Chapter 24 - The Suspicion of Crown Prince Eirik
"What is the meaning of this?"
Crown Prince Eirik Nadar did not even try to hide his irritation. He was not in a position where he would be rebuked for showing his mood in the first place.
"Well, that is, um—we have not received confirmation of receipt for the proclamation of exile."
The Minister of Ceremonies answered as if it were difficult to say.
"I have already heard that. I am asking why such a thing is happening."
There was no one who could answer. For important documents, sometimes they don't just send a public messenger, but confirm that it has arrived and have a document to that effect sent back.
If it was the exile of the Marquis's daughter, its importance went without saying. The Minister of Ceremonies had, of course, requested a confirmation of receipt document.
That was not coming back, he said. It meant there was a possibility that the proclamation, which should have been reliably delivered to the entire kingdom, had not arrived.
"From where?"
"Pardon?"
Perhaps unable to gauge the intent of the Crown Prince's too-brief question, the Minister of Ceremonies was at a loss for words, unable to give an immediate reply.
"I am asking from where the confirmations have returned, and from where onwards there are no confirmations," the Crown Prince repeated in an irritated voice.
"Yes, uh—from Ezrin onwards. We have received confirmation up to Lagansville."
Hurriedly flipping through the notes in his hand, the Minister of Ceremonies answered.
"Ezrin, you say? That place is—"
"The lord of Ezrin is—the Realdi family, Your Highness. The current head is Count Renalt Realdi."
Count Nord, Ludovico Foscar, who was present, caught the Crown Prince's doubt and supplemented. As he spoke, Ludovico remembered the stern face of Renalt, the head of the Realdi family.
That Count would never neglect a confirmation of receipt. He wouldn't even hesitate to provide an escort if necessary—if it were that man who valued loyalty to the royal family.
"Realdi, is it. A house of loyalty. It might be some kind of mistake—but just in case, send a public messenger for confirmation."
"The thing is, Your Highness."
The Minister of Agriculture, with a grimace, spoke up as if it were hard to say.
"There has also been no reply to the letter from the public messenger sent by the Ministry of Agriculture."
"When was this?"
"Five days ago, Your Highness. Since there was a possibility of war, we were confirming the status of stockpiles in various parts of the east. Along with that, we were to prepare for accumulation along the Mares Road, which would be the march route..."
"To Ezrin—"
"I believe it would take a day and a half to two days one way by fast horse. Therefore, yes—normally, the proclamation from the Ministry of Ceremonies should have returned two days ago, and the letter from the Ministry of Agriculture should have returned yesterday, Your Highness."
Ludovico added words again. Someone was exchanging words in a low voice, asking what on earth was going on with two cases in a row.
"—What are the conceivable possibilities?"
At the Crown Prince's question, the ministers looked at each other. It was a question no one wanted to answer.
"As for possibilities, there are several, but..."
Ludovico, who had unintentionally drawn everyone's gaze, began to speak cautiously.
"First, there is the possibility that some kind of accident occurred and the arrival is delayed. If there were circumstances such as a landslide or a collapsed bridge that prevented the public messenger from passing even if they wanted to."
"No, no, Count Nord, if such a thing happened, a public messenger would be sent from the site to the royal capital for that very reason."
The one who refuted was the Minister of Works. Ludovico nodded and continued.
"Another is the possibility that they were attacked by someone on the way. Bandits of some sort, or—"
"It is hard to believe that bandits would attack a public messenger. They wear horse-cloths and are recognizable as such even from a distance. Besides, even if a public messenger carries secrets, they rarely carry valuables. And if a public messenger were attacked, a thorough search would be conducted. It wouldn't be worth it, would it?"
The one who denied this possibility was the Minister of Justice. In fact, there are almost no examples of public messengers being attacked by bandits.
"—Or, is it the subordinates of the Marquis of Mares?"
"Didn't the Mares knights board a ship from the port of Corgia?"
The Minister of War said, as if to confirm.
"That is what I have heard. However, even if not knights, perhaps mercenaries, or even bandits who were given money?"
"It's the same no matter who it is. Since we know the location, we just need to thoroughly search the vicinity of that road. If you find them, hang them along the road. We must let it be known what happens to those who slight the King's messenger."
The Crown Prince declared with a grim expression. There was no way anyone in the group would have an objection.
"There is one last possibility, but..."
While thinking that he didn't want to say this, Ludovico continued. However, even if it wasn't a story he wanted to voice, as the de facto Minister of Internal Affairs, he couldn't help but say it.
"Speak, Count Nord."
"To the last, please listen to this only as a possibility—"
"What, it's not like it's a story to be so mysterious about."
"—The rebellion of Count Ezrin."
Though it was a low voice mixed with a tremor, the single word Ludovico uttered silenced everyone in the room.
Everyone thought it couldn't be. And at the same time, they couldn't completely discard the suspicion that it might be.
As a matter of fact, the confirmation of receipt that should definitely be delivered had not arrived.
"That place—the Count's house of Ezrin is a family of loyalty for generations, Count Nord."
The one who pushed out a rebuking voice was the Minister of Internal Affairs.
"That is why I said, a possibility."
It wasn't that Ludovico believed the words he had uttered. Rather, he thought he didn't want to believe them.
The midpoint of the Mares Road, a strategic point where roads intersect. Loyalty born precisely from knowing the importance of that location.
But now that it had been shown that loyalty is not necessarily rewarded, how could one say that a house that has maintained loyalty for generations would continue to keep that loyalty as it is?
And above all, if an opponent has appeared far before the destination at this very moment when the war is about to begin.
"If it were true, Count Nord, it would no longer be a matter of war."
The Minister of War said in a reproaching tone. Don't tell me, Ludovico grumbled in his heart.
"I said it was a matter of possibility. However—as a matter of fact, the confirmation of receipt has not returned, has it?"
That much, no one could deny.
"Enough."
The Crown Prince spat out.
"It's no use discussing only suspicions and possibilities here. There is no way but to confirm what we do not know. Is that not so, Minister of War?"
"Yes, it is exactly as you say, Your Highness."
"Minister of Ceremonies, the confirmation of receipt has come up to before Ezrin—up to Lagansville, right?"
"Yes, Your Highness, there is no mistake about that."
"Minister of Agriculture, how far has the confirmation of stockpiles been completed?"
"Confirmation has been completed up to Lagansville, Your Highness."
"In that case."
After thinking for just a brief moment, the Crown Prince continued.
"If Count Ezrin has rebelled, how many troops can be mobilized?"
Everyone turned their gaze to the Minister of War. The Minister of War shook his head silently—it seemed he couldn't say immediately.
"If it's not much different from my territory, it should be around 500."
"Hmm."
At Ludovico's words, which he answered immediately, the Crown Prince nodded.
"The area around Ezrin was a plain, was it not? Is there any hindrance to moving an army, Minister of War?"
"As you say, it is a plain. There are no hindrances, Your Highness."
"Very well. For now, we will send 1,500 from the royal capital. Have the Knight Commander of the Royal Guard choose the commander. First, 100—no, 50 will do, send an advance party to confirm the situation. In the meantime, prepare the rest of the men. Does anyone have any objections?"
No objections were raised. Ludovico also thought it was a solid judgment.
It was as if the way they had been arguing while flustered was a lie.
"Tell the General Staff Office as well. And tell them to send one general here. We have to finalize various things from now on. Minister of War, understood?"
"As you command, Your Highness."
The Minister of War responded with a polite bow.
"What shall we do about the public messenger for confirmation, Your Highness?" the Minister of Ceremonies asked.
"Send that as well. How long will the preparation for the advance party take?"
"Two—no, one day. We shall have them depart tomorrow."
At the Minister of War's reply, the Crown Prince indicated with a hand gesture, "Good, then go."
Ludovico, who had exited the royal presence, let out a sigh of relief as usual. He thought back on the Crown Prince's decision. That was probably for the best—likely.
Since there was suspicion, it had to be resolved. If that were the case, he didn't think there was a better solution than that.
But, Ludovico thought with a dark mood. He had to doubt what should have been natural to trust without doubt.
—What, and to what extent, can I, and can we, trust?
Isn't it scary when something you should have been able to trust as a matter of course suddenly becomes untrustworthy one day?