Of course, Duke Edmund had not fully believed him at first.
He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head slightly as he studied Eduardo, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
His voice was calm and low. "You said there were more than a dozen seeds. That means... this wasn't the only Brood Hive."
The air seemed to freeze.
"Yes." Eduardo did not flinch. His answer was crisp, though a trace of exhaustion from Divine Grace's backlash flashed through his eyes. "Those insect eggs didn't appear by chance. Someone deliberately planted them..."
A flicker of suspicion flashed through Edmund's eyes.
Are you lying?
He was one of the most powerful men in the Empire, lord of the Northern Frontier. He had seen countless lies and betrayals on battlefields and in politics.
The more tense the situation, the less he could afford to trust a "truth" that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
But then he realized something: this boy had no reason to lie.
Eduardo was a son of the Calvin family, Louis's older half brother, and the Calvin family had only just established a marriage alliance with him.
Saying this now would bring Eduardo no benefit. It might even make Edmund wary of their marriage alliance.
If this is a setup, what could it possibly frame me for?
"Your Grace." Seeing his hesitation, Louis immediately added fuel to the fire. "I just remembered something. You once said the insect disaster three years ago was also unbelievably frenzied, but the Insect Corpses weren't nearly as organized or disciplined as these."
He paused before continuing. "Now, though, these Insect Corpses aren't merely vast in number. They have a definite 'hive,' sacrifices, and signs of organization and coordinated action. Your Grace, do you think... the same Brood Hive could have grown over