Morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow over the room. The sweet melody of a bird's chirping filled the air, a gentle accompaniment to the peaceful atmosphere. Athanasia lay sleeping, her gentle breathing a soothing sound.
The door creaked open, and Martha, the maid, knocked softly. "Tap, tap, tap." The sound echoed through the room, a gentle wake-up call. Athanasia stirred, still half asleep. Martha tiptoed to the window and carefully opened the curtains, allowing the warm sunlight to flood the room.
"Princess Athanasia, please wake up," Martha whispered, her voice soft and gentle. "It's morning, and the weather is beautiful. It would be lovely to take a walk and enjoy a cup of tea while taking in the view." Athanasia stretched, yawned, and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
As she swung her legs over the side of the bed, the soft rustle of her nightgown filled the air. She smiled, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face. "Good morning, Martha," she said, her voice husky from sleep. "Good morning, Princess," Martha replied, her voice cheerful.
Athanasia walked over to the window, feeling the soft carpet beneath her feet. She stretched her arms, feeling the morning stiffness in her muscles. "Hmm, the tea is ready, I presume?" Martha nodded and poured the steaming hot tea into a delicate china cup. "Here you go, Your Highness."
Athanasia took a sip, feeling the warmth of the tea spread through her body. She closed her eyes, savoring the flavor. "What is it, Your Highness?" Martha asked, noticing Athanasia's furrowed brow. "Is something bothering you?" Athanasia's eyes snapped open, and she shook her head. "No, no, it's nothing. I was just thinking about today's meeting with the Vice Captain."
Martha's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What's going on with the Vice Captain, Princess?" Athanasia's expression turned serious. "I'm not entirely sure, Martha. But I intend to find out." She finished her tea, set the cup aside, and rose from her chair.
With Martha's help, Athanasia dressed and prepared for the day. As she made her way to her office, she felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Upon arriving at her office, Athanasia found Grandpa Kan already seated, waiting for her. "Good morning, my lady," he said, bowing his head. Athanasia smiled and took her seat behind the desk.
"Good morning, Grandpa Kan," she replied. "I trust you're aware of the reason for my meeting with the Vice Captain?" Grandpa Kan nodded gravely. "Yes, my lady. There have been rumors of discord within the Order, and I fear it may be more serious than we initially thought."
Athanasia's expression turned resolute. "I'll get to the bottom of this, Grandpa Kan. Please summon the Vice Captain." Grandpa Kan nodded and departed to fetch the Vice Captain.
As Athanasia waited, she reviewed the report on her desk, her eyes scanning the pages with growing concern. She knew exactly what the Vice Captain had done, and she was determined to confront him.
The door opened, and the Vice Captain entered, a confident smile on his face. "Your Highness," he said, bowing. Athanasia gestured for him to take a seat.
But before he could sit, Athanasia's expression turned cold. She picked up the report and threw it at the Vice Captain's face. "You've been creating factions within the Order, abusing your power, and causing injuries during training," she accused, her voice firm.
The Vice Captain's confident smile faltered, and he stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock.
And Of course , non of them was close associates of the vice captain ",Athanasia said". He shout this is a misunderstanding . Which part is misunderstood vice captain ,the fraction? ,the abusing part ? Or increasing in injury ?he said I won't deny the faction issue.,but the rest is no true . Alright then what about the conflict with sir Gibson yesterday . Your highness that was a just a simple argument , the internal training hall is small ,so the number of people using it is limited , i just implemented a reasonable method to use it in order , but it let to a dispute.
So ....does that mean sir Gibson was just dissatisfied with vice captain method ?
Yes thats right your highness .
i see i understand now.
Then, we can investigate the number of people using the training hall in the last three days and identify the number of knights affiliated with the Vice Captain," Athanasia said, folding her hands.
The Vice Captain shouted, "I arranged the training hall usage order based on skill - that was a legitimate decision!"
Athanasia interrupted, shouting in anger, "Vice Captain Gilbert, this is exactly what we call abuse of power! It doesn't matter if the skill level is high or low; it should be done fairly. Moreover, the authority to approve or deny usage was never within your power as Vice Captain."
He didn't say a word.
Among the report i have received, there was an even more interesting and remarkable record. The family you swore allegiance to didn't hesitate to insult our Eckart. You didn't shy away from making lewd remarks about me either. Those foul words you uttered made our knights, who regard hierarchy as sacred, furious. But you surprised them all with your power as Vice Captain."
Athanasia walked close to the Vice Captain and threw all the papers at him. "The witnesses whose testimonies are recorded in these documents all agree. You cannot deny it. When you were a royal knight, you accumulated a huge debt through gambling and dismissed the commander of the knights. Commander Kan told me about this. But if your only goal was money, there would be no need for such foolish means to undermine your employer and tarnish my reputation. In that case, there is only one remaining possibility: you were sent by someone and deliberately infiltrated this place."
He was trembling so much. Athanasia came closer to the sofa and said, "Gilbert, please tell me, who sent you here? I want to know how heavy the deception aimed at me is. If you don't mind."