Artemis hesitated for a while when she came to the Place of Justice and Glory, with her identity, it would be difficult to enter the Tiamat Palace without receiving a summons, but the eldest princess gave her a private letter, and the royal guards might not let her in.

As she hesitated, a man silently approached her.

"Miss Hecate. ”

Hearing someone call his name, Artemis subconsciously turned back.

"Are you ......" Artmis remembered seeing this man, right at Fort Midnight, "Baron Deniz?"

"Exactly. The old baron took off his top hat and bowed slightly, "Your Excellency the Earl has ordered me to come and pick you up." ”

"Your Excellency, do you mean Jericho?" Artemis frowned, she didn't want to hear Swain's name, "I'm sorry, I was invited by Her Royal Highness Princess Caterina to meet her at Tiamat Palace. ”

"I know. The old baron's expression was very calm, "This is also what Her Royal Highness the Princess meant, she entrusted Her Excellency the Count, and His Excellency the Count ordered me to come and meet you and go to Karin Castle." ”

"What?" General Atmiss asked, incredulously, "what do you mean?"

"Her Royal Highness is now at Karin Castle, and perhaps she did not mention this in her letter to you, but it is not only Her Royal Highness who wants to see you, but Her Excellency the Earl also has something to tell you. ”

Atmis's face was ugly, and she had a feeling that she had been deceived. "Why?" she stared at the old baron tightly, not leaving any respect for the other party's age, "If Jericho wants to see me, then it would be better to say no, why use Her Royal Highness the princess as a pretense?"

"Don't get me wrong," explained Baron Deniz, "Her Royal Highness does want to see you, and in fact, that's what both of them mean. ”

Remembering that he had been sent to Midnight Castle to pick up Princess Celestia, Artemis felt as if he understood something. "You just said that Her Highness Caterina is now at Karin Castle, is she living there?"

The old baron guessed what Artemis was thinking, and his eyes drooped, and he squinted at him. "Yes, but Karin Castle was originally loaned to the Jericho family by the royal family, and Her Royal Highness the Princess wants to live there, so there is nothing, right?"

The reasons given by Baron Deniz are really not to be picky, and even if there is, it is not suitable to say. So Atmisis pouted and didn't pursue the question.

"Then I can ask Her Royal Highness the Princess, and your Excellency the Count for what I am looking for?" Atmis's tone was a little impulsive, she had come to Catalina with great expectations, but she didn't expect to be involved with Swain again, "After all, if it is some secrets, I have no authority to leak them, even if it is Her Royal Highness the Princess—our thirteen lessons are responsible to the crown prince, or the future emperor." ”

"It's a question you can't refuse. The old baron turned around and opened the carriage door for Artmis, "You must know something, I think, if you say that, you know what it is, right?"

What do they really know!, Artemis cried out in her heart, she had had had many anxious speculations since the disappearance of Count Hecate, but this was the first time that a clear clue had appeared in front of her.

"That's right, it's really hard to refuse. Artmis's steps trembled a little, and she was both a little excited and secretly annoyed, because every time they were involved with Jericho in Lesson 13, nothing good would happen.

——————————————

The carriage of the Jericho family was still quite fast, and it didn't take long for Artemis to arrive at Karin Castle in the western suburbs. Looking at this prestigious royal palace, Artemis couldn't help but shudder, as if there was an ominous aura lingering around the castle, making people shudder.

But Artemis didn't want to say exactly what this feeling was and where it came from, she just thought about it herself. Taking a deep breath, Artemis stepped into the castle.

Led by Baron Deniz, Artemis soon came to the living room, where Swain and the Celestial Princess were already waiting.

"Hello, Your Highness Princess. Regardless of her grievances, Artemis bowed properly when she saw Princess Celestia again, and when she looked up, she saw something that made her no longer calm.

"That cane!" Seeing her father's cane, she subconsciously wanted to snatch it, "Why is it in your hand?"

Swain, who was sitting on the couch, raised his hand and avoided Atmis, who pounced on him. Atmis, who didn't grab his cane, pounced and fell straight at Swain.

"You seem to be a little too enthusiastic, Miss Hecate. Sven's empty left hand firmly held Artmis's waist, if it weren't for that, Artmis's flying pounce just now would have crashed directly into Swain's arms.

Artmis's lips were only a few centimeters away from Swain's face, and if she hadn't stopped, maybe she had kissed her, even though she hadn't meant to.

Hurriedly standing up, Artemis subconsciously took a step back and distanced herself from Swain, but a slight flush still rose on her face. "It's all because your floor here is too slippery and I can't stand still. She still kept her mouth shut, refusing to admit the embarrassment just now.

And the eldest princess who saw this scene couldn't help but cover her mouth and snickered, sometimes Artemis is still quite cute.

Celestia's laughter reached Atmis's ears, making her face even redder, she was a straight person after all, and she couldn't stand such an atmosphere. "Ahh

There was no smile on Sven's face, he had just taken what had happened as if it had been an accident, even though it had been. The answer to both questions is the same. He reached over and handed the staff to Artmis, "I found this staff there during the turmoil in the Ministry of the Interior, and it must have belonged to Count Hecate, right?"

Artemis glanced at Celestia and nodded with a straight face.

"I have asked if the Count of Hecate had attended the funeral of His Majesty Nicholas I that morning, but I had found it at the Ministry of the Interior that night, and ......," Swain let go of his hand, grasping the part of it to be exposed, "and if I remember correctly, it was a very large gem set with a ruby, but it was gone by the time I found it." ”

"No, damn it, how could it be!" Seeing that the ruby on the cane was gone, Artmis's face changed suddenly, "That gem is very important, where the hell is my father, what happened to him?"

Atmiss stared at Swain, her expression became extremely terrifying, if it weren't for the presence of Princess Celestia, she would probably have said the words of doubt directly, obviously, she thought that Count Hecate's disappearance was done by Swain, after all, there had been such a thing before, it was not surprising that she would think so.

"I don't know about that. ”

"You don't know?" Atmiss took a step forward, the floor shook, "How could you not know, didn't you find this cane?"

"Actually, when I found the cane, I didn't see Count Hecate. In the face of Artmis's momentum, Sven was calm, still with that flat expression, "And the gem on it was already gone at that time, of course, you can suspect that I did it, but if that's the case, I don't need to bring you here today, and ask Her Royal Highness the princess to come down as a witness, right?"

Artemis glanced at Caterina again, and although Swain had a point, she was still reluctant to accept Swain's words because of her disgust for Swain.

"How can I trust you?" Artemis crossed his hands over his chest, his head held high, and he looked proud, "You have wounded my father and my brother before, why should I believe you?"

"Before I answer your question, I would like to confirm one thing to you. Sven withdrew his cane, pointed to the missing gem and said, "This gem, I heard Her Royal Highness the Princess say that it is the treasure of the Hecate family, can you tell me, what is so precious that it deserves to be guarded by your Hecate family?"

Artemis opened his mouth, but he didn't seem to say anything about it.

"Please don't scruple me. Caterina knew what Artemis was worried about, and took the initiative to speak, "I have heard the secret of the thirteenth lesson before, and I am willing to respect the secret that your Hecate family has guarded for generations, so it doesn't hurt to say that the reason why we invited you here is because we all have the same position." ”

Atmiss was stunned, the eldest princess knew the secret of the thirteenth lesson, although she was a little surprised, but it was understandable, and the common position that the eldest princess said made her a little confused.

"What do you mean...... What position?"

"Not on Beria's side," Swain looked at Artemis with a slight coldness in his calm eyes, "and not on the side of His Highness Alexander." ”

Attemis looked at Caterina in surprise, and Princess Celestia was still smiling at her, and this kind smile made Atremith feel a little uneasy. Caterina is Alexander's daughter, and if she is not on Alexander's side, wouldn't it be ...... Artemis didn't dare to think about it anymore, this was something that the Thirteen Lessons and the Hecate family had always avoided, and it was already dangerous to choose a side between the two princes, not to mention that there was an extra party now.

"I'm afraid I can't stand on the same side as you. Artemis lowered his head and whispered to Princess Celestia.

"Don't be in such a hurry to answer. Swain waved his hand, his cold gaze making Artemis uncomfortable, "Tell me what this gem is for." ”

Artemis looked up and glanced at Celestia Celestia, for there was no point in her continuing to keep the secret any longer, because she and the things that the Hecate family had been keeping all along might have been shattered.

Taking a deep breath, her expression became serious. "This gem, known as the Blood Moon, is a legacy of the original Ser Hecate. At that time, there were no thirteen lessons, and our Hecate family served the Jang family as a member of the Holy Iron Knights who fought against demons and heretics, and in the era of Astrad I, where the original Ser Hecate lived, a monster that threatened the empire appeared. ”

"Manfred Alcardo von Nosferatu, the twenty-third Count of Glamorgan, the last king of the Franconians, the mad Count. ”

Artemis looked at Swain in surprise, and even Princess Celestia couldn't help but be surprised by Swain's name.

"Twenty-third Earl of Glamorgan?" asked Princess Celestia, tilting her head sideways, to Swain.

"That's right," Swain said with a nod to Princess Celestia and then at Artmis, "if I'm right, this gem is what sealed him, that Manfred Schneider, or Manfred Alcado von Nosferatu." ”

"Yes," Atmiss lowered her head, and since Sven was able to name it, she could guess what was going on, "So, the seal was lifted, right?"

"I saw him, the mad earl. ”

Artemis let out a long sigh, and now even if she didn't want to admit it, she had to face reality. If this seal is broken, then the person most likely to hurt Count Hecate, or the person who killed Count Hecate, is Manfred. Although he usually seems very respectful, Artemis has not forgotten that Manfred was sealed by their Hecate family, and with the hatred of the ruined country and personal shame, he was a monster that Hecate had raised like a dog for countless years.

"Now," Swain held out his hand to Artmis, "do you still think we're not on the same page?"

Artemis hesitated, then reached out his hand, firmly holding it with Sven's.

"It's for my father's hatred. She looked at Swain solemnly, as if to tell him that her position was still different from his.

"Also for the Empire. Princess Celestia added calmly.