Chapter 109

While others couldn’t enter the Crown Prince’s palace, Spencer Grimaldi was an exception, having been stationed there from the beginning.

After returning from moving about the Ionad court and meeting people to assess the situation, Spencer Grimaldi went to Claude’s usual reception room to meet him. There was no need to request a meeting. Through the half-broken open door, he could see Claude sprawled on the sofa.

The reception room was in chaos. All the drawers were pulled open, and some furniture was overturned. Broken glass and porcelain littered the floor. Nothing had been cleaned up.

Spencer frowned as he stepped inside. The attendant standing nearby turned to look at him. There was a wound on the attendant’s face. Blood that hadn’t been properly cleaned had left traces on his face, and dried spots were visible on his clothes.

Spencer assessed the situation.

When that attendant had tried to clean, Claude must have wounded him. That’s why other attendants wouldn’t dare attempt to clean either.

“Your Highness.”

Spencer called out. Claude merely lifted his head to look at Count Grimaldi and smirked.

“Count.”

His sunken voice seemed mixed with a metallic edge.

“Lady Connolly tried to ruin you, so why did she strike at me first?”

Claude asked slowly, as if suppressing rage.

“Hm?”

“Because she thought my power came from Your Highness.”

The Count answered.

“You became a threat to Lady Connolly. Bravely, she always strikes at the center first rather than fleeing or targeting the periphery.”

“You seem to know Lady Connolly well?”

“Thanks to my wife, I played chess with her several times before. Playing games together makes it easy to understand someone’s tendencies.”

“…”

“Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I played chess with Your Highness. Would you care for a game?”

As Spencer approached saying this, Claude glanced up briefly before showing a disinterested expression. Spencer looked down at Claude with surprise. Though he had worried because of his sprawled position, his mind seemed clear.

Spencer examined the situation more carefully. Some drawers were open, others closed. All the alcohol seemed to have disappeared. No tobacco in sight. And…

“Someone came last night, didn’t they?”

Claude raised his head at those words. His gaze was sharp. He seemed dissatisfied with this situation. Spencer thought it was actually fortunate.

“Was it a healer?”

Though Claude didn’t answer, Spencer had spent enough time with him. Not only did he know Claude’s habits thoroughly, but he could tell what he was thinking just by his expression.

“A healing mage.”

Seeing Spencer speak with such certainty, Claude exhaled with a “Huh.”

“Did the Duke send them?”

“Count.”

“It seems the Duke is still on Your Highness’s side. Going to such trouble. Thanks to that, there are no withdrawal symptoms.”

“What, you know well? Did the Count enjoy something too?”

“No, my wife did. That’s what destroyed her.”

“…”

“Would you like to visit Grimaldi sometime? If you see that, Your Highness probably won’t want to rely on those things anymore.”

Apparently it wasn’t hidden because of beauty. Even so, Claude wasn’t listening now. He was just angry at how things had turned out. Thinking about it again, that’s how it was.

Claude pulled out the cushion he had been lying on and threw it. Spencer didn’t let it hit him. Seeing him simply tilt his head to dodge, Claude, still unsatisfied, took off the shoe he was wearing and threw that too. After dodging that as well, Spencer looked at the attendant. His expression said to hurry and bring the shoe. The attendant retrieved the shoe from where it had rolled against the wall and approached.

“Prepare a chessboard and pieces as well.”

The Count said. Instead of answering, the attendant looked at Claude. Though he was taking deep breaths as if angry, there was no sharp reaction, so it seemed safe to fetch them. The attendant bowed his head before quickly entering and exiting another room.

The Count received the chessboard from the attendant, placed it on the table, and arranged the pieces. Claude sat up. Meanwhile, attendants began cleaning the messy reception room one by one. They moved so swiftly that by the time the pieces were arranged, the room was clean.

Claude stared at Count Grimaldi.

“Would you like to move first?”

“Because I’m less skilled than the Count?”

How annoying. Claude muttered softly and moved a pawn. A position where both rook and bishop could move simultaneously. Claude was always like this. Surprisingly thoughtful, and considering efficiency.

“No, because I was once Your Highness’s teacher.”

And the Count himself preferred to attack immediately.

“I lived only for Your Highness, even abandoning my children.”

Not with minor pieces like pawns, but moving the queen immediately.

“Your Highness.”

Sometimes that became a mistake. But more often, it was effective.

“What happened while I was away from Ionad staying in Grimaldi?”

So he decided to move that way this time too. Directly.

“Who exactly did you get close to?”

“What if you knew?”

Claude said. He grabbed another pawn. Even after opening a path, rather than attacking outright, testing the waters first was exactly like his personality.

“Would the Count do something about it?”

“What could I possibly do?”

Cunning old man, Claude sneered inwardly.

“Just…”

The Count, speaking in a light tone, raised his head and glared at Claude.

“I’d like to know who ruined Your Highness.”

That was a gaze like looking at property. Claude knew this gaze well. It was like how Count Grimaldi used to look at the king. When he was still a prince, when Claude followed the Count more than his own uncles.

Back then, the Count looked at Claude’s father with such eyes. As if viewing him as a cherished puppet.

Now it was his turn.

Why hadn’t he known? Why did one only realize when faced with it?

But there was something even more infuriating. It seemed true that he needed the Count for that purpose. Yet he had to push the Count away. How could he do that? Claude thought as he moved another pawn.

Chess is played by two, but politics and war aren’t fought by just two people. There are countless variations. Forming alliances, betraying, striking.

Mutually, betraying, striking.

I see.

“There’s a noble who came from Dunbar.”

Just let them deal with each other. At least while they face each other, Claude would have time to find another way.

“You mean from the Duchy of Dunbar?”

The Count said while moving a piece. One pawn was captured. Others were precariously close, but ultimately isn’t winning about keeping the king alive?

“Yes. Seems he was originally a retainer of their Grand Duke, but he joined our side a few years ago.”

And Claude would become king. Surviving somehow.

“He’s not even a landed noble, and he doesn’t seem to want a high position himself. He just said he’d move his base here if we let him maintain his current title in Dalkatir.”

“So you gave it to him?”

“The only title I can bestow isn’t hereditary, just a knightly title worthy of being called ‘Lord.'”

“Then did His Majesty give that man a title?”

“Yes.”

Claude said while moving a minor piece. Finally. A bit late, Spencer thought.

“I don’t know what passed between them during that time.”

Claude picked up his bishop, tested various empty spaces in the air, then placed it.

“It was just a whim. Introducing him to the king. And what caught attention was probably his ability.”

He said.

“That’s what made me like this too.”

Spencer couldn’t agree with what followed. Regrettably, Claude wasn’t such good material. If only he had been like Julius… He hadn’t known then. The previous Duke of Woodpecker wasn’t good material. Claude was the same. He was far inferior to the current king. Though not unusable. Especially compared to Luigi.

This choice was right.

“Who is it?” the Count asked.

“You might be hearing this for the first time.”

Claude finally picked up a major piece.

“McCauliffe.”

Time to force checkmate.

“Pasalis McCauliffe.”

“That’s not a Dunbar-style name.”

The Count said. His tone was suspicious.