“I have summoned my great-uncle here for no other reason than to discuss the bandits that have been rampant in the eastern part of the kingdom recently. A new fact about them has come to light—Pascal.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

King Thorvald of Canaria called out the name of the Duke of Dragnaut.

Duke Dragnaut bowed and then turned to speak to Duke Clovis.

“Your Excellency Daren. The bandits who had been raiding our eastern territories had fled to the Maris Mountains, which border the empire, but they have been annihilated recently by adventurers who accepted a quest to subdue them.”

“Is that so? That is indeed welcome news. However, the very fact that you, a duke, allowed bandits to run rampant in your territory in the first place is a failure, a great failure indeed.”

Duke Clovis, who had scolded Duke Dragnaut in a stern tone, slightly furrowed his brows.

There was an unexpected detail in Duke Dragnaut’s words.

“Putting that aside, did you say that adventurers subdued the bandits? Not your daughter?”

“Yes. Given the location, Astrid opted to use adventurers instead of mobilizing regular troops.”

Hearing this, Duke Clovis deepened the wrinkles between his eyebrows.

The elderly duke voiced his doubts.

“The bandits holed up in the Maris Mountains were ravaging the eastern region, weren’t they? I can’t imagine it being done by just a hundred or two hundred men. How many adventurers did you hire?”

“Just one.”

“…What? What did you say?”

“I said just one, Your Excellency. The bandits of the Maris Mountains were swept away by Lord Sora—the Dragonslayer.”

Hearing the word “Dragonslayer,” Duke Clovis raised his right eyebrow in disbelief.

Of course, Duke Clovis was aware of the existence of the four Dragonslayers who had slain the venomous Hydra that appeared in the Titis Forest.

However, he did not take all the stories circulating in the streets at face value.

Duke Clovis, who had lived in the Kingdom of Canaria for nearly seventy years, had never once heard of mythical creatures appearing from the Titis Forest. Thus, when suddenly told, “A legendary venomous dragon has appeared in the Titis Forest, and by chance, four warriors happened to be there and defeated it,” he found it hard to believe outright.

Given the contamination of the forest, it was undeniable that a considerably troublesome poisonous beast had appeared, but whether it was a true dragon species was something Duke Clovis found doubtful.

Therefore, he had scarcely paid any mind to the existence of the Drago nslayer in the recent events. The Dragon slayer had not attended the previous wedding ceremony and was presumably abroad, a fact that contributed to Duke Clovis not including the Dragon slayer in his calculations.

“Is that so? Now that I think about it, your second daughter moved to the Dragonslayer’s residence, didn’t she? It’s good that you’ve found a reliable son-in-law. So, you’re saying the bandits were wiped out by the Dragon slayer, but that’s not the end of it, is it?”

As Duke Clovis inquired about what had happened, Duke Dragnaut nodded seriously.

“Your Excellency is correct in your surmise. The bandits had hidden several ballistae in the mountains. They likely intended these as trump cards, especially if a dragon knight came for a subjugation.”

“So, they didn’t attack the eastern territory without any plan. Hm, ballistae, you say? Such things are not possessions that a mere band of bandits could have, especially not several of them.”

Duke Clovis said this with a slight squint.

Then, crossing his arms and thinking, he began to share his speculation.

“Creating siege weapons requires considerable skill. It’s not something that can be made in any street or village. If we can determine where they were made, perhaps we could expose the force behind the bandits.”

“Astrid had the same thought as you, Your Excellency, and had the captured ballistae examined. It seems the winches on the ballistae possessed by the bandits are strikingly similar to those made in the Adoastera Empire.”

“Indeed!”

Duke Clovis’s eyes widened in apparent surprise, then he sharply turned his gaze towards Queen Consort Sakuya, who had not spoken a word until now.

To the old duke, the young girl, who could be his granddaughter or even great-granddaughter in age, was met with a gaze as cold as winter lake water.

“The Crown Princess is here without the Crown Prince. I thought it strange, but now I see. So, the empire is behind this disturbance, and the Crown Princess is involved.”

Duke Clovis nodded as if he had come to a realization.

However, Duke Dragnaut immediately shook his head, denying the old duke’s assumption.

“No, Your Excellency, that is not the case. While it is highly likely that the ballistae possessed by the bandits were made in the empire, concluding this incident is the empire’s doing based solely on that is premature. Moreover, according to Astrid, the leader of the bandits, when slain by Lord Sora, left his last words as ‘Glory to the empire.'”

“And what of it? Isn’t that the most substantial proof that this incident was the work of the empire?”

“Your Excellency. Would conspirators from another country openly carry their nation’s equipment and leave words upon death that acknowledge their country’s involvement? It seems to me that there are those who wish to make this incident appear as the work of the empire, and the bandits were acting under such intentions.”

Upon hearing Duke Dragnaut’s words, Duke Clovis snorted derisively.

Then, he spoke to Duke Dragnaut as if to enlighten him.

“Pascal. Not all those who plot conspiracies are perfect and infallible. It’s not easy to procure as many as five ballistae in another country. The empire likely had no choice but to use their own. The same goes for the bandit leader. Facing death, he might have inadvertently blurted out something about his homeland.”

“Your Excellency, with respect, the likelihood of that being the case this time is quite low. Do you recognize the name Ines Kiesling?”

Upon hearing the name uttered by Duke Dragnaut, Duke Clovis narrowed his eyes slightly.

After a moment, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Ines Kiesling… Hmm, it sounds somewhat familiar, but I can’t recall. What about this person?”

“Ines was once a knight serving our country. He was elevated from commoner status, had a strong sense of patriotism, and although it’s a delicate matter in front of Her Highness the Crown Princess, he harbored a strong animosity towards the empire. After causing a scandal and being stripped of his knighthood, he disappeared, but the leader of the bandits killed in the Maris Mountains was indeed this Ines.”

“Is that so?”

“Astrid was once in the same unit as Ines. Though his appearance had changed somewhat, there was no doubt it was him, she has stated.”

Unknown to Duke Clovis, Ines had never dreamed that Astrid would remember him, which is why he had told no one about his connection to her.

Reluctantly, Duke Clovis nodded at Duke Dragnaut’s words.

“I see. If the leader of the bandits was indeed a citizen of our kingdom, it seems unlikely he would think of the empire at his last moment. However, Astrid knew Ines as a knight, not the man he became after leaving that life. It’s possible he bore a grudge for being made to leave the knighthood and pledged loyalty to the empire.”

“Of course, that possibility exists. But so does the possibility that it’s not the case. Hence, we plan to investigate the trail of Ines after he left knighthood to ascertain who he was acting under.”

“While that approach is prudent, isn’t it somewhat indirect? Damage has already been done to the people. Even at the risk of being criticized for haste, I believe we should take more decisive action now. I didn’t mention it before, but it’s also possible to think that the empire deliberately used its own equipment to divert suspicion.”

Duke Clovis passionately argued.

At this point, Sakuya, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.

“Excuse me, Duke Clovis, but there is no possibility that the empire is involved in this matter. I can assert that on my honor.”

At the Crown Princess’s words, the elderly duke displayed a mocking smile.

“Given Your Highness’s position, I suppose you have no other choice but to say that. However, the fact remains that the bandits possessed imperial weapons. Even with Your Highness’s honor, that fact cannot be undone.”

“If Duke Clovis wishes, we can have Lord Zeram here apply the ‘Lie Detection Sense-Lie’ to me. What do you think, Lord Zeram?”

Asked by Sakuya, Zeram responded with a composed demeanor.

“If it is a request from Her Highness the Crown Princess, I cannot refuse. I also hold the position of a priest in the Law God Church, so conducting a judgment with ‘Lie Detection Sense-Lie’ poses no problem.”

“Lord Zeram has stated his willingness, but what are your thoughts, Duke Clovis?”

To this inquiry, Duke Clovis responded bluntly.

“With all due respect, only the practitioner can discern the truth with ‘Lie Detection Sense-Lie.’ It relies on trust in the practitioner. I don’t mean to insult Lord Zeram, but the Law God Church is the state religion of the Empire, and the Pope descends from imperial nobility. It’s fair to say the Empire and the Law God Church enjoy a close relationship. How much can we trust the testimony of a practitioner from the Law God Church proving the innocence of Her Highness, who is an Imperial?”

As Duke Clovis spoke, Zeram furrowed his brows, about to retort.

But before the church knight could speak, Duke Clovis continued.

“Moreover, the mere presence of a ‘Lie Detection Sense-Lie’ practitioner at this critical moment is unnatural in itself. Knowing there might be doubts about oneself, it seems prearranged to bring them along. Naturally, to conspire—”

“Great-uncle!”

King Thorvald, dropping even the superficial courtesies due to the Crown Princess, interrupted Duke Clovis, who was unleashing his distrust towards the Empire and the Law God Church like a flood.

Sitting on the throne, the King interrupted the old duke’s eloquence with a bitter face, urging caution.

“You’ve gone too far. Speaking from evidence is one thing, but speculation and slander should be restrained.”

“With all due respect, it’s precisely because Your Majesty is so lenient that those from the Empire take advantage. Have you forgotten the founding principles of our nation? The Kingdom of Canaria was established by the cities of the western continent uniting against the ambitions of the Empire. And yet, Your Majesty seeks to introduce Imperial blood into the royal family. Can you not hear the lamentations of your father and grandfather from beyond the grave?”

Mentioning the late king, his father, and his grandfather, the current King frowned in displeasure.

Truth be told, the King himself was not entirely without reservations about introducing Imperial blood into the Canarian royal family. Duke Clovis’s words struck a sore spot.

However, times are always changing. The Kingdom of Canaria is blocked to the east by the Adoastera Empire, to the south by the Holy Kingdom of Caritas, with the sea to the north and desert to the west, leaving little room for expansion.

Meanwhile, the Empire has continued to expand since the foundation of the Canaria Kingdom, and the disparity in national power between the two countries is only widening.

Persisting in hostility towards the Empire in line with the founding ideals would likely lead to the kingdom’s downfall before long.

For the King, the recent marriage was a bitter decision made to avoid that fate. It was not a capitulation to Imperial pressure, nor was it being dazzled by the substantial aid offered by the Empire under the guise of the marriage.

Duke Dragnaut understood the situation, whereas Duke Clovis did not grasp it at all.

Originally, Duke Clovis harbored a strong hostility towards the Empire, but he also possessed the ability to analyze situations and the flexibility to compromise when considering benefits and disadvantages. That’s why he had been able to serve as the foremost senior vassal for so long.

However, it seems now the old duke’s animosity towards the Empire had solidified into hatred, blinding his eyes and heart. The current Duke Clovis would likely do anything out of hatred for the Empire without questioning his actions.

At this point, the King became convinced that Duke Clovis was behind the incidents. Glancing at Zeram, the church knight silently nodded in agreement.

The King called out to Duke Dragnaut with a heavy sigh.

“…Pascal.”

“At your service.”

Duke Clovis, observing the exchange between the King and Duke Dragnaut, shone his eyes suspiciously.

“What is it, Pascal? If you, as the leading vassal, had advised His Majesty, such things would not have—”

“Your Excellency, why did you know there were five ballistae?”

“…What?”

Taken aback by the abrupt question, Duke Clovis blinked in confusion.

Duke Dragnaut pressed further, addressing the puzzled Duke Clovis.

“Earlier, Your Excellency said, ‘It’s not easy to procure as many as five ballistae in another country.’ Let me ask again, why did you know there were five ballistae? I merely mentioned that the bandits had hidden several ballistae in the mountains.”