“You came up with her after all—Oh My Gods!”

Heinrich burst into sparkling pearls of laughter. Seeing his cherished subordinate again after a long time, he felt very good.

“And, strangely enough, she even pulled out this information.”

What Heinrich had in his hands right now was the ‘High Temple’s Delivery List’ that Damia had delievered. After receiving this and carefully examining it, Lessid selected a few items and reported it to the Crown Prince.

And Heinrich was amazingly able to spot the problem with those items.

“Look here. This ‘black perfume’.”

Akkard looked at where his index finger was pointing. It was imported from Bedan, a desert country, and procured for the High Temple. Although the price was very high, the quantity was quite large.

Pointing to this, Heinrich tilted his head and smiled.

“Isn’t it a bit strange?”

As he lowered his eyes with a cold face, Akkard thought deeply about something. And he silently nodded his head.

“It is definitely strange. ‘Black’ perfume.”

It was. Fragrant oils, imported little by little in small quantities, were very valuable and rare. Therefore, it was difficult to use unless you were a noble.

Fragrance oil imported in this way was often used to decorate the fine hair and skin of the ladies. Others used perfume oil of inferior quality to trim and treat leather accessories, coats, and bags.

But to point out a purpose for the ‘black’ perfume was a bit difficult. Who would dare to apply black oil to hair, cheeks, and expensive leather? It wouldn’t come off easily.

“At first, I thought that it might be used for burning in rituals. But it is also bizarre,”

Heinrich added with a snort.

“How dare you import perfume oil that will burn anyway, at such a high price from that far-off Bedan? It doesn’t make sense!”

And the quantity was too much for ceremonial use. Even if High Temple was in the midst of a “great boom,” it was strange to burn so much fragrant oil at once for a ritual.

“Let’s find out,”

Akkard nodded and answered. The next task was decided without time to even catch his breath, but he felt refreshed. It was because the direction of the investigation became clear.

Until now, they had been blindfolded and only able to trace the outlines of a great problem. Trying to figure out what was the situation in the first place.

But thanks to the list Damia gave, they were finally able to get a clue. Satisfied with this, Heinrich went through the list once more and clicked his tongue.

“Oh, and they’re buying too much of this fucking narcotic herb. It’s supposed to be to treat the sick, but that can’t be.”

Akkard, who was familiar with the drug riots that once took place in the South and in the capital, frowned.

At some point, narcotics began to spread among the southern nobles. The southern aristocrats, who had lost their land and crops because the land was darkened due to ‘pollution’, needed a way to forget their worries.

Naturally, the drug spread rapidly in the South, so things were literally all over the place until a few years ago. The royal family had to work very hard to rehabilitate drug-addicted nobles and eradicate the circulation.

Naturally, the prestige of southern nobility was greatly reduced. However, it was a bizarre element that pollution and drugs only emerged in the South.

Especially considering that Southern nobility was the main supporting pillar of the royal family.

‘It’s like they’re determined and trying to destroy the foundation of the royal family.’

Heinrich, so-called ‘prince forsaken by God’, clenched his teeth. Although he was the only heir to the kingdom, he was tabooed as an ominous being.

Especially by the neo-classical nobility.

There was no way Akkard was unaware of the fact. He didn’t say any comforting words from his mouth. Instead, he swore in a steel-forged voice.

“I will definitely finish this work and restore the glory of the royal family.”

For my king, whom I have chosen.

At that, Heinrich managed to laugh. And he spoke softly towards his few trusted men.

“… … Thank you. I’m willing to trust and wait.”

Heinrich joked, saying ‘I don’t want to be bound by an engagement yet’. If he could not stop the plotting of the High Temple he would surely become engaged to Teresa Dmitry.

‘Then even if I ascend to the throne, I will eventually become a scarecrow king.’

Instead, the thought of Teresa’s family offering blind allegiance made his head throb. Heinrich chose a light topic to shake off his worries.

“By the way, where is the lady who brought me this list? I really want to meet her.”

That was not difficult. Damia was already waiting for him in the audience waiting room.