"What happened?" Renzo became unsure because of the sudden turn of events. He wanted to know who and what happened to the elder.
"The elder managed to escape and she gave us valuable information. All I want is a confirmation if it is true. After that we will plan our next move." The king started as she stared at the both of them before he spoke again, "You will go and investigate Rigel Maverick Ginehart."
The command was surprising because the man was considered as their comrade but after a moment the guilt disappeared. Although the young man was a good kid, there was still this instinct that prompted the crown prince to hate Rigel. Lindon on the other hand wanted to inherit the duchy and absolutely hated the current ducal family.
"Your majesty, may I know the reason why we are investigating Rigel? If this was related to the identity of the World Breaker, Rigel was already clear of suspicions." Lindon tried to gauge the king's attitude to his behavior so he could give him a good answer.
"Yes, the Justice of Light already investigated him. We couldn't take any chances. I will also talk with the holy knight so that they can prepare themselves for a brewing conflict in the future." The king gave them the standard reaction. "Will you be able to do it?"
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtCrown Prince Renzo was confused as to why the king wanted to re-investigate Rigel. He was becoming more and more confused. His gaze landed on the woman who had been silently sitting on the side. He was sure then that the elder got something to do with this.
His gaze then went to the man beside him. "You have documents regarding the Ginehart family right, especially of the main branch?" He asked Lindon who had been strangely quiet ever since they entered the king's study.
Lindon had no choice but to nod. "Yes, I have everything you'll need to know regarding the main family." He looked at them because it was no secret from the prince that he wanted to be the head of the Ginehart Duchy and that he had been gathering information that could bring them down.
With the king's permission, Lindon left the room and went back to his office. It took him a while but the royalties were quiet patient. None of them talked and it made the atmosphere even more awkward. There were many questions that the crown prince wanted to ask but because of the situation he couldn't ask them outright.
Finally, after waiting for thirty minutes, Lindon returned with the documents in his hand. He placed a thick stack of paper on the table and gestured for them to freely open it. The first one to touch the documents was the king.
He was quite impressed at how detailed the information there was. He was even nodding his head while browsing through the documents. After the first document, he placed it back on the side of the original stack. Orpheus couldn't help but look at the person who compiled all of it.
"Why would you, a Ginehart, would compile a document like this? Were you planning on taking down the main family with these?" The king could already tell that he was right based on Lindon's serious face but he still wanted to confirm it and hear it from the person's mouth.
With no other choice, Lindon sighed. "Yes. I have been planning that for a long time now. They've been holding the Ginehart Duchy for a long time now and I don't believe that the main family has the sole right to inherit the duchy."
His voice was low and full of resentment. Lindon had been living behind the shadow of the children of the main family. He knew that he could be better and he had the potential but he was never given the chance to show what he could do.
That was especially so because Linius was a talented warrior and as he grew up, his talents became overwhelming. People admired him because they believed that he was as talented as his grandfather. He wanted to show what he was capable of but then their second child arrived.
He thought that he wouldn't have a chance but when the second child did not appear in public, he was overjoyed. He bided his time and that's when he discovered a secret that would definitely shake the whole of Ginehart. The second child was actually a person who could use magic.
At first, he wanted to make the information known to the world but he decided not to because he thought of something far more twisted. He wanted to hurt them and let them know that their position in the Ginehart was not secure and that there was someone waiting for their downfall.
Then the accident happened. The mansion where the child had been residing burned down and no one survived. It was the report he received and yet there he was standing and alive during that party where he was officially introduced to society.
His plans halted and he needed to start again with some of his plans. Now, he was using the influence of the crown prince to do so. He was setting up the stage and now that there was an opportunity, he wouldn't let it go.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Once Duke Ulysses falls, I will use my power to take control of the duchy, that was the plan. And yet when he introduced Rigel those plans were thwarted and I needed to look for another loophole. That's why I collected more information about them." Lindon even revealed the reason why he has so much information.
Elvira picked up one of the documents and started to read it. Even the crown prince joined. Only the rustling papers could be heard for a while inside the king's study. They were all focused on every detail that might give them the proof or a hint on who the current Rigel truly was.
Finally, they finished reading all the documents. They all shifted their gaze to the man who had been waiting in silent enthusiasm. The king found some vague points in the records and he wanted to confirm if those were true.
"No one had ever seen Duke Ulysses's second child until he was introduced to the public. They did this a few weeks after the incident and at that time he was already adept in magic." The king said in a loud voice.
"But they still managed to prove that he is of the same blood as the duke and the duchess," the crown prince followed. "Too much coincidence besides the mage who performed the test was someone who was loyal to Duke Blackwell."
"It may have been deliberately planned. Their son might have really died during that fire and the World Breaker took that chance to slip inside and pose as the second child." The king stated once again as he pondered on how that happened.
"There are possibilities. One, he must have manipulated their minds into accepting him as their second child which is what most likely happened. The second one is that Duke Ulysses and his whole family knew of his identity all along and let him do what he pleased, which in my opinion is unlikely." Elvira finally spoke after a while.
She wondered how the man was able to live right under their nose without them noticing these anomalies. Elvira looked at the king and the crown prince then at the Ginehart man with them. She became suspicious of him but she could also feel that the resentment he had was genuine. It was too confusing for her.
"If the first possibility really happened then we should be careful of him. If he had the ability to control minds then we are in trouble." King Orpheus stood up from his seat and started to pace on the floor.