The master spy or Puss in the boot adventures

The recording device, Part 12

I bowed low, trying to hide the nervous twitch of my tail. "Your Majesty, I believe I can be of great service in this matter. The Duke still believes I'm loyal to him, since I 'saved' him from the poison attempt. If you'll allow me, I can gather concrete evidence of his treachery."

King Louis stroked his chin thoughtfully. "And how do I know I can trust you, cat? You've played all sides before."

"Your Majesty," I said earnestly, "I swear on my nine lives that I am loyal to the crown. Let me prove it by exposing this plot once and for all."

I am not sure if I can trust you any more. What if you only trying to save your tail?

I met his gaze steadily. "Because, Sire, I've seen firsthand the damage the Duke's scheming has caused. To the kingdom, to your marriage... I want to make amends for my part in it all."

The King glanced at Richelieu, who gave a slight nod. "Very well," Louis said. "But know this - if you betray us, your head... 

"Will fly first," added the Cardinal, nodding toward the King.

I bowed deeply. "I understand, Your Majesty. I won't let you down."

King Louis waved his hand dismissively. "See that you don't. Now, what's your plan?"

I straightened up, my mind racing. "With your permission, Sire,  I'll seek out the Duke and tell him I've discovered a plot against him - that the Cardinal and Queen are conspiring to have him removed. He'll be desperate for allies and information. I'll use that to get close to him and uncover the details of his plans."

The King nodded slowly. "And how will you prove his guilt beyond doubt?"

"I'll need some way to record his confessions," I said. "Perhaps... a small mechanical device I could hide on my person? Something that could capture his words...

"A recording device?" the King looked intrigued. "An interesting idea, but how would such a thing work?"

Cardinal Richelieu stepped forward. "Your Majesty, if I may - I believe I have just the thing. My engineers have been working on a miniature phonograph that could serve our purposes. It's small enough to be concealed and can capture voices with remarkable clarity."

The King's eyes lit up. "Excellent! See to it that our feline friend here is equipped with this device before he returns to the palace."

"Perfect," I purred. "With that, we can capture the Duke's treasonous words in his own voice. He won't be able to deny it."

Cardinal Richelieu stroked his chin thoughtfully. "A clever plan. But risky. If the Duke discovers you're wearing such a device..."

"Then my nine lives may come to an abrupt end," I finished grimly. "But it's a risk I'm willing to take, Your Eminence. For the good of the kingdom."

I bowed again. "Thank you, Your Majesty. With this tool, I'm confident I can obtain the proof we need."

"Very well," King Louis said. "You have three days. Bring us irrefutable evidence of the Duke's treachery, or it will be your head on the chopping block. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly clear, my king"  I said and bowed low. 

King Louis nodded approvingly. "Very well. You'll set out for the palace tonight, under cover of darkness. The Cardinal will provide you with the recording device.