I pulled my finger back from the map. Apollo’s eyes flicked toward me, clearly unsure how to answer. I let out a short breath that came out almost like a laugh, then tapped the capital of the Shelvia Union.
“From the look of things, Yerinetta and Shelvia have joined hands against Scuderia. If that’s the case, normally we’d have seen intelligence flowing from House Feltio… but nothing. That’s what we were just discussing.”
I left the word betrayal unspoken. Till nodded vaguely, eyes back on the map.
“I seeee… Oh! I baked cookies to go with the tea. Fresh is best.”
So much for tension. Apollo, Arte, and Kamshin all chuckled despite themselves. That was Till for you—softening the air with something sweet. I turned back to Apollo.
“So, what do you think? Did my father, Marquis Jarlpa, turn traitor? Or is some other noble in his faction feeding Yerinetta information?”
I asked it like idle conversation. Apollo exhaled a long sigh, shaking his head.
“…I can’t say for certain. If intelligence is being stopped in Felthio lands, then only someone of the marquis’s influence could do it. But remember—in the defense of Scudetto, the marquis fought hard, took heavy losses, and still helped retake the city and capture a Yerinetta royal. If he truly supported Yerinetta, he could have sabotaged that. He didn’t.”
“In other words,” I said, “only the marquis could suppress that level of intelligence, yet his past actions don’t fit betrayal. I agree. I saw him personally counter Yerinetta’s new weapons. And that prince, Unimog—he spilled information without even a push, which gave us Yerinetta’s whole strategy at Scudetto. I doubt this deal with Shelvia was struck long ago. More likely, it was arranged very recently. That’s why the news hasn’t reached us until now.”
Apollo nodded thoughtfully. Kamshin, however, scowled at the map like it had personally insulted him. I gave him the short version.
“Putting it simply—Yerinetta thought it could swallow Scuderia alone, relying on black spheres and artillery. When that failed, they scrambled for allies. They leaned on Shelvia, and the east, already leaning their way, agreed. The current Union representative is from the east, so policy tilted toward Yerinetta.”
I slid my finger west across the map.
“But the western nobles, aligned with Scuderia, pushed back. They couldn’t defy national policy by openly siding with us, but they could pass information. That would explain why the marquis is receiving reports Yerinetta would rather hide… except, he hasn’t passed them to the King.”
Everyone wore serious faces. Even Till, sipping tea, was pretending to listen intently—well, pretending harder than usual, anyway. I pressed on.
“Now, this is speculation. But knowing my father, Jarlpa Blu Ati Felthio—he may feel cornered. He rose in power steadily, but the fall and retaking of Scudetto, the invasion into Yerinetta… those defeats might weigh on him as blunders. If he thinks he’s stained his record, how would he act now?”
I gestured toward the Seat region.
“Notice who didn’t come here. At this decisive battle, neither the marquis nor the main Felthio knights are present. Only my brothers, Yaldo and Sest, marched in his name.”
Arte gasped softly. “Ah—”
“What is it?” I asked, nudging her to voice it.
She fumbled, then said, “It may be because of the last time, with Count Ferdinand’s house… but, perhaps, Lord Jarlpa intends to use House Felthio’s strength to suppress Shelvia?”
Apollo blinked wide in surprise. “…Lord Van, I always knew you were shrewd for your years—but Lady Arte is even more perceptive than I imagined.”
“A-ah, n-no, I’m not his lady yet…” Arte waved both hands frantically, her cheeks burning. Till smiled warmly and popped a cookie into her mouth.
“As for me,” she said, “I’ve already been treating Lady Arte as the mistress of the house.”
“P-please, Till, not you too…!”
Their flustered exchange brought a grin to my face. I turned back to Apollo.
“In any case—whether it’s betrayal or not, if Shelvia moves, House Feltio is involved. We should look into it. Convenient or not, their border’s right here—too close to ignore. If something’s brewing, better we see it ourselves.”
I stood from my chair.
“Kamshin, fetch Espada. I’ll be heading out—for two or three months, most likely.”
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