Chapter 174

Chapter 174

TL: Zimming

At Johann's confident words, the faces of the other family members became distorted.

The chairman put the papers aside, greeted the duke who didn't even know he entered, and left the room. The administrators and servants followed him out with pale faces.

"Oh no. It's level 3 alert."

"No. Level 2......."

"Didn't the level 2 alert break out 3 years ago due to an injury that the young lady had while practicing divine power? Compared to that..."

"No. It's marriage. She could leave Dubblede and live with her husband. Do you think they're ready to give her away? This is level 2."

"Aah!"

The administrator looked at the chairman with a ghastly pale face.

"How do we solve this......."

'This family is crazy.'

The chairman sighed and offered a solution as if he had no choice.

"Go to the lady."

The people's eyes lit up.

"How wise!"

"Tell her right now!"

"Yes. Come on, let's go!"

Seeing the people who went to the lady, the chairman gave another sigh

***

The next morning, I looked at the four men in the study, quietly putting their hands on their laps and looking at me with a puzzled expression.

"Have you summoned the investigation team and prepared the troops?

"......."

"......."

Dad looked away, and Henry smiled awkwardly.

"Leblaine, about that..."

"Shh."

"Yes."

Henry tried to appease me, but I gave them a stern look.

"Why are my escorts chasing me?"

"Kid, we didn't do it...!"

This time, Isaac tried to make excuses, but when I raised my eyebrows, he shut his mouth. I took a deep breath. I woke up in the morning and was amazed. Some people were waiting for me with a blank face in front of my door. Then they told me the whole story and I was shocked.

"It's not my marriage, but Cecilia and the emperor's. We talked about it yesterday morning."

"I was surprised to hear the word marriage come out of your mouth..."

"Y, yes, kid. Please don't leave out the details next time."

"Then, are you going to call the investigation team again and prepare the troops?"

Henry and Isaac could only bow down.

"I hope I misunderstood that. It's too much to call the entire troop and investigation team."

My family had nothing to say. As soon as our eyes met, their eyebrows went down pitifully.

'Oh, this makes my heart weak.'

As soon as I coughed loudly, the quick-witted Henry realized that the atmosphere had subsided a little, and sneaked up to me.

"I won't do that next time."

"...Really?"

"Yes."

"It's a promise. Then, I hope Dad lifts the emergency order first."

"You will do it, right?"

When we looked at him, he quickly nodded and said to Nos.

"Cancel it right now."

Nos couldn't contain his laughter and covered his mouth with his hand. After he answered, my dad glared at him.

"Dad."

"......."

He lowered his eyes again.

'Um, why is he mad?'

Now it was my turn to appease him, so I took his hand.

"I don't want to get married. I will live with you for the rest of my life!"

I could see the expression on my dad's expression gradually loosening up with the fatal words.

"You won't need to be angry anymore."

"......."

"Okay?"

"...Okay."

"Then, as you promised yesterday, will you help Cecilia and the emperor get married?"

"Okay. Should I go to the Imperial Palace and have a conversation with the emperor?"

I shook my head at my father's question.

'There is no need to move from our side first.'

If we go first, they will think that we are in a hurry, so they will mistakenly think they have the upper hand.

"Better let the emperor move first. It probably won't take long."

As soon as I said that, the butler entered the room.

"A message has come. Master needed to enter the palace."

Look at that. As I raised the corners of my mouth, my father, who understood the situation, smiled.

As he was about to leave the study, I quickly grabbed the material and whispered.

"Let his majesty know that we have the upper hand. And don't forget to take the Duchy of Vallua."

"Alright. But can I tell them the story of the duchy?"

I replied to him with a smile.

***

In the imperial palace auditorium, the emperor grabbed the armrest and was sitting opposite of Duke Dubblede.

'What the hell is he thinking?'

The temple created a fake daughter. The pope said Augustine was the one who did it, but how many people would believe that?

Those who knew the nature of Duke Dubblede thought he would aim his sword at the temple at any moment, but he did not move. Rather, he remained silent with an indifferent attitude.

The emperor, who did not know of Leblaine's plan, was frustrated.

"I'll let you make a formal complaint against Augustine."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you joking? We're talking about how the temple created your fake youngest daughter!"

"Well, I could do that, but that kind of thing is not my cup of tea."

"What?"

"We don't need to waste time anymore right? I'll keep it simple. your majesty doesn't want to use Dubblede in a tug of war with the temple."

Theodore raised his eyebrows and stared at the emperor.

It was clearly visible what the emperor wanted.

It must have been upsetting for the people to hear that the imperial family had taken a bribe because of the Augustine incident.

The emperor was only looking for an opportunity to reduce the power of the temple. And this was the perfect time.

The emperor raised both of his hands as if he had lost.

"I acknowledge that. I want to do a public interrogation. I want to properly reveal the corruption of the temple to the people."

To do so, the victim, the Duke of Dbbled, must directly report Augustine to the Imperial Palace. Only then can the emperor move.

Theodore rubbed his chin slowly.

The emperor was sure that the Duke of Dubblede would take his side.

Who doesn't know the deep resentment of the temple and Dubblede? If he could seek the emperor's help, it wouldn't be bad for the Duke of Dubblede.

"I don't want it."

What?

The emperor's expression was distorted.

"Why?!"

"I'll tell you the reason. The battle between you and the temple will end in your defeat. And Dubblede won't fight a losing battle."

The emperor's eyes darkened.

"How could you predict such an outcome? This is an opportunity that will never come again. Do you think I will waste any chance?"

"Do you know where the nobles are right now?"

"What do you mean?"

Theodore crossed his legs and continued.

"They are in Duke Marche's residence, alongside the pope."

"......!"

"As soon as your majesty called me, the pope told the Duke of Marche to call the nobles. Do you know why the nobles are so united?"

"...It must be because of Andre."

"Yes, the prince who will be emperor has more power than you."

"But I'm still the emperor!"

"Your majesty. If I were Duke Marche, I would not think so. He would take the prince's since so that in the future, he had the emperor as a puppet."

"Theodore Dubblede!"

The emperor was furious and shouted. When Theodore maintained his calm attitude, the emperor managed to reduce his anger and asked,

"So what are you going to do?"

"You have to get rid of the culprit."

"Are you telling me to kill my son?"

"No way. I'm not that mean."

"...Then?"

"Divide your power to divide the nobles. Give some to Adrian, isn't it wonderful?"

The emperor narrowed his brow.

"I can't give it to him. Adrian's maternal grandfather was more insidious than the Duke of Marche. As soon as I empower Adrian, they'll start a rebellion."

"Then give him a guardian."

"A guardian?"

"Someone who will be able to raise Prince Adrian splendidly without rebelling against your majesty, and to keep Empress Yvonne in check."

"...A new empress."

A look of interest soon flashed the emperor's eyes.

"Can you help me?"

If he had a new empress, he could completely reorganize the current power structure. Among the four dukes after Vallua's fall, only Dubblede could be compared to Marche.

He needed Theodore's help.

"I have no one in my family who could become the empress. Should I ask Javelin?"

"What are you saying? Your brother might assassinate me."

"I agree."

"Then I want you to be the guardian of the new empress. Send her to me under Dubblede."

"Who is it?"

"Have you ever heard of Saint Cecil?"

"It's a success when Cecilia's name comes out dad!"

Recalling Leblaine's words, Theodore smiled brightly.

"If I do, what would your majesty give me?"

"I'll give you the Vallua duchy. Isn't that what you want?"

'That child was right.'

Everything went like what his clever daughter intended.

The emperor expressed his intention to attack the pope, and issued a decree for the selection of a new empress.

Empress Yvonne was very angry, but the Duke of Marche did not move at the request of the pope.

It was clear what the emperor's intention was, he would insist on public interrogation of Augustine, which would damage the honor of the temple.

The imperial family and the temple gained something, but also lost something.

The emperor obtained a new empress, the public was confused. So the people forgot about the temple's corruption, but angered Empress Yvonne.

The nobles laughed at the war between the temple and the imperial family, saying that what they lost was greater than the gain.

But they didn't know. That there is someone who monopolized victory. Dubblede was the winner of this war.

***

After some time, preparations for Cecilia's entrance into the palace proceeded smoothly. No one knew that the emperor had worked together with Dubblede to make the woman he loved as the empress.

'This was because we made a rumour!'

Henry, the master of manipulating public opinion, spread the rumors that Cecilia came from the Dubblede's knight, so it's natural that the Duke of Dubblede was her guardian.

So, the problem of Cecilia's origin was solved.

Empress Yvonne and Duke Marche were not pleased, but all their anger was directed at the emperor, who they thought was conspiring against them.

'Everything went smoothly.'

...Except for one problem.

"You...... really...... are you going go be like this?"

[You are doing well.......]

The deer Pur and I looked at each other as I was out of breath.

The problem was this. Pur kept being stubborn. Even if he died, he won't change his wish to have my heart.

It has been over two months since I called Pur. Considering that other devils have returned within 2-3 weeks, that's an incredibly long period of time.

Thanks to Adrian's divine power, the first month was okay, but the second month was painful.

"I will never give my heart up."

[Give up.]

I groaned, then slowly sat down and looked at the trembling Pur.

As my power nearly went over the limit, it was hard to maintain him.

'I'm going to use up all my divine power in three or four days.'

Then I die, or worst of all, I go crazy. I sighed and said,

"Let's hear the reason. Why do you want my heart?"

[.......]

"Pur."

[...I need your heart to see that person!]

Pur was crying and shouting. That person? I had a dejavu hearing him.

'Boone said something like that too.'

He also said that the jewelry was for that person.

"Who is this person?"