The Remnant

Chapter 69

The waiter opened the door for me and pointed to the back of the lounge. "Your guest is seated near the balcony, Highness."

I handed the waiter a gold coin as a gesture of thanks before stepping inside.

As I walked through the lounge, I noticed the restaurant was empty. This struck me as odd since this particular establishment was known to be one of the most popular in the city. It seemed Gorem had used his connections to secure it for our meeting.

"You're early!" Gorem exclaimed when he spotted me. He looked surprised.

"Yes, I am... Should I have come later?"

Gorem chuckled and shook his head. "No, of course not... It's just, you know, most nobles love to keep people waiting."

A chuckle escaped me as I settled into the plush chair across from him. "How often do I have to tell you that I'm not like other nobles..."

"I can see that now," Gorem conceded, his hand absently scratching the back of his head as he smiled apologetically.

This was the first time I was meeting Gorem in such a luxurious setting. He was almost unrecognizable, with his clean-shaven face and slicked-back hair that cascaded over his shoulders. The blue suit he was wearing made him look like a seasoned aristocrat. It was a far cry from the last time we met when he'd been helping construction workers hurry along with our store's renovations.

"So, why did you want to meet?" I asked as Gorem poured himself a glass of scotch. Considering he had booked the entire restaurant it seemed he wanted to talk about something private.

Gorem's eyes darted up to me, then back to the scotch. "A few days ago, you sent me a letter with two requests... You told me the requests needed to be handled with the utmost secrecy."

I nodded in confirmation. "Yes, I did..."

A few days back, when I'd traveled to Lake Everglow with Leonis and the twins, I'd tasked Clair with delivering a letter to Gorem. In it, I'd asked Gorem to search for any traces of a group called "The Silver Covenant" lurking around Valoria.

Gorem had one of the largest information networks in the capital. Perhaps even better than Valtair's spy network. If anyone could catch wind of something, it was him.

"As per your first request, I have yet to hear anything about a secret organization in the capital."

"That's unfortunate."

Gorem smiled. "That being said, in your letter, you mentioned it would be a good idea to investigate nobles who've been doing business with other races, specifically elves... Interestingly enough, your tip paid off! My informants have picked up on some unusual amount of trade deals, especially in recent years."

"Any names?"

"Yes," Gorem replied. "I have three... Marquis Niklas Atalier, Count Fard Hamilton, and Duke Marcellus Croft."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Lord Marcellus is doing business with the elves?!"

If one of the seven dukes was a member of the Covenant, it would change everything. The power dynamic I'd banked on using as a prince would be out the window. The influence and authority wielded by just one duke was substantial enough to rival even Valtair.

Gorem crossed his arms. "Lord Marcellus has many trade deals with the elves, but I don't think he's a traitor. His family has been trading with Alveria for centuries."

I placed my thumb under my chin, letting out a sigh of relief. "And what of the other two lords?"

Gorem picked up his glass and chuckled. "Well, if I had to pick the shadiest of the bunch, it'd be Lord Niklas."