Chapter 220

Empress Lavigne was looking out of her window in a dark hallway where she deliberately didn't turn on the lights on purpose.

There was a brief commotion inside the Knights Building in the distance, and soon she saw Perez coming out.

Bellesac is following him closely.

After a while, a carriage carrying two people passed through the Knight's Alley.

Watching the back of the carriage until it couldn't be seen anymore, the Empress began to take a busy step toward the Imperial palace.

It was past midnight, but she didn't hesitate to take the move.

It was because she knew from the henchman already planted inside the Imperial palace that Yovanes hadn't gone to bed yet.

"Inform Your Majesty that I am here, Maid of Otua."

The maid, who came out while waiting to hear that there were visitors, found Empress Lavigne and her complexion hardened.

"...Yes, Empress."

After a while, the maid of Otua went inside again, and the door to the bedroom opened.

"The Empress has been looking for me a lot lately."

Yovanes, who changed into a acupuncture robe, smiled crookedly at Lavigne.

It's obvious to laugh at it, but Lavigne was just standing still with her weird smile.

"Hmm."

Yovanes looked at the figure interestingly and asked, "What are you doing here late at night, Empress?"

"I have something to tell you, Your Majesty."

Yovanes, who nodded his head, beckoned lightly, and all the attendants in the bedroom went outside.

"In a few days, the conference will be held again."

In the Emperor's bedroom with the only two of them remaining, Lavigne opened her mouth first.

"Ah, if that's the story, I know roughly what you're talking about."

Yovanes said, frowning slightly.

The long-standing territorial conflict between the Angenas and Brown has been on the agenda of the conference.

As the Emperor, Yovanes had to decide who would qualify as the representative of the West.

"You're asking me to side with the Angenas at the conference, aren't you?"

Having said that, Yovanes picked up a thin stack of papers that had been placed on the table.

"However, my aides found out that the estate that went to the Browns was a little bigger."

But the difference was so small that it could be brushed off by the Emperor's words.

"...That's right."

Empress Lavigne admitted.

"I have come to you to confirm that you will raise the hand of Angenas."

"Confirm?"

Yovanes smirked.

Then he took out another piece of paper from under the package and showed it to the Empress.

"Letters from the Lombardi family."

After entering the bedroom, the smile of Empress Lavigne broke for the first time.

[We will give 100,000 gold as compensation for the broken marriage between the Second Prince and Florentia Lombardi."]

100,000 gold.

It was a huge sum indeed.

No noble family in the Empire could have that much money and remained intact after giving it.

But Lombardi was an exception.

As always, Lombardi was an exception.

"How dare they smear the Emperor and stop him with money?"

Emperor Yovanes murmured grumpily.

Of course, he was going to get the money.

Yovanes wasn't a fool to refuse 100,000 gold.

But he will show them that everything doesn't go according to Lombardi's will.

Angenas' hand could be lifted many times in order to press the nose of the arrogant Lombardi.

That said, Angenas cannot threaten the Imperial power like the Lombardi.

Yovanes said to Empress Lavigne.

"I will raise Angenas' hand at the conference."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

With a big smile, Lavigne secretly added.

"And there's one more thing to be confirmed."

"Huh, one more thing? I knew the Empress was greedy."

Yovanes said with a grin as if dumbfounded.

"Yes, do tell me."

"Please allow the Imperial knights to investigate the Pellet Corporation today and arrest its superior, Claryvan Pellet, Your Majesty."

"The Pellet?"

This time, Yovanes' eyes wide open.

It was because a completely unexpected name came out.

"That's quite a big shot."

No one in the Empire will not know Claryvan Pellet and the Pellet traders, who lived on their feet in the Empire.

The top, which was created only a decade ago, has already become large enough to form the axis of the Empire.

In particular, the Eastern trade was dominated by the Pellet Corporation.

Some even said that in order to sell goods in the East, it had to go through the Pellet trade first.

"What is the reason?"

"The investigation into the attempted murder case was slow, and as a result of my own research, I found out that the suspicious drug that the First Prince drank was distributed through the Pellet Corporation."

Lavigne answered without changing a single color on her face.

"The situations...circumstances..."

In a word, it 'may be or maybe not', type of situation.

Yovanes grinned as he thought of Knights dressed in Imperial patterns surrounding the Pellet Corporation.

After a long time, he thought that it may be a good opportunity to show the authority of the Imperial family.

Also, the fact that Claryvan Pellet was a man of Lombardi also played a part in Yovanes' decision.

"The Imperial Knights are not the hands and feet of the Imperial family for nothing."

Emperor Yovanes said to Empress Lavigne.

"There's no reason why the Empress should not be in charge of the Imperial knights."

****

(Florentia's POV)

"Damn it."

Looking at Laurel's white face, I let out a curse.

"This is what the Empress was after."

Perhaps from the start, Bellesac was a decoy.

Me and Perez's attention was drawn there and the Empress aimed at Claryvan.

"How come the Knights of the Imperial family have come..." Laurel asked in a trembling voice, frightened.

"They might be trying to find a contract. A contract that states how Angenas borrowed money as collateral."

"But I can't believe that's the reason why the Knights of the Imperial family move themselves..."

"I'm sure she kissed the Emperor in advance. And there happen to be one good excuse for the Imperial knights to move, right?"

"Ah, don't tell me..."

Laurel couldn't bring herself to put the word in her mouth and only her lips trembled.

"Right. The attempt murder of the Emperor. I would have to get Claryvan somehow."

It was hard to know where to produce plausible evidence, like how Bellesac had a made up suicide note or he was just making an excuse.

But one thing is certain.

That the Emperor Yovanes would tolerate the Empress' actions.

"Did they catch Claryvan?"

"Oh, no, they are just searching through houses and the corporation building like this..."

Then there is still a chance.

"First, we have to find Claryvan."

I looked back at Perez and said, "Perez, release your people to the Lombardi estate and the Eciptic."

"In the Eciptic?"

"Claryvan went there a few days ago. Today, he is scheduled to meet his father at the main store of the Gallahan clothing store in Eciptic. I don't know exactly what time it will be, but he may have already crossed over to the Eciptic."

"Okay, I'll look for him."

After releasing the horse that was pulling the carriage, I checked the back of Perez who was riding the running horse and said to Laurel, "We're going to the Knights of Lombardi."

"The Knights?"

"Yes, I have something to ask for."

I walked quickly without saying anything anymore, but anger was boiling quietly within me.

Empress Lavigne, how dare you touch my man?

****

"Search everywhere! Find out where Claryvan Pellet is hiding!"

"Yes!"

Imperial Knights and soldiers rushed into the Pellet Corporation outside Lombardi.

An angry Violet ran out of the office and walked over to the Knight who appeared to be in charge.

But it was strange.

It was not the same Imperial knights, but the Knight of Angenas, who was giving orders to the Imperial knights.

Standing tall in the middle of the commerce site, a giant Knight with one head bigger than the others was a man Violet knew well.

Ethan Klaus

He was the head of the Knights of Angenas, who only listened to the orders of the Empress.

The commander of the Knights of Angenas, who gives orders to royal knights.

It was a ridiculous combination, but the Empress was the one who made it possible.

And Violet could guess what was going on from the sight.

But that didn't mean that they would let them to wander through the Pellet traders to their heart's content.

Violet, who raised her head more confidently, stood in front of Ethan Klaus.

"I am Violet Lippe, the co-owner of Pellet Corporation. What the hell is going on?"

"Co-owner?"

However, Ethan Klaus, who was looking at Violet up and down for a while without answering, ordered an imperial knight standing next to him.

"Take her and question her.

"Stop this! Let go!"

They already had no intention of talking.

Violet resisted as hard as she could, but she couldn't beat the Imperial knight's strength.

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N/A: Okay so the word 'Eciptic' can also be Ecliptic, I just settled on using the word 'Eciptic'. I tried searching for the word but I still didn't get it. So while I'm editing this, I kinda imagine 'Eciptic/Ecliptic' as the Capital? Am not sure.

So yeah, things are getting pretty intense from here, buckle up!