Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 

GUTHEIL SHOT TO HIS FEET like he was spring-loaded. All eyes—which had a moment ago been on Sylvia—swiveled to him instead. Gutheil stared at the diva, opened his mouth to say something, and then shook his head in great irritation and rounded on Rishe and Arnold instead.

“Your Highness, Lady Rishe—is it at all possible that I might be excused?” Gutheil’s tone was filled with obvious concern for Sylvia. “Anything that you may ask of me, I swear to answer truthfully. But I beg of you, for Lady Sylvia’s sake, please…”

“Sir Gutheil,” Sylvia said clearly. “I requested your presence myself when I was summoned.”

“Lady Sylvia…” Gutheil clenched his fists once more and slowly sat back down.

Raul directed Sylvia to the chair closest to the door, next to Gutheil. Rishe waited for her to sit before turning to Arnold.

“Go ahead and say whatever it is you want to say for now,” Arnold told her. “I’m sure we have plenty of time until he arrives.”

“Right.” She nodded, though it took some courage for her to begin. Yet she knew Sylvia was prepared for what she had to say.

The songstress turned her alluring purple eyes on Rishe, her determination clear. “Please begin, Lady Rishe.”

Her heart stung from Sylvia’s courteous tone, but she had to say her piece. Rishe, at least, spoke as she always had with Sylvia. “I first had my suspicions when you visited the palace, Sylvia.” Her words emerged slowly and deliberately as she thought back to the day. “The night before, you were ill enough to collapse on stage, yet you’d recovered completely by morning.”

“Thanks to your first aid and Sir Gutheil taking me to the doctor. I felt much better after a good night’s sleep.”

“I didn’t think much of it then, since I’m aware that such things can indeed happen… But illness is not often the cause of such a fainting spell. At least not one that it’s possible to recover from so quickly.”

Gutheil was watching Sylvia with concern through this entire exchange. Sylvia, on the other hand, had not looked his way once since addressing him earlier.

“Such things are usually caused not by an illness originating within the body but by something external entering it. A poison or sleeping drug, for instance. Once the substance has been purged by the body, recovery comes fairly quickly. I can attest to that myself.”

Arnold’s eyebrows scrunched together. Rishe had been referencing her poisoning in the Holy Kingdom of Domana. Perhaps the same incident had crossed his mind.

“At that point, I tucked the possibility that you had been drugged in the corner of my mind.”

“A reasonable enough conclusion. I’ve almost been drugged by overly passionate fans or rival performers on occasion.”

“A fan would likely avoid the sort of timing that would lead to the show getting canceled. And a rival would know that if the prima donna collapsed just before or during the show, it would only be called off for the night.” Someone aiming for her role would have enacted their scheme earlier. “And, though I don’t wish to even consider such a thing…they would likely choose a poison with a longer recovery time.”

In truth, the opera planned to resume after only a few days off, with Sylvia still playing the lead. If the culprit was after her role, they had achieved nothing from their crime.

“I was still suspicious, so I observed the members of your troupe when I went to the theater to tell you about my artificial petals. I couldn’t determine at the time whether anyone there had drugged you, but…I learned something else.”

Rishe stared Sylvia in the eye and said, “You can conceal your presence, can’t you, Sylvia?”

Sylvia lowered her head, saying nothing in response.

Instead, Gutheil spoke up. “I apologize for interrupting, but what do you mean by that?”

“You yourself noticed Rishe’s capabilities, did you not?” Arnold said to the knight. “When you approached the gazebo last night, I wasn’t the only one to sense your presence. Rishe did as well, even though we couldn’t possibly have heard your footsteps amid the rainfall.”

Gutheil swallowed, then murmured, “It wasn’t just my imagination, then. I did feel two pairs of eyes on me in the darkness.”

He’s quite skilled as well. It’s hard to pick up on things like that when it’s raining.

Arnold leaned back in his chair, continuing unhurriedly in Rishe’s place, “Even dozing in a carriage, she’ll wake up if I so much as reach for her. So long as you’re not trying to hide from Rishe, she will most likely notice you. Hence her suspicion.”

Rishe had told Arnold everything beforehand. She nodded and explained to Gutheil, “There was a moment at the theater today when I was unaware of Sylvia’s presence. I couldn’t sense her until she embraced me from behind.” Because Sylvia was hiding her presence, Rishe could only assume.

The diva probably hadn’t meant anything by it. She may have even done it unconsciously, out of a simple desire to surprise Rishe. But when combined with the other things Rishe was already considering, even Sylvia’s harmless prank became unavoidably suspicious.

Her head still bowed, Sylvia said, “It’s exactly as you say, Lady Rishe.”

Gutheil spoke up to defend her. “B-but…surely that’s not enough to suspect Lady Sylvia!”

“Sir Gutheil, it’s…” Rishe hesitated to continue in front of the knight.

Seeing right through her hesitation, Sylvia smiled sadly. “Please continue, Lady Rishe…or would you prefer if I said the rest?”

“It’s all right, Sylvia.” Rishe wanted to avoid making the songstress say it herself above all else, so she pressed on. “There are several different ways to obtain intelligence. For instance, infiltrating the target location and obtaining it yourself.”

Raul’s disguises were a great example. In Galkhein, however, only members of the nobility could become high-ranking government officials and knights. Just as Raul had explained up on the town ramparts, it would be difficult to make use of this method in Galkhein.

“There’s also the option of obtaining the intelligence from someone who already has it. Even if you can’t become a noble of Galkhein, you can befriend one. This method—”

“Often employs female operatives,” Arnold finished for her. He was probably being considerate in his roundabout way, not wanting Rishe to have to utter it herself. Raul had avoided discussing the same thing up on the town walls. She recalled the matter being kept from her in her fifth life as well.

Gutheil furrowed his brow and closed his mouth, considering this. Sylvia’s head was bowed, her expression unreadable. But Rishe knew that she’d wanted Gutheil to be here for this part of the conversation.

“Plenty of people have heard the rumors of the songstress Sylvia and her many lovers.” She had laughed those rumors off, saying it was all for the sake of her singing, but what if there was another reason? For instance, what if she used her reputation as a free-spirited beauty to get close to important figures in various countries to obtain intelligence? “You suspected her from the start, right, Prince Arnold? That’s why you made time in your busy schedule to take me to the opera that night.”

As always, the motivations behind Arnold’s actions were surprisingly complex. The day Rishe and Arnold met, he had been present in Hermity not for simple diplomatic relations but because he was investigating the possibility of a malicious entity targeting Galkhein. Since he had long suspected espionage, he was naturally wary of the opera troupe coming to Galkhein. He likely had his eye on Sylvia herself at that point.

Rishe thought back to the discussion they’d had immediately after taking their seats at the theater.

“I didn’t know Sylvia was the star of tonight’s show. It’s been so long since I’ve heard her sing! I’m really looking forward to this.”

“You’ve seen the leading lady perform before?”

Arnold had paused thoughtfully after Rishe mentioned Sylvia’s name. Perhaps he was reacting to Rishe’s ignorant praise of the very individual he suspected of espionage.

“I heard what happened the next day from Oliver, who was informed by Theodore.” Arnold was talking about the day Sylvia had come to thank Rishe. “There aren’t many people who would visit a foreign country’s palace without even making an appointment. It’s particularly strange for a member of a renowned opera troupe to be unaware of such etiquette. It’s hard to imagine she had any motivation other than using the pretext of her rescue to get close to an important individual in this country.”

Gutheil pressed a hand to his forehead and took a deep breath. “There was something I found strange when I was escorting Lady Sylvia home under Prince Theodore’s orders. I could sense someone observing her from afar.”

“Huh?” Sylvia raised her head and peeked up at Gutheil.

Their eyes finally having met, Gutheil said apologetically, “It wasn’t an unknown entity but a Galkhein knight watching you. I couldn’t decide whether to tell you or not, since I didn’t want to scare you, so I merely protected you without speaking up. I still feel terrible about it.”

“That’s why you took me all the way back to my room?”

“Of course,” Gutheil said firmly. “At the time, it was my duty to see you home safely without causing you any undue stress.”

Tears welled up in Sylvia’s eyes. She hurriedly hung her head to hide them. “It…it surprised me to hear you say something like that…but I’m sorry.” Sylvia was trying to smile, but it was obvious to anyone that her voice was trembling. “You understand now, don’t you? I’m a spy who was ordered to infiltrate Galkhein! That’s the only reason I—”

“Sylvia.” Rishe called her name to prevent her from saying something she didn’t mean. “I’m sure Sir Gutheil understands that that’s not the reason you got close to him.”

“What…?”

Rishe glanced at Gutheil, who nodded, a serious expression on his face. “It’s just as she says, Lady Sylvia. I confided in you about my father on the second day we were able to meet. Do you remember?”

“I haven’t forgotten. Not a single thing about that day.”

“It should have been amply clear to you, then, that the people of this country do not trust me. That I possess no intelligence worth stealing. And still, you had eyes only for me…”

Sylvia quivered, her expression like that of a lost child. Even Rishe, who was “naive in the ways of love” according to Theodore, could easily tell that Sylvia’s feelings were real. It was Sylvia herself who had requested Gutheil be present at this gathering, even though she knew her crimes were likely to come to light. Moreover, that was why Gutheil had asked that he be allowed to leave.

“Please tell us, Sylvia,” Rishe said softly. “You might have been a spy, yes, but that’s not the full story anymore, is it?”

“I beg your pardon…?”

“You’re not working for the entity ordering you to gather intelligence anymore. You’re trying to quit being a spy and run away, aren’t you?”

Sylvia gasped.

“Otherwise, I can’t understand the reason you collapsed on stage. Although that’s with the assumption that your illness was caused by a drug or poison.” As long as that assumption was correct, it paved the way for several other conclusions. “It’s very dangerous for a spy to try to leave their organization, is it not? I’ve heard the organization is basically forced to kill them to prevent any of their secrets from getting out. My guess is that you showed some indication of wanting to leave the business, and you were drugged as a warning.”

“I-I…!” Sylvia was starting to panic. It was such a stark difference from her stage persona that the sight was almost painful.

“It was also convenient for your organization that you collapsed there. The knights performing security were bound to come to your aid. And they knew that if they scared you, you might change your mind and pursue a relationship with the knight who helped you, which would benefit them.”

“…”

“Even better, the knights providing security that day were not just any ordinary knights—they were Prince Arnold’s Imperial Guard, there to escort the two of us for our visit.”

Their visit to the theater hadn’t been concealed at all. The people Sylvia worked for would have been able to find out that they were in attendance.

If she was drugged that day, and the show was canceled, Sylvia would have realized that was a warning.

Arnold’s Imperial Guard would have come to her aid. If Rishe hadn’t involved herself and given instruction to those on the scene, one of the Imperial Guards would have attended to Sylvia, providing her with a connection to that individual. It was a great opportunity for her employers to obtain information on the crown prince and Galkhein’s knight corps.

Prince Arnold anticipated even that. The situation that day had in fact been slightly unusual. It wasn’t just Prince Arnold’s Imperial Guard providing security at the theater. There were knights from other units there too.

Arnold had treated it as an initial step toward expanding his Imperial Guard. Rishe had taken that to mean that he wanted more fighting power to go up against a powerful foe in the future, but that wasn’t the only reason for the extensive forces present at the theater that night.

Prince Arnold predicted that if he made a show of attending the theater, the spy would try to contact him or one of his Imperial Guards. That’s why he had additional knights on security. And all of them fit his criteria of “skilled individuals who, for whatever reason, were not given an equal chance”—that is, people who had no significant intelligence.

One of those individuals was none other than Gutheil.

When I finished with my first aid, Prince Arnold arrived with Sir Gutheil—not one of his Imperial Guards. I was shocked that he had his future retainer with him. Now she could understand Arnold’s reasoning. He had to make sure whoever escorted Sylvia and became her “savior” was not one of his Imperial Guard. That’s why he brought Sir Gutheil, someone who was never given any important work to do as a knight.

All this happened because the theater and the troupe were informed that Rishe and Arnold would be in attendance. Prince Arnold has never liked bringing attention to himself in public venues. I should have questioned why we didn’t attend the show incognito that night. Not only did we attract the attention of every noble in attendance, but he also had to mobilize his Imperial Guard to provide security. It would have been more like him to attend in secret.

Rishe glanced over at Arnold, only now considering all these things. He seemed as uninterested in these proceedings as always, and just as beautiful.

I still don’t understand him nearly well enough.

In the first place, Rishe’s hushed admission that she wanted to go to the opera had been in response to Oliver bringing the subject up in small talk. It was possible he’d let it slip inadvertently since he was investigating the opera troupe with Arnold.

Lamenting her inability to pick up on any of this sooner, Rishe continued, “As Sir Gutheil said, Prince Arnold’s Imperial Guard were watching you, Sylvia. They were also protecting you.”

“They were?”

“From what I’ve heard, you were approached by people who intended you harm four times over these last few days. In the second incident—yesterday—the knights even engaged the individuals in question.”

Sylvia went pale when she heard that, and Gutheil scowled.

This afternoon, when Rishe and Dietrich had accompanied Arnold on his work, the knights escorting them had been Gutheil and Raul in disguise. Rishe had been told that Arnold didn’t have enough personnel due to his espionage investigation, but it wasn’t because he had his men spread thin searching a wide area. Arnold and Oliver had already narrowed their suspects down to Sylvia alone, so Arnold’s knights were busy observing and guarding her.

I was surprised that he wanted to accompany me to the theater today, but it was because he was worried about dangerous individuals and maybe another spy in Sylvia’s troupe.

“Tell me, Sylvia,” Rishe said softly.

The diva only trembled in response.

“If you didn’t seek out Galkhein’s secrets, you’d be killed. But you were resisting those orders even before you met me and Sir Gutheil, weren’t you?”

Hence Sylvia’s poisoning.

“No!” Sylvia frantically forced the words out. “I have no such conviction! That should be obvious from how I shamelessly visited the palace the very next day and attempted to get close to you, the future crown princess.”

“You’d just been through something frightening and had your performances canceled. You must have been terrified. It doesn’t surprise me that you gave up on escaping and went along with your orders instead.”

“I even lied about falling in love with Sir Gutheil, a knight…”

“It was immediately obvious to you that Sir Gutheil had no strategic purpose you could make use of, wasn’t it? You had no reason to lie about such a thing.”

It wasn’t Gutheil whom Sylvia had opened up to about her feelings. She’d told Rishe about them. If she were lying for her mission, she could have told Rishe she was searching for a new love and asked to be introduced to a different knight. There was no need for her to cry and cling to Rishe about some false love she felt for Gutheil.

Arnold spoke up then. “Rishe. That’s enough.”

“Prince Arnold, I…”

Sylvia and Gutheil tensed at the crown prince’s harsh tone.

“Any more is just a waste of time. Your concern won’t change the facts.”

Rishe took a breath and said to Sylvia and Gutheil, “Prince Arnold made a promise to me. You haven’t actually engaged in any espionage in Galkhein or stolen any intelligence. As far as Galkhein is concerned, you’ve committed no crime.”

Sylvia’s eyes were wide with disbelief. Rishe had posed this request to Arnold, and though Arnold had been somewhat disgusted by Rishe’s naivete, ultimately, he’d relented.

“But, Sylvia,” Rishe said, prompting a flinch from the songstress, “this isn’t the end.”

Sensing the ominous air in the room, Gutheil spoke up on Sylvia’s behalf. “If I may ask, Lady Rishe, what do you mean by that?”

“By attempting to leave her organization, Sylvia has betrayed their trust. I believe it’s likely they’ve made their final decision about her. Prince Arnold?”

Arnold dispassionately explained to Gutheil, “My Imperial Guard reported two skirmishes to me. The individuals in question did not seem to be there to issue a warning or abduct the target—but to kill her.”

“I had no idea…”

Arnold’s expression was as cold as ever. “She’s lost the trust of her organization. Even if she returns with valuable intelligence from this country, they’ll simply take the information and dispose of her.”

“You could put it a little more delicately!” Rishe spluttered. She knew Arnold was kind at heart, but that kindness extended only to a few individuals.

Prince Arnold’s Imperial Guard are the very reason Sylvia has been able to stay safe these last few days. But from now on…

The moment Rishe opened her mouth, someone else spoke up instead.

“I will protect Lady Sylvia.”

“Sir Gutheil!” Sylvia likely hadn’t meant to call Gutheil’s name. Her hand flew to her mouth, like she couldn’t believe what she’d just said.

From the other side of the table, Arnold scoffed. “You’ll protect her?” His blue eyes narrowed as he challenged the man’s foolhardiness. “You alone?”

Arnold’s voice seemed to chill the air.

“Don’t act like feelings and ideals will win the day. No matter how skilled you may be, do you really think you can protect her from an organization that could strike at any time?”

“…”

“It seems as though your desire to die a meaningless death hasn’t waned in the slightest. You’ll just get yourself and your charge killed immediately.”

The air in the room grew so thick with tension that even Rishe found herself going rigid.

But Gutheil, who was bearing the brunt of Arnold’s scorn, said calmly, “I finally understand what you were trying to tell me last night, Your Highness.”

Arnold frowned ever so slightly.

“As you say, there is a part of me that wishes to protect Lady Sylvia even at the cost of my own life. However, if I lose my life, I will no longer be able to protect her.” Gutheil turned eyes blazing with sincerity on Sylvia. “I want to protect you through anything and everything. I want you to be happy, Lady Sylvia.”

“My…”

“That is why I promise not to throw my life away protecting you. I know you’re kind enough to grieve even for the death of a selfish man like me.” Gutheil made his pledge to Sylvia reverently, like he was swearing a knight’s oath. “I know I’ve hurt you, but could you find it in your heart to permit me to protect you?”

“Ngh! Sir Gutheil, I-I…” Sylvia spoke his name, tears in her voice. But then she shook her head, quashing her desires. “No…no, I won’t!”

Her words were intended to reject him, but there were countless emotions swirling in her voice, threatening to spill out.

“What would I do if something happened to you?!”

“Lady Sylvia, please…”

“I’ll never be able to get away.” Her shoulders shook, but she managed to speak without breaking down in tears. “I was always getting in trouble for not doing a good enough job ever since I was little… Each time I failed at something, I thought they would get rid of me for good…”

Rishe remembered what the songstress had confessed to her about being scared that she would be abandoned every time she was ill or hurt as a child. She was probably talking about the spy organization and not the opera troupe. “How awful…”

“I couldn’t possibly be with you!” Sylvia sobbed, head still bowed.

Rishe recalled the words she’d said through her tears.

“I understand that better than anyone. I’m not the sort of person who could be with a knight, so it’s only natural that we can’t be together.”

“I’m the one who can’t accept being at his side!!”

Rishe’s heart ached for Sylvia until the voice of one who’d been silent this whole time cut through the tension-choked air.

“There is no need to despair, Lady Songstress.”

Raul, disguised as a knight, had spoken up with a smile. Sylvia gaped at him as he stood by the door.

“After all, the people who do the legwork for an organization like this are valuable assets. No matter how skilled an operative may be, their public face—their identity—cannot be so easily revealed.”

“Um…?”

Raul told Sylvia the same thing he’d told Rishe and Arnold up on the ramparts.

“Only a few key figures of your organization should know your identity, Lady Sylvia. It’s a necessary precaution to preserve your value as an asset. If it got out that the famous diva was a spy obtaining intelligence from key figures all over the world, they would never be able to make use of your talents again.”

“That may be true, but…who are you?”

Raul smiled in lieu of an answer. He then turned to Arnold and said, “Well, Your Highness. If you would allow me to make my report, the organization using Lady Sylvia’s talents is of a mercenary nature.” With that devilish curl to his lips, Raul reported this as if it were new information. “They serve no one master, instead lending their abilities to whoever makes the highest offer in their travels. Such organizations are relatively small in number and keep their operatives’ identities particularly concealed.”

“You mean to say that no matter how well known the public face of the operative is, their private identity as a spy is known only to a very small number, correct, Sir Knight?” Rishe asked to hammer the point home, and Raul nodded.

Arnold spoke up disinterestedly, making no attempt to engage with Raul. “When disposing of a low-ranking operative, they’ll likely throw every available pawn they have at the problem. If those pawns are all dealt with, there will be no one left who knows the operative’s public face.”

“In short, Sylvia.” Rishe summed up what Raul and Arnold were trying to say: “We believe that if we catch all the people who are after your life, you’ll no longer be in any danger. You’ll be able to live freely.”

Sylvia gaped at Rishe. “What do you…?”

“Just as the knight said, the spies’ public identities are a valuable secret. Only the organization employing you should know that the diva Sylvia is a spy.”

Raul was very knowledgeable about organizations like these. Rishe felt confident trusting any conclusion he’d drawn about them.

“According to our investigation, the organization employing you is like a band of mercenaries. They don’t answer to anyone outside the group, and they would be very careful not to let any information about their members leave the group’s bounds. You should know at least a little about that yourself. Isn’t that right, Sylvia?”

“I-I suppose…”

“We believe they’ll put everything they have on the line to silence you. Every single member of the organization will try to kill you—even if it’s the last thing they do.”

Rishe and the rest had done a little scheming of their own to make that outcome even likelier. After all, though this situation was terrifying, it could be an opportunity for Sylvia as well.

“As such, Sir Gutheil, there’s no need for you to protect Sylvia all by yourself.”

“Pardon, Lady Rishe?”

“Prince Arnold has given me his word that he’ll help too.” Rishe sat up straight and said plainly, “We will now carry out our plan to protect Sylvia so that she may live a happy life in the future.”

“Wha…?”

Rishe rose from her chair, took out a piece of paper she’d secretly prepared beforehand, and spread it over the large table between them all.

“The plan is rather simple, really.” The paper listed the general outline of the scheme she’d concocted when speaking to Arnold and Raul that evening. “You won’t be able to protect Sylvia or run from the organization forever, so the best thing to do is to round them all up at once and eliminate the danger in one fell swoop.”

“But, Lady Rishe, it can’t be that simple…!”

“This plan will only work with your cooperation, Sylvia. And the help of your opera troupe as well,” Rishe said, pointing to a word in the middle of the piece of paper. “You’ll be the bait in this operation.” She looked Sylvia in the eye and said, “The songstress on the stage and the armed operatives hunting her… This plan only works if we can paint that picture.”

Sylvia gulped, but her expression relayed that she finally found a speck of light in the darkness.

“What do you think? Will you help us out?” Rishe went around to Sylvia’s side of the table, smiling at her. “It’ll take a lot of courage, but it won’t work without you.”

“Of…of course!” Sylvia stood and wrapped her arms around Rishe. “I’ll do anything I can! I’ll be the bait or whatever else you ask of me!”

“Thank you. I know this will work with you helping us, Sylvia.”

“I’m sorry…” Sylvia’s voice was trembling. “I’m so sorry, Rishe!”

I should be the one apologizing, Sylvia, Rishe thought, returning Sylvia’s hug. You always blamed yourself, didn’t you? For spying and for keeping it a secret from me and Sir Gutheil. Telling you I want to save you would’ve made you feel too guilty to agree. That’s why I told you you’ll be the bait in our plan. Rishe patted Sylvia’s back like she was comforting a small child. I’m sorry… Please let me get away with lying in order to save you.

She glanced at Arnold, who leveled a brooding gaze at her with his chin in his hand. This time, he would be her accomplice. Truly relieved that he was a logical person, she turned to Gutheil next.

“Sir Gutheil, this plan will be dangerous for Sylvia. I would like for you to protect her more than anyone else.”

“I would ask the same. I swear I will protect you, Lady Sylvia.”

“My, Sir Gutheil…” After calling her beloved’s name, Sylvia clung tightly to Rishe once more. It almost seemed as if she was rejecting him, but Rishe could tell that she was only hiding how bashful she felt.

She chuckled, her heart warmed by the sight. “You’re so cute, Sylvia.”

“Ugh, Rishe!” Sylvia sulked, the polite tone she’d been using earlier now gone.

Rishe was happy she was treating her as a friend today, and so she squeezed the songstress, who protested, “That tickles!” with a laugh. She was relieved Sylvia had gotten back a bit of her pep.

“Listen, Sylvia. We’ll have to ask the opera troupe for their cooperation as well.”

“They don’t know anything about my secret…”

“I thought that might be the case.”

Rishe had had her eye on the members of Sylvia’s troupe when she visited the theater, and Arnold had been observing them as well. Rishe had been surprised when Arnold said he’d accompany her to the theater, but he had already known that Sylvia was the spy at that point. He’d wanted to see with his own eyes if Sylvia made a move or if anyone in her troupe appeared to be involved as well. Rishe hadn’t found anything suspicious about the rest of the troupe, and she’d been relieved to find that Arnold had felt the same way.

“There’s no need to tell them anything. It’s just that the plan I’m about to share with you will involve them too.” Rishe pulled away from Sylvia, who regarded her curiously, and told her, “As the knight over there said, if we can catch all the people who know your identity, you’ll be able to live a safe life from now on. We’ll have to do a little work to make that happen, though.”

Though hesitant, Sylvia nodded.

“We’ll keep the Imperial Guard on you for a bit longer. But if the situation goes on too long, it’ll become a battle of attrition, which isn’t a good situation to be in.”

“I can’t keep relying on you all like this.”

“Don’t worry! The plan is simple, and we’ll be drawing the enemies to us.”

“You mean to give the enemy the perfect opportunity to attack,” Gutheil surmised.

“Exactly. We must prevent them from realizing that we’re luring them to us and give them a perfect moment to attack—at which point, we’ll round them all up at once.”

It wouldn’t be as simple as Rishe made it sound, of course. The enemy would no doubt be on guard for this type of trap. Gutheil seemed worried about that very thing.

“It will have to be quite the plan to actually lure them out, won’t it?”

“Yes. That’s why we need the help of the troupe.”

Sylvia and Gutheil gave her identical dubious stares.

“Isn’t that right, Prince Arnold?”

On the other side of the table, Arnold sighed in response to Rishe’s smile. “We’ll tighten our security until we must strip it away at the right moment. If they have no other chance to strike, they’ll be sure to act then.”

“B-but, Your Highness, won’t the enemy be wary of the knights’ sudden absence? If they didn’t have some reason they couldn’t remain near her…”

“Oh!”

Sylvia and Gutheil came to the realization together.

“That’s right. The one moment the diva’s tight security must wane. The only time the knights would not be able to be at her side.”

“You mean…during a performance?” Sylvia murmured.

Rishe beamed. “I do indeed. What’s more, everything around her will be dark, the only light on the performer onstage.”

“Y-you can’t bring weapons into the theater…”

“It’ll be more convincing if there’s a simple inspection at the door instead of forgoing one altogether. We’ll want to give the impression that it’s done on paper but is really just a formality in practice. Either way, spies will have the skill to sneak their weapons inside.”

Rishe had Sylvia sit back down before she returned to her own chair. Next to her, Arnold was scowling as usual.

“The small team of Prince Arnold, Sir Gutheil, and myself will protect Sylvia and apprehend the intelligence agents. Once again, thank you for agreeing to my plan, Your Highness!”

Arnold sighed and eyed Rishe indifferently.

I’m so glad His Highness went along with my selfishness…but it should benefit his investigation to apprehend all the spies as well.

What Arnold was ultimately after was the entity trying to do harm to Galkhein. He was of the belief that this entity was involved in both his invitation to the party where Dietrich broke off his engagement with Rishe and Fabrannia’s counterfeiting scheme. Sylvia’s organization was likely involved with this entity as well.

Rishe met his gaze, and he offered a disgruntled reply. “Do as you like.”

It was a bit strange to think that he trusted her so much, but it made Rishe happy nonetheless.

She faced the table once more and told everyone assembled, “The performance will be five days from today, on the twenty-ninth of the seventh month at seven in the evening.”

Gutheil and Sylvia watched her nervously.

“Now, let’s commence preparations for the operation!”

 

---

 

After their strategy meeting, Gutheil escorted Sylvia back to her lodgings. Arnold’s Imperial Guard continued to covertly watch over her as well. Even Raul’s hunters were on the job, so her defenses were impeccable.

Feeling relieved, Rishe walked through the halls of the palace with Arnold.

“You know…” As the summer insects chirped around them and Rishe’s dress flapped in the breeze, she said, “Sir Gutheil’s mindset has really changed a lot.”

“His current mindset is only obvious. I would never trust a knight with lofty ideals and no desires,” Arnold said flatly. “People with strong desires are the most likely to survive in battle and thus make the best soldiers.”

If strong fighters have strong desires, then… Rishe studied him and wondered, Where are yours, since you say you don’t desire anything?

She kept the question to herself, however.

“Ah, right. Allow me to thank you again, Prince Arnold.”

“For what?”

“For believing that Sylvia wanted to quit her spying.”

Arnold’s expression was as cold as ever. “I believe nothing. I just put together the information available and determined it was a likely possibility.”

“All the same.”

If Sylvia had been an enemy of Galkhein, Arnold would’ve had to eliminate her, yet he was going along with Rishe’s selfish desire to save her instead. Rishe’s plan wasn’t without its dangers, though.

“I was only able to create such a plan because of your help, Prince Arnold. I plan to fight as well, but I know that you’ll never lose to anyone with your skills,” she said, her eyes positively sparkling.

Arnold loosed a quiet breath. “Are you sure you don’t put too much trust in me?”

“Hmm? What reason would I possibly have to doubt your skill?”

The prince only frowned in response.

“But you have faith in me as well, don’t you, Your Highness?” The thought brought a grin to Rishe’s face.

Arnold likely hadn’t anticipated Rishe and Sylvia growing close. In the two months or so that Rishe had been in Galkhein, she’d come to know many of the country’s secrets—even a few that would spell the end of Galkhein if leaked to another country. Regardless, when Sylvia collapsed at the theater, Arnold had allowed Rishe to go to her aid immediately. He’d also said nothing to her about her striking up a friendship with the songstress.

He may have even kept his suspicions about Sylvia from Rishe to avoid hurting her. In addition to considering her feelings, he’d trusted her not to reveal any national secrets to Sylvia. Arnold had merely watched over the two of them without interfering. The thought warmed Rishe’s heart.

“Oh, but…” Rishe stopped, remembering something. “I’m sorry, Prince Arnold. I did open up about one secret to Sylvia.”

“You did?” Arnold stopped as well, turning back to cast a disbelieving glance at Rishe. “What did you tell her?”

“Ugh… Well, er…” A lamp affixed to a pillar in the hall illuminated Rishe’s hot cheeks. “I told her that you and I…”

“Yes?”

Her face was flushed with embarrassment, but she had to apologize for betraying his confidence. Even as the shame overwhelmed her, Rishe confessed her crime. “That we kissed…just once…”

She could only assume that Arnold was staring at her in exasperation. She didn’t know for sure because her eyes were squeezed shut, not brave enough to meet his gaze. After several seconds of silence, when her shame became nearly unbearable, Arnold finally spoke up.

“I…” However, as soon as he started, he immediately fell silent. He didn’t seem to be angry. Was the awkward air between them just in Rishe’s imagination?

Does he feel bad about it?

Rishe raised her head and blinked. Their kiss in the chapel had taken her completely by surprise. She’d been shocked and confused, having no idea why Arnold would do such a thing. She had also felt that he seemed oddly practiced at the act, which had weighed on her mind afterward as well.

Had there been some deeper meaning behind even that event?

“Hee hee hee.”

“What’s so funny?” Arnold asked awkwardly when Rishe covered her mouth to stifle the giggle. It was rare for him to be bothered by something like this.

“I just found your expression kind of cute, Prince Arnold,” Rishe said with a grin.

Arnold simply scowled, as though she were utterly incomprehensible. It probably bothered him, but Rishe smiled all the same.

“…Come on. Let’s go.”

“Ah! Wait, Prince Arnold!”

Arnold strode off, and Rishe hurried to return to her place at his side. They were headed from the detached palace to a room in the main palace that was reserved for important guests.

“Was it all right to leave this to Oliver?”

“This is the sort of thing he’s good at. And the time it’s taking is expected.”

There had been five chairs in the room they’d used for their strategy meeting. The people present were Arnold, Rishe, Gutheil, Sylvia, and Raul. But the final chair hadn’t been for the disguised Raul to use.

I feel bad for requesting this when Prince Arnold is already so exhausted, Rishe thought as they arrived at the main palace. Some Imperial Guards stood by the door to the room they’d be entering.

“Greetings, Your Highness. Lady Rishe.”

“What’s the situation inside?”

“No one has left. I imagine they’re still talking.”

The prince huffed in annoyance. Rishe smiled wryly, tugging on Arnold’s sleeve. “Shall we?”

Arnold gave a nod to one of the knights, who opened the door. At which point…

“That is precisely why! If now is not the time for justice’s loyal servant—Hermity’s crown prince—to act, then when is?!”

An overenthusiastic voice boomed into the hallway. On the receiving end was Arnold’s attendant, Oliver.

“Ha ha ha. You have just as much energy as always even at this late hour, Prince Dietrich.”

Rishe narrowed her eyes at her childhood friend and former fiancé. “Please do not tell me you’re causing trouble for Oliver, Prince Dietrich.”

“Rishe?! What are you doing here?! Lord Arnold as well…” Dietrich stood from his plush chair. His hand shot to his forehead, and he shook his head in exasperation. “I see. You wish to borrow my strength as well.”

“Oliver, we can get the story from you. Get rid of this man already.”

“Wait, wait, wait! You can’t just do this without me!” Dietrich frantically appealed to Arnold, who did not spare him so much as a glance.

Instead, he asked his attendant, “So?”

“Yes, my lord.” Oliver gathered up several documents and tapped their edges on the table with a smile. “As you suspected, Prince Dietrich is also here regarding the espionage organization.”

“Ugh!” Dietrich covered his face with his hands, sobbing dramatically.

Rishe found the sight downright bizarre. She gently asked Dietrich, “What happened with Oliver?”

“Nothing happened! This man simply started paying me compliments with a bright smile on his face, and I thought, ‘Why, he certainly has just the discerning eye I would expect from the attendant of Galkhein’s crown prince!’—and then all of a sudden I was confessing everything! Just what exactly happened?!”

As Dietrich sobbed and wailed, Arnold peered down his nose at the man like he truly couldn’t care less.

“Urgh, this wasn’t supposed to happen! I was planning to reveal the weighty secret in a cooler way…”

“Oh, that’s quite unnecessary. Please don’t worry about such a thing.”

“I had my suspicions from the start. Pompous act or no, we were obviously going to question you.”

Dietrich deflated, sniffling, after Rishe and Arnold’s one-two punch. With a sardonic grin, Oliver comforted the foreign prince.

“Now, now, you two. We just had a very fruitful conversation. After all, the prince’s actual circumstances did differ a bit from our external suppositions.”

“O-Oliver! You really are a good guy!”

“Hey. Keep your hands off my attendant,” Arnold barked.

Rishe sighed as she watched Dietrich cling to Oliver.

At the guard station today, Dietrich had been about to reveal something to Rishe. He had likely wanted to discuss this but had rethought the moment to get the “cooler reveal” he desired.

Prince Arnold always suspected he might be involved.

It wasn’t just the party where Dietrich had called off his and Rishe’s engagement. Before summoning Sylvia to the detached palace, Rishe and Arnold had had a conversation about Dietrich as well.

“The spy organization is obviously involved in your ex-fiancé’s trip here as well,” Arnold had said up on the ramparts that evening. “He made it seem like he was here out of concern for your engagement to me, but it’s no coincidence that he was at the theater that night.”

“It does seem likely, doesn’t it?”

Dietrich’s illogical actions were an everyday occurrence for Rishe, who had witnessed a whole childhood’s worth of them. To Arnold, however, his presence at the theater was just the cherry on top of the suspicions he already held since the party in Hermity—which meant Dietrich was another matter requiring investigation.

It was impossible for Arnold to think Dietrich might only be there to see the opera.

“But, Prince Arnold…”

After that exchange, they’d opted to leave Dietrich’s interrogation to Oliver. After all, just as Arnold said, it was something he excelled at.

“Why the delay in schedule, Oliver?” Rishe asked him.

“Ah. Well, you see, it was the intelligence organization I wished to ask about, but I thought I might get the prince to confide in me with a bit of reminiscing on the past first. He had much more to say than I expected.”

“Goodness… You certainly went above and beyond, then…”

This, too, Arnold had anticipated. It was possible that he’d had Oliver engage in such interrogations in the past as well.

“In listening to his reminiscences, however, I got a good idea of the prince’s thought processes. Also, I must say, I imagine Prince Dietrich’s coup will fail.”

“Ah! Hold on a second, Oliver! I told you that was a secret, didn’t I?!”

“Prince Dietrich, we’re all aware of your planned coup, so could you hush for a moment?”

“What?!”

Dietrich was shocked by Rishe’s words, but she didn’t feel like going into the details for him. And Arnold was focused entirely on his conversation with Oliver.

“I don’t care about the details. You got what we need from him, yes?”

“An operative from the organization contacted Prince Dietrich a little over a year ago, in the third month last year. Does that ring any bells, Lady Rishe?”

“A month later, Lady Mary entered the academy as a scholarship student.”

“That would be Prince Dietrich’s current fiancée.”

Dietrich’s face went white at the mention of Mary’s name. “Wait! Mary has nothing to do with those villains!”

“We’re aware of that. Lady Mary was likely only used for this one incident. Considering her family’s financial troubles, it’s hard to imagine she’s been employed as a spy for a long time. If she were a member of the organization, she would be adequately compensated for her work, at the very least.”

Rishe highly doubted she was after information from Dietrich. It was obvious even to foreign powers that Dietrich was not heavily involved in his country’s political affairs.

Oliver nodded. “I agree with Lady Rishe’s assessment. It’s likely that the organization was after Prince Arnold from the start, not any intelligence from Prince Dietrich.”

“It’s possible they facilitated Lady Mary’s enrollment into the academy and encouraged her to seek a marriage with a royal or noble she would meet there. Of course, all the sons of prominent families would already have been engaged. The organization didn’t have to specify an individual—and there was only one option likely to act so boldly as to break an engagement.”

All eyes in the room landed on Dietrich, who was pleased as punch by the attention.

“I assume Lady Mary approached Prince Dietrich and then used the methods suggested by the organization to falsify my ‘crimes’ against her,” Rishe said. “Prince Dietrich fell for it and resolved himself to condemn me. He is a rather straightforward thinker, so it’s likely the organization would have foreseen all of this.”

“…”

“Please don’t make such a face, Prince Arnold! Despite it all, he really is a very upright person. His one-track mind and tendency to get the wrong idea about things are flaws, though.”

Again, Dietrich appeared rather pleased with himself. Arnold clicked his tongue, deciding to simply allow the conversation to progress.

“Assuming the organization’s goal was not intelligence from Prince Dietrich, or his breaking off our engagement, but Prince Arnold’s traveling to Hermity…”

It was a rather roundabout plan. Still, with organizations like this, plans that took several years to come to fruition were a regular occurrence. Since this one only took a little over a year, it could even be said to be a faster-moving plot.

“Augh… Damn that organization! Making use of me is bad enough, but Lady Mary too?! She has an even purer heart than I! But we will not give in to their machinations! Yes, at first, Mary may have had such an objective. But the love we foster between us now is true—”

“A suspicious entity attended a party in the third month last year calling himself an official from Halil Rasha.”

“Hey, Oliver! Weren’t you going to listen to what I had to say?!”

Prince Dietrich seems oddly attached to Oliver…

Rishe saw why Arnold had been so confident in his attendant’s abilities.

Oliver briskly continued, “The individual approached Prince Dietrich and suggested holding a coup d’état sometime in the near future to him. Isn’t that right, Your Highness?”

Dietrich nodded reluctantly.

The desert nation of Halil Rasha… King Zahad’s country. If the spy named himself an official of Halil Rasha, however, the country is likely uninvolved.

No self-respecting schemer would reveal their true allegiance so readily. Halil Rasha was a great nation. It was currently friendly with Galkhein, but in the future, it would become one of the few countries able to fight back in Arnold’s war. If the organization’s goal was to weaken Galkhein, they may have told this lie to cause the relationship between Galkhein and Halil Rasha to deteriorate, should their plot come to light.

“For them to go so far to bring Prince Arnold to Hermity…”

Rishe recalled the bandit attack on their way back to Galkhein. Their carriage had been attacked and Arnold’s knights wounded, the attackers’ weapons coated in a numbing poison. At the time, Rishe had concocted an antidote to the drug.

The reason he had his knights withdraw and fought with the assailants himself was because he already suspected something more behind that attack.

Arnold had a tendency toward self-sacrifice. That bad habit was probably the main reason why he had fought the attackers off himself. But he was likely also concerned that the bandits were really intelligence operatives who had undergone special training. Even that bandit attack was a possibility Arnold had already foreseen.

“To move between Hermity and Galkhein, you have to travel down a small, rarely used road. As a result, you’re forced to travel with a small party, and His Highness’s Imperial Guard is already a limited force within Galkhein.”

That small road was one of the reasons Hermity hadn’t been invaded by Galkhein in the war, since it made moving an army difficult. Despite being Galkhein’s neighbor, Hermity had been able to escape invasion for that reason—that and the fact that Galkhein stood to gain little from conquering the small nation.

Perhaps that was why the mastermind had called Arnold to Hermity. They wanted to use the favorable circumstances that forest road afforded them to attack Arnold and harm him and Galkhein.

“Those bandits had a paralysis agent coated on their weapons. No matter how strong Prince Arnold may be, against poisons and drugs…” Rishe shuddered at the idea.

Arnold, however, didn’t seem the slightest bit concerned. “It makes no difference. What is poison going to do on a weapon that can’t even graze me?”

“I’m aware that a mere bandit could never get the better of you, Your Highness, but even so…!” Rishe still wished he would rely on those around him more. The anxiety she felt seemed like a contradiction, since she did have faith in Arnold’s skills.

Oliver then asked, “It was also this so-called Halil Rasha official who advised you to break off your engagement with Lady Rishe, was it not, Prince Dietrich?”

“Um… N-no, I wasn’t compelled to the decision! I did what I did out of a sense of justice and for the sake of my beloved Mary!”

“Shut up. Stop talking.”

“Eep!”

Arnold spat the words out before accepting a document from Oliver and skimming its contents. Rishe tiptoed to try to see it as well and, noticing this, Arnold lowered his hand. She thanked him, and they read through the document together.

Dietrich started pacing around them restlessly.

“Say, Lord Arnold—”

“Shut up. Don’t talk to me.”

“Hrk! R-Rishe, then!”

When Dietrich went to Rishe for help, Arnold looked at him like there was nothing that could possibly annoy him more.

“If you’re going to bother Rishe instead, then I’ll listen.”

“Oh! You will?!” Dietrich’s face lit up, after which he hung his head before saying hesitantly, “I-I heard from Oliver, you see. You’re planning to use the songstress Sylvia as bait to capture the evil organization that bamboozled me, are you not?”

They had agreed beforehand not to tell Dietrich of Sylvia’s involvement with the spy organization. What Oliver had told him was likely along the lines of “Sylvia is a willing collaborator in our plan to apprehend the spies.”

“I-It’s just, you know… A crown prince must be daring and cool, right?! He must stand in the spotlight and shine more than a normal civilian! He’s a crown prince, after all!”

“What are you trying to say?”

“In other words, um…” After a great show of hesitation, Dietrich finally said, “Rather than a frail songstress, it should be a mighty figure such as myself who fills the dangerous role of the bait in your plan!”

Oliver gaped at Dietrich. Arnold eyed him, expressionless as ever.

Regret flashed across Dietrich’s face, but he continued, “It’s a frightening task to be the bait, is it not? It’s cruel to ask such a thing of a mere songstress. Me, on the other hand—well, I’m always steeled for such a thing! I am a proud crown prince!”

“…”

“You know, I did think it was a bit strange! I was supposed to meet with someone yesterday, but they never arrived at the rendezvous spot. I was even waiting with a cloak on, looking rather cool and mysterious if I may say so myself! Ever since, I’ve gotten the faint sense that maybe I was being deceived… N-no, I mean, I foresaw all this from the very beginning! Yes, I always suspected a mysterious entity might have their sights set on Galkhein, which is why I came all the way here to warn you! A-all this to say…if you have need of me, I would gladly take on the role of the bait myself…”

Dietrich was very obviously trembling with fear, yet he made this declaration all the same.

“Wow, Prince Dietrich,” Rishe said, shocked by his courage. “Unfortunately, you have no value as bait.”

“Wha—?!”

His legs almost gave out from under him at Rishe’s unflinching assessment.

“It was likely no more than a grunt of the organization who contacted you, Your Highness. You have no information the organization would kill you to protect.”

“That’s all my life is worth?!” Dietrich seemed to be taking it rather poorly, but if anything, this was good news for him.

The same can’t be said for Sylvia, though. As someone who’s worked for the organization since childhood, even if she’s a low-ranking member, she simply knows too much…

That was why they were after her life. And as her friend, Rishe wanted to protect her no matter what.

“Not to worry,” Oliver interjected. “As a matter of fact, your life is absolutely in danger as well.”

“Huh?!”

“Oliver…?”

“That’s right. The organization’s instructions for Prince Dietrich went something like this: ‘The evil empire of Galkhein must be stopped as soon as possible. As the prince of the crown princess’s homeland, we would like you to contact Galkhein’s royal family.’ The meeting place on the prince’s first day in the country was specified as the theater.”

“Y-you’ve got it all wrong! I doubted their words, of course I did! I thought, ‘Is Galkhein truly as bad as they say?’ Thus I, the crown prince, came all the way here to see it for myself!”

As Dietrich flailed, Rishe shot him a glare full of reproach. She hadn’t forgotten the disparaging words Dietrich had flung at Arnold that night. Dietrich only flailed harder under her piercing glare.

“Regardless of what your true intentions may have been, just as the organization planned, you not only met with us but also accompanied Prince Arnold on his work for several days afterward.”

“Huh…? Wait, wait? Do you mean to say you didn’t allow me to come observe your work out of the kindness of your heart?”

“In the organization’s eyes, it may have seemed like you were making good progress communicating with Prince Arnold. However, just a short time ago, a carriage of Prince Arnold’s Imperial Guard headed for the hotel where you were staying. Isn’t that right?”

Dietrich’s jaw dropped. “What do you mean?”

“In other words, I imagine the organization concluded you attempted to do some spying on Prince Arnold and failed magnificently, only for the Imperial Guard to cart you off for your apparent crimes.”

“Whaaat?!”

“Will you be quiet? Quit making so much noise,” Arnold snapped. No matter how much Dietrich despaired, the situation was unlikely to change at this point.

“The organization will assume you’ve confessed everything, Prince Dietrich. They must operate as though their existence is known to Galkhein.” While Rishe hadn’t given the shocked Dietrich the full story, his situation should have been clear enough to him by now.

Sylvia’s spied on important figures all around the world, but Prince Dietrich and Lady Mary were only involved in the organization’s schemes against Galkhein and Prince Arnold.

Even if Sylvia were captured by Galkhein, she would only confess to the same sort of spying she’d done on other nations. The information Dietrich had was different.

Prince Dietrich’s confession might lead to the discovery of the mastermind behind the organization… Of course, Prince Arnold already suspected such a mastermind quite some time ago.

Arnold was always a step ahead.

Now that Prince Dietrich has been “apprehended,” they’ll want to avoid Galkhein questioning Sylvia at all costs. If they don’t silence her, they’ll lose the trust they’ve earned with the mastermind, and their own lives will be in danger.

The organization no longer had any choice but to silence Sylvia.

I’m sure they’ll use every pawn available to them to try to kill Sylvia…with the one chance they’ll get when she’s performing on stage.

It really was a plan that would put her in considerable danger. Hence Rishe’s other little scheme.

They’ve probably realized that Sylvia has said something to Galkhein at this point, but they should still feel like they have to kill her as soon as they possibly can. After all, it’s the only sure way to prevent her from saying more.

When Rishe fell into thought, Dietrich went on babbling. “B-but if the organization considers me a traitor, then that’s all the more reason why I should serve as the bait in your trap, isn’t it?! S-s-s-s-so! So you should… That is to say…” Dietrich was quavering, clearly trying to scrounge up all of his courage. That was obvious enough to Rishe, who giggled and tugged on Arnold’s sleeve.

“Say, Prince Arnold.”

Arnold frowned at her.

“Despite how he seems, Prince Dietrich really does care about doing the right thing.”

“Despite what?! Talk like that and I’ll take it back! I’m good at finding reasons not to do things, you know!”

Rishe smiled awkwardly at Dietrich’s bold assertion. “So you say, but I get the feeling that you weren’t lying when you said part of the reason you were here was because you were worried about me.”

He hadn’t come just because someone had compelled him to.

“What does that matter?” Arnold asked, giving Dietrich his signature disinterested gaze. “No matter his intentions, it doesn’t change the fact that this man is the fool who exiled you from your own country without a single thought to the consequences. He can say nothing to defend himself, nor will he be given the opportunity.”

“Gah!”

“Additionally, his will has no bearing on what he does here. Since he’s come to this country and shown his face before us, it’s our right to make use of him to whatever extent we wish.”

“M-make use of me?” Dietrich blinked.

“You will play a part in our plan,” Arnold told him. “You’ll be the pretext for my Imperial Guard being present at the theater.”

“Huh?!”

Dietrich gawked at Rishe in confusion. In response, she smiled cheerily at him.