TGW Chapter 20 Part 1

 

Chapter 21 A Battle of Wits

Gilbert entered the quill shop he frequented. However, today he wasn’t there to buy a quill. The shop assistant, recognizing a regular customer, greeted him warmly.

“I’m just passing by. Thought I’d take a look around.”

“Please, take your time.”

There was another customer browsing the shop. Gilbert and the man acted as if they didn’t know each other, not even glancing at one another. As they passed by, they exchanged identical yellow envelopes.

A short while later, Gilbert left the shop. The quill shop had been the agreed-upon meeting place. The envelope he received from the stranger contained information he had commissioned from Evita. The envelope Gilbert handed over contained only blank sheets of paper.

Gilbert returned to the palace. He immediately delivered the information to the Silver King.

Sienna read the investigative report. It detailed the recent circumstances of a knight who had resigned. The reasons given for his resignation were all lies. The knight’s father was in good health. Furthermore, he hadn’t returned to his hometown.

The people in his hometown still believed he was serving as a knight. He had deceived even his parents and siblings, moving from one gambling den to another.

‘Gambling, huh.’

The knight had amassed an enormous debt through gambling. That debt had been recently settled. And it was this knight who had recommended Stus when he resigned. A pattern of cause and effect emerged.

“Sir Gilbert, have you read this report?”

“No, Your Highness.”

“Read it.”

Gilbert’s expression changed several times as he read the document.

“I apologize, Your Highness. I failed to judge the man correctly.”

Sienna had entrusted the selection of the guards to Gilbert.

“You didn’t know about his gambling habits?”

“He would occasionally play cards with his comrades and bet on the winners in swordsmanship tournaments. However, he never went beyond that level of entertainment.”

“So he wasn’t a compulsive gambler, but he did have a tendency to enjoy gambling.”

According to the report, the knight’s debt had appeared suddenly in recent times. What if someone had approached him, knowing his tendencies? What if he had been drawn into a high-stakes gambling den that he ordinarily wouldn’t have been able to access?

“What do you think of his situation?”

“It seems unnatural.”

“In what way?”

“The gambling debts that accumulated in a short period are substantial. High-stakes gambling isn’t something just anyone can join. You need an introduction and initial capital.”

“You’re saying someone drew him in and provided him with gambling funds.”

“Yes.”

“I think so too. But why do you think he hasn’t escaped from the gambling den even after his debts were cleared?”

The knight’s gambling debts had quickly ballooned again. According to the report, it was expected that he would soon be in a situation where he might have to sign away his body.

“…I think he’s addicted. Those who become addicted to gambling can’t free themselves, much like those who are drug-addicted.”

Sienna placed the investigative report back into its envelope.

“I was going to help him if he were being blackmailed. But this is different. He could have resisted temptation. The current outcome is his own choice, isn’t it?”

“You’re right, Your Highness.”

“Now, let’s talk about Sir Stus. How is he doing?”

Sienna had instructed Gilbert to watch Stus without making it obvious.

“He’s maintaining good relations with the other knights in the guard. He wins favor by helping with training or occasionally paying for meals.”

“What about the duties assigned to him?”

“He patrols the palace perimeter depending on the rotation. Since he hasn’t been with the guard for long, he’s currently only on external security, but if we continue to restrict him from entering the palace, it will seem strange to the others.”

“There’s no need to exclude him alone. Just keep an eye on him, as you are doing now.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After Gilbert left, Sienna took out Stus’s personnel file.

‘The person who placed him around me must be either my uncle or my mother. Or perhaps both. If I expel him, another will simply take his place. It’s better to keep an eye on him and stay wary.’

She read the document once more.

‘Hmm? This region is…’

Sienna unfolded a map to confirm. Stus’s family’s origin was listed as the Red Earth region in the southern part of the Empire, near the territory she had been granted. An excellent idea came to her mind.

‘I can use this.’

Sienna smiled with delight. A few days later, she summoned Stus.

“I greet Your Highness the Silver King.”

Ben was extremely nervous. Since joining the guard, he had only greeted the Silver King on his first day. He had been on external guard duty ever since. He had only seen the King from a distance when she entered and exited the palace. He hadn’t even been assigned to guard duty inside the palace, let alone accompany her. He felt anxious, wondering if he had done something wrong.

“Sir Stus, were you born and raised in the capital?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Do you have any connections in your family’s place of origin?”

Ben couldn’t answer. He knew everything about the Stus family by heart, but this question was outside the scope of what he knew.

“I see that the Stus family’s origin is in the Red Earth region in the south. That area happens to be near my domain. I’m always curious about news from my lands, but I have to rely on reports from the overseer. If you happen to know anyone living in that area, perhaps we could get some help.”

“I recall hearing that a distant relative lives in our place of origin. May I look into it and report back?”

This was his chance to gain favor with the Silver King. Ben lied impulsively.

“Do so. I’ll be waiting for good news.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

What Sienna had told Stus was true. She had long been considering how to get real-life information about the residents of her domain.

Visiting the territory herself had its limitations. It was too far, and regularly sending people there would require substantial manpower. The expected costs exceeded the budget she could allocate. She had half given up, but this was a stroke of luck.

‘Stus is a spy. The deeper he penetrates, the more valuable the information will be.’

To achieve this, she needed to gain the other side’s trust. Stus would try to prove his competence.

‘Stus will relay my words to whoever is behind him.’

Her mother or her uncle. Whoever was behind Stus would provide the valuable information Sienna wanted in order to actively support him.

---

Things proceeded exactly as Sienna had hoped. Ben’s letter reached Patricia’s hands through a secretive route.

“The Princess is very diligent. There’s no need to concern herself with her domain. Soon enough, the entire empire will be hers.”

Patricia clicked her tongue and burned the letter she had read. She saw nothing suspicious, as the request seemed to perfectly align with her daughter’s character.

A messenger carrying Patricia’s letter went to the Duke of Lyman’s household. Doug read his sister’s letter on the spot and gave his response.

“Tell the Red King that I’ll take care of it.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Once the messenger left, Doug crumpled the letter and sighed irritably.

“There’s so much to do and not enough hands.”

Ever since his father’s death, Doug increasingly felt the painful realization that much of the Rimon family’s power had relied on his father’s authority.

While his father was alive, the Lyman family was clearly superior among the ducal houses. He had dreamed of the day when this immense power would one day become his.

By the time he was around forty, he was no longer satisfied with his position as merely the heir. He resented his father for not relinquishing power until the day he died.

When he finally became the head of the family, a position he had long desired, he found that his ideals clashed with reality. From the outset, there were signs of things starting to falter.

The greatest loss was the disappearance of many of the secret assets the family had carefully cultivated. Many were missing, and he still hadn’t discovered who was behind it. There were too many suspected enemies. Underneath the Rimon family’s current glory lay countless tears and blood.

There were more than a few problems giving him headaches. Having his sister involved now was incredibly annoying.

“She’s so excessive. If she doesn’t let go of her desire to control her daughter, it will come back to bite her one day.”

From Doug’s perspective, there was no urgent need to plant someone in the Silver King’s palace. The Silver King had no real power. There was only so much she could do without surveillance. Moreover, she wasn’t foolish; she wouldn’t antagonize the Rimon family, which was her primary support.

“Patricia isn’t what she used to be. Is it her age? She can’t seem to distinguish between what’s important and what’s not.”

They had gone through a complicated process to get Stus into the Silver King’s guards. They had investigated the guards, found a vulnerable one who liked gambling, lured him into gambling, and burdened him with debt. All of this required time and manpower.

Now, she wanted someone sent to the King’s domain to gather information. There weren’t enough resources to waste on such things. Doug couldn’t indulge his sister’s whims any longer.

‘I’ll have to find someone else to handle this.’

It would be better to just spend money. Doug summoned his aide.

“There’s a capable information broker operating recently, right? I heard the initial information on the Marquis of Rad also came from there.”

“Yes, Your Grace. They call themselves ‘Olga.’”

“There’s a job I need done. Meet them and find out how they conduct their transactions. While you’re there, see if they have any additional information on the Marquis of Rad.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

 

*** 

"Did the marquis visit the Silver Palace again today?"

At Patricia's question, a lady-in-waiting responded.

"Yes, Red King."

"With flowers?"

"Yes."

"For how many days now?"

"It's been a month."

Patricia was reclining on a sofa. A young, handsome man was sitting on the floor below, gently massaging Patricia's calves with both hands.

"Go and tell the marquis that I wish to see him before the day is over."

"Yes, Red King."

Patricia closed her eyes and rested her head on a cushion. The hands that had been rubbing her calves slowly moved upward, caressing her with a subtle, lingering touch.

---

That afternoon, after the maid of the Red Palace had returned from her errand, Marquis Raad visited the Red Palace.

Patricia was in the middle of getting a manicure. She sat on a chair tilted back so she could recline, with her arms resting on the armrests. Maids applied fragrant oil to both her hands.

When a maid informed her of the marquis's visit, Patricia responded.

"I can't meet him now. Tell him to either leave or wait."

The maid went out again and returned with the marquis's answer.

"He says he will wait."

Patricia did not respond and kept her eyes closed. The maid dared not ask for further instructions. She stood by Patricia's side like a scolded child, waiting for orders.

Soon the manicure was finished. Patricia looked at her shiny, polished fingernails and then placed her arms back on the armrests.

"Again."

The maids moved quickly. They filled a small silver basin with warm water and soaked Patricia's hands. It was the first step in the manicure process. When the manicure was completed, Patricia said "again" one more time.

The third round of nail care was nearly done. Almost two hours had passed while the marquis waited outside. Meanwhile, the sun had set, and the maids had lit the lamps.

"If the guest is still waiting, bring him in."

"Yes, Red King."

Sensing something unusual, the maid grew anxious, worried she might somehow get blamed. With a tense expression, the maid who had been standing stiffly all this time went out. Shortly after, the marquis entered.

"I greet the Red King."

Patricia greeted the marquis while still seated on the sofa. Her gaze slowly moved from the top to the bottom of the marquis’s body, scrutinizing him openly. Despite the blatant inspection, the marquis's expression did not change at all. The corner of Patricia's lips curled up.

"Welcome. I see I kept you waiting for quite some time. Please, have a seat."

Kuhn sat down across from Patricia.

Both had already gathered and absorbed as much information about each other as possible. However, this was the first time they had seen each other at such a close distance.

‘He’s no ordinary man.’

She had intentionally kept him waiting for a long time. At a young age, he had gained immense power, so there would be nothing he feared. She wanted to put him in his place. Her intention was also to unsettle him by humiliating him, knowing that a person whose emotions were shaken would reveal their true feelings.

But Patricia couldn’t read anything from the marquis's calm demeanor. Her sharp sense of caution was triggered. A danger signal went off.

There must have been some connection between this man and the sudden rise of the Iron King, who appeared like a crouching tiger suddenly springing up. Patricia was certain of it.

‘A poisonous flower.’

The image that came to Kuhn's mind when he looked at Patricia was that of a splendid flower harboring a poison as intense as its fragrance.

They were incompatible. The two instinctively felt a mutual aversion.

"Recently, I have been concerned about something, which is why I wanted to see you, Marquis Raad."

"Yes, please speak."

"While listening to various news in the Red Palace, I learned of your actions. I hear you visit the Silver Palace with flowers every day?"

"Yes."

"Though you have the Emperor's favor, do not use the Silver King to flaunt your political power."

"You are mistaken."

"Mistaken about what?"

"I have no other intentions. I merely admire the beauty of His Highness, the Silver King."

"Are you saying you’re unaware that your every move draws people's attention?"

"Can it compare to the attention showered upon His Highness, the Silver King? I have heard that even just speaking with him makes one the subject of gossip."

"I'm not saying you shouldn't give gifts to the Silver King. I'm saying the Marquis’s method is wrong."

Patricia spoke with a stern expression and a lowered voice, a tactic she used to pressure her opponents.

She was a power broker behind the scenes. While not as absolute as the Emperor’s, the Red King had the backing of the Lyman family. Everyone was cautious not to displease Patricia. They were afraid even when she merely raised her eyes.

Her style of governance was evident in the atmosphere of the Red Palace. The maids of the Red Palace never spoke unnecessarily and moved with muted footsteps.

"It seems the Red King is being overly sensitive."

The marquis replied with a faint smile. Patricia's brows twitched.

"His Highness, the Silver King, is a wise person. If my gifts displeased him, he would have scolded me publicly. But His Majesty graciously accepts my gifts."

Ha, Patricia let out a faint laugh.

"Are you saying I am foolish compared to the Silver King?"

"Not at all. Where does His Highness's wisdom come from if not from his mother? Naturally, a daughter takes after her mother."

Patricia was taken aback. No one had ever spoken to her so directly and assertively before. Her insides churned, but she was not a novice who would reveal her inner feelings. Her noble expression remained steadfastly composed.

"The Silver King is better than this mother. And sometimes, a parent worried about their child can be foolish. I am concerned my daughter might get entangled in unnecessary rumors. As her mother, I will say this: stop the ridiculous act of personally bringing flowers to the Silver Palace every morning."

The marquis replied without any sign of defiance.

"Yes."

Patricia narrowed her eyes.

"I despise those who speak with a forked tongue."

"How could I not follow a parent's reprimand, given out of concern for their child?"

There was nothing more to nitpick.

"Thank you for understanding. You may go."

"Yes, I will take my leave."

"Marquis Raad."

Patricia called out to the marquis as he was turning to leave. Kuhn turned back again.

"Yes, Red King."

"Do you have feelings for my daughter?"

As she posed the question, Patricia scrutinized the marquis closely.

"If a man isn’t captivated after seeing Her Highness, the Silver King, he wouldn’t be a man at all."

Even after calmly answering, Patricia couldn’t glean anything from the marquis's expression. She added one last remark as he exited.

"If you have feelings for the Silver King, you should consider your position carefully. One cannot walk on a frozen river with burning shoes. The ice is solid enough to cross once you take off the shoes."

She was likening the Iron King to burning shoes. It was a warning that if he insisted on clinging to his position as a confidant, he too would be consumed. It also meant they were like water and fire, forever incompatible.

The marquis hesitated briefly at the door before leaving. Patricia did not see the fleeting tremor in his eyes.

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