Chapter 224

Empress Lavigne frowned.

What do you mean 'don't trust the Imperial family'?

Although through marriage, Lavigne herself was a member of the Royal family.

Croyton Angenas continued to convey his words.

"It is the cruelty of those who sit on the throne that the Brown family, who have devoted themselves to everything, are thrown out in a word."

It couldn't be a contradictory situation.

It was Angenas who once enticed the Emperor to push the Browns out and kill them.

But now you have to stand on the other side and look in the direction of the Emperor's heart.

"For Emperor Durelli, Lombardi is the only eternal ally. Don't risk the fate of Angenas on the favor of the Emperor, who come and go like waves."

Lavigne stood there for a moment without saying anything.

As if she didn't hear Croyton's words.

She stood looking at the dry branches swaying in the wind.

Then she turned around and went back to the conference room, leaving a comment.

"It's too late."

At those words mixed with the cold wind, Croyton Angenas laughed unknowingly.

'It's too late for Angenas.'

It was because that was the real last word his father had left.

'So, even you, Croyton, leave Angenas right now.'

But Croyton, left alone in courtyard, shook his head.

"Where am I going when I leave Angenas, Father?"

His grayish hair shook in the winter breeze.

He who inherited the blood of Angenas only lived and died with his name.

****

At the same time, the waiting room next to the conference room.

Emperor Yovanes entered the waiting room with an annoyed face.

He was just thinking of ending the schedule of the annoying and burdensome conference so he can go on hawk hunting in the afternoon.

At that time, a small noise caught Yovanes' attention.

"There was a passenger."

Yovanes said in an unpleasant voice.

He doesn't like having to share the space with others in an already upset mood.

"I was having a cup of tea before the meeting started, Your Majesty."

The passenger was Perez.

"I don't want to see the faces of the aristocrats filling the meeting room."

As Perez said, the annoying wrinkles on Yovanes' face spread a little.

"I don't think it's the time for a young Prince to think like that already."

Yovanes pretended to be decent, but he was thinking the same thing as Perez.

That was the reason why he was bottoming out before the conference.

Originally, Yovanes, who was thinking of sitting apart from Perez, sat in front of the Second Prince, pretending to be good-natured.

"I made a mistake out of frustration, Your Majesty."

Perez said calmly, and naturally put the empty teacup in front of the Emperor.

And he went on to talk.

"But I don't know how you've been doing this for decades. Are they not those who only want to receive without giving to the Imperial family?"

The sound of tea pouring quietly rang in the room.

"I have great respect for Your Majesty."

"Haha! The Prince is putting gold on my face!"

Yovanes burst into laughter and brought the teacup to his mouth.

Then he paused, he stopped acting and asked Perez.

"What kind of tea is this, Second Prince?"

"It's a tea with a proper mix of tea leaves that calm you down and help you sleep."

"Oh, really?"

Yovanes looked into the light brown tea water and smelled it.

It was a pleasant scent to enjoy, as if the tea scent were mixed with fragrant flowers.

"I also drink often when I want to calm my mind."

I can't believe the Second Prince is also a regular drinker.

Yovanes relaxed and began to drink his tea.

"You look exhausted, Your Majesty."

Perez said in a slightly dry voice

But Yovanes rather liked it.

Perez, unlike the others, did not try to be overly favoured.

It's more of a cheeky tone, but he didn't mind that either.

It was because he thought that the son of the Emperor, the owner of the Empire, was too shy to look around.

"As the Second Prince said, there is no day to be at ease, this position of an Emperor."

Yovanes said with a big sip of tea.

As Perez said, whether it has the effect of giving mental and physical stability.

The more he drank tea, the drowsy he felt.

Then the gaze of Yovanes and Perez met.

"It looks like the Prince has something to say to me."

As if he was surprised, Perez raised his eyebrows slightly.

"You didn't expect me to notice?"

"I guess my inner heart was revealed without my knowledge."

"Haha! I'm indifferent, but I am not a disrespectful Emperor."

Maybe it's because he drank his favorite tea in a long time.

Yovanes rarely smiled generously.

"What do you want to say, Prince?"

Perez looked troubled for a moment then he opened his mouth.

"Would you please clear the surroundings first?"

Yovanes waved on hand lightly to get the servants out.

All of them, including the maid of Otua, who were waiting for them, stepped out of the waiting room.

Finally, only the two men was left, Perez then said, "Before the conference begins, I have something to inform you."

"Tell me."

"Before that..."

Perez poured another cup of warm tea into Yovanes's tea cup, now bottoming out.

"Let's taste the tea more."

The sound of the pouring tea rang again.

"If you hear the story, Your Majesty's heart will be greatly uncomfortable."

Perez said with a smile as soft as tea.

****

The last road leading to the central palace where the conference is held.

There stood Lombardi's carriage surrounded by the Imperial knights.

"Haha!"

Lambert Lombardi laughed bitterly as he saw the Knights in front of him.

That's all, but the shoulders of the confronting Knights flinched slightly.

"I was just doing training without coming out of the mansion."

It was a voice mixed with laughter, but the life and anger in it were enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.

"Has Lombardi changed in the meantime or has the world gone crazy?"

Brown eyes glanced at each Knight.

And finally, he looked at the person who stood in front of the Imperial knights.

"What do you think, Ethan Klaus?"

"I will check the luggage compartment."

"As expected, animals do not speak human language."

Lambert Lombardi said, slowly picking up steam.

"How many times do I need to say that it's only possible if you knock me down?"

A number fewer than ten of Lombardi knights were surrounded by the Imperial knights and Ethan Klaus who were over thirty.

Lombardi was already outnumbered, but the atmosphere of the two opposing forces was the opposite.

Rather, it was Lombardi's side that was on the rise.

"What? Why are you so weak?"

Gillieu said grotesquely while watching the Imperial Knights.

"Leader, why don't you just push him away?"

Like Lambert Lombardi, Mairon laughed, scanning the Knights of the Imperial family one by one.

However, even with such words and actions, the Imperial knights could not protest.

"Damn it."

This was because the power of the Lombardi knights that far exceeded the Imperial knights.

What Mairon was saying wasn't just a bluff.

If they really care, all of the Imperial Knights here will be out of action or have to endure major injuries.

Aside from the Lombardi Knights, Ethan Klaus will be the only one who can get a single piece of Lambert Lombardi's sword.

"This is an Imperial territory."

Sir Lambert Lombardi pointed to an Imperial Knight standing next to Klaus at the tip of his chin.

"Are you the Deputy Commander of the Fourth Division?"

"Well, yes...yes..."

"What do you think, Sir? Angenas' hound has to open the Lombardi's carriage and check the luggage compartment."

"Oh, we..."

Lambert Lombardi and Ethan Klaus, the Deputy Patriarch, who had been wary if each other, replied with a feeling of 'I don't know.'

"The Imperial order to check the luggage compartment of Lombardi's carriage!"

"How come?"

"For security reasons!"

"You're good at putting them together."

Lambert Lombardi laughed as he felt his patience slowly wearing thin.

"Leader... he started laughing."

"It's a big deal."

"We can't stop it either."

The twins, acquainted with the peculiar habit of Lambert Lombardi, who smiles as he gets angry, clicked their tongue, sympathizing with the Imperial Knights.

Meanwhile, Ethan Klaus was convinced.

'Claryvan Pellet is in there.'

The conference starts in a few minutes.

However, the reason for the confrontation that was taking so much time is only one: Claryvan Pellet were hidden in the luggage compartment.

'It is also a good idea to take this time to prevent them from attending the conference.'

Ethan Klaus thought so, staring at Lambert Lombardi.

It was then.

"Lord Lombardi."

From the carriage came the voice of Florentia Lombardi.

"Yes, Deputy Patriarch."

"Let him look."

Everyone outside the carriage was surprised.

Especially, Ethan Klaus, who was convinced that Claryvan Pellet would be hiding in the luggage compartment, shook greatly.

"...Would you mind?"

Lambert Lombardi asked without taking his eyes off Ethan Klaus.

"I feel upset, but I ask Angenas to take responsibility for that."

The voice that came out was calm.

"It's a little embarrassing to be late for the first meeting with Your Majesty after becoming a Deputy Patriarch, right?"

"...Okay, Deputy Patriarch."

Lambert Lombardi lifted his hand at the Deputy General.

"Check it out, Deputy Chief."

The vice commander slowly swallowed his saliva once and slowly approached the carriage.

At the same time, the Lombardi Knights' momentum watching the scene became sharper.

It was as if he tried to do something nonsense to the carriage where the Deputy Patriarch was riding, his wrist would be cut off.

With a small noise, the carriage compartment opened.

And

"Uh, there's nothing."

The knight said.

"Get out of the way."

Ethan Klaus couldn't stand it and stepped over, knocking the Vice Commander aside.

And what he saw was a really empty carriage's luggage compartment.

"This..."

Are you really saying that Claryvan Pellet won't attend the conference?

It was a time when Ethan Klaus hardened his face and couldn't hide his embarrassment.

"Did you check it out, now?"

Over the closed carriage door, said the Deputy Patriarch of Lombardi.

"Let's go. I'm going to be late."

Ethan Klaus, who was still looking at the empty luggage compartment with his bewildered eyes, looked up.

And he was able to see the profile of Florentia Lombardi through the window.

'You're laughing...aren't you?"

The Deputy Patriarch of Lombardi was smiling.

At that moment, Klaus shook his head, who had a strong sense of ominous foreboding.

Something is wrong.

However, Lombardi's carriage was already departing for the venue.

There was no reason to block them anymore.

What the Deputy Patriarch of Lombardi prepared.

Whatever it is, it's already too late to stop Lombardi.

****

(Florentia's POV)

"I'm late, Your Majesty, because there was a little commotion on the way to the palace."

I was able to get into the conference room in the nick of time.

The Emperor, Perez, and the Empress were already waiting for the meeting to begin, so I said it.

But I didn't say I'm sorry.

I could see it just by looking at Yovanes, who didn't ask me, 'What was the commotion?'

The fact that both the Emperor and the Empress knew in advance what was going on, I sat down at my place with an expressionless face.

And when I glanced at Perez's side, I could see him nodding briefly.

It meant that he had a successful private conversation with the Emperor.

All right, so you're ready.

"Let's start the meeting."

It was when Yovanes declared it from his seat.

I met the eyes of the empress.

She was sitting comfortably, as if she expected a victory when she saw that I came in alone without Claryvan.

She even smiles at me leisurely.

Then I guess I have to wipe that off.

"You're already off guard."

Knowing the future of the Empress and Angenas, I laughed unconsciously.

My lips quietly drew lines.

As I smiled silently at myself, Empress Lavigne's blue eyes trembled uneasily.

The smile gradually disappeared from that beautiful face.

Then, there was a thud and a heavy sound.

It was the sound of the door of the conference hall closing.

It was also the sound of a trap that I had been working on for a very long time closing with a thud.

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A/N: Hell yeah!!! This is it everyone! The moment of truth is coming! But I'm sorry for being a villain, I'll cut it off right here for now. I'll try to update again tomorrow!

So what do you think will happen in the conference? And what do you think Florentia was talking about, the same as what do you think the Father of Croyton Angenas was talking about with his last words?

If you will give this chapter a title I think, "Too late" will be the best one. LOL.