Chapter 138: 138

Naen took a closer look at Vellian, who came unannounced.

She had seen this man several times.

Isn’t he the emperor’s aide?

What’s his name?

“Sir…… Vellian?”

“Yes, you remember me.”

In fact, Vellian didn’t see this girl very often.

Florin told him to hear the truth from this girl, but Vellian didn’t have much chance to enter the Empress Palace because the empress didn’t like him much.

Reluctantly, he tried to ask Seibel a favor but turned down his request.

What the Empress had done in the meantime? Why had Seibel become so kind to her?

‘And I called that man as my friend…… tsk tsk.’

Vellian drew a little closer to Naen.

“Miss Naen, how hard is life here? I should have come and helped you earlier.”

“I, I am fine.”

“Isn’t it difficult?”

“No, not at all. I’m fine.”

Vellian stared at Naen, who stuttered and said everything is fine.

Is it because she’s shy or because she’s stupid?

It was only to exchange greetings before bringing up the main topic, but this lady didn’t seem to have any intention of having a proper conversation.

“I heard from Miss Florin.”

Vellian put aside his useless thoughts and brought out his main intent.

“She said there was something unfair about the last poisoning incident. Miss Florin asked me to clear up the misunderstanding.”

“My, my sister?”

Recalling that day’s incident, Naen’s face turned pale.

‘Something’s weird.’

Naen vehemently denied it. “There was no misunderstanding at all.”

“Really? According to Miss Florin’s testimony, someone in the Empress Palace has framed Miss Naen.”

“No, it wasn’t a misunderstanding. Florin sent me the poison.”

“To harm the Crown Prince?”

Naen kept her mouth shut again. Vellian could see her tiny lower lip trembling slightly.

‘Hmm, there’s something odd about that part.’

This girl is easy to manipulate.

That’s why Florin sent this girl to the palace as a scapegoat and Astelle used her to frame Florin.

“I want to help you, Miss Naen.” Velian persuaded Naen with a friendly voice.

He wanted to find out what Astelle was plotting.

In the past few months, the new nobles have suffered much damage.

The expulsion of the Croychen family from the capital was also a big blow. And now even the Minister of Home Affairs……

His Majesty the Emperor ordered the execution of Viscount Bürgen, the Minister of Home Affairs.

Instead of being vacant, the seat was to be taken by the new Duke of Reston, the Empress’ older brother.

All of these processes must have had Astelle’s intervention.

‘Does she want to be empress regent?’

That’s possible.

So he must find anything that could be a weakness for the empress.

“……”

But Naen kept her mouth shut and didn’t cooperate and her eyes trembled anxiously.

‘It’s enough for today.’

“If you have anything to say to me, please call me later. Any trifle is fine.”

Naen looked at him with anxious eyes and then nodded.

 

***

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He didn’t get much, but at least he got Naen’s promise.

Vellian quickly walked down the hallway of the Empress Palace.

But he was already one step late.

Before him, Astelle was coming in with her maid.

For a moment, Vellian thought about hiding behind a pillar.

But he had no chance of that.

Astelle walked quickly to where he was.

Vellian reluctantly bowed to show some courtesy.

“I greet Your Majesty the Empress. Glory to you–”

“Sir Velian. What are you doing here?”

Astelle’s calm voice cut his words coldly.

She had previously addressed him in a friendly manner, but over time, she had become high-handed.

Of course, he was the first to be rude.

“I’m here to deliver the emperor’s message to you.”

“I was with His Majesty just now”

“……this is what he said this morning.”

Vellian cleared his throat. “The Emperor said he would give the new Duke the land of the Southwest as a congratulatory gift.”

Of course, the Emperor had talked about gifts this morning and ordered the butler to send them to the Empress.

Vellian took on the role of a troublesome aide who was ordered to inform the Empress himself, instead of the butler.

He was tricked into coming here while His Majesty went on a picnic.

Astelle, who was indifferent to this remark, showed a surprised look.

“That’s too much of a gift.”

The Emperor wanted to give a territory gift to the Duke who had just inherited the title? That rarely happens.

There will be many protests of disapproval because of that.

“Are you going to refuse?”

“It’s not even a gift for me. Brother Fritz will tell His Majesty in person.”

She said so, but she herself would say no to Kaizen directly.

It’s not good for the Reston family to stand out too much.

“Since you’re here, there’s something I want to tell you.” Astelle brought up another story.

“Yes?”

“I want to build a pharmacy that researches and educates herbs in the capital city.”

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It was something Gretel had long wanted.

Astelle also wanted to repay Gretel in that way.

“His Majesty also allowed it, so please prepare the official procedure.”

‘Herbs?’

Vellian looked carefully at Astelle and bowed politely.

“Alright.”

 

***

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Kaizen was sitting in his office with complicated feelings.

All the way back here, what the Marquis said lingered in his head.

“Her Majesty the Empress truly loved Your Majesty throughout the engagement period. I’m surprised you didn’t know at all.”

When he heard that, he couldn’t give any answer.

For a moment, he felt as if time had stopped.

On the day after his wedding, he remembered Astelle, who agreed to the divorce without hesitation.

How was Astelle’s expression at that time?

“Yes, Your Majesty. I agree to divorce.”

Astelle looked rather calm as she agreed to the divorce.

After burning the firewood in the fireplace, his mind became clear as if the dust and ashes that had accumulated for a long time were gone all at once.

Kaizen realized at that moment.

The past decade has been a difficult time for Astelle.

As the prince’s fiancée, she faithfully and modestly fulfilled her duties, but she also had good feelings about her marriage.

“……”

Kaizen didn’t know how she felt at that time.

He also felt a little guilty when he suddenly demanded a divorce.

It hadn’t even been a day since the wedding was over.

She hadn’t even had a chance to stay in the Empress Palace, but instead, he made her pack up her things.

How could Astelle accept his unreasonable request?

She must have suffered a lot.

He planned to give Astelle a huge fortune if she didn’t accept the divorce, and if that still didn’t work out, he even thought of forcibly sending her to a separate palace.

But Astelle agreed to the divorce without a second thought, with a nonchalant expression as if she wanted that too.

“I never wanted to marry you either.”

In front of the calm Astelle, Kaizen felt both relief and betrayal at the same time.

Unexpectedly, he was relieved by her calm demeanor, but on the other hand, he hated her very much. He felt betrayed by Astelle who had been pretending to be a sweet and sincere fiancée.

He knew he was selfish to even think about it.

To him, Astelle was like air.

He was so used to her that he didn’t realize she was with him.

For ten years, she had always been by his side, quietly fulfilling her role.

Although Kaizen hated Astelle, he sometimes felt comfortable with her.

He thought maybe it was some kind of affection.

Kaizen realized that he had a comfortable affection for Astelle.

But that moment was brief. Maybe because they have been together for a long time.

At that time, Kaizen was insanely busy.

There was no time to attach meaning to such emotions, and he didn’t have time to be immersed in sentimentality.

Over time, he erased Astelle from his memory.

He had forgotten Astelle until they met again six years later.

The words of the Marquis of Carlenberg to him had changed the years he remembered with Astelle.

‘Astelle loved me?’

The forgotten memories flashed before his eyes;

Astelle’s bashful smile as she held his hand,

Her whispering voice which contained deep sincerity,

Sweet and affectionate moments passed in his memory.

“I agree to the divorce.”

Kaizen finally realized the sadness in Astelle’s indifferent eyes at that time.

When she said she agreed to divorce, disillusionment and sadness appeared on her calm expression.

Astelle agreed to divorce and left because she loved him.

His late realization brought pain and regret. Kaizen closed his eyes in deep sadness.

 

***

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The Duke of Reston picked up a small vial lying on the desk.

A clear red liquid swayed gently inside the vial.

It is a poison that he gets with great difficulty after years of investigation.

The person who obtained this poison explained uneasily,

“It won’t work unless the target drinks it himself.”

The Duke of Reston frowned as he slowly shook the red liquid in the vial.

‘I don’t want to use this.’

This is really a last resort.

If the Emperor is poisoned in this situation, anyone will suspect the Empress and the Reston family.

‘The story will be different if it’s in the hunting competition.’

If he dies in an accident while hunting, even if people suspect, there is no definite evidence, so it will be buried in the fog.

But poison is different. Because they must somehow find the culprit.

The Duke put the vial back down on the desk after he pondered.

‘I will never use it if there’s another way.’

If the hunting competition isn’t going to be held, if there’s no other way, then he has no choice but this.

His anxious eyes turned again to the liquid in the vail.

He had already planned how to use it.

There is a trustworthy person among the maids of the Empress.

The emperor’s food is always thoroughly inspected.

In fact, there is no possibility of poisoning the emperor’s food.

But now, if I’m lucky, I might be able to create a chance.

There is someone who can poison the emperor without going through the food inspection first.

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