HERE, THIS IS FOR YOU.
IT'S A GIFT.
TH-THANK YOU.
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO LIE AND SAY IT'S MAGNIFICENT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF PLEASANTRIES,
←HONEST
BUT IT'S NEVERTHELESS A GIFT PERSONALLY MADE AND BESTOWED BY MY LIEGE.
HEHE
IT MIGHT NOT BE MUCH IN COMPARISON, BUT I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU AS WELL.
THIS ISN'T JUST AN ORDINARY ROCK,
BUT AN INCREDIBLE STONE THAT SKIPPED ACROSS THE WATER SEVEN TIMES AND CAME BACK TO ME.
IT'S SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS TREASURED, SO PLEASE ACCEPT IT.
OKAY,
TH-THANK YOU.
WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING...? DO YOU DISLIKE IT THAT MUCH?
NO, I'M LAUGHING BECAUSE I'M THANKFUL.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, GIVE IT BACK.
HAHA, NO WAY.
WHEATON ESTATE
YOUR GRACE, IT SEEMS YOU HAD QUITE AN ENJOYABLE CONVERSATION.
CONVERSATION? IT WAS THE SAME OLD POLITICAL TALK AS ALWAYS.
IF I SEEM PLEASED,
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE TOY IN MY BEDROOM.
I TAKE IT SHE WAS TO YOUR LIKING.
SHE WASN'T IN THE BEST CONDITION, THOUGH. SHOULD I FIND ANOTHER WOMAN WHO LOOKS SIMILAR?
HMM...
MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW IS THE WAR GOING?
MOST PREDICT THAT DAUPHINE WILL WIN.
ANTEVASILLA'S SUPPLY LINES HAVE BEEN CUT, AND SOLDIERS ARE REPORTEDLY SURRENDERING IN DROVES.
WOW, I ASSUMED ANTEVASILLA WOULD WIN.
LIFE TRULY IS UNPREDICTABLE.
IT'S BEEN 500 YEARS SINCE ANTEVASILLA, DAUPHINE, AND PHARNAS WERE DIVIDED INTO SEPARATE NATIONS.
SINCE THE SPLIT, ANTEVASILLA HAS ALWAYS BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY STRONG.
YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO CERTAIN UNTIL EVERYTHING IS OPENED UP AND LAID BARE.
OH, RIGHT.
I'LL BE MEETING THE IMPERIAL CROWN PRINCE SOON.
HE'S COMING HERE HIMSELF?
YES, BUT THE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE AT SEA.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE LAPI SQUADRON.
THEY SAY THOSE FILTHY PIGEON-LIKE CREATURES...
...CARRY MESSAGES SECRETLY THROUGH SKY AND LAND. THOSE WRETCHED BIRDS ARE A NUISANCE.
ONCE I JOIN HANDS WITH THE CROWN PRINCE, WE'LL CLEAN OUT THE ROYAL PALACE SOON ENOUGH.
IF HE'S OPENLY SENDING ENVOYS, HE MUST HAVE HIS OWN SCHEME.
FOR EXAMPLE...
SWALLOWING UP PHARNAS ENTIRELY.
ONCE THE MEETING DATE IS SET, PREPARE A SHIP AT PORT FORTMEIER.
THAT'S THE ONLY ROUTE CONNECTING TO THE EMPIRE, SO WE'LL HAVE TO SLIP THROUGH THE STRAIT WITHOUT DRAWING ATTENTION TO OURSELVES.
TELL THE CROWN PRINCE TO MOVE DISCREETLY AS WELL.
YES, I'LL SEND A LETTER IMMEDIATELY.
OH, AND...
ABOUT FINDING ANOTHER GIRL WHO LOOKS LIKE THE ONE EARLIER...
NO NEED. SOON, I'LL BRING THE REAL ONE INTO MY BEDROOM MYSELF.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT INSOLENT FACE OF HERS IN TEARS.
WHAT? YOU WANT ME TO MONITOR THE PORT?
YOU WANT ME TO CHECK THE SHIPS PASSING THROUGH PORT FORTMEIER?
EVERY SINGLE ONE?
AH, THIS IS NICE.
YES, WE'LL HAVE TO INSPECT NOT ONLY SHIPS DOCKING AT THE PORT, BUT ALSO THOSE PASSING THROUGH THE SURROUNDING WATERS.
AH, THERE'S A LOT OF STEAM.
THAT WON'T BE EASY.
ESPECIALLY SINCE HARBOR WORKERS MIGHT NOT LISTEN TO A NEW GOVERNOR LIKE ME.
I'LL SEND SOME LAPI SOLDIERS. THEY CAN WATCH FROM THE SKIES.
YOU'D ENTRUST SUCH IMPORTANT TROOPS TO ME?
THEY'LL RETURN TO ME ONCE THE MISSION IS FINISHED, SO DON'T WORRY.
IT WON'T BE FOR LONG, ANYWAY.
I WONDERED WHY YOU SUDDENLY SHOWED UP AT MY HOME AND ASKED IF WE COULD BATHE TOGETHER.
WERE YOU WORRIED ABOUT EAVESDROPPING?
EXACTLY... LISTENING EARS CAN BE DANGEROUS.
BY THE WAY...
THE BATHROOMS HERE AT THE RUTHERFORD ESTATE ARE QUITE EXTRAVAGANT.
HMM... IS THIS PERFUME OIL?
IT'S DESERT ROSE OIL FROM THE WEST. THE FRAGRANCE IS QUITE NICE.
SO, WHAT IS THE REASON FOR GIVING ME SUCH AN ORDER?
IS THIS PERHAPS RELATED TO DUKE WHEATON?
+ROSE PETALS
I LIKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
YOU CATCH ON QUICKLY FROM THE SMALLEST HINT.
WHY DOES SHE WANT ME TO KEEP AN EYE ON WHEATON?
IS HE PLOTTING SOMETHING AT SEA?
LIKE DUKE KIEL?
BUT WOULD HE REALLY ATTEMPT SOMETHING SO OBVIOUSLY DOOMED?
I HEARD AN UNUSUAL VISITOR HAS BEEN GOING IN AND OUT OF THE WHEATON ESTATE LATELY...
AN ANTIQUE DEALER FROM THE EMPIRE, APPARENTLY.
THE EMPIRE...?
SURELY NOT...
AS FAR AS I KNOW, DUKE WHEATON DESPISES MERCHANTS ENTERING HIS RESIDENCE.
DID THIS START AFTER THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING?
SO IT SEEMS.
THEN..
COULD HE BE PLOTTING TREASON WITH THE EMPIRE?!
FOR NOW, IT'S ONLY A SUSPICION. THERE'S NO PROOF YET.
FINDING THAT PROOF...
...IS YOUR JOB.
LADY RUTHERFORD??
I SHOULD GET OUT OF THE BATH NOW.
MY BLOOD PRESSURE IS TOO HIGH, YOUR MAJESTY.
The chapter opens with two people exchanging gifts; one presents a handmade gift, the other offers a precious stone that skipped seven times on the water, and they reach an agreement laughing. The scene then shifts to Wheaton Manor. The Duke speaks of the toy in the bedroom, the Dauphine-Antevasilla war, and his secret meeting at sea with the Imperial Crown Prince. He orders a ship to be prepared at Fortmeier Harbor. Meanwhile, in the bath at Rutherford Manor, the surveillance of Port Fortmeier with Lapi soldiers and the suspicion of Wheaton's betrayal with the Empire are discussed.
