1novels 109. Go first
109. Go first
Xinlai stood on the outer corridor of the Church of Light, the evening breeze carrying the unique scent of incense from the royal city brushing against his face.
The faces of the saints sculpted on the stone pillars appear blurred in the twilight, as if they too are silent about the sins of the city.
The Marquis Tansteen is dead.
He died in the dungeon.
Xinlai's fingers unconsciously traced the smooth, weathered lines on the stone railing of the outer corridor, the touch beneath her fingertips cold and hard.
Marquis Tanstin was a serious criminal personally ordered to be imprisoned by his father, King Bemmilth, on charges of keeping a witch and plotting a rebellion.
This case should have been tried by the Golden Glory Royal Family, but because of the close ties between the Tanstin family and the Golden Glory Royal Family, it could not be handled too strictly.
But now the person is dead.
What will my father think?
Bermelt was not the kind of king who could be easily fooled. During his years of rule over Asgard, he gradually expanded it from a small, precarious border state into a powerful kingdom that now dominates the central part of the continent, and this was never due to tolerance or benevolence.
He can investigate, he can get to the bottom of things, and he can smell the conspiracy in every detail.
Meanwhile, Simien, his good second brother, the Crown Prince, is probably in his study right now, confronting Alaya.
Xinlai recalled the scene from about half an hour ago.
As he emerged from the Church of Light, he happened to bump into Simeon's attendant hurrying through the corridor.
The attendant, with a stern face and hurried steps, made a crisp, urgent sound as his boot heels struck the stone pavement, and didn't even notice him standing in the shadows.
Xinlai instinctively took half a step back, hiding herself behind the stone pillar.
Then he heard the attendant say to Alaya's maid, "His Highness the Crown Prince requests that Lady Alaya proceed to the council chamber immediately; the matter of Marquis Tanstin needs explanation."
Simeon knew everything; he not only knew that the Marquis Tanstin was dead, but he was also preparing to pin the blame on Alaya.
Alaya is the High Priestess of the Church of Light, and also Sinlai's most important and secretive ally within the church.
If Aleya's mouth is pried open by Simeon...
No, Alaya won't speak. Sinlai was certain of that.
That woman's will was harder than the instruments of torture in the church dungeon. No matter how skillful Simeon's methods were, it was impossible to get anything out of her in a short time.
The problem is, Simeon doesn't need her to speak.
The fact that "the group of priests who entered the dungeon were arranged by Alaya" was enough for Simeon to make a fuss about.
Once Simeon reports this fact, along with the news of Marquis Tanstin's death, to his father, and then tries to absolve himself and Simondo of all responsibility, pushing it all onto the Church of Light, what will happen next is obvious to anyone.
The church pushed the issue to Alaya, and Alaya couldn't refuse.
Then they found him out from Alaya.
This clue is too clear.
Xinlai looked up at the deepening twilight sky. A few white doves returning to their nests flew over the church's dome spire, the sound of their wings flapping clearly audible in the silence.
His gaze followed the white doves as they disappeared into the shadows of the clock tower.
can not wait.
Since Simeon already knows about Tanstin's death and is questioning Alaya about it, it means he hasn't yet brought the matter to his father's attention.
There is a time difference in between.
Perhaps Simeon wanted to first understand the ins and outs of the matter and gather enough evidence before reporting to his father, hoping to deliver a fatal blow.
Perhaps he was hesitant, weighing the potential chain reaction of involving the church. Perhaps he was simply waiting for a more opportune moment.
Whatever his reasons, this time difference is Xinlai's opportunity.
Take the initiative.
Tell your story before others accuse you.
In the game of power, silence is not a virtue; the one who speaks first defines the truth.
Now, the truth he needs to define is that the responsibility for the Marquis of Tansteen's death lies with Simeon and Simondo.
To be precise, it was Simondo.
Simeon is too cunning; it's almost impossible to take him down directly. But Simondo is different.
Simondo is Simeon's most trusted right-hand man and also the person directly in charge of this case.
If Simondo is firmly charged with "dereliction of duty," Simeon will at least lose an arm, even if he is not implicated.
This is enough.
Xinlai no longer hesitated.
He turned and strode down the stone steps of the outer corridor, waving to his attendants waiting in the courtyard.
"Prepare the car. To the palace. Now."
The carriage sped along in the twilight.
Xinlai sat in the carriage with her back straight and her hands folded on her knees.
He didn't look at the street scene outside the window; his gaze fell on the small silver holy emblem hanging on the wall of the opposite carriage.
That was the clover emblem of the Goddess of Light, which Alaya had given to him before.
She said, "Your Highness, the goddess favors those who dare to act."
Now he needs more than just the goddess's favor.
He needs a perfect performance.
By the time the carriage stopped in front of the main gate of the palace, it was already completely dark.
The servants lit the torches on the palace walls one by one, and the flickering flames swayed in the night wind, casting the shadows of the guards long and short.
Xinlai jumped off the carriage, straightened the non-existent wrinkles on her clothes, and strode towards the palace gate.
"Your Highness." The captain of the guard recognized him and bowed.
"Where is Father?" Xin Lai asked without stopping, her tone urgent and serious, like a loyal and filial son bringing important news to report.
"His Majesty is in his study, reviewing documents—"
Before the captain of the guard could finish speaking, Xinlai had already walked past him.
As she passed through the front hall and along the long corridor lined with portraits of past monarchs, Sinlai's eyes swept over the faces in the portraits, some dignified, some kind.
His grandfather, De Winter III, is depicted in the portrait wearing his famous dark blue military uniform, his gaze so sharp it seems to pierce through the canvas.
My grandfather once said something that was recorded by the court historian in the "Royal Aphorisms of Andros": "A king does not believe in blood ties, nor in oaths, but only in interests."
Xinlai wholeheartedly agreed.
He stopped outside the study door, took a deep breath, and adjusted his facial expression to its best state: shock, grief, anger, and just the right amount of tension.
Then he raised his hand and knocked on the door three times forcefully.
"Come in."
Bermelt's voice came through the heavy oak door, low and calm.
Xinlai pushed open the door and saw her father sitting behind the huge mahogany desk, with several memorials spread out in front of him. The candles on the candlesticks were half burned, and the wax slowly dripped down the edge of the silver candlesticks, congealing into milky white teardrops on the base.
"Xin Lai? What brings you to see me at this hour?"
Xinlai did not answer immediately. He took three steps forward, stopped in front of the desk, and then knelt on one knee.
This action caused Bermelt to frown slightly.
Kneeling on one knee is a formal greeting, but it's usually unnecessary when father and son meet privately. Sinlai's choice to use this gesture indicates that what he's about to say is very important.
"Father," Xinlai's voice was low and restrained, trembling with a struggle to suppress her emotions.
"Your subject has just arrived from the Church of Light. There is some terrible news that I believe must be reported to Father King immediately."
Bermelt put down his quill and leaned back slightly. The candlelight cast interplay of light and shadow on his face, making his expression inscrutable.
"explain."
"The Marquis of Tanstin is dead."