CHAPTER 17: FLUKE
Emperor Santino was getting tired of the whole situation. He sat still, deep in thought, thinking about everything in the past.
Afterward, he used magic tool to call Monica.
'Knock' 'Knock'
"Come in," Emperor Santino said.
"Your Majesty," Monica said.
"Find all the information relating to Princess Victoria since she was young. I need every information as much as you can find out within 2 days. And tell the royal knights to strictly prohibit everyone who come to visit The Crown Prince," Emperor Santino said.
"Yes, Your Majesty" Monica said and left.
★*:.｡. ✧☆✧ .｡.:*★
At Fortuna Manor,
Commander Constantine led the royal knights breaking through the Fortuna Manor.
"Where is Count Fortuna?" Commander Constantine asked.
"Might I ask the purpose of your visiting, Sir?" a butler asked, nervously.
"Lead the way," Commander Constantine said, coldly.
A butler led Constantine and the royal knights to the office where Count Fortuna was working inside.
The royal knights opened the door without a knock.
Commander Constantine and the royal knights went inside the room.
"What's happened?" Count Fortuna asked, surprisingly.
"You're under arrest for supporting the illegal guild, and cooperating in the incident of kidnapping The Princess of Dignita, Count Fortuna" Commander Constantine said, "All the properties and money of The Count Fortuna are confiscated from today onward," He showed him the royal decree with royal seal from The Emperor.
"No, I'm innocent. I didn't do anything," Count Fortuna said, nervously.
"Arrest him," Commander Constantine told the royal knights.
Two royal knights charged him and fastened shackles on his wrists.
Meanwhile, Margaret ran toward Count Fortuna after she heard what was going on from her personal maid.
"Father, no, it must be a misunderstanding," Margaret cried.
"No, My Lady" a maid said and held her back.
"Everyone must move out of this manor within today. Don't move any asset, or else you will be arrested with the crime of stealing royal properties," Commander Constantine shouted.
"What? No…," Margaret cried.
The royal knights took Count Fortuna out of the manor.
"The Crown Prince! That's right, I will send a letter to The Crown Prince to help father," Margaret said and hurriedly went back to her bedroom.
Everything seemed to happen unpredictably. The hopeless situation led all the servants feeling worried about their future.
★★★
Two days passed,
Monica reported everything relating to Princess Victoria.
"You mean she learned swordsmanship from her knight escort and continued to practice by herself since then? She graduated from The Fidelitas Academy with the third ranking? And she is a close friend of Commander Ignacia?" Emperor Santino said, surprisingly.
"Princess Victoria was nonetheless a talented and diligent person. She has a natural talent but she did not make herself ignorance for the other things. She learned everything even though she did not get much support," Monica said.
Emperor Santino felt guilty after he realized that he neglected her and let the servants took care of her since she was young.
"Tell The Princess, I will meet her at her palace," Emperor Santino said.
"Yes, Your Majesty" Monica said and left.
★*:.｡. ✧☆✧ .｡.:*★
At the princess palace; a small, secluded palace on the Royal land.
"Your Highness! You should hurry now," said Tullia happily, a nanny who was in her middle forties. She has brown hair, and green eyes. She looks so kind and warm.
"What's happened, Nanny?" Victoria asked her nicely. She hugged her nanny gently.
"His Majesty, The Emperor will come here. You should dress up and prepare to meet him, Your Highness" said Tullia happily.
"Huh? What did you say, Nanny? Are you kidding me?" Victoria asked, surprisingly. She hardly saw her father in the past. She wondered why he came to meet her of all time.
"Hurry, Your Highness" Tullia said and helped her dressed up eagerly.
Emperor Santino reached to the princess palace. He was surprised after he saw a shabby palace in front of him.
"Why was the princess staying in the secluded palace?" Emperor Santino asked.
"The Empress moved Her Highness here when she was 8 years old," Monica said.
"Why didn't I know about it?" Emperor Santino asked.
Monica looked at him and said nothing.
"You mean I neglected her?" Emperor Santino asked.
"I heard that The Empress did not appreciate after she knew The Princess was in 'Magus' attribute and possessed high magic power," Monica said.
"What? The Empress told me she was in 'Eques' attribute," Emperor Santino said. He was angry with The Empress.
"Prepare rose palace for The Princess. I will manage her budget by myself," Emperor Santino said.
"Yes, Your Majesty" Monica said.
Emperor Santino walked into the princess palace. He saw Victoria welcomed him in the hall. He recalled The Queen Consort's face after he saw Victoria. Apart from golden hair, her green eyes, and beautiful face resembled her mother.
"Your Majesty," Victoria said and curtsied to him.
Emperor Santino nodded his head and said, "I have something to talk to you, Victoria"
"Yes, Your Majesty" Victoria said and led him the way to the reception room.
"What do you think about Mirarus Empire?" Emperor Santino asked.
"I think Mirarus Empire is a good empire but there are some corrupt nobles who will make the empire worsen as time passed. They did something dirty and took advantage from the commoners," said Victoria honestly.
Emperor Santino was surprised with her straight answer, then asked, "If you have power, what will you do to this kind of problem?"
"I will make everyone realize the true ruler of Mirarus Empire. But before that, I have to make myself a good ruler while keeping a good relationship with the 5 lords and strengthening the power of royal family. After that, I will keep the corrupt nobles in check and find the evidences to dismiss them from their duties. I would like to make Mirarus a peaceful empire for everyone, not only nobles, Your Majesty" said Victoria honestly.
Emperor Santino recalled the time when he asked the same question to Vulcan.
the words from Vulcan.
"I see," Emperor Santino said, proudly, "I heard you are a close friend of Commander Ignacia."
"Yes, Your Majesty" Victoria said.
"I prepare rose palace for you. The servants will help you move tomorrow," Emperor Santino said.
"Might I ask why Your Majesty allow me to use rose palace? I heard it is the best palace below to the emperor palace," Victoria asked.
"You will know the reason soon. I'm sorry for neglecting you in a long time, Victoria" Emperor Santino said, regretfully.
"It's all right, Your Majesty" Victoria said, surprisingly.
Emperor Santino got up. He looked at her gently and said, "You resemble your mother very closely, Victoria" then walked out of the reception room.
Victoria was surprised and confused at the same time.
★★★
A few days passed,
Vulcan's personal assistant sneaked into Vulcan's bedroom after he bribed the royal knights who were guarding the door. He reported him the current situation of Count Fortuna.
"His situation might put Your Highness in a difficult situation. His majesty ordered the royal knights posted at the door of your bedroom very strictly, Your Highness" Vulcan's personal assistant said, anxiously.
"What?" Vulcan exclaimed anxiously, then said, "Tell my mother. She will ask my uncle to help me."
"Yes, Your Highness" Vulcan's personal assistant said and left.
★*:.｡. ✧☆✧ .｡.:*★
At the empress palace,
Vulcan's personal assistant reported everything to Empress Patricia, who has long light blue hair, grey eyes, and fierce vibe.
"What? Why didn't you stop him since the beginning? You fool," Empress Patricia said, angrily. She threw a glass at him, "Get out of my sight."
Vulcan's personal assistant was almost hit by a glass. He hurriedly walked out of the room, feeling anxious.
Empress Patricia could see why The Emperor moved Victoria to rose palace after she knew what Vulcan had done. She rang the bell to call her personal maid.
"Your Majesty," a personal maid said.
"Call The Duke of Tutela for me," Empress Patricia said.
"Yes, Your Majesty" a personal maid said and left.
★*:.｡. ✧☆✧ .｡.:*★
At The Emperor's office,
"Did The Princess move to rose palace already?" Emperor Santino asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty" Monica said.
"What about new servants?" Emperor Santino asked.
"The new servants started to work since yesterday, Your Majesty" Monica said.
"Did Count Fortuna confess anything?" Emperor Santino asked.
"He remained silence, Your Majesty" Monica said.
"What about Duke Tutela? Does he have any movement?" Emperor Santino asked.
"No, Your Majesty" Monica said.
"Call Commander Constantine and Commander Ignacia," Emperor Santino said.
"Yes, Your Majesty" Monica said and left.
After a while, Ignacia and Constantine came to the emperor's office.
'Knock' 'Knock'
"Commander Constantine and Commander Ignacia are here, Your Majesty" Monica said.
"Let them in," Emperor Santino said.
Emperor Santino showed the recording magic tool, which Ignacia interrogated a leader of mercenaries, to Commander Constantine.
Ignacia used "The Eyes of Truth" to check the truth in the conversation. She wanted to know how much Constantine know about this incident.
"I wonder how Commander Ignacia knew the news really fast and even went to help The Princess of Dignita on time?" Constantine asked, curiously.
"I want to know about this fact as well, Commander Ignacia" Emperor Santino said, curiously.
Ignacia could not read The Emperor's mind because he was wearing a ring, royal family heirloom, which was able to block and inactivate all kinds of powers.
"I had worked as a mercenary in The Ensis Guild for a few years before I applied to The Fidelitas Academy. One of my acquaintances accidentally heard the other mercenaries talked about it. He hurriedly came to inform me because he knew I'm one of Princess Estella's friends, Your Majesty" Ignacia said.
"Why was the time too perfect, Commander Ignacia?" Constantine asked.
"Might I ask why Royal Knight Army did not know about Rogatio Guild which was working illegal things in broad daylight? Isn't it you who should know the news faster than me? If you really looked into it, I believed that you could take action faster than me. And it is the normal matter that the mercenary knows the news very fast sometime because they want to get the work done, Commander Constantine" Ignacia said, calmly.
Constantine was very angry with her and said, "You!"
"Enough, Commander Constantine" Emperor Santino said, "As the evidence, it pointed out the royal knights were involved with Rogatio Guild. I want you to check this matter and find out who were involved with them."
"Yes, Your Majesty" Constantine said and left. He gritted his teeth with angry, feeling upset with the royal knights who involved with this incident and made him lost his face.
Emperor Santino looked at Ignacia, then said, "I heard you are a close friend of Princess Victoria."
"Yes, Your Majesty" Ignacia said.
"Why did you choose to be her friend? Everyone knows that she has no power. She didn't even get any support," Emperor Santino asked, curiously.
"I admire Her Highness who always work so hard to improve herself all the time and I didn't choose friends because they have power to support me or I can get benefit from them, Your Majesty" said Ignacia honestly.
"Ahaha…you are very strange, Commander Ignacia" Emperor Santino said, delightedly, then continued his words more seriously, "I want you to support and protect her. I'm not confident in Royal Knight Army after I knew about this incident. I want a trustworthy person to do so just in case."
"I'm willing to support and protect Her Highness with my utmost, Your Majesty" Ignacia said.
"All right. You may leave," Emperor Santino said.
Ignacia bowed to him and left.
★★★