Chapter 33: Visit to Ravenknight

Chapter 33

"That's what he did? Impressive." Zarden praised when Raphael retold the story about Adrian's negotiation.

"We also have proof against his wife so we can use it against them and keep them under our firm control," Raphael commented.

"How did you know about that anyway?" Orion asked, a little confused.

"I didn't." Raphael's reply was short but it answered all Orion wanted to know.

"It seems it wouldn't be a bad idea to have him on our side." But the next words of Raphael shocked both Zarden and Orion.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that Raphael hates Adrian more than anyone but here he was, suggesting that Adrian should be on their side.

"Never expected you to say it," Orion spoke, still quite shocked.

"Neither did I, but you weren't there, I was." Although Adrian had denied annihilating the entire Yesral family, Raphael was sure that if Winston had chosen the third option then, Adrian would have delivered.

Also, there was that other thing. "He knows about the Church," Raphael spoke which halted all movements of Zarden and Orion.

The church. The second face of the Cortum empire. The organization that mainly exists to punish the members of the Lux family if they ever went awry.

The pope was just beneath the emperor but the emperor had no right to order him around. The same was true in vice versa.

No one knew of the situation with the church except for those who were actively involved.

"On their side?" Zarden asked. If Adrian knew, then he was involved. The question was, on whose side?

"Neither's," Raphael replied as he once again remembered the white-haired boy whose eyes, although bright, were so cold for a moment that even he felt a chill down his spine.

While they were chatting, another figure, adorned in shining silver armor entered the private room of the emperor.

"You're late." Orion spoke as he addressed the commander of the Silver Knights, Bayren.

"My apologies but my master is very lazy and dumps almost all tasks on me." Bayren sarcastically replied before he took the fourth empty seat.

"Is that so? You should retire then." Orion shamelessly replied. Bayren didn't reply to that shamelessness.

"It's good that you came." Zarden spoke before he added, "We were just discussing Adrian."

"Adrian?" Bayren asked and added, "I just saw an envoy, led by him, leaving for the Ravenknight kingdom."

"What? Why there?" Zarden asked, perplexed as he knew nothing about it.

"No idea. But how they were acting at your banquet, I doubt it is to discuss life." Bayren replied while fixing himself a cup of tea.

"It would be good if he can construct friendly relations with them. Ravenknight kingdom, although friendly, has never been an ally." Orion mentioned while slumping back in his seat.

"It was because of that monster. Even though he has disappeared, he certainly isn't dead. Being forceful in that situation isn't a good idea." Bayern commented.

"But all the marriage proposals from the princes were declined. It makes me wonder what she saw in this rascal." Raphael replied with distaste on his face.

"As long as he can do that, who cares." Orion said before he asked, "What about the church?"

"Their moves are unnaturally aggressive right now. Ever since we caught those spies in the kitchen, they have been moving very fast to contact many nobles." Bayren gave a report.

Zarden remained quiet and spoke after a while, "Then I think it is time to pay some nobles a visit and unlike Count Yesral, some of them aren't so important."

=========

Today was a perfectly normal day in the Ravenknight kingdom. Twelve families were trying their damn hardest to cover their tracks.

The royal family and its loyal subjects were doing their best to fend off their schemes for the thrones.

If there was one thing different, it was their acting queen. Ever since she had returned from the Cortum empire, she had been acting strange.

Getting lost mid conversation, her recent obsession with white things such as her bedsheets, pillows, curtains, and even her furniture was changed to the color white.

She would often giggle or make bold remarks. She wasn't angry about many things ever since her return.

On the other hand, she was actively aggressive against her enemies. If before she was careful, right now she was aggressive in her tactics as if she had thrown out all the caution.

Even the families were trying to figure out what was going on. They had tried everything yet they couldn't figure out why the acting queen was acting like that.

All but her knight, Stewart. He knew the reason for her acting so strange and sometimes, it scared him. He had often seen her hugging her white pillow quite aggressively.

'What has that guy done to her in that short amount of time?' He thought inwardly. In total, Laura and Adrian had three interactions. All of them weren't long enough for that kind of influence.

The first one was simply a staring contest, the second one was a small dance that had taken a slightly different turn. As for the third one, even if they were in a room together, they were in there for far too short time for anything to happen.

Today was a normal day. A new normal day with their queen like that, but normal nonetheless. The families were gathered in the throne room, discussing many things that might seem to be in the favor of the kingdom but were in their favor more.

Laura, declined almost all of them with a smile and unlike before, gave no reason for her rejection. She was just outright declining every proposal they had.

Suddenly, that normal atmosphere was interrupted by a new addition inside the throne room who entered without asking for permission which was a royal crime yet for some reason, he had knowingly broken it.

"How dare you!" A middle aged man spoke angrily. Even Stewart was a little angry but still gave the man a chance.

"It better be important," Stewart said with a scowl on his face.

"My… My apologies, my queen, but… but…" He couldn't just get his words out when Laura spoke gently and calmly, "Calm down and then speak."

"Yes… Yes… My queen, Huff…. Huff… Imperial envoy. An imperial envoy is entering the capital right now." The servant spoke in a loud voice.

Everyone in the room was very shocked when they heard this. Imperial envoy coming here means it was very important for the kingdom. Yet they were made aware of it when the envoy had entered the capital.

However, even if it was the imperial family, they couldn't just waltz in. They had to inform them beforehand yet no one in the room knew about it.

"How could they just come unannounced?" The same middle aged man from before spoke. His tone was displeased and there was agreement from almost everyone in the room.

All the families and even those loyal to the queen were displeased and expressed their discontentment.

Laura, on the other hand, asked without much care, "Who is the representative?"

The throne room went quiet. The servant from before spoke, clearly this time, "The fifth prince and the third crown candidate, Adrian von Deus Lux."

The room calmed down after they heard who it was.

"Ah, it's the defective prince. Then we have nothing to worry about." The same middle aged man from before spoke. Almost everyone in the room laughed at his remark.

But Stewart worriedly looked at his queen who was clenching her fists very hard. "Leave!!!" a loud booming sound spread throughout the room. It was enhanced by mana so it spread throughout the whole room. It wasn't very potent mana with how low ranked it was, but it was enough to convey her anger to the rest.

"Wha----" Someone was about to speak when Laura interrupted him by saying, "Didn't you hear what I said? Leave!!"

The entire room was stunned. The queen wasn't just asking the families to leave. Even her loyal subjects who had laughed at Adrian were being asked to leave.

Although no one understood, no one made the assumption that the queen was angry because they had laughed at Adrian. They just assumed that the queen was angry at the mention of Adrian.

Misunderstanding the situation, they chose to give some space to the queen and started leaving one by one. Even the families left with some dissatisfaction.

Once they were all gone, Laura spoke angrily, "I don't want them to be here until Adrian stays here. What if they disrespect him in his presence? Make sure none of them step into the palace during Adrian's stay."

Stewart wanted to tell his queen that this order was unreasonable, but he didn't want to be thrown out as well so he remained quiet.

=======

The imperial envoy entered the palace grounds. As soon as I exited, I saw a few carriages leaving the palace. I kind of understood why they were leaving.

Anyway, as soon as I walked a few steps, a running Laura came into my view. She was running while holding her black dress, her veil still covering her face.

"Welcome Adrian." She spoke when she saw that I had already exited the carriage. Those with me were displeased when they saw no one to welcome the imperial envoy but I didn't care.

Laura was panting heavily and there were traces of her dress not properly tied. She had dressed in quite some hurry. I smiled and spoke, "Oh how lucky I am to be personally welcomed by you."

The entire squad from Laura's side was shocked to hear our exchange as if between two friends instead of between a prince and an acting queen.

No doubt the rumors of this would spread throughout the kingdom and by evening, the families would become aware of it.

"Come on then, I have prepared lunch for you." She said before she turned around and started walking.

"By yourself?" I teased and she glared at me turning her head slightly. I chuckled slightly and then turned to Stewart, "Stewart was it?"

"Yes, Your Highness." He spoke, attentive to my words.

"Stewart, please have someone take my companions to their rooms," I asked while I signaled Max and Rose to follow me.

"Your Highness, shouldn't we be staying with you?" A silver knight asked. Oi now, that's not a very polite thing to say. It would come off as I don't trust our hosts.

"No need. Just rest and train until our stay." I replied and followed Laura who was staring at me while I was giving orders.

My envoy's people followed Stewart as he personally led them away, and didn't dump the task on someone else.

Soon it was just me, Laura, Rose, Max, and two maidservants going down the massive hallway.

"That was a surprise. You could have at least told me you were coming." Laura spoke while walking straight. I picked up the pace and slowed just behind her.

I fixed the knot from her back and she didn't stop me from doing so. The rest were astonished at what I was doing and even more surprised when Laura, instead of getting angry, thanked me, "Thank you. I must have done it wrong in a hurry."

"No worries." I came next to her and we started walking shoulder to shoulder.

"What was going on before I came?" Her mood changed when I asked that question but she still replied, "Just those parasites. Not only do they have the audacity to steal from my kingdom, but they also dare to insult you. So I threw them out."

Her anger was evident but that wasn't a good move. It was a rash move but it's not like she is at fault. She doesn't have much experience with these kinds of proceedings.

A fact that I intended to change during my stay here.

[It's done]

'Good. We begin tomorrow.'