Chapter 95

"By the way, haven't you met Ibroi yet?"

"Ah... Come to think of it, I haven't."

The topic came up, and although it might seem a bit rude to bring it up, I was asked if I had met Ibroi. I tried to recall, but I had no memory of meeting him. If I had seen him, I would have recognized him with his distinctive appearance and face, but then again, I wasn't in a position to enter the inner chambers.

"I was just the princess's guard... and the title was more or less imposed on me."

"If you don't get involved in politics, that's how it goes."

"I didn't actually enter the palace, you know."

"Well, that makes sense."

Lucy exhaled as if she understood my words. After all, I wasn't present at the audience with the important officials. Alushia and Hembritz might have met him, but as I said, I only started guarding the princess after she left the palace.

"So, what did Ibroi say?"

"Ah, that's what—"

"Hey, wait a minute."

Just as we were about to get to the heart of the matter, Mui, who was sitting in the adjacent chair, spoke up with a slightly anxious tone.

"What's wrong?"

"Well... Is this something I should hear?"

"Ah..."

Hmm. Now that you mention it, you're right. While it's not a completely confidential matter since it was relayed to Lucy, it's not something that should be spread around either.

I've gotten so used to being with Mui since starting this new life that I didn't think it through. Actually, I'm surprised I even brought it up. That's one of Mui's good qualities, the old man thinks.

"Lucy, what do you think?"

"Hmm... Indeed, it's not something we can just openly discuss."

It seems this isn't the kind of information that can be shared with just anyone.

"Then I'll go out and kill some time."

As I was pondering what to do, Mui got up from her seat and was about to go out for a bit.

"Um... Sorry, Mui."

"It's okay, it's a work-related matter."

I felt bad for making a child worry, but Mui's response was reassuring. She really has grown up. Well, she always had a bit of a tough side, but at heart, she's a good kid.

"Alright, I'll pick something up on the way."

"Ah, okay, got it."

"Sorry, Mui."

With Lucy's apology, Mui left the house. The atmosphere was a bit awkward, and I was left with the middle-aged man and the woman who looked younger than me but was actually older.

"Alright, let's get to the content."

"Okay."

Lucy began to speak again, as if to start afresh. I decided to listen carefully. This isn't the kind of topic that can be brushed off lightly.

"First, let me set the context. Sphendoyardbania is currently in a state of mild civil war."

"Huh?"

The topic was heavier than I expected. I couldn't help but let out a gasp of surprise. Prince Glenn didn't show any signs of this. Of course, it would be difficult for him to express such concerns to a foreigner.

"But it's not an actual war. It's more like a power struggle."

Lucy added, stifling a yawn. Every time she brings up heavy topics in a light tone, it throws me off. How am I supposed to react to that?

"Still, Sphendoyardbania is a theocratic state, right?"

That was my first question. Sphendoyardbania is a theocratic state with the Sphen religion as its state religion. The top religious leader, probably the pope or something similar, should be in charge, but if there's a conflict, it must be due to some dispute over the interpretation of the religion.

"I don't know the details, but apparently, it's a struggle between the papal faction and the royal faction. The tension has been rising recently."

"Hmm..."

Is this a common occurrence in a country? My knowledge is limited, so I can't really gauge the situation.

"Wait a minute. Who's more powerful, the pope or the king?"

"Starting from the basics, huh..."

Lucy let out the deepest sigh of the day. It's not my fault. I don't know about such a world.

I'm not well-versed in politics, national affairs, or religion. It's beyond my ability to predict how things got to this point. I don't even know how long Sphendoyardbania has existed. Living in a remote part of the Reberis Kingdom, I don't need such information.

"The pope has the authority, but the government is controlled by the king. The king is also a follower of the Sphen religion, so he can't ignore the pope's existence."

"I see..."

It feels like a history lesson. But I think I understand the basics.

The king, or rather the royal faction, holds the political power. However, as a theocratic state, the king and the royal family are all followers of the Sphen religion, so the pope, as the top religious leader, is in a higher position.

Hmm, it's getting a bit confusing. I'm not good at this kind of talk.

But I can understand who would be most affected by the power struggle. Of course, it's the citizens of the country. The consequences of the conflict at the top will inevitably trickle down to the bottom, and not in a good way.

So, if the papal faction and the royal faction are in conflict, and an assassination attempt on the royal family occurs, it's natural to suspect the papal faction.

"Does that mean it was the papal faction's attempt to undermine the royal faction?"

"Exactly. As the first prince, Glenn has the highest claim to the throne."

The story makes sense. It makes sense, but it feels incomplete.

"But even if that succeeded, wouldn't the second prince take over and it be the same?"

"The second prince, Prince Falcus, is a particularly devout follower of the Sphen religion."

"Hmm..."

I see, it's starting to make sense. If Prince Glenn, the first prince, were to ascend the throne, it would be inconvenient for the papal faction. So, they might have thought that assassinating the first prince and installing the second prince, a devout follower of the Sphen religion, as king would be more advantageous for them.

Probably, their ultimate goal is a puppet government with the second prince as the figurehead. The papal faction would make all the decisions, and the second prince would be the public face.

I don't know what direction the important officials of Sphendoyardbania want to take the country. I don't even know the internal affairs of my own country, let alone a foreign one. Perhaps there's a growing democratic movement among the citizens.

But if such a plot is happening, can it be ignored? If it's something that can be prevented with my efforts, it's even more important to act.

However, there's one thing that still doesn't make sense.

"But why did they stage the attack in the Reberis Kingdom?"

That's the thing. If they just wanted to assassinate the prince, it would have been more convenient to do it before the Reberio Knights joined, or even within Sphendoyardbania itself. It would have been more advantageous to resolve the issue internally before other countries got involved.

"Perhaps... one of the goals was to force the cancellation of the tour."

"What do you mean?"

"The first prince's succession to the throne is imminent."

"Hmm..."

The visit of the Sphendoyardbania delegation is an annual event. This is my first time, but from what I've heard, it's common for a member of the royal family to accompany the delegation.

The royal family generally doesn't leave the royal castle or palace. No matter how skilled the assassin, it's difficult to directly eliminate them. The center of any country is always the most heavily guarded.

However, while it's difficult to kill them directly, it's much easier to cause a disturbance and force the cancellation of the event. If they can kill the prince, that's great, but even if they can't, causing an incident is still a win.

Thinking about it this way, there's a reason they staged the attack during the tour.

But if that's the case...

"If the event isn't canceled this time... will the attack happen again?"

"The likelihood is high."

After going to all this trouble, it's unlikely the papal faction would give up after just one attempt. There will be another one. And if we and Lucy can deduce this, the prince and the delegation must have reached the same conclusion.

"Given that we know the situation, I think it's better to cancel the event."

"Well, that's not our decision to make."

With that, Lucy leaned her cheek on her hand, signaling the end of the conversation. Indeed, it's not up to someone like me to influence the course of national affairs. Knowing the situation without having any power can be frustrating.

"Welcome back."

"Hey, you're back."

Mui returned at just the right time, as we had just finished our conversation.

"Are you done?"

"Yeah, we just finished."

I shifted my gaze from Lucy to Mui.

"What's that?"

"Skewers. I bought them from a street vendor."

"Mui loves meat."

"Shut up."

She was holding skewers for all of us. The fact that she brought some for me and Lucy without being asked shows how considerate she is, even at her young age. Her past might be a topic of debate, but her considerate nature is undeniable.

Since we're all a bit hungry, let's have a light snack. They say well-fed children grow up well. Mui is a well-behaved and considerate child. The old man thinks I'm the one who needs to grow up.