Arendt looked at the back of Jereon, who was leading the way, and imagined him and the Crown Prince together.

The Crown Prince he met before was quite a free-spirited and self-willed person.

‘Could someone like that assist him?’

He would come to visit out of nowhere in plain clothes, and he seemed accustomed to sneaking out of the palace. Considering that he had even set up a secret hideout by stealing a retired chef, it was enough to not say anything.

That wouldn’t have been easy if Jereon hadn’t cooperated from the side. It would have been impossible if the opponent had been an ordinary, squeamish person.

“Lord Arendt was a bit reckless. Of course, I understand that you wanted to take the child’s side. But even Lord Laius could get into trouble.”

“I told you, I’m wasn’t taking his side.”

“Yes, yes, I guess so.”

Jereon chuckled.

“…”

“I know that everyone is working for His Majesty the Emperor and for the peace of the Empire. However, many of the Third Knight’s members remain there because of the character of Commander Laius.”

Arendt didn’t answer this time either, but Jereon didn’t seem to care much.

“Of course, I don’t need to tell you this much, Lord Arendt, as you already know. You’ve been together for almost a year now.”

“… I wonder why you are telling me this when you already know it so well.”

“Ahaha. I didn’t mean anything else. I just wanted to make sure that Lord Arendt would understand Captain Laius’ feelings.”

Jereon drew a good-natured smile.

Before they knew it, the two had reached a deserted corridor. Two knights were standing firm in front of a large door engraved with the royal family’s emblem.

The knights glanced at Arendt and frowned in displeasure, then quickly stepped aside after confirming that Jereon had come with them.

Jereon nodded to them and then knocked on the door.

“Your Highness, I have brought Lord Arendt with me.”

“Come in.”

When permission was granted, Jereon opened the door. The thick paulownia door opened silently.

“You deadly traitor. Couldn’t you have given me notice?”

Cantares, who had been slumped in his office chair, spoke in a dull voice. Arendt also nodded, as it seemed like it was not a situation where he could say anything.

“What are you talking about now? You knew I was like that all along.”

“… Okay, let’s stop talking.”

Jereon closed the door again and stood next to Cantares, as if it were his original place.

Arendt approached Cantares and scanned the office.

The interior of the palace and the living quarters were exactly as they were in a museum catalog.

The office was larger than an average hall. The large desk where Cantares sat was shiny and polished, but it also felt very old.

A bookshelf filled one wall, filled with all sorts of documents and books, and on one side was a fireplace decorated with ornate carvings.

Judging by the enormous sofa and table for welcoming guests, it seemed to also serve as a reception room.

The excessive splendor of the room, with its flashy chandeliers and the jewel decorations and sculptures placed here and there, was almost burdensome. However, Arendt did not show it and turned his gaze back to the owner of the office.

Then he felt a little uncomfortable. Cantares was perfectly in tune with this overly dazzling space; it was as if he was born that way.

“What? Why are you looking at me with those disgusting eyes again?”

“It’s nothing.”

A voice came out a little more peevish than usual.

“So why did you call me?”

“I have something to receive and something to give.”

When Cantares gestured, Jereon handed over the documents he was holding to Cantares.

“Tsk, it got dirty. Well, it’s not for me to see, so it doesn’t matter.”

He clicked his tongue once and handed it back to Arendt.

Arendt accepted it with a slight frown.

“What is it?”

“Marquis Grieg will be quite angry if he finds out that the document he worked on all night was going to this guy, he might just grab him by the scruff of the neck.”

“Did you do that on purpose?”

“I was a bit grumpy because you’re such a mean person. I told you to come to your senses while working overtime. I never imagined that you’d get into an argument on the way here.”

“I don’t care if you hate me.”

Arendt handed Cantares what he had brought and scolded him.

Cantares burst into laughter.

“I’ve already had my fill of hate. It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, yes, you did well. What is this?”

“As Marquis Grieg’s main source of income is civil engineering, I ordered him to write a report on the overall situation under various pretexts, and this is the result.”

Cantares explained simply.

“He’s someone who’s quite familiar with the affairs of nearby territories and cities. He’ll be able to figure out the situation of each territory and the direction in which funds are flowing. And, how was Marquis Grieg?”

“How was he? If you have any questions, please be more specific.”

Arendt, who had been looking through the dirty papers, opened his mouth without even raising his head.

“You must have seen Marquis Grieg in person. In fact, I was planning to make it seem like a coincidence that you two would run into each other in his office.”

“Yes. He was so angry that he almost grabbed the back of his neck and fell over.”

“He probably doesn’t feel so good. There’s a project that he’d been working on, but I didn’t give him permission.”

Cantares smiled faintly.

“I don’t think he’s just angry, is there another reason?”

“A few years ago, I found out that the land that was supposed to be developed for the purpose of building a welfare facility was being used for something else, so I looked into it further.”

The Crown Prince paused for a moment and counted on his fingers.

“The place that was supposed to be used as a daycare center turned out to be a farm, and the place that was supposed to be used as a subsidy to build a church for Luce at the request of a local leader turned out to be a commercial building. The building’s owner was in a different name, but it was an alias that was presumed to be that of a Marquis.”

This meant that all the money earned there went into the Marquis’ pocket.

Arendt replied, still looking at the papers in his hands.

“At first glance, it sounds like a simple case of embezzlement and tax evasion. Why can’t we just punish the Marquis himself?”

“Despite all that, the Marquis’ assets were practically intact.”

Only then did Arendt raise his head after hearing Cantares’ words.

“I tried to track it down to see where it was hidden, but I couldn’t find it, so I looked into the alias the Marquis used.”

“The money flowed out from there?”

“That’s right. The fortune was amassed under the pseudonym of Marquis Grieg, Joseph Julian, and then… it was leaked out to the wrong people.”

Cantares frowned slightly, his chin raised.

“There was a nobleman who wanted to build a tourist garden on the outskirts of the palace, but the person who was promoting it suddenly died, and someone else bought the land and said he would continue construction.”

“Was the Marquis investing there?”

Arendt took his words and spoke on his behalf.

Cantares nodded.

“Yes,”

“What’s happening there now?”

“Garden.”

“Yes?”

Arendt let out a dumbfounded noise without realizing it. Cantares groaned as if he had expected such a reaction.

“Oh my. It’s actually true. I sent someone to spy on the place and they found a perfectly good garden being built. It’s still under construction though.”

Cantares rested his chin on his hand and continued his story.

“Besides, the owner of the land where the garden was to be built is unknown. Neither the laborers nor the people from the nearby villages have seen him. He says he always appoints a proxy.”

“Is it possible that the owner of that land is Marquis Grieg?”

“Probably not. I can’t be sure, but what we’ve found out so far is enough to put the Marquis on trial for embezzlement. But that’s it. I think it’s worth digging into further.”

Cantares, who had spoken up to that point, lowered his voice a little.

“It seems like it’s not as simple as arresting just one Marquis. As you know, there have been quite a few incidents around lately.”

“…”

Cantares added, making sure Arendt was listening to him.

“The Marquis isn’t the only one who invested in that garden, and the owner of the land must be somewhere. I think that’s the real one? So…”

A mischievous smile appeared on Cantares’ face.

“I plan to hold a banquet in the castle soon.”

Banquet.

A strange light appeared in Arendt’s eyes for a moment at those words.

‘Well, the timing is right.’

The Imperial Banquet was originally an event held when the empire was falling into a pit of despair. Now that the empire was seemingly at peace, he thought it might just pass without a banquet being held.

The person standing in this spot in the novel was none other than Laius.

Arendt had already been executed, and the shadow of Arthur’s death was hanging over the Third Knights.

Arendt recalled the contents of the novel.

Canthares calls Laius aside, who has become depressed due to Arendt’s execution and Arthur’s death. Laius regains his strength with Canthares’ encouragement, and Canthares gives him a new order.

“I want you to stay there and watch over the nobles.”

…That.

He heard a voice that matched the lines he remembered perfectly.

A strange sense of pleasure washed over Arendt, and the corners of his mouth slightly curved.

Thanks to Arendt’s intervention, the East Safe was defended, and Arthur was not attacked and killed. Perhaps because of this, Cantares, who gave the order, also spoke in a light tone.

“The seasons will change soon… let’s have a banquet and get to know each other better.”

This was not a grim-faced order given in mourning of someone’s death, but a deal between a troublesome knight and a playful crown prince.

“Invite the nobles, invite their families, and invite promising young people. Of course, the ones to watch are the Marquis Grieg and his group.”

Cantares had a mischievous smile on his handsome face.

“This is where your role becomes important. A troublemaker in the palace, a traitorous knight, a traitor who came back from the dead. Since you’re like that, you can run around here and there without worrying about what others think and have a blast.”

“…”

“All you have to do is help us pick out a few suspicious people. The rest is up to me. What do you think? Can you do it?”

Arendt paused for a moment.

He looked down as if he was thinking about something, then scratched the back of his head and kicked the ground for no reason.

And when Arendt looked up again, the damned apprentice knight was making his characteristically sullen face.

It clearly meant that there was dissatisfaction.

“…Again, what, why?”

“So, you’re saying you’re going to ask me to do that screening job?”

“I can’t leave it up to you forever, but just for now?”

“Well, really. Even if it was an order from His Highness the Crown Prince, how many nobles would try to kill me right now?”

As Arendt shrugged his shoulders slyly, Cantales’ face rotted away as if it had been chewed by a bug.

“Your Highness, you will be protected by the strongest knights in the safest place, but I would be attacked and killed without anyone knowing. I am just a mere apprentice knight… and I even have the amusing nickname of traitor.”

“…”

A cold sweat ran down Jereon’s smiling face.

“Excuse me, Lord Arendt. Is there anything you would like?”

“It’s nothing special. It just occurred to me.”

As if he had been waiting for those words, Arendt blurted them out.

“Please give me a place to train. A place where no one can see me.”