The Prince in Question Is Not Stable

Chapter 72: The Banquet of Marcus Rile (2)

A deep violet carriage moved along the path of the forest.

The sun had not yet shone upon the world. And the carriage had been moving for quite some time, all the way from the nearest station in the capital, and was heading to the Royal Castle of Celesties.

Shervin was reading a book, while Arthur just stared outside the window.

He used to be a commoner. A man who moved to the county from a border village that got purged by the demonic rift years ago.

He’s a desperate man. And men with desperation achieve heights they can’t even dream of.

Arthur was such a man who built the largest and most lethal information network, to the point that he now has a royal invitation in his hands.

Years ago, no one would even lend him a coin of gold, yet now they all want his favours.

"Marcus Rile," he mumbled that name.

"There had been some rumours, and we’re not sure of those, so I don’t think you should focus on that man, Sir," Shervin spoke.

"Rumours of him and Saintess having an affair? That’s not something I can just ignore, Shervin. There wouldn’t be those rumours if Violet weren’t interested in him," Arthur replied.

He mentioned the name of the Saintess, ’Violet’, so casually that it appeared as if he knew her personally.

"You always say, never believe rumours, for they’re exaggerated misinformation, yet now you’re looking for the truth in those very rumours," Shervin said.

"I can’t help it, Shervin," Arthur said.

"I just can’t help it," he repeated.

"What did I not do? I slaved for nobles, I ratted many, I helped many, I was used by many, just so I could build a reputation, build a position among those nobles. Be someone who can be in the same room as her."

"First, a Prince with no reputation, and just his title is engaged to her, and now a transcended is involved in the rumours, what am I? Shervin." Arthur closed his eyes.

"I am nothing,"

"I can never be worth her time, not when she doesn’t even remember me," he said.

"I’m not worth a dime to any of the men in that palace, but it’s just my desperation that brings me there. If I can just do a little more, rise a little more, be more worthy, then one day...just one day, Shervin."

"Just for that one glance, that one moment, I’m ... I don’t know, I’m the most pathetic man in this world," Arthur said.

"..." Shervin had no words of consolation.

He’d seen Arthur talk like this for years. A man obsessed over a woman whom he had never been in the same room with.

"I’m not a mage...I’m no warrior, I’m just a normal man. My nobility is bought, my name is bought, my work is petty, and yet...I still do it for just a glance," He said.

"There are nobles, dukes, merchants who’ll sell their daughters, their families, just to get a Transcendent on their side. He can meet her whenever he wants, he can request the Covenant, and no one would stop him."

"And then there’s the Prince. Someone even the Covenant is afraid of for his unpredictability, and that man...he doesn’t even glance at her with the respect she deserves. She’s a shackle to him, but...a whole life for me," he said.

Shervin listened quietly, flipping the page of his book and continuing his reading.

Arthur sighed and calmed the pain that rested within his chest.

"Did you find the one who sent the envelope?" he asked.

"There had been no update so far. We were about to ask the man who brought the letter into the store how he knew about your instrument. But his family, along with him, were found buried in the construction site he worked in," Shervin replied.

"Who all were in his family?" Arthur asked.

"His mother, who’s an elder. His wife that was pregnant. And his daughter, who was barely nine years old."

Arthur closed his eyes and prayed for the souls of the dead.

They didn’t deserve death; they were probably paid to deliver the envelope, but someone just murdered them so they wouldn’t be traced back.

"We’re looking into it, but there has been no update so far. The one who did it knows everything about the organisation, and he’s a good strategist, but cruel to the core." Shervin said.

"If they know how we operate...then it’s no use tracing them back," Arthur said, and kept flicking his finger, his gesture of being in deep thoughts.

"Don’t trace the one who sent the envelope, find out how someone can know about our organisation without being a part of it, all three tiers," He said.

"Hire several strategists, give them a case to work on, collect their findings, and bring them to me," he added.

"I’ll proceed with that," Shervin replied.

Arthur leaned back and got back to staring outside as the carriage moved forward.

The sun was rising slowly, and their ride would continue for another two hours.

.

.-.-.-.-.-.

.

"This feels disgusting," Marcus blurted out, looking at himself in the mirror.

He was focusing on his tie. He wore a black long coat with silver linings and jewels. His shirt was completely black, and his tie, which he quite hated, was grey.

"That’s the only common thing in the Prince Ymir and Professor Marcus, your highness," Graves said.

"Both don’t like tie," He added.

"Because it feels like a leash, Graves. You cannot just...blame my perspective," Marcus said, fixing his tie, which was tied perfectly by Graves already.

"Which is quite a unique one. And sometimes, compromises are expected-"

"I know Graves." Marcus cut off Graves’s words.

Marcus wasn’t in his office right now. He was in the estate of Rile, in the castle of the Rile Family.

Outside the main gates, lined alongside were the royal carriages. White and gold in design, with violet diamonds etching the Luna’s flute on their doors.

Royal knights wearing sharp white long coats over golden, sleek armour were on standby beside those carriages.

Two on either side of the main carriage were for the servants, five on either side of those were high-ranking knights, and outside on standby were mid-ranked knights.

Even for the servants, it was an honour to go along with Marcus, and be in the Royal Palace, for one needed status, unimaginable political power to even enter that palace. Or one just has to be one of their servant lineages to work there.

Bart was head-servant, and Graves was in his usual black hair and eyes disguise. He needed that because other Princes might be able to recognise him.

Marcus heaved a long sigh and cracked his neck; he wasn’t feeling comfortable in his tie at all.

He got out of his and walked with Graves following his lead, as they moved their way through the number of corridors, and arrived at the main entrance of the palace, where Knights were lined up on the right, and servants on the left.

The servants bowed, and the Knights stomped their feet in unison, sending mild tremors across the ground.

"Don’t need to be on edge, people," Marcus looked at his servants.

"We’re just going on a stroll," he said.

"Uh...Royal Palace, to be precise, Count." Bart murmured as he stood beside Marcus.

"Oh, then it’s just a rich stroll, nothing fancy," Marcus said.

"..." Bart didn’t refute that statement. Well, he knew, that’s how Ymir always thinks. So a cover persona doesn’t really change the man behind it.

"This right here is Ser Conrad, the Royal Knight, and the one in charge of your escort," Bart pointed out at the man in the nearest right position.

A royal knight with blonde hair and silver eyes. Conrad bowed slightly as Bart introduced him, and Marcus...just nodded.

Since the moment the word has spread, the County of Rile has turned out to be better. Its people, its finances, its environment, which was already considered some of the best, are known throughout the world, and so the people and knights who visit Rile feel deep gratitude and satisfaction, the kind they never felt across the Kingdom.

Graves tapped the cane in his hands on the roof of the carriage, sitting opposite to Marcus, and the fleet departed.

The banquet might be a way to form connections and join forces for the nobility, but the real game is played behind the words of the people, and for Marcus, who has his own set of objectives, this is going to be a chessboard for him.

For he has two things in mind. First, read Cassian Celestie properly. This is the first time he has formally been acknowledged by the First Prince as Marcus, which means Cassian has decided Marcus is worth something.

Marcus needs to know whether Cassian is a man worth backing long term, or just a another pawn for him to use.

Second, find the silhouette. He knows someone intelligent is hiding behind Cymbal, and tonight, in a room full of Cymbal’s supporters and Cassian’s, the contrast between visible players and invisible hands might finally show him an edge.

As for Cassian, who’s hosting the banquet. Marcus considers it as a statement. Publicly elevating Marcus’s identity means Cassian is either genuinely impressed, which Marcus highly doubts. Or, he’s trying to claim the Transcendent Warrior narrative before someone else does.

’Probably both,’ Marcus thought.

Duke of Krell, Mordrak Krell, would be attending as well. But he’ll be watching Marcus with specific resentment.

The Voss family and the tower master of Fulcrum would be there too, but he’s not sure about the Covenant.

"This sounds fun," Marcus murmured.

"Indeed, your highness." Graves replied.