Chapter 187: The Duchess’s Deduction

“Patra, stop teasing her.”

Queen Isola intervened, halting the Duchess.

“Oh, fine, fine, you spoil her too much,” Patra conceded with a shrug. “It was just a joke, really. To be honest, only two paramours? She can’t even compare to me in my youth.”

“If Her Majesty weren’t involved, I might even criticize her for having so few.”

‘Why do all my teachers love to boast about this?’ Alice wondered.

– “You, why have you never considered further advancement?” Alice asked cautiously.

“I’ve primarily been involved in teaching and espionage. The ‘Enchantress’ ability is more than sufficient for my needs,” the Duchess replied, waving her hand dismissively. “I’m a person who values my life; I don’t possess such grand ambitions, so naturally, I wouldn’t take such risks.”

Alice couldn’t help but feel intrigued. It sounded as though the fifth rank of a ‘Witch’ carried significant risks. While the Duchess claimed to value her life, it wasn’t as if she was entirely unwilling to take *any* risks, given her continuous involvement in dangerous espionage.

“Let’s return to the matter at hand,” the Duchess said, redirecting the conversation. “Truthfully, I’ve heard rumors about the Chain Market in the Imperial City. I never imagined it was quite so sordid behind the scenes.”

“You know about the Chain Market? Did you uncover anything when you were socializing in the Imperial City?” Alice inquired.

“Regrettably, no. There was a Marquis I knew who was a client there. To curry favor with me, he quietly revealed the existence of an underground black market where anything could be bought or sold.”

“He even swore he’d help me gain access, but it ultimately amounted to nothing,” the Duchess stated calmly. “The organizers are very cautious, and perhaps they place great importance on their clients’ identities. They wouldn’t rashly invite a mere widow who inherited her husband’s estate through marriage.”

“However, I did learn about the secret passage into the city. I suspect it’s likely the Chain Market’s supply route or something similar.”

“It truly sounds like there’s no useful new information,” Alice commented.

“But I can help you organize the existing intelligence,” the Duchess offered. “Honestly, among the information you provided, I noticed one particular oddity.”

“Where is the oddity?” Alice asked, her expression serious.

The Duchess, as a seasoned spy, offered insights into intelligence organization that were always worth considering.

“To put it simply, doesn’t Duke Bedford seem excessively concerned with his privacy?” the Duchess questioned. “I recall you mentioning earlier that the Duke rarely leaves his home, only willing to meet with his subordinates from the Treasury Department there. The only social event he attends outside is the Chain Market.”

“Yes, but that’s not so strange, is it? Since he operates such a black market, he would naturally need to be cautious,” Alice replied.

“Then, he could perfectly well host the other Chain Market organizers at his home, couldn’t he? Has he ever done so?” the Duchess pressed.

Alice’s brows furrowed instantly.

Indeed, their intelligence indicated that Duke Bedford only received his Treasury Department subordinates at home, explicitly excluding other Chain Market organizers.

Even Count Gina, whom they had captured and interrogated, confessed that he had never visited Duke Bedford’s residence. Alice had even considered using his appearance to replace the official whose hair samples they had previously collected.

This was highly peculiar. If his only concern was keeping Chain Market matters secret, there would be no need to avoid other organizers entirely.

‘Unless…’ Alice mused, ‘…there’s something else in his mansion that could become a liability.’ After a moment’s thought, Alice offered her deduction.

“Not bad at all,” the Duchess praised with a smile. “The other Chain Market organizers each have their own influence and background, whereas the Duke’s subordinates from the Treasury Department are generally ordinary officials.”

“These officials’ only backing is the Duke himself. The greatest possibility is that the Duke’s house conceals some secret that could be used as leverage. Such secrets would be problematic if known by people with influence, but the Duke has many ways to silence those Treasury Department officials—even to eliminate them directly.”

“What could such a thing be?” Alice pondered.

“Think carefully, combining this with Her Majesty’s divination results,” the Duchess prompted. “Would you like to hear an expert’s guess?”

****

Returning to the present, having thoroughly reviewed her plan, Alice had successfully infiltrated the Duke’s mansion.

“This way, please.” A footman led her into the study. “The Duke is attending to some private matters. Please wait here for a moment.”

“Very well,” Alice replied, taking a seat and holding her documents properly, diligently playing the part of a Treasury Department official.

Utilizing the transformation potion Queen Isola had previously prepared for her, Alice had successfully altered her appearance to that of the official. After a few adjustments, she transformed her Witch’s gown into a suitable style.

After approximately ten minutes of waiting, the aged Duke Bedford pushed open the door and entered. The barbarian bodyguard stood with his arms crossed, waiting outside the study door.

Alice deliberately observed the bodyguard. He was clad in the full-plate armor of an Imperial Knight, encased like a tin can. Without the intelligence provided by the Tea Party beforehand, no one would have suspected this individual was a barbarian warrior.

Alice immediately rose, bowing respectfully to the Duke. The performance had to be flawless.

The Duke sat down without a word, extending his hand directly towards Alice.

It took Alice only half a second to realize that the Duke was accustomed to his subordinates’ reports. The process had been streamlined, skipping superfluous pleasantries and greetings, going straight to the point.

This proved advantageous for Alice, as speaking less would effectively reduce the risk of exposure. After all, the more one speaks, the greater the chance of error.

She promptly presented the fake documents the Tea Party had prepared for her. Many within the Tea Party were skilled in such forgeries, and these documents should keep the Duke occupied for a good while.

The Duke donned his reading glasses and meticulously reviewed the contents of the documents. Alice sat in her chair, anxiously waiting.

Two minutes later, she heard the commotion she had anticipated.

A servant rushed down the corridor, shouting to the bodyguard standing at the study door, “Mr. Banta! An intruder! We’re under attack! Assassins have breached the premises, and everyone downstairs has been incapacitated!”

The bodyguard immediately tensed, but he did not immediately charge out. Instead, he turned to face the study, casting an inquiring glance at the Duke.

Duke Bedford remained remarkably calm in the face of this sudden emergency. He rose unhurriedly, taking a cane from beside him. “Go and handle it. We’ll take shelter for now.”

The bodyguard nodded, then immediately rushed out.

Everything was going perfectly. Now, she was alone with Duke Bedford. The opportunity had arrived!

With that thought, Alice slowly rose, her gaze locked onto Duke Bedford.