TWYK 60

CHAPTER 60……………………………………………….

Honestly, even as I took off my hat, I thought there might be no reaction at all.

But, fortunately, the moment I saw Zegna’s face, the count’s wax-like expression shattered.

“…Princess Astria?”

He recognized me without needing an explanation. The effect was even better than I expected. Zegna, letting a faint smile slip, grinned.

“Shall we greet each other properly, Duke?”

After revealing Zegna’s identity, things moved swiftly. The difference in Count Granon’s attitude before and after removing the robe was so stark that Zegna herself was almost embarrassed.

There wasn’t even a proper explanation given. Yet the Count readily agreed to allow our party into the palace.

‘Suspicious.’

Zegna narrowed her eyes at the Count. Even though she had just said something utterly dubious—about how it was convenient that the royals were away today—he simply nodded in agreement.

He didn’t ask any of the questions he should have: why Zegna’s party needed to enter the palace, why it had to be while the royals were absent, how she had survived, or anything at all.

Zegna stared at Count Granon as he sipped his tea.

“You’re not asking anything?”

The Count lifted his head and looked at her at the question posed almost tentatively.

“About what?”

“About the reason, or what you’re thinking.”

The Count gave a gentle smile.

“I don’t want you to lie. So I won’t ask.”

“…You know it’s suspicious, yet you’ll let us in?”

She looked at him as though he were some strange phenomenon, but he remained calm.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Perhaps he found the bluntness amusing, for the Count blinked in surprise and then gave a small laugh.

“Let’s say I was pleased to see you after so long.”

Still, his answer made no sense. To let something that could endanger his own safety pass just because of an old connection?

“I heard you’ve fully established your position in the Empire.”

“That’s true.”

“And yet you cling to old ties?”

She understood that, despite being rooted in the Empire and labeled as someone from another kingdom, he was trusted by the Emperor.

It was almost laughable for those receiving help to be the ones suspicious—but she could not take risks if she didn’t understand.

The Count crossed his legs.

“A second homeland can never surpass the first. Above all…”

The moment his posture shifted, the atmosphere changed. The Count, who had been staring into space, now gave a distinctly bitter smile unlike before.

“I am not loyal to the Empire.”

Was he putting on an act, or did he mean it? Zegna kept her gaze fixed on his face.

“That’s not something an Imperial Count should say.”

He nodded, acknowledging the truth of it, then suddenly looked at Zegna’s party and said:

“I don’t think you’re from the Temple.”

“That’s right.”

Zegna, naturally letting the mention of Lumiere pass, pondered why he would think of the Temple immediately.

Was it because the last place she had been was the Temple? Because the royal family had spread rumors that the hero had died? Or was there some other reason she didn’t know?

As she racked her brain, the Count smiled softly again.

“In that case, there’s no problem at all.”

Zegna pressed him.

“You make it sound like there’d be a problem if it were the Temple.”

For a noble of the Empire to speak negatively of the Temple so openly—it was unusual. But the Count did not deny her point.

“You heard correctly.”

Zegna tried to recall.

“I remember you had deep faith in the Temple.”

Like her parents, he was a noble favorable to the Temple—not just donating, but truly respecting them.

But he only clicked his tongue at her remark.

“You truly know nothing.”

The tone was peculiar. Could it be that she was the one being tested right now?

“Your uncle, even before becoming Emperor, worked hand in hand with the Saint.”

Startled by the sudden story, Zegna stared at the Count with a puzzled expression.

“The Saint wanted to suppress the Pope, and he wished to become Emperor.”

He raised a hand as if to stop Zegna from speaking and continued.

“After the fall of the Avier Kingdom, the two actually achieved their goals.”

She had heard a similar story from Lumiere: the Emperor gained the people’s support by exploiting the kingdom’s defeat at the hands of the demons.

“Do you think this was mere coincidence?”

His voice and expression were loaded with meaning—and unmistakable hostility.

“The Emperor quickly extended his hand to the kingdom’s officials as soon as the kingdom fell.”

He listed each detail sharply, recounting the situation.

“The Avier Kingdom was a trade powerhouse. Nobles with assets outside the kingdom were abundant, and so were the royal family members. Over 70% of that wealth ultimately belonged to the Emperor.”

He rested his chin on his hand.

“Most survivors of the Avier Kingdom went to the Empire, and the royal family’s vast assets were absorbed into the Emperor’s personal property after your death, Princess.”

It was overwhelming, absorbing his words as they flowed without obstruction.

“The Emperor widely publicized the tragedy of his completely ruined sibling’s family. Likewise, he gained the support of many who had lost their families to the demons.”

His cold eyes stared at Zegna.

“As a result, he rose to the throne very quickly, and the Saint, backed by his support, took complete control of the Temple. It was mutually beneficial.”

His gaze asked: What do you make of this? Zegna clenched her teeth and barely spoke.

“Do you realize what you’re saying?”

He nodded as if it were obvious. The confidence made her angry. Did he think that by saying this suddenly, she would accept it without question?

But the Count didn’t stop there.

“The Emperor repeatedly asked Her Majesty the Queen, your mother, to support him.”

Zegna wanted to stop his words.

“But the Queen did not wish the kingdom to interfere in imperial politics.”

At the same time, Zegna focused completely on his story.

“She worried that if luck failed and the battle was lost, her only heir, you, might be harmed.”

Noticing her reaction, the Count gave a faint smile.

“The Emperor agreed with Her Majesty’s wishes as well.”

He straightened his posture from crossing his legs and resting his chin, then spoke clearly.

“Exactly one month after refusing the third request, the demons invaded the kingdom.”

And again, he asked the same question as before:

“Do you see all of this as mere coincidence?”

In short, the Count was claiming that the Emperor and the Temple were involved in the fall of the Avier Kingdom—a claim so absurd it was hard to believe.

“…That’s impossible. For it not to be a coincidence, the Temple and the Empire would have had to predict the demons’ actions.”

And for that, one premise must hold. Zegna narrowed her eyes sharply and asked:

“Are you implying collusion between the two forces and the demons?”

She wanted to immediately turn to look at the Demon Lord and Lumiere. But gathering her last ounce of patience, she focused only on the Count’s moving lips.

“At first, I suspected the same. But after observing the heart of power closely, I realized…”

And when the words escaped his mouth, Zegna’s patience broke.

“The demons are searching for something.”

It wasn’t hard to recall their own reason for coming to the human world. Zegna whipped her head to look at the Demon Lord.

“And the Temple and the Imperial family know where it is.”

She wanted to ask the Demon Lord as he slowly turned to face her: Are all of these words true? Is our coming here connected to what he’s saying?

She wanted to seize the robe that completely hid the Demon Lord’s face. Her hand twitched as if ready to reach out, but the Count glanced at her subtle movement. Then, looking directly at the Demon Lord, he said:

“I do not know exactly what this object is. But those standing beside you seem to know.”

What is he saying right now?

It felt like needles were stabbing her head, and her heart raced. His words were not something that could be ignored.

Zegna slowly turned to face him, her expression betraying her inability to hide anything. Otherwise, he would not have nodded as if confirming it.

“There’s a study suggesting that the magic used by demons and the mana used by humans are subtly different. I doubted it at first, but it seems to be true.”

The Count, saying that what enveloped the room was slightly different from mana, remained calm even after dropping a bombshell.

“The protective magic around the palace wouldn’t be a problem. You sought me out because you intend to move quietly.”

It was widely known that unauthorized people could not enter the palace due to the protective magic.

‘Strictly speaking, they could enter, but the palace magicians would detect their presence.’

Moreover, priests sent from the Temple also resided in the palace.

Thus, for the party cautious of the Temple and the royal family—or more precisely, for Zegna, wanting to minimize human casualties—a person to quietly allow them inside the city walls was necessary.

“You’ve come to find something, or to do something related to it, I suppose?”

But no matter how she thought about it, she felt they had chosen the wrong person to find.