Chapter 77: The Archive Keeper

The third day of Spiritual Week was the Theological Debate.

It was a day of open discussion, where Church scholars, visiting nobles, and anyone with a robe and an opinion could argue about scripture until their throats gave out.

Prince Godfrey had once been the star of this event. People still spoke of the year he’d dismantled three bishops in a single afternoon, and he was expected to take the stage again.

He didn’t show up.

Word was that he had business in the Emerald Palace and couldn’t make it.

Not that anyone believed that.

"Have you noticed he’s been different lately?"

"I heard he’s arrogant now."

"Dismissive, too. He mocked Sister Aurel to her face last week and when he was called by Cardinal Feldwin for cautioning he completely ignored him. Can you imagine—?!"

"Nonsense. This is the First Prince we’re talking about. The most decent one of the lot. I think we should exercise a little more faith in him, we’re always quick to turn against royalty."

The whispers were split down the middle, and the pews were packed with people who wanted to argue about it.

Strangely, the Church wasn’t the only place that was missing someone today.

"I’m coming with you!"

Prussia said, blocking the door of the carriage with her lean muscular arms crossed.

"...Or have you forgotten I’m your bodyguard?"

"I’ll be fine. I just need to head to the palace for a bit."

"Then I’ll stand behind you and say nothing!"

"Prussia, no."

She blinked with her mouth slightly open.

Beside her, Alpis had gone very still and her big eyes were filling up fast with salty tears.

"M-, Master... you don’t want to take Alpis?"

Adonis sighed, then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to the top of her forehead.

"Be good for me, okay? I’ll bring you something."

"Hmph. Of course you’d bring something, I can’t imagine a human not gifting Alpis’s excellence!"

Alpis folded her arms over her small chest proudly, and her tears dried up on the spot.

Prussia wasn’t worried. She’d been turned away by the Fifth Prince more times than she could count, and she’d long since stopped taking it personally.

So when he turned to her and leaned in too, she didn’t get what was happening until he also gave her a forehead kiss.

"Sorry. I’ll make it up to you."

He climbed into the carriage and left.

Prussia stood in the street for a full minute with her hand over her head, and she didn’t hear Alpis calling her name.

...

The Emerald Palace was the most beautiful landmark in the entire kingdom.

Centuries ago, a mountain of pure emerald had fallen from the sky. Nobody knew where it came from, only that it landed, and the people who found it didn’t tear it apart. They carved it, and the palace they built is that same mountain that glows green when the sun hit its walls.

Even Princess Claire’s sword was made from it.

Visitors came from across the continent to stare at it, but if you asked the nobles of Falsbane what their favorite place in the palace was, most of them would give you the same answer.

The Royal Archive.

Old land records, trade ledgers, and tax filings, centuries of official paperwork. A clever noble could read a few shelves and walk out with enough strategy to double his estate.

And right now, Adonis was strolling between those shelves with his hands behind his back, pulling out a record, glancing at the spine, and putting it back.

That’s when he noticed a girl at the end of the aisle.

She was kneeling on the floor, sorting a stack of records.

She had short, thick brown hair and a pair of glasses far too large for her little head, and she kept pushing them back up her nose without looking up.

’I know her.’

Adonis tilted his head.

’She’s from the novel. She didn’t have many scenes, so I can’t remember her name... but she’s one of the people in charge of the archives.’

Only very few, strategic men can appreciate and understand the attraction a lady like her had.

He walked over.

"Excuse me. I’d like to request a record."

The young lady didn’t look at him. Her eyes never left the papers in her hands.

"What would that be?"

"Records on the nobles, and which sector of the economy each of them is in charge of."

He knew it was silly to be that direct with confidential records like that, but more often than not, being naive gets the work done.

She chuckled without humor.

"What a silly request."

Then she looked up.

A handsome young man was standing over her with a cool smile and his hands behind his back.

Her expression changed all at once.

Suddenly her boredom was gone.

"...!"

Then she panicked.

She patted down her hair, fixed her glasses, and wiped at her cheek with her sleeve, smearing off a streak of chicken sauce she’d been wearing all morning. She got up from her knees, except she didn’t stand all the way, staying hunched over, like she’d rather be shorter than him.

Then she said nothing.

It went on a little too long, so Adonis tried again.

"...So, can I, uh, get the records?"

"Uh! Uhm, er..."

Her face went red, and she smiled against her will as her hands waved all over the place.

"Sorry! I really wish I could, but it’s not allowed! All the names are redacted. Even highborn nobles can’t see the companies that the sector heads are partnered with."

Adonis moved a step closer.

"Hmm. But you know, right?"

She pushed her glasses up, maybe to hide her blush.

"W-, Well, I do. But only because I have to update the records when the noble in charge of a sector changes."

"Ehh?"

Adonis scratched the back of his head.

"What do you mean, partnered companies? Do nobles have sports teams for companies, or something like that?"

She gave him an odd look.

’He doesn’t seem too bright. Oh, now I understand why he’s so beautiful, he’s the Fifth Prince, the one people call a wastrel and waste of money. Wow, that’s unfortunate, even if I have a chance with a man this good-looking, Father would never allow it.’

She gave him a pitiful look.

To think someone could be this stupid.

"It’s easier if I just show you."

She led him to another corner, where the shelves were labeled by sector, and every sector had its own partnered companies listed in thick, dusty volumes. She explained how it worked, pointing at the shelves one at a time.

Adonis wasn’t listening. He was looking past her, at a record on the shelf behind her head.

[Seasonings]

He walked toward her.

"Wha— what are you doing?"

She took a step back, then another.

"Y-, Your Highness?"

Her back hit the shelf, and Adonis’s perfectly symmetrical face was right in front of hers.

She was beet red, and couldn’t think of anything to say, so she said the first thing that came out.

"Uhm... hi..."

"Hey." Adonis smiled.

Her eyes were locked on him, and she didn’t notice his hand sliding behind her to pull the [Seasonings] record off the shelf.

Then his other arm grabbed her waist.

"Eep!"

He spun her around, and while she was squeaking, the record disappeared under his jacket.

"I-, It’s Lena!" she blurted. "My name. It’s Lena."

"That’s a pretty name."

Lena jolted upright.

"Oh! Uhm! I have a thing I’m late for, and now I wish I didn’t, because... and also..."

She kept on rambling and walking backward, even with her eyes entirely on his face.

Adonis nodded along to every word, and she kept going.

"Lena."

"Yes?!" she answered, a bit too eagerly.

"Watch your head."

"Oh. Uh... yes. Yes."

She gave a small, nervous wave.

"BYEEE!"

...

Adonis sat down at a reading table, opened the record, and flipped through the pages.

His plan was simple. Find the companies that bought the most from the Seasonings sector, ask them questions, and use that to find the noble in charge. Then he’d do a bulk purchase and ship the supplies to Rensfell.

Usually, getting information about a sector head would be the second hardest task of all. Becoming legitimate enough to deal with a ministry took a mountain of paperwork, and a lot of time.

But Baron Thale had a big reputation after his generous donation at the auction. That would open the door.

He barely got through the list.

The top partner of the Seasonings sector was the Halcyon Corporation.

Adonis leaned back in his chair.

’Well... that makes sense. Halcyon covers every branch of the market. Of course seasonings would be in there somewhere.’

He slouched against the bench.

If anyone knew the noble in charge, it would be the Halcyon family. Which meant he’d have to ask them directly, and the only person who might actually tell him was...

"...Ger, Gertrude."

He shivered disgustedly at the utterance of her name.