Chapter 206

A/N: Here's the update for today! I hope you have a nice day! Aaaaand guess what? I'll be updating 3 chapters today! Happy reading!

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"What nonsense are you talking about? Killing the emperor... What treason?!"

Astana couldn't bring himself to speak of the crime and turned white.

He really struggled so much. His ankles bound with his cloths were all reddened and the bandages on his right arm, bound by the doctor, were loosened in a mess.

It still didn't cover his dirty temper.

However, Perez's face, looking down at Astana's figure, was still expressionless.

"Do you claim that you don't remember now?" Perez asked in a dry tone.

"Don't say nonsense! Why would I ever..."

Astana murmured, still looking confused.

The next moment, he raised his eyes and shouted at Perez.

"Wait a minute, is that the reason why I'm tied up here right now? Because I tried to kill His Majesty?"

"Yes."

"Ha! Then that's it! Haha!" Astana suddenly burst into laughter.

His sweat, messy hair, disorganized clothes and bloodshot eyes made him look completely mad.

"There must have been some misunderstanding! It was you! Not His Majesty that I was trying to kill! So untie me right now!"

The faces of the knights became ambiguous.

How should we explain it?

They looked at Perez at the same time.

Perez stared at Astana, snorting and replied.

"It was not me that you rushed to kill, it was Your Majesty."

Perez said as he opened the tight-looking box.

"You used this dagger that Bellesac Lombardi had."

Astana's gaze reached the sharp-brimmed dagger.

Yes, I remember holding that dagger in my hand.

However...

"What a load of nonsense. It was definitely you, the lowly thing. I wasn't successful because of the imperial knights next to you..."

Astana's voice as he was talking gradually got smaller.

His eyes shook like an earthquake.

He also checked the faces of the knights with trembling expressions with increasingly shocking eyes.

"Ha..no way..."

Eventually, a sound that seemed half-frozen came out of Astana's mouth.

"Did I- really?" Astana asked Sir Sloan.

Sir Sloan looked at Perez with a sorrowful face and replied, "What the First Prince attacked in the forest of the Madman was not the Second Prince. It was His Majesty."

"Ha..but he was wearing the red armor and the Lombadi's bitch was next---"

"Be careful with your words, Astana."

Perez suddenly picked up Bellesac's dagger and pointed it at Astana's neck as he spoke in a low voice.

It was not just a threat.

The tip of an exceptionally sharp dagger pressed against Astana's Adam's apple.

With just a little more force, it'll cut through his flesh.

"Oh, I-I see." Astana answered quickly.

"I mean, Lady Lombardi was definitely there."

"Florentia was taking care of His Majesty and looking around in the woods."

Perez still said without taking back the dagger.

"So you are a sinner who tried to commit treason, Astana."

"Treason! Why would I?! Even if I stay still, I will succeed to become the Emperor in the future! Why would I commit treason?!"

"Well, that's what I need to figure out in the future."

Perez flipped the dagger in his hand and thrust it in front of Astana's eyes.

"Astana Nerempe Durelli. You have tried to kill His Majesty with this dagger in the forest of the Madman and..."

At Perez's hand, the knight held out a canteen made of black leather.

"The investigation found that the bottle contained medicine."

"...medicine?"

"It's a drug that absorbs the magic at a rapid rate, causing hallucinations and so on."

"Yes, then it is!"

Astana jumped up from his seat and shouted.

"Yes, it must have ben somebody's drug! Otherwise, I can't mistake Your Majesty for you..."

"Are you saying you didn't take the medicine on your own?" Sir Sloan asked Astana.

Magic boosts human power by leaps and bounds.

It was for that reason that Astana had the strength and stamina to surpass his own limits for a few days.

"Will I deliberately absorb magic knowing I'm gonna go crazy?"

"Then this is a very important story."

Sir Sloan asked Astana with a serious face.

"Have anyone had access to this canteen?"

"How do I know that! That container wasn't even mine in the first place!"

"It's not yours? But why did you keep carrying this canteen?"

"That's it... Bellesac... Bellesac..."

Astana's speech became quieter again.

At that moment, Astana's eyes turned to Perez.

"That water bottle is..."

'When I ran into the group of the Second Prince in the forest, I swiped one of the canteens they had drank while talking about magic.'

Astana was unable to speak.

"You...you..."

He got goosebumps all over his body.

When he came to his senses, he realized that he already entered the beast's mouth.

Then, Perez, who was standing at the back said, " Tell me, Astana."

It was the same dry voice as before but it was no different from the sound of laughter for Astana.

"For it is His Majesty's command to me to find out all those who are involved, including you."

Perez's red eyes were smiling.

****

Rulac breathed a long sigh as he watched the view outside the window of the carriage entering the Lombardi mansion.

He felt the sudden increase of fatigue.

"I am old too." Rulac smiled in vain.

It's been a long time since he found the work of Patriarch this overwhelming.

But until now, he had survived somehow.

It was probably because of Dr. Estira, Lombardi's doctor, who was very good that Rulac himself has lived with good health since he collapsed a few years ago.

But now, I feel like I'm at my limit.

"Haa..." Rulac sighed once again and washed his face dry.

"We've arrived at the mansion, Lord Patriarch." There was a coachman's voice.

"You've done well." Rulac said to hide his fatigue as much as possible.

Then the carriage door opened.

Rulac's eyes open wide.

"Grandfather, you're back!"

"Tia..."

His granddaughter who was now all grown-up but still has the image of child in his head, was smiling.

"You must have been tired from a long trip, right? Let's have a nice dinner together, Grandpa!"

"You were outside for this grandfather? It's cold..."

Rulac asked anxiously when he saw his granddaughter's red nose.

"It hasn't been long since I came out! Dad is also waiting at the restaurant. Come with me, Grandpa!"

Tia said while linking arms with Rulac affectionately.

"Gallahan.. Yes, yes.."

Rulac patted Tia's hand.

It was still a small, soft hand but it couldn't be more reliable.

The affectionate grandfather and granddaughter went up the steps of the porch one by one and talked about his conversation with the emperor.

"It was decided that the lottery of the Brown family will be properly discussed at the aristocratic conference."

"Really? Lord Brown and Ramona will really love it."

At Tia's words, Rulac looked at his granddaughter.

"What will you do, Tia? You are the one who revealed them to the world after all."

"That's..."

Tia smiled, folding her eyes finely.

It was a smile that resembled her father, Gallahan.

"Of course, it's good. It was the homework my grandfather gave me."

What a smart child.

Rulac stroked Tia's head.

"When did you grow up like this?"

His granddaughter grew up suddenly and she became a strong support for their family.

She worked hard to earn her right to seat as a successor.

It was a completely different family, the Lombardi, since the House of Durelli, had already begun bleeding.

Lombardi will have a great next generation growing up like this.

'Tia is still young, so I need to teach her one by one. After a few years..."

It was when Rulac thought so.

Wobbly.

Rulac's body suddenly collapsed.

It was the same situation as when Tia, who was still young, hugged Rulac and rolled down the stairs.

Now Rulac knows what this state means.

Shall I let you be badly hurt  like last time?

Rulac instinctively leaned to the other side of Tia, then slowly sat down on the stairs.

"Grandpa!"

Rulac heard Tia's surprised voice.

He even felt the touch of his granddaughter grabbing his shoulder, as if somehow trying to protect Rulac.

In his state of slowly losing his consciousness, Rulac patted the back of his granddaughter's just as before.

'Don't be too surprised. I'm okay.'

But failing to say all that, Rulac eventually lost consciousness on the stairs in front of the entrance.

****

(Florentia's POV)

"What's going on, Estira." My voice was so cold that it was rather unfamiliar.

Grandfather was safely taken to the bedroom and Estira ran right over.

"He will regain consciousness in no time. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"How bad is grandfather's condition? If you had told me earlier..."

I would have been more careful.

I wouldn't have sent him alone on such a long way back to the Imperial Palace.

Various thoughts got tangled up in my head.

"Don't scold Dr. Estira too much. I told her not to tell anyone."

Grandfather was suddenly slowly lifting himself up.

"Grandfather."

My grandfather smiled as I approached him.

"It's all because of my age. No matter how good the medicine I use, you can't fool the time."

My grandfather was right.

In his previous life, my grandfather at this time of year was gradually unable to move and needed someone's help to take a step.

Like now, he couldn't even go to the imperial palace freely or get up in the bed all by himself.

"I'm sorry, Estira. I spoke harshly." I apologized to Estira.

"It's fine. Lady Florentia was also very surprised."

Estira gave me a warm smile as she handed the medicine to my grandfather.

"I think it's because I'm very tired today. Should I take medicine more often?"

"It would be nice to take a rest for a few days and watch the progress, Lord Patriarch."

"Hmm. I see."

As if my grandfather knew it, he shook his head.

"This has become very difficult."

"There's nothing to worry about. You have to rest completely, Grandpa."

My grandfather burst into laughter at my words.

"But wouldn't someone have to go to the noble's meeting and look at the Brown family so they can be reinstated?"

"Don't worry. Perez will take care of that---."

"Yes, Tia, you can go."

"Yes...?" I doubted my ears for a moment.

I was trying to scratch my ear by lifting my little finger because I thought I heard something wrong.

Then my grandfather smiled and said to me, "Tia, you, instead of me, go to the aristocratic conference."

"But Grandpa that's..."

"Yes, it's something that only the Deputy Patriarch can do."

I forgot to breathe and looked at my grandfather.

Grandfather smiled kindly and said as if to confirm with me.

"Attend the aristocratic council as Deputy Patriarch of Lombardi, Tia."

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N/A: I present to you, Lady Florentia Lombari, the Deputy Patriarch of Lomardi! *clap clap clap

You deserve it so much Tia!!!! (TT.TT) *blows nose 

#Back to what happened earlier with Perez and Astana#

Astana: Yes! the Canteen!

Perez: Uhuh.. the canteen.

Astana: The canteen that Bellesac got...from---.

Astana: *Turns head to Perez

Perez: *smirk

Astana: You...you...

Me: Oh puhleaaaash! Both Astadumb and Lavitchy love to say "You...you...!" But I love it! I wish to see Astana's dumbfounded face soon. Same with Lavitchy! ('Lavitchy' suits her so much. I must be a genius. jk)

You can continue reading the next chapter now! Enjoy!