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Chapter 35
“Really? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Who would dare say such a thing outright in front of Her Majesty the Empress! But everyone thinks so, I assure you.”
Baron Michen was now speaking with fiery passion.
“His Majesty has no interest in us! Oh, it’s nice that he cares for the common folk, no one denies that. But what about us?”
Cecilia tried to keep her face calm. She had to bite back laughter.
Did they honestly think they should come before peasants who were dying of heatstroke?
On what grounds, exactly?
“And this supply system, or whatever it is… it’s all magic, isn’t it? If we grow more and more accustomed to magic like this, then well… we’re all finished.”
Baron Michen began sidling closer toward Edward.
“His Majesty has always lent an ear even to someone like me. Perhaps…”
“Baron.”
Edward cut him off.
“Do you actually believe that nonsense?”
“P–pardon…?”
The baron’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. He clapped both hands over his mouth and said nothing more.
“You’ve been insolent not only toward the Empress, but toward me as well,” Edward said coldly.
“Do you truly think this was something the Empress did on her own?”
Well… it was pretty close to that.
But Cecilia remained silent. To Baron Michen, her words would carry no weight anyway. Better to let Edward mix in some well-placed lies.
“There has never been a time in imperial history when magic was banned. We even had extended relations with Mejina.”
“T–then Your Majesty…”
“The one with the authority to decide is me, Baron.”
Edward folded his arms and tilted his head.
“Now, why don’t you tell me—who else thinks as you do?”
“It would be those who sent letters of protest around the same time as the Baron, I imagine,” Cecilia interjected, unable to hold back.
Judging by the way Baron Michen’s face turned deathly pale, she was right on the mark.
Sigh.
Cecilia swallowed a breath.
Truly, Baron Michen was the lowest of the low.
No doubt even that so-called fortune-teller hadn’t expected him to behave with such stupidity.
To think Edward actually took care of a man like this… he must’ve been quite the capable duke.
A high noble of ducal rank couldn’t simply manage his own lands and vassals.
The neighboring territories had to remain stable as well, or his own would suffer. So it was best to keep an eye on the wider region.
Of course, not many high nobles actually did so.
But it seemed Edward had been one of those rare exceptions.
That aside… someone is clearly stirring this up. The problem is, I don’t know who.
They had to catch whoever was behind this.
Cecilia turned a radiant smile on Baron Michen.
“To me, the Baron doesn’t seem such a bad man. Just… too easily deceived, perhaps.”
“Y–yes, indeed! I’ve always been so dull-witted, I’m easily tricked!”
Cecilia’s smile grew even more dazzling—a smile so bright even those who disliked her would stare, spellbound.
“In that case, surely someone must have deceived you.”
Only then did Baron Michen realize he’d stepped right into a trap—but it was far too late.
“It was… it was all that fortune-teller hag! She told me everything!”
“Of course we’ll have to catch her. But there’s something odd: how would an old fortune-teller know what other nobles are thinking, or what their circumstances are? She’s just a common soothsayer.”
Baron Michen shook his head.
“What would a country lord like me know? But that hag was reputed to be good at her craft—said to have traveled all across the empire.”
Cecilia thought for a moment.
Should she press further, or withdraw for now?
Best to secure what’s certain first.
She spoke slowly.
“In that case, all the more reason we’ll need the Baron’s help to catch her.”
“M–me…?”
“Yes. The hag knows nothing of your true situation, so if you summon her, won’t she come at once?”
Baron Michen resisted at first, but in the end he had no choice but to follow Cecilia’s plan.
Frankly, it was almost funny.
It’s either him or the hag who’ll be arrested for treason—of course he’ll push her into prison.
Of course, Cecilia’s true target wasn’t the fortune-teller at all.
It was the person behind her.
That was the one who needed to be rooted out, before the threat could spread.
So they aimed for Edward but attacked me instead. How cowardly.
The thought gave her pause.
Edward had plenty of vulnerable points they could have attacked. Why only target her?
Do I really look that precious to Edward…?
If so, it made a bit of sense.
After all, she and Edward had once been the talk of the entire social scene.
They must have remembered only the appearance of passion back then and assumed she was Edward’s weakness.
Sorry to disappoint. You’ve barked up the wrong tree.
Cecilia pushed aside her wandering thoughts and peered down through the window.
According to Baron Michen’s inquiries, the fortune-teller was currently in the capital. When he had written asking for advice, she had promised to come at once.
Now Cecilia was at the baron’s estate, awaiting the appointed time.
Perhaps it’s better that Edward isn’t here.
Baron Michen seemed to see Edward as some kind of pillar to cling to.
Which only made him more fearful when Edward reacted coldly. But what Cecilia needed now wasn’t fear.
What she needed was for the baron to draw out the fortune-teller’s words naturally.
All I have to do is listen—how easy for me.
She deliberately chose not to show herself in front of the fortune-teller.
The woman herself didn’t matter. What mattered was uncovering her master.
And if this fails, it’ll be entirely the baron’s fault!
The whole plan depended on the baron’s performance.
If it worked, the reward would be generous enough. It wasn’t as though he could call it a loss.
Cecilia opened her senses wide, and the voices below reached her ears as if they were right beside her.
“Welcome, Lady El.”
“Baron Michen.”
The fortune-teller chuckled hoarsely.
“And what business brings you to call upon this old woman?”
“A grave matter.”
Baron Michen’s voice was heavy with worry. And it wasn’t all an act—he had worn that same long face for days.
“I fear… we’ve been discovered.”
“Discovered? What do you mean?”
The old woman’s voice suddenly sharpened, losing all pretense.
And the way she spoke down to him—it was as though she were the master and Baron Michen the servant.
“Already? What on earth did you do?”
Cecilia frowned.
They called her an old crone, but her voice was nothing of the kind. There was none of the raspiness of age.
Nor did she sound youthful, but rather like a woman in her prime.
Suspicious.
If she was hiding her true identity, it wasn’t with magic.
A disguise, then.
Perhaps the “old crone” and the mastermind weren’t two people at all, but one and the same.
“…Not completely discovered, but Lord Ferol asked after me.”
“And you panic over that?”
“But Lord Ferol and I aren’t on such terms as to exchange pleasantries! It was far too suspicious—”
The fortune-teller waved him off.
“Enough. You’re far more timid than I thought.”
She pressed on quickly.
“It’s fine. People differ in how they react. We’ll simply try another approach soon.”
“Another… approach?”
“We’ll target the Empress directly.”
The fortune-teller chuckled darkly.
“This time, see that you do it properly.”
