TGW Chapter 26 Part 1

 

It was late at night.

As usual, a guest visited the Duke's drawing-room that night. Randell, who had been gazing out the window at the unusually bright moon, turned his head when he heard the sound of the door opening.

"Come in."

Jeffrey entered and sat down on the sofa. Randell moved his mobile chair to the table, where there was a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"We should share a drink as a farewell."

"Are you sure you should be drinking?"

Jeffrey asked out of concern for Randell's legs.

"As long as I don’t overdo it, I’ll be fine."

Randell uncorked the bottle and filled the glasses.

"This reminds me of the first time we drank together."

"We got into a lot of trouble for opening a bottle of wine our fathers were saving."

The two clinked their glasses together, reminiscing about old times. Over the past few nights, they had met every night, but their conversations were always the same. They would recall the past and repeatedly say, "Those were the days."

It was the only common ground they could share. The long years had created a deep and wide chasm between friends who had once been like brothers.

"I suppose this is where we part ways. When will we see each other again?"

"As long as we’re alive, we’ll meet again someday."

"True. As long as we’re alive..."

Randell had many questions he wanted to ask his friend. How was the Emperor’s investigation into the old case progressing, the one he ordered using his real name? Would the Acheron family be restored? What was Jeffrey's relationship with the Marquis of Rad?

But he couldn’t bring himself to ask. The more they talked, the more he felt that Jeffrey wasn’t the same person he once knew. So, after retrieving the wooden box from their secret place, he handed it over to Jeffrey without opening it.

---

"Did you see what was inside?"

"No, I didn’t."

---

Whether Jeffrey believed him or not was unclear, but he didn’t press further.

Jeffrey finished his glass of wine and stood up.

"Stay healthy."

"You too."

After leaving the drawing room and standing in front of the closed door, Jeffrey thought to himself.

‘Would it have been better to tell him?’

He hadn’t informed Randell about his relationship with Dian or the fact that Dian was Edith's son.

‘No, it’s not the right time to tell him yet. It could cause unnecessary complications. Randell will understand.’

Looking at the closed door, Jeffrey left his final thoughts for his friend.

‘Randell, I’ll be counting on you later. Please support Dian. I saw your estate on the way here today. It’s prosperous, just like I expected from the son of my uncle. Unlike those greedy others, you will surely offer Dian true counsel.’

Jeffrey hoped he would soon be able to convey these words to his friend directly. He walked down the dark corridor toward his room.

A shadow was watching him. The shadow, having confirmed Jeffrey entering his room, moved away.

Kuhn stood by the window, staring out at the night sky. He turned his head when he heard a soft knock. Martin entered as the door opened.

"I’ve confirmed that he went into his room."

Kuhn nodded.

"Martin."

"Yes."

"The world is fascinating. Variables always emerge."

Kuhn sat down on the sofa. While he was deep in thought, Martin waited.

Apart from the first night, Jeffrey had not informed Kuhn of his meetings with Duke Bless. Kuhn had a principle when dealing with people: trust with trust, suspicion with suspicion.

"We’re changing the level of surveillance for the Black House."

"Yes."

"Protection and monitoring."

"...Understood."

Until now, Dian’s uncle had been under protection. But from now on, he would be closely monitored.

Kuhn was not the type to leave potential dangers unchecked. He wouldn’t continue along with someone he suspected. Seeking out Dian’s uncle had been an act of goodwill. But, having lived in the world, he had learned that goodwill did not always return as goodwill.

He considered the possibility that Dian’s uncle might need to be excluded. And if Dian couldn’t accept that—

‘I must prepare for the worst-case scenario.’

 

***

 

They decided to leave early in the morning. The carriage, fully loaded with their belongings, was waiting in the courtyard. A large crowd had gathered to see them off. Among the most noticeable were the knights of the Duke’s household, who were particularly reluctant to see Russ leave.

The Duke had hosted a grand farewell dinner the previous evening, persistently urging them to stay a few more days. Kuhn, worried that Sienna might accept the Duke’s invitation, secretly glared at the Duke while trying to appear calm.

And this morning, the Duke had come out to the courtyard in his mobile chair to see them off. The people of the Duke’s household were quite surprised; the Duke had never come out of Whitestone Castle while seated in his mobile chair.

"Duke Bless, thank you for your warm hospitality. We’re leaving after a pleasant stay."

"Your Highness, if you leave like this, when will we see each other again?"

"I will come again if I have the opportunity."

"You promise me that."

"I learned a lot from you, Duke. Thank you."

"I just poured water however I could. It’s because Your Highness has a big vessel that you were able to take it all in."

Both sides watched curiously as the two exchanged heartfelt farewells. Some even wondered, "Could they be father and daughter?"

Sienna found the Duke’s friendly demeanor a bit awkward, yet she didn’t dislike it. She had no adults around her who acted as comfortably and warmly as the Duke did.

"And Your Highness, what I mentioned before was not just a joke. Please consider it seriously."

Sienna smiled without responding.

"It’s time to depart. If you delay any longer, it might disrupt your schedule," the Count interjected, unable to watch any longer.

"In that case, stay one more day!" the Duke shouted loudly in response.

Despite everything, the carriage finally set off. Though it soon disappeared from view, the Duke did not tell anyone to go back inside.

The people of the Duke’s household found the Duke’s unfamiliar behavior intriguing. He was endlessly caring with his own family but rarely opened up to outsiders.

"Son."

"Yes, Father. Shall we go inside?"

The Count, who had been standing silently beside the Duke, responded with delight.

"Yes, let’s go in."

The Count pushed the mobile chair.

"Son."

"Yes?"

"Should we try living in the capital for a while?"

"Pardon?"

The Duke chuckled heartily.

 

***

 

Inside the moving carriage, Sienna thought back to the Duke’s words and chuckled to herself.

It had happened two days ago. As usual, Sienna was in the Duke's office. They were discussing the Duke’s ambitious plan for a poverty relief project, exchanging ideas and opinions. During a short break to drink tea, the Duke suddenly spoke up.

"Your Highness, I hope this isn't too forward, but I heard about the broken engagement."

"That’s in the past."

"Have you considered a new suitor?"

"...I’m not sure."

"What about my son?"

"Excuse me?"

"My youngest son came of age last month. He's about the same age as you. He’s a year younger, but does that matter? I’m not saying this just because he’s my son, but among my seven sons, he’s the most handsome. He has a good character too."

Sienna smiled as she held her teacup. Her marriage was a highly sensitive matter. No one had ever been so direct about proposing a match. It was especially intriguing because even though he was suggesting his son, it didn’t feel like he was eyeing the throne.

"Would you like to meet him? It’s a shame he’s not here at the castle right now. Bad luck, really. If there’s one problem he has, it’s his poor timing. Whenever there’s a grand feast, he always comes in late and misses out, letting his brothers have everything. Still, he’s a good-natured lad."

It was hard to tell if the Duke was praising or criticizing his son. Sienna burst out laughing.

"I’m not joking, Your Highness. Take my son, and you’ll also gain the Bless family."

Sienna couldn’t laugh at that. Her smile faded as she recalled the Duke’s words.

She gazed out the window, feeling the weight of the unresolved issues pressing down on her.

'The Iron King is not of the Bless family's blood.'

What she heard in her dream wasn’t true. The image of her mother shouting in anger in the dream flashed through her mind.

"He’s a shameless thief! A man who took the Emperor’s throne through deceitful means!"

Was her mother right? Had the Iron King usurped the throne through treachery?

Sienna had started observing the Iron King without bias after the dream. When she opened her heart, she discovered aspects of him she hadn’t known before. He wasn’t a perfect person, but he had many strengths.

However, all of this was based on the assumption that the Iron King was an honest person.

If the Iron King had used underhanded tactics to elevate his place in the line of succession and became Emperor solely for that reason, then she could not accept it.

‘I cannot entrust the Empire to a liar.’

It wouldn’t be natural or in line with the will of the gods. If that were the case, she would oppose the Iron King and fight against him to the end.

‘It can’t go on like this. Whether I fight or not, I need a weapon of my own.’

She had to exclude the Rimonen family and her mother, who she had once thought of as her most powerful weapon.

‘Relying on them would only end up poisoning me.’

Like the Emperor in her dream, she would become powerless, unable to distinguish who was telling the truth and who was lying, lost and confused. She needed allies who were trustworthy and could provide her strength.

During this trip, she met someone she was drawn to.

‘Duke Bless...’

He was the only Duke not aligned with any faction. Not having a base in the capital was a disadvantage, but it was also an advantage. He could build a new faction without being entangled with anyone.

‘Duke Bless wouldn’t have made such a proposal as a mere joke. He’ll likely have something more to say soon.’

Is it the confidence of someone who knows the future? Sienna didn’t feel rushed. What concerned her now was something else—the possibility of a new Emperor ascending the throne within a few years.

‘Is something going to happen to His Majesty?’

She realized she had overlooked an important fact. She had been so focused on the future where the next Emperor would be the Iron King that she hadn’t considered the timing of the ascension.

The dream and reality had already diverged significantly. However, the massive flow of history, while changing in form, remained the same.

Just as the Kingdom of Pero from her dream had appeared as the United Pero Nation in reality, the Emperor’s death might also be an unchangeable pivot in history.

‘If that’s the case, could the death of the Iron King as Emperor also be an unalterable flow?’

Sienna sighed and shook her head.

‘Let’s think about that later.’

The Emperor was still in good health. He personally directed most of the affairs of state. A coup was unimaginable. His security was impenetrable, and the authority of the royal family was solid. Any misfortune concerning the Emperor would likely be due to the Emperor himself.

‘Even if there were health issues, they would never make it public.’

The Emperor’s illness would be the greatest source of instability for the Empire. If Sienna were in the Emperor’s position, she would hide it as long as she could.

‘In any case, there’s nothing I can do about His Majesty’s situation...’

She couldn’t suddenly approach the Emperor to inquire about his health or advise him to be careful. It felt stifling. She now understood the saying, "Knowing too much can be a burden."

 

***

 

After seeing the guests off, the staff at the Duke’s household began cleaning the rooms where the guests had stayed. In Jeffrey's room, they discovered a strange wooden box that hadn’t been there before.

“Oh my, the guest left something behind,” a maid exclaimed and quickly brought it to the butler.

---

On the first night of their carriage journey back to the port.

They were fortunate from the first day. They were able to rent a large house with plenty of rooms for the night. Finding a decent place to stay was relatively easy within Duke Bless’s territory.

Kuhn carefully examined the old wooden box that Martin had brought to him. One of the Duke’s knights had hurriedly followed them and handed it over, saying it was something left behind.

“This isn’t ours, right?”

“Yes, we showed it to everyone who packed the luggage. They confirmed it wasn’t there when we packed in the capital.”

“And the knight said it was originally empty?”

“Yes.”

“Judging by its size and structure, it looks like a letterbox...”

It was quite plain. The texture was unadorned, the material was ordinary, and there were no secret compartments or elaborate designs. Even a housekeeper from a noble family would use a more refined item than this.

Holding the letterbox, Kuhn pondered for a moment, then stood up.

“Follow me.”

Kuhn went to see Jeffrey.

"I just realized I may have overlooked something. You mentioned you were friends with Duke Bless. One meeting must not have been enough; I should have arranged a separate time for a proper farewell. I apologize for the lack of consideration."

Kuhn hoped Jeffrey would be honest with him. A simple "Actually, I met my friend a few more times" would suffice.

"I said my goodbyes knowing he was alive. It’s better to leave some longing for the next meeting, wouldn’t you say?"

That Jeffrey had met with Duke Bless every night was, in some ways, nothing significant. But when even the smallest thing is hidden, it becomes significant.

"Your words make me feel at ease," Kuhn replied.

From the moment Kuhn realized Jeffrey was lying, the situation changed.

Kuhn had a grand plan in his mind that encompassed everything. It was never perfect, constantly needing adjustments and refinements.

Recently, there have been major changes. The factor that nearly overturned his carefully pieced-together plan was Sienna.

And now, Kuhn had discovered a new variable. If left unchecked, it might ruin the whole picture. Kuhn immediately set about making adjustments.

“There is something I’d like to ask your understanding for.”

Kuhn suggested to Jeffrey that he return to the capital not on the White Chip but on another small, fast ship.

"You’re asking me to take a different ship?"

"Oh, it’s not a demand. I’m giving you an option."

"For what reason?"

"We plan to take our time returning. I made this decision on my own, so you might not find it agreeable."

"One or two days make little difference to me. But how much of a difference are we talking?"

"If you take another fast ship, you’ll arrive in the capital three or four days earlier than me."

“Three or four days? For what reason?”

“I think you can guess why,” Kuhn replied with a smile, showing the kind of excitement one would have before going on a picnic.

“You want to enjoy a boat trip with the Silver King?”

“There’s no telling when such an opportunity might come again.”

Jeffrey masked his growing coldness inside with a dry laugh.

“I can’t interfere with the pleasures of young lovers, can I?”

“Interfere? Of course not.”

“It’s quite different with and without an extra person. I’ll go ahead then.”

“Then I’ll arrange for it.”

“Who’s coming with me?”

Jeffrey glanced at Martin, who was standing behind Kuhn.

“If you’d prefer Martin, feel free to take him.”

“No need.”

Jeffrey’s refusal was subtly firm. From the moment Kuhn had suggested going ahead, Jeffrey’s mind had been racing.

“No one will pay much attention to me traveling alone. It would probably be safer than traveling with you.”

“I’ll ensure there’s no lapse in security.”

“I trust you’ll handle that well. You’ve managed my security well so far. And as soon as I return, I want to see Dian. It’s been quite some time since I last saw him.”

“Yes, I’ll send a message to the Iron Palace requesting an audience.”

“There’s no need for Dian to come out. Since his marriage, he’s probably under more scrutiny. I’ll go in myself.”

“You mean you’ll enter the palace?”

“Is that a problem?”

“It would be best if I accompanied you inside... Are you sure? Dian might say something to me if I let you enter alone.”

“I’ll explain it to Dian.”

“If that’s what you wish. I’ll arrange it.”

Throughout his conversation with Jeffrey, Kuhn seemed somewhat distracted, as if his mind was elsewhere. Martin knew it was a deliberate tactic to make Jeffrey drop his guard, but Jeffrey was unaware of it.

"Ha. Even someone like you loses their wits when enchanted by a woman," Jeffrey thought.

Just as Kuhn had intended, Jeffrey was thoroughly mistaken.

“This works out well. I should meet with His Majesty without the Marquis knowing,” Jeffrey thought.

As Kuhn left Jeffrey’s room, the smile vanished from his face.

Martin followed Kuhn silently. Back in his room, Kuhn stared blankly at the wooden box on the table.

“Martin.”

“Yes.”

“Send a message to the Black House to bring Anton in.”

“Yes.”

Anton had a unique talent. He could remember what he saw as if he were painting a picture. Even if a single book was moved among hundreds on a shelf, he would notice immediately.

Moreover, Anton appeared somewhat dim-witted. His speech was awkward, and he frequently made small mistakes, which caused others to lower their guard around him.

“Knowing that I’m not in the capital will make him let his guard down. He has only a few days, so tell him to find out whatever he can.”

“Yes.”

Kuhn picked up the wooden box and chuckled.

“To think a knight rode for hours to deliver something like this. And because it wasn’t valuable, it ended up in my hands. How amusing.”

“Sorry?”

“The Duke won’t know that this box was brought back to me. It was the subordinates who acted out of loyalty.”

“Sorry?”

“If Duke Bless had seen this, he’d have disposed of it.”

Martin still had a puzzled look on his face.

“Martin, why do you think His Lordship hid his meetings with Duke Bless from me? There must have been something he didn’t want me to know, whether it was the content of their conversations or something they exchanged.”

Kuhn raised the letterbox to eye level.

“This is it. The original owner was probably Duke Bless, don’t you think?”

“Ah...”

“The box is empty, so the contents must have been taken by His Lordship.”

What could have been inside?

Jeffrey had said he wanted to join the trip to meet his old friend, Duke Bless. It was likely they were friends; Kuhn had confirmed through his investigation that the Bless and Acheron families had been closely connected.

But the Jeffrey Kuhn had observed wasn’t the type of person who would make such a long journey just to see an old friend’s face. There had to be a purpose. And that purpose was undoubtedly related to whatever had been inside this letterbox.

“It must have been something very important.”

Kuhn found it interesting to have discovered Jeffrey’s weakness. It seemed that the inherent gaps of a noble-born young master couldn’t be entirely filled, even by years of hardship.

“If it were me, I wouldn’t leave such evidence behind. I would’ve thrown it into the fireplace and burned it.”

Jeffrey probably hadn’t considered that the Duke’s household would send the letter box after him.

Martin cautiously watched Kuhn’s expression before asking, “But Kuhn, what did you mean when you said you got it because it wasn’t a valuable item?”

“Hm? Oh... Think about it. The first person to find this box was probably the maid who was cleaning the room. She would have handed it to the butler. And the butler saw it wasn’t valuable. Imagine if the butler was Walter. What do you think he would’ve done?”

“Well... he would probably have kept it until the owner came back to claim it.”

“Would he report it to me?”

“I don’t think so.”

“But the butler of the Duke’s household thought this was a worthless item that didn’t need to be reported to the Duke. Yet, he still had a knight bring it all this way. Why do you think that is?”

Martin thought for a moment but shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

“The people of the Duke’s household respect the Duke. They are loyal. Loyal enough to go out of their way to deliver an old wooden box to a cherished guest. Half of the reason this box reached us is thanks to Russ.”

“Russ?”

“Because that fellow won the knights over. The knight must have gladly brought it because of him. On your way out, call Russ in. He deserves some praise for this.”

“Yes.”

Martin smiled lightly. The thought of Russ walking around with his chest puffed out for a while was both annoying and amusing.

“And the other half of the credit?”

“Who else? The Duke’s most esteemed guest.”

Kuhn grumbled.

“What on earth did Duke Bless do with the Silver King all day? While I was stuck in the archives, the two of them became quite close.”

“Well... I wouldn’t know about that.”

“That old man’s gaze really bothers me.”

‘Is it really just that you’re unhappy with how close Her Highness has become with him?’ Martin thought but kept silent as he slipped out of the room.

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