Chapter 1364: Chapter 1364
The two stern gatekeepers nearly cried out in shock as the strangers materialized from thin air, but the lead man’s voice was so pleasant, so captivating, so utterly reasonable. They subconsciously loosened their grips on their weapons. Their weary minds, already clouded by drowsiness, were twisted and controlled by his deceptive words. Everything they heard instantly cemented itself in their minds as undeniable truth.
The guards stood their halberds aside, clearing the way to the door, and the one on the left promptly opened it for the trio. The two men behind Jenkins exchanged a glance and stepped inside. Jenkins offered the gatekeepers a polite word of thanks before following them in.
The house was dark; its owner was likely asleep. Wary of making any noise, the three of them kept their voices to a whisper. Mr. Hood, his arm in a sling, attempted to communicate with a series of complex hand gestures, but neither Jenkins nor Mr. White Cat could grasp his meaning. Jenkins finally handed him a notepad and pen, prompting Mr. Hood to press a hand to his forehead in frustration.
“Where to now? Should we search for the bedroom, or try our luck in the study for any important documents or letters?”
He wrote with some effort, leaning on a shoe cabinet.
Mr. White Cat gestured with a wave, indicating he had no idea. Jenkins, meanwhile, surveyed the house before taking the pen and writing his reply beneath Mr. Hood’s words:
“There are no Enchanters in the house—neither human nor otherwise. We can afford to be more direct. Let’s just head to the second floor. I doubt we’ll find anything of value down here.” Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on noᴠelfire.net
The lack of any Enchanters met their expectations. After all, the ambassador was likely conspiring with non-human entities, and it would be truly foolish of him to house such conspicuous individuals at home. Furthermore, as a foreign envoy stationed in Nolan, hiring a large contingent of armed guards was already somewhat inappropriate. If he were caught consorting with local supernatural factions, the matter could quickly escalate into a major diplomatic incident.
Reassured, the three infiltrators moved boldly from the first floor to the second. They had planned on heading to the bedroom to give the slumbering ambassador a little surprise, but as they reached the landing, they noticed a sliver of light escaping from beneath the door of the third room down the left-hand corridor—a clear sign that the room was in use.
“...Cheslan or Fidektri, the Duke has yet to make a decision. Though we are a duchy of the Fidektri Kingdom, in times like these, one must choose between loyalty and the future. It is always better to choose the future.”
“So you're saying our superiors believe the Fidektri Kingdom has little chance of winning this war?”
The clink of a teacup being set down on a metal tray followed.
“It's hard to say. While public opinion at home is currently in favor of the Fidektri Kingdom, everyone knows that Her Majesty, the Queen of the Middleton family, does not have long to live. A succession crisis during wartime, especially with no clear heir to the throne, means the Fidektri Kingdom is facing far greater troubles than Cheslan.”
“There's some truth to that. Without the Queen's firm hand, even if the Fidektri Kingdom finds a successor who pleases everyone, it will be difficult to stabilize the country's political situation in a short time. The only wildcard right now is Jessica Windsor. She's an incredibly resourceful woman, and it's clear to any observer that the Queen intends to groom this girl from her mother's side of the family to become...”
“Careful. We shouldn't speak of such things so lightly, even when it's just the two of us.”
A chair scraped against the floor, the sound of someone rising to their feet.
“You're right. My mistake. It's a pity Miss Windsor's place in the line of succession is so low. Otherwise, she'd be more than enough to shake up the current state of affairs.”
“Wilson, it seems you've been stuck in Nolan for so long that your information from Bel Diran is out of date. Windsor is now seventh in the line of succession.”
“Impossible! How did she manage that?”
Even without seeing his face, the ambassador’s shock was palpable in his voice.
“Some of the people ahead of her have died. Naturally, her position has risen.”
the stranger's voice explained.
“You don't mean... she's the one who...”
“Have you been stationed in Nolan so long you've lost all political sense? I'm more inclined to believe this is Cheslan's doing, not Windsor's. Don't forget, the current first in line is one of their own. If they eliminate everyone with a strong claim, leaving only their candidate and a few others with distant blood ties, then no matter how reluctant the court may be, they'll have little choice but to accept the inevitable.”
The three eavesdroppers exchanged another glance. It seemed they had stumbled upon something truly explosive.
“If they find us, you don't think they'll try to silence us, do you?”
Mr. Hood scribbled on the notepad.
“I doubt it. We're eavesdropping on the envoy from the Duchy of Ancor, not a private conversation involving the envoys from Cheslan or Hamparvo. We should be fine.”
Mr. White Cat wrote, then gestured for Jenkins to add his thoughts.
Jenkins took the pen, about to suggest they storm the room, guns drawn, and force the two men to spill everything they knew about the non-human entities. Just as he started to write, however, the ambassador's voice came through the door again:
“Whatever the outcome of the war, our nation must endure. That's why we need to be prepared for either eventuality.”
“This is more than preparing for two outcomes; you're preparing for three. To be frank, Wilson, our superiors are already aware of what you've been doing with those disgusting monsters. I was sent to speak with you tonight for one final confirmation: what could possibly drive you to do something so insane? By dawn, the Orthodox Church will likely have people here. There's no escape for you.”
“They already know? So it was her... You really can't trust women, especially not the beautiful ones... In truth, there's no particularly special reason.”
The three men outside heard the pop of a wine cork, followed by the sound of liquid splashing into a glass.
“They have my wife, Vella. If I don't do as they say, my wife and my child will die. It's as simple as that.”
The sound of wine being gulped down reached them, and Jenkins heard Mr. White Cat swallow hard beside him.
“Have you considered that your actions will not only cost you your wife and child, but likely your entire family as well?”
“They won't be. They've all put their faith in that dreadful organization. As we speak, my family is already far from the Duchy of Ancor, sailing to an island overseas owned by that damned Treehouse. I'm the only one you'll be able to catch.”