“We’re about to enter the Hagedorff Ducal Territory. To be blunt, as we don’t know what methods Cassandra Hagedorff might resort to, remain vigilant.”
“…If we were simply attacked, that would be less troublesome.”
“Honestly, I think the same. The more rash actions the opponent takes, the more reason we have to corner them.”
“What does the Royal Palace intend to do with Duke Hagedorff?”
I felt I had to ask, at least.
Jared and the others knew about her plan to revive the Progenitor, but I was curious how the Royal Palace would deal with her without that knowledge.
It was still unclear if there would be a confrontation with the Duke, but if it came down to a battle using magic, there was a possibility of lives being taken.
“In the current situation, at best, they might depose Cassandra Hagedorff as head of the family.”
“That’s surprisingly lenient. Our mansion was invaded, and a guest was assaulted.”
“That was my fault. I am truly sorry. However, that alone does not make it easy to judge Cassandra Hagedorff.”
The possibility of such a light punishment led me to make a sarcastic remark. I had many thoughts about this incident, though I hadn’t voiced them all. I was grateful to Dennis, of course, but I didn’t unconditionally forgive him for involving my family.
There were unavoidable circumstances, and the kingdom was involved. Furthermore, Jared himself was being helped like this. Even if I was angry, it was natural to swallow my feelings. It would be troublesome if overreacting hindered future progress. Although Jared was still a minor, he possessed the discernment and self-control to manage such emotions.
“The King wishes to hear Cassandra Hagedorff’s explanation directly. Of course, what was done to the Alway Ducal Family will not be overlooked. She will formally apologize and accept whatever punishment is given.”
And then she would likely be dragged down from her position as head of the family. To be completely honest, depending on Cassandra Hagedorff’s actions, I wanted to crush her completely. It was impossible at the moment, but it might be possible if we could secure proof of the Progenitor’s revival. Due to her status as a Duke, I wanted to avoid letting this be swept under the rug.
“I don’t particularly like saying this, but…”
With that preface, Dennis continued.
“Cassandra Hagedorff’s siblings had bad reputations. Their mothers were also women with some issues.”
Considering the mistreatment Cassandra had endured, as I’d heard from Rasmus, I had suspected as much.
“Therefore, there are many who support Cassandra as head of the family, even after she sidelined her siblings.”
“Yes, I suppose that’s natural.”
“The Royal Palace also doesn’t want to create enemies by punishing Cassandra Hagedorff. If you call it a naive thought, so be it, but balance is also important.”
It wasn’t a pleasant conversation, but such things were common among nobles. If there had been significant harm to the common people, it would be different, but in this case, the victim was from the same Ducal Family. Moreover, disputes between nobles were not uncommon.
The current situation had escalated because the one captured was Jared, who was on the verge of being appointed Court Mage, and the action was taken without the Royal Palace’s involvement. However, it wasn’t unheard of for nobles to employ questionable methods to undermine the power of feuding families. Sometimes, even members of the Royal Family used similar tactics. That was the nature of power struggles. However, this was not a power struggle; it was Duke Cassandra Hagedorff, aiming for the Progenitor’s revival, making a preemptive move to eliminate an obstacle. To those unaware of the specifics, it could easily appear as a power struggle. Therefore, the Royal Palace could not easily pass judgment on Cassandra in the current situation. Of course, Dennis was here precisely to prevent that.
If, as Rasmus had said, Cassandra was indeed plotting the Progenitor’s revival and we obtained proof, we couldn’t reveal information about Progenitor revival to the public. Doing so might attract others who sought the Progenitor or desired the technology to revive someone who had died centuries ago. Therefore, it would still be difficult to punish her severely.
In less than a year, Jared had witnessed the downfall of several nobles. For instance, Cornelia Alway, who constantly sought the lives of her fiancé and his mother. Despite clear evidence, she was placed under house arrest in her territory. This was because the Duke Alway handled the matter internally. While Cassandra’s actions extended beyond her own family, the Royal Palace likely wished to resolve this within the framework of noble affairs. If she revived the Progenitor, she would win. However, even if she lost, she would only lose her aristocratic title. Jared found it frustrating to face such an opponent. But, swallowing those emotions, he now focused on what he needed to do.
Ah, I wish I could return to Olivier’s side quickly.
The boy grumbled inwardly, continuing his conversation with Dennis while thinking of his fiancé.
