Chapter 106
#106. One Thing Unforeseen
The Emperor's office in the Imperial Palace.
A lingering gaze fell upon the long silence, but His Majesty the Emperor did not meet it. After staring at him wordlessly for a long while, Grand Duke Bikander spoke with a hint of laughter in his voice.
"...If you think of the price, call me anytime, Your Majesty. I must be off to have my dinner."
It was a notice, not a request.
But even at that arrogant attitude, His Majesty the Emperor had to grit his teeth and bear it.
And after Grand Duke Bikander left the office, His Majesty the Emperor swept everything off the desk.
Crash-. At the sharp sound of something breaking, the Chamberlain rushed in. The Chamberlain, with a bewildered face, quickly closed the door, but His Majesty the Emperor saw nothing.
His Majesty the Emperor exhaled in anger. Only after the oppressive energy that had been weighing down the office disappeared did His Majesty the Emperor explode with rage.
"How dare he, how dare he!"
The words he had failed to unleash at the departed Grand Duke Bikander echoed like thunder through the office. His suppressed anger exploded, and His Majesty the Emperor glared at the office door with bloodshot eyes.
The lingering red eyes continued to surface in his mind, digging into his brain. The words Grand Duke Bikander had left behind washed over him again.
.
.
.
"Why are you beating around the bush so much? It's obvious you want to talk about Lowell's mine."
Wondering how much he knew, His Majesty the Emperor's probing words were cut off in an instant. At the red eyes that were looking at him with interest, His Majesty the Emperor gritted his teeth and tried to maintain a relaxed attitude.
The bastard already knew.
So His Majesty the Emperor got straight to the point.
"...The mine has become the property of the Princess."
The words he spat out felt dry. The mine, which had always been His Majesty the Emperor's weapon, was now in the Princess's grasp.
His Majesty the Emperor subtly gauged Grand Duke Bikander's reaction.
Having lived as the Emperor his entire life, he was skilled at hiding his expressions, but a cold sweat ran down his back due to the tension he was feeling for the first time.
A slow smile spread across the beautiful face that resembled Lowell's Princess of old. And then.
Hahahaha. Grand Duke Bikander burst into laughter. At the laughter that seemed to stem from genuine amusement, His Majesty the Emperor's heart dropped for a moment.
Could it be that the Princess had already transferred ownership of the mine to Grand Duke Bikander?
All sorts of thoughts raced through his mind. Even as he told himself that couldn't be the case, His Majesty the Emperor barely managed to hold onto his reeling mind. In the meantime, Grand Duke Bikander slowly opened his lips.
"Not the Princess, but the future Grand Duchess, Your Majesty."
Even though he knew it was a subtle probe, Grand Duke Bikander did not answer properly. Did that mean there was a chance of success, or had it already been thwarted?
"...More importantly, can I take this call as a sign that you have prepared the price I mentioned?"
"What price are you talking about?"
"Didn't I mention it during our private meeting? That I intend to receive compensation for what should rightfully have been mine."
At Grand Duke Bikander's languid voice, His Majesty the Emperor clicked his tongue. Had he made a mistake in choosing to meet with Grand Duke Bikander privately because he was desperate to know the whereabouts of the mine? The red glint in his eyes was particularly intense.
"A price. For an Imperial subject to ask for a price for serving the Empire. Haha. Wasn't what you wanted the White Crystal Mine?"
He laughed as if he was putting on a brave face. His mouth felt parched. Grand Duke Bikander looked at His Majesty the Emperor with an amused expression.
"The White Crystal Mine originally belonged to Lowell. I am seeking compensation for having been deprived of what should rightfully have been mine, Your Majesty."
"Haha. The Grand Duke of the Empire and a war hero like you must have everything you need. Compensation, you say. Tell me what it is. What do you lack?"
"What do you think I lack, Your Majesty?"
At the playful voice, His Majesty the Emperor frowned. He couldn't tell whether this was also a joke or a sign that he knew something.
Grand Duke Bikander smiled brightly. Then, at some point, the red eyes within the curved eyes menacingly stared at His Majesty the Emperor.
"Aren't you the one who took away what should rightfully have been mine?"
The things that His Majesty the Emperor had taken away and should rightfully have been Grand Duke Bikander's. Countless things that he could guess at flashed through his mind.
For a moment, His Majesty the Emperor swallowed without realizing it.
The red eyes, which had been watching His Majesty the Emperor with a strange feeling, flashed sharply.
For the first time, His Majesty the Emperor avoided Grand Duke Bikander's gaze and lowered his head for a long time, as if he was trying to see through him.
* * *
His Majesty the Emperor's bedroom, the deepest part.
"What should rightfully have been his..."
His Majesty the Emperor muttered quietly, staring at the upside-down portrait of the Princess.
The Princess flashed through his mind. Was he asking for compensation for the past of a chick who had been deprived of its mother?
His Majesty the Emperor shook his head, about to turn the portrait back over. A surge of anger welled up inside him.
As always, the Princess was turning her back on him even in this taxidermied state. But he didn't have the courage to turn it back.
He had intended to laugh at the Princess when everything returned to its place. But now, it was he, the supreme Emperor, who was being laughed at.
Ha. At the lamentable feeling, another thought flashed through the mind of His Majesty the Emperor, who let out a sigh.
Or perhaps...
"There's no way he could know about the late Grand Duke's affairs."
His Majesty the Emperor tried to reassure himself by muttering aloud.
"He fell into the Valley of Senua. Grand Duke Bikander will be treated as missing. I am sorry that we could not show you his body for certain, Your Majesty."
The voice of the person who was still reporting was clear. Although he was in the afterlife now. All those who knew about it were all dead.
At first, he was angry that he had not dealt with it properly, but it was okay even if he was treated as missing and his body was not found.
The Valley of Senua, located at the edge of the Territory of Vikander. His Majesty the Emperor knew very well that no one could survive in the treacherous northern valley, which could be believed to be the mouth of the devil.
But why was he so uneasy? The Princess, the late Grand Duke, the White Crystal Mine, or perhaps...
His Majesty the Emperor felt a chill run down his spine.
There were too many things to worry about to guess. He thought it was fortunate that the Princess had not immediately stabbed him in the back after she came to own the mine. What else were they hiding?
The smiling face came to mind, and His Majesty the Emperor rubbed his head. Thoughts that he had never had before flooded in and tormented him.
If the mine had been his, he wouldn't have had such worries. With a resentful heart, His Majesty the Emperor looked out of the bedroom with cold eyes.
The portrait of the Imperial family, which had been hung in the most visible place from the bed, had long been taken down.
A Princess who couldn't even do her job because she was sick. Even with the Empress's protection, he could no longer tolerate it.
The Princess had to take responsibility for what she had done as a Princess. The donation of the White Crystal Mine, which he had done to tie the Grand Duke to the Princess forever, was coming back in this way!
His Majesty the Emperor trembled and looked at the bedroom with sharp eyes, and his mind flashed for a moment. His Majesty the Emperor quickly put the Princess's portrait back in its original place.
Facing the Princess with an indifferent expression, His Majesty the Emperor asked in a sharp voice.
"Was the reason you wanted that Abandoned Mine so much really because of your filial piety towards the Grand Duke?"
The Princess in the portrait said nothing. Ignoring the terribly spreading sense of defeat, His Majesty the Emperor exhaled anxiously.
"...All defenses have been prepared."
"It's the story of people who make sounds with their noble voices and sincerity. Aren't you curious? If you sing with sincerity, what happens?"
From the moment he heard the legend of Lowell from the Princess, His Majesty the Emperor knew that the words would not end as just a legend.
Because he had seen with his own eyes how the Princess had healed the wounds of the late Grand Duke with that power.
Fearing that power, he oppressed all the green eyes who were thought to be descendants of Lowell, and added the gaze of a lowly dancer to prevent them from even opening their mouths. Not only that, but he made them live as if they were always being chased.
Of course, even in high society, green eyes were the object of contempt. Even the noble Princess was only half...
For a moment, His Majesty the Emperor stared blankly at the portrait. The moment the clear green eyes overlapped and the image of Madeleine came to mind, His Majesty the Emperor shouted without realizing it.
"...Madeleine, summon Duke Madeleine immediately!"
* * *
The Imperial Palace's garden.
Edwin smiled and turned to Winster. Winster, who would normally have rushed over to worry about him, was grinning.
"Why aren't you asking me if anything happened today?"
"It's already widely rumored in the palace that His Majesty the Emperor overturned his desk today, Your Highness."
The tight-lipped servants of the Imperial Palace. Winster, who spoke freely with the most impenetrable servants of the Imperial Palace, shrugged his shoulders.
"Already? I only heard the sound of the desk being overturned when I was closing the door."
"Didn't Your Highness come down late? It's already spreading to the laundry room."
While speaking, Winster felt something was wrong and raised his eyebrows.
His Highness, who hated the Imperial Palace, especially the Emperor's Palace, spent more time there on purpose? Was he expecting to see the Emperor's frustrated face? Or was there something else bothering him?
Anyway, Winster had a good sense.
Edwin shrugged his shoulders at the staring gaze. And for a moment, he thought of His Majesty the Emperor.
His Majesty the Emperor, who was like a slippery eel who hid his true feelings well, suddenly swallowed his words during the conversation. And he avoided his gaze.
In a situation where he couldn't even guess what he was asking for, it was as if he had something to hide.
The trembling breath, the staggering gaze, and even the fingers that were clenching as if he was uneasy. Edwin had confirmed everything about His Majesty the Emperor. What on earth could it be? Knowing what he wanted, why was he so uneasy?
"...Don't look to the left. You'll ruin your eyes."
At Winster's stiff voice, Edwin reflexively looked to the left and nodded as if agreeing with the words. Winster, who had warned him in advance, ignored Duke Madeleine, who was walking over with a stiff expression.
It was something that could be passed by indifferently. The courteous Duke would greet him, but Edwin himself was only reluctantly accepting the greeting, as they were on bad terms.
But...
Even though their eyes met, the Duke did not pay his respects to Edwin. Was it because he was the head of the Imperial Faction? Just as a somewhat twisted heart was about to reach out.
Edwin tilted his head. Unlike his usual firm and sharp face, the Duke's expression, which could be seen at a glance, seemed to have lost his soul. As if he had received some kind of shock...
"Your Highness! Grand Duke!"
The sound of someone calling the Grand Duke echoed loudly in the Emperor's garden.
Howard, who was rushing over from afar, had a strange look on his face instead of his usual expressionless face. The mischievous Winster laughed as if joking, telling him to look at that face.
Edwin, who didn't know what was going on, was the same.
"Lord Interfield, is something wrong?"
"The young lady has bruises on her wrist!"
In an instant, Edwin's eyes flashed.
* * *
Olivia thought that tonight's dinner, the last dinner at the Grand Duke's Residence, would be harmonious.
Sharing cards filled with regret, eating a delicious dinner, exchanging short greetings, and promising to meet again.
But.
"Young lady. Who, who made your wrist like this?"
The moment Dian arrived at the Grand Duke's Residence and discovered her wrist. Everything was over.
"Waaah. Young lady. It doesn't disappear even if you steam it."
"Would it be best for the healing mage, no, for Bethany to come?"
The moment she saw Dian, who was grinding her teeth, Hanna, who was crying her eyes out, and Sobel, who seemed calm but was restless, and the maids and servants who were peeking and worrying beyond the drawing room.
Olivia forgot all those plans and burst into laughter.
"His Highness has arrived!"
...She wasn't ready to see Edwin yet. Olivia's bright face clouded over for a moment.
