Below the added note were more notes written in succession. Each had different handwriting. It seemed that editors throughout the years had added notes in sequence.

「An Eastern spy? Which spy are they talking about?」

「You should have written the name too, you idiot! Did you get fired for doing such a terrible job?」

「How are we supposed to use such useful information when it’s recorded so vaguely?」

The handwriting of the note at the very bottom was quite familiar. It was definitely the handwriting of one of the editor’s direct supervisors. Having seen his handwritten notes many times, she could still recognize his handwriting precisely.

「After thoroughly searching through thousands of  manuscripts over five days…… I discovered that the spy’s name was mentioned very early in the novel’s serialization.

It’s from when Pepe was 3 years old, and the title is ‘Pepe: 801 Days Since Birth!’ Since it’s from a child’s perspective, it’s very short and the content is terribly childish.

The editors during that period must have had it so easy, it makes me sick. Damn it.」

Unfortunately, the memo ended there. The spy’s name was not explicitly stated.

“Senior! Instead of scribbling these useless notes, you could have just recorded the spy’s name!”

The editor gritted her teeth and turned to the next page. Again, memos in different handwriting were listed in sequence.

「Lately I feel like someone is following me.」

「Were you also followed, senior? I’m scared of walking alone at night these days too……. 」

「Scared of walking at night? Back in the day, could Little Lord novel editors even go home? You all had it so easy.」

「I agree. I haven’t been able to go home for ten days now. But lately I feel like someone is watching me even in the newspaper office corridors.」

「Good heavens! So I wasn’t the only one being monitored by security bureau agents!」

Below the first editor’s words, subsequent editors had added their agreement, all mentioning being followed or monitored.

“Security bureau……?”

Were these people really able to leave the newspaper company peacefully? No, at this point, she was worried whether they had even died peacefully.

Come to think of it, no one knew what had happened to any of the previous editors after they resigned……

“What are you looking at?”

Just then, she heard Sir Gallant’s solemn voice from behind. He was entering the office with his hands behind his back.

The editor was startled and closed the guidelines. But Sir Gallant’s eyes had already fallen on the guidelines.

“You’ve finally taken my advice.”

Sir Gallant looked at the guidelines awkwardly held in the editor’s hands with satisfaction. After examining the quiet private office, he glided smoothly to stand beside the editor.

“Did you visit the cathedral?”

“Yes.”

“……So? The picture?”

“What? What picture?”

“……I was hoping you would bring back a picture of the prince and the Little Lord.”

Sir Gallant said with a stiff face. The editor was momentarily confused about why this person…… no, this ghost was behaving this way. But soon she understood his meaning and snapped her fingers with a click.

“Ah, you mean a photograph. My colleague who went to the cathedral probably took some pictures. I’ll show them to you as soon as they’re developed.”

“De……veloped……?”

“The process of treating film with chemicals to reveal the image…… Ah, I’ll just show you directly at the photo lab later.”

The editor gave up trying to explain and abbreviated her explanation.

“But my colleague’s camera is old-fashioned, so it will take about three or four days to develop the film photographs.”

“That’s too long.”

Sir Gallant visibly showed his disappointment by wrinkling his expression.

“By tomorrow, other newspapers will be plastered with Pepe’s beautiful face. Why don’t you look at those first?”

The editor awkwardly tried to comfort him. Gallant lifted his head abruptly with a somewhat excited face.

“Was the Little Lady truly beautiful, resembling my descendant?”

“Hughey Gallant? They really do look exactly alike.”

“……”

“……I would believe it if someone said the Little Lady was your descendant.”

When she subtly probed, Sir Gallant’s expression suddenly became strange.

“So it’s true……”

She looked at him nodding vacantly with an incredulous gaze.

What’s this? Why is his reaction so lukewarm? A person, no, a ghost who should be jumping up and down saying, ‘How could Count Cochrun’s daughter be my descendant?’……

“Why are you suddenly curious about Pepe?”

The editor impulsively asked, unable to contain her curiosity. Sir Gallant’s expression, which had momentarily relaxed, instantly hardened.

“Is it strange for me to be curious about the protagonist of the masterpiece I created?”

He turned sharply with his hands still behind his back. The editor suspiciously watched him as he slipped smoothly into the wall and disappeared.

* * *

Below the cathedral’s altar was a wide underground passage. It was mainly a place where the archbishop and priests would briefly wait before services or prayers.

Unlike the ornate and antique interior of the cathedral, the underground passage had no common decorations, carpets, or even lamps. There weren’t even chairs prepared, so Viett and Phenelity had to lean against cracked walls.

Second Lieutenant Peter stood back a few steps and looked at them with complicated eyes. Viett was murmuring his speech with his head bowed low, while Phenelity had her arm linked through his thick arm, occasionally glancing at her pocket watch.

The archbishop’s prayer echoed loudly from above. After the memorial prayer ended, Viett would have to climb onto the altar and begin his memorial speech.

“I…… I, I…… h-here, p-pledge……”

“Viett. Hold my hand and take a deep breath.”

Phenelity firmly held the back of his hand as he recited the speech with a trembling voice. Viett took a long deep breath and tightly held her hand in his. Phenelity leaned her head against his forearm and carefully asked.

“Why don’t you try recalling the moment when you read the poem I wrote?”

“I, I don’t know. M-my head is…… t-turning white…… I, I can’t……”

Second Lieutenant Peter distanced himself as far as possible from them, finding it unfamiliar to see Viett depending on his wife. He stood awkwardly, taking in the sight of the two lost in their own world.

Viett exhaled a trembling breath and searched his uniform’s inner pocket. He seemed to be habitually looking for cigarettes. Of course, there would be no cigarettes in his ceremonial uniform.

“Damn it!”

Viett cursed and bowed his head deeply. Phenelity neatly smoothed his disheveled clothes.

“Don’t get angry.”

“I-I’m not angry. I, I just……”

He had been trailing off his sentences and bowing his head repeatedly, showing how nervous he was. His extreme tension was palpable even from a distance.

To think that someone who always seemed so large and threatening could look as small as a crumpled can. Second Lieutenant Peter couldn’t bear to look at the diminished Viett and turned his head away.

“What are you doing here?”

Just then, Minister Hinler limped out from the dark end of the corridor. He looked at the prince and his wife with surprise, then turned his gaze to Second Lieutenant Peter.

“Lieutenant. Didn’t I clearly tell you to escort Phenelity away?”

“H-Hinler?”

Viett pushed himself off the wall with a surprised face. At that moment, a sound announcing the end of the prayer came from outside the passage.

It was time to begin the memorial speech. Viett now had to let go of his wife’s hand and climb to the altar alone. Hinler urged him with a worried face.

“Your Highness. Everyone is waiting.”

“Go crush it!”

Despite Phenelity’s encouragement, Viett’s rigid expression didn’t soften. He looked back at his wife several times before trudging up the stairs connected to the altar.

Minister Hinler watched him with concern, then whispered in Phenelity’s ear.

“Follow me.”

“Why?”

Hinler silently turned and crossed the dark underground passage. Phenelity followed him with a puzzled face. Second Lieutenant Peter swallowed a sigh and moved along with her.

Minister Hinler led Phenelity to a basement room. It was a room with dusty baptismal implements filling one wall. Phenelity wore a puzzled expression as soon as she crossed the threshold with Second Lieutenant Peter.

“Aren’t we going to the VIP seats…… Oh my, why is this here?”

The magic phonograph that she had brought from Costonia was placed in the corner of the basement. Minister Hinler immediately started the phonograph upon entering the room.

The record began spinning, and Prince Viett’s piano performance flowed softly through the amplifier. Second Lieutenant Peter quickly closed the door.

“From now on, you must never reveal His Highness’s flaws and weaknesses in your novel.”

Hinler turned to Phenelity with a stern face and warned her.

“With His Majesty the king bedridden now, the enemy nation Easton and the allied forces will try to assess Viett’s qualifications, who has become the new leader. Everyone will be eagerly waiting for your novel. His Highness’s defects must not be recorded in such a novel.”