Chapter Sixty-Four: After the Meeting

October 18, 2237, Parliament House, London

Amidst the crowd, a hurried figure rushed back into the venue. Passing smoothly through security, he hurried to the door used by the Tracy faction in the parliamentary hall. He seemed to be manipulating something, and before long, the door opened quietly. A man bearing a striking resemblance to him stepped out.

“Master! The mission is complete. I await your instructions!” The man’s tone brimmed with respect. The newcomer patted his shoulder approvingly. “Well done, Seventy-Six! Now, I need you to put on these clothes and this hat, then find a concealed spot and wait for my orders. Can you do that?” The newcomer was none other than Prince Tracy himself, and the person before him was a robot in every sense of the word. Created by the greatest scientist in history—Cole, that is, Tracy himself—he was indistinguishable from a real human in every way.

“Understood, Master! What is the override code for this mission?” Thanks to Tracy, this robot possessed human emotions, and his outer layer, derived from his mentor Titan’s gene-skin, endowed him with biological features, making him almost identical to a human except for a few minor differences.

“Caesar! The code this time is Caesar. Whenever you hear it, immediately move to an unoccupied corner, remove your hat—but do not discard it—and then return at once to Station Twenty-One. Understood?” Tracy, or rather, Sir Benjamin, commanded.

“Yes, Master!” With that, the robot donned a wizard’s hat, and in the blink of an eye, vanished without a trace.

“Good! The meeting isn't over yet, and it seems the Earl hasn't returned either. I might as well slip in and mingle unnoticed!” With this thought, Benjamin entered the hall.

Less than half an hour later, the meeting concluded. As Benjamin was leaving through the door used by his faction, the Earl arrived, breathless and late. Upon spotting him, Benjamin couldn’t resist a jibe, “Earl of Wyvern? Why so late? The meeting’s already over!”

“Heh… heh! I ran into a pickpocket. Chased him all the way—by the time I got my wallet back, the scoundrel had left a note! Nearly killed me!” The Earl, panting and exhausted, looked thoroughly worn out.

“What kind of note?” Sir Benjamin inquired deliberately, though he knew full well he was the mastermind behind the incident.

“Here!” The Earl pulled out the note, about to hand it to Benjamin, then hesitated, withdrawing his hand before Benjamin could take it. “Wait, why should I show it to you?”

“My lord Earl! Did you not hear what was discussed in the meeting? The Crown Prince has returned! Though he only hacked the broadcast system to converse with the two princes and the princess remotely, His Highness is willing to reconcile with them. Naturally, as the Crown Prince has only just learned that he has a sister, he’s asked us to pay special attention to her. Of course, I’m more than willing to help Her Highness’s subordinates as well.” Sir Benjamin had long prepared his excuses and had even enlisted several subordinates to support his story.

“Oh? Is that so?” The Earl sounded excited at the news; if the Crown Prince wished to befriend the princess, that meant an express route to power. “Very well! Have a look.” Without further ado, the Earl handed the note to Sir Benjamin. Of course, Benjamin knew exactly what was written: “My lord Earl, our organization is very interested in you. If you’re willing to join us and oppose Prince Charles, His Highness would surely welcome your arrival! —The Quiver Party!” It couldn’t be more obvious—Benjamin himself had written it to sow discord between Prince Quiver and Prince Charles. Naturally, the Quiver Party’s recruitment of the Princess’s allies was aimed at countering Prince Quiver’s greatest rival. (Since the Crown Prince was as elusive as a dragon, except for the Welsh Party—his own faction—even the Princess’s faction didn’t take the Welsh seriously.)

“Let’s sit back and watch the tigers fight. Prince Quiver and Prince Charles have always been at odds, openly and in secret. Even if their personal relationship is as close as brothers, their factions will continue their political war. Trust me, if the Quiver Party can’t defeat the Lionheart Party within a year, the Lionheart Party will crown Charles and force him to become Crown Prince. It’s only a matter of time!” Sir Benjamin spoke with the confidence of someone who could foresee the future.

“And what’s your opinion, Sir Benjamin?” The Earl didn’t believe for a moment that the Crown Prince’s Welsh Party would sit idly by; he was already planning to ally himself with them.

“Rest assured! Our party serves only the people, never meddling in matters of succession.” Sir Benjamin spoke nothing but the truth, since this had always been his own policy—plainly stated, it hardly mattered.

“Come now! Sir Benjamin, how could the esteemed Welsh Party do nothing at such a critical juncture?” The Earl was astonished; how could the Welsh Party possibly refrain from any action now?

“Well… anything would be an internal party secret, wouldn’t it? No need to share with your party.” Sir Benjamin’s arrogance was palpable, but before the Earl could get angry, a voice called out, “Sir Benjamin, may I speak with you?” The speaker was none other than Commander Hugo de Ray, who, sensing trouble, had intervened just in time.

“Very well, my lord Earl, take your time to ponder. I have matters to attend to.” With that, Benjamin took his leave and joined Commander Hugo.

“Commander Hugo, what can I do for you?”

“Sir Benjamin, would you come with me for a private word?” Commander Hugo led Benjamin to a secret chamber—or rather, the Welsh Party’s inner cabinet.

“Your Highness!” Commander Hugo still understood the proprieties. In public, he was the superior and Benjamin the subordinate, but here, he was the subject and Benjamin—or rather, Prince Tracy—was the monarch. He knelt on one knee, his right hand over his heart in a knight’s salute.

“That’s enough, Commander Hugo. No need to stand on ceremony; you handled the earlier situation well.”

“Thank you for your praise, Your Highness!” Hugo replied without the least hesitation.

“But I have something for you to take care of now.”

“What is it?”

“I mentioned before that I wanted to send gifts to my two younger brothers. I know their coronation ceremonies are approaching, likely to be held in the palace grand hall. I want you to ensure that no irrelevant people follow them—especially after the ceremony, when they leave the hall, intercept anyone who tries to follow. Can you manage it?” Tracy’s tone was imperious, brooking no argument, the authority of the crown unmistakable.

“Yes, Your Highness! I guarantee it will be done!” Commander Hugo accepted the order without hesitation.

“Good. My dear brothers, it’s been so long since the three of us have been together. How I long for the old days…” Tracy smiled to himself, clearly already scheming—plotting some secret unknown to all others…

--Author’s Note--

Second day of my Hainan trip, and the internet is terribly slow! Fortunately, I don’t need a connection to write. I’m still on the road, but I’ve managed to finish this chapter with much effort. Time to take a break!