315: Meeting with the von Conradies

Meeting with the von Conradies

When Andreas opened the door for Adela, she was not surprised at all. 2

The management in the manor had been lacking ever since she woke up in the murdered King's former residence. Aside from Egon's guards, who were as numerous as her father's knights, the staff, including the majordomo, were conspicuously absent.

"Hello, Andreas," she greeted with a polite tone.

Andreas responded with a kind smile. "Welcome back."

"I'd like to convene a formal meeting with you. Both Leopold and Bastian need to hear what I have to say."

Andreas's expression turned serious as he nodded. "Where is your husband?"

Adela averted her eyes, ashamed of her childish behavior back near Lanark's forest. Intending to make a point, she had instructed the carriage driver to take her home without waiting for Egon, hoping that a little running might do him some good.

"I'm here," came Egon's voice from behind her, accompanied by the familiar tug of their mate bond.

Andreas didn't acknowledge her husband's presence; instead, he focused solely on the artifact in Egon's hand. Adela, on the other hand, fixed her gaze on Andreas's face, which displayed no reaction at all.

He's most likely not the sender of that letter.

She cast a narrowed gaze at her husband who had been so sure that it was Andreas and not the last Emperor who had sent the letter. However, Egon's mind seemed to be elsewhere. The silent exchange between Andreas and Egon made her doubt that there was a mental conversation going on between the two of them.

"If you will excuse me," she murmured, deciding to give them space. "I'll be waiting in the conference room for you gentlemen."

Without waiting for a response, Adela made her way into the manor. She walked through its grand halls, attempting to organize her thoughts but finding it challenging. She knew it wasn't the wisest decision to go into a meeting without proper preparation, but she had no choice at the moment. Her thoughts scattered even further when she saw Leopold waiting by the conference room's door.

The von Conradie family's communication network was certainly intriguing.

"Uncle," she greeted Leopold with a small smile as he opened the door for her.

"Come inside; they are on their way."

Adela tried to exude confidence even though she felt far from it. She held her head high and nodded as she entered the familiar conference room, quickly choosing the best corner to hold her sensitive discussion, appreciating the prompt arrival of the approaching footsteps from behind her.

Egon was already pulling out a chair for her as she reached her chosen seat.

"Thank you," she mumbled without looking at his face and she sat down, her gaze fixed on Andreas and Leopold as they approached. Her eyes then drifted to the door, and tension surged through her when she saw a figure as large as her husband entering.

She scrutinized Bastian closely, searching for any metallic objects on his hand or around his neck, but found nothing. Making eye contact with him, she gulped, feeling silly for being surprised by his scarred eye.

That was a dream, this is reality...

Egon took the seat to her right, and Andreas settled across from her. Leopold occupied the seat to her left, leaving two empty chairs at the round table for Bastian to choose from. She wasn't surprised when he took the one next to Egon and sat down. His eyes, cold and distant like her husband's, remained fixed on her.

This Bastian, she didn't know who he was. Clearing her throat, she decided to get straight to the point and get it over with.

"Thank you all for meeting with me on such short notice."

But before she could continue, Bastian spoke up.

"Before you start, I'd like to know if you have any idea why the summoning order your father mentioned never arrived."

So, that's how things stood between them. He didn't even welcome her back to Lanark or apologize for not coming to see her earlier.

Adela remained perfectly still, keeping her secret. She had asked her father for a week's time before sending the summoning order because she wanted to investigate on her own before things got out of hand. What if Bastian was under some kind of spell much like she had been?

She matched his dry tone as she replied, "The decision regarding that matter lies with His Excellency. I am not involved in whatever Sir Gustav is planning with the Princess."

She glanced at Leopold, wondering if he had been in contact with Sasha who had used the portal to return to Kolhis from Varinthia according to her father. However, his stoic expression, though somehow less bitter than before, revealed nothing.

Clearing her throat once more, she turned her attention to Andreas.

"I would like to start this meeting with a straightforward question. The artifact you saw with my husband when he first arrived, was it sent by you?"

Andreas's gaze briefly met Egon's.

"What artifact?" Leopold interjected.

Deciding to give Andreas the chance to respond, she focused on Leopold.

"Forgive my haste, Uncle. Egon and I visited our home today-"

"We stumbled upon something that caught the light," Egon interjected, taking over the conversation and concealing the fact that it had been Adela's dream that drove them to go to the Eastern entrance in the first place.

Why did he feel the need to conceal it though?

"I would never have been able to open it if not for Adela," Egon continued. "She knew exactly how to, and there was a message inside."

"Show us," a paling Leopold requested.

Reaching into his Kolihsan black shirt's chest pocket, Egon took out the box and placed it in the middle of the table. The looks on the men's faces around the table indicated that none of them had seen the artifact before.

"Allow me to rephrase my question, Andreas. Have you ever seen this artifact before?"

With his eyes still on Egon, Andreas slightly turned his face towards Adela.

"No, I have never seen this before. And I am not the one who wrote that letter."

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