Translator: Nox

Ch#223

Chapter 223

After leaving the attic, I went to my room and slept as if I were dead. Though it was only two or three hours of sleep, I had no dreams and woke up feeling very refreshed. Thanks to that, I felt like I finally knew what I had to do.

I woke up Marie and the others, quickly prepared myself, and left the mansion. My destination was the Imperial Palace.

The Crown Prince easily accepted my unannounced request for an audience, despite how busy he surely was with various matters. Of course, since I had left the palace yesterday using dizziness as an excuse, he seemed to find my visit quite unexpected, likely thinking I wouldn't seek him out for a few days.

Walking through the long corridors of the Crown Prince's Palace, an air of frantic activity was everywhere. An ominous aura had settled over the surroundings. Maidservants and attendants moved so busily they were practically running, making me wonder if their master had given them some specific word.

Lady Roshan and Knight Aires were being secretive and evasive, but we already knew. Rebellion was right around the corner.

"Is your body alright? Are you no longer dizzy?"

As soon as the Crown Prince received my greeting, he asked in a sarcastic tone. It was a minor reproach for yesterday's events. It stood to reason, as I had spoiled things before the deal with the Kiran Family could even be finalized.

He must be furious. His quick acceptance of my visit was undoubtedly to discuss this matter. What a petty man.

I feigned ignorance and responded calmly.

"I am much better now, thanks to your concern."

"If you recovered in just one day, it must not have been a very serious illness. Even so, you fall ill quite often, Lady. You seem to have poor health. You must be careful. Especially in times like these. Suddenly feeling unwell is something to be suspicious of. Right, I heard you replaced the butler? You made a very wise choice."

He was even being reported on such trivial matters. I maintained a faint smile and thanked him. The Crown Prince seemed slightly piqued when I showed a casual reaction and didn't flinch.

With things becoming complicated and even me not listening properly, he had no choice but to be angry. Thus, he immediately asked for my business.

"So, what is the reason you sought me out despite your poor health?"

Instead of answering, I stared at him blankly. It felt as if I were facing a predator that was full but in a foul mood, making me instinctively tense.

Indeed, the atmosphere was such that he might explode if poked even slightly. That was why I couldn't answer easily. Before applying for the visit, I had intended to talk about Roena.

What would happen if I confessed to him now that Roena was with me? He would be greatly enraged. And that fire would surely leap toward me for deceiving him.

Ah, it can't be helped. I have no choice but to keep deceiving him. I fear the consequences, but the immediate present is more important.

I bought time by sipping the tea poured by the maid, then slowly opened my mouth.

"It is because of a strange contact from the merchant ship."

"A strange contact?"

"Yes. They asked when they should depart."

In reality, I was the one who had sent the letter to the captain, but I deliberately framed it this way.

At that, the Crown Prince raised an eyebrow and looked at me. His deeply shadowed eyes were narrowed like a beast searching for prey.

"They added that they were frustrated because they received a letter from Roena but had heard nothing since. There was also mention that they were supposed to move on the day His Majesty passed away, but they couldn't because no further contact came. They said the Grand Duke's subordinates visited several times, but the family's orders take priority."

"...Are you saying the one who kidnapped Lady Roena was my uncle?"

"The circumstances point that way. So, Your Highness only needs to find her whereabouts."

Surely the Crown Prince couldn't still be ignorant of where the Grand Duke's base was. He was a man who now openly walked the streets. He was likely feigning ignorance despite knowing.

"Right, that would be the way."

I lowered my gaze while drinking tea again.

In the letter I wrote this morning, I had specified that they should not move unless they received a letter stamped with the seal of the head of the house. Along with the instruction that they should not fulfill any requests even if Knight Sylphice appeared. I told them there was no reason to feel anxious since the head's orders come first.

Indeed, since I had sent several of the family's knights with them to protect them, they wouldn't be easily suppressed. As they were knights hand-picked by Knight Halverd, his word would carry more weight than Knight Sylphice's.

"I already expected they would strike on that day. With all the nobles gathered, there couldn't be a better day. They even coordinated with the foreign mourners in advance. But I was just wondering why they didn't show any movement. Do you know anything more?"

I shook my head at his words. It meant I didn't know.

"Well, if they were going to move immediately, the real Grand Duke wouldn't have appeared."

"No, he would have. He needs to reveal his true self to make it easier to persuade or suppress the nobles. The problem is why he wasted such a great opportunity."

"Perhaps he knew in advance that Your Highness was waiting?"

Lady Roshan mentioned the delayed time as one of the reasons the Grand Duke missed the golden opportunity created by the Emperor's death.

The Emperor, who was expected to die immediately from the poison, had clung to life until late, dragging out the time and making it impossible for the Grand Duke to leave the drawing room. After all, he had been confined in the room with the others until the Emperor died.

"That might be it. So, what will you do now?"

"I ordered them not to move."

"There is also the method of extortion."

"If that were easy, they would have done it long ago."

There seemed to be a reason why the Grand Duke couldn't simply seize House Bischwaldz's merchant ship. But since nothing had been revealed, we were merely taking precautions based on various speculations. It was a pity, as knowing that reason would make it much easier to protect the ship.

"Not all the nobles participating in the rebellion are thugs. It seems there are 'noble' nobles among them who are holding my uncle back."

The Crown Prince let out a short laugh and spoke unexpected words.

"What do you mean by that?"

He tapped his head with his finger as he answered, not hiding his look of disdain.

"It means that the reason they left a ship alone that they could have just taken is because of a noble's petty pride. There seem to be quite a few idiots on that side who think it's elegant to take things through intellect rather than force."

Even if they had prepared for rebellion for a long time, a faction is ultimately just a collection of various people, and one cannot act entirely arbitrarily.

Most importantly, since it was a power formed by combining individual strengths, the right to speak varied according to the influence one held. In other words, while the Grand Duke was the leader, the balance of power within the group was tensely matched.

As they had gathered for a sweet future, many would want to secure victory through certain methods, and this must have been the factor holding the Grand Duke back until now.

Even the Crown Prince, who was close to the pinnacle, had used Roena as bait to win over Count Kiran, hadn't he?

"Now, shall we think for a moment? Let's figure out who these 'elegant idiots' I mentioned are. The frustrating ones that even the Grand Duke cannot easily crush."

The person who immediately came to mind was Duke Kiran. Everyone knew that the current Duke was even more old-fashioned than his predecessor and was a man with absolutely no flexibility.

Furthermore, he was said to cherish his younger sister immensely. Probably? It was also widely expected that he would jump into a roaring fire if it were the Empress's wish. It was easy to predict that her influence played a large part in his involvement in the rebellion.

"It is the Duke."

At my answer, the Crown Prince clapped his hands as if I had the right answer.

"Yes. That man hates me quite a bit. It is because I am the spitting image of my late father."

Come to think of it, the Empress is hardly seen at all. I nodded slowly at the sight of the Crown Prince wearing a savage smile.

"The reason my mother could join hands with my uncle is also because of the Kiran Family. No matter how great the Grand Duke is, he cannot touch the Kiran Family recklessly."

If the Grand Duke had been in a position to grow his influence under the favor of the deceased Emperor, it might be different, but having spent decades with his face hidden, even assembling a proper military force was a struggle. This was also why it took so long just to establish links with the nobles. Thus, he couldn't treat the Empress poorly. He had no choice but to comfort her while feigning an incredibly kind attitude. Though the Crown Prince had used this as a pretext to spread scandalous rumors.

"But even that can be taken away at any time if my mother steps forward, so it's best not to let your guard down."

"You were monitoring the merchant ship."

I spoke to him, barely swallowing a hollow laugh. The Crown Prince nodded readily in admission.

"Yes."

Indeed, I wondered if there was anything that didn't play out in the palm of this man's hand. Feeling somewhat deflated, I asked him again in a weakened voice.

"Then was today's visit in vain?"

"No. Monitoring is just monitoring. It only amounts to who met whom. I couldn't know as much as the information you brought."

"...Then what do you plan to do about Count Kiran? Is the deal off?"

"Off? Who would dare refuse my proposal? The matter of Lady Roena was merely supplementary. Right, should I call it a 'product'?"

"A product..."

"You seem very displeased. I thought you would like it."

"Why would you think that?"

"In order to completely take House Bischwaldz into your hands, she needs to be gone."

"You are overlooking the fact that a true successor has been born."

The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow and smirked. His attitude was as if to say, 'So what?' From his body, there wafted the thick scent of blood he had harbored for a long time. The foul stench of the many political rivals' corpses he had cut down for this path was there as well.

"Can you still say that after seeing me like this? Look, Lady Bischwaldz. You must truly take what you want to have. Half-baked goodwill only ends up ruining your own future. So don't try to hide those eyes."

"My eyes? What kind of eyes are you talking about?"

The Crown Prince let out a short laugh and leaned forward. He reached out and stroked my cheek; it wasn't the groping of a lecher, but a very careful touch, as if he were handling delicate porcelain, so I instinctively allowed it.

"Eyes burning with ambition. Eyes that are desperate to solidify their position even more perfectly. They are truly enchanting."

"So you are urging me now to get rid of my siblings?"

"Is that not allowed? You aren't the type to be pricked by conscience over such a thing anyway."

"On what basis do you say that? Your Highness, you are being far too rude to me."

"And does that wound you?"

"..."

At my silence, the Crown Prince laughed aloud with satisfaction. He saw right through my inner thoughts. That was why it was uncomfortable. Was this what they called 'kin-loathing'?

"I suppose that's why you caught my eye from the beginning. It's only natural that Mel was anxious. He's seen me since we were very young, so how could he not be? He would have been able to see through it even more coldly."

"Your Highness?"

"Let's be honest, Lady Bischwaldz. You don't have to worry about being criticized."

"Then will you first take your hand off my face? I'm not in a particularly good mood, and I don't see why I should have to endure this."

"Ha?"

I gave a bright smile to the Crown Prince, who had his eyes wide open in bewilderment.

"I'm saying this because you told me to be honest. I decline this kind of mockery, Your Highness. Or shall I be the one to remove it?"

"Well, that's a different kind of honesty."

"Then what did you expect?"

"Your ambition. The desire that was shrunk by Mel's gaze. That's what I want. Don't you want to take House Bischwaldz perfectly into your hands? Then get blood on them. Do it under the excuse that it can't be helped. And crave more. Be greedy for power."

"And if I am that greedy?"

"You could even challenge for the highest position a woman can reach."

"...My ambition is limited to House Bischwaldz; anything beyond that seems more like your wish, Your Highness. Is it not?"

"Correct."

The greedy predator flicked his tongue and sent a suggestive gaze. His low, whispering voice was incredibly sexy, enough to make my inner core tremble. His languidly wet eyes moved delicately as if to bewitch me, and his face, perfect as if painstakingly sculpted by a god, radiated a seductive aura.

"I keep telling you. I want you."

It was a blatant temptation, filled with sexual preference.

Shards of the Broken Glass Shoe