No matter how hard the prince tried to speed up the implementation of his plan, everything dragged on for another week. He personally visited the highborn who took up the offer via portals.
And to those of them whose support he doubted, he sent ambassadors with a repeated invitation. He decided that the highborn would not risk killing Klaus's man, but if he came in person, nothing would stop them from doing so.
Now he tried to think rationally and not overestimate his capabilities. Now he was trying with all his might to save his life. He would have to put it on the line later. Now was not the time.
Augustus fully recovered on the third day and, as punishment for his willfulness, Klaus loaded him with routine work. The captain had to be torn between the underground city, where more and more low-born and middle-born people arrived every day, and the estate, where he had to participate in negotiations with new potential allies.
Gorald devoted all his forces to the army. Klaus transferred all powers to him and the big guy only occasionally distracted the prince to discuss a plan of defense or attack. Now the king chose a quiet strategy of destruction. Skirmishes with the royal army were happening more and more often, and the prince did not have enough people to protect the liberated lands and their inhabitants. If all the negotiations and preparations for the main battle dragged on, they could lose everything they had won. Therefore, now the rebels took a defensive position, which also infuriated Klaus.
Egor was getting better, but all these days he was building some invisible walls between them. Klaus didn't know the reason, but decided that it was because the prince couldn't protect him and put him to real tests.
"Don't come anymore today," said Egor during the lunch break, which Klaus always spent with his friend.
The prince tried to have breakfast, lunch and dinner next to the sick man. He put aside the half-empty plate and looked closely at Egor. After a short silence, Klaus finally spoke.
"You don't want to see me anymore?"
The fair-haired man's eyes widened.
"No, no, of course not! It's not that... I'll just be busy today... And tomorrow morning too... I think I'll be busy for the next few days."
"And what could you be so busy with in a solitary confinement room?"
"I can't tell you."
"I don't like it."
"I'm sorry.... I just can't tell you.... I'm sorry."
"Okay," Klaus simply answered, took his plate and went to the exit.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't want to bother you."
Egor buried his nose in his hands when the door closed behind Klaus.
"You wouldn't want to have anything to do with me anymore if you knew the truth," he said quietly.
Klaus was standing behind the door. Instead of heading back to the estate, he turned around and went to Brod's office.
"I don't care what he asked you there. I want to know what he's hiding from me!"
Klaus had already exploded when Brod once again refused to answer his question.
"Klaus, understand. This is his personal business. I can't tell you. Ask him yourself."
"Do you think he'll tell?" the prince noted skeptically.
"I don't think so."
"Then you will tell me or I will not let you out of here."
"Patients are waiting for me. You know that there have been more skirmishes. Yes, we have more soldiers in the ranks. Several highborn have already sent their armies to help, but still, this is not enough to resist your father. Every soldier counts."
"It is good that you understand this. So do not waste time and tell me."
Brod did not resist for long. After the third assistant came to ask for help, the healer gave in and told what Egor was hiding and why he asked the prince not to come for several days.
"Operation? Those bastards! Why didn't he tell me right away? Was he afraid that I would go for revenge? They're all dead already!"
"No, Klaus," the healer sighed wearily, "he was afraid that you would despise him and not want to see him again!"
"What a stupid! How could he even... well, okay, I'm not surprised that such thoughts appeared in his empty head. I'll talk to him."
"I beg you, as his healer. Be patient for a couple of days. After the operation. Talk to him after it."
"Mister Klaus, I've finally found yours!" a young soldier ran into the office, almost falling. "Trouble, it seems they're going to attack the estate!"
"Who? Did he really decide to go head-on!"
"Please, let's go back immediately! This is not the king's army. They are under the sign of the eagle."
"Digger? I didn't think a man like him was capable of such vile attacks. Has he already attempted an attack?"
"No, but they managed to get close enough. We didn't think anyone would dare... Captain Gorald ordered only patrols to be posted..."
"Yes, that was the right decision. Let's go. Let's ask him what he wants."
***
Klaus did not wait for Digger to approach the gate. He rode out to meet them himself, accompanied by a small detachment. Gorald remained to strengthen the walls of the estate, in case Digger did attack. August, not without pleasure, dropped his business and, despite the prince's protests, rode out to meet them together.
"I don't think he's here to attack," said August when the small army had approached to a sufficient distance.
"Yes, I think so too. More like an escort procession than a capture party."
Indeed, a detachment of no more than fifty soldiers was approaching them, led by Digger.
"Either he doesn't care about the resistance army, or he's come to negotiate."
"I hope it's the latter."
"Klaus Deffender, glad to see you alive and well - the nobleman was the first to speak when the procession had approached a sufficient distance."
This formidable man always aroused a sense of danger in Klaus. Now, despite his age, Digger had not lost his deadly aura, but despite his formidable appearance, the prince did not see any intentions to attack.
"Slash Digger. Glad to welcome the highest nobleman to my temporary abode. What brought the military advisor to me?"
"Didn't you issue your invitation to the entire country? I decided to take advantage of it."
"It is unexpected that one of the six confidants would express a desire to come to me openly."
"I am a great warrior and never hide my intentions. Before coming here, I visited His Majesty. I also told him that I intend to listen to your point of view. Would you like to talk here?"
"What are you saying, how can I treat my guests so disrespectfully? But your escort will have to be left outside the gates. Will you risk entering the rebels' abode alone?"
The old man grinned and looked closely at Klaus.
"I have lived on earth for more than sixty years and have learned to understand people. You do not look like someone who breaks his word, and my death will not lead to anything good for you. Let's go. The road has exhausted me considerably."
***
August ordered food and wine to be brought to the office and, before moving on to the conversation, suggested a snack. The old man did not protest. Apparently, a long journey on horseback was already a difficult task for the minister.
"So you are also alive, eldest son of Jiro. Why were you hiding?"
"As you can see," August waved his hand around the office, "there were good reasons for that. I was in the king's way, and he wanted to get rid of me. Well, I decided to give him what he wanted. My death. Now," August touched the scar on his temple, "that August Deffendre is truly dead. And I, Klaus's right hand and his loyal subject, without a title or family."
"Bold. I heard that in recent years it has even become fashionable to cut off the family crest and renounce the clan. I can understand the lowborn and their desire to change the country's way of life. But what did not suit the offspring of a secondary royal branch and the crown prince himself? You could have waited until the throne rightfully passed to Klaus and then implemented your changes. Why start unrest within the country? This could weaken us and give the enemy the opportunity to completely enslave Issorobia. Do you want the extermination of an entire country?"
"I want its liberation," Klaus answered simply. "Before speaking out against my father, I insured myself against an external threat so that I could calmly focus my attention on the internal one."
"Insured myself?"
"Yes, you can consider it a temporary truce on mutually beneficial terms. I will not go into details, but our neighbors will not interfere while I change the government in the country."
"Unexpected. You are still so young, and you have already calculated everything several steps ahead. And what do you want to achieve? Freedom for the slaves? And have you thought about how they will survive without their masters? What will happen to the highborn if they are deprived of everything they have now."
"Freedom for the slaves, safety for all strata of the population, fair wages, development. I have many plans, but before we discuss them, I would like to know the reason for your arrival."
"I spoke with His Majesty, and he explained to me why the queen was hidden all these years. I have no reason to doubt the king's words. I also see no reason for the highborn to take your side. No matter how you look at it, they are the ones suffering the most from your changes."
"And what did my father tell you, let me ask."
"He said that the death of the entire Minami family clouded her mind, and after giving birth, she lost it completely. In order not to bring shame on her and the entire ruling family, he made the difficult decision to hide her in the hopes of curing her."
-"Ha!" chuckled Klaus. "Quite a plausible story."
"And what is true and what is a lie in it?"
"My mother did indeed lose her mind, but it did not happen at that time. It began to leave her precisely because the king decided to send her here. I can bring you a high slave who has been here with her as a healer from the first day."
"The words of a slave mean nothing to me. She can say anything if her master wishes. And now you are her master."
"I freed all the slaves. Only those who themselves wanted it remain here."
"And yet, her word against the king's? Doubtful evidence. Did all those nobles who have already managed to conspire with you decide to do so only because of the words of some slave?"
"I see that you are well informed about the affairs of the nobles."
"Most of the soldiers come from under my wing, do you think there are secrets for me where they serve?"
"Unfortunately, you do not have your own people in the king's army, otherwise you would not have tried to get to the truth, having come all this way."
"Yes, you are right, but you still have not convinced me. Besides, this whole story with the queen can be said to be a purely family problem. In essence, it does not affect the affairs of the country in any way and does not reduce the power of the king."
"And did my father, by any chance, tell you an interesting story about how all the members of the Astrik family died? And not only this family. Didn't you ever find it strange that so many families simply disappeared from the face of the earth?"
"We live in a cruel country. I don't see anything strange in riots. And the story about your mother's family is no secret."
"Well, let me tell you the real reason for the death of high-born families."
Klaus took two worn books out of the drawer and put them on the table. Digger turned an uncomprehending look from the prince to the table.
"This," Klaus pointed his finger at the documents, "is irrefutable evidence of what I'm about to tell you."
And the prince told what he had learned in his uncle's estate. About outstanding slaves, about the king's thirst for them, and about the lengths he had gone to get them.
Telling about each family, he showed the name of the slave and the description of his abilities in the highborn's registration books, then found the same name (or rather the description of abilities, because most names were changed along with the change of owner) in the royal family's registration book. With each new family name, Diger's face grew gloomy.
"So that's why the highborn are so willing to go over to your side, but do not advertise it. They are afraid of the same fate. And what about those who do not have outstanding slaves? Or those who are not satisfied with the new order that you want to establish?"
"Every person secretly or openly desires something, and I know how to fulfill wishes," Klaus smiled.
"And what would you offer me? A man who lives for the war that you so long to get rid of?"
Klaus grinned, took a sip of wine. He mentally sighed with relief. Digger was practically in his hands.
"I have an excellent offer that will suit both of us."