Chapter 50
“Alice, you look pale. Are you feeling unwell?”
Enough for Kylus to worry.
Alice looked up at Kylus.
He seemed to be waiting for her answer, but Alice couldn’t tell him the truth.
Not because she didn’t trust him, but because he wouldn’t believe her words.
To explain it all, she’d have to reveal that this world was inside a book.
Any normal person would think Alice had gone mad.
“…I’m a bit tired. Maybe because so much happened at the banquet.”
Alice made up an excuse.
“Then shall I have Helkin examine you…”
“Your Grace!”
Just as Kylus was about to take a step towards her, a brown-haired man rushed to him.
“Tessiri.”
Tessiri, the Duke’s capable aide of common birth.
And later, he would become Lady Meltain’s capable aide.
It was the appearance of another major character from the original story.
But now wasn’t the time to be surprised about Tessiri.
The shock from Hasis’s appearance was too great.
Especially the ‘lord’s’ interest he had mentioned, that was the problem.
Tessiri’s face showed he had urgent news for Kylus.
His glance at her conveyed a desire for her to leave.
Alice also needed time alone to organize her thoughts, so she said to Kylus:
“There’s no need for the doctor’s examination.”
Alice glanced at Helkin.
He was still sitting on the floor, clutching the leg of the chair Kylus had been sitting in.
Anyone could see he was in no state to examine someone.
Kylus seemed to think so too, frowning as he looked at Helkin.
“I think I’ll be fine if I rest well.”
“…Alright. If you feel unwell, inform the butler immediately.”
“I will.”
Hasis, who shouldn’t have appeared now, and his lord.
The content of the original story was being severely shaken, like a ship caught in rough waters.
And Alice was standing alone on that shaking ship.
I need to sort out my thoughts on how things are unfolding.
Alice hurriedly left the banquet hall, unable to relax her expression despite Kylus’s worried gaze.
* * *
Kylus couldn’t take his eyes off Alice until she completely disappeared from view.
It was because Alice’s complexion was truly poor.
Why so suddenly?
She had been fine even when Madam Quillian was being driven out.
Rather than shock, her face looked like she was afraid of… something.
Lord Hasis briefly crossed his mind, but Alice had no particular reason to fear him.
Her sudden poor complexion worried him, but his thoughts couldn’t linger long.
Because Tessiri opened his mouth.
“Your Grace, His Majesty suddenly taking Madam Quillian away? We can’t leave it like this. I’ve learned that imperial knights also barged into the Bulkin viscounty. His Majesty has made a preemptive strike, thinking we would attack the Bulkin viscounty.”
Kylus turned his gaze to the urgent-looking Tessiri.
“Yes, it seems so.”
“How can you be so calm? Shouldn’t we retrieve Madam Quillian and Edellm right away? At this rate, His Majesty will conduct a cursory investigation and minimize their crimes for the trial.”
“Even so, we can’t bring Quillian and Edellm back now. His Majesty seems determined, sending an edict stating he won’t tolerate any protection from me.”
Kylus glanced at the golden letter the butler was holding.
“…Then must we abandon Madam Quillian like this? We need to handle this properly now to avoid future troubles.”
As Tessiri couldn’t hide his frustration, Kylus shook his head.
“No, that doesn’t mean we’ll sit idly by. I’ve been gathering solid evidence in preparation for such a situation. I’ll bring the evidence to His Majesty tomorrow. Even His Majesty can’t hold criminals with clear evidence against them.”
The Emperor would have no choice but to return Quillian to the duchy.
A criminal who attempted to kill the head of a family could be punished by the family head without a trial.
Imperial law stipulated so.
“That’s somewhat of a relief.”
Tessiri let out a sigh of relief, but Kylus’s eyes were still downcast.
“Hmm.”
Because another issue was bothering him.
The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Had the Emperor always been this clever?
Anticipating how he would move, investigating behind his back, and striking before he could attack the Bulkin viscounty?
It suggested meticulous preparation since he woke up, but the Emperor he knew was not someone capable of such careful planning.
Even thinking of the Emperor’s close associates, there was no one who could execute such behind-the-scenes maneuvers.
To begin with, the Emperor’s closest confidant was the Bulkin viscounty, which was now being raided.
That greedy lot wouldn’t raid their own storehouse just to be wary of him.
Then who could have predicted his movements and protected the Bulkin viscounty?
As he furrowed his brow, unable to think of anyone, suddenly one person flashed through his mind.
The only person maintaining dignity amidst an imperial family steeped in greed and foolishness.
Empress Lariella Pentium of the Pentium Empire.
He had encountered her at the palace a few days ago.
Right in front of the First Prince’s palace.
Kylus recalled their conversation from that day.
‘Duke, I’m truly glad to see you awake and in such good health.’
‘Thank you, Your Majesty.’
‘I heard you had an audience with His Majesty the Emperor. I know you must have been very hurt that His Majesty couldn’t pay attention to the Dearrut duchy while you were incapacitated… I knew His Majesty’s actions were wrong, but in the end, I couldn’t persuade him. I’m truly sorry, Duke.’
‘No, Your Majesty.’
‘But now that you’ve awakened so healthily, I’ll petition His Majesty to annul your marriage to the Duchess. More than anything, you must have been very surprised by the marriage.’
‘No. It’s fine.’
‘…Fine? Are you saying you’ll keep the Duchess as she is?’
‘Yes. That’s right.’
The Empress had looked quite surprised at Kylus’s firm refusal.
‘How unexpected. I thought you would immediately demand a divorce from His Majesty… The Duchess must be quite different from the rumors.’
‘I don’t know what the rumors are, but there will be no reason for the Duchess and I to divorce.’
‘…I see. I was worried because you couldn’t follow proper procedures for the marriage, but hearing your words, it seems the Duchess is a good person. I feel relieved. Please show me the Duchess sometime.’
‘…If the opportunity arises, I will do so.’
“…Come to think of it, the Empress showed interest in Alice, just like Hasis.”
Kylus murmured softly, recalling their brief conversation.
He hadn’t thought much of it then, but looking back now, something stuck out.
The fact that the Empress had shown interest in Alice.
Was it simple curiosity, or did it mean the Empress was keeping an eye on the Dearrut duchy?
Judging by the content of the conversation alone, there was nothing particularly strange, but the Empress wasn’t one to pay attention to social gossip.
It bothered him that such a person had mentioned rumors and referred to the Duchess.
It bothered him even more because Hasis had shown the same interest today.
Empress Lariella had become Empress after the previous Empress died.
And she was someone who had never been involved in any scandal.
She had such a good reputation that the imperial citizens praised her as the only light in the corrupt imperial family.
She had never been involved in state affairs, so she hadn’t shown great hostility towards him like the Emperor.
Moreover, the Empress was someone who not only disliked but despised the sycophantic Bulkin viscounty, so it was a far-fetched assumption that she had orchestrated this.
But why did it bother him so much?
Was it because he had long found the Empress unsettling?
In truth, Kylus didn’t view the Empress entirely favorably.
She was a person strangely devoid of flaws.
It wasn’t common sense that one could emit such a noble light alone in a mad imperial family.
And the Second Prince, child of the noble Empress, was a good-for-nothing who didn’t resemble his mother’s reputation at all.
Utterly lacking in ability.
If she were truly such an excellent mother, could her child be such a wastrel? Kylus had doubts about the Empress every time he saw the Second Prince.
Of course, he had only had doubts, never reaching the point of suspicion.
But this time, his doubts about the Empress seemed unlikely to disappear easily, going beyond mere questioning.
“Your Grace, what are you thinking about so deeply?”
As Kylus remained silent with a serious face, Tessiri asked with a concerned look.
“…It’s nothing.”
Kylus decided to keep his suspicions about the Empress to himself for now.
He still lacked certainty, and he hoped his suspicions about the Empress were unfounded.
If the Empress was really his enemy, it would be quite troublesome.
It seems I’ll need to have a brief conversation with the Empress after meeting the Emperor tomorrow.
“We’ll depart for the imperial palace early tomorrow morning. Prepare without fail.”
After ordering Tessiri and Davit, he left the banquet hall with a hardened face.
