It was May 21 , 1916. It had been a week since I had returned to my Aunt's place in Sussex . I hadn't wished to go but there was something of grave importance that I had to go. But now I was happily returning to Flace street back to see how he was doing after spending a whole week with Agnes.  I was a bit glad that I had to go . After Agnes left for her room , I was not sure what to say to her next morning. By now, she would have forgotten it probably.

I paid the man money as I stepped out of carriage. I had hardly any time to knock that Tricky opened the door.

"It has been hell here." He sighed.

"It is good to see you too and let's talk when I am inside." I chuckled as he closed the door .I couldn't see any sign of Agnes.

"Is she gone?" I whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Tricky asked confused.

"Who are you talking to , Tricky?"Agnes came down the stairs from first floor as I turned back and saw her raising her eyes .

"Hello Agnes." I smiled.

"Really?" She glared and then went back to her room.

"What is the matter with her?" I asked puzzled.

"I don't know." He said not much concerned.

"Really! Are you not supposed to know stuff by deduction?" I asked.

"Yes! But certainly that doesn't cover ever changing mood of a 12 year old teen girl ." He answered.

"Fair enough. So any new case you solved without me ?" I asked as I took out my hat and put it on table and arched back.

"Just one. It was not even that interesting case.There was a man with red tattoo troubling my client out of nowhere and then disappearing. I found him easily. Turns out to be just a suspicious brother in law. " He sighed.

"Oh! Well I am certainly not including them in my record of cases." I chuckled.

"Ya! You know I read your cases. And I think you potray ourselves as much more light headed than serious ." He remarked.

"I just state what we actually are. Plus! It doesn't always help if you are serious only." I told him.

"Well! I am expecting a client soon. A letter just arrived. Tell me what do you make of it ." He handed me a letter.

"The letter was just like a normal paper, but the paper used was quite costly . Certainly a man in a very good financial situation. There is a bit of dust on it sticking. The man had intended to send this sooner but didn't and yet did today. Perhaps something interesting happened." I handed him back the letter.

"Remarkable!" He commented.

"Really thanks." I beamed.

"You noticed everything but what actually happened. The dust on it is not because of being kept there for too long . No! The man could simply write another letter , a man of his attire. But he didn't. He had his clerk wrote him in his office. Certainly clerk is not living in a very clean office. He is not into decision making affected by morality.  No! He is a man of business . Then there is inside of the letter .

Simply written

"At afternoon 2 pm , you will recieve a visit from my master's agent."

But notice the budge between the words. There is a hesitation in writing. The man is lying about something." Tricky remarked.

"Wow!" I exhaled.

"And William, as much as I appreciate Agnes leaving us alone , I have learned to see far sighted consequences. I think if you don't go right now and appease her in your normal fellow manner , she would disrupt when we will have our client." He put down the letter looking at me.

"You can't be serious. Did you see how angry she was before she went to her room? I am not going there.." I began but he gave me a look"I insist."

"Fine! Very well." I sighed and took a deep breath as I walked into her room. She was reading a book "Alchemist".

"That is very fine book you got there." I remarked sitting on chair .

"Yes! That is why I am reading it . Need anything?" She asked without looking away from book.

"Yes ! Reason behind your sudden storming into room seeing me." I crossed my arms.

"Damn it . Can't you take a hint ? I have no desire to interfere any of your matters." She said firmly.

"Really ! Then perhaps you can go back to your Lodgings " I stated.

"You are so clueless." She whined and was about to leave the room.

"Ok! Explain please." I quickly stopped her.

"After what happened at night of one week before, I thought you would reply. At least tell what you want to do but you just out of nowhere without even bothering me disappeared." She said.

"What happened at night of one week before. We were amazed by Tricky's solving of mystery and then you .. oh ! I see that now." I realised.

"Well! I can't say there is a ritual of kissing goodnight in my family for friends but if that is a custom in your family, it is all good." I chuckled.

"No ! There is no custom like that in any family. Apparently you are gullible when it comes to non mystery problems so here it is. Would you like to court me?" She asked.

"Oh! Ohh!" I groaned. That was not what I expected. If I say no , she would make hell of our clients , if I say yes , I would avoid that and also I am pretty fine with courting her since she is quite attractive (coughs ! I couldn't resist like I hoped for)

"Yes!" I answered as she widened her eyes.

"Really wow! You really said yes." She hugged me.

"Since we are apparently planning to ...court, I must tell you..you hug too tight." I groaned.

"Oh! Sorry." She giggled drawing back.

"I still don't understand certain aspects though?" I sighed.

"Certain aspects of what?" She asked sitting on bed.

"Well why me? I mean Tricky is obviously more brilliant, intelligent,unpredictable .." I began.

"Don't sell yourself short. I saw him while you were gone. He was so bored that Miss Rossarch had to bear his tantrums . He needs you if he is in a case . Plus I don't look for brilliance only. I look for nature. Which you have William Ryder, you have been very considerate and respectful and I don't know. I just like you ." She giggled.

"Great. So see you later. We have a client coming. " I told her.

"Then I will come too and listen." She said excitedly.

"Umm.. Agnes, I really appreciate it but I just want to say that I am obviously not implying you are not contributing but three is a bit rush.." I stuttered.

"Hey! Don't bother trying to be so nice all the time. I know. I will just listen. Promise." She pouted.

"Very well. Come on." I sighed as we walked down the stairs. Just as I entered the drawing room, I heard a knock.

"A man of aristocratic background." Tricky smiled .

"Of course you knew by the knock." I shrugged opening the door.

A man in his late 30s , clean shaved face , tanned skin entered.

"Please sit down ,Mr..." I looked at him.

"Charles Rodger." He said sitting down and put down his hat.

"Well Mr Charles! Pray tell what troubles your master?" I asked.

"I would hope for this information to be confidential so perhaps if she could leave." He looked at Agnes.

"Uhmm.. actually she is definitely not going to go but you can trust that she is certainly not going to tell anyone what you tell here " I quickly said before Agnes could reply bluntly.

"Very well. I trust your discretion. So my master.." He began but Tricky chuckled.

"There is really no need for such lucidious act . You are no agent. You are the client itself. Worried that we might not recieve you very kindly due to your German origin but I would like to make this thing clear. I am against Germany . But I have no hatred against normal civilians of it who are talking legal shelther here ." Tricky said as he looked startled.

"Well! So it was true. You are truly one of the best ." He sighed and then took off his face mask revealing his identity.

"Ah! Probably not known to many in this century . So let's began totally honest." Tricky remarked as Agnes sat on rail of my chair as Tricky looked for a moment and then went back to our client.

"My name is Avidagro William Victor Albert .I am the bastard son of German Emperor Wilhelm II. If I was claimed, I would have been called Wilhelm III." He paused as we gaped our eyes.

" When he was crowned on 15 June, 1888 ,all people in our homeland were so rejoiced. A new emperor with young bright ideas and a fierce determination. Then he met my mother, an English woman .One of the most devious woman . Oh ! How she changed that man . It is a good thing he didn't marry her so there I was born in 15 June,1890, exactly two years after his ascension. He was quite keen of me as my mother told me because we had to move back to England soon after he refused to marry her . And then my mother started to fill my head with all things about him . I didn't believe her .

So basically I never had any contact with my father. Then the war broke out in 1914 and I thought no further of him than enemy of my nation but I can't let people believe I am a patriot if I tell I am his son. No! They would rather see me hang seeing the circumstances. Few days ago , I recieved an anonymous letter. The letter was written in German and even I though have German blood, I don't know language so I took it to my mom who knew German . She read the letter and ran away screaming .

I didn't attempt to follow her in such a state. So I went away for few days to a business trip in Liverpool. When I came back in evening , I found her hanged in her room. The servants swore that they had been specifically instructed not to disturb her and saw her at 2 pm . So she must have hanged herself between 2 pm and 5 pm when I came to her room. "

"Mr Victor Albert ! How do you know with a certainity in your voice that she hanged herself?" Tricky asked.

"She must have. There was nothing moved in the room , servants didn't hear anything, her door was locked and she was not very rich or powerful that anyone would feel threatened enough to kill her . " He said.

"I see." Tricky exhaled.

"Plus ! I found this letter on her bed. I couldn't understand one word of it. It is in German but yet i tried finding an interpreter and he said nothing here makes any sense." He took out a letter as Tricky took it gently placing on his table.

"Mr Albert ! This case is intriguing and you can trust on our discretion. We will try to find out exactly what happened " Tricky rose up as he rose up nodding.

"Well! I know.. this case might require some expenses to you .Will this much be enough for right now?" He handed him a bag full of coins.

"And you say you are not rich. Perhaps! You should be more careful with letting relativity of situation into description of facts." Tricky chuckled .

"Oh! I will. Good day." He baded goodbye.

"What an interesting fellow!" Tricky remarked.

"Yeah! " I shook my head.

"Well ! I guess I will see you two quite later." Agnes rose up from chair smiling.

"Ok! Why is Agnes acting so .. friendly?" Tricky crossed his arms as she went away.

"What does it matter? let's go . We have a case to solve." I chuckled wearing my coat.

"So you are saying that you never left your kitchen, Miss Dupis?" Tricky asked.

"Yes!" She answered.

"I find that to be oddly not fitting with timeline. You said she called you last at 2 pm and you say you never left the kitchen. Yet there are fresh soil marks on your boots and a leaf node in your hair only found in backyard. Oh! I see. You were with gardener." He stated as her face turned pale.

"Please! I wasn't..." She began.

"Don't bother. You are too gullible to make it look like she was hanged." He proceeded up the stairs as I gulped at his bluntness. Tricky sure doesn't hesitate to say what he thinks of anyone.

"Why do you think that she was murdered?" I asked him.

"Well! If she wasn't , then why will Mr Albert feel compelled enough to call for our assistance?" He remarked.

"Maybe because he wanted you to figure out the German Cipher or code?" I suggested.

"I do agree that it is an integral part of investigation but it is not complete without murder of Mr Victor Albert's mom." He said.

"Look at these compressions on rope. They aren't going in the direction of noose around the neck but opposite. Because if the woman threw the chair from under her feet , she would have applied pressure on rope and then died applying pressure on rope but the pressure is here in opposite direction because someone has deliberately put it . He already suffocated the woman and then killed her . He knew her . That is for sure . They poured a margarita , talked for some time and then things got out of hand . She struggled but he overpowered her and then choked her to death . " Tricky stated.

"That is prespestorous , Tricky. I mean I will admit it is quite good story but where are the facts to prove that." I asked looking at the room.

"William! William! You see but yet not observe. Now if you spread your nose wide to smell , you will find the smell of margarita. And why will a woman who wants to die pour margarita before her suicide? Unlikely. She pours it for someone. " He said leaning beside bed and pushed his hand under the bed and pulled two empty glasses.

"See! I know smell of margarita when I smell it . Not that I have ever drink it , mind you . Now they knew each other because she didn't ask for servants to remove him. How do I know it is him? It is a valid presumption that no woman from her past would be that close. Here I am taking a chance. And since she is dead , obviously things got out of hand ."  He finished.

"Wow! Ok. Now I believe you ." I sighed.

"Thanks. I am glad." He smirked .

"Carriage!" He waved his hand.

"Where are we going?" I asked sitting in carriage.

"To find a German interpreter. You see ! I just needed to confirm that whether she was actually killed or not. She was. So now the only thing we need to do is to figure out what these codes mean . Of course that can only be possible when someone converts them from German to English and then I use my brain." He sighed.

"I have heard about you . Tricky X and William Ryder right?" A half bald man with glasses asked us as we entered a library which apparently Tricky knew since he went there when referring to case of loyal killer.

"Yes! And we would be very much obliged if you can translate this for us." Tricky handed him a letter.

We waited in chair while he scribbled data in English from German.

"You know I am going to figure it out." Tricky said all of sudden.

"I know. You always figure out your cases." I agreed.

"I meant what is going on with you and Agnes. " He said as I nervously chuckled. He can't know. That wouldn't be good I think. He is quite not keen on...such things.

"Here." He handed us a paper.

"Thanks Mr Webster." We shook his hand and then went back to our lodgings where Tricky looked at the sentences staring at his face .

"For the blossom love of ours, try to find the ovule of ideal in him.

For the non withering of Oaked crown , find the thrill .

Take the pollen from the red poppy to pistil by crescent's doom."

"I can't figure anything. I mean the man obviously knows bit biology what..a dreamy poet." I chuckled

"Oh my god! We have to run quick." Tricky shouted suddenly as he jumped over the table knocking out jar.

"Hey ! That was of Agnes, do you know that?" I told him as we ran through the streets of Bristol.

"I am not worried about what Agnes would say when the Germans are one step closer to turning this war." He shouted as we soon reached police station.

"Tricky! What happened to you ? Panting like that" Inspector Saltwater looked at us.

"Tell me ! Which ship is sailing today to Germany for any commercial purposes?" He asked.

"Are you living in this world? We are at war . No ship is sailing for Germany." He chuckled.

"Does any ship go to any nation through which someone can sneak out to Germany?" He asked.

"What is this all about?" He crossed his arms.

"Tell me." He asked.

"Well yes! One ship sails to Belgium in about a hour.." He began.

"Contact Embassy ! Army ! ..I don't know anyone to stop that freighter. Because the very man opposing this country is on that ship . If you don't stop that train , Wilhelm II will escape right from your hands with his heir ." Tricky said as all looked at him stopping in their tracks.

"I will inform he port authorities." Inspector finally said dispatching men.

We waited briskly at home.

"How did you know all of that?" I asked.

"It was clear. The letter made it clear. Wilhelm II knew that his country is losing. Not today or tomorrow but soon they will be defeated. In that light, he will be overthrown from his throne. In order to maintain his royal bloodline, he needed back his son. He couldn't very well ask him . His son didn't even know him. His mother had to convince him..but would she ? He sent her a letter and got no reply back . He knew she was angry. He came through Belgium to England disguised and went to her. She didn't scream at the shock. They both talked . He must have persisted on having her convince her son to join him in Germany to rule as his successor as he sent her a German cipher she knew shortly before he arrived. She knew he was coming and poured margarita.

The sentences were symbolical understanding.

For the blossom love of ours, try to find the ovule of ideal in him.

"That means that for their past good times of love , try to find ovule implying the deep root of German nationalism in him"

For the non withering of Oaked crown , find the thrill .

"Oaked crown is a symbol of Germany. To not let it go to downfall, find the German blood in him."

Take the pollen from the red poppy to pistil by crescent's doom."

"Red poppy is sign of England and pistil refers to female Germania, allegory of Germany. Crescent's doom . Which means when the moon as crescent disappears behind cloud, come to port and to have him (pollen) shipped from England to Germany .

She refused. He choked her and now he is attempting to take him to Germany to succeced him as his successor. He will ensure the monarchy continues since he had blood of catholic England and Germany and great claim to throne." He finished.

"What a nasty piece of political drama." I sighed.

Inspector Saltwater returned but we knew by his face that we had lost him. The war had just changed. Everything was turned.

"I feel incompetent. I don't feel like I have done anything. I couldn't ensure my client's safety." Tricky groaned as we were left alone.

"I know. I will not mention this case in my record." I said.

"No! Record it and keep it preserved. The public needs to know that there are some forces at work that are much larger than what we found ourselves capable of eliminating or catching. I need to look back at this case and remember I was beaten by a man on throne." He sighed as I nodded in understanding.

2 years later we came to know that Wilhelm had fled the country and there was no sightings of his possible Wilhelm III . Perhaps it was just a hope but we hoped that he was safe and not killed by that beast of a power too.

Recorded on 21 May , 1916