Chapter 93

There were currently two forces supporting the crown prince.

Small and medium-sized nobles led by Marquis Blemir, and the 2nd Consort Elisha.

It was a well-known fact that the relationship between the two forces was terrible.

At first, because of the circumstances, Blemir and Elisha had meant it to be so. But the relationship between Elisha and the nobles had only soured further because of the feelings they had accumulated during this time.

To be precise, Elisha had been ignoring them without much thought. Still, the nobles who supported the crown prince felt that Elisha, who had built a reputation for herself that was incomparable to their own, was unworthy.

Blemir’s position, which encompassed the crown prince’s faction on the outside while holding hands with Elisha behind them, was naturally sensitive.

If the situation worsened like this, in the future, the two forces would be walking on different paths, and at the end of the day, they would be covered in each other’s blood without even being able to say they were united.

In particular, internal crackdowns were expected because the empress’s candidacy was a huge event that increased all of their problems tens or hundreds of times.

Even in the face of the emperor’s check and balance, it was possible to argue that the power to support the crown prince should be unified. No, it was the right thing to do based on the current situation.

Elisha thought that Blemir’s remarks about the dissatisfaction of the crown prince’s nobles were correct. That’s why when he had pointed out with somewhat radical words that he wanted to eliminate the element of anxiety, it could be seen as though he wanted to remove Elisha herself.

That’s why Elisha reacted excessively to Blemir’s unexpected answer.

So that’s how it is, Blemir.

“If the 2nd Consort also wants to know anything about me, just ask. You don’t need any pretext since I have already decided that I will answer you.”

He responded directly to her murmurs as though he didn’t expect any reply and gave an edge to his statement.

“It seems that Marquis has decided to get along with me.”

“If it doesn’t look like that, I’ll try harder in the future.”

Elisha shook her head as she recalled the strange deeds of Marquis Blemir.

“Nevermind. This is enough.”

It would be a big problem if he got any weirder than this.

“Then, should I take it that 2nd Consort has accepted it?”

Blemir asked, suppressing his impatience.

Elisha nodded her head without much thought.

“Now is the right time to change the landscape of politics. Joining forces doesn’t mean we need to put the weight on the crown prince’s nobles. If Marquis moves even a little toward me, they will panic, thinking they will lose you. And not just their control; my friendship with you can also calm the anxiety about the 3rd Prince, so it’s killing two birds with one stone. That’s not all. Thanks to the crown prince’s nobles who will continue to hate me, I can’t seem to see that they are completely united. We can slow down the checks of other powers, one stone for three birds. This is an excellent number.”

In response to Elisha’s answer, the marquis put his hand on his forehead. He burst out laughing inside. While making a statement that could be misunderstood for love, he had wondered how much that cold woman would understand.

He had expected a little, just a little, when she had rolled her indifferent sky blue eyes, absorbed in her thoughts.

Even though he had never gotten what he wanted from her, he was agitated again, mainly due to what he had heard. And he wanted to know what his feelings meant.

The woman had only said that she didn’t know Blemir. She hadn’t asked questions and information. It was as if he was insignificant and nothing. A sentence that could be thrown at anyone, nothing at all.

Sure enough. She inferred the situation as rationally as possible and made the most appropriate judgment. Quite the opposite of Blemir, who was all emotionally swept away.

Of course, Blemir hadn’t acted without any countermeasures. He was the heir to the duchy from birth.

He knew the responsibility and duty that followed every step and every word he took. In particular, he was determined to protect his only nephew Ascencio.

So, no matter how much he cared about the woman in front of him to the extent that it was difficult for him to understand himself, he would not choose to exclude the child. But there was nothing harsh about believing that one could solve almost everything alone.

Blemir didn’t want to have the same experience again.

The most challenging thing when the 2nd Consort had gone missing was that he couldn’t move without getting the emperor’s permission, and what had angered him the most was the questions everyone had asked.

Why are you trying to save her? The crown prince’s influence has grown; isn’t it better not to have her?

Or, when he had found out that they seemed to be curiously questioning him, “Do you have any plans about her?” He had become so upset with disgust.

He knew he had no qualifications for her. But wasn’t it too much for others to be worried about that?!

So Blemir had decided to change the situation first so that his attention would be acceptable. He would protect the crown prince, his weakness, so he could even face the emperor. Moreover, within the nobles of the crown prince’s faction and those who sincerely cared for the crown prince, the power of close aides Blemir had raised began to exert considerable influence.

That should be enough to buy time. Blemir wanted to do it as long as that woman allowed him to. However, the process was as far apart as the distance between reason and emotion, but at least the result was as good as satisfying both of them.

Still, Blemir was frustrated.

Then Elisha’s voice was heard from the other side.

“Thanks for your suggestion in advance.”

Not knowing how to receive that expression of gratitude, Blemir looked a little surprised.

“The reason Marquis looked at me like before is gone, but we didn’t really have a good relationship before, did we?”

“Gone…”

He wasn’t fussy, but it was true. Even in Blemir’s memory, it was vivid that he had treated the 2nd Consort and the 3rd Prince worse than a snake spitting venom.

Regardless of his reaction, Elisha continued.

“We’ve indeed joined hands, but we haven’t built solid trust, so I didn’t think this trick would cheer those nobles up readily. If it had been the other way around, I wouldn’t have been able to do like it like you.”

“It’s not that we couldn’t do it before; it’s just that we shouldn’t. If the 2nd Consort had extended her hand to the crown prince, half of them would be too proud to see ahead. They would think you’re bowing your head.”

“But there should be greetings, at least. Even if you think so, many people do things beyond expectation, especially those who are used to keeping things to themselves. And I apologize for the previous rudeness.”

Blemir didn’t nod his head quickly and remained still because he liked her, who was looking at him with a gentle gaze. Until recently, he had felt a sense of disappointment, but when he looked into those eyes, he knew immediately that there was no need to feel disappointed. Until now, her gaze was just looking at what was there, but now it recognized and confirmed that the other party was Blemir himself.

I’m curious and won’t ask you to tell me, but I’ll find out as much as I want on my own.

Because she had often gotten hurt, Blemir kept forgetting that she was a woman who never wanted to show loopholes in front of others.

Blemir nodded after enjoying a full gaze he did not face anywhere else.

He was still quite satisfied with this. And he was Blemir, someone who had never given up what he wanted in his life.

***

After the critical conversation, the two discussed a little more about Blemir’s mission this time and Barossa’s trends while he was away.

When the discussion ended, they walked through the curtain that blocked the sound (just in case) from leaking around. At the same time, they heard the sound of something jumping from afar. It came from a small, four-legged beast that was light. Blemir frowned. He hated the beast and didn’t like it because he knew who had given it as a gift.

However, no matter what, the beast belonged to this palace with the 2nd Consort’s permission so that nothing could be done carelessly…

Kang!

The bundle of black cotton was jumping as if it wanted to be held in the arms of the 2nd Consort, but then the black cotton ball hung itself with its little snout biting the 2nd Consort’s hand.

This only made it worse for Blemir. Usually, Leon or Dorian removed it, but the problem was that there was no one else nearby today.

As Elisha moved her hand as if to shake it off, the cotton ball groaned in dissatisfaction.

Wouldn’t that be better than falling from getting hit? Elisha shook her hand hard once more, and the cotton ball couldn’t hold it any longer and flew backward.

Even young, Barcado was Barcado.

Instead of being thrown to the ground, the cotton ball rolled around in the air, spun around, and landed stably.

It stepped on the floor with its soft paws. Kang! Kang! With its teeth exposed fiercely, it stared at the marquis and Elisha. Still, the loud barking toward the marquis was worth mentioning.

Blemir, who stared at the Barcado trembling with its tail up, hurriedly checked the back of Elisha’s hand.

There was no blood, but the round teeth marks were visible.

“Are you spoiling it because it looks cute? You almost got hurt again.”

He was talking about the Barcardo, but there seemed to be a strange underlying meaning beneath it. Blemir then ruffled his hair slightly and stood up, saying he would leave now. Then Elisha caught him.

“Don’t go into mana stone mines or caves while subjugating monsters. Don’t move alone to chase away the scattered monsters. The empire’s state seems to have calmed down on the surface, but the inside is burning hot. The safety of Marquis is a matter of grave consequences.”

It would have been unpleasant if someone else had said that, but when it came out of Elisha’s mouth, Blemir felt like he had received a gift.

So Blemir answered gently.

“I’ll be careful.”

“Yes, please.”

It was unlikely, but wouldn’t it be nice if Blemir, who relentlessly rushed to anything, had an opportunity to look back even once?

Elisha went out to see him off outside the 2nd Consort’s palace.

After leaving the 2nd Consort Palace, Blemir headed to the mansion in the capital. When he arrived, the butler, who had followed him from the duke’s house, was waiting for him.

“Shall we prepare a meal?”

“No need.”

As Blemir answered and was about to enter his room, the butler carefully opened his mouth.

“I’ve been contacted by the duke several times. The duchess is looking for you.”

Blemir’s face stiffened. This time, too. Blemir was about to move on, but the other person, who had walked out of the hallway to the left of the mansion’s main hall, gulped.

Then he opened his mouth and said again.

“The duke has contacted me.”

Blemir, who had pretended not to hear and was heading to the stairs, paused. Then after agonizing for a while, he turned around.

“Well, let’s hear what he says this time.”

He walked to the left of the hallway where the communication room was.

(Ian, my son. Don’t you miss your mother?)

Blemir’s brown eyes shook as the old woman’s cries resounded endlessly. However, it was only for a moment. He soon calmed down when he thought of his pitiful dead sister.

After calling his son’s name for a long time, she eventually withdrew.

(You naughty one. You don’t have to do this to your mother even if you don’t like me!)

And on the other side of the communication area was a middle-aged man with a heavy face.

“The day I left the duchy, I asked my mother to go with me. My mother refused.”

(There you go again. What’s the point of talking about the past?)

Blemir gritted his teeth.

“That’s what made us like this! Father! Mother! Because you both valued loyalty to the empire and the emperor more than the death of your daughter and put the belief that we should establish and protect the banner of the centrist over the safety of your one and only grandson! We can’t be a family anymore! We can never be a family again!”

Since the empire’s founding, when the power of the nobility was strong or when the emperor tried to oppress them, the centrist was the force that took the center so that the situation would not be extreme.

In all cases, the centrists were neutral and did not take sides with anyone, only to protect the empire’s interests and carry on the tradition.

Therefore, it was also scarce for an empress to come out of the centrist faction, and the current emperor, Kaiden, said that he needed the name of Duke Fontana to avoid being swept away by the East and West, and he also ordered them to keep the country’s neutrality… The duke had accepted it.

Since then, Fontana had been respected by many people for maintaining their lofty status without interfering in the death of their daughter, who had become empress, or their grandson’s struggle for the throne. That’s why they could never get back the one and only heir they were so proud of.