Translator: Nox

Ch#129

Chapter 129

The injured Laslo had no choice but to take a break from his emperor's guard duties for the time being.

And upon hearing the news, Dimarcus was, of course, greatly surprised.

"Count and Countess Criserus were attacked?"

"The culprits are Lauren and Daria Lancaster, the two daughters of the late Lancaster Duke. They're currently imprisoned in the Security Bureau's general jail."

"For an incident of this magnitude, one might expect a public execution at the imperial palace, so why send them to the Security Bureau?"

Talon Count leaned in toward Dimarcus's ear.

"They haven't uncovered the true mastermind behind the attack. Count Criserus seems to believe that if they leave the two in the relatively laxly guarded Security Bureau general jail, the real culprit will show up on their own."

"Hmm. That could be possible."

Bringing the culprits to the imperial palace meant outsiders couldn't meet them without special permission. But at the Security Bureau jail, visits were allowed once a week, and additional visits could be arranged for a fee.

It was questionable whether the mastermind behind this incident would try to meet Lauren and Daria again, but it wasn't a bad idea to test it.

Some people will surely spin this incident to suit their tastes!

The news of House Canian being humiliated at the Celestine family party was being overshadowed by the assassination attempt. House Canian wouldn't be able to cling to Edel again, but the effect Dimarcus and Laslo had hoped for would inevitably be halved.

No matter who the true culprit was, they were surely connected to one of the three great families. They were no easy opponents.

Thus, there was a need to weaken their power.

With a balance between imperial authority and noble power, progressive governance was possible, but if it tipped too far to one side, it would inevitably be dragged toward maximizing someone's gain.

And until now, the empire had been swayed by the whims of the three great families—to the point where people feared their heads more than the emperor.

"In any case, Countess Criserus must have been greatly shocked by this incident."

"Probably so. She was injured too, but it seems she's feeling more guilt over Count Criserus's severe injury."

"I suppose so."

.

Dimarcus nodded, then soon began chuckling softly.

"Laslo's quite the romanticist. Bare-handedly blocking assailants charging at his wife."

"When one's wife is attacked, most don't think twice."

"Saying it like that makes me sound like trash."

Dimarcus shot Talon Count a slight glare. Of course, Talon Count knew what Dimarcus meant.

"Count Criserus seems utterly smitten with his wife, yet he doesn't seem aware of it himself."

"Not even a little?"

"He seems aware of his fondness... but from what I could tell, he feels like she's someone he shouldn't even dare to desire."

"The first impression still lingers, I suppose."

That had been the case back then.

Laslo, who had received his countship but was still rough around the edges from rolling in battlefields like a mercenary, and Edel, young, beautiful, intelligent, and soon to become a duchess.

"Strictly speaking, it's Countess Criserus who shouldn't even glance at Laslo."

Dimarcus let out a light sigh.

The previous emperor had many concubines, and naturally many children from them.

But recognizing them all as imperial grandchildren would clutter the line of succession, so he acknowledged no one but the children of the empress as his own.

Until his later years, when loneliness plagued him.

"Three imperial grandchildren he tried to summon back then, right?"

"Something like that. They were his true children from the concubines he particularly cherished."

With the empress suicided, his son wandering conflict zones, daughters married off, and his vigor faded so he took no more concubines, the previous emperor only rediscovered family affection when he was completely alone.

"I must bring back my particularly cherished children now."

The imperial kin worried he had lost his mind when he declared he would gather the shards of relations he had shattered with his own hands. But the old man's stubbornness was unyielding, and with even the four great families in agreement, his aides prepared to purge the line of succession. But before they could even search for the three, the previous emperor passed away suddenly.

- 3 -

Since the previous emperor's will was to be announced after bringing back all the imperial grandchildren, the matter ended up buried indefinitely.

"The four great families must have tried to find those three to use as rivals against me. Unintentionally, it was fortunate that I found one of them first."

"What about the other two?"

"One seems to have died with their mother at her suicide, and the other was murdered for cheating at gambling tables, or so it goes."

The lives of women who had fallen from imperial favor mostly ended in tragedy. With so many concubines, the number still alive could be counted on one hand.

Thus, their children's lives couldn't have been smooth either.

Most couldn't forget their glamorous pasts and drowned in alcohol or drugs, or ended their lives by suicide, unable to bear the loneliness and misery.

Laslo's mother was fortunate to have a good relationship on paper with her husband, but after living together only a few years, she passed in an accident.

"Officially, Laslo is also considered deceased. His collateral relatives claimed Laslo and Linia had died."

"Conversely, that means the other two might still be alive..."

"My investigators concluded they were dead. Even if the three great families find them belatedly, what meaning would it have?"

Even if by some chance they were alive, their lives would be too ruined to present as imperial candidates.

As Dimarcus wiggled his crossed legs, he suddenly snapped his fingers.

"Oh! I just thought of a gift for Countess Criserus. Talon Count, summon the owner of ."

"Yes, understood."

Even as the conversation veered off unexpectedly, Talon Count withdrew without asking why he was suddenly calling for the jeweler.

Watching Talon Count's retreating figure, Dimarcus smiled slyly.

It'll take a few months to deliver the gift. Laslo will hate it, but he'll accept it for his wife's sake in the end.

He chuckled to himself, savoring the mischievous anticipation.

Tap, tap, tap.

.

Cotton held by medical tweezers gently dabbed the wound. As the medicine soaked into the cotton flowed over Laslo's skin, Edel quickly wiped it with a gauze handkerchief.

"Now I'll wrap it with bandages."

Edel tidied the tray with medicine, tweezers, medicine-soaked cotton, and such, then took out clean bandages and began wrapping Laslo's forearm.

"Is it too tight? Does it hurt?"

"Edel. I'm really fine, I told you. It's not pain, just a bit itchy."

Laslo smiled at Edel, who treated his nearly healed wound—ready for stitch removal—as if it were a grave injury.

But Edel seemed not to believe him.

"It's healing, but the area around it is still very red. It could get inflamed if not careful."

"I've never had that happen once. It'll heal quickly like this."

"That's how you end up with an aggravated wound—thinking lightly of it."

Edel persisted in rebutting while continuing to wrap the bandage.

Even with her furrowed brows, her beautifully arched eyebrows were filled with worry, making Laslo keep chuckling just watching her.

"I thought you were bold, but you're faint-hearted."

"I could've been bold if I'd been the one hurt. But I can't be nonchalant about you getting injured because of me."

Seeing guilt visit Edel's face again, Laslo raised his uninjured left hand and gently stroked her cheek with the back of it. As her hands wrapping the bandage paused, he playfully tapped between her brows as if it had all been a joke.

"I'm the one who's sorry, so cheer up. A guy handling the emperor's guard who neglected the surroundings deserves to get hurt."

Though he'd told her to cheer up, Edel's expression turned even more tearful. But soon she squeezed her eyes shut, as if swallowing some emotion, then resumed with a composed face, finishing the bandage and tying it off.

"It really doesn't hurt, right?"

"Really. Of course, I can't move it vigorously yet, but it doesn't hurt at all when still."

"That's a relief. I'll go get something to drink. Or would fruit be better?"

"No. Water's fine. Thanks."

It was then, as Edel nodded and rose from her seat.

A knock sounded—knock, knock—and Nathan announced himself. Laslo, having half-removed his shirt for bandaging, threw it back on and called out.

"Come in."

Nathan flung the door open, then upon seeing Laslo with his shirt front undone and Edel beside him, he panicked and stepped back.

"Sh-should I come back later?"

"The bandage is done, so it's fine. Ah, Edel. Could you help with this?"

"Look at me. I was only thinking of your thirst and forgot to button your shirt."

Edel set down the tray and buttoned Laslo's shirt.

Only then realizing it was nothing, Nathan approached with a relaxed expression.

"What is it?"

"The wildcat's caught in the trap."

At those words, Laslo's eyes sharpened instantly.

.