26: External Trouble (b)

"Indeed I have, Duke Trojan," The King told Trojan. "I have to apologise for the sudden request. In fact, I had thought that you would have been unable to attend."

Trojan knew the King was lying. Both parties knew they were going to lie to the other, but they were unable to call the other out. By calling someone out on their lies, it showed distrust, their relationship would become much worse. Their battle was nothing like a grand sword fight or a grand magic battle, but a battle of lies and deception.

The better lie would win, the better mind would win.

"It was a personal request from Your Majesty, of course I would accept without a shadow of a doubt," Trojan told the King.

It was the normal conversation they were going to have in any scenario, there was no point dragging it out any longer than they already had. Trojan simply stood there, waiting for the King to say something. It was basic manners to wait for the King to speak before Trojan spoke again, but honestly, Trojan just wanted to see what the King would do.

"Right," The King nodded, looking nothing like the cheery self he had been a few nights prior. "I have summoned Duke Trojan here to speak of official matters regarding your promotion."

Trojan did not speak, he wanted to see what the King wanted to say. Meanwhile, the King was sitting on his throne, quite disturbed by Trojan's silence. With how smart Trojan was, the King expected Trojan to start talking, to start going on, maybe apologise or something. Instead, Trojan simply stood there, waiting patiently.

Trojan knew the King was aware of his ability, and had predicted that the King would want Trojan to start rambling on. By doing so, Trojan may be forced to slip up, maybe give even the slightest hint of anything he was planning. To be safe, Trojan remained silent, to allow the King to speak. That way, Trojan would be able to gain the best results.

Chip away at the King's mental state, apply pressure constantly. Make the King overthink things, make him overestimate Trojan's abilities. By being able to trick the King, Trojan was going to be able to win this 'battle' he was fighting. Silence is also a form of deception.

"After the dinner a few nights prior, I realised that I had forgotten to mention your promotion ceremony because of your sudden exit," The King said calmly.

The King had been pressured recently because of Trojan. Fear was the main driving force, fear that the power he held in his hands was going to be stripped from him by a single man. The King was rather pressured, and Trojan could see that.

"Oh, how is the Princess?" Trojan asked as a friendly conversation topic. "I do hope she is feeling well."

"Yes… very well," The King replied, nodding slower.

Reminding the King of his previous failure, giving the King a jab in the gut, Trojan was able to pressure the King mentally. To the King, Trojan was a much bigger threat than he actually was.

To the King, Trojan probably looked like he held as many cards in his hands as the people around him. However, in reality, Trojan held one actual card, one plan that could barely work. Trojan's duty was to make sure the King did not find out about the plan before it was carried out. That was to say, both the King and Alastor.

"So, regarding the ceremony, I do believe it is a rather difficult time for the ceremony to take place, is it not?" The King spoke.

Trojan did not know exactly what he meant. Sure, there were the increase in monster sightings, a monster invasion may very well happen at any moment. The peasants were revolting against the increase in the price of bread, but that was about it. Trojan was planning to fix both problems in one fell swoop if he managed to gain the support of Duke Phoenix.

"I do believe so," Trojan agreed. "It is complicated times."

"Especially when Duke Trojan of all people is blamed for the murder of hundreds," The King said, looking Trojan straight in the eyes. "Are you aware of this?"

Trojan did not let it show on his face, but of course, he did not know what the Ming was speaking of. Trojan was being framed? By who? And for what?

'My lord, as I was speaking of earlier, it seems a rumour has been going around that you burnt the village to the ground," Domino sent a telepathic message to Trojan.

"Yes, I am aware," Trojan replied to the King, trying not to let weakness show on his face. "Though I wonder who had spread such a rumour?"

"If course, Duke Trojan would never do such a thing," The King said, still with a serious expression. "But to the common people, it appears that you have lost quite a bit of popularity. Arranging for a public ceremony to be carried out may prove to be challenging, perhaps fatal. After all, Duke Trojan has had experience with the undesirable actions of the common people, no?"

Trojan slid his clenched left fist behind him casually. The King was also trying to play with Trojan, and Trojan knew it. The King obviously knew what happened to Trojan's parents, and had done nothing about it on the day of the trial.

"This rumour does seem rather radical, perhaps your majesty has some idea on who the culprit may be?" Trojan asked, maintaining his composure.

Trojan had a prime suspect, and that suspect was the very man he was talking to. The burning of the village, without much evidence on it, could be pinned to any influential figure. It so happened to be pinned on Trojan despite his popularity, discrediting him. That way, even if Trojan managed to take the position of the Royal Family, he would never have the necessary support to do much. The Royal Family's position was secured once again, and it just seemed much too convenient for it to be a coincidence.

"I have ordered some of my best investigators to find the source of the rumours. I cannot imagine Duke Trojan performing such an act, and cannot risk having one of the most talented people in Ether killed," The King stated. "That is why this meeting was arranged rather hurriedly."

Trojan was trying to think about what everything implied. The information flooding into his head, his thoughts were being arranged by the second, creating a slight delay in his usual quick reply. Of course, the King noticed this.

"I will suggest that Duke Trojan remain at the Palace until the whole situation blows over," The King suggested to him. "You will be much safer in the Palace than your own estate, will you not?"

Indeed, with the situation outside, if it was as bad as the King suggested, Trojan was very much in danger. There was a new threat, and the Royal Family presented much less of a threat as compared to the peasants.

Remembering the day he stood staring at his parents. The carriage had erupted into flames because of a single peasant, his parents had died because of a single peasant. Worst of all, that peasant had only gotten a ten year sentence in prison for causing the death of two nobles just because he was falsely deemed mentally unstable.

"I think I will take Your Majesty up on that offer," Trojan told the King.

He may be under the close eye of the Royal Family, but Trojan could make it work. Besides, he still had a separate plan ready in case the Royal Family still had any intentions on killing him.

"Although, Emilia, my future wife, will be visiting my estate at around this time," Trojan told the King. "I suppose I will have Domino send a message to my staff back at my estate, is that alright?"

The letters he had written seem almost useless because of the rumour that had started to spread. If the Royal Family had indeed spread the rumours, Trojan had to admit that he had been outplayed. Either way, the Royal Family could not kill him, they no longer needed to kill him. Trojan definitely could not kill the Royal Family.

Instead, if the Royal Family really wanted Trojan dead, they could simply have his execution arranged. It was not a good position for Trojan to be in.

'Tell the staff to go home. Pass the letters to Emilia. Bring your report to me, I'll read them here. Tell everyone to evacuate the estate, make sure they are safe.' Trojan thought, making sure Domino was able to pick up on it.

Domino bowed and disappeared into the wind.

Alastor stepped forward with a gentle smile, showing Trojan the way. "I shall show the way to Duke Trojan's temporary room."

It was not a good situation to be in, not in the slightest.