Chapter 69
Given the situation, they wouldn’t even be able to speak. Alejandro cast a contemptuous glance. Their verbal offenses were always nothing but empty façades.
“If you want to drag me down from this position, you’ll have to grab the first emperor by the collar and pull him out of his grave.”
Only then did the nobles close their mouths, which had been chattering loudly.
“First of all, I have never closed the streets. Capture those who impersonated my name.”
“They are the knights of the sacred empire! We cannot just capture the loyal knights like that.”
“Is it fine for them to impersonate my name? Capture them all and uncover the truth behind it.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Alejandro scanned the room with a cold gaze. The nobles aligned with him nodded in response to his eyes, while those holding the empress’s hand all averted their gazes.
Alejandro clicked his tongue.
“Since learning about the plague, I have been secretly investigating it until now.”
“You’ve hidden such a tremendous matter! Even as Crown Prince, you cannot escape criticism…”
“Clearly, you would just keep babbling. Would you mind closing your mouth?”
Alejandro coldly retorted.
“I was about to say that I have found a way to resolve the illness.”
“…Ahem.”
Alejandro gestured to Emil. Emil placed what he was holding on the table.
“What is that!”
“It’s grotesque!”
“Indeed. They say someone used this grotesque thing to spread the plague.”
Alejandro coldly spat out, “I wonder who made this monstrosity. Aren’t you curious? I’m very curious.”
The nobles swallowed hard. Could this be the true form of the plague god that had been circulating in society? They glanced at each other, gauging reactions.
“The disease currently going around is not an epidemic.”
“Then…”
“It’s poison.”
“Gasp!”
The startled nobles gasped in shock. This meeting was meant for leisurely discussions to criticize Alejandro, but he provided a definitive answer that defied their expectations.
A perfect answer that would silence the nobles.
“Now it’s your turn. If I’ve come this far, you should at least catch the culprit. That way, you can maintain your positions, right? You need to bring an answer by the next meeting, before I’m truly labeled as the cursed one, as you say.”
The nobles swallowed again.
Alejandro had completely overwhelmed them.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
The reddish sunset settled over the land, appearing like fresh blood. Empress Rielin smiled slightly.
Without realizing it, Empress Rielin let out a chuckle. A giggle escaped her lips.
“How foolish.”
It was laughable that they were so easily deceived by such crude tricks and were pointing fingers at Alejandro.
Alejandro’s desperate efforts to save such things were almost ridiculous. The betrayal of the people was faster than anything else.
“What’s so amusing?”
Adrian smiled brightly.
“Adrian, my son, you seem to be in a good mood as well.”
“Evelina Regnis is more entertaining than I expected.”
“In what way?”
“In every way. She’s the type to invite danger by worrying about things that don’t need attention.”
Empress Rielin clicked her tongue.
“Don’t waste your interest. It’s a life that will vanish as a sacrifice anyway. It’s a shame about her potential, but she must die for you to live.”
“I understand. When the time comes, I will take that life myself, so don’t worry.”
“I’m glad to hear your resolve.”
Empress Rielin sat up straight. Everything in the world has its natural order and happens in due time. There are no coincidences, only manufactured coincidences and the inevitabilities that arise from them.
It might be fate that Alejandro and Evelina are so intertwined.
There were rumors that Alejandro held Evelina in special regard. And that was almost certainly true.
Having something precious is no different from having a weakness. Evelina had become Alejandro’s weakness. If Evelina were to die, Alejandro would crumble.
Empress Rielin smiled slyly.
“I look forward to everything that will happen from now on. Adrian, just continue as you are. Stay healthy, and don’t fall ill.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Sera was injured. However, Sera had done her job well. The rumors about the plague, the curse, and the ghost had spread safely.
What was a bit disappointing was that it would be difficult to use Sera for a while. Empress Rielin felt no lingering sympathy for Sera.
Rielin laughed coldly.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
It was only after a long time of crying that Casper stopped his tears. His eyes were hardened. He was looking at Elizabeth through me, but he no longer called me Elizabeth.
And Casper promised to save NJ.
After quite some time had passed, he returned to the office to finish his work. Tomorrow, he must meet Madame Ponicha. The schedule was constantly being disrupted.
“Rebecca, it’s true that we can shoot the photos tomorrow, right?”
“Yes, miss. His Highness the Crown Prince sent a letter, and Viviana went directly today to get a confirmation. Madame Ponicha is a professional. She said she would prepare everything well.”
That was a relief. However, tomorrow’s photoshoot wouldn’t be easy. I got into the carriage with Rebecca to head home.
“Today feels really long.”
I sighed. My mind was complicated.
“Indeed. But don’t worry too much, miss.”
Rebecca comforted me.
“His Highness the Crown Prince will handle this matter quickly.”
“I know. Still, I need to write at least one article… Is there a good writer available who can handle this situation along with Lehan? This time, it needs to attract public interest like the Wormtail incident.”
“I’ll think about that part.”
I need to raise Alejandro’s popularity at once. As much as we lost this time.
“By the way… um, it seemed like you were with dear Elizabeth for quite a while today.”
Rebecca said, watching my reaction closely.
“Was there something going on?”
“…It’s nothing.”
I wanted to keep Casper’s tears a secret. That was his personal matter and his emotions.
“It was nothing. I was just a bit stressed from religious studies today, so I just ate a lot of sweets.”
“I see.”
Rebecca smiled ambiguously. That smile again.
“I’m serious!”
“…I get it.”
Rebecca said awkwardly.
“His Highness the Crown Prince dislikes sharing his own matters.”
“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
“It’s literally what I said, whether it’s a person or an object. This is something I’m saying for Mr. Casper, not for you, miss.”
“I’m not close to Casper at all. No, more than that. Why is Alejandro involved? The context is strange. It’s like…”
I narrowed my eyes and stared at Rebecca. Her light-colored irises shone softly.
“It’s like… Alejandro likes me. That’s ridiculous.”
This time, Rebecca looked flustered.
“Why do you think that’s ridiculous? It could be true. Just look at how well His Highness treats you!”
“Is that really treating me well? Do you genuinely think so?”
Rebecca blinked in surprise.
“…In his own way. But he hasn’t treated you poorly, has he?”
“Alejandro…”
I let out a deep sigh. I didn’t understand why I had to argue about this. I was just staying quiet.
“Lehan hasn’t told me he likes me.”
“Excuse me?”
Rebecca tilted her head.
“Does that matter? Just by his actions, it’s obvious. He’s restless thinking something might happen to you. He rushed over yesterday, too. And… he’s worried about you all day long.”
“Okay, let’s say that’s true. But why do I have to hear such things from someone else? Doesn’t Lehan have a mouth?”
“That’s…”
“I’ll pretend I don’t know until Lehan says it himself. I don’t know anything.”
He acts like a fox, doing this and that, but keeps his mouth shut. What is he, a clam?
“…Now that I see it.”
“What!”
“I thought you were a bear, Miss but now I see you’re a fox.”
“No, I’m not!”
