One day, about two months later, Patrick returned to his residence in the royal capital and received a report from Ein.

'So, what's going on?
Patrick sat on the sofa,

'I have two things to report.
Ein sits down across from him and starts talking.

'Hmm, let's hear them.

'So, first of all, the barons who became nobles at the same time as Wylie-dono and Van Pelt-dono, some of the Snakes' denialist houses, are finally unable to run their estates.

'Hou......'

'The main reasons are the unsustainability of the territorial army and the backlash from the remaining peasants. At any rate, we can't even get rid of the demons anymore, and the crops are so damaged that even the farmers are starting to emigrate. It seems that they're offering to help the head of the faction somehow, but that's also a house that doesn't trade with us, so I'm afraid their internal situation is difficult.

'Well, I suppose so.

'Yes, how do we get around them and how do we act? We're trying to find out if they're going to cooperate with the other houses and set a trap for us.

'If they do, suggest to some of them that they turn on us for money or food aid. That'll split them up. Cooperation will end then.'

They might. I'll keep my eyes open.'

'Yeah, do that. And the other one?
Patrick said, urging him on.

'The Prime Minister is acting strangely.
Ayn said,

'Hmm?'
Patrick's brow furrows.

'We've already reported that he's been using money from the treasury to build a new fort on the Abbott frontier, but there's something suspicious about the flow of that money.

'They don't even send us a single gold coin, but they're putting it in their pockets?

'It's not in his pocket, it's probably for the Third Prince McClane.

'What?

''Currently, His Majesty is slowly transferring the duties of the office to His Royal Highness Prince William. There is no room for the Third Prince McClane there.''

'Of course not. It would complicate things.

'Yes, sir. You're right. And yet, the diplomatic corps is being dominated by aristocrats of the Third Prince McClane's camp.'

'What?　How is that possible?　There must be more aristocrats of Prince William's court.'

'One of the diplomats who came to Mulder's store slipped up, and it seems that the money that came from the Prime Minister is being used to buy off the aristocrats of the court, so that even though they are ostensibly for Prince William, behind the scenes they are for the Third Prince McClane, and the colors are changing.

'The relationship between the Prime Minister and the third prince Maclean is certainly .......'

'It seems that the engagement between the Prime Minister's youngest daughter and the Third Prince McClane is being finalized. Since the destruction of the anti-royalist faction during the second prince's rebellion, His Majesty has made it clear that he will respect the wishes of the two parties involved in the marriage, so if the third prince McClane wants to get married, I'm sure His Majesty will allow it.

'So you're saying that you want Prince McClane III to be the king and the Prime Minister to be the father of the king's wife?

'Or rather, it's possible that he's planning to put Prince McClane III on the throne as his puppet and rule the country from behind.

'I've met him many times, but he never seemed like that.

'A customer who came into Mulder's store said that things had changed since he hired a new butler a few months ago. Many of the servants have been fired.'

'A new butler?　Did he put you up to this?　Does the Keselowski's know about that?'

'But it seems the Keselowski's are in on it.

'What?

'Lord Kyle's fiancée is the second daughter of the Prime Minister.'

'Oh, no. This is going to be rough.