Home/I confined you, but I have no ill will/ch 80

80.

Kite was returning—upon hearing this, Draven paced his room in anxiety. He'd tried everything to arrange the Emperor's marriage in Kite's absence, but had achieved nothing.

Leonhardt shook his head at all his suggestions.

"I want to choose my own spouse."

He'd tried persuading other nobles, but half wouldn't move—and the neutral ones had sided with the Emperor, fearing Kite's return. Even if Kite harmed them, he'd face no real punishment. Sometimes he was nominally imprisoned, but that was hardly a punishment—he'd spend a few days in jail and come out to take revenge.

Draven tore at his hair.

"Damn it!"

He'd done his best—spreading bad rumors about Kite, but most targets were nobles or lowlifes, so it had little effect. Though his reputation among nobles had suffered, commoners didn't care—they gossiped about his deeds, but not harshly, since they weren't the targets. That was why Kite had survived.

Nothing goes right.

He muttered, disheartened, then glared at the air with bloodshot eyes. Unknown, the Teyrin seer who called himself a prophet, had promised Kite wouldn't return from the North for a long time.

He hadn't believed it at first—mockingly dismissing seers as frauds with crystal balls. But Unknown soon changed his mind.

His predictions were always right, benefiting Draven. Eventually, he'd come to trust and follow him.

But—

This time, his prophecy had failed. Trusting him, he'd pressured the Emperor—only for Kite to resolve the northern issue much faster. Draven wasn't a complete fool—he'd planted spies; Kite had apparently allied with the barbarians.

Allied with those savages?

Incredulous, he'd asked for more details: the barbarians had offered a diamond mine in exchange for food and autonomy. Such mines were rumored but uncertain—and there might be more beyond it.

The North had always been poor, relying on central support; trees were abundant but transport costly. If not for barbarian incursions, the fortress might have been abandoned. But now things had changed.

"A diamond mine!"

If more were found, the situation would shift. The barbarians promised not to invade, so security was assured. The Deadlands were a concern, but the barbarians would be the first to face any threat.

People would flock north; the Emperor would increase support; it would become a mining city—and all of it Kite's achievement.

Should have sent a fool to sabotage him.

Not sending anyone was a late regret. Even a Swordmaster shouldn't also have a good head—how had he persuaded the barbarians? The barbarian chief Kahn was said to crave blood!

He'd been scratching his skin with his nails, only stopping when he felt pain—doing strange things without realizing it.

When Kite returned, all his plans would unravel.

"Unknown."

He ground his teeth—then a voice came from behind.

"You called?"

He turned—Unknown and a black-masked man stood by the window.

"Didn't I tell you not to use the window?"

Unknown shrugged.

"I couldn't exactly come through the front door."

His cover was as a Teyrin count. With the Emperor's birthday over, most Teyrin had left; he couldn't be seen openly visiting.

Ordinarily he'd accept it, but now he was on edge.

"Still—!"

As he flared up, the masked man removed it—a middle-aged man with a large scar across his face.

"Allow me to introduce you."

Unknown gestured.

"This is Pavltin, head of Teyrin's Intelligence Department."

Some of their agents had visited before, but never the head. Draven frowned.

"Why would such a man come here?"

"Ah—I forgot something."

Unknown grinned.

"He supports the first prince, Richt."

"Ho?"

The Teyrin princes' rivalry was well-known; as a Pabeln duke, Draven had kept track. But he hadn't known the Intelligence head supported the first prince.

Unknown quickly read his subtle expression—didn't he know? Pabeln's imperial family likely knew; Draven, the Emperor's maternal relative, was out of the loop. They knew the Emperor kept him at a distance, but this much?

Pavltin seemed to think similarly. But their only tool was Draven.

Pavltin was also skilled at hiding his expressions—or he couldn't be Intelligence head.

"Greetings, Duke Draven—I've come with a proposal."

Draven hesitated, then led them to the table.

"I can't offer tea."

"Fine—this isn't a tea party."

Pavltin sat, followed by Unknown.

"So—what do you want?"

"Duke Draven, what do you think of seers?"

His gaze went to Unknown.

"Useful."

Trying to act tough after clinging to them was amusing—but they didn't show it.

"Precisely—with Unknown, Teyrin has done many things easily. Knowing the future is a great advantage."

"Is that all?"

He answered coldly.

"Duke Draven."

Now came the real purpose.

"Don't you want the Empire?"

His brow twitched—as if to say why state the obvious?

"We can help you achieve that."

"I've heard that a hundred times—do I have the Empire yet?"

"Such things aren't easy."

"True."

He glared at Unknown.

"Then, Unknown, do you know how much your false prophecy will cost me?"

Unknown answered politely.

"I do—but it couldn't be helped."

"Couldn't be helped?"

"Duke Draven—did you know I'm not the only seer in the world?"

Finally, he revealed the existence of another.

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