"The matter of Viscount Eric Gammanla sending soldiers disguised as pirates to assassinate Lord Cain and seize the Grant Family's cargo is indeed true."
"But the key question is this: was the assassination carried out by Viscount Gammanla, nominally a subordinate of the Duke Mosesiris, truly ordered by the Duke Mosesiris?"
"Have you ever considered that this might actually be connected to the Old Guard Party?"
Facing Ian's constricted pupils, John slowly folded his hands, then extended a finger to tap the tabletop. Smiling, he said to him,
"Ian, I'm going to tell you an interesting story. The protagonist is also named Eric. One night, twelve years ago, our protagonist Eric suddenly received a secret letter from another important figure."
"In the letter, the other party expressed interest in a certain type of goods called Merfolk Tears. If he could provide more than three thousand Merfolk Tears at once, that respected figure could consider approving the parliamentary campaign our Mr. Eric had originally launched, secretly granting him a provincial council seat and offering her friendship."
"Out of respect for that great figure, and because he wished to advance further in his political career, our Mr. Eric accepted the request. He then dispatched soldiers from his territory, disguised them as pirates, and used a ship flying his family banner as bait to gain Lord Cain's trust just after he had finished resupplying at the docks and before he had left the territorial waters."
"Using an incomplete cargo inspection as an excuse, they boarded the Grant Family merchant ship and launched an assassination attempt while Lord Cain was completely unprepared, successfully gravely injuring him."
"Afterward, under the final spell Lord Cain cast with all his strength, the juvenile Kraken he summoned tore apart the merchant ship on the sea with its terrifying