Chapter 7 (2 – 5)

Advisor Otto, whose counsel was interrupted, merely closed his eyes before turning a stern eye on the unrefined intruder standing next to him.

"Mr Riddhe, isn't it a little rude to interrupt the King's audience?"

"I apologise. I just happened to encounter the familiar face of someone I left on the inspection together with, and couldn't help but cut in."

Riddhe Sutherland expressed his apology with only his speech being respectful. However, the eyes that peeked from his reddish hair shrewdly looked over the members a.s.sembled at this place. Looking as though he would not draw back at all, Riddhe promptly thrust himself in front of the King of all things.

"By the way, Your Majesty. Don't tell me—did Advisor Mr Otto wish for Your Majesty's audience with Clovis Cromwell who is present?"

"It's as you've guessed, no?"

At the King's affirmation, Riddhe threw his body back in an exaggerated manner.

"Oh, how deplorable! To bring the blood relative of the blood-stained Graham before the King!"

"Will you stop, Mr Riddhe!!"

"Blood-stained……?"

It was too late when she thought, "Oh c.r.a.p." Before Otto could stop him, Riddhe crouched near Alicia. The joy at the realisation of his wish to denigrate Clovis from this point on was unsightly creeping into his face.

"Princess Alicia! It appears that the official in charge of your education decided this story was unnecessary. However, as this is an important story that concerns the royal family, though presumptuous of me, this Riddhe Sutherland shall tell you."

As though he had become a troubadour, Riddhe dramatically put his hand to his chest and began to speak quickly, but clearly and resonantly.

"It was the time of the royal reign of the preceding King Henry VII…In proof of their amity, the young king married the princess of the neighbouring country of Ealdar, who was of course Queen Mother Catherine."

Alicia unintentionally nodded when names she recognised popped up. As a result of his deteriorating physical condition, the former king—King Henry VII—had handed over the crown to his son ahead of time and was now retiring at the royal villa while accompanying Queen Mother Catherine. They were kind grandparents whom she loved, even if she could seldom meet them because of the distance.

"Now, at the time Queen Catherine married, our relations.h.i.+p with Ealdar was just barely thawing. Among the n.o.bles who held extreme ideologies, there were some who did not think fondly on Queen Catherine marrying in. And at the top of that list was…that's right! It was Zac Graham, the grandfather of Clovis over there."

With a sudden finger snap, Riddhe pointed his finger straight at Clovis. As for Clovis, he was quietly tightening his jaw to endure the distress. Riddhe smoothly continued, most likely noticing that.

"Ahh, Graham…how sinful he was! He despised Ealdar so much that he conspired to make Queen Catherine a dead person!"

"Riddhe Sutherland!"

"I'm not going to stop. If I stop after having spoken this far, wouldn't it be rather disrespectful to the intelligent Alicia-sama?"

It was rare for Otto to reveal his anger, but Alicia was more concerned with Clovis. The appearance of the young man who was turning paler before her eyes was pitiful, and it was hard to believe that she viewed him with fear until some time ago, but was now worried about him.

"However, his scheme was exposed before it could be put into effect. Having been driven into a corner, Graham took on the knights that had surged into his mansion. The corpses of both servants and knights piled up. Yes, it is said that he was a magnificent sword wielder. When it was all over, the mansion was covered with fresh blood."

But at last, Graham died. At the hands of honourable knights.

Riddhe said this simply as he raised his shapely lips in a complacent smile.

"The head of the family was executed as a criminal, and the glory of the Graham Family plummeted to ground. Their many court ranks including marquis were taken away and the family was more or less ruined—!! However, isn't it dreadful? That one who has inherited that blood is brazenly showing himself in His Majesty’s presence."

That's who the man called Clovis Cromwell is.

As Riddhe concluded his talk by whispering as if he were telling a secret, Clovis finally turned on his heel seemingly having reached his limit. His expression that could narrowly be seen was pale to the point that it seemed like he might collapse at any moment.

After that, Robert made a quick bow and hurriedly chased after him. There was no way Naizel himself could go run after Clovis, so he stood firm and openly showed his anger towards the intruder.

"How could you do such a thing!"

"That's an odd thing to say. I haven't told any lies. I only taught Princess Alicia the history of the royal family."

Riddhe shrugged his shoulders, feigning innocence, and then viciously narrowed his eyes.

"Also, Advisor Otto…your way of doing things that disregards the system and order has gone a little too far. What is this about you appointing new advisor members? I can only have the viewpoint that you have deliberately just selected newcomers among the senior n.o.bles."

"I am only choosing capable talented people who will be useful to the King!"

"I know. I am also telling everyone that there is no way that you—King James' right arm—would "just be messing about and shaking up the system and order."

Though shrewdly inserting a follow up for King James, Riddhe did not ease his criticism and hounding of Otto.

"Still, if we lose sight of those who have been supporting the foundation of this country and proceed with governing as is, the rest of the Privy Council will probably not stay silent. Never forget this."

After pointing a smile of triumph in the end at the grimacing chief advisor, Riddhe apologised for his rudeness towards the King. The King, who must have been kind-heartedly concerned over the conversation just now, nevertheless remained silent and accepted Riddhe's apology.

Even as the King, if he backed Naizel here, it would only deepen the opposition between the chief advisor and the other Privy Council members. He could do nothing but watch with a clouded expression as Clovis continued to walk away.

Even at the age of ten, Alicia understood such things. She understood, yet—

Hi, I know it’s been a while since I last uploaded a chapter…I started school again and now I’m honestly so busy that I don’t know if I can keep translating this (we shall see). I feel really guilty for not uploading more frequently or regularly ;-;

Anyway, there might be a few translation errors in this but I can’t be bothered checking

Thanks for reading ^^