Interlude 6: Glen and Marx

That day, the son of Margrave Sargent, Marx, had come to speak to me in the castle.

“Prince Glenarnold, I’m pleased to see you in good health...”

“Marx, drop the formalities,” I responded with a frown, only to get a big smile in return.

This man was the Deputy Commander of the Second Order of Knights, but he was always sniffing out unpleasant incidents and reporting them to me. I’d asked him if he’d want to move to the Intelligence Division, but he’d refused with a grin, saying he wouldn’t be able to learn anything then.

“This is about Miss Chelsea, the girl with the brand-new Skill.”

About Chelsea? I should really pay attention this time, then.

“Your Highness, how much do you know about Miss Chelsea?”

“I know she was abused at Baron Eucharis’ manor before coming to the Royal Research Institute; absolutely sure, from her stunted growth and wounds at the time. Other than that, I know that the Noble Registry lists her and Margaret as twins, with their mother being the illegitimate child of Marquis Ackroyd.”

I must have answered just as he wished, because his usual smile changed to a smirk. “If you know that much, then I’ll start with the conclusion.”

I nodded at him to continue.

“Miss Chelsea is the daughter of the Baron’s first wife, Lady Sophia, not his second wife, Medisina. Which means...”

“Chelsea and Margaret aren’t twins, but sisters from different mothers.”

“That’s correct. And just as you said before, they’re fraudulently listed as twins and the daughters of Medisina in the Noble Registry.”

“And reporting false information to the Noble Registry is a grave crime here.”

Skills are incredibly important not only here in Chronowize, but all over the world. And nobles tended to awaken to higher rank Skills. In order to keep those high ranked Skill users in the country, and to use them properly, they were all to be listed in detail in the Noble Registry, including illegitimate children.

“I’ve got statements from not only the midwife present at Miss Chelsea’s birth, but from two maids who had been employed at the time, and also neighboring residents.”

“So how did Sophia die?”

“Blood loss during childbirth. And for that, I have statements from both the midwife and the priest who confirmed her death.”

Marx’s demeanor went through another change, becoming more tense and serious.

“It turns out that Lady Sophia, the first wife, was actually the youngest daughter of the former Margrave Sargent... My aunt. She’d left the house long before, married before we knew it, and we’d been told she’d died early without having any children. But when I found out that a girl nearly identical to her had been abused by her family... Oh, I’m so excited for how my grandparents and parents are going to react to that,” he said, chuckling like a demon.

While I, personally, would have no problem letting them loose on the Eucharis barony, the Sargent Margraviate was located beside the demonic forest in the middle of the continent to stop the monsters from reaching the rest of the country. Thus, everyone who lived there was very strong. If they did let loose, it wouldn’t end in only a few deaths... I would prefer to finish things without bloodshed, but...

“Who was responsible for recording the false information?” I asked.

“Baron Barnard Eucharis and his second wife’s father, Marquis Ackroyd, along with a few officials managing the Registry.”

“But the second wife, Medisina herself, wasn’t involved?”

With a scowl on his face, Marx replied, “Not in the false registration, no. But she did abuse Chelsea for years...”

“Whatever the case, we’ll drag them all down and have them charged.”

My brother, the King, had already agreed to let me do as I wished with them. Now that I had all the underlying information, I could finally start.