The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 93

“A whale? Did they catch a big whale somewhere?”

“Whale meat is nice. A delicacy, isn’t it? Plus, you can get a lot of oil from a whale.”

“No, not that whale! There’s a person the Information Guild calls by the alias ‘Whale’!”

“They call someone a whale? Why?”

“Maybe it’s because they’re a big shot, like a whale?”

“Big shot or not, apparently the palace is in chaos right now because of this person called ‘Whale’!”

Rumors about a whale suddenly swept through the capital of the Kingdom of Obla.

Though it wasn’t a story circulating among the general populace, even among the nobility residing in the capital, it was significant, given that there were over a thousand nobles living in the capital alone.

What made this matter stand out was that it wasn’t just limited to the upper echelons of the royal court but also spread among the mid to lower-ranking nobles.

And that wasn’t the only rumor sweeping the capital.

“I heard the Bettisect family has been destroyed.”

“Bettisect? Where’s that?”

“It’s a territory south of the Ren River. It’s quite stable, but they messed with a southern estate and somehow got caught by His Majesty, and now they’ve been ruined.”

“His Majesty? Did he personally intervene?”

“I heard a secretary was dispatched urgently. There’s even talk that the lord has retired and a successor has already been appointed.”

“R-really?”

“Huh….”

Even for a king, replacing a lord wasn’t an easy task.

In the case of small to medium territories, while they were mindful of the royal family, they didn’t follow orders blindly without thinking.

However, it was different for lords near the royal demesne.

If a lord were to fall out of favor with the royal family, the damage could be catastrophic.

To put it bluntly, if the royal family found an excuse to block the routes leading to the demesne, that territory would collapse within a year or two.

What was even scarier was that the moment word got out that a lord had fallen out of favor with the royal family, that territory would soon become a haven for bandits and thieves.

Why? Because a standing army of about a hundred couldn’t do much to defend it.

In the end, the lords would have to hire mercenaries or ask the royal demesne for help, but they usually preferred the latter.

After all, the royal army was much more reliable than mercenaries and far less expensive.

But what if the lord was on bad terms with the royal family?

Then, they would have no choice but to hire mercenaries, but large-scale mercenary groups were rare around the royal demesne and its vicinity.

Even if they somehow managed to hire mercenaries, they wouldn’t keep them around for an entire year—it was just too expensive.

As a result, bandits and thieves would only stop their activities while the mercenaries were present and would resume their “operations” the moment the mercenaries left.

After about a year of this cycle, the territory would be on the verge of ruin.

Given these circumstances, the lords near the royal demesne, especially in the central regions, couldn’t help but constantly be mindful of the royal family.

The Bettisect family was no different.

“As soon as the royal secretary issued a warning, the lord of Bettisect reportedly bowed his head on the spot.”

“That quickly? That’s terrifying.”

“Of course, it’s terrifying. When the royal investigators and troops arrive, it won’t just end with the lord stepping down. The moment the path to the royal demesne is blocked, it’s over.”

“Sigh. But what on earth did they do? Did they commit some grave offense?”

“Apparently, it has to do with that Whale everyone in the palace is talking about.”

“What?”

“What’s more surprising is that, for the first time in over ten years, His Majesty personally intervened in the matter.”

“Oh my….”

Most still didn’t know who Whale was.

Those who did know were keeping their mouths tightly shut about Whale’s true identity.

However, the fact that Whale had already become a hot topic among the highest-ranking nobles in the palace and that the king himself had come out of seclusion after a long time to personally get involved only fueled all kinds of speculation.

“Oh, I heard from my cousin’s friend, who knows the salon owner where the shopkeeper, who’s been trading for 10 years, frequents, and apparently, Whale is His Majesty’s hidden child?”

“Huh? I heard it was His Highness Prince Philon’s half-sibling.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve got a reliable source who says Whale is the twin of Duke Lloyd, who’s second in line to the throne.”

“Ha! Is your source more reliable than the cousin of the salon owner’s friend who trades at the shop for 10 years?”

“You could grab any beggar off the street and they’d be more reliable than that salon-owner story. And didn’t you say six cousins earlier? How did it suddenly become four? Talking nonsense must’ve twisted your tongue.”

“What? You little…!”

“Who are you calling ‘little’?”

Scenes like these, where arguments erupted, were commonplace in salons and taverns frequented by nobles.

Everyone was curious about who Whale was and what connection they had to the king.

Some nobles, thinking that the highest-ranking individuals might know something, began snooping around the homes of high-ranking officials in the royal palace.

Why were they so curious?

Because ever since the crown prince had died, the question of who would ascend to the throne remained undecided.

And now, a figure appeared important enough for the king himself to intervene?

‘Depending on which side Whale takes, the future ruler could change.’

‘Even if they’re a third party, it wouldn’t hurt to befriend them, right?’

Ultimately, it was all about future wealth and power.

As a result, attempts to align with the two closest contenders for the throne, along with the high-ranking nobles serving them, only intensified.

However—

“So… you’re saying even the Information Guild can’t reveal anything?”

“Yes. It’s classified information, and they said no amount of money will change that.”

“Ha!”

A handsome young man among a group of about ten nobles let out a dry laugh, leaning back in his chair.

He didn’t look to be thirty yet, but even among nobles at least ten years his senior, the young man carried himself with confidence.

Not that he came across as arrogant or conceited.

It was more like the aura of a born ruler.

His golden hair, loosely pushed back from his forehead, and his smooth, beardless face carried a relaxed smile.

He was undoubtedly different from ordinary nobles.

Gio Lloyd Stelvia Obla.

Often referred to as Duke Lloyd, after his territory, he was the second in line to the throne of the Kingdom of Obla.

“If we pressure the Guildmaster a bit more, I feel like we might get somewhere….”

“Let’s not.”

“Sorry?”

“You may be right; pressing them harder might reveal Whale’s identity. But if that strains our relationship with the Information Guild, would it be worth it?”

“Of course not. I wasn’t thinking clearly. My apologies.”

The noble hastily apologized, and Duke Lloyd flashed him a smile.

“No need. You spoke out of a desire to give me an advantage, did you not?”

“Your Highness….”

Moved by his words, the noble beamed, and other nearby nobles nodded approvingly.

The young duke they served certainly knew how to handle people.

Not only that, but he didn’t make hasty mistakes, losing sight of the bigger picture in pursuit of short-term gains.

Considering he was only 28 years old, this was a remarkable quality.

“Tell the Guildmaster we’re disappointed. But also ask that we be the first to be informed once the classified status is lifted. Oh, and make sure to phrase it as a request, not an order. Say I personally made the request.”

“Understood.”

The noble bowed before walking toward the door.

Knock, knock!

Just then, a knock came from outside, and the noble who was about to leave glanced at Duke Lloyd with a shrug before opening the door.

“Your Grace, Duke.”

Entering the reception room was the duke’s butler, who had served him since birth.

Though merely a butler, as a close confidant to one of the highest-ranking royals, and holding the title of baron, the nobles accompanying Duke Lloyd slightly inclined their heads in greeting.

Acknowledging their gestures with a subtle nod, the butler approached Duke Lloyd and whispered something discreetly into his ear.

“…!”

Duke Lloyd’s eyes twitched.

The fact that the butler whispered a secret despite his most trusted confidants being present and that Duke Lloyd reacted the way he did made the others exchange glances.

“My apologies. Someone has come to see me, and given the gravity of the matter, I hope you understand that I can’t share it with you just yet.”

“No, not at all. We’ll step out for a moment.”

At the duke’s words, the quick-witted nobles hurried out.

However, they didn’t leave with a sense of hurt pride or disappointment.

If someone had arrived with news that even they, Duke Lloyd’s closest confidants, couldn’t yet know, it could only mean one thing.

‘It’s the royal palace! His Majesty has sent someone to the duke.’

With that understanding, they left the room with subtle anticipation.

A few moments later, a man entered Duke Lloyd’s reception room without any guide.

“Hmm. I had a feeling, but to think you’d come in person. It’s been a while, Sir Tever.”

“Greetings, Your Grace, Duke Lloyd.”

Placing his right hand on his left chest, Joan Tever slightly bowed. Duke Lloyd flashed a broad, toothy grin.

“You always make such a pleasant greeting. Even though it’s the same formal bow, it feels more dignified when you do it.”

“Perhaps it’s because receiving a bow from His Majesty’s secretary brings a little extra joy to someone who enjoys being acknowledged and treated well.”

“Ahem! Your tongue is still sharp, I see.”

“I merely speak plainly of what I observe, Your Grace. I know how much you appreciate honesty.”

“Haha! That’s true. It’s why I like you. Please, have a seat.”

Duke Lloyd gestured for Joan to sit, but Joan shook his head.

“No need. This won’t take long, and it’s better to get straight to the point.”

“Is that so? Very well, then.”

A hint of tension flickered in Duke Lloyd’s expression, which had been so relaxed just moments earlier among his confidants.

Some might dismiss Joan Tever as merely a secretary.

But the longer one had been in the royal palace, the more aware they became of just how important the king’s secretaries were, particularly Joan.

The current king had reigned for a long time, and all the high-ranking officials in the palace had changed over the years.

But the Tever family was the only one to have held the same position across generations, with both father and son serving as the king’s secretaries.

In fact, while the First Secretary was in charge of ceremonial duties, it was the Second Secretary, who handled actual affairs, who was considered the king’s true confidant.

The official duties performed by the Second Secretary were regarded as directly representing the king’s will.

Thus, even Duke Lloyd, second in line to the throne, couldn’t afford to be careless around Joan Tever, nor could he help but feel somewhat nervous in his presence.

Because right now, Joan stood before him as the king’s representative.

“Duke Lloyd, I advise you to lose interest in Whale.”

“…!”

Duke Lloyd widened his eyes in surprise, but Joan calmly continued.

“Whales are curious creatures, aren’t they? In the Inner Sea, people who see a whale for the first time sometimes urge their ships to approach the whale. The whale, in turn, often becomes curious about the ship and swims close by.

People are amazed and delighted. Some even try to reach out and touch the whale, but the whale doesn’t mind too much.

However, if it gets too annoyed, it might jump into the air or splash its tail near the boat. Half as a joke, really. But did you know?”

“….”

“When a whale splashes its tail or leaps out of the water as a joke, it flips the boat nearby.”

“…!”

“So, just observe it from a distance. If you do, the ship you’re on will remain safe.”

Faced with this direct and intimidating warning, Duke Lloyd could only nod his head earnestly.