Chapter 28

Freyer visited the Imperial Main Palace’s Administrative Bureau.

 

“Not here.”

 

He scanned the entire bureau, but there was no clerk named Jaybil. At the sudden visit of the Second Prince, the bureau was in chaos, and the treasury officer hurried down to greet him.

 

“Your Highness, what brings you to the Administrative Bureau?”

 

It was Freyer’s first time here; the entire bureau was overturned. Sweat trickled down the officer’s forehead. Freyer’s expression stiffened.

 

‘He was siphoning off my maintaince allowance.’

 

Aside from the basic expenses for food, clothing, and shelter, Freyer had never cared. That included the maintaince allowance. It meant nothing to him anyway.

 

“If you had any discomfort, Your Highness, you could have simply summoned the chief secretary…”

 

“This is a matter involving the treasury officer. Should I really be talking to the chief secretary about it?”

 

“Ha… ha…”

 

The officer’s eyes rolled at the sharp glint in Freyer’s gaze.

 

“L-let us talk in the Treasury Office.”

 

The moment Freyer sat down, the officer immediately threw himself flat on the ground.

 

“I’m sorry, Your Highness! My children have been ill—all of them—and in desperation I lost my judgment.”

 

“Hm.”

 

“It’s true! I’ll return everything I diverted from the maintaince allowance!”

 

“You did siphon off my maintaince allowance.”

 

“Huh? Isn’t that why you came here?”

 

Startled, the officer lifted his head. His expression showed he’d stepped on his own foot.

 

“T-that was a joke!”

 

“I was testing whether the treasury officer would tell the truth.”

 

There was no retrieving spilled water. Sweat trickled down the officer’s temple.

 

“I knew my allotted maintaince allowance had been reduced. After checking, I heard that a man with no children has been frequenting the pleasure district.”

 

“M-my wife cut off my allowance, so I—!”

 

The sharp voice made him tremble.

 

“S-spare me…”

 

Freyer slowly stroked his jaw.

 

“If you cooperate, I might overlook this.”

 

“Truly? Of course I’ll cooperate!”

 

He nodded frantically.

 

“What do you require?”

 

“A list of all current administrative staff in the bureau.”

 

“Y-you want to see the list?”

 

His expression said, Why would you need that?

 

“Is that a problem?”

 

“N-no! Of course not! I’ll bring it!”

 

He’d expected prison—being let off for simply handing over a list was a relief. He sighed internally and rummaged through the documents. Soon he placed the list before Freyer. Freyer skimmed through it alphabetically.

 

Nothing.

 

He had heard the name Jaybil clearly. But the name wasn’t there—not even a similar one. No clerk with amber hair either. The treasury officer asked nervously: “Is something wrong, Your Highness?”

 

‘He approached me intentionally.’

 

The name Jaybil, the amber hair, the pendant, the audacity to infiltrate the palace under a false identity. Freyer narrowed his eyes.

 

‘He’s leaving breadcrumbs… as if testing me.’

 

And right when Freyer had decided to step forward and search for the truth about his mother’s death.

 

‘I know who it is.’

 

“The one I seek isn’t part of the bureau.”

 

“Oh dear. How unfortunate.”

 

He didn’t look the least disappointed. Freyer handed the list back.

 

“Your Highness… you saw the list, so you’ll overlook this, yes?”

 

“I will. But I’m not sure the Chief Steward will.”

 

“…That’s not what you said!”

 

“Treasury officer. You seem to be forgetting something.”

 

“?”

 

“The maintaince allowance is also state funds.”

 

The officer’s face drained of color.

 

“You do know the penalty for tampering with national funds is severe.”

 

“P-please… not that…”

 

“If you continue to cooperate with me, I’ll see to it you only end up with prison time. How about it?”

 

A groan escaped the man.

 

“I—I’ll cooperate.”

 

 

***

 

 

Even the sound of insects was sharp in the predawn stillness. Freyer walked down the familiar hallway of the tavern, stopping before a wall.

 

Creak—

 

The camouflaged door opened. Freyer stepped in with a blank expression. The information guild master, Bilion, set down the documents he had been reviewing.

 

“What brings the Second Prince to our guild at this hour?”

 

“Interesting.”

 

Freyer approached.

 

Clack—

 

He placed a silver pendant on the desk.

 

“Oh? A pretty pendant.”

 

Bilion brushed aside the hair covering one eye. Freyer lifted an eyebrow.

 

“You look like you want to say you’ve never seen it before.”

 

“How did you know? I’ve truly never seen it.”

 

“You’re unusually uncooperative today.”

 

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

 

If he truly didn’t know, he wouldn’t respond like that. Freyer smirked.

 

“Since you’ve ‘never seen it,’ I suppose you can find its owner.”

 

“That would be difficult.”

 

“I thought so. In that case—”

 

Freyer swiftly drew the blade at his waist and swung.

 

Whoosh— a gust of steel cut the air.

 

“If the guild master doesn’t know, he should.”

 

Something dropped with a soft thud in the previously empty space. Before the halted blade appeared a man with amber hair—a man who looked exactly like Bilion. He raised his hands awkwardly.

 

“Ha… ha…”

 

“Jaybil. You would know, wouldn’t you?”

 

Bilion narrowed his eyes. Jaybil glanced at him pleadingly. He stepped back, but the blade followed close enough to kiss his throat.

 

“Speak before you lose that head.”

 

“B-brother… I’m actually scared, you know.”

 

He begged Bilion with his eyes. Bilion sighed deeply.

 

“Lower the blade. We’ll explain.”

 

“This one seems to have a different agenda from you.”

 

Bilion sighed again.

 

“Jaybil. Drop it.”

 

“It was a reflex! Truly!”

 

Jaybil wiped sweat from his forehead.

 

“You spotted me and I panicked, that’s all.”

 

Bilion glared. Jaybil whimpered and dropped the hidden dagger from his sleeve. Freyer withdrew his blade.

 

“Whew… I almost died.”

 

Jaybil rubbed his throat.

 

“How did you know?”

 

Bilion asked. Freyer folded his arms and looked at the twins.

 

“You kept dropping clues that you were Silvertone.”

 

“What?”

 

“Habits are terrifying. Clerk Jaybil made no sound when walking.”

 

He had bumped into Freyer, yet left no presence. Not weakness—skill. Someone who could erase footsteps could erase his aura as well. Combined with every clue, the conclusion was obvious.

 

“Oh. Sharp, Your Highness.”

 

Jaybil looked amused.

 

“Now explain why Silvertone dropped a pendant engraved with the royal crest.”

 

Freyer’s gaze sharpened. His aura spread through the room. He picked up the pendant.

 

“What do you know?”

 

Jaybil smiled playfully. Bilion began:

 

“That pendant was given to us by our benefactor.”

 

“Benefactor?”

 

Freyer’s brow rose.

 

“Ten years ago, my brother and I were falsely accused and hunted. The benefactor we met then gave us this pendant—saying it would be worth money someday.”

 

“…”

 

“You also met us then, Your Highness.”

 

Freyer’s eyes clouded.

 

‘I remember nothing.’

 

Bilion continued slowly.

 

“But we could not sell it. We kept it, intending to repay our benefactor one day. Once we had the means, we searched. Eventually, by matching the crest and the clues we remembered… we realized our benefactor was Her Highness Felicia.”

 

Freyer’s expression twisted.

 

“Explain.”

 

“We were overjoyed… but devastated to learn she had passed away years ago.”

 

Jaybil added: “Then we discovered something hidden in the pendant.”

 

“A hidden truth?”

 

Jaybil’s gaze locked onto Freyer.

 

“Your Highness, doesn’t anything seem strange about this pendant?”

 

Freyer examined it.

 

‘Aside from age and tarnish… nothing.’

 

“As expected. It’s hard to see.”

 

Jaybil spoke with a firm expression.

 

“Please place it on the table.”

 

Freyer did. The twins nodded at each other. Bilion took out an opaque vial.

 

“Please watch.”

 

He poured the liquid over the pendant. A sharp smell rose with white smoke.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Freyer’s face darkened.

 

When the smoke faded, Bilion spoke:

 

“It should be clearer now.”

 

Freyer grabbed the pendant—now stained with dark green blotches.

 

‘These weren’t here before.’

 

“The liquid reveals traces of poison.”

 

Freyer froze.

 

“Meaning… these stains are poison?”

 

“We believe our benefactor suffered from repeated poisoning. She often coughed.”

 

“…You’re telling me my mother was poisoned—and the traces remained on her pendant.”

 

“Yes. Exactly.”

 

Freyer stared at the pendant, eyes shadowed.

 

‘Poison…?’

 

“When we heard Your Highness was stepping forward into the public eye, we decided it was time.”

 

“Allow us to properly introduce ourselves.”

 

They placed a hand to their chests and bowed.

 

“Bilion, guild master of Silvertone.”

 

“Jaybil, operations captain of Silvertone.”

 

Both grinned.

 

“The Silvertone twins wish to become our benefactor’s son’s allies.”