Chapter 36: Matias and Rodrigues

"I wanted to say that... I basically don't mind if you have a relationship with my son, miss. It's just that... I want to ask you something."

"What... can I do, ma'am?", she asked a little tensely.

"Please don't get my son into trouble. Settle your affairs with the royal family first."

"Ah, I understand, Madam. Of course, I don't want to cause Matias any trouble either."

"He is very fond of you, Miss Nivea. For a long time, since you were his junior. I just pretended not to know in front of him. He's always hiding it."

"What ma'am? So... was it really that long ago?"

Countess Victoria smiled, "I'm telling the truth, miss."

"Ah, well ma'am. I believe in you."

"If your affair with Prince Edmund is over, I will convince my husband not to worry about anything anymore."

Nivea could only answer that sentence with a faint smile.

While at the same time, Matias Vander Lawrence arrived at the right time, when His Majesty and Prince Edmund were having a conversation. They were discussing their plan to make a formal proposal to the daughter of duke Eduardo.

Matias and Rodrigues' plan to confront Prince Edmund in front of His Majesty seemed to be going smoothly today.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty. His Majesty has a visitor, a son of count Antonio Lawrence has come to see His Majesty."

"Son of... count Antonio? What is the matter with me?", asked the king in astonishment. Meanwhile, Prince Edmund, who was sitting opposite him, began to frown. He swallowed his displeasure that the man had dared to come to the palace uninvited.

"Let him come here to see me!", he ordered the messenger.

After his nervousness subsided, Matias finally had the courage to start walking. Following the steps of a palace guard to His Majesty's study.

"Greetings, may blessings and happiness flow to you, His Majesty the king and family.", Matias bowed slightly before him.

"Thank you, sir...."

"Matias Vander Lawrence."

"Ah, forgive me for not memorizing your name well. You are the first son of Count Antonio?"

"Yes, Your Majesty.", Matias' eyes were fixed only on His Majesty. As if he didn't care about Prince Edmund's presence there.

"Hmm... Can you tell me now? The purpose of your coming to see me?"

"I want to show His Majesty something.", the hand began to reach into the inner pocket of his black suit. Then he handed the photographs he had printed the other day into His Majesty's hands.

And what was his surprise, as his gaze caught one of the young men in the photograph. He understood, did not immediately react to his son. As if he was not surprised to find his son in the photo. And instead continued his question to Matias.

"Can you explain what these pictures mean, Mr. Matias?"

"Of course, Your Honor. In the beginning, Mr. Carlos, the manager of a government-owned vineyard. Where I work, he complained of irregularities in his financial statements concerning taxes."

Prince Edmund flinched when he heard the word tax at the end of Matias' sentence. But the man who was still sitting on his sofa, tried to control himself to remain calm. He did not want to appear panicked.

His Majesty was still nodding at Matias' words, "Then?"

"Mr. Carlos said that every month he regularly gives money to Mr. Benedict to be deposited with the tax authorities. Mr. Benedict is the financial officer of our estate. But, Mr. Carlos received information from the tax authorities that we have been in arrears for many months."

"Hmm... Alright! Then?"

"I did not want to get involved in this matter at all, Your Honor. Let alone investigate it. But unexpectedly, I caught Sir Benedict talking to a strange man at the estate. The one-eyed man and Lord Benedict are in one of the pictures, Your Majesty."

His Majesty sighed, "Did you hear their conversation?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. I had to eavesdrop because they looked suspicious."

"What were they talking about?"

"The one-eyed man is named Mr. Keith. He helped Mr. Benedict to make a fake tax bill. He then destroyed the original bills. After that, Mr. Benedict gave the fake tax bill to Mr. Carlos. After that, Mr. Benedict made a profit that he shared with Mr. Keith."

"What, in a government-owned vineyard, there is such a practice?", His Majesty began to get angry. He shook his head. "And then what?"

"Again, I accidentally caught the two men meeting in front of the tax office in the morning. And it just so happened that at that time I was renting a photographic equipment that I would use to make family documentation. I decided to take a picture of them that morning, Your Honor."

"Right, this picture is set in the tax office building."

Over there, Prince Edmund was getting more and more anxious to hear Matias' next story. He wondered how to make the man end his speech.

"A friend of mine helped me to investigate who Mr. Keith really was. And it turns out that he is a worker in charge of making and printing bills at the tax office."

"Ah, amazing. Even a government agency can be a rat's nest. Then, Mr. Matias?"

"Mr. Keith has committed many such frauds, Your Highness. Not just in our vineyard. And he can freely carry out his actions because he has protection."

"Protection?", the king asked in surprise.

"Enough, Mr. Matias! You have taken up much of His Majesty's time with me."

"Shut up Edmund! You are not polite at all! Let him continue his explanation!", the king reflexively shouted. It finally made prince Edmund bow in silence.

"Whose protection are you referring to?", he continued to ask Matias.

"Your Majesty can see it in the picture."

"Ah, so you are... Edmund? Answer me, Edmund!!!"

The crown prince, still refused to open his mouth.

"How much profit have you taken Edmund? Where did all the profits go? Can't you talk, Edmund? Answer me!!!"

"How could you... believe everything he said, Father? With just a few pictures in your hand right now, you believe him?"

His Majesty turned to Matias. To his mind, Prince Edmund's words had some truth to them. Matias, who understood the meaning of His Majesty's gaze, hurriedly opened his mouth before he was accused of making up stories.

"My friend brought a witness, Your Majesty. Your Majesty can ask the witness directly about this matter."

"What did you say, a witness? You paid someone to make up a story in front of His Majesty?"

"Shut up, Edmund! Where is that witness now? Bring him before me immediately!"