Chapter 1008 Margrave Family's Conspiracy (Part-1)
Alexander was left a bit astounded when he heard that 10,000 men were able to land right inside the city with no one suspecting a thing.
10,000 men did not simply appear out of nowhere.
The number of ships carrying them should have been huge, and visible for miles to everyone.
So the only way that Alexander could think how they were able to land so many men were either through gross incompetence, willful ignorance, or because they were sanctioned to.
And to know which of these it was, he needed to know when they landed.
Because if the 10,000 men landed before the plague and both Lord Margraves IV and Lady Miranda's son Marcus were alive, i.e. the time things in the family should have been stable, then it must have been under the former head's permission, resolving both Lady Miranda and Lord Cassius of any guilt.
But should it be after the death and the 10,000 men traveled all the way from the Heeat family's territory to here, then Alexander needed to hold Lady Miranda responsible for being unable to see through such a clear ploy.
Letting any army land on your sovereign land was always a recipe for disaster.
However, when asked about this phenomenon, contrary to Alexander's black and white expectations, Lady Miranda revealed a grey answer,
"The 10,000 men had arrived about six months ago, while grandfather was still alive. But they not were allowed to dock. The ships stayed outside the port and the soldiers mostly stayed in their ships, save for the occasional few men coming to land to party."
"I had asked Grandfather about this. But he only told me that he was in secret talks with the Heeat family about something and would tell me once it was done. But then he suddenly fell ill. And...." Lady Miranda ruefully shook her head, her eyes suddenly turning red.
Not only had that information been lost, but the incident had also reminded her of her son's recent passing.
Thus, seeing his wife enter a dark mood, Lord Cassius decided to take over, adding to Lady Miranda's story, "When the plague first hit, the soldiers in the ships suddenly one night landed at the Great Harbor and entered the city, saying they were here to protect their master and bring order to the city. We were totally caught off guard by this!" Lord Cassius exclaimed.
"To bring order to the city? Why? What happened to the city?" Alexander's attention was more caught by that curious phrase, as he turned to ask the plump man.
"Yes." And facing Alexander's gaze Lord Cassius quickly nodded, then informed him with a slightly bitter face, "Once the plague hit, it did not take long for it to start spreading among the populace. And soon the first deaths began to appear. And then like they all do, the numbers began to swell. It swelled to such heights that temples, shrines, and even the streets began to overflow with the ill and even the dead. Sometimes there were not even enough men to bury the dead!"
Alexander had heard of horror stories similar to Lord Cassius's recount before- village after village would be left abandoned by the panicking people, as they tried to flee the infected zone.
But that would instead lead to an even more tragic outcome, as many of these infected people would carry the plague with them, so whichever sanctuary they found, would soon turn into a hellhole inadvertently by their own fault.
Alexander wondered where the plague came from.
Because contrary to popular belief, plagues were not sorely caused by unclean environment.
"However he did not side with the Heeat family! He only asked them for help because the situation in the city had become dire then and we risked a full fledged riot. The soldiers helped quell the masses down. And once they did it, father helped Miranda force the soldiers to the southern part of the city, away from the mansion."
"...." Alexander was relieved to hear this reasonable development, glad that he would not have to fight one of his ally's parent.
So with a smile, he posed, "Where is the lord then? I do not recall seeing this at the party yesterday."
To which Lord Cassius let him know, "Father has been recently feeling a bit ill. So unfortunately he could not meet you, my lord. I will be sure to introduce you once he recovers."
Alexander did not prod what was wrong with the man, but only politely nodded, "I see. Then I look forward to it."
Before going back to the topic at hand, as turning to Lady Miranda he posed,
"So how come the rest of my lady's family have no problem with a foreigner like Lord Parker interfering in your family's internal matters?"
Lady Miranda once again clenched her teeth, "They do not see him as an outsider. They see him as my sister's husband. Their brother in law."
The tone of her voice said everything about how she felt about that word.
While Lord Cassius provided the actual reason for this open acceptance, "The Heeat family has promised us a lot of money if Quentin, that's Lady Linda's boy, can become the next Margraves family's head. They even promised to negotiate the route rates."
It was a straight up bribe- the oldest trick in the book.
And hearing this answer, suddenly Alexander could not help but trace his chins as in a brilliant flash of the mind, he began to smell a conspiracy,
Something that he was more than eager to share with the couple, as with furrowed brows he asked,
"I heard Parker Heeat was the distant illegitimate child of Duke Heeat. So how is it that he can summon 10,000 men? Or promise so much gold? And most of all have the gall to negotiate with the Sybarsis Council? This only something only the next head of the family should have the power to do!"
"So are you sure about his identity? What if he has concealed the truth?"
"That's impossible." Lady Miranda however was unwilling to even entertain the thought, even standing up to shout, "That would have been only possible if grandfather..."
The words however suddenly got caught in her throat.
And she at last began to see what Alexander could see.
A conspiracy.
'No way!' And it soon caused her to cry out in fright in her heart, unable to believe her own flesh and blood would do this.