"What is this?"
"I told you before. As I said, we give presents in December.
"Ha, but I haven't prepared anything…!"
"I know. You probably didn't even know that the Empire has such a custom. So don't feel burdened and accept it. I'm just following the custom."
Asha was so embarrassed that her hands were sweating, but she had heard somewhere that it was the best etiquette to open a present in front of the person who gave it, so she immediately opened the box.
Inside was a necklace with a rocket pendant.
"A necklace…?"
She could tell it was a necklace just by looking at it, but it seemed so out of place with Carlyle's taste that she couldn't help but ask.
Carlyle took out the necklace and put it around Asha's neck, saying:
"Do you know about magic stones?"
"Yes, I do. I was the one who presented the magic stone necklace of the Lure tribe chief to the imperial family."
"Then you'll understand quickly.'
Carlyle, who had put the necklace around Asha's neck, sat down across from her again.
"There is a magic stone inside the locket of that necklace. It's not a big deal, but it will save your life someday."
"Yes? Then isn't it a very precious item?"
"Hmm, well, it's nothing to a prince."
He grinned and took a cigar out of the wooden box. He wanted to block Asha's sparkling gaze with cigar smoke.
'If you find out that it's a magic stone that tells me your location… you'll be angry, right?'
The reason for his uncharacteristic act of reminiscing was to naturally give this 'present'.
All the news coming from Zyro was saying that the 'decisive battle' was not far off, and if Asha betrayed him at this time, it would be a big headache.
'I've invested so much in Pervaz, so please forgive me for putting a leash on your neck, my wife.'
Carlyle exhaled a thick smoke and smiled again. The cigar was bitter in his mouth, perhaps because it was damaged.
***
A plump pigeon flew in through the window of Cecilia's room, flapping its wings.
It was the first of the seven pigeons she had brought with her from Pervaz to arrive in the capital.
"Good work, Pipi."
Cecilia gave the pigeon named Pipi plenty of water and food, and then opened the letter that it had tied to its leg.
Cecilia wrote down the letter, which was full of code that could only be understood in Dovetail, and then deciphered it one by one.
Rumors are circulating in the social circles that His Highness Carlyle summoned Karakash. The evidence is Hamak Book 4. The source seems to be the temple, and the Empress is actively using this information. It is affecting the middle class.
Cecilia's eyebrows furrowed as she read the letter she had written again.
"His Highness Carlyle summoned the devil? There are people who believe this rumor?"
It was doubtful whether it was even possible to summon a devil, but even if it was possible, shouldn't one believe that Carlyle Evaristo would not do such a thing?
'He is a man blessed by God, how can he be a servant of the devil?'
It was frustrating not being able to know the details.
In any case, it was a big problem if the Empress was stirring up the social circles by actively using this absurd rumor, and the middle-class nobles support base was wavering as a result.
Cecilia went to Carlyle with a stern expression.
"Your Highness. Pipi has returned with some bad news."
Carlyle, who had been discussing something with Lionel and Giles, tilted his head for a long time as he looked at the paper she handed him, and then asked.
"Surely, the 'His Highness Carlyle' mentioned here is me?"
When Cecilia nodded, Carlyle snorted and asked mockingly.
"So, they're saying that I summoned the devil? How on earth did I do that?"
At those words, question marks also appeared on Lionel and Giles' faces.
"The devil?"
"No, what are you talking about?"
Cecilia sighed as she suddenly received the aggressive gazes of the three men.
"It says 'Hamak Book 4' in the letter, so I checked, and there was such a passage in the Karakash Rescue Edition. The devil Karakash said that the one who can summon him…"
"…must have taken the lives of a hundred people, set fire to ten temples, and have no god to serve."
She herself had wondered if this was correct when she read it, but there was no other place to doubt if not that passage.
Carlyle burst out laughing, finding it ridiculous.
"Should I burn down ten temples now, for the sake of the priests?"
He did not deny that he had killed more than a hundred people, but so far, no temples in the war-torn areas had been burned down.
In fact, it was ridiculous to even discuss such a thing. After all, everyone knew why he had killed so many people in the first place.
"Have you seen those deceitful people!"
"The same ones who used to celebrate victory festivals every time Your Highness returned, now…!"
From Giles to Lionel, anger poured out.
Cecilia understood their anger too.
"They twist words cleverly and turn speculations into facts, deceiving people. It's nothing short of manipulation of the faithful."
"Don't you think those guys know that? They probably just say 'deny it unless proven otherwise,' right? They'll just slip away when it comes to taking responsibility later."
These humans who worshiped gods dare to invoke the name of the divine while harboring relentless malice.
Carlyle felt the repulsive aura creeping up his legs like snakes.
"Such snakes."
Carlyle's voice, dripping with disdain, was chilling.
"It seems this provocative content has spread quickly. Many might believe it's not true, but the damage to your image is unavoidable."
"They must have planned for that. And they'll probably present Matthias as if he were an angel. It's a way to imprint Matthias in people's minds using my fame."
Without such tactics, how could they make Matthias, who had nothing to boast about, appear like an emperor?
"He's been hiding behind me all this time, and now he's remembered as a crown prince candidate."
Carlyle slowly shook his head, grinding his teeth.
Then Giles stepped forward.
"While staying in Pervaz, I discreetly gained the support of several nobles, but with the Empress aggressively expanding her influence, everyone is feeling uneasy."
"If they truly understood me, they wouldn't play such shallow games."
"When did they ever have a chance to see Your Highness' true form? The Empress kept sending Your Highness to battlefields."
This was part of Beatrice's strategy, planned well in advance.
Leaving Carlyle on the battlefield was just one aspect of her plan, and while she hoped for several things, keeping his remarkable abilities hidden was also a major reason.
Thanks to that, he was portrayed like a figure from myth, but on the flip side, even a single ridiculous rumor could tarnish that image.
"So, what do you suggest?"
"To firmly establish our faction's support, we need an event. We need an incident that stamps His Highness Matthias's image as 'incompetent' and firmly establishes Your Highness as irreplaceable."
Carlyle squinted momentarily, processing Giles's words before sharply turning to him.
"Most people might think my irreplaceable aspect lies in 'war'…"
"Many other aspects might be irreplaceable, but yes, to ordinary people, that's likely."
"Now…are you suggesting that we deliberately start a war in the south?"
If a war breaks out in the south, Matthias will be the commander unless Carlyle stays in Pervaz.
It was clear that his incompetence would be rumored within a month.
Moreover, if the war, which was relatively easy to win under Carlyle, becomes protracted or becomes more likely to lose…
'People will naturally think that it was better when His Highness Carlyle was the Crown Prince.'
Lionel agreed with that part.
However, the problem was the part about 'deliberately' starting a war.
"Is it possible to deliberately start a war?"
"No, before that…"
Carlyle interrupted Lionel's question and spoke firmly.
"To deliberately start a war that should be avoided as much as possible! That's not okay."
He had lived in that miserable battlefield for 10 years since he was fifteen.
He also knew very well how miserable the people in the war-torn areas would be.
"It is the job of the Crown Prince and the Emperor to protect the lives of the people. It is unacceptable for such a person to deliberately throw the people of the Empire into misery for his own power."
In response to his opposition, Giles nodded his head solemnly.
"I didn't mean to start it on purpose. I just meant that I would like something like that to happen."
"Is that so?"
"Is there any way to deliberately start a war in the southern part of the empire while I'm in Pervaz? I just thought that things would be a little easier if there was a border conflict or a riot."
Only then did Carlyle look back with cold eyes.
"That's true. But since we've sorted out the Kingdom of Albania, nothing will happen in the southern part of the Empire for at least 3 years."
"I will think about other methods a little more."
Carlyle nodded.
Since Giles had saved his life more than a few times, Carlyle respected his opinion as long as it was reasonable, but what he just said should not happen.
'Well, I guess I'll just have to find a good way. That bastard Matthias might show his incompetence on his own.'
Although the Empress was furious, Carlyle knew that Matthias would not be able to surpass him.