My next destination was Ainberg’s office.

Right next to the office was a space where secretaries and aides worked.

“Secretary, where is the chief aide right now?”

“He went to the temple.”

“The temple?”

When I asked again, he sighed and answered.

“His Majesty keeps looking for High Priest Millean Hartmann. But apparently he left after only saying he sensed unfavorable energy in the west.”

What nonsense is this?

“Unfavorable energy in the west?”

When I showed a somewhat tense expression, he spoke dismissively.

“That’s what he says every time he goes out. Nobody takes it literally.”

Good grief, really.

“Did he go alone?”

“Yes, he always travels alone. If he had taken other priests with him, that would be a problem in itself.”

“……?”

“If he had, then something truly bad would happen in the west.”

He shrugged once and picked up his pen again.

“…I understand. If the chief aide returns, please tell him I’m looking for him.”

“Yes, my lady.”

After leaving, I hurried toward the temple.

Seeing that Ainberg was looking for Millean again, he must be frustrated with his situation.

Well, of course he would be. His memories were fragmented and his body wasn’t well.

No, seriously, what’s with this Millean fellow? Would it kill him to stay at the temple at a time like this?

Where is he wandering around in times like these?

Does he really have holy power? Or did he become a priest through fraud?

Someone is desperately struggling here!

“……”

Wait, that’s strange. Why am I getting so angry?

I patted my cheeks a couple of times and walked quickly.

When I was almost at the temple, I spotted Oz in the distance.

“Aide!”

“My lady, what brings you here?”

“I have something urgent to tell you.”

He slowly stopped walking and asked me.

“What is it?”

“This place is a bit…”

Though it wasn’t a path with many passersby, it would still be better to be cautious.

When I lowered my voice, Oz’s expression changed.

“Then let’s move to another location.”

❀❀❀

“I believe this is the first time we’ve sat face to face like this, my lady.”

Oz took me to the aide’s anteroom where he worked.

Though smaller than the Emperor’s office, the books and materials lining the walls resembled a library.

“Indeed. I hope I’m not bothering a busy person.”

“Not at all.”

Oz smiled gently and asked me.

“By the way, Miss Viper came this morning.”

“Yes.”

“Is she ready now?”

“Perfectly.”

Oz had tea brought and responded like a gentleman.

But truthfully, I had neither the leisure nor the mood to drink the tea placed before me.

“…So why were you looking for me?”

The perceptive Oz asked about my business directly.

“Aide, have you caught all the men who attacked His Majesty?”

My question seemed too sudden, as Oz’s mouth opened slightly.

However, he quickly composed his expression.

“We couldn’t eliminate all of them. There were too many, and our soldiers were exhausted from the long expedition.”

Oz couldn’t finish his sentence.

I felt sorry for making him blame himself.

Still, it was a topic we needed to discuss for everyone’s sake.

“I’m sorry for bringing up an uncomfortable subject, Aide. But I didn’t ask to see you to blame you.”

“…No, my lady. It’s entirely my negligence.”

He ran his large hand down his face and continued.

“I’ll gladly accept whatever punishment His Majesty gives after he recovers.”

“Those who attacked His Majesty are at fault, not you, Aide.”

By the time I said that much, my throat felt dry from tension.

Oz had assisted Ainberg for a long time and was more deeply involved in the imperial court than anyone.

‘But while you can know ten fathoms deep into water, you can’t know one fathom deep into a person’s mind.’

I wasn’t going to hastily judge whether he was friend or foe.

‘This definitely isn’t something Foil could do alone.’

First, I was troubled by the fact that Foil knew the Emperor’s movements in advance.

Moreover, he wasn’t even in the imperial palace but on his way back from Sutton.

There might be someone inside communicating with Foil.

‘So now I need to suspect everyone.’

I would get what I needed from Oz, but I wouldn’t show all my cards.

I picked up the teacup, took a sip of the fragrant tea, and spoke again.

“Aide, do you remember how many attackers there were?”

When I asked carefully, Oz replied with a serious expression.

“It was such an urgent situation that I don’t remember clearly, but they were definitely more numerous than our soldiers.”

“Didn’t you say they were remnants of the bandit group that had been eliminated? Yet there were so many?”

When I asked again, Oz seemed to finally realize something was strange.

“…You’re right, my lady. Now that I think about it, it is strange.”

Then he continued with a slightly trembling voice.

“There were at least dozens of them. And they were quite well-trained.”

“Do bandits gather for training these days?”

“…Of course not.”

Oz’s expression gradually darkened.

“I didn’t realize until you mentioned it. It’s truly strange. Of course, they were numerous because they operated in an organized manner, but His Majesty had worked with Sutton for a long time and had eliminated almost all of them.”

“So after losing their leader, the remaining men formed their own organization and attacked the Emperor on his way back?”

When I spoke with a twisted voice, Oz’s expression became increasingly serious.

“Aide, how did you know they were remnants of the bandit group?”

Oz spoke without relaxing his deeply furrowed brow.

“We found the bandits’ insignia among the possessions of the men we dealt with.”

Oh my.

Isn’t that too easy a way to forge an identity?

Foil seems to have made an effort, but he wasn’t very thorough.

“So they carried marks… as if to show they were part of the bandit group?”

At my words, Oz’s furrowed brow slowly relaxed.

“That is strange. Wouldn’t they normally want to hide their identity?”

“…That’s right. What you say is correct, my lady.”

He stared at me with blank eyes, like someone who had missed something significant.

“My goodness, everything you say is right, my lady. To think I made such a pathetic judgment.”

“Aide, are there any captives from the scene?”

“Yes, we captured some who were trying to kill themselves.”

“That will have to wait until His Majesty wakes up. How many did you capture?”

“Three.”

Oz, who had initially answered with a dubious expression, was now completely aligned with me and giving sharp answers.

“Then would there be captives in Sutton as well?”

This is very important.

“Of course. We captured the leader and all his subordinates.”

“They haven’t been executed yet, right?”

“No, they’ll probably be executed to coincide with the Sutton lord’s birthday or some event.”

It seems they plan to make a public example of them.

Just then, Oz opened his mouth with a very serious face.

“If not bandits, who on earth would do such a thing…”

“……”

His face had turned red, seemingly very confused.

“I’ll increase the guards and strengthen security immediately.”

Then he muttered to himself.

“I should separately examine the list of those seeking an audience with His Majesty.”

“Yes, and all the servants, maids, guards, and secretaries coming and going as well.”

“Understood.”

Oz nodded with a solemn face and continued.

“This is no ordinary matter. This is… truly. I must inform His Majesty immediately.”

At this point, I carefully observed Oz’s expression.

A face with appropriate amounts of seriousness and concern.

If all these reactions were acting, he deserved an award for his performance.

‘If he were involved in this, he couldn’t have reacted so transparently.’

I nodded slowly and opened my mouth.

“Aide, I’ll tell His Majesty myself. Would that be alright?”

“You, my lady?”

“Yes, please take care of the rest, Aide.”

He clenched his fist and said.

“Aide, this matter must be handled secretly, known to no one.”

“Of course, my lady.”

Oz answered with an almost solemn expression.

“I won’t tell anyone about this.”

I continued with a similar gaze.

“However, if this matter leaks to someone’s ears or goes wrong…”

“……”

“I will have no choice but to suspect you as the mastermind behind the attack on His Majesty. Do you understand?”

As I spoke in an emotionless voice, I watched how Oz’s expression changed.