Surprising news reached the Kramer couple upon returning to the Imperial Capital after their meeting.

“…What? Attempted to assassinate of the Emperor?”

“The head chamberlain?”

It was an absurd story.

What movie did the head chamberlain watch to try assassinating the Emperor?

“Something seems strange.”

“There are also rumors that he has already passed away.”

“…Pardon?”

“Something seems to have happened in the Imperial Capital.”

“…Should we look into it?”

“It’s probably related to the Prince as expected… which makes it more suspicious.”

“Could it be that Her Highness the Princess still doesn’t know about her pregnancy?”

“If she did know, the positions of her and the Prince would have already reversed, right?”

“Yes.”

Though they had heard Duke Aberdeen’s words, that was something Duke Aberdeen had noticed himself, not something he heard from the Princess.

They thought that unless the Princess had the ability to sense her own energy, she might not know yet.

So they thought that might be why things were so quiet. (Though the imperial family as a whole wasn’t quiet, the Princess’s side’s response was quiet.)

“Should we request an audience?”

Going to the Imperial Capital no longer felt so dangerous.

It seemed to be because they now had the ability to escape if needed.

“Master.”

At that moment, Butler Royter came to visit.

“What is it?”

“A letter has arrived from the Imperial Palace.”

Constantine twitched one eyebrow and picked up the envelope from the silver tray.

“…It’s from the Princess.”

“Her Highness the Princess?”

“But it’s addressed to me.”

If the Princess sent a letter to Constantine rather than Saena, it was likely an official matter.

Saena urged him with an expression that said to read it quickly. He opened the envelope with a letter knife and began reading.

“…This works out well. We won’t need to request a private audience.”

“Pardon?”

“The Princess has just requested the Four Dukes to enter the capital. She says there are urgent matters to discuss with the Oathkeepers regarding succession.”

“Ah, could she have realized she’s pregnant?”

“We’ll have to go in to find out. It could also be because of matters related to His Majesty the Emperor.”

Saena nodded.

“Now we have both an official pretext and the true Crown Prince, so the resolution should be more straightforward.”

Constantine grinned.

“Let’s pull it out by the roots in one go.”

The issue of the Prince had to be dragged on until now.

His status as imperial and position as the only successor candidate had been such a big shield that they couldn’t touch him, but now they finally had a way to break through that shield.

“Besides, this works out well since we needed to meet anyway regarding the Princess’s protection.”

“Ah, you mentioned taking turns standing guard.”

At the Oathkeepers’ meeting, they had agreed on the need to take turns guarding the Princess’s palace. They felt it necessary to protect her safety until the precious successor who had finally appeared could fully succeed.

Imagining how the Prince would rage when he learned he couldn’t become crown prince, the five Oathkeepers unanimously agreed.

Of course, Saena was excluded from guard duty.

* * *

The next day, the Four Dukes entered the Imperial Capital.

Saena couldn’t go with them since she wasn’t yet an official Oathkeeper.

There was a room in the Imperial Palace that only Oathkeepers could enter, and they invited the Princess to that round table room. There they learned the shocking news that His Majesty the Emperor had already passed away.

“Haa…”

“How could this happen.”

Hearing the circumstances, the rumors were indeed false.

The head chamberlain who had faithfully served the Emperor by his side for 30 years being the assassin?

Both the motive and purpose were unclear. It made no sense.

“Still, it seems you did well to contain this information. Otherwise, things would be quite chaotic right now.”

“I think so too, Your Highness.”

“But I think we can announce it now.”

The Princess was bewildered by the dukes’ statements that praised her actions but immediately changed their stance.

“Why is that?”

“Because a successor has appeared.”

“…Is that true?”

The Princess’s face turned pale.

“In the end, is it that Hebeta? No, the Hebeta is already…”

The Princess panicked, having no idea who they were talking about.

“It’s Your Highness yourself.”

“Which woman among… What? Me?”

“Yes.”

“What… Ah!?”

The Princess suddenly placed her hand on her belly.

“That’s right. It seems you are with child.”

“…Is, is this true?”

Duke Rosedale and Duke Francis nodded heavily.

Though Duke Aberdeen had said so, they had been somewhat uncertain until yesterday, but upon meeting the Princess, those doubts vanished completely.

Any Oathkeeper would be able to sense that energy.

It was that intense.

“I can sense Achelion’s energy. You have been… chosen.”

“Ah…”

The Princess’s expression looked quite complex.

It was an expression that showed complicated layers of what seemed like emotion, regret, and determination all at once.

“Therefore, Your Highness must now ascend to the position of Crown Prince.”

At these words that fell heavily like a declaration, the Princess’s mouth closed. She must be having quite complex thoughts behind that expressionless face.

“……”

In truth, the Princess had no other path either.

Understanding that she needed time to sort out her inner thoughts, everyone quietly joined in that silence. Though even that silence couldn’t be allowed much time given the situation.

“My, it seems we have an uninvited guest.”

Duke Aberdeen rose with a bright smile.

“We were going to summon him anyway, but he came on his own.”

With eyes cold as ice despite his smiling lips, he stared toward the doorway.

“Perfect timing.”

Just as his words ended, they heard someone kick open the door with a bang!

“Ha!”

It was the Prince.

The four Oathkeepers all stared with cold eyes at the rude intruder’s behavior.

“…Just what are you plotting, calling even the Princess here? Don’t you know the Imperial Palace can’t afford even the slightest suspicion right now!”

Not even the Empress could enter this room freely. They had never made exceptions for anyone who wasn’t an Oathkeeper.

The Prince created that exception himself.

“Y-you insolent ones! Are you saying you won’t even greet me now?!”

As the cold gazes of five pairs of eyes and the stares of four massive Guardian Spirits behind them bore into him, the Prince shouted while barely keeping his increasingly shrinking shoulders straight.

He was imperial. The most supreme being in this world. He couldn’t cower before mere Oathkeepers.

“Well, if it isn’t His Highness the Prince?”

Duke Aberdeen approached the Prince with a bright smile, as if to say he would greet him since he asked.

But his eyes were sharp as knives, causing the Prince to freeze momentarily.

He had already been monitoring the Princess when he heard she went to the round table room, and though he chased after her here with an ominous feeling, when he met Duke Aberdeen’s hostile gaze, he remembered what he had tried to do at the masquerade ball. Suddenly, he felt extremely intimidated.

‘But what! I didn’t even succeed anyway! If anything, I’m the victim!’

But he quickly overcame it with his characteristic optimism(?).

“Just what were you doing calling the Princess here?!”

She better not have been running her mouth about unnecessary things!

The Prince glared at the Princess, sending a warning through his eyes.

“—You must have heard about the unwritten rule regarding the round table room.”

Constantine rose smoothly and looked at the Prince.

“Ha! You mean how only Oathkeepers can enter?! That girl is in there too, so why can’t I!”

The Prince thought that if anything, he had more right as the Borrower of the Four Spirits.

“Hey, Kramer. You don’t need to be so harsh with His Highness the Prince.”

Duke Aberdeen stopped Constantine with a sardonic tone.

“We were planning to summon His Highness anyway.”

“…Me? Why?”

Though he came to the round table room himself suspecting something was wrong, when he heard they were planning to summon him, the Prince asked, feeling uneasy in a different way.

“We just heard that His Majesty has passed away, is this true?”

“…It’s true. That damned head chamberlain…”

“Since Your Highness is the only witness, we cannot help but hear the circumstances.”

“What does it matter to you whether you hear the circumstances or not?! Are you daring to make yourselves investigators? Against the imperial family? You Oathkeepers are just so arrogant–”

“Now, now, why are you getting so excited? Investigators, you say.”

“If that’s not what you mean then what is it?!”

“Because we have a way to find out who really assassinated the Emperor.”

“…What?”

Seeing the Prince’s pupils shake slightly, Duke Aberdeen smiled even more brightly.

“It’s true? Let’s prove it in front of all the imperial family including Her Majesty the Empress.”

Lucas added theatrically, spreading his arms toward those inside.

“Shall we move to another location?”

“……”

Each person’s silence followed, but for different reasons.

* * *

The hall with the imperial throne.

The Empress sat on that throne as the Emperor’s proxy, looking down at those gathered. However, rather than showing a dignified expression, her complexion suggested someone who couldn’t handle the position, as if she might collapse at any moment.

“……”

Rather, the presence of the four dukes looking up at her from below seemed to weigh down on her.

However, there was one person looking up at the seat where the Empress sat with eyes full of desire – it was the Prince.

That seat that would soon be his, the throne that he rightfully should have…

These four were the biggest obstacles to him sitting in that seat that he should rightfully occupy. To the point where he wanted to eliminate them immediately if he had the power. The Prince’s eyes gleamed with renewed contempt and hatred as he looked at the dukes.

“As mentioned before, we have a way to find out exactly who assassinated His Majesty the Emperor and how His Majesty passed away.”

Duke Aberdeen explained with a slight smile, completely disregarding such hatred from the Prince.

“Is, is that true?”

The Empress asked with shaking eyes.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Naturally, wouldn’t you want to know the truth?”

“……”

The Empress hesitated and closed her mouth.

“Don’t you want to know? His Majesty the Emperor passed away through unjust means.”

“…Ah, no. I was just surprised.”

“Yes. Then I’ll proceed taking that as your agreement.”

“……”

The Empress quietly gripped her hands together.

“But first, there is something to celebrate.”

“……?”

After talking about the Emperor’s assassination, suddenly mentioning celebration?

Just as everyone was confused by the sudden change in atmosphere, he spoke again.

“Finally stability will return to the empire. As an imperial citizen of the Macfeyden Empire, and as an Oathkeeper who guards the borders, this cannot but be a joyous occasion for all.”

Duke Aberdeen turned gracefully and spoke respectfully toward the Princess.

“Congratulations on your successful succession. May the great protection follow the noble bloodline eternally.”

At Duke Aberdeen’s lead, all Four Dukes placed their fists to their chests and bent their knees toward the Princess in respect.

“Congratulations. May the great protection follow the noble bloodline eternally.”

The Empress and Prince showed shocked expressions at this stark display of loyalty. Even the Princess looked surprised.

“W-what is this–!”

The Prince shouted.

“Have your eyes gone crooked! I am the Prince!”

Regardless of the Prince’s angry shouts, the dukes only rose after completing their proper respects.

“Treason– this is treason! You all! Guards! Is no one there!”