Chapter 148
"Duke Kleinert and his associates have made contact with Elder Weitling."
"I see."
After staging my rampage, I had been assessing the situation from my room.
Fortunately, I could leave information gathering to Sebas.
I was already someone attracting attention in the Imperial Capital. For now, it was better to lie low than make a careless move.
"Also, because Count Simmel has manipulated people's perceptions, Elder Weitling seems to suspect that Prince Arnold and Prince Leonart have switched places."
"So that's how he took it."
When I muttered that, Fiene, who was brewing tea, tilted her head and asked me a question.
"What do you mean by ‘that way’?"
"It's simple. I put on a bit of a Leo-like act. I got angry in ways unlike me and cornered nobles in ways unlike me. I didn't mind if that changed how people saw me, and I didn't mind if they thought Leo and I had switched places. I acted so that either interpretation was possible."
"You went that far...? I didn't notice at all."
"People who know what I'm normally like would find my transformation strange. So I suppose the idea that I had switched places with Leo seemed more plausible. Well, either way is fine. If people's opinion of me changes and I become someone they fear, that's fine too. I won't be able to keep pretending to be incompetent, but I won't have to let foolish nobles hold me back, and I can make up for Leo's weakness—his leniency. If they think Leo and I switched places, they'll get the impression that Leo can make ruthless decisions too. I can move the nobles who were uneasy about Leo's leniency. If they realize Leo has a frightening side, they won't be able to sit idly by and watch."
Erik and Gordon show no mercy. Nobles who did not side with them would likely not be executed, but their power would surely be stripped away. Leo, however, is different. Because people see him as kind and generous, many think they can continue sitting on the sidelines and still be forgiven.
If I could show them a frightening side here, I could get them moving.
I felt bad for Leo, but it would only benefit our faction, so he'd have to forgive me.
"I would think Lord Leonart wouldn't use a method like that..."
"The people close to him might think so. But they're only a minority. Even they are more convinced by the feeling that something about me is off. I've already laid the groundwork with Father, and depending on how things go, I could even play the role of Leo."
"That should be a last resort. Elder Weitling probably has no proof, so I doubt he'll make a fuss. It's best to hint that either interpretation is possible and bring this matter to an end."
"Yes. Pretending to be Leo would have major drawbacks, too."
In truth, just spreading a rumor that Leo and I had actually switched places was enough to manipulate people's perceptions.
Whether or not it was true, the nobles would panic simply at the thought that Leo and I might have switched places.
To be honest, I didn't want to reveal that I had actually been Leo.
"What kind of drawback?"
"A drawback far too great. Let's say I pretended here that Leo and I had actually switched places... I'd have to play Leo until he returned. That would be far too painful."
"I'm sure you could do it, Al-sama."
"Being able to do something and wanting to do it are different. If you keep pushing yourself beyond your limits, you'll eventually hit your limit. I've had enough of living as him..."
I was reminded of the time we went to the two southern countries.
We switched places then and got into serious trouble. A Sea Dragon even appeared that time, and nothing good ever comes of switching places with Leo.
As Sebas said, we should probably bring this incident to an end in a way that leaves room for either interpretation.
"Sebas. Spread the rumor."
"Yes, sir. Understood."
"Fiene, keep doing as you usually do. I may ask you to do something depending on how things develop, but for now, let's see how they respond."
"Yes. Here you go."
With that, Fiene handed me a cup of tea with a smile.
Even amid the commotion throughout the castle, my room remained as it always was.
■■■
The next day.
I had been summoned by someone, so I was on my way to their room.
It was on the eastern side of the rear palace, in a place called the "Eastern Palace"—a sort of rear palace for the Crown Prince. When the Crown Prince became Emperor, his consort would move from here to the center of the rear palace and become the Empress.
In other words, its mistress was the Crown Princess. However, no one currently held that title. Still, someone lived there.
The former Crown Princess. A woman widowed when the Crown Prince died. My sister-in-law.
Therese Rakes Adler. Her former name was Therese von Weitling.
She was Elder Weitling's eldest daughter.
"It's been a long time, Arnold."
"Yes, it has. I'm glad to see you looking well, Sister-in-Law."
With that, I bowed my head to my beautiful sister-in-law, Therese, who had long, honey-colored hair. Before she became my eldest brother's wife, she had been the belle of high society and the center of attention. She was still only twenty-six, as I recall, and her beauty remained unchanged, but ever since the Crown Prince's death, a shadow had fallen over her.
Even after the Crown Prince's death, the Emperor had allowed my sister-in-law to remain in the Eastern Palace.
She had been so devastated by his death that she could neither forget him nor face the future.
It was impossible not to pity her as she lived quietly in the Eastern Palace.
It was surprising that she had summoned me. She never did anything except attend events related to the Crown Prince.
"I'm sorry for summoning you so suddenly... I wanted to apologize for my brother. As his sister, I feel terrible about it."
"No, please don't concern yourself with that."
I held out one hand to stop my sister-in-law as she bowed.
She shouldn't bow her head over something like this. If things had gone smoothly, she would have become Empress.
"I have no right to ask this, but... Could you please forgive my brother, Laurenz?"
It must have been a wish from the bottom of her heart.
Now that she had lost the Crown Prince, the members of House Weitling were the only people she still worried about. That was why she had acted this time.
But she was wrong.
"I'm very disappointed. I never expected to hear such words from you, Sister-in-Law."
"...You won't forgive him?"
"No. I have no intention of forgiving him. If he wants to be forgiven, he should apologize to me himself. Besides, it seems you've misunderstood something, Sister-in-Law... The moment you married my brother, you became a member of the imperial family. Shouldn't you be taking my side?"
"That..."
"Laurenz von Weitling has committed a grave insult against me, a member of the imperial family. This is an act of contempt toward the imperial family as a whole. If I forgive it, the imperial family will lose face."
"...Arnold. Please, I'm begging you. I have no family left except my blood relatives..."
"I'm sorry, but given your position, you should put your status as a member of the imperial family before your blood ties. I'll keep this matter quiet. Don't forget that many people disapprove of your remaining in the Eastern Palace."
I gave her that warning, then turned on my heel.
It may sound harsh, but someone had to say it.
My sister-in-law surely didn't want to leave this place, either. It was a place filled with memories of the time she spent with my eldest brother.
It must be a precious place to her.
"Arnold... The Crown Prince... Will thought highly of you."
"That's the first I've heard of it."
"Someone like you should understand that driving House Weitling into a corner is pointless... My brother is still young. Please give him a chance to start over..."
"He's older than I am. Besides, this crisis could have been avoided if he had exercised even the most basic judgment. He picked a fight with the imperial family, only to have the tables turned on him. As the head of a prestigious noble house, he can only be called incompetent. When an incompetent person gains power, chaos follows. You should understand that much, Sister-in-Law."
"Arnold..."
"Excuse me."
With that, I finally left the room.