Chapter 216

“Your ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Highness, Crown Prince! He says he will accept it. He told me he will let us know the outcome soon.”

“Oh!”

Crown ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Prince Charles I, who had been waiting for the result in mounting impatience, lit up at the messenger’s report.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was regrettable to bring down his own blood with such a base method, but was this not a world of ruthless power? Thanks to that, Crown Prince Charles I felt as though he had finally carved out a crack in the impregnable walls.

“Still… ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍how did you know that he would betray them? It was completely different from what people expected, so we would have had no choice but to be taken in. Your Highness. You are truly remarkable.”

“Remarkable? ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍It is simple, is it not? He must have felt even more frustrated at being dragged around by them. And while they lash themselves with the whip, they use sweet promises on the other side—how could he not be dissatisfied?”

They would have prepared thoroughly for any co-opting attempt. That was why, as his subordinate said, approaching a figure no one would have suspected had been effective.

If Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine, and those under her learned who the traitor was, they would be utterly astonished.

With that thought, Crown Prince Charles I curled the corner of his lips upward.

It felt as though the unification of the Elang Kingdom had stepped within reach.

***

The information control was perfect.

It was truly fortunate that Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine collapsed during her meeting with Sir Biden.

Only the physician Sir Biden had summoned in strict secrecy, the attendant who had been serving at her side, and the magician Azuela, who had just relayed the facts, knew of it.

The moment Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine collapsed, they called in soldiers and sealed the office shut, so there was no reason for information to leak outside yet.

Yet.

However, the rumor would not take long to spread. They were in the middle of a war, and if the ruler did not show herself, anyone would find it strange.

‘There is not much time to begin with.’

That was why Sir Biden intended to use the same method his lord had used in the past when he had wiped out Lady Juana’s faction of stepmother and retainers.

Spread a rumor, and when those traitorous bastards gathered to whisper in secret, raid them and sweep them all away at once.

He had already done it once, and he had reaped the results in full.

When swift containment mattered, as it did now in the midst of war, there was no method more effective than this.

“Summon General Fernando.”

Having organized his thoughts, Sir Biden immediately ordered the soldier outside to bring General Fernando.

General Fernando was one of Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine’s few confidants. Before moving forward, he needed to speak with him.

A short while later—

“Why have you called me in the dead of night? Has something happened?”

General Fernando, dressed in simple clothes, asked with a weary face. Sir Biden looked at him calmly and opened his mouth.

“Your Grace has been poisoned.”

“What?! Is it true? Her Grace’s condition—how is she? How is she!”

“She is fine, fortunately. Magician Azuela is attending her and treating her now, so she will recover soon.”

“Haaah…”

At Sir Biden’s words, General Fernando let out a deep breath of relief.

General Fernando, too, was someone recruited from outside. If Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine died or lost her position, General Fernando would be ruined along with her.

“Who did it? Have you found the culprit?”

General Fernando bristled, growling through clenched teeth. He looked ready to charge out and crush everyone in his path. But Sir Biden calmed him.

“We are going to find them now. Calm yourself.”

“Calm myself? How can I? The princess—no, Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine, suffered an assassination attempt with poison. Those vile bastards.”

“The more rash you are, the more you help the enemy.”

He understood the urge to move, but if they acted in haste, there was no telling what might happen.

It was not only traitors within. There was also the external enemy—Crown Prince Charles I’s army.

This was the sort of thing that had to be ended cleanly, in a single stroke, without noise.

“Grrr… fine. Then what do you need me to do?”

“I intend to spread a rumor.”

“A rumor? You mean the rumor that Her Grace is in critical condition?”

Perhaps it was unexpected, because General Fernando flinched.

To spread a rumor… it sounded grotesquely bizarre, no matter how he looked at it.

Still, mindful of their relationship, he forced his chest to settle and continued.

“No. Forgive me for interrupting. Go on.”

“I understand. Normally, you would hide it as tightly as possible. But this is not something that will remain hidden just because you try to conceal it, is it?”

“That is true. Before long… it will spread among the people.”

“Then we might as well make it public ourselves. Would the ones plotting this not react?”

“React…”

At Sir Biden’s words, General Fernando furrowed his brow.

“Well… they would not have done this without reason. They must have been instructed by the Crown Prince outside.”

“Exactly. The moment they hear the news, they will move, one way or another, to contact the outside.”

“And we aim for that?”

General Fernando was not a fool. Sir Biden nodded.

“We must find evidence, sweep away the insolent wretches in one stroke, and make Crown Prince Charles I pay the price for this vile act, must we not, General Fernando?”

“Indeed! Let us do it at once. No— I will assign you trustworthy knights. Take this opportunity and pull them out by the roots.”

And at those words, Sir Biden smiled faintly and replied.

“That is my specialty. Do not worry.”

***

The next day.

Under the pretext of letting the soldiers, exhausted from prolonged fighting at the front, rest, Sir Biden summoned all troops of Bellua Margraviate origin to the center. Aside from them, he split the Duchy of Aquitaine’s direct troops and the soldiers the nobles had brought into small units and pushed them forward, deploying them along the walls. As for the all-important gate area, he blocked it with the confidants General Fernando had sent, preparing for any contingency.

And once every preparation was complete, he immediately placed men on each noble and spread the news that the Duchess of Aquitaine was in danger.

At the very moment when the capital city of the Duchy of Aquitaine—already tense under Crown Prince Charles I’s attacks—was beginning to grow noisy.

“Hm. Then who could the culprit be?”

Magician Azuela, having heard the story up to that point, asked with lively curiosity, as though she found it all fascinating.

“The pro-Catalia faction nobles? Or the nobles from the royal castle? No, wait. Even General Fernando seems possible, does he not? He can approach Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine without raising suspicion. Hoho.”

“Being inclined to suspect everyone is admirable, but… would it not be troublesome to speak such suspicions aloud so freely, Magician?”

Of course, the problem was that such chatter could bring down a great disaster.

“Eek. Ohohoho… I only said it because it is just us.”

At Sir Biden’s stern words, Magician Azuela laughed awkwardly and waved her hands. Thinking about it, she had misspoken.

Was it not said that birds hear what is spoken in the daytime, and mice hear what is spoken at night?

In the royal court, where unseen eyes and ears were everywhere, one had to be careful.

“St-still, I did think it through before I said it.”

As she spoke, Magician Azuela swept her gaze around and whispered softly.

“I saw that the poison was found in the alcohol Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine usually enjoyed. If they knew her tastes, would it not be the work of someone close to her—someone she knows well?”

“Oh…?”

Sir Biden admired Magician Azuela’s observation. She was careless and seemed to have a screw loose, but a magician was still a magician.

There was a reason his lord, the Margrave of Bellua, had told him to seek her counsel and kept her at his side.

“That is naturally a reasonable conclusion. I have also discreetly placed men near General Fernando.”

“Heh. But a moment ago you told me not to suspect people indiscriminately.”

“That was not what I said. I said it was troublesome to speak suspicions aloud recklessly… Magician Azuela?”

“Ah! That is right. Hohoho. My mind really is something.”

“…….”

Sir Biden wondered if he ought to lower his assessment again.

“Of course, I do not believe General Fernando has betrayed us, Lady Azuela.”

“Why not? Because he is a confidant?”

At Magician Azuela’s question, Sir Biden shook his head.

“Do you know what I have learned while executing countless rebels with His Excellency the Margrave? Lady Azuela.”

“What would that be?”

“That people do not act when there is nothing to gain. Most rebels gladly sell their honor in order not to lose what they already have.”

“Ah-ha?”

Only then did Magician Azuela clap her hands with a sharp smack.

“So even if General Fernando sides with the Crown Prince, he has nothing to gain and everything to lose?”

“Yes. That is correct. General Fernando is a noble from outside. The ones who stand to gain from switching sides are the nobles of this region.”

“They could have their rights guaranteed, and even gnaw off a share of directly-managed land?”

“Yes. To them, the ruler is only someone passing through, is she not? In the end, those who take root and live here are the local nobles.”

The main culprit behind this poisoning attempt was more likely a local lord native to the Duchy of Aquitaine than an outsider noble who had followed Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine.

If they could replace the leader and seize more, there was nothing bad about it from their perspective.

“In any case, we will watch. I have scattered my net in every direction, so someone will bite soon enough. We only have to respond well when they do.”

Still, there was no need to jump to conclusions.

One had to keep possibilities open and respond accordingly. With that in mind, Sir Biden waited in calm silence.

Those who had colluded with Crown Prince Charles I would try, no matter what, to deliver this news to him.

The more hurriedly they moved, the more openings they would show. Sir Biden had no intention of missing that moment.

And not long after—

“Sir Biden! We found them! Those damned traitors!”

Sure enough, the traitors were foolish enough to reveal themselves quickly. The moment they heard the news, they were caught at dawn that same night while trying to send a letter outside.

However, the culprit was somewhat unexpected.

“Sir La Rochelle?”

“Is that not a knight who came with General Fernando?”

It was not the pro-Catalia faction noble or the local noble Sir Biden had assumed would betray them, but a knight who had come from outside with General Fernando to escort Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine.

As it turned out, Crown Prince Charles I had promised him a fief in the Duchy of Aquitaine…

To think he had believed it so naively was downright pathetic.

Why would anyone keep such a promise to a mere noble—especially a traitor?

In any case, with the culprit captured and the misunderstanding about the internal nobles cleared away, Sir Biden decided it was time to prepare the next step.

“Send this letter beyond the walls, to the Crown Prince’s camp.”

To bait Crown Prince Charles I.

He intended to show hellfire to the army of Crown Prince Charles I when they came rushing in, delighted by false information.