Chapter 106

“But was all of that a lie? I thought you had no interest in anything that happened in this world. Yet because you can’t stand the thought of something as trivial as ice power spreading among ordinary people, you would dare defy the King’s command?”

Pretending to rebuke him, Argen’s fingers trembled around his cigar from the thrilling surge of exhilaration rising from deep within him.

At last, the hero had revealed his true colors.

Calypse.

Praised as a hero simply because he had been born into the Kreutz bloodline, without having to make any effort at all.

How dare he, without even knowing his place.

Even that arrogant man had panicked once his own uniqueness came under threat.

After publicly rejecting Argen’s command, Calypse had left the arena beneath a barrage of condemnation from countless people.

Argen truly hadn’t been able to blink even once.

He had needed to look around carefully, after all, so he could remember forever the moment Calypse’s standing began to crumble.

“Calypse. Without your power, there’s nothing left of you. Your power lets you defend the ice wall, and your power makes monster subjugations easy—”

“Your Majesty.”

That was when it happened.

At the heavy, low voice abruptly cutting him off, Argen’s gaze lifted.

Interrupting the King was a grave crime, but Argen readily postponed punishing the offense, eager to see Calypse’s face trembling with rage.

But—

“Why did you use dark magic on Queen Grace?”

At the question that followed, Argen froze.

“...What?”

Argen stared silently at Calypse.

His face remained expressionless behind that low, level voice.

“If I were forced to experiment with dark magic for the public good, I still don’t think I would have used it on my own wife.”

No.

Calypse was not expressionless.

He had not so much as furrowed his brow, yet his gaze held the contempt of someone looking at something beneath even an insect.

“Her Majesty’s well-being comes before any discussion of power. So put out that cigar.”

Calypse rose quietly and extinguished the glowing end of the cigar in Argen’s mouth with a single press of his thumb.

“Release the dark magic, Your Majesty.”

Then came the solemn demand.

“......”

Plop.

The cigar slipped from between Argen’s slackened lips and fell onto the desk.

The thoughts that had been racing so gleefully through his mind only moments ago came to an abrupt halt.

No one was supposed to know that he had placed dark magic on Grace.

That was how it should have been.

The only woman who could testify to it was currently incapable of uttering a single word about it.

Then how—

“Y-you.”

Argen struggled to speak and swallowed hard.

Only now did he realize that Calypse, standing right in front of him, was taller than he had thought—and that he had unconsciously stopped breathing.

“W-what are you talking about? You’re saying I placed dark magic on Grace? Do you have proof? If you make outrageous accusations like this without evidence, you could be arrested for insulting the King. D-didn’t you hear what people were saying about you earlier?”

“I care enough about my reputation. Otherwise, I would have already...”

Calypse seemed about to say something, then closed his mouth and faintly furrowed his brow.

That tiny change alone was enough for Argen to understand.

The Duke—

Calypse—

had considered killing him many times before.

“I’ll give you ten minutes, Your Majesty.”

“...What?”

“Bring Her Majesty Grace here at once and remove the dark magic.”

“Y-you. Are you giving me orders now—”

“Otherwise, this will not end with exile.”

“Y-Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

That was when it happened.

A knight suddenly threw open the door, causing Argen to turn away before he could hear the rest of Calypse’s final warning.

“I-I don’t know what’s happening, but knights of House Schletz are waiting outside the castle gates fully armed!”

House Schletz... That’s Grace’s family, isn’t it?

Sensing that something was terribly wrong, Argen’s face drained of color in an instant.

***

Calypse was no fool.

Five years ago, after losing his family and then miraculously finding his daughter again, only to discover that she had already been tainted by dark magic—

he realized that the Frozen Kingdom was no place for Aisha to live.

Because he had immediately understood who had cast the dark magic on the child.

King Argen.

Dark magic had been outlawed a century ago.

As a result, no mage was permitted to study dark magic, much less lay hands on books concerning it that had been designated forbidden texts.

And yet such books still existed.

They were kept in the royal family’s secret archive.

Naturally, only members of the royal family could access them.

Calypse had learned this thanks to Grace. In order to remove the dark magic from Aisha, she had needed to consult those forbidden texts.

Knox.

Yes, Your Grace.

How far has the investigation I ordered progressed?

Immediately after discovering that Duke Pose and Argen had been involved in some sort of transaction, Calypse had secretly ordered his knights to investigate Perkus’s Bookshop.

And shortly before Duke Pose’s execution—

the knights who entered Perkus’s Bookshop could only let out incredulous laughs.

So they really were spies. Their information cleanup is impeccable.

With their master gone, the only thing the remaining spies could do was follow exactly what their former master had taught them.

Disappear without a sound.

There was no trace whatsoever in Perkus’s Bookshop of the other spies who must once have visited the place.

Yet every piece of information concerning Pose and Argen had been left intact.

Thanks to that, the knights had been able to deliver the materials to Calypse without even needing to sort them separately.

There was, for example, a contract stating that the “magic potions” distributed throughout the Frozen Kingdom with “King Argen’s” approval were, in fact, substances that intensified madness.

There was also a message ordering someone to extract Marquis Lilith from prison, written on the expensive paper used exclusively by the royal family.

Deciding that he would uncover the exact nature of their relationship in due course, Calypse gathered the evidence piece by piece, like building a castle out of sand.

Then he waited.

If he wanted to bring down King Argen in a single strike, just as he had Duke Pose, he needed a more decisive opportunity.

Then, several days before the public sparring match—

...Her Majesty Grace has been acting somewhat strangely.

Knox had come to Calypse and broached the subject cautiously.

What do you mean?

She didn’t attend the monster enthusiasts’ gathering, so I went to see her separately. I asked about whether monsters could be trained through Guide.

Did she say training them was impossible?

The royal family claimed that the public sparring match would calm the confusion among the people, but Calypse had been watching closely as their campaign was, in reality, only intensifying hostility toward monsters.

If Guide’s situation became public at a time like this, the young boy would likely suffer deeply.

That was why Calypse had wanted Knox to discuss it with Grace.

No. She didn’t answer at all. I thought she would naturally be excited by a subject like that, but she simply ignored me.

What?

And I told her about Princess Aisha’s power training as well, but she still wouldn’t answer. Her Majesty Grace is so fond of Princess Aisha that I thought she would naturally want to know more...

Something felt wrong.

After thinking for a moment, Calypse spoke again.

Prepare the portal. We’re using it.

Y-yes?

Knox stared at him in bewilderment at the sudden order, but Calypse repeated himself firmly.

We’re going to the royal palace.

Now? Without even sending word first?

We’ll say it was urgent. That’s what the portal was made for.

Well... that is true, but...

Even as Knox trailed off, he swiftly finished preparing the portal.

And shortly afterward—

“D-Duke Kreutz?”

“Why is the Duke h-here...?”

Calypse pushed past the flustered knights guarding the Queen’s palace and entered.

“...You came without sending word?”

“It’s urgent.”

“What happened?”

“Your Majesty. If it would not be too much trouble, could you say my daughter’s name?”

Grace’s eyes widened.

It was an easy enough request that she should have been able to comply without hesitation, yet for some reason, she pressed her lips firmly together and sighed.

“Or my name.”

“......”

Again, no answer.

“Can you tell me what you ate yesterday?”

“I had aged pumpkin soup and roast chicken finished with lemon sauce.”

“Aisha likes roast chicken. You should see her sometime.”

“......”

Again.

Whenever anything related to Kreutz came up, her lips sealed shut like a clam.

More than that, she made no attempt to indirectly deny the fact that she was unable to answer. She merely watched Calypse with calm eyes.

As though she were trying to tell him something with her gaze.

“Your Majesty.”

Now almost certain of the answer, Calypse raised one eyebrow.

“If you do not mind, could we have tea together for a moment?”

Grace silently turned away and opened the reception room door.

She was telling him they should go somewhere private.