Two Letters IV

The two of them fell silent, as though they were both pondering the same question deep inside.

After a while, Brando finally asked, "Antitina, do you know what your father did before?"

Adviser Miss gently shook her head. "I'm not entirely sure. From the time I was old enough to understand things, my life had been peaceful and comfortable, no different from other families of our social class. In Brags, Father owned several properties, and our income had remained fairly stable until he disappeared during the final period of his life. I only know that Father had gone through a difficult time when he was young, but neither he nor Mother ever told me the details."

Brando lightly pressed his lips together.

He was thinking about several things. What exactly was the "truth behind the facts, and the picture gradually formed by the scattered riddles" mentioned in the letter? What had they and his grandfather gone through? Who was the princess mentioned in the letter? He was certain it could not be Princess Griffine. She and Haruze had not even been born at the time. Finally, why did these insignificant Cultists possess such a letter? The Circle of Unity operated with great secrecy. It was unlikely that Magnuske and Teste would entrust something so important to a group of underlings.

These desperadoes had taken such care to seal the letter inside the cover of the Codex of All Things. Clearly, they understood the letter's value.

"Antitina," Brando said, raising the letter slightly, "do you think they might have found a way to read what's written on it?"

He was referring to the Cultists. Antitina glanced over at them, then decisively shook her head. "They couldn't have seen it. The method that reveals the writing on this letter belongs exclusively to