“I’ll be the one escorting you to meet His Majesty,” the cardinal said. “In the council chamber.”

“Not the throne room?” he said with confusion as he followed him down the palace’s long hallways.

“War is imminent. We have much to discuss, and your presence will be helpful.”

Ordinarily, he’d keep his distance with the cardinal, but he had questions. He'll turn that parasitic relationship into a symbiotic one.

“What expectations does His Majesty have for me?” he asked.

“Don’t be worried. Your most recent performance has made the king very pleased, and you’ll be treated accordingly.”

He could only see the cardinal’s back, so he wasn’t sure what kind of expression he was making. He tried another question: “Was war inevitable? There was no other way?”

“King Mathieu, in his infinite wisdom, chose the most effective approach, and you fulfilled your duty to the kingdom splendidly.”

“I see.” He tried to hide that he was irritated by the cardinal’s vague answers. It was going to be impossible to get anything out of him. “I suppose I have done what I must for the good of the kingdom.”

The cardinal suddenly came to a stop.

“What is it, Your Eminence?” he asked, confused.

“Did something happen, Sir Roel?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re much more inquisitive than usual.” The cardinal turned to him, and there was a strange expression on the older man’s face that he had never seen from him. His eyebrows were raised slightly, and his lips were curved into a small smile. It was an expression of amusement.

His hand extended towards the hilt of his sword. “No, it’s –”

“We had suspicions that the prince was planning a coup.”

“What?” The cardinal’s words caught him so off-guard that he could only let out a single word of surprise.

“You seek the truth about why we gave you your orders, don’t you? I don’t know how you see me, Sir Roel, but I have never tried to hide anything from you. If you ever want to know anything, I will tell you. After all, you are the paladin I’ve put my hopes in.” The cardinal’s voice became even softer, and there was a dangerous edge to it. “But I have known you since you were ordained, and it was my understanding that you were the type to loyally follow orders without question.”

Disconcerted by a side of the cardinal he had never seen so openly before, he kept quiet for a moment, wondering if he should withdraw and apologize. Then, he decided.

“I would like to try a little harder,” he said quietly, “to understand my role in the kingdom from now on. Especially since the people’s expectations for me have increased.”

The cardinal stared at him, and he tried his best to keep his gaze firm. After a moment passed between them, the cardinal gave him a thoughtful nod.

“Did you know that the prince had visited the palace a few months before the siege?”

“Yes, I’ve heard about that.” Charlie had told him about his ambush on his uncle.

“That visit brought the council’s attention back onto the prince. We sent spies, and from them, we learned that there was unusual activity in his duchy. He had acquired the acquaintanceship of a band of northern mercenaries, and he had a secret treasury that contained priceless gems that he hadn’t reported to the kingdom.

“This discovery coincided perfectly with King Mathieu’s decision to enter a war with the Graecian Empire. Even if the prince wasn’t planning a coup, it wasn’t wise to leave him to himself. There was no telling what he would do, especially once we headed to war.”

Roel didn’t know how to react to the revelation. Prince Ghislain’s plans to flee the continent had been completely misconstrued. No, if he had never visited the palace in the first place, they wouldn’t have set their eyes on him. It could’ve all been avoided. He felt a sharp bitterness for both the prince and Marquis Joseph.

“But the questions you’re asking now are the type of things you ask before embarking on your mission,” the cardinal said. There was still an amused look on his face. “So, why all of this now? If you truly wanted to know, you should’ve immediately asked the king yourself as that young lady did.”

The cardinal must’ve been there when Lady Cleo was given her mission. “Is she another one of your champions?” he asked.

“You overestimate me,” the cardinal said with a low chuckle. “It is unbecoming for a patron to support many causes. Such a man would be disdained as arrogant and greedy.

“Besides, the 24th has the support of the Brisbois family. Duke Donat wanted her to handle the assassination, but fortunately, you arrived when you did, and I swayed the council to send you instead.

“I later voted to allow her to assist you because it would be good for the kingdom if we had more capable paladins. Though if she did cause a mishap, Duke Donat’s credibility would’ve fallen. I'd have no complaints either way."

His guess about the reason behind Lady Cleo’s arrival had been fairly accurate, but he wasn’t pleased by the confirmation. Cardinal Eudes was the type of man who never strictly adhered to one side. He had acted against Duke Donat and then later supported his proposal to send Lady Cleo while still scheming against him.

“I’m sure you have more questions, but I think you’ll learn your answers soon,” Cardinal Eudes said, and he started walking ahead again. “His Majesty is expecting us.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Don’t misunderstand, Sir Roel,” the cardinal said, his back turned to him. “I had no intention of hiding any of this from you. You have been a loyal subject since you were young. But each secret has a weight to it, and you have to decide if you have the strength to hold onto them.”