Chapter 351
Damon rested his chin on his hand, remaining silent.
With each tap of his fingertips on the table, the courtiers felt the atmosphere grow heavier. Their eyes flicked nervously, finally settling on Timothy, silently pleading for him to say something—anything.
Timothy swallowed and slowly flipped through the papers.
“Your Majesty, if the Clifford side were going to contact us, they would have done so by now. Since there’s been no message at all, it seems clear they intend to conceal the sudden deaths of their envoys. Perhaps it would be wise to send another envoy.”
“I agree. They’re likely withholding any information to avoid complications. If we delay, who knows what tricks they might use to escape. Sending someone again might be necessary.”
“There are widespread rumors that a black moon appeared over the Clifford palace. It’s quite possible that one or two have died…”
Knock, knock.
At that moment, footsteps sounded outside. Damon straightened from his resting position and quickly ordered the door to be opened. A hurried courtier entered, handing a neatly folded letter to Timothy.
“It’s an urgent dispatch from Clifford.”
“How many have died?”
“Well…”
Timothy glanced at Damon before cautiously reading aloud.
“The envoys are reportedly suffering from high fevers and chills and are currently being treated in Clifford. There’s no mention of any deaths.”
The courtiers exchanged puzzled frowns and whispered among themselves. What on earth was going on? Had the poison failed to work? Or had something gone wrong midway?
Damon’s violet eyes scanned the letter, then he let out a short, bitter laugh.
“Such a long-winded lie.”
“If you say it’s a lie…”
“The envoys are already dead. But Clifford is trying to dodge responsibility by sending this message. It seems they’ve realized that Burgos is hiding its fangs.”
“Then what should we do? Should we send another envoy to gather evidence and a pretext…?”
“No. Even if we send someone, they won’t return. It’s pointless. Better to recall our spies planted in the palace and gather all the rumors circulating in Clifford’s streets. We need to understand exactly what’s happening inside.”
“Understood, Your Majesty. I will make the necessary contacts. Should we assume there are still mages involved?”
“Almost certainly. But there’s something odd.”
Damon lightly brushed his shimmering hair and muttered to himself.
He knew about the skirmish between Clifford and Bariel’s mages at the border. He also learned from Luswena’s reports that most of the magic department had been dispatched to Clifford’s palace.
But why weren’t the mages returning to Bariel?
The excuse of protecting Clifford was too flimsy. They weren’t official allies yet, and leaving the imperial palace undefended was a grave risk.
“Ian is said to be in trouble, but I don’t know what exactly.”
The boy had risen to the position of Minister of Magic at a young age, but Damon couldn’t fathom why he seemed so defeated.
“…Maybe I should send Timothy?”
Everything was murky—like wading through muddy water, unable to see an inch ahead, relying only on instinct.
If he sent Timothy into that mess, perhaps he could pull something out of it. Especially since Ian’s attitude toward Timothy seemed to go beyond mere diplomacy.
“Your Majesty?”
“Ah.”
Timothy called out worriedly, and Damon snapped back to attention, nodding slightly.
“First priority is to confirm the deaths of the envoys. It seems Bariel is looking for a way to intervene through Clifford, so we must be thorough. Everyone understands, yes?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Of course. We will obey.”
“Leave it to me.”
“But, Your Majesty…”
As the meeting was wrapping up, a courtier raised his hand hesitantly, fiddling with petitions arriving from the provinces.
“The nobles are gathering their private armies smoothly, but some families want to reclaim their ancestral treasures first. They’re worried about chaos and mismanagement once the war begins.”
Burgos’ palace forces alone weren’t enough, especially considering the population difference with Clifford.
The only way to turn the tide was to unite the nobles’ scattered military power. To do that, they needed to ensure the jewels previously sent as tribute to Bariel were properly accounted for.
“They sure worry a lot. Did you tell them they’d get their treasures back once they come to the capital?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Send them letters sealed with the palace’s stamp as proof. Nobles will be nobles, after all.”
Muttering to himself, Damon rummaged through his desk drawer.
He soon pulled out a small box—the one containing the golden diamond that should have been kept in Clifford.
A second chance at life. The heavens were surely on their side. Not only had they secured a large stockpile of Idgal, but they’d also recovered the jewels that nearly fell into enemy hands. This was a clear sign to launch the war swiftly.
“Rutherford.”
A mysterious man affiliated with Rutherford. Damon didn’t know what tricks he’d used, but he had taken the jewels from Prince Noah’s carriage and handed them over to Damon. The price paid was negligible.
Damon realized Rutherford’s true desire wasn’t material gain, but war and destruction. The escalating tensions between nations, and perhaps even Bariel’s downfall.
Whatever the guild’s intentions, at least they aligned with Burgos. That meant the nobles could be gathered in the capital without issue.
With a click, Damon closed the drawer and gave Timothy his orders.
“Timothy.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You’re to go out into Clifford’s streets and investigate. Go yourself and find out their situation as quickly and accurately as possible.”
Just as Timothy bowed to accept the command—
“If you can’t find anything on the streets, then go into the palace if you must.”
“Pardon?”
Hadn’t Damon just said that sending another envoy would be pointless because they wouldn’t return? Timothy looked up, startled, and Damon laughed aloud.
“Hahaha. Just kidding. A joke.”
“Ah…”
Timothy awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. Serving such a sharp and inscrutable lord was often frustrating. As Timothy bowed again, Damon turned away without hesitation.
“Let’s see what happens. What’s really going on in Clifford.”
“Any sign of movement?”
“No, nothing. No activity at all.”
Ian folded his arms, staring down at the map after receiving news from the border. A full day had passed. Burgos had remained silent, showing no response to Clifford’s message.
The entire envoy had fallen ill, yet there was no reply. That meant they knew the message was a lie. Naturally, Damon had seen through it.
“Should we just maintain the standoff?”
“Yes. Bariel’s forces need time to mobilize, and Burgos has likely already sent spies into Clifford to gather intel and find faults. It’s best to give them time to snoop and search.”
“Sigh… this is more tense than I thought.”
“No need to be nervous. Getting nervous never helps.”
Tap, tap.
Ian carefully moved stones around on the map, deep in thought. The Clifford courtiers watched him with puzzled eyes. Prince Noah said nothing, and what more could they add?
“Are the rumors spreading smoothly?”
“Yes. We’re already listening closely near the palace, so the rumors should spread quickly. It’s a good way to lure Burgos out, and it also prepares the people. Killing two birds with one stone.”
Three Burgos envoys had died in the palace. This would escalate into a diplomatic crisis, so the palace was quietly handling the aftermath. Meanwhile, the people were unofficially warned to stock up on food, stay with family, and avoid going out—preparing for possible conflict.
“They don’t even tire of singing all day. The rumors might spread faster than I thought.”
Tap, tap!
Bang!
“Your Highness! We have news!”
“What is it?”
“Timothy, the Burgos envoy, has entered the city.”
Ian’s hand froze mid-motion. He had expected someone to infiltrate and react from within, but not Timothy. As the head of the envoy, he was one of Damon’s closest aides.
Sending someone like him into Clifford at this time? Unlike the seemingly indifferent Noah, Ian ran his fingers through his hair.
“Is this a trap Damon’s setting for me?”
This was why emotions and friendly gestures must never be exposed. Damon clearly saw some hidden meaning in the special bond between Ian and Timothy, witnessed in Bariel. Timothy might be unaware, but Ian certainly was.
As a descendant of Naum, Ian couldn’t afford to be caught up in unexpected deaths or incidents.
“Timothy, the envoy. Ah, the one we saw in Bariel. Where did he go after entering the capital?”
“Tracking was lost after he entered the city.”
“He’ll approach the palace. Stay alert.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“If there’s a spy inside the palace, they’d be moving to make contact,” Ian said, pushing a stone aside as he spoke.
“Is there anyone inside the palace who could serve as Vargas’s eyes and ears?”
“Oh, there are a few suspects. Our tutors, and then… well…” Noah hesitated, unsure how to explain since the organizational structure of the royal court differed from the palace. He gave a vague nod.
“I’ve narrowed it down to five or six people. We’ve placed surveillance on them, so if any suspicious behavior shows up, we’ll be notified immediately. That’s good. If Timothy reports it, Damon won’t suspect a thing. Given Damon’s shortcomings, rumors among the people, using a spy against him might actually work in our favor.”
What if they fed false information to the spy, and Timothy reported it to Damon?
Timothy wouldn’t be left alone, especially with tensions running high. He’s ruthless enough to use the envoy’s death as a signal. Just bringing back false intel could cost Timothy his life.
Ian crossed his arms and let out a dry chuckle.
‘Damon, you’re biting the bait without even knowing what it is.’
Standing up, Ian turned to Noah.
“At this point, I’ll have to persuade Timothy to defect directly. Share that list with me.”
“…Understood.”
Noah looked up as Ian rose, muttering reluctantly. Though he said he’d comply, his tone betrayed a clear unwillingness to share the information.
Whatever Ian’s intentions, details about traitors were top secret—too sensitive for him to know, and too risky to expose him to.
Noah pretended to hand over the documents but simply watched Ian leave in silence.