Chapter 534: The Dangerous Road Ahead

"Good evening, Baron Hansen."

"Good evening."

Temples graying, Hansen smiled as he greeted the palace maid walking toward him. After all, they saw each other often and could be considered acquaintances.

"Have you finished your work for today?"

The maid blinked, asking curiously, "It seems a bit late today. I remember you usually head home right before sunset."

"Today is a little different. His Highness Albert’s gardens haven’t been tended for far too long. Even I have to spend a bit more time thinking about the pruning and layout. Today was only the initial design. I’ll probably have to stay busy for several more days."

Hansen shook his head in mild distress and patiently explained.

He was the Royal Court’s appointed landscape architect, and a well-known architect and artist in Belrand. The design of the entire Royal Garden was the work of him and several other masters. It was just that his seniority was slightly lower than those masters, so errands like coming personally to oversee and command, or even to work with his own hands, usually fell to him.

"That’s really hard on you."

The maid sighed and helped complain on his behalf. She clearly had a very good impression of this older baron who, though past fifty, still possessed the charm of a mature man and had never married. After asking after him, she found another topic and kept chatting with Hansen. Hansen, for his part, was very well-mannered and did not show the slightest displeasure at her persistent chatter.

"Right, is this your new assistant? I don’t think I’ve seen him before."

After chatting for quite some time, the maid finally shifted her attention to the short and thin youth behind Hansen, whose face was covered in freckles.

The boy seemed very shy, shrinking behind Hansen the whole time and not daring to lift his head.

"Yes. He has a great deal of talent. I’m planning to cultivate him as a disciple."

Hansen answered with a gentle smile, then took out his pocket watch and glanced at it, politely taking his leave:

"Forgive me, I still have a bit of business to attend to. I’ll have to excuse myself."

"Ah... I’m the one who should apologize for disturbing you..."

"Not at all. Being able to chat with a beautiful lady is my honor."

Hansen strode away quickly.

The maid watched his back and couldn’t help lifting both hands to cradle her cheeks, which had somehow flushed with a rosy tint.

"...Baron Hansen is as handsome as ever today. If only I could become his wife."

"If you ‘run into’ him here every day, won’t that do it? Sooner or later he’ll be moved."

The maid walking with her nudged her lightly with an elbow, teasing.

"That’s exactly what I plan on doing. Baron Hansen is a gentleman with very regular habits and exceptional self-control. His daily route hardly ever changes. Waiting here can’t be wrong."

"It’s just..."

The maid’s nose twitched slightly, a faintly puzzled expression appearing on her face:

"The perfume he used today doesn’t seem to be the same one he normally wears..."

...

"Baron Hansen Will, Royal Palace’s appointed landscape architect."

At the checkpoint by the palace exit, Hansen handed over the token granting him free passage through certain palace areas to the Royal Knight stationed there for inspection.

The Royal Knight dutifully examined the token carefully. After confirming that nothing was amiss, he handed it back to Hansen. The rigid seriousness on his face loosened as well.

"You’ve worked hard, my lord baron. Heading home this late... it seems His Highness the First Prince kept you rather busy."

Hansen’s comings and goings from the palace were almost always at the same times and along the same roads, so he was quite familiar with the guards along the way. Outside of official business, they could even exchange a few casual words.

"There’s nothing to be done. Everyone knows now that things on the First Prince’s side can’t be handled perfunctorily like before. Everything has to be tightened up."

Hansen glanced around. Compared to usual, there were quite a few more patrol knights, so he asked in puzzlement:

"But what’s going on today? It feels like the entire palace is under lockdown."

"Sigh, supposedly someone was bold enough to try and assassinate the Second Prince on the road. They’re hunting the assassin right now."

"An assassination?"

Hansen was taken aback. "His Highness Andrew... is all right, I hope?"

"He’s fine, he’s fine. This is the Imperial Palace. Even Battle Aura and magic can’t be used here, and there are so many people watching over the Second Prince—how could anyone possibly harm him? Still, an attempt on a prince’s life is a major incident. They can’t allow the assassin to escape. The vice-captain and the others are organizing manpower and conducting a thorough sweep."

"Then..."

Hearing this news, Hansen also showed a hint of unease. He looked at himself, then at his ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) still-timid assistant at his side, and hesitated:

"Shouldn’t you inspect us as well?"

"No need, no need. How could you possibly have attempted to assassinate His Highness the Second Prince, Baron Hansen? You have absolutely no reason to do such a thing. Besides, you were busy on His Highness the First Prince’s side all day. You have ample alibi. No one will suspect you."

The knight waved a hand. After having his nerves taut all day, he felt quite relaxed facing an old acquaintance like Baron Hansen.

Of course, he also knew Baron Hansen could not possibly be the assassin—but such inside information was not his place to say.

"Thank you."

Hansen removed his hat and placed a hand over his chest in gratitude. "In that case, I won’t disturb your work and will take my leave."

"Please."

Under the watchful eyes of a whole line of Royal Knights, Hansen walked out of the palace with composure, his shy “disciple” still following behind him.

Outside the palace was a wide avenue, broad enough for dozens of carriages to drive abreast.

In the most conspicuous spot on the street, the carriage that usually came to pick up Baron Hansen was, as always, parked there as a matter of course.

There were many carriages stopped in front of the palace, and there were also many gazes of unknown origin constantly sweeping this area.

As soon as Hansen stepped out the gate, he felt several hidden lines of sight fall on his face.

But as if they had not found their target, those gazes quickly withdrew. Only one or two remained, cautiously tracking his every move.

Hansen’s expression did not change in the slightest, as though he were completely unaware of these secret watchers. He climbed into the carriage with natural, unhurried movements.

"Hyah."

The coachman flicked the reins, and the carriage rolled slowly along the wide street.

Until it finally disappeared at the end of the avenue... nothing happened.

...

"It seems the first step was a success."

Inside the carriage, all the light-blocking curtains had been lowered, making it somewhat dim. "Baron Hansen" placed his hand at the side of his neck beneath his jaw and gave a hard tug.

A layer of springy, lifelike false skin was peeled away just like that, revealing a young, handsome male face.

The First Prince, Albert.

Opposite him, the shy "disciple" bowed their head. A waterfall of long hair spilled out from beneath the hat. When the head lifted again, the timid youth had become Lavini, the maid who served at Albert’s side.

"Good thing we had this identity. Otherwise, even leaving the palace might have been troublesome. How is it on that side?"

"Don’t worry, it’s very clean. Before the sun rises tomorrow, Baron Hansen and his disciple will absolutely not wake up."

"Excellent."

Albert lifted one corner of the curtain and gazed toward the palace, which was gradually turning into a blurry silhouette in the night.

"Heh. My dear younger brother really seems to have made up his mind to kill me before the charity banquet this time."

Albert laughed in mockery.

An assassination? It was probably just an excuse to mobilize the Royal Knights.

And if he was already taking such extreme measures within the bounds of the palace, then afterward, in a place like the lower district, what mad things that still-enraged Second Prince might do...

He dared not imagine.

"It looks like this road ahead will be even more difficult than I thought."