Lucian nodded slowly, as if realizing that this was a critical point in their conversation. "I know for sure Duke Reynald isn't the mastermind behind that case," Lucian continued in a low and calm voice, but full of confidence.
Alpha raised an eyebrow behind the mask he wears, surprised by Lucian's statement. "As for that, I know it too," he replied, trying to show that he was aware of the same thing, even though Lucian could sense a bit of tension rising between them.
"I'm not done talking," Lucian interrupted, staring at Alpha with sharp eyes. He knew that the next step would be crucial in determining the direction of this conversation, and he had to choose every word carefully.
"The culprit isn't Duke Reynald, but the Queen." Lucian spoke with clear confidence, his voice unaffected by any doubts he might have inside. "I don't have the proof right now, but I assure you the culprit is her."
Alpha frowned, clearly surprised. "The Queen? You're starting to ramble." His voice held a hint of doubt, even though he knew Lucian wasn't one to speak lightly.
Lucian remained calm, his eyes sharp as he stared at Alpha. "You've heard the scandal about His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, right?" Lucian posed a heavier question, implying more undisclosed information.
Alpha was silent for a moment, his expression turning a bit more serious. "Crown Prince?" He seemed surprised to hear that name mentioned so casually. "Of course, who doesn't know about that rumor? But... what's that got to do with this?"
"Think about why the Queen made that accusation against Duke Reynald." Lucian looked at Alpha meaningfully, as if giving a hint to solve this big puzzle.
Alpha paused, his mind starting to work. Then, with a somewhat skeptical tone, he said, "Don't tell me, a distraction?"
"Bingo," Lucian replied, smiling with a small victory. "The Queen did that to divert attention from the rumor that the current crown prince isn't the Emperor's biological son."
"So you mean the rumors are true?" Alpha asked with a puzzled expression, trying to understand what Lucian was saying.
"That's true, but I guess I should pretend I don't know this." Lucian thought to himself, trying to keep his face calm. "I can't say it's true, but try to think about how the public is reacting right now."
Lucian continued, speaking in a more serious tone. "It will be divided into two factions, right? The first faction is the current crown prince's faction, and the second faction, the faction supporting Duke Reynald Florence, the prince of the previous queen."
Lucian looked at Alpha with a sharp gaze, his calm voice echoing in the quiet room. "Of course, if Duke Reynald's supporters increase, the queen's control over this empire will decrease."
Alpha clenched his fist, his expression turning more serious as he realized the huge impact of the information he just received. "I can't believe we missed this, it's a mistake," he said, his previously firm voice now filled with regret. "Thanks for your tip, Sir, from now on we'll investigate the Queen."
Lucian replied calmly, "You don't need to thank me. If you find evidence, you can send me a letter as proof that our agreement stands."
Alpha nodded, thinking about the next steps to take, but a sense of suspicion still lingered in his heart. "Sure, Mr. Hale. We'll contact you as soon as we find the necessary evidence."
A bright smile was on Lucian's face, full of the calm hidden behind his words. "Alright then, I guess I've kept my servant waiting out there for too long," he said as he stood up, moving towards the door with a calm yet steady stride.
Alpha removed her mask with a smooth motion, letting her long, curly hair fall loose. A sharp look flashed in her eyes, filled with curiosity and a bit of confusion. "Lucian Hale... How did you actually know that?" she murmured, more to herself than to the already departed Lucian.
"Master..." Gamma said softly, still by Alpha's side, trying to assess the situation.
Alpha sighed, then spoke in a calmer tone, "I want to be alone. Delta, Gamma, investigate the queen, there's no harm in trusting her for now."
Gamma and Delta exchanged glances for a moment, before Gamma nodded, "Okay," they replied in unison, before leaving to carry out Alpha's orders.
The room fell silent again, only the sound of footsteps fading away echoed between them. Alpha leaned against the table, still pondering all the information just received.
"So you are here, brother," a soft yet curious voice came from the door. Alpha turned to see a man who had just emerged from the shadows. "Didn't I tell you to leave earlier?" Alpha said with a slightly sharp tone, though there was a hint of exhaustion in it.
A guy with long blue hair and sharp bright yellow eyes stepped forward. He's Duke Reynald Florence. "I wanna go home, but when that guy called my name, I kinda held back," Duke Reynald said with a faint smile, as if he wasn't bothered by the situation.
Reynald leaned back in his chair casually, but his eyes were still sharp, staring at Alpha. A slight smile was etched on his face, but his gaze was filled with something hard to define—warmth mixed with caution.
"I appreciate your intentions, but aren't you pushing yourself a bit too much, Schnee?" he said, his voice calm yet carrying undeniable authority. "I just want you to live your life like any girl your age, not constantly worry about me."
Schnee took a deep breath, trying to hold back the emotions swirling inside her. "I can't just sit here and watch them push you aside like that, bro." Her voice trembled a bit, even though she was trying to keep it together. "They've taken everything from you, and now they still want to erase your existence. It makes me..." She clenched her fists, her eyes starting to heat up. "Angry. Really angry!"
Reynald raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly. "Schnee, you're way too serious," he said lightly, but there was a firmness in his voice. "As long as you're by my side, I don't care how others see me. I'm still here, still standing. That's enough, right?"
He looked at his sister with an expression that was almost teasing, but behind it was a unique softness, like he was saying he understood, but also didn't want Schnee to carry unnecessary burdens.
"By the way, the young master of the two Hale families, seems to be an interesting person. I want to talk to him in the future." Lucian smiled faintly, thinking about the potential of the relationship they could build.
Lucian walked out of the room with a faint smile, his steps steady and full of confidence. "One paddle on two islands is exceeded," he muttered, as if praising the steps he had taken.
"This guild is sponsored by Duke Reynald, so it's no wonder the leader's response was like that before," Lucian continued in his heart. He knew that this could be used to his advantage, as his connection with Duke Reynolds meant having access to more information and resources that could support his cause.
"Reynald Florence, he's a pretty important character in the game," Lucian thought with a grin. "If you have a connection with him, that's a really great advantage, plus working with the Servent Guild. Ah~ this is what you call the peaks of someone who knows the future." Lucian felt like he was on top of the world, understanding other people's moves before they even thought about what to do.
As Lucian walked calmly, suddenly a wine cup flew past his head, almost hitting his hair. "Hey, do people here have bad habits when they're drunk?" Lucian commented while nimbly dodging the flying cup, his voice flat but full of curiosity.
In front of him, a gambler looked like he was floating, his body seemingly lifted uncontrollably. His eyes were half-closed, maybe from alcohol or confusion. In front of him stood Natty, calmly moving her hand as if controlling the gambler.
"How dare you touch me, you crazy person!!" Natty shouted, her expression full of anger, while her hand remained outstretched in the air, her telekinetic power still felt strong.
"Huh," Lucian sighed, holding his head a bit tiredly. "Can't she just wait calmly?" he muttered, feeling annoyed by the sudden commotion.
Lucian started to approach Natty with a casual stride, though he still looked a bit bothered. "I'm back, Natty. Sorry for making you wait so long," Lucian said in a calm tone, trying to ease the tension.
"Young master?!" Natty exclaimed, her reaction instantly turning to surprise, shocked to see Lucian back. The gambler who was floating suddenly fell down as soon as Natty released her telekinetic power, his body hitting the floor hard.
"Wow, there it is, even if it's trivial. Natty's ability is really great for buffing," Lucian thought with a small smile, admiring his servant's skills even in a slightly chaotic situation. "Looks like I've been away from the mansion too long, so how about we head back now?"
"Y-yes, Young Master," Natty replied quickly, her expression turning even more serious, as usual when Lucian gave her an order.
Lucian nodded softly and stepped towards the door, while Natty followed quickly behind her. The two of them walked out of the place, intending to return to Hale's mansion.