Shena of the Yveno household felt relief when she finally saw the familiar sight close to home. Going outside was a strenuous endeavor. She enjoyed the company of others, but she liked it more being at home, it was more peaceful that way. However, her mother would never allow that.

And thus, she had to bear playing politics when the time called for it. Although she liked speaking with noble ladies around her age, they could relate to each other easier. Less politics to think about, one could say. Just like what happened today.

She feared she might have come off a little fiercer or stricter than she actually intended. Being completely like her mother was not something she wanted, even she herself found it hard how strict she was most of the time. Fortunately, everything ended well.

The princess was the star of the occasion, and she was as mystical as what she had heard from others. Her beauty was what every woman would desire. It actually made her jealous of it. But that was a pointless sentiment, she could never attain it for herself.

That aside, even though she had conversed with the royal princess, there was not much she had learned about her. There was still so much mystery about the princess.

They arrived at the gates of her home. Once the guard cleared them and opened the gates, her carriage went straight in front of the mansion. She exited the carriage, there was no one else there but a single manservant watching over the door, waiting for her arrival. As no one knew what exact time she would be arriving, she didn’t expect her parents would be there to greet her return.

But she noticed a tense expression on the servant’s face, he was troubled about something.

Shena approached. “Is something wrong?”

“... There is a guest, my lady.”

“Guest?”

They were not expecting a guest today. At least, not one she was aware of. She had the servant open the door, and she entered.

She looked in the lobby first, and there she was, her mother, Eleanore. She sat on the couch, her fingers on her forehead, visibly irritated.

“Shena, you’re home,” she eased up her expression. “How did it go?”

“Everything went well, mother. I met the princess.”

“She’s a sweet child, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“Mm. Sit here for a moment, we have a problem.”

Shena warily sat down beside her mother. “I heard there is a guest.”

“That is precisely the problem. He is no normal guest.”

“What do you me—”

“This is absurd!” a young man came barging in. It was Shena’s brother, Jalen. “That nobody is going to stay with us?!” he angrily asked Eleanore.

Shena was confused.

“Yes, my son. And stop shouting, it’s unbecoming of a noble.”

“I don’t care about that! I refuse to allow a complete stranger to live with us!”

“Stranger? What is going on?” Shena asked no one in particular, just anyone.

“Someone will be staying in this house for some time, although we don’t know until when,” her mother answered.

A stranger was staying in their house, in Shena’s peaceful sanctuary? There was no way she could accept that. If it was another noble, it would be no problem. But seeing how everyone was acting, it was no common situation. It meant trouble.

“Why?”

Eleanore was about to answer, but a strange man stepped into the room, Shena’s father following behind him. That stranger smiled. He was neat looking, wearing formal clothes as one would a noble. But his face was not up to par with the beauty a noble has.

“A decree made by his majesty,” answered the stranger.

Shena felt uneasy about him. He was giving off a mischievous demeanor.

“I refuse. Who are you to demand our hospitality?” Jalen glared at the man.

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But the stranger merely shrugged. “I’m afraid, my lord, you have no choice. I am to observe you all. But if it gives you relief, I will not be joining your dinners.”

“Tch. Father, do something about this!” Jalen called out to his father.

The father sighed. “We have prepared his room. For now, we cannot do anything about it.”

“If anyone has any problem with my presence here, please feel free to send a complaint to my commanding officer, Marquis Teristro.”

Eleanore rose from her seat, not an effort to hide her displeasure. “Still, this is unnecessary. We have done nothing to warrant observation.”

“That is not for me to decide nor to give reason to. I am only here as I was commanded, to observe the Yveno household. Also, I may mention that you are not alone in this.”

“What?”

“Every noble in the kingdom has a designated observer.”

“The entire kingdom?”

“Indeed,” the stranger’s grin grew wider. “This is a nationwide scale of operation.”

“And you wouldn’t tell us exactly why?”

“As I said, I don’t know. I am merely observing you. Take it up to my boss if you are ever so curious.”

“We’ll send a message to Meril then.”

“Very well, Lady Eleanore. Now then, I am quite hungry. If you would please allow a servant to guide me to where they eat, I am fine with that. I do not intend to intrude into your valuable family moments.”

Shena’s father called out to a servant to guide the stranger.

Once he left, Shena worriedly looked at her father. “We cannot be completely safe in our home anymore?”

“Don’t worry, my daughter. I’ll sort this out and have that person removed as soon as possible.”

Shena nodded. Now her once peaceful sanctuary, where she didn’t have to think about the real world, was soiled. Now it had watchful and intrusive eyes she had to think about. How could she ever have a peace of mind now?

***

Two days later. The situation has been tense in the Yveno household as the eyes of the royal family loomed within the confines of their home. The adults couldn’t help but feel irritated, and the mansion servants felt so cautious and afraid. Even Shena could not completely be at ease now. And as one might expect, Jalen griped a lot.

That observer was going all around their home at his own leisure. As if he was studying the place. Almost like they were some sort of betrayers, or prisoners. Such an invasion of privacy, they all despised it. They even had to be extremely conscious just by walking through the hallways of their home so as not to give off some misunderstood suspicions.

Thankfully, today they were to have a visitor. The mentioned commanding officer of the spy. The Marquis Teristro, the brother of the Queen.

All members of the Yveno family greeted him at the mansion's front door, Eleanore taking the lead. “Greetings, Lord Meril. May our hallowed Lord and Lady bless the moment of our delightful meeting.”

“And to all of you as well. May we receive the resplendent blessing from our illustrious Lord and Lady.”

Shena had met this person a few times, Mizia’s father. And he was a kind man. At least, he never treated Shena coldly nor was she ever treated strictly. His presence eased her for a little.

They guided him inside their home and straight to one of the guests’ rooms. Only Eleanore and her husband entered the room to talk.

“Would you like refreshments, Lord Meril?”

“There’s no need. I would like to go straight to business.” he sat down on the couch and waited for everyone else to do so. He continued, “Now then, this is about the agent in your home, yes?”

“Indeed, this is an invasion of our privacy. We would like to ask for our home to be spared of this.”

“Lady Eleanore, no one is exempted from this. Despite how close we may be to the crown, you will still be observed.”

Eleanore narrowed her eyes. “We? Considering that you are the lead of this farce, I imagine you have no one to watch over you.”

Meril smiled. “Yes, I suppose, there is no agent for me. Because there is no need for me. I have proven myself. And please, it is no farce.”

“There’s no need because you are a direct relative of royalty, am I right?”

With a shrug, he said, “Partly right.”

“That’s quite unfair, isn’t it?”

He chuckled. “Indeed... But believe me, Lady Eleanore, I am being watched by someone more dangerous than you have here.”

“The King?”

He didn’t respond, but merely slightly tilted his head.

“Why are you doing this? A threat?”

“I am allowed to share with you a small detail as to why. We have reasons to believe there may be nobles working with an enemy, betraying our kingdom.”

The two couples looked at each other, confused and anxious. Eleanore then asked, “And you think we could be one of them?”

“As I said, all of you are under suspicion. We must ascertain which noble families are betrayers, and those that are not.”

“We are absolutely loyal to the crown.”

“Then you have nothing to hide and be afraid of.”

“Still…”

“Listen, you are not the only one that demanded an audience with me or the king. We made contact with you because you are close with the royal family, and at Marquis peerage. Although, the Natarel family were less defiant.”

“They didn’t complain much, huh? Of course they would be.”

“I would like you to be cooperative, for the safety of our kingdom.”

“And your plan is to insert agents into our homes? That is quite extreme, isn’t it?”

“What can we do? Nothing.”

“Did you come up with that plan?”

“No.”

“So it’s the King? If that’s the case, I find it doubtful. King Leodoule is not one to make a plan like this, or outright order.”

“Is that so?”

“I know him well.”

“The crown is not entirely one person, Eleanore, but a family.”

“So one of them came up with it? His highness, Eleden? There’s no one else I can think of.”

For some reason, Meril chuckled, amused. “Why would it matter who?”

“For anticipation. Heirs to the throne.”

“I see. Well, it doesn’t matter who formulated the plan. All the crown requests is you to bear with it and cooperate. We trust your family, in fact. Even I do. That is also why we met with you. But the crown is very careful and quite strict, if I might add.”

“The crown… Do you mean collectively this time?”

“ — It would be best to keep this conversation between us. And part of the reason we met with you is for you to put other capital nobles at ease. Tell them it’s for the sake of our home kingdom.”

“You spent quite a tremendous amount of resources.”

“Of course. Now, is that all that you want from me?”

“One more thing. How long will this last?”

“... As long as it needs to be.”

“Even a few months will be ridiculous, Lord Meril.”

“If it will take years, then so be it. Ultimately, it’s not up to me to decide.”

“I see.”

“Is that all?”

“... Yes, that is all.”