FDPKH 03

Chapter 3

I reabsorbed the divine power I had formed into an orb. Then I stretched my stiff body this way and that to loosen up.

“Mmm… Well then, should I quit the imperial palace?”

If it came down to it, the position of head maid of the imperial palace could be a good one.

But from my standpoint—needing to go meet him—this position was a shackle.

Besides, I didn’t know what the emperor might order me to do.

If I got caught up in troublesome matters, it would only be a headache for me.

Above all, if they had been abandoned by Adelta, their divine power would be gradually fading. If my abilities were discovered in the meantime, that would be a problem. The method for stealing divine power is simpler than one might think, so if I revealed my power through a single moment’s mistake, I’d be as good as dead on the spot.

And I’d return to this moment again.

“Well, it seems this possessed body had her own reasons for becoming head maid… but for now, being free in status makes it easier to move around.”

Fortunately, since she was on sick leave for being ill, quitting would be easy. If I said that my illness had worsened and I wanted to look around various places before I died, the emperor would probably just say fine without much fuss.

The reason this body became head maid was, according to the emperor, simply that she was tight-lipped and handled work cleanly. But before he could assign me anything secret, I’d already said I was ill and would rest, so he probably wouldn’t pay me much mind.

I sat at the desk and wrote a letter of resignation.

Then I noticed a pile of unread letters stacked to one side.

“Philip Belgismain—this body’s father.”

I opened a letter. As expected, it was a threatening letter in messy handwriting demanding money be sent home immediately. I couldn’t make out what exactly he was threatening because the handwriting was so messy, but since I was organizing things anyway, I decided to clean this up too.

In order to meet him and start over in the North, I should tidy up this background at least.

I took out a new sheet of paper and wrote with care.

*Go eat shit.*

—

The preparatory stage for making Logan Fenatos emperor.

*Meet the Grand Duke and figure him out.*

Whatever the operation, the very first step in designing it was to identify friend and foe. If it’s someone the possessed body knows well, I can figure them out through her memories. But this time, perhaps because they weren’t directly acquainted, there wasn’t much to know.

The memories and emotions the possessed body felt toward the Grand Duke were simple yet intense.

That was “fear.”

The image of the Grand Duke she first saw at the Founding Festival banquet two years ago instilled fear in the possessed body.

A physique so huge and ferocious it was hard to believe he was an ordinary human. And black hair and black eyes that gave no sense of imperial sacredness—only roughness. Even a menacing aura like a demonic beast.

The memory of how terrifying he was—as if anyone caught in his path would be crushed to bits—remained clearly in the possessed body.

When the Grand Duke, who appeared at the Founding Festival banquet with such a menacing aura, first faced the emperor, a silent tension hung over all the nobles and servants. The Grand Duke’s aura at that time was so ominous that there was even murmuring about whether a rebellion might break out on the spot.

But the Grand Duke knelt before the emperor in front of the nobles.

He begged forgiveness for the fault of a nephew who had not come to see him until now. At the Grand Duke’s action, the emperor looked flustered, but soon smiled gently and embraced his nephew.

Ah, that moment had truly seemed like a tearful moment of family affection.

But the quick-witted maids who had worked in the imperial palace for a long time noticed at that moment.

That though the emperor’s eyes and mouth were smiling, he held a knife inside.

After that, the emperor gave the Grand Duke holy water, calling it a gift for a grown nephew. And the Grand Duke became the emperor’s loyal dog, obeying his commands. The price for those commands was always holy water.

The purpose of that holy water was rather clear. Rumors were widespread that the health of the Grand Duke’s mother, Aelita, the former crown princess, was not good.

Even now, two years later.

“Hmm-hmm—”

“You look happy.”

I hummed a song with my head resting on Grandma Sophia’s shoulder.

The wagon had stopped for a moment. Everyone except me and Grandma Sophia was fast asleep. The center of the North, where the Grand Duke’s castle was, was right before us, but it seemed passage took a little time—we hadn’t entered yet.

Being near the castle walls meant there was no threat from demonic beasts, but the threat of wild animals remained. So, to avoid the cold as well, we had built a few campfires around the wagon and were taking a rest.

I held the grandmother’s wrinkled hand and said,

“Hehe. I just have a feeling things will go well.”

When I grinned, Grandma Sophia smiled too and stroked my head. I closed my eyes, feeling that touch.

I don’t know how good the holy water the emperor gave was.

But seeing that even now, two years later, there was no news of the Grand Duke’s mother recovering, it was certainly an enormous cheap knockoff.

So, watching his mother’s condition not improve despite taking the holy water all that time, the Grand Duke’s thoughts were obvious.

Namely: “The holy water bestowed by the emperor is suspicious.”

If, while thinking that, he learned that a maid from the imperial palace was coming to the North, the Grand Duke would definitely seek me out.

Of course, in a situation where he suspects the holy water bestowed by the emperor, he might suspect me as well. He might think I came with some scheme. And because of that suspicion, he might just ignore me.

Then I just need to make it so he absolutely can’t ignore me.

I used rumors to announce my arrival. In the village where I stayed before boarding this wagon, I deliberately mingled with gossipy aunties. They made all sorts of guesses about my identity based on my refined behavior and appearance, and when their curiosity reached its peak, I subtly dropped a hint.

That I had “served the most noble and exalted personage.”

And now the moment had come for the rumors I’d sown to show their effect.

Amid the crackling of the campfire came heavy footsteps. The footsteps were quite cautious, but they didn’t seem to be trying to hide. Apart from me, who is sensitive, even Grandma Sophia, who had been dozing, and the other sleeping people all woke at the sound.

The man who appeared beyond the blazing campfire looked a little smaller in build than the image of the Grand Duke from the possessed body’s memories. And above all, he was a man with pale blue eyes, not black hair and black eyes.

The man, neatly dressed at a glance, greeted politely with his right hand placed over the opposite side of his chest.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Orton Crow, serving His Grace the Grand Duke.”

“Th-the Grand Duke?”

It wasn’t only Grandma Sophia who was surprised by the man’s words. The others, who had risen half-asleep at Orton’s presence, also jumped up in surprise.

I patted the grandmother’s hand. Then I spoke to the man who introduced himself as Orton.

“Peace be with you. I am Aria Belgismain. But what brings someone serving His Grace the Grand Duke here so suddenly…?”

“I have come by His Grace’s command to escort the head maid.”

“Oh my. At such a late hour?”

The sun had already set. To begin with, visiting an unmarried noble’s castle at such a late hour was not a common occurrence. And he would know that too.

But he simply shrugged and said,

“I tried to dissuade him as well, but what power do I have? I was simply ordered to escort the former head maid politely, so I have no choice but to obey. Isn’t that so for both of us?”

“Ahaha. But I haven’t yet been granted permission to enter the city and am waiting. I’ll probably be able to enter tomorrow. Perhaps even the day after.”

“That is no problem at all. His Grace the Grand Duke has permitted it—who would object? The head maid need only come in comfortably.”

“…I see.”

The greeting was the palace etiquette used for high-ranking superiors within the imperial palace.

The title was “head maid,” a position I had long since quit.

On top of that, wasn’t that a prickly remark implying, “You’d have come because of orders too, wouldn’t you?”

I smiled faintly at Orton Crow’s needless battle of nerves.

“Then would you let all these people in as well?”

Perhaps it was an unexpected question—Orton Crow’s formal smile twisted oddly for a moment. And I was not one to miss that moment.

I spoke with a bright smile.

“Surely, if someone like me—a fallen noble—receives such special treatment, the merciful Grand Duke wouldn’t make his own territory’s people spend the night outside, would he?”

“Mmm…”

Having heard nothing of the sort, Orton seemed to ponder for a moment. I ignored him and took both of Grandma Sophia’s hands. Then, wearing my brightest smile, I said to her,

“I’ve heard plenty in the Imperial Capital about how merciful His Grace the Grand Duke is! Why, they say he puts his people’s safety first and rides out to subdue demonic beasts so promptly! A lord like that will surely let us in right today!”

“W-will he?”

“Of course!”

A subtle anticipation spread across Grandma Sophia’s face.

The grandmother’s son and his wife ran an inn in a city near the Grand Duke’s castle, but the two had suddenly fallen ill at the same time, so there was no one to look after their young grandchild, and she was hurrying there. But stuck here unable to move, she had been unable to sleep late into the night out of worry.

They said it was a hastily departing wagon—and indeed, there were many people here with stories similar to the grandmother’s. So anticipation bloomed on the others’ faces as well.

Reading their expressions, Orton was flustered for a moment, then finally let out a sigh. Refusing here would damage the Grand Duke’s prestige, and letting them through would mean allowing people of unclear identity to pass—either way was a problem.

“Understood. We’ll do a simple check and then let you in…”

That was the moment the loser was decided.