Khalid looked up and down as if searching for the other person.
It looks pretty smooth.
Annoying.
“Hello, Royal Highness Prince Khalid. “This is Lane, head of the Ronica Kingdom branch of the Information Guild Runes.”
“It’s an alias.”
I obviously know who it is, but you introduce me with a pseudonym. This is absurd.
“haha. “Because it’s a habit.”
Derek smiled leisurely and answered.
I don’t like that expression either. The laughing voice was also annoying. Khalid didn’t like everything about Derek. If he were an older middle-aged man, would he have done less?
My stomach turned when I thought about the smooth-looking man of my age talking to Velia alone.
When he met Velia alone, didn’t he completely lose her heart? He passed over himself, who was not interested in others, but there is no guarantee that this man in front of him won’t do the same.
As expected, her charm was so strong that Velia couldn’t bear to fall in love with her.
… … He himself admitted that he had already been caught.
“Princess Velia has received her information in her letter. “Your Majesty knows everything about me.”
Khalid just nodded without answering.
Because Velia was so pretty, it was clear that these idiots were seducing her.
My suspicions were confirmed when I saw his voice rising a bit while talking about Velia and the corners of his mouth rising slightly.
‘hmm. I think he doesn’t like me for some reason.’
Khalid’s expression barely changed, but Derek, who had been working with people for a long time, realized intuitively that he didn’t like him very much.
However, since he had experience working as an intelligence officer and meeting various customers, dealing with Khalid was not that difficult for him.
“I couldn’t come together today due to unavoidable circumstances, but it would be nice to see the three of us together next time.”
Derek smiled even brighter than before and nodded. This was just a formal response to a difficult customer, but Khalid took it differently.
I can’t believe you showed such a bright smile when you told me about meeting Velia!
So, out of caution, I added a word.
“… … “I couldn’t help it because I was busy preparing for the engagement ceremony that would be held soon.”
For no reason, we are getting engaged, and since she has a lover, I subtly warn her not to do anything foolish.
But he didn’t seem to understand the warning, and Derek smiled back.
“Is that so.”
Khalid knew that he was doing something childish that even a child would not do.
‘Severe condition.’
Velia said she was the master of the intelligence guild and that she was a trustworthy person. And she is definitely the person we need. She didn’t like it, but since they had to work together first, she put aside her selfishness and remembered the reason she came here.
“First, let’s hear your future plans.”
Khalid asked, crossing his arms.
“What the princess asked me to do was to spread rumors about His Highness Khalid throughout the empire.”
“I heard.”
“Currently, our guild members are already dispatched throughout the empire. They will spread the word about the existence of the gold mine and His Highness Khalid when I give the signal.”
It was the same content I had already heard from Velia.
She probably didn’t say she wanted to meet with me just to talk about this.
Khalid looked at Derek intently. She seemed to say that if she had something to say, she should say it quickly.
“Actually, the reason I asked to see you was because I had a question.”
Despite Khalid’s glaring gaze, Derek continued speaking without changing his expression.
“It is very advanced information that a new gold mine has been discovered. “It would be a waste of news to spread it that widely.”
Khalid also agreed with that statement.
It would be much more profitable to keep it as one’s own property through negotiation with King Ronica without spreading rumors. There is no need for him to keep the 1st Prince’s side in check.
“This is a gold mine discovered by an individual, not even a national discovery. I think it’s too much to spread rumors like this. “I will pay you well for the information, so why not hide this story?”
“After that, you probably plan to sell the information here and there to make a profit, right?”
There was no reply, but Khalid seemed to know what he was thinking.
As a merchant, I would not have been able to miss it when the greater benefit was clearly visible to me.
Moreover, even if Raul had been in the same situation as himself, he would have kept the existence of the gold mine hidden from him and used it as a stepping stone to earn his own money.
But Khalid shook his head.
“It was Velia’s decision.”
His answer was very firm.
However, Derek looked a little puzzled at the slightly raised corner of his mouth and asked again.
“I am asking your Majesty. “Isn’t it His Highness Khalid who discovered the gold mine?”
Khalid wanted to say that it was Velia who discovered the gold mine, not him.
However, Khalid shut her up, thinking that there must be some reason why she was putting herself in front of her.
‘Because Velia thinks a lot.’
Khalid asked Derek a question in return.
“Then do you think there is a story other than this level of rumor that could shake up the entire empire?”
Derek stroked his chin and took a moment to gather his thoughts.
It was a word with many hidden meanings.
Soon, Derek’s face was covered with a meaningful smile.
“You plan to shake up the empire.”
Khalid also immediately realized the true meaning of Derek’s words. After all, he wasn’t an information guild master for nothing.
He is quick-witted and quick at calculating. He knew right away what they were running towards. Although I didn’t like him, I had to admit that he was still a useful talent.
“Wouldn’t that be enough to be worthy of meeting the Master?”
“ha ha ha. “It may be too much to say, but since my identity is a secret, please treat me as Branch Manager Lane.”
Even within the Information Guild, very few people knew his identity. Therefore, the name Master cannot be used carelessly. Khalid also immediately understood his situation.
“I understand. “Then, since you asked me a question, may I ask you a question?”
“of course.”
Khalid started talking as if it was fun.
“Not long ago, I heard from Velia that the Marquis of Selon had an illegitimate child.”
Derek’s expression hardened.
“Was it half a year ago? I heard that one of the Marquis of Selon’s eldest sons has died. So there was a lot of concern that the legacy of the Marquess of Selon would be lost. He never thought he would have another son like this. “The Marquis is quite pathetic externally.”
Khalid studied Derek’s expression and asked what he was truly curious about.
“Do you really have no intention of becoming a marquis?”
“Is this your question?”
“I see.”
Derek hesitated for a moment before answering.
“yes. “I have no intention of going there.”
“Why? “Isn’t it certain that once you become a marquis, you will become the next marquis?”
I couldn’t understand why anyone would refuse such a desirable condition.
If the marquis falls because he is not the successor, it will definitely be to his advantage. But regardless of his personal feelings, for Derek this was an opportunity.
“If there is a writer after Selon, he must be one of the most prestigious writers in the empire. “It’s his chance to seize power, and he has no reason to turn it down.”
He runs an information guild, so he should know that much.
At that time, Derek let out a small sigh and said.
“From the beginning, I grew up thinking that my father was dead. The reason he comes to me now is for his own greed. “I don’t want to have anything to do with the Marquis of Selon.”
Derek spoke carefully.
“I’m not greedy.”
“Your Majesty would prefer it if the Marquess just disappeared.”
The Marquis of Selon was a supporter of the 1st Prince.
So, in a way, this was a golden opportunity to reduce the power of the first prince.
When Derek asked with a meaningful expression, as if he knew everything about the current situation, Khalid pretended not to know anything.
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Aren’t you trying to become emperor?”
Ohh?
Khalid looked at Derek curiously.
“Why did you think that?”
“Because I met Princess Velia.”
His answer is also very curious.
“There was an uproar for a while over the story that the princess chose His Highness Khalid over His Highness Raul.”
Khalid’s shoulders went up for no reason.
“I was wondering why she did that, but when I saw the princess, I knew right away.”
Derek recalled the time he met Velia and searched through her memories.
Princess Velia’s proud and solemn expression was not forgotten in her mind. This was a premonition that was close to certainty based on long-term intelligence experience.
“Princess Velia is by no means the type of person who will only remain as a princess.”
Khalid felt somewhat proud of what he said, but he felt bad again because he said he knew Velia well. But he didn’t show it.
“Moreover, isn’t the content of the rumor an attempt to change His Highness’s image? “The only reason he would do such a thing would be to elevate you to the rank of emperor.”
The eyes that suggested the deal to me were full of ambition, looking at a very high place. It was then that she realized that Princess Velia had decided to make Prince Khalid emperor.
“Of course, at first, since Your Majesty’s image was so bad, I thought it was an attempt to reform it a little, but I was surprised to find that it had a bigger meaning than I thought.”
They are thinking of making the people on their side first.
It was not an idea that the royal family could easily come up with.
“Honestly, I don’t really want to get involved in the fight for the throne of the empire.”
Derek lowered his eyes.
But then he raises his head again and looks straight at Khalid.
“The reason you look at me like this is because you think I’ll be your secret weapon?”
When asked by Derek whether they were planning to hide someone who would be on their side from the 1st Prince’s forces, Khalid burst out laughing, saying, “Huh.”
Isn’t he really a useful guy? Derek very naturally got to the point and led the conversation. He was definitely worthy of leading the Runes. But Khalid is not so easy either.
“I was just asking a question. But you, in a shameless way, tried to truly embarrass me. “He cleverly calculated whether he would stick with me or the first prince.”
Khalid clasped his hands together and placed them on the table.
“okay… … . What do you think when you look at me? Now, do you have any idea which side you should stick to?”
Then, I waited in a relaxed manner to see what kind of answer he would give me.
After some time passed, Derek’s mouth opened.
