Not long after Ivan returned to his office with military books from the library, Rodan came to see him. Ivan greeted Rodan with a cup of warm tea. Of course, the tea that was left on the table was not prepared for Rodan.
“Are you here?”
"Yes."
Ivan's very dry attitude, sitting at the table and just glancing around, told the truth.
“What’s going on?”
Ivan's questions were very short and concise. It seemed that even his secretary was not very happy about the time. Well, he said he didn't even eat lunch, so it seemed that something was bothering him. Ivan, who was sensitive and noble and proud, didn't eat when he felt uneasy.
“I have something to report.”
And whenever Ivan did that, Rodan would lie flat on his stomach and try to please him. Since Ivan was his master, it was inevitable that he would do something dirty and deadly.
“If you don’t want to hear it now, I’ll come later.”
“No. Do it.”
He just hopes the topic he brings up doesn't upset Ivan.
“We have selected noble ladies who are of good spirits.”
Ivan seemed to be absent-minded until Rodan opened his mouth. However, the moment Rodan spoke, Ivan's eyes were fixed squarely on him.
“Last time, just as you said...”
Was it out of place? Was it a lack of awareness? Should he apologize and leave now? Rodan pondered with a blank expression, emphasizing that it was Ivan who had entrusted him with the task.
"Yes."
But Ivan's answer came more easily than expected. Rodan, who noticed his hand reaching out into the air as if to hand over the list, quickly put the list in his hand.
“How many people?”
“There are thirty people in total.”
Twenty-two years old. Within the Escliffe, anyone of Ivan's age would have been engaged or married. The same goes for women, so even if you gathered all the families from the poorest to the most disadvantaged, there weren't as many as you might think.
“Should I include them on the list even though they are not adults yet?”
It was inevitable. Rodan remembered the contempt in Ivan’s eyes when he heard his question. No matter how much he thought about it, it seemed like there wouldn’t be many, so he asked the question. Just in case, he decided to exclude women who had passed away or had broken off engagements from the list.
“Thirty.”
Fortunately, it seemed to fit Ivan’s criteria. Rodan was certain that it was true, since he didn’t look angry or give him a pitiful look. Ivan’s hand, which was scanning the list of simple personal details of the noble ladies, picked up a pen and moved it without hesitation.
“...”
If you erase everything like that, what will be left?
The black line drawn across the names was cold, as befitting Ivan’s personality. Rodan’s eyes wavered slightly. The moment the number of people passed twenty, only three remained on the list.
“...Louis Skipper?”
Suddenly, Ivan asked a question.
“When you say Louis Skipper, do you mean the daughter of Count Skipper?”
Rodan blinked as if he had heard something unbelievable. Of course, Louis Skipper fit the criteria he had initially set. 'Only the criteria,' he said. She was around Ivan's age, had no history of marriage or divorce, and lived quietly while serving as a Priestess.
However, the Count of Skipper was a vassal family of the Duke of Russell, so it would not have been strange for them to have been under their command. Naturally, it was not a surname that Ivan liked.
"Yes."
So he left that name out. He was afraid that if he wrote Louis Skipper's name on the list, Ivan might stab him.
But what is this situation that he cannot understand for the time being? Rodan quietly racked his brain to figure out why the name of Louis Skipper came out of Ivan's mouth. Meanwhile, Ivan's hands were busy moving, leaving only four people on the list.
“Find out more information about these four, and a total of five, including Louis Skipper.”
Rodan was handed the list again, but no answer came out of his mouth, saying he would do so.
"Why?"
Ivan asked a question, seemingly concerned that Rodan would not leave his seat easily even after hearing his order.
“Why do you want me to find out about the young lady of the Skipper family?”
Rodan tilted his head as if he couldn't understand. He seemed curious enough to ask even though he knew Ivan wasn't in a good mood.
“Did you like her when you saw her last time?”
“If the Russell or Skipper families go under anyway, that woman will have no power in the royal family. That’s the condition I want.”
Ivan explained why he had brought up Louis Skipper as if he had heard something ridiculous. But that wasn't enough. Feeling Rodan staring at him, Ivan put down the pen he was holding and leaned back in his chair.
“Besides, Louis Skipper knows all the secrets of the temple.”
His mouth was twitching as if he wanted to ask what that had to do with anything. Ivan stared somewhat pitifully at his secretary, who pretended not to understand.
“She probably already knows about Amelia Escliffe and her child, so shr won’t bother her. After everything is over, she’ll just close her eyes and stay quiet to save her life.”
“The Priestess is anyway...”
Rodan, who was about to ask if it wasn't a life that was about to die, stopped talking. It was because Ivan's attitude seemed a little different from the last time they talked.
“Are you planning to keep her alive?”
Instead of answering, Ivan crossed his arms and sank into silence. His eyes blinked slowly, a look of concern in his eyes.
“...”
It was also pitiful. Ivan seemed to want to say that. Rodan, who had cleared all his doubts, felt a little uneasy. He liked Ivan's cold attitude, which had never bothered him before.
“You’re not even married yet. Surely you don’t plan on acknowledging the child as your own?”
Amelia Escliffe's life was indeed pitiful. According to Ivan, she had been suffering under the oppression of the temple since birth. It would not be an exaggeration to say that she had sacrificed her entire life. And now she was being played by Ivan's deception.
“I don’t think of it as my own. Of course, I have no intention of declaring that child as my child. I know exactly how they’ll come out of the temple using that as an opportunity.”
“Then it is fine. Regardless of whether she can become the Empress or not, whether you should have her as your government or not is not something you need to worry about now.”
Apart from being pitiful, her life was of no use to Ivan. She had deceived the imperial family for generations and had taken control of a country. Amelia was not a suitable Empress, nor was she a good candidate for the government. In the first place, keeping her alive was a troublesome task that required additional attention.
“Why did you suddenly change your mind?”
Rodan asked. Ivan uncrossed his arms, ran a hand through his hair, and thought about the night before.
Amelia's sad face told him about her childhood. Ian existence, he didn't know what would happen if he turned away. Amelia's plea to acknowledge Ian as his child. The clear affection on Amelia's face when she met him at the library. Things like that.
“After all, we are going to die when the time comes.”
Of course, none of those scenes were particularly great. They didn't make Ivan's heart ache with emotion. Since it was Ivan himself who planned that situation in the first place, he didn't feel an unexpected sense of guilt.
But...
“If I told her he had to die early because she helped me, she wouldn't want to help me.”
“Are you here?”
"Yes."
Ivan's very dry attitude, sitting at the table and just glancing around, told the truth.
“What’s going on?”
Ivan's questions were very short and concise. It seemed that even his secretary was not very happy about the time. Well, he said he didn't even eat lunch, so it seemed that something was bothering him. Ivan, who was sensitive and noble and proud, didn't eat when he felt uneasy.
“I have something to report.”
And whenever Ivan did that, Rodan would lie flat on his stomach and try to please him. Since Ivan was his master, it was inevitable that he would do something dirty and deadly.
“If you don’t want to hear it now, I’ll come later.”
“No. Do it.”
He just hopes the topic he brings up doesn't upset Ivan.
“We have selected noble ladies who are of good spirits.”
Ivan seemed to be absent-minded until Rodan opened his mouth. However, the moment Rodan spoke, Ivan's eyes were fixed squarely on him.
“Last time, just as you said...”
Was it out of place? Was it a lack of awareness? Should he apologize and leave now? Rodan pondered with a blank expression, emphasizing that it was Ivan who had entrusted him with the task.
"Yes."
But Ivan's answer came more easily than expected. Rodan, who noticed his hand reaching out into the air as if to hand over the list, quickly put the list in his hand.
“How many people?”
“There are thirty people in total.”
Twenty-two years old. Within the Escliffe, anyone of Ivan's age would have been engaged or married. The same goes for women, so even if you gathered all the families from the poorest to the most disadvantaged, there weren't as many as you might think.
“Should I include them on the list even though they are not adults yet?”
It was inevitable. Rodan remembered the contempt in Ivan’s eyes when he heard his question. No matter how much he thought about it, it seemed like there wouldn’t be many, so he asked the question. Just in case, he decided to exclude women who had passed away or had broken off engagements from the list.
“Thirty.”
Fortunately, it seemed to fit Ivan’s criteria. Rodan was certain that it was true, since he didn’t look angry or give him a pitiful look. Ivan’s hand, which was scanning the list of simple personal details of the noble ladies, picked up a pen and moved it without hesitation.
“...”
If you erase everything like that, what will be left?
The black line drawn across the names was cold, as befitting Ivan’s personality. Rodan’s eyes wavered slightly. The moment the number of people passed twenty, only three remained on the list.
“...Louis Skipper?”
Suddenly, Ivan asked a question.
“When you say Louis Skipper, do you mean the daughter of Count Skipper?”
Rodan blinked as if he had heard something unbelievable. Of course, Louis Skipper fit the criteria he had initially set. 'Only the criteria,' he said. She was around Ivan's age, had no history of marriage or divorce, and lived quietly while serving as a Priestess.
However, the Count of Skipper was a vassal family of the Duke of Russell, so it would not have been strange for them to have been under their command. Naturally, it was not a surname that Ivan liked.
"Yes."
So he left that name out. He was afraid that if he wrote Louis Skipper's name on the list, Ivan might stab him.
But what is this situation that he cannot understand for the time being? Rodan quietly racked his brain to figure out why the name of Louis Skipper came out of Ivan's mouth. Meanwhile, Ivan's hands were busy moving, leaving only four people on the list.
“Find out more information about these four, and a total of five, including Louis Skipper.”
Rodan was handed the list again, but no answer came out of his mouth, saying he would do so.
"Why?"
Ivan asked a question, seemingly concerned that Rodan would not leave his seat easily even after hearing his order.
“Why do you want me to find out about the young lady of the Skipper family?”
Rodan tilted his head as if he couldn't understand. He seemed curious enough to ask even though he knew Ivan wasn't in a good mood.
“Did you like her when you saw her last time?”
“If the Russell or Skipper families go under anyway, that woman will have no power in the royal family. That’s the condition I want.”
Ivan explained why he had brought up Louis Skipper as if he had heard something ridiculous. But that wasn't enough. Feeling Rodan staring at him, Ivan put down the pen he was holding and leaned back in his chair.
“Besides, Louis Skipper knows all the secrets of the temple.”
His mouth was twitching as if he wanted to ask what that had to do with anything. Ivan stared somewhat pitifully at his secretary, who pretended not to understand.
“She probably already knows about Amelia Escliffe and her child, so shr won’t bother her. After everything is over, she’ll just close her eyes and stay quiet to save her life.”
“The Priestess is anyway...”
Rodan, who was about to ask if it wasn't a life that was about to die, stopped talking. It was because Ivan's attitude seemed a little different from the last time they talked.
“Are you planning to keep her alive?”
Instead of answering, Ivan crossed his arms and sank into silence. His eyes blinked slowly, a look of concern in his eyes.
“...”
It was also pitiful. Ivan seemed to want to say that. Rodan, who had cleared all his doubts, felt a little uneasy. He liked Ivan's cold attitude, which had never bothered him before.
“You’re not even married yet. Surely you don’t plan on acknowledging the child as your own?”
Amelia Escliffe's life was indeed pitiful. According to Ivan, she had been suffering under the oppression of the temple since birth. It would not be an exaggeration to say that she had sacrificed her entire life. And now she was being played by Ivan's deception.
“I don’t think of it as my own. Of course, I have no intention of declaring that child as my child. I know exactly how they’ll come out of the temple using that as an opportunity.”
“Then it is fine. Regardless of whether she can become the Empress or not, whether you should have her as your government or not is not something you need to worry about now.”
Apart from being pitiful, her life was of no use to Ivan. She had deceived the imperial family for generations and had taken control of a country. Amelia was not a suitable Empress, nor was she a good candidate for the government. In the first place, keeping her alive was a troublesome task that required additional attention.
“Why did you suddenly change your mind?”
Rodan asked. Ivan uncrossed his arms, ran a hand through his hair, and thought about the night before.
Amelia's sad face told him about her childhood. Ian existence, he didn't know what would happen if he turned away. Amelia's plea to acknowledge Ian as his child. The clear affection on Amelia's face when she met him at the library. Things like that.
“After all, we are going to die when the time comes.”
Of course, none of those scenes were particularly great. They didn't make Ivan's heart ache with emotion. Since it was Ivan himself who planned that situation in the first place, he didn't feel an unexpected sense of guilt.
But...
“If I told her he had to die early because she helped me, she wouldn't want to help me.”
He just realized it anew.
“Even if I had that thought, I couldn’t help but think that it was the last trace you left on the world.”
“How could I do that?”
“It’s no different from me killing you, so how can I kill my own child?”
Amelia really did give birth to his child, and she was trying to protect him somehow. The fact that the baby was alive and right in front of him. He was definitely aiming for that, but when he saw it with his own eyes, he felt a strange feeling.
“Then what happens next can be kept a secret from the Priestess. And will you be able to pass the throne to the child you have with Louis Skipper?”
Rodan spoke coldly. It may sound harsh, but he was right.
“First, I will investigate in detail the backgrounds of the four ladies to whom I can send proposals, excluding Louis Skipper.”
“Do that.”
Ivan answered. Rodan bowed and left Ivan's office.
“...”
Ivan looked down at his palm quietly. It was the hand that had felt the pounding of Ian's heart the night before.
“Whether or not she can become an Empress is not something you should worry about now, let alone whether or not you should have her as your government.”
His living child. And the woman who gave birth to that child. But she is someone who cannot be tied down within the framework of family.
Amelia was a woman who could not possibly be his wife, let alone have her as his government. Rodan was right.
He knew it in his head.
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