She can't use Beyonder means to tell whether I'm lying...
Lorne frowned slightly as his Robot abilities began working at full speed.
His fingers curled slightly inside his cuff, drawing out the ring he had kept hidden there before slipping it silently onto his finger. He needed Forced Calm's passive effect.
Lorne did not know whether she had noticed his little movement, but since she had not stopped him, perhaps that said something about her attitude.
"Ma'am," Lorne said, taking the initiative to break the suffocating silence, "is Emperor Roselle-really dead?"
The moment the words left his mouth, he felt an oppressive presence emanating from her.
"Why would you think he isn't dead? What do you know?"
For the first time, a distinct fluctuation entered Bernadette's voice. Clearly, when it came to her father, even this mysterious and powerful queen could not remain entirely detached.
"No," Lorne said frankly, meeting her suddenly piercing gaze. "I simply believe that someone as formidable as Emperor Roselle wouldn't fall so easily. That's what I honestly think."
Meeting Lorne's candid gaze, Bernadette lowered her head without comment.
If Roselle had merely disappeared, Lorne would have thought that his predecessor might have discovered the secret of transmigration and successfully returned home. His supposed "death" might simply have been a trick to extricate himself.
But the chaos and changes of power in Intis after his death made that unlikely. Given Roselle's personality, if he really could have returned, he would never have left without putting his affairs in order. "Ma'am, what exactly do you want from me?" Lorne threw the question back at her again.
"Everything concerning Emperor Roselle." Bernadette's voice returned to its former calm. "In addition, I hope you'll share with me the method for deciphering the script Emperor Roselle created. Name your price."