"...However."
"Hmm?"
"Your Majesty mentioned presence. In that case, coming to my estate... I am almost certainly kept under constant surveillance by the late Emperor as well."
"That should not be an issue."
Saying that, I recalled what had happened on my way to Don's estate.
"When I entered, I concentrated my presence onto you. Even now, I am erasing my own presence. As long as we are not visually confirmed, we will be fine—surely they cannot 'see' inside from the outside, can they?"
"Naturally not. Given my position, I have taken some precautions against that."
Don nodded, impressed.
"Which means right now, as far as anyone watching is concerned, I am alone inside this study—is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Combining your methods like that is truly brilliant."
"I hardly believe I have completely outwitted them with this, and in the first place, I am racing against the clock."
"Against time, you say?"
"I left my presence behind—I told you that, didn't I?"
"..."
Don fell into thought.
He realized that my words were effectively a question—a kind of riddle.
"Ah! Your Majesty never stays in one place."
"Precisely."
I gave a small nod.
"Barring something extraordinary, I almost never stay in a single spot for long. Especially not in the place where I left that presence."
"If you remain still, they will eventually grow suspicious... is that it?"
"Yes. The test was a success, so I must return quickly and move."
"I see! And what will you do after that?"
"I cannot tell you that."
"Pardon?"
For a moment, Don was caught off guard and looked stunned.
However, he immediately caught on.
"Not to me?"
"Indeed."
"Not 'even to me', but to me."
"Yes."
"Understood."
Convinced, Don bowed his head.
"Then, since Your Majesty went through the trouble of coming here, there was a matter I wished to handle, but it would be best if I did not consult you about it, correct?"
"Exactly."
I nodded firmly.
Don was quick on the uptake. It was precisely because of this quality that I had made him my trusted confidant and elevated him to First Prime Minister.
"If I hear it and issue instructions, my 'presence' will be born there."
"That is true."
"Furthermore, knowing you..."
"Yes?"
"Even if I don't give direct orders, you would infer my intentions just from reading my expression. That, too, would bear a trace of my presence."
"Ah... Incredible, Your Majesty, to think that far ahead."
"..."
I gave a faint smile.
"Then I shall proceed with that matter according to the schedule set before Your Majesty's arrival."
"That will do."
I nodded, decided it was time to leave, and looked toward the door.
☆
Leaving Don's estate, I returned once to where I had "left my presence" and set things back to normal.
Then, I began to move.
I advanced along the main thoroughfares, avoiding people as much as possible, and eventually arrived at Oscar's residence.
In front of Oscar's mansion, gatekeepers stood on night watch as expected.
Upon seeing me, the gatekeeper faithfully performed his duties.
"Halt! What business do you have at this hour?!"
"Keep your voice down. Is Oscar here?"
I intentionally kept my voice hushed, asking with a solemn expression.
"What did you—gasp!"
"I told you not to make a fuss."
"Y-Yes, Sire."
The gatekeeper at Oscar's mansion recognized me.
Realizing this would save me some trouble, I spoke to him.
"This is top-secret. Guide me directly to Oscar."
"Right away, Sire!"
With that, the gatekeeper took the lead and began walking.
I followed behind him.
Along the way, we ran into household servants twice, but when the gatekeeper gave what looked like a discreet signal, the servants immediately suppressed their surprise and pretended not to see anything.
His staff is thoroughly disciplined, I thought as I was guided to the study.
Just like Don, Oscar seemed to be holed up in his study even at this late hour.
The gatekeeper knocked.
"Who is it?"
"..."
The gatekeeper opened the door without a word.
Oscar was writing something at his desk.
Puzzled that his subordinate had acted without answering, he looked up, but upon seeing me standing there, his expression shifted to a different kind of shock.
Quickly composing himself, he spoke to the gatekeeper.
"Good work. You may step down."
"Yes, My Lord."
The gatekeeper withdrew as ordered.
Once I stepped inside the study, the gatekeeper quietly closed the door.
"Working so hard at this hour must be rough."
"It is the duty of the imperial family. Would Your Majesty not know that best of all?"
"I suppose so."
I walked further into the room.
Oscar's study contained only a single desk and chair set, along with some bookshelves.
In other words, there was only one place to sit.
Oscar stood up smoothly and offered his chair to me.
Before I could sit down, Oscar spoke.
"First, allow me to admonish you. As I have said before, that is not a risk an Emperor should take."
Oscar was pointing out the method I had used to return this far.
Once before, I had ridden horses to death, rushing back to the imperial capital via super express.
A super express was a method of delivering something as fast as humanly possible, not only running horses to exhaustion but entirely disregarding the safety of the rider.
Because I had returned using an equivalent method, Oscar had admonished me back then as well.
"I will listen to your scolding later. More importantly, we need to talk. Is there a place where our conversation will definitely not leak?"
"Understood. This way."
Oscar answered without hesitation.
The Emperor had arrived at night, alone, in absolute secrecy.
And on top of that, he had requested a place where nothing could leak outside.
Oscar was a capable man; in a situation like this, he did not waste time with tactless questions like "Why?"
Oscar stepped out into the hallway first, leading the way with a lantern.
Following behind him, we walked a short distance down the corridor before stepping out into the garden.
Advancing for a while through the garden, which was befitting the rank of an imperial prince, we reached an open area.
It was vast—an expanse so open it almost resembled a grassland.
In the center of that open clearing stood a tower.
"Did you have this newly built?"
"Yes."
"I see. A secret discussion is best held in either an extremely confined space or an extremely open one—and this place combines both, does it?"
"And that design at the top allows one to look down at everything below, yet no one from below can see up inside."
"...This is the first time someone has seen through everything at a single glance."
"I'll be copying this design for myself."
"..."
Walking ahead, Oscar turned around.
Illuminated by the lantern light, his face was colored with astonishment.
"What is it? Is that not allowed?"
"You are incredible, Your Majesty. I never imagined you would say it so bluntly."
"A great idea has taken great form, so there is no reason not to learn from it."
"I am honored."
Following Oscar as we conversed, we climbed to the top of the tower.
At the very top, there was only a table and chairs, and nothing else.
"Please."
"Mm."
Oscar and I sat down across the table from each other.
Though he had let me sit first, unlike in the study, Oscar took a seat as well.
I supposed this was the proper arrangement for a secret conference.
"Truth be told, this was built as a countermeasure against the late Emperor."
Oscar spoke first.
From that, I knew Oscar had already deduced the reason for my visit.
"Hmm. So rather than trying to hide the fact that you are holding a secret meeting, you simply focus entirely on keeping the contents concealed, is that it?"
"Because Your Majesty is well aware of how formidable the late Emperor's intelligence network is."
"Indeed."
I nodded and brought up the main subject.
"How is Father's condition?"
"I do not know. Nothing has been shared with me either. All I know is that the former Prime Minister has returned and is currently attending to the late Emperor at all times."
"So you know no more than I do."
"Rather, it is astonishing that Your Majesty managed to grasp that much while outside the capital."
Oscar offered a wry, self-deprecating smile.
"I want to know the actual situation—in greater detail."
"Naturally. However, there is no way."
"I will investigate it myself."
"Your Majesty will?"
Oscar frowned in surprise.
"With all due respect, the late Emperor has gone to such lengths to conceal this—even hiding it from Your Majesty. Surely his countermeasures against you must be absolute."
"I have a countermeasure for that, though it will be a race against time."
"...Is that so?"
"That is why I want your cooperation."
"............Do you trust me?"
I was slightly taken aback.
For Oscar, that was a remarkably direct, heart-to-heart question.
Therefore, I stepped forward in the same manner.
"On the single point of wishing to know Father's well-being, you and I surely share the same sentiment."
"...Yes."
"Maintaining the Emperor's authority—our goal is surely the same there as well."
"..................You are incredible. To think you would step this far into my heart."
"I told you it is a race against time. Besides..."
"Besides?"
"I want to be able to rely on you. That is my honest feeling."
".................."
Oscar fell silent.
With a complex expression, he stared at me for a short while.
"...It was a race against time, was it not?"
"Yes."
"Let us have our long-overdue talk another time."
"That helps."
"What should I do?"
"I will explain the details once it is over. I want you to remain here alone without contacting anyone until I return."
"Understood. May fortune be with you."
Without asking anything further, Oscar accepted my proposal.
Oscar truly was a capable man.
I wanted to continue relying on him from now on, and I wanted him to remain someone I could depend on.
Genuinely feeling that way, I left my presence behind at Oscar's tower and departed.
I rushed straight toward the palace where Father was likely to be.