"I see."
A rough gesture tore through the report.
"I've seen all sorts of crazy people."
"Your Majesty, please maintain your dignity..."
The chamberlain trembled at the unrestrained insults and offered remonstrance, but the one who had been insulting only snorted.
"Do you think I can maintain my dignity now? Huh? I've seen the families of the founding fathers manipulate taxes for two generations and make a big profit!"
"Your Majesty..."
"And what, they're using slaves? What's the point of our reputation for calling the barbarians slaves? Hey!"
The Emperor clicked his tongue roughly and sank back onto the throne. The Emperor's gaze turned to the man sitting across from him.
"Dante Heigenberg."
"Yes. I'm listening."
"The flapping of your butterfly's wings brought about a storm."
The sharp eyes of a ruler who had expanded the borders repeatedly and ruled the continent during his youth stared straight at Dante.
"You have discovered a hidden cancer in the empire."
The Pedegreen family used to be prestigious, but now even their name had long since died down. He thought so, but it seemed that they still had enough courage to tamper with taxes.
Manipulating taxes that should be paid to the country was no different from stealing the country's money. The Pedegreen family would not be able to avoid severe punishment.
"They say that the secret space where the ledgers were hidden was also discovered thanks to the Duchess' emphasis on the rooftop garden. Was that really a coincidence?"
Dante, who had been quiet all along, slowly opened his mouth.
"Well."
His beautiful lips are curved.
"Even I have a hard time predicting her."
"You still haven't figured out the woman you married?"
"Because she has so unexpected sides."
The corners of Dante's lips twisted a little darker.
"That's why I fell in love."
The Emperor clicked his tongue. You're so easy on yourself, like a snake.
The Emperor, with his arms folded, stared at Dante.
"I'm not like those fools who are bored day after day and are only interested in gossip."
"You're right."
"I mean, don't think you're really struggling with a passionate love affair."
"..."
"My eyes be fooled. Is there something between you and that lady?"
Dante grinned.
"Passion?"
"...You're a snake."
The Emperor groaned and leaned back on his throne.
It was about ten years ago. The Duke of Helgenberg drafted his youngest son into the war against the barbarians that was in full swing at the time. The war had intensified, but it wasn't a desperate situation where even high-ranking nobles had to give up their sons. Nevertheless, the Duke offered Dante to the front lines of the war against the barbarians, who were known for their cruelty.
He must have expected the barbarians to take charge of executing the troublesome bastard. However, the executioner was not a barbarian, but a bastard boy. After eight years of hard warfare, the bastard returned as a war hero after cutting down hundreds and thousands of barbarian heads.
This time, he swung his sword at his own family. His half-brothers, who had laughed at him, saying, "What would a guy who only fought know?", were caught up in schemes and conspiracies and fell behind one after another.
In just half a year since his return, Dante defeated all the candidates for the legitimate successor and took the ducal throne. There was also the Emperor's secret support. He could not just sit by and watch the Heigenberg dukedom, the backbone of the Empire, fall to greedy
idiots. Even without the support, it would
not have affected the outcome, but the Emperor decided to do as he pleased.
"The Princess is not eating or drinking."
Dante just wiggled his eyebrows as if to say, "Is that so?"
"According to the report, she ordered her maids to find out how to annul a marriage."
"Interesting idea."
"For your information, according to imperial law, a marriage can be annulled within a month of marriage even if there are no fatal disqualifications."
Dante raised an eyebrow.
"For your information, I have already done everything I could. If you don't take responsibility for that, you're not even a man."
"... Really?"
The Emperor leaned down slightly and lowered his voice.
"Recently... I've been hearing rumors that you, ahem. are not functioning properly in an important place."
Dante furrowed his brow slightly.
"Where on earth do such rumors come from?"
"Where would that be?"
The Emperor cleared his throat.
"It's the same place where the rumors about you being a promiscuous person came from."
Dante furrowed his eyebrows and clicked his tongue as if he understood. The Emperor, who had been blankly staring at her, cleared his throat and continued speaking.
"Dante."
The Emperor said with a much more serious expression than before.
"The Crown Prince is a good person, but he has a dull side. A large country like the Empire needs a strong and commanding monarch. My son, though, I don't think he has that kind of quality."
The Emperor lowered his voice and spoke slowly.
"However, if you become the Princess's spouse."
"With all due respect, Your Majesty."
Dante stood up from his seat.
"I will pretend I didn't hear what you just said."
That, that insolent...
The Emperor lightly grabbed the back of his neck. He was extremely offended, but he couldn't scold him. He knew that Dante would receive many love calls from all over asking him to come to their country, saying that they would give him the title of Duke or two. To him, nationality was nothing more than a chain that he could throw away whenever he felt like it was too much trouble.
The Emperor buried himself deeper in his chair and muttered sadly to himself.
"Oh my, you say I'm the Emperor, but I don't know who's the master."
"Your Majesty, your jokes are so funny."
"I'd rather die than suffer..."
The Emperor muttered sadly and sank deeper into his chair. It was then that an urgent knock was heard.
"Your Majesty, I have a report."
"Come in."
The aide who quickly approached recited the report.
"It has been confirmed through anonymous reports that Leona Pedegreen was borrowing money from private lenders. However, the source of the money is..."
"Leona Pedegreen, isn't that the name of the previous Marchioness? What kind of trouble has that filthy family caused?"
The Emperor, who had been on guard, was shocked by the aide's subsequent words.
"They suspect her of being a member of the Dawn Sect."
"This is it. This is amazing!"
No matter how insignificant she may be, she joined hands with a group of traitors while wearing the name of a founding father!
This was clearly crossing the line. It had been that way since the moment she embezzled taxes, but it was no different from jumping in place to show that she had crossed the line.
"When did she become so rotten?"
The tumor that had rotted away in the Emperor's front yard was discovered so late, and it was also a shame for the Emperor himself.
The Emperor groaned and got up from his seat. It was time to cut out the rot.
***
I wondered if the investigators had found it by now. I thought as I lightly walked.
I had told Lucas one lie. I had not kept the secret about the Marquis's private loans in my possession. It had already been sent out into the world a long time ago. In the name of an anonymous complaint.
As I climbed all the way up the stairs to the dungeon, fresh air greeted me. It was qualitatively different from the air far below where Lucas was trapped. I was trying to enjoy the air while slowly inhaling.
"What a busy butterfly."
He was standing in front of the stairs. He was looking at me with his arms crossed and his head tilted crookedly. I noticed a woman right behind him looking at me. She had a gorgeous outfit and a strikingly beautiful face. I remembered seeing her on posters a few times. She seemed to be a singer who came to mind around this time.
The woman glared at me with tearful eyes and then suddenly turned around and disappeared.
Her back looked as pitiful and pathetic as a prima donna who had been heartbroken on stage.
"Where are you looking?"
Dante took a step forward and completely blocked my view. I looked up at him with a bewildered face.
What could it be? He looked a little...
No. Clearly different than usual. As if he was offended.
"...Your Highness."
"That title is wrong while you're married."
Dante said as he pulled me up the stairs. A low murmur could be heard from the distance that had become much closer.
"It's also wrong for a married woman to visit her ex-fiancé alone."
At those words, the singer who had just left the place in tears suddenly came to mind. I didn't want to ask what they had talked about or what had made her cry.
Hadn't we started the contract by stipulating that I would not interfere in any of my sexual relationships?
However, if it was thought that I had damaged my reputation as a Duchess by having a secret meeting with my scandalous ex-fiancé, then I needed to explain myself.
"I came to tease him."
I said quietly, letting out a breath.
"I wanted to let him know in person that the family of founding fathers that he was so proud of had been branded a debtor."
"That 'anonymous letter' was your doing, after all."
Since I had no reason to hide it, I just looked down.
"How did you know?"
"The Marquis's wife touched the Dawn Order's wallet."
"..."
"As expected, that 'anonymous complaint' was your doing."
Since there was no reason to hide it, I just looked down.
"How did you know? That the Marquis's wife touched the Dawn Squad's wallet."
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