34 days after the explosion – Duke’s Room

"well, let's start with simple questions. Were you involve in the explosion at the temple?"(prince)Started with the most important question

"No"(duke)

Now, that took the prince by surprise, he was sure that the duke had something to do with it. Still, that didn't stop the prince from asking more questions

"Did you know it was going to happen?"(prince)

"no"(duke)

"But you did try to kidnap me two weeks ago, right?"(prince)

"N--"(duke) got electrocuted before he could deny

Well, at least this means the collar is working(prince)

"Do you know who caused the explosion?"(prince)asked

but the duke looked the other way and refused to talk. Not really a surprise, since lying wouldn't work, his best bet was not speaking. This was one of the reasons necromancy was a "popular" way of interrogation in the underworld. Still, it is not like the prince didn't have a few ideas

"Duke, it is in your best interest to talk. If you don't ..."(prince) approached the duke really fast and broke one of his fingers

Since duke was looking the other way to avoid eye contact, he realised too late what the prince wanted to do. Of course he screamed like a pig and send murderous eyes to the prince

"Every time you refuse to talk, I am going to break a finger"(prince) said while smiling

"So, do you know who did it"(prince) repeated

And again, the duke refused to talk, but this time he didn't avoid the prince gaze. Sadly for the duke, that didn't stop the prince for breaking another finger. This was another reason necromancy was popular since some people refused to talk even in torture

"Oh! I admire your will, but the reason I recommended that you talk wasn't because of this little thingy. The reason was because my sister is here. If I can't make you talk, I can always ask sis for help, and necromancy isn't her only way to make you talk, ya know?"(prince)

That made the duke realise that he was screw if he talked and screwed if he didn't. The situation really was turning worst every second

"Soooo, before you run out of fingers, Do you know who did it? yes or no"(prince)asked

".........."(duke)

The duke still refused to talk, but this time, instead of instantly breaking his fingers, the prince slowly bend it as a threat while inflicting pain

"FINE FINE, I TALK I TALK"(duke) surrender

"So? who did it?"(prince)

"It was the Zergeite Kingdom"(duke)

"Those guys?Really?They didn't seem the type"(prince)

The Zergeite kingdom was also a human country like them but under a different ruling. Both of them arrived at the continent as a colony of other kingdoms, but unlike the Griffon Empire, they are still a colony(meaning they pay taxes, send soldiers, etc)

They weren't incompetent, since they took advantage of the war of independence 100 years ago, taking some land from the borders(so did the elf and dwarves).And even though both kingdoms didn't get along and frequently fight each others, they never tried sneak attacks of this level before

"How did they do it?"(prince)

"With the help of the priestess it seems. She was a spy from the start"(duke)

"The dead priestess?"(prince)

"That one. They probably kill her to shut her up"(duke)

The prince thought that it was interesting, but it also brought new questions. According to Rebecca, the last time she saw Jorge, he was going into a room with the priestess. He also suspected that they both were in that room when she got assassinated, but where did that leave his brother in all this?

The first choice was that he helped in planting the bomb, and killed the priestess to shut her up. The other option was that he charmed her, and she saved his life because of it. Still, where was he at this moment? that was something the prince had no idea

"Was Jorge involved in the explosion?"(prince)

"I don't know"(duke)

That brought some relief to the prince since it made option 2 more likely. Still, he wasn't sure how important was the duke to the Z Kingdom

"So, how long have you been a traitor?"(prince)

"I WAS NEVER A TRAITOR!"(duke)Send an outburst to the prince

Still, what surprised the prince more than the outburst, was that he didn't get electrocuted. This meant that he really believed he wasn't a traitor

"Wait a minute, you are helping an enemy kingdom, one that tried to kill all the royal family, and you are not a traitor?"(prince) couldn't follow his logic

"Of course not, I did it for our country!"(duke)

"..................... did you lost your mind, or were you brainwashed?"(prince)

"Have you ever hear the phrase "one land"? that is what I want"(duke)

And prince did a face palm. The duke may not have been brainwashed but it was close to it. "one land" was an ideology that was getting popular recently, and it basically mean one kingdom or empire instead of multiple ones.

"Sooo, you want to join hands with the Z Kingdom and go to war against the other 3 races?"(prince)

"Well, at least you are not as dumb as I thought. If you get that, Can't you see what I am trying to do?If we conquer the elf, dwarves and beast, there will be no more wars, no more fighting, just peace"(duke)

Prince had already heard that argument before, and if he had to be honest, the duke looked like a cult believer in his eyes. It all sounded nice and wonderful, but not only involved the bloodshed of a lot of people, it was pointless in prince opinion

Wouldn't be better for all to start diplomatic relationships and save themselves from all the bloodshed? Not only that, it was better for commerce, cultural exchange, diversity, competition, etc

The real reason people wanted "one land" was because they wanted to be the top dog, nothing else

"Seriously? you believe that crap?"(prince)

"Hump! what would an ignorant kid like you know"(duke)

Aaaand, prince punch him in the nose

"ouch! WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU STUPID BRAT!"(duke)

"That's for selling your country for such a stupid reason. Why did you work so hard with my father all this years to throw it away for a stupid ideology that may even kill us all!?"(prince)

SO many things could go wrong that the prince didn't want to even think about it. They could get enslaved to the Z kingdom, or even if it worked, they would be a colony like before the war. And even if every turned out ok in the transition, they still had to win a war against 3 races, it would be really hard. 4 even, if they attacked the demons in their island

"Because it can only get worse from here, you stupid beast. Your father is te best king we could ever get, and the only thing he managed to do was improve the empire situation, he didn't do anything life changing. If this keeps going, we may get a few good kings, but he moment we get a bad one (-cough- like you for example -cough-) we may lose it all and become enslaved or annihilated.That's why it is better to join hands with The Zergeite Kingdom now that we are strong, and try to conquer the continent so we don't have to worry about the future"(duke)

That was the other argument the "one land" used. Better kill them before they kill us. Basically paranoia according to the prince, since even if they obliterate all the "enemies" in the continent, they still have to worry against monsters or invasions from their old pals from beyond the continent

"No point in arguing. I know better that to try to reason against a religious nut job. Instead, I want you to tell me what is the Z kingdom next move"(prince)

"Checkmate I guess"(duke) said with a smug smile

"What do you mean?"(prince) said a little worried

"I mean that they practically have all the Empire in their possession"(duke)