”
It was a threat, not an agreement. She narrowed her eyes and stared at Christian. Just this morning, she had thought they might have gotten somewhat close. She wanted to beat up her past self for foolishly mistaking that the knight might actually be a cute, shy person. To think he could be this cold-blooded, heartless, and merciless. The Reigel Guards weren’t called the Emperor’s hounds for nothing. If the Emperor ordered him to commit suicide on the spot, he was a man who would plunge a blade into his own heart without hesitation.
When Sonidore turned to look at Terry with a guilt-ridden gaze, he waved his hand dismissively as if it were a hassle.
“Forget it. We didn’t have a choice in the first place, and there’s nothing we can do about it. So don’t hesitate.”
“You really know how to put things…”
She grumbled, gently tugging and stretching Terry’s cheek without hurting him. He was right. There was no choice from the beginning. Nor could they run away. If the Crown Prince failed to wake up, the entire populace of their tribe would be put in danger. To think she would become a sacrificial lamb for the greater good. She hadn’t known she possessed such a strong sense of justice herself. Though it was closer to the tiny speck of minimum conscience left in her rather than a sense of justice.
“Come to think of it, aren’t we kind of cool?”
Weren’t they risking their lives in secret, in a place no one knew, for the sake of their compatriots? Looking at it, it didn’t seem any different from Giorgio’s revolutionary army. Though if Gio knew, he would surely be furious again. Sonidore nodded her head as if agreeing with her own statement. Of course, Terry merely shook his head side to side without offering any response.
The carriage’s speed gradually slowed down until it came to a complete stop at a certain point. It was deep within a dense, lush forest, slightly off the well-paved hunting grounds. She pulled back the curtain and looked out the window. They had been traveling since morning, and the sun was already setting. It was a late afternoon where the world was dyed entirely in crimson.
Christian was the first to open the carriage door and step out. He then disposed of the wooden puppet magic doll that had been placed in the driver’s seat instead of a coachman—by chopping it into pieces. Sonidore looked on at the scene with her mouth agape.
‘That expensive thing!’
It was said that wooden materials were the cheapest. Even so, it wasn’t cheap enough to use once and throw away. Facing such unbelievable, lavish spending, the commoner gasped and clutched her heart.
