"Come in," said Atlas without looking up.
Elias Warren appeared behind the now half-open door. He slowly stepped inside after closing the door behind him. The tan-skinned man's gaze was as sharp as ever, but this time it was a little heavier, as if carrying a burden of information that could not be taken lightly.
"You're back?" asked Atlas, looking up from his book to the figure who had been away for more than a week on a mission assigned directly by him.
Elias gave a brief salute as he stood before the Major General. "I'm back, Sir."
"And?"
"The investigation is complete," he replied, handing over a bundle of sealed documents. "Everything I managed to gather is here."
Atlas accepted the file. His large fingers turned the pages slowly but meticulously. He read each page with a changing expression, ranging from neutral to faint surprise.
"Security for these documents is very tight. It's almost impossible for anyone to access them."
"Of course, it has to be. This is classified information of the Republic. Perhaps the Prime Minister himself set the classification."
Elias nodded in agreement. "That's right. I was detained at the intelligence administration centre. They didn't allow anyone to access this document without permission from above." He paused for a moment before continuing, "However, once they found out I was your personal aide, I was given limited access. But before that, I had to meet with the Prime Minister in person."
Although Atlas's military rank had not yet reached the level of a three- or four-star general, his name still carried considerable weight. Not only was he the only son of Duke Raymond, but his track record and achievements in military service were also not to be underestimated. So it was no surprise that many high-ranking nobles, government officials, and even the Prime Minister himself paid special attention to him.
To be honest, many proposals had come from nobles who hoped their daughters could become Atlas Raymond's wife. Unfortunately, he always ignored all of these proposals. Only once in his life had he chosen someone to be his wife, after which he never chose anyone else as his candidate.
Atlas looked up. His attention, which had previously been focused on the documents, now shifted entirely to Elias. "And what did he say?"
One of the proposals even came directly from the Prime Minister's family. They offered their daughter in a political marriage. Apart from wanting Atlas Raymond personally, the Prime Minister also needed the big name of the Duke Raymond family to strengthen their political legitimacy.
Since the collapse of the Montclair Empire and the establishment of the Montreveille Republic on its ruins, the Prime Minister had taken power as the leader of the country. However, even though the system of government had changed, the hearts of most of the people still leaned towards the imperial family, especially after the selfless struggle of the emperor's son-in-law, General Dorian Rousseau, in protecting the people during the civil war.
The people believed that the most deserving to lead the country were the descendants of the former emperor, especially his youngest daughter, Rosalie Montclair, to replace the Crown Prince who had been killed. But Rosalie was not a woman hungry for power. She hated the spotlight and political intrigue. After her husband was killed in the war, Rosalie chose to disappear from the public eye, taking her children with her and relinquishing the rights to the power that had been passed down to her.
Amidst the people's unrest and the threat of a restorationist uprising, the Prime Minister realised that the support of the people could not be won by power alone. So he turned his attention to the Duke Raymond family, one of the high nobles who had survived the civil war. Although the Duke Raymond was not very active in politics, their influence among the people could not be underestimated. With their current wealth, it should have been enough to buy several seats of power, but Duke Raymond never tried to seize a single seat on the council. Even his son, Atlas Raymond, stood on his own achievements without any support from his family. That is why the people's sympathy flowed freely towards him, considering Duke Raymond a nobleman who never discriminated against his people.
Or perhaps, that sympathy came for another reason because Duke Raymond had been a close friend of General Rousseau during his lifetime.
Elias sat up straight. He then explained the points that were not written in the document, "The Prime Minister did not say much, Sir. But one sentence was quite clear: if the Rousseau family becomes involved again, make sure they are on our side or make sure they are not involved at all."
As the supreme leader of the Republic, the Prime Minister was certainly aware of the Rousseau family's existence. Or it could be that he was the one who had been behind the efforts to protect them all this time—obscuring their identities, hiding their history, even securing every trace that could attract the attention of the restorationist groups. In the shadows of the government, he was perhaps the last shield for the remaining imperial bloodline.
Unfortunately, Atlas could not assume any further. There were invisible boundaries, a thin line that must not be crossed, especially when it came to the Prime Minister. Although he had once politely declined his daughter's marriage proposal, their relationship remained on safe diplomatic terms. However, Atlas knew that in this country, status and power were two things that demanded extra caution. Touching on political matters, especially those directly related to the Prime Minister, was like playing with fire in a dry field.
Perhaps there were things that outsiders should not know. Even a Major General. If he dug too deep, especially into matters covered by the red seal of the Montreveille Republic government, not only would he be in danger, but the entire Raymond name could be threatened.
Because in this country, politics is not just about position or influence, but also about survival. And one small mistake can cause someone to disappear forever.
Atlas placed the documents on the table, then clasped his hands in front of his face. "And Josie Everhart?" he finally asked.
"No bad record, but there are some things that have been deleted from her civil documents. Including her original birth data and childhood identity." Elias looked at Atlas with a meaning that would be difficult for others to understand. "Just like her three sisters."
Her three sisters ... even the people would never know that General Rousseau and Princess Rosalie Montclair had four daughters. Yes, four daughters ... that sounded even more dangerous.
Imagine if the monarchy restoration group found out. They would surely salivate, delighted to know that four granddaughters of the emperor were still alive, healthy, and all perfectly born to bear the heir to the imperial bloodline.
Atlas did not answer immediately. He sat silently, his hands clasped in front of his mouth, before finally leaning back slowly into the large chair behind him. His gaze seemed a little vacant, but his brain was too busy weighing and processing all the information he had just received.
"Do we still have to dig for information, Sir?"
"No. Stop," he said, pulling himself away from the back of the chair. "Because we already know who she is."
Elias nodded, understanding that the Major General had reached his own conclusion. But before he turned away or closed the report, he took out an additional document that he had kept separate from the main report.
"There's one more," he said, handing over a thin, sealed folder. "This is the life records of General Dorian Rousseau's four daughters before they settled in Bluebill. This document does not come from the military, but from secret archives that almost no one has touched. I secretly went in and looked for it."
This was why he always appointed Elias whenever he had to deal with digging up information. Compared to his other aides, Elias was the most agile, the calmest, and the most adept at reading between the lines. If something was hidden, it was likely that Elias would find it before anyone else.
"After General Rousseau's death in the great war, his wife, Rosalie Montclair, took her four daughters and left Montclair Prime. They settled in a small, remote village called Caerhol. They were not alone. A small force of General Rousseau's loyalists, known as the Ardent Regiment, accompanied them for protection."
Atlas looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Caerhold? That's a remote area on the eastern border."
Caerhold was very far from Montclair Prime, the former capital. If travelling by land, the journey would take at least seven full days, even in the best weather. Passing through narrow valleys, rolling fields, and mountainous paths still guarded by remnants of local forces from the war era, the journey to this remote area was not only long but also exhausting.
So, how could an imperial princess, along with her four daughters, choose to settle in such a remote area? As far as he knew, the region was not only famous for its agriculture, but also known for its culture, which lagged far behind the capital, as well as its high crime rate. Indeed, such a place was ideal for hiding, but it was far from suitable for raising four daughters.
"Yes, and because it was so remote, not many people knew they had lived there," Elias replied quickly. "Unfortunately, Rosalie Montclair died from a plague that spread throughout the region. So the responsibility of the family fell to Evelise Rousseau, who was only nineteen years old at the time."
Atlas looked back at the document, which felt heavy with the weight of history. In his mind, he could only roughly estimate the ages of Rousseau's four daughters. When General Rousseau died, his eldest daughter was probably only 18, Josie was 14, the third child was 9, and the youngest was 4. A year after her husband's death, Princess Rosalie Montclair also died from the red plague, leaving behind her four daughters, none of whom had reached the age of 20.
"A few months after her mother's death, Evelise was about to marry a young man from the local community. Perhaps because she wanted to change her identity, she rushed into marrying a local man, unaware that he was part of a network seeking to restore the monarchy. He infiltrated her life, pretending to love Evelise for the sake of his group's goals. He forced the Montclair heiress to bear an heir who could be used as a symbol of the empire's revival."
She had already guessed the general outline of the series of events, but she never imagined the story of Rousseau's four daughters would be this deep. Atlas clenched his fists.
"The man planned to kidnap her and even her three younger sisters. But most tragically, Josianne—the second child, who was fifteen at the time—nearly died trying to protect her sisters, especially little Rayana."
"Then Leon appeared," said Atlas, summarising the last part of the story.
Elias nodded, "Yes. Leon Everhart, General Rousseau's loyal aide. He was the one who saved them from kidnapping. He was the one who devised a plan to change their identities. He was the one who brought them to Bluebill and formed a protective network that continues to this day."
Leon may not have initially planned to marry his employer's daughter. But since they couldn't keep their parents' surname forever, he was forced to marry Evelise. That is why the documents state that he married Evelise Rousseau when she was 21 years old.
Atlas slowly closed the document, his eyes fixed on the faint Montclair family emblem in the corner of the archive. "This secret will only be useful if the restoration group rises again in full force. Until that time comes, no one must know who they really are."
Elias nodded again, understanding the meaning clearly. However, once again, there was one question that still lingered in his mind. He hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to ask.
"After we find out her true identity, do you still intend to keep her by your side?"
The entertainment debt was just a pretext. It was the reason Atlas Raymond used to keep Josianne Everhart—or more precisely, Josianne Aurèlie Rousseau—close to him. All this time, he just needed time. Time to confirm who the girl really was. Was she truly a threat to the Republic of Montreveille? Atlas did not know whether she had joined the monarchy restoration group or was just a young girl lost in the vortex of her family's history.
But now, when all the puzzles had been solved.
"No. Just leave her be," Atlas said softly, though his baritone voice still sounded loud.
Elias stared at him intently, trying to read the meaning behind those few words. Suddenly, he was curious to know why his master still wanted to keep the Everhart girl by his side after they had discovered her true identity. As far as he could remember, Atlas Raymond was not a man who enjoyed having women around him.
When was the last time Elias had seen Atlas with a woman? Ellie didn't count, even though she was a woman. The last time Elias had seen him was probably about five years ago, when his master had officially become engaged to the daughter of a wealthy merchant from across the sea. Duke Raymond had arranged the engagement, matching his son with the daughter of his acquaintance, who was famous for her wealth and political power.
Elias had seen his master with the woman several times during meetings arranged by both families. Although they did not appear to be a couple in love, their relationship seemed fine. There was no hatred and no coercion in the marriage plans.
However, a year after their official engagement, the wedding fell through when Atlas discovered evidence that his fiancée's family were major supporters of the monarchy restoration group. And even though they came from across the sea, supporting that group was a fatal crime. As a result, their engagement was cancelled and his former fiancée's family received the punishment they deserved.
"Are you sure, Sir?" she asked cautiously.
Atlas did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze to the large window next to his desk, staring at the afternoon sky, which was turning golden orange.
"He's not that dangerous, Captain. Haven't we confirmed that he's not part of the criminal group?"
It was true that Josie was not part of the monarchy restoration group. It was just that ....
"Perhaps, with her by my side, I can repay my father's debt to her? You know, my father owes General Rousseau his life from when they were both at the academy. If Dorian Rousseau hadn't saved my father back then, I might not even be here today."
For the first time since the investigation began, Elias couldn't hide his surprise. He could only nod, understanding his master's sincere intentions. "In that case, I'll consider the entertainment debt extended."
Atlas only snorted softly. "As long as she's willing to pay it."
Perhaps Josie didn't realise that since the document arrived on Atlas Raymond's desk, a big secret that he had been hiding for the past three years was about to be revealed. The identities of the two as the most controversial adult novelists in the Republic of Montreveille, whose writings were secretly subscribed to by single noblewomen, wives of officials, and wealthy widows who loved passionate romantic stories disguised as literature.
Someone who had only been known by a mysterious pen name that adorned the shelves of elite bookshops, but had never once shown their true face to the world. Someone who had become the talk of the town in closed social circles, but had never been associated with a young girl with black hair and blue eyes who seemed innocent named Josianne Everhart.
Until now.
Until the man sitting behind the desk opened the investigation documents Elias had compiled and uncovered all the truths that had been carefully guarded by the young girl who claimed to be nothing more than a budding writer from Bluebill.