477 Secret Collusion
Selma Payne’s POV:
Chekov told me everything he knew, but I got no new information.
Thinking about it, it made sense. He had reported this mission decades ago, and the information I had now came from that report. Of course, there wouldn’t be any new information.
After a moment of silence, I suddenly asked, “How is your understanding of the entire werewolf pack?”
Chekov was unmoved by this and replied calmly, “I know everything I should know. I don’t know more about things that I shouldn’t know than an infant.”
“Have you always been this cautious?”
“Being cautious is a lifelong virtue, especially for people in my line of work.”
“Alright, I respect your caution, and I hope you can continue to be cautious in the future.”
Chekov finally seemed confused.
Although the Intelligence Department and the mobile patrol team had the same monitoring function, the mobile patrol team, which could freely move around the country, could always find more subtle clues that were hidden in the dust and smoke.
“What do you think of the Woof Anca and Evaria families?”
“What do you mean?”
“The relation – or rather, the relationship between them.”
“I think that these two families are no different from other families on the surface, maintaining a polite but hypocritical social relationship. Their side branches have unimportant marriages as fragile bonds to sustain this relationship.”
“On the surface? What about the truth?”
“They are no different from any other family. They collude for money and power.”
“Do you think that this kind of relationship only comes from the interests of other families?”
“It’s hard to say, Your Highness. No relationship is pure, and no exchange of interests is pure. Every family had their own plans, and even the mobile patrol team could not cut open the core of these behemoths. Therefore, I can only conclude the rules from what I have seen and heard. Most noble families and wealthy merchant families are like this. They maintain hypocritical etiquette on the surface but secretly calculate the gains and losses of every interest exchange.”
“Is there no difference?”
“No, Your Highness. This kind of relationship is ever-changing.”
I didn’t say much more, and Chekov didn’t open his mouth either. We sat silently for a while before I said, “Thank you. You may leave now.”
Like when he came, Chekov left the suite like a silent gust of wind.
After a while, I called for Kara.
“Lord Eric Woof Anca, ask him to enter the palace.”
Kara nodded and left silently.
Chekov was a very cautious person. There was only one outcome in his position if he wasn’t careful. He was an eye with his thoughts. He had seen a lot and would not hide anything from his master, but he would not say more.
After all, any subjective thoughts would affect the master’s decision. He would be the first to be sacrificed if anything went wrong. Since that was the case, keeping his mouth shut forever and being an eye was better.
I was sure he must’ve seen through the secret connection between the Evaria and Woof Anca families. Otherwise, he would’ve denied it just now and not said some specious words to hint at me.
The decline of the Woof Anca Family had become inevitable, but would they willingly sink into the long river of history with their glorious past? A dying struggle was unavoidable. If its current master didn’t care about it, it would be expected for it to want to change its master.
I suddenly remembered the day of the wedding, the boy who hid behind the screen and publicly slandered me with his companions, Casti Woof Anca.
He spoke with fervor and assurance, but he wasn’t the central figure in the young boys and girls group.
Who was the boy who was surrounded by the stars? Even a proud person like Casti listened to his commands?
I felt like I had touched upon a corner of the mystery, but I still lacked some key evidence to make up for the truth.
At this moment, Kara came to report. She didn’t look good, and Eric Woof Anca was not with her.
“Your Highness, the Woof Anca Family said Eric is not feeling well and has been in bed for a week. His health doesn’t allow him to see you now, please forgive him.”
“Not feeling well? Oh, that’s sad news. Why don’t we send a royal doctor to treat Lord Eric?”
“I don’t think a doctor can cure Lord Eric,” Kara said in a low voice.
“I know.” I casually picked up an apple and took a bite. “The old man’s illness may be cured in a minute, or he may never be cured.”
Without my next instruction, Kara did not move. After a while, I said, “There’s no need to send a doctor. Since Lord Eric is not feeling well, we don’t have to force him. We can just ask someone else from that family.
“What’s the boy’s name? Ah, Casti. Casti Woof Anca. Ask him to come to see me. A strong young man can’t possibly fall sick because of a drizzle, right?”