Chapter 149
It was because of the matter related to the First Prince.
Indeed. Kylus had just told her that he knew about her private audience with Count Latrang.
Kylus must have guessed as soon as he heard those words from Ruyd.
What she and Count Latrang would have discussed.
Since Count Latrang had first proposed the deal to Kylus, he couldn’t have failed to understand.
Alice swallowed hard as she looked at his rigid face.
So, Kylus was expressing his stance with his entire being before she even began to speak.
That he opposed this matter.
Could she persuade him?
For a moment, in the face of Kylus’s overwhelming presence, Alice felt instinctively intimidated, like a herbivore before a carnivore.
But if she turned back now, things would get complicated.
‘Don’t be afraid!’
She took a deep breath and opened her mouth, looking at Kylus with serious eyes.
“Your Grace. Since you seem to have already guessed much, I’ll speak directly without circling around. As you anticipated, I discussed the First Prince with Count Latrang yesterday. To be precise… we made a deal.”
“That you would save the First Prince, and in return, Count Latrang would swear loyalty to the Third Prince. Since Count Latrang pledged his unwavering loyalty today by presenting even his family heirloom.”
Alice nodded without hesitation and replied:
“That’s right. The Count promised to make the First Prince renounce his right to succession. And in exchange for him swearing loyalty to the Third Prince, staking the south, I agreed to save the First Prince. With my holy power.”
“…”
Alice finished speaking and waited for Kylus’s response.
But he remained silent, gazing at her thoughtfully, his thoughts unreadable.
‘Why isn’t he saying… anything?’
Just as Alice bit her lip, uncomfortable with the increasingly lengthy silence, Kylus finally spoke:
“No.”
A very firm and brief answer.
It was as she had expected. Alice calmly began her attempt at persuasion.
“I know you’re opposing this out of concern for me. But considering the Third Prince’s future…”
But before Alice could properly begin her persuasion, Kylus cut her off.
“You understand well. As you think, I absolutely cannot agree to this because I’m worried about you.”
He continued without giving Alice a chance to speak:
“Tomorrow, I will tell the Third Prince to return the Fourth Emperor’s ring to the Count.”
Kylus spoke with an expressionless face.
“What? No, what are you saying…!”
Alice’s eyes widened at his words.
“Count Latrang is the Southern Border Count with the most fertile territory in the empire! How can you say you’ll have him reject the loyalty oath of such a person?!”
With a shortcut to making the Third Prince emperor right before them, the Duke of Dearrut, who most supported the Third Prince, was going to overturn the table.
Alice was dumbfounded by Kylus’s decision, which was beyond resolute—it was insane.
But Kylus answered without flinching:
“While Count Latrang’s help would be beneficial, it’s not absolutely necessary for the Third Prince. Since I’m already laying a good foundation, there will be no problem with the Third Prince becoming Crown Prince. Don’t worry.”
Kylus suddenly stood up before Alice could even begin to speak.
As if he no longer wanted to hear her words.
“This time, I will not follow Alice’s wishes. So it would be best to end this conversation here.”
“Your Grace!”
“And until Count Latrang returns to the south… don’t leave the Duchy for a while.”
“Don’t leave…? Are you saying you’ll restrict my movements?”
“If necessary.”
Kylus answered in a low voice.
‘This man is serious.’
Indeed. Kylus was truly contemplating confining Alice to the Duchy if need be.
At that moment, Alice’s expression went blank.
His resolve was so firm, it was hard to believe this was the same Kylus who had always been considerate of her.
She was so shocked that she was at a loss for words, as if wondering whether this was really the person she knew.
He continued, averting his gaze slightly:
“It’s late, so please return to your bedroom.”
With that, Kylus turned his back to Alice first.
It was clearly a dismissal.
And at that moment, the dazed Alice snapped back to reality.
Simultaneously, anger and indignation surged within her.
‘No, he’s saying he’ll confine me? And he won’t even properly listen to what I have to say.’
What kind of… rudeness is this?
‘Is being handsome everything?’
Although Alice’s life goal was to tread lightly, she wasn’t a herbivore that would simply lower herself at being pressed down.
She would rather clench her fists, soft as they might be, and deliver a punch.
Alice sprang to her feet and approached Kylus, who had turned his back on her.
And she grabbed his wrist. To make him turn toward her.
Surprisingly, Kylus turned to face her without any resistance.
“Your Grace, you can’t just end the conversation like this. I haven’t even finished speaking!”
“…If you must, I’ll listen. But my decision won’t change.”
Kylus spoke coldly, beyond firmness. His attitude made Alice’s blood boil even more, and she shouted:
“No, why?! This isn’t a bad proposal—the First Prince will be revived, and the Third Prince will become Crown Prince faster!”
Alice took a breath after speaking too rapidly, then continued:
“Everyone benefits! Count Latrang has already shown his firm determination not to break his promise—why on earth are you refusing?!”
Alice couldn’t hide her intense emotions. She truly couldn’t understand his firm stance.
But Kylus cut her off again:
“As I said earlier, for me, Alice takes precedence over the First and Third Princes.”
“…What?”
Alice, who had momentarily lost her reason to anger, hesitated.
“If the First Prince miraculously revives, someone might question that miracle. And at the end of that suspicion, they might discover you.”
“…That’s—”
Alice tried to speak, but Kylus shook his head and firmly said:
“Alice, your holy power is as dangerous as it is powerful. And I swore to protect you. That’s why I cannot permit this.”
‘Even if it’s a tiny possibility, you could be in danger.’
Kylus added gravely, looking straight at her.
“Your Grace…”
At that, Alice’s momentum subsided slightly. After all, his inability to be rational was ultimately because of her.
Though she was moved by his heart that truly thought only of her, unfortunately, Alice had to do this.
Because she had her own reasons beyond the First and Third Princes.
Namely, the Empress and the Wraith of Darkness.
Currently, the Wraith of Darkness in the basement of the Empress’s Palace was in a state she couldn’t eliminate with her power, and the Empress seemed to be laying low while plotting a scheme.
And regarding this current situation, Alice had truly given it much thought over the past few days.
Even with Kylus keeping watch on the Empress’s Palace, it wasn’t a safe situation.
She occasionally felt such anxiety.
Even if the Empress couldn’t break the seal of the Wraith of Darkness immediately, would she not threaten the Third Prince who had entered the palace with black magic?
It was entirely possible, since the Empress’s position in the palace was still more solid than the Third Prince’s.
From the beginning, the closure of the Empress’s Palace wasn’t forced but voluntary, so the empire was already full of sympathy for the Empress.
Moreover, Hasis, the Empress’s right hand, was still the captain of the First Imperial Knight Order.
Therefore, it wasn’t entirely impossible for the Empress to work behind the scenes to oust the Third Prince.
It was while Alice had these unspoken anxieties that Count Latrang proposed the deal.
And Alice had thought it would be beneficial not only for the First and Third Princes but also for the frustrating current situation.
If the Third Prince received Count Latrang’s support as well, he would establish himself as Crown Prince much faster.
Then, the Third Prince’s position within the palace would become as solid as the Empress’s, and the Empress’s Palace would not be able to move carelessly.
Additionally, if all attention and power were concentrated on the Third Prince, the sympathy for the Empress would quickly be forgotten.
Naturally, the Empress’s position would become quite precarious.
If they could somehow block the basement of the Empress’s Palace or strengthen internal security at that time, even if they couldn’t completely prevent the Empress from breaking the seal of the Wraith of Darkness, they could delay it.
But… this was her own reason that she couldn’t tell Kylus.
‘How do I persuade such an obstinate Kylus?’
Just as Alice was considering with a small sigh, Kylus spoke first:
“Forget everything.”
‘Forget everything? What does he mean?’
Alice’s eyes widened at words that seemed out of context.
“What?”
Kylus spoke without even blinking, as if he would brainwash her:
“The First Prince is someone you’ve never even met. So forget about the First Prince and leave the Third Prince’s matters to me. Just stay still. I’m saying this time, forget everything and don’t do anything.”
His voice was terribly low, as if being squeezed out, and the wrist she was holding grew increasingly hot.
His emotions were beginning to boil.
Just as she had calmed down, Kylus was getting excited in return.
Alice looked at his dark eyes that were beginning to seethe and thought:
‘Is this the first time I’ve clashed with Kylus to this extent?’
It seemed so. Kylus had never responded so sternly to her before, not even once.
And simultaneously, she realized:
It seemed that persuading him would be difficult.
Alice released his wrist and let out a big sigh.
“I’m sorry, but I won’t stay still as you wish. I’ve already made a deal with Count Latrang, and I will keep my promise one way or another.”
