A Spy Within Our Midst

"Chess? Shouldn't you be rushing back to the castle? You must have a lot of responsibilities as a court noble. Do you really have time to play chess with me?" Cian inquired, concerned about his father's priorities. The court nobles were expected to be present at the palace, especially given the king's deteriorating health.

Ciel, holding a cabinet minister position, dismissed Cian's worries with a wave of his hand. "Oh, come on now. Spending quality time with my son and playing a game of chess is more important to me than my job."

Cian raised an eyebrow skeptically. "If anyone heard you say that, they would surely strip you of your court noble status, Father."

"That would be a relief. Losing my court noble status would grant me more opportunities to spend precious time with my beloved son!" Ciel exclaimed, his words dripping with jest. Knowing his father's playful nature, Cian didn't take the statement seriously.

"All joking aside," Ciel said, his laughter subsiding. "I truly desire to immerse myself in a game of chess. It won't take much time, just one game. Surely that's acceptable?"

Cian sighed, relenting. "...Well, I suppose so. After all, this game will be over before we know it. I predict your defeat in just ten moves, Father. Prepare to be bested by your own son," he smirked confidently.

"You've grown quite cheeky, haven't you? Very well, then. Show me how you plan to defeat me in a mere ten moves," Ciel responded, matching his son's smirk.

Without a word, Maya quietly retrieved the chessboard from the cupboard and set it on the table. Ciel and Cian took their seats, their smirks still present on their faces.

As Maya began placing the chess pieces on the board, Cian seized the opportunity to inquire, "Father, I noticed that frustrated expression on your face while you were reading the newspaper. Did you come across something unpleasant?"

"Oh, it's nothing major. Just the Duke of Horselle declaring his support for the first prince, that's all."

"Duke Horselle throwing his support behind the first prince, huh?" Cian questioned.

"Yeah, I must admit, I had higher expectations of him. Being part of the royal family, you'd think there would be some loyalty. But it seems like blood ties mean little when it comes to the ambitions and power games in the palace. Even your own flesh and blood can turn against you if you let your guard down."

"Being part of the royal family seems like a royal pain in the rear, doesn't it?"

"You hit the nail on the head there."

Cian's curiosity got the better of him as he posed another question. "So, you're heading back to the castle accompanied by Maya's parents?"

Maya's hands briefly paused in their movement, but she quickly resumed placing the chess pieces without saying a word.

Ciel's response was vague. "Yes, I have some plans for them to assist me with a few matters."

Cian sensed there was more to it, but he knew better than to probe further. Some discussions were best left for adults alone.

As Maya finished arranging the chess pieces, she bowed respectfully before taking her place by Cian's side.

Ciel's smile widened as he looked at Maya. "You've truly become a professional maid, Maya. Your dedication and skill are commendable."

Maya bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your kind words, Lord. However, I believe I still have much to learn and improve upon."

Ciel chuckled, shaking his head. "No, Maya, I'm not merely paying you a compliment. I'm stating the truth. And I want to express my gratitude to you. Thank you for supporting Cian and taking care of him. I know he can be a handful, but I trust that you will continue to look after him."

"Hey, dad, are you trying to insult me?"

Ciel brushed off Cian's remark, his attention still focused on Maya. "I truly appreciate your unwavering support for Cian all these years," he expressed with a heartfelt smile.

Maya's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, unsure of how to respond to her lord's gratitude. "It's... It's not something that requires thanks. I genuinely enjoy my work and caring for young master Cian."

Ciel's playful smile persisted as he continued to tease Maya. "Oh, does that mean you have a special fondness for taking care of my dear Cian?"

Flustered, Maya stammered, her face turning crimson. "N-No, it's not like that! I... I just mean... I enjoy my duties..."

"Father, enough teasing. Let's just start the game," Cian interjected, attempting to redirect the conversation.

Ciel relented, a twinkle of mischief still evident in his eyes. "Very well, let's begin. Prepare to be defeated, my son."

The game commenced with a swift move as Cian placed his pawn at c4, to which Ciel responded with pawn e5. Cian proceeded by developing his knight to c3, and without hesitation, Ciel mirrored with his knight to f6. The two knights stood face to face on the board. After a brief moment of contemplation, Cian decided to position his other knight on f3. Ciel swiftly followed suit by placing his second knight on c6.

As they played, Ciel mentioned, "Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention. It looks like Alea will be coming to the manor tomorrow. She's really excited to see you again, Cian."

"Really?" Cian replied, sounding uninterested.

"Yeah, she's been eager to meet up with you after not seeing you for a whole year."

"But isn't she already engaged to the first son of Duke Horselle? Why would she bother coming to see me? If anyone saw her here, it could spell trouble for her."

"If nobody sees her, then it should be fine, right?"

"Yeah, I guess... But it's risky. You never know who's trustworthy these days. It feels like someone might snitch on her presence here."

The person they were discussing was Alea Bluerose, the daughter of the Marquis of Bluerose. Cian had met her at a party, and ever since then, they enjoyed playing chess against each other. Although Alea was skilled, she had never managed to defeat Cian, not even once.

'I guess she wants to challenge me to a game again, huh? Well, she won't be able to beat me, that's for sure,' Cian thought.

As the game progressed, with both players losing an equal number of pieces, Ciel remarked, "You truly have a knack for thinking ahead, even anticipating the possibility of a spy in our own manor."

"You think I didn't notice? You're constantly surrounded by guards, and you carry an air of caution even within the walls of our home. It's only natural for me to suspect the presence of a spy among us, isn't it?"

Ciel chuckled, somewhat surprised, "Was I really that obvious?"

"I've become quite skilled at reading your expressions, and your face practically screams wariness."

Ciel skillfully pinned Cian's queen with his rook, leaving Cian with the challenge of freeing his queen while avoiding check from the rook. Cian anticipated this move and swiftly protected his queen by blocking the rook with his knight.

Curious about his son's thoughts, Ciel asked, "So, who do you suspect to be the spy? And who do you think might have employed them?"

As the chess pieces danced on the board, Cian contemplated his father's question. "To be honest, I'm not entirely certain who the spy might be. My initial suspicion was directed towards your guards, but considering your constant wariness at home, it could very well be one of the maids. Without knowing if you maintain the same level of caution outside, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact source. As for the one behind it all, my assumption would be someone from the first prince faction, perhaps Duke Horselle or Viscount Deeress. However, these are merely assumptions based on limited information. I haven't been able to deduce much with the little I know."

Ciel smiled at his son's response. "You give yourself less credit than you deserve, Cian. Your ability to perceive the situation accurately, even within the confines of our manor, is truly impressive."

"I suppose it ultimately comes down to keen observation and deductive reasoning," Cian mused, his gaze fixed on the chessboard. "But if I had access to more information, I could certainly offer a more definitive answer regarding the identity of the spy."

"Haha." A soft chuckle escaped Ciel's lips as he responded, his voice tinged with affectionate amusement. "Ah, my dear child, it warms my heart to see your eagerness to assist me in unraveling this mystery. But, you must understand that this is a matter best left to the realm of adults. I do not wish for you, my beloved son, to become entangled in such a troubling predicament. Instead, I implore you to focus on matters that hold true significance to you, dear Cian."

Cian glanced briefly at his father, their eyes meeting before he redirected his gaze back to the chessboard. A contemplative expression settled on his face. "Well, I suppose I'll heed your advice then. Honestly, engaging in the convoluted realm of politics appears to be a wearisome endeavor, not one I am particularly eager to partake in."