Albion’s Pastoral House (9)

Kleio had explained to Cel that information about Hydra’s Poison would surely appeal to the crown prince, so if he called the royal counselor’s direct number to tell the story, a meeting would be established. But there was no phone in the tearoom.

“If I can make the appointment and see him at the scheduled time, Behemoth will come and draw an O with his foot, and if things don’t work, he’ll draw an X.”

“He understands people very well.”

“He’s a brilliant cat. He’s so incredible that you can’t even imagine.”

“Yes, yes. Well, every pet owner says his pet is a genius. But yes, your cat is brilliant.”

Behemoth spattered milk on the ground as his ears twitched. Behemoth, who didn’t like the sound of pet, sprung up towards Cel. Of course, the 5th level swordswoman easily evaded the cat’s lunge.

“Meow! Meoooow! (Is it not enough to have this cat run errands like a servant?! Who are you calling a pet?!).”

The whole tearoom shook. Kleio, sitting in an armchair covered in blue cloth, restrained the cat.

“No, have you finished eating? Are you a little hungry now?”

Behemoth hissed a final warning at Cel as Kleio embraced him.

“Meoow. (I’ve been hungry lately. You’ll have to prepare dinner later.).”

“I’ll prepare you some delicacies from Dernier and Meridis, so please work until today’s over.”

“Meoow. (Huh. Just today. I see.)”

“Are you promising your cat something delicious in return for his work?”

“Yes. I should prepare something bigger than a royal dinner.”

“Is he even a cat?”

“Why are you reproaching such a cute and wonderful cat? He even helped me contact you.”

“Wow, wrap it up. Anyway, if things go wrong and you can’t meet the prince today, I’ll write a destination on the bulletin board in the name of Mr. Screwer, so let’s meet and plan again.”

“I’ll do that. But if I don’t show up in a day, hide underground or head home.”

This promise was nothing more than a follow-up measure to ease Cel’s mind. If Kleio revealed his face at the Rayton Hotel, not only the prince’s intelligence department but also Baronet Asel’s investigators would know what he was doing. He didn’t need to have two groups pursuing him.

Cel sighed as she glanced between Kleio and the cat.

“You are considered free because your father paid your bail and donated to the royal guard, but it’s a lie if you say you’re not worried about heading to the palace.”

Kleio, who was pressed into his chair by Behemoth, managed to point out the mana stone wallet and wand he had in his jacket.

“I’ll try to talk peacefully, and if that doesn’t work… I’ll run away even if I become a criminal. Then, you have to help me.”

“Well, it’s better than having no way to escape. Behave well so that it’s not needed.”

“Haha, I see. Then I trust you with the rest, Cel.”

“Yes, leave it to me. This evening, the citizens of the capital will gather before the Brunnen embassy to protest.”

The report document, which the two produced by using only the most provocative parts of the case, was a mixture of hostility and passionate nationalism.

‘It feels awkward, but there’s no other way to save Viscount Kision and the others.’

Kleio shook his head and dismissed his thoughts. There was a solid faith between Arthur and his friends, and each had the potential to work on their own, but it still wasn’t enough to confront the crown prince. On the other hand, Melchior, equipped with both force and power, had no companions to make judgments on his behalf.

‘For him, there are loyal thugs, but Duke Tristein seems unable to do anything lie that, and Vesna cannot reveal herself.’

The fact that the crown prince took control of all matters meant that no judgments would be made in his absence. That was what they were betting on.

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The original documents were left to Cel. When Kleio was finished, Miss Harris took him up to the third floor of the tearoom. Miss Harris lived in a three-story flat in the building next to the tearoom. With her guidance, Kleio crossed the balcony and was able to head out to the entrance of the first floor of the flat. When he straightened up, his clothes changed, he looked like a completely different gentleman than the one who entered the tearoom.

He arrived shortly after in the busy Rayton hotel. Even with the industry convention going on, business conversations were more commonly held in places like this.

Kleio ordered a cup of tea then asked to use the phone. His luxurious clothes and natural attitude made it so that he didn’t draw any undue attention.

Lawrence Kinnear, the knight who received his call, tried to hang up, claiming the crown prince was busy. However, in light of previous experience, Kleio pushed hard.

“I will say it clearly, Sir Lawrence Kinnear. If anyone who isn’t the crown prince learns of this first, his anger will be yours to bear.”

Even before the handset, he felt the royal counselor’s defense waver. Indeed, it seemed he was afraid.

[“…I see. What shall I say?”]

“There’s something that needs to be posted on the by-product of Ezra’s stylus; please tell him.”

Ezra’s stylus was the raw material for Hydra’s poison. Melchior would know the meaning of the journal Kleio had read in the King’s Library.

‘In order for a knight to meet the crown prince, this amount of bait is necessary.’

Melchior was interested in any occurrence that was the first in his many lives. Lawrence Kinnear’s silence deepened beyond the phone, perhaps feeling that Kleio had delivered some cryptogram.

[“I will. Where should the reply be sent?”]

“Please sent it to the Rayton Hotel tearoom.”

The phone hung up without any further courtesy. It was likely because the noble royal lawyer had been threatened by a person accused of first-degree treason. The operator asked if he would like to reconnect.

[“The connection with the royal attorney’s office has been lost. Would you like to reconnect?”]

“That’s okay; there’ll be a reply later.”

[“Okay. Thank you.”]

Kleio returned to his seat and sipped at cold tea, checking the morning newspaper.

-Brunnen Expo is one hundred days ahead! –

-Madam Yvette Dupard’s new collection launches at the Larsenti Department Store-Visit! –

As he turned outside the large glass window, a familiar black figure fluttered around in front of the pie shop across the street.

‘No… I didn’t expect they’d reply this quickly.’

Kleio turned on Perception, quickly finding Behemoth, who was pretending to be cute as he ate a meat pie. A courier approached Kleio as he was distracted by the cat.

“Guest, Lawrence Kinnear’s reply.”

“Oh, I see.”

As expected, he had sent a message that he would set up a meeting in the deputy’s office an hour later. After leaving the hotel and crossing the street, Kleio pretended to look at a nearby billboard’s contents as Behemoth walked up to his feet. He quietly spoke as he looked down at the cat.

“It’s been set up.”

“Meooow. (Alright, take care of yourself.).”

Behemoth swept his legs with his long tail before disappearing into the shadows of a back alley. Kleio checked the time through the show window of a watch store, noting it was eleven.

‘The meeting is at noon. It’s too late to have it published in the evening paper, but the extra will be available soon.’

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After two years, Kleio once more stood before the door of the deputy king’s office in the parliament building. Since he had grown taller, now his eyes were at a different level of the door. That impression seemed a bit inappropriate given what was happening, but it was all he could think of.

“Sir Kleio Asel, please come in.”

“Yes.”

The escorts on both sides of the entrance to Melchior’s office announced his visit. There was no answer, but he went ahead and stepped in as he turned on Separation and Perception. Those were necessary functions for dealing with the prince. Even though two years had passed, the interior of the office stayed the same. A large mahogany desk was set against the window, laden with a pile of paperwork, with a sofa and a table beside it.

Everything was the same, but Kleio’s thoughts were now different.

‘It’s more like an attorney’s office rather than that of the deputy king.’

However, it wasn’t just because of his growing perspective that the room felt flat. There was also no entity that distracted his attention from the scenery.

‘…Did the guard let me in because he was here? He accepted the meeting; where is he?’

Kleio looked around the empty office, the deep blue Tempus river running outside the window. It was then one side of the panel on the left wall, decorated only with thin moldings, suddenly opened, revealing the owner of the office. Kleio stiffened as the tall prince casually turned his back to push through the secret door. A dark passage with stone walls extended behind him.

‘…Was he using this office as a secret passage?’

The crown prince smiled as he noticed Kleio standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

“It’s surprising that you’ve visited my office even though I didn’t call for you.”

Perception was pushed to the fullest, capturing the scent of blood, dust, and mold from the prince.