“Please bring forward the Crown Prince’s investiture date to the day he turns one year old, not two.”
“How dare you?”
Ivan was quietly furious. Duke Russell had shamelessly committed fraud, yet instead of bowing down to the Emperor, who knew of his actions, he was offering a deal.
“Would Your Majesty be able to publicly acknowledge that child as your own?”
Duke Russell calmly asked if he could reveal that he had infiltrated the temple and deliberately spent the night with Amelia. He also asked if it would be okay for Ian to be revealed as his illegitimate son.
"Then Escliff would become a country completely devoid of its connection to the gods. Because Your Majesty deliberately took the Priestess as a woman."
“...”
“Can the people accept that fact?”
With Ivan now aware of everything, the Duke of Russell could not back down, so it was a do-or-die situation.
“What if I just tell you to reveal it?”
“All you have to do is abandon the Priestess.”
Duke Russell answered Ivan's question coldly, as if he truly didn't care what happened to Amelia.
“But Your Majesty followed the oracle even though you knew it was false.”
“...”
"Whatever your intentions were, didn't you hesitate to kill the woman who gave birth to your child? Or perhaps you couldn't abandon your child."
But Ivan knew he couldn't bear to see Amelia die as a fraud who had deceived the nation. He sensed an unexpected pity for the woman and child. The Duke of Russell laughed as he spoke.
"I agree with expanding the Imperial Knights. Instead of selecting nobles, I'd like to see them expand to just three divisions, recruiting commoners. They wouldn't need to be given land, but rather a fee. It would also be more suitable for defense purposes."
The Duke of Russell was convinced that Ivan would have no choice but to accept his offer.
“If you promise me just those two things, Your Majesty, you will get everything you want.”
So, he was able to ask Ivan for it as if it were natural and continue the conversation calmly.
The meeting ended more easily than expected.
"If increasing the number of knights and the costs associated with running the Imperial Academy are a problem, why not extend the benefits to the commoners as well? The costs would then be passed on to them."
“If that’s the case, I agree.”
The Duke of Russell, who had opposed the agenda Rodan had mentioned, surprisingly obediently sided with Rodan the next day. He even apologized for the meeting's prolonged length due to his opposition.
“...”
If the Duke of Russell had bent over so low, wasn't the Emperor threatening him with something? His gaze drifted toward Ivan, as if it were natural. But the man who had achieved his goal had a frighteningly blank expression on his face.
So, some in the room thought that perhaps the Duke of Russell had simply changed his mind. Everything went on like that, vaguely and vaguely.
“Ivan.”
Ivan, lost in thought, lifted his head at Amelia's voice. A faint worry flashed through her pitch-black eyes.
“What problem is there again?”
Ivan shook his head at Amelia's question. He then reached out and pulled her into his arms. Despite having given birth, her waist, still a handful, felt weak as she pulled.
“No. Things went as planned.”
There was no problem. Moreover, with the priest Ricky already dead, Duke Russell's threats would never materialize. Ivan's secret would remain undisclosed unless Amelia revealed the truth.
“There’s something that feels uneasy.”
As Ivan spoke, he placed a brief kiss near Amelia's temple. He then moved his fingers, gripping her waist, as if playing an instrument. Clad in only a thin nightgown, perhaps it tickled her, and Amelia naturally twisted slightly.
“What part?”
Ivan held Amelia tightly by the waist to prevent her from escaping. This left Amelia awkwardly standing with her back straight, her palms resting on Ivan's shoulders. Her posture was somewhat awkward, but because Ivan was sitting in the chair, her gaze was naturally level.
“The knights who returned today said that, as you said, the priest named Ricky is already dead.”
If he were dead, wouldn't everything be settled neatly? Amelia thought.
“They also reported that the bodies were in a mess, as if they had been bitten by wild animals.”
“Could it be that they were attacked by a herd of beasts?”
Ivan nodded at Amelia's answer. He didn't seem to doubt it either. So what was so unsettling about it that made his face so serious? Amelia tried to read Ivan's mind.
“The knight who confirmed Ricky’s death by showing his face to the townspeople said that no one in Reckton was surprised by the news.”
“...”
“As if they were seeing a dead body every few days.”
But Reckton was so remote that outsiders were rare. The people living there would likely have a fear of the cursed land and the forest connected to it, so they wouldn't venture there unless absolutely necessary. How on earth did they become so accustomed to corpses?
“I think there might be a secret.”
"That land was abandoned long ago. Rumors swirled around it, so no one lives there anymore. Even those who own land don't bother to look after their own."
Baron Jasper held the land, but he lived solely in the islands, never once returning to his own domain. He even hatched a plan to reclaim the land abandoned by the imperial family, but this plan was thwarted by opposition from the nobles. Within their own territories, the lords possessed absolute, inviolable rights, untouchable even by the imperial family.
“Even if something happened there, no one would know.”
Listening to Ivan, Amelia suddenly recalled a scene from the past. Before giving birth, she had been transported to a certain place by carriage. It was a place that was particularly memorable for its overly gloomy and eerie atmosphere, its chilly, almost uninhabited atmosphere.
"There..."
At the time, she didn't think much of it. But now that she thinks about it, it wasn't an ordinary place, as it was the land chosen by the Duke of Russell and Aaron, who had to hide Amelia's swollen belly from public view.
“This might be where I grew up and gave birth to Ian.”
Ivan raised an eyebrow at Amelia's words.
"There weren't many people staying in the castle. No, I rarely encountered anyone in the first place."
Even if they existed, she never even encountered them. At the time, she thought Aaron, Louis, and their butler, Joseph, had everything under perfect control, but it occurred to her that maybe that wasn't the case. Although it was a belated realization.
“Perhaps that land belongs to the Duke of Russell.”
At least a typical lord wouldn't neglect the land they own. All their money would come from there.
However, Baron Jasper abandoned the land and lived solely in the Isles. He didn't send anyone to tend his estate. He didn't even send a single slave to work the land. The Baron's decision greatly contributed to the widespread belief that the land was truly cursed. Thus, the name of the land naturally vanished from maps.
“...”
But what if that was all a ruse by the Duke of Russell? What if the Duke of Russell actually owned the land and was hiding his secret there?
“You have to go there, Ivan.”
If so, it was imperative to uncover the secrets of that land. Of course, the most he was hiding was Amelia, the sacred legend. But there were undoubtedly other, more subtle corruptions and secrets hidden within. Perhaps, unexpectedly, more direct evidence could be found there.
"Yes."
Ivan also agreed with that fact. Even the existence of God was a lie. It seemed more natural to say the Duke of Russell owned and wielded it in someone else's name than to say the land was truly cursed. So, he had no choice but to answer obediently.
“When are you going?”
“As soon as possible.”
Ivan gave a short answer to Amelia's question.
"Yes."
So Amelia figured she wouldn't be seeing this man for a while, soon.
“If by any chance you hear anything from Duke Russell or Aaron...”
That was why she brought up the idea of a brief separation from Ivan.
"No."
But Ivan cut Amelia off before she could finish. Amelia blinked, unable to hide her bewilderment at the unexpected turn of events.
“You should go too.”
Ivan continued, meeting Amelia's gaze. His green eyes, bathed in the crimson light of the candles, held so many thoughts and emotions Amelia could not decipher.
“How dare you?”
Ivan was quietly furious. Duke Russell had shamelessly committed fraud, yet instead of bowing down to the Emperor, who knew of his actions, he was offering a deal.
“Would Your Majesty be able to publicly acknowledge that child as your own?”
Duke Russell calmly asked if he could reveal that he had infiltrated the temple and deliberately spent the night with Amelia. He also asked if it would be okay for Ian to be revealed as his illegitimate son.
"Then Escliff would become a country completely devoid of its connection to the gods. Because Your Majesty deliberately took the Priestess as a woman."
“...”
“Can the people accept that fact?”
With Ivan now aware of everything, the Duke of Russell could not back down, so it was a do-or-die situation.
“What if I just tell you to reveal it?”
“All you have to do is abandon the Priestess.”
Duke Russell answered Ivan's question coldly, as if he truly didn't care what happened to Amelia.
“But Your Majesty followed the oracle even though you knew it was false.”
“...”
"Whatever your intentions were, didn't you hesitate to kill the woman who gave birth to your child? Or perhaps you couldn't abandon your child."
But Ivan knew he couldn't bear to see Amelia die as a fraud who had deceived the nation. He sensed an unexpected pity for the woman and child. The Duke of Russell laughed as he spoke.
"I agree with expanding the Imperial Knights. Instead of selecting nobles, I'd like to see them expand to just three divisions, recruiting commoners. They wouldn't need to be given land, but rather a fee. It would also be more suitable for defense purposes."
The Duke of Russell was convinced that Ivan would have no choice but to accept his offer.
“If you promise me just those two things, Your Majesty, you will get everything you want.”
So, he was able to ask Ivan for it as if it were natural and continue the conversation calmly.
***
The meeting ended more easily than expected.
"If increasing the number of knights and the costs associated with running the Imperial Academy are a problem, why not extend the benefits to the commoners as well? The costs would then be passed on to them."
“If that’s the case, I agree.”
The Duke of Russell, who had opposed the agenda Rodan had mentioned, surprisingly obediently sided with Rodan the next day. He even apologized for the meeting's prolonged length due to his opposition.
“...”
If the Duke of Russell had bent over so low, wasn't the Emperor threatening him with something? His gaze drifted toward Ivan, as if it were natural. But the man who had achieved his goal had a frighteningly blank expression on his face.
So, some in the room thought that perhaps the Duke of Russell had simply changed his mind. Everything went on like that, vaguely and vaguely.
“Ivan.”
Ivan, lost in thought, lifted his head at Amelia's voice. A faint worry flashed through her pitch-black eyes.
“What problem is there again?”
Ivan shook his head at Amelia's question. He then reached out and pulled her into his arms. Despite having given birth, her waist, still a handful, felt weak as she pulled.
“No. Things went as planned.”
There was no problem. Moreover, with the priest Ricky already dead, Duke Russell's threats would never materialize. Ivan's secret would remain undisclosed unless Amelia revealed the truth.
“There’s something that feels uneasy.”
As Ivan spoke, he placed a brief kiss near Amelia's temple. He then moved his fingers, gripping her waist, as if playing an instrument. Clad in only a thin nightgown, perhaps it tickled her, and Amelia naturally twisted slightly.
“What part?”
Ivan held Amelia tightly by the waist to prevent her from escaping. This left Amelia awkwardly standing with her back straight, her palms resting on Ivan's shoulders. Her posture was somewhat awkward, but because Ivan was sitting in the chair, her gaze was naturally level.
“The knights who returned today said that, as you said, the priest named Ricky is already dead.”
If he were dead, wouldn't everything be settled neatly? Amelia thought.
“They also reported that the bodies were in a mess, as if they had been bitten by wild animals.”
“Could it be that they were attacked by a herd of beasts?”
Ivan nodded at Amelia's answer. He didn't seem to doubt it either. So what was so unsettling about it that made his face so serious? Amelia tried to read Ivan's mind.
“The knight who confirmed Ricky’s death by showing his face to the townspeople said that no one in Reckton was surprised by the news.”
“...”
“As if they were seeing a dead body every few days.”
But Reckton was so remote that outsiders were rare. The people living there would likely have a fear of the cursed land and the forest connected to it, so they wouldn't venture there unless absolutely necessary. How on earth did they become so accustomed to corpses?
“I think there might be a secret.”
"That land was abandoned long ago. Rumors swirled around it, so no one lives there anymore. Even those who own land don't bother to look after their own."
Baron Jasper held the land, but he lived solely in the islands, never once returning to his own domain. He even hatched a plan to reclaim the land abandoned by the imperial family, but this plan was thwarted by opposition from the nobles. Within their own territories, the lords possessed absolute, inviolable rights, untouchable even by the imperial family.
“Even if something happened there, no one would know.”
Listening to Ivan, Amelia suddenly recalled a scene from the past. Before giving birth, she had been transported to a certain place by carriage. It was a place that was particularly memorable for its overly gloomy and eerie atmosphere, its chilly, almost uninhabited atmosphere.
"There..."
At the time, she didn't think much of it. But now that she thinks about it, it wasn't an ordinary place, as it was the land chosen by the Duke of Russell and Aaron, who had to hide Amelia's swollen belly from public view.
“This might be where I grew up and gave birth to Ian.”
Ivan raised an eyebrow at Amelia's words.
"There weren't many people staying in the castle. No, I rarely encountered anyone in the first place."
Even if they existed, she never even encountered them. At the time, she thought Aaron, Louis, and their butler, Joseph, had everything under perfect control, but it occurred to her that maybe that wasn't the case. Although it was a belated realization.
“Perhaps that land belongs to the Duke of Russell.”
At least a typical lord wouldn't neglect the land they own. All their money would come from there.
However, Baron Jasper abandoned the land and lived solely in the Isles. He didn't send anyone to tend his estate. He didn't even send a single slave to work the land. The Baron's decision greatly contributed to the widespread belief that the land was truly cursed. Thus, the name of the land naturally vanished from maps.
“...”
But what if that was all a ruse by the Duke of Russell? What if the Duke of Russell actually owned the land and was hiding his secret there?
“You have to go there, Ivan.”
If so, it was imperative to uncover the secrets of that land. Of course, the most he was hiding was Amelia, the sacred legend. But there were undoubtedly other, more subtle corruptions and secrets hidden within. Perhaps, unexpectedly, more direct evidence could be found there.
"Yes."
Ivan also agreed with that fact. Even the existence of God was a lie. It seemed more natural to say the Duke of Russell owned and wielded it in someone else's name than to say the land was truly cursed. So, he had no choice but to answer obediently.
“When are you going?”
“As soon as possible.”
Ivan gave a short answer to Amelia's question.
"Yes."
So Amelia figured she wouldn't be seeing this man for a while, soon.
“If by any chance you hear anything from Duke Russell or Aaron...”
That was why she brought up the idea of a brief separation from Ivan.
"No."
But Ivan cut Amelia off before she could finish. Amelia blinked, unable to hide her bewilderment at the unexpected turn of events.
“You should go too.”
Ivan continued, meeting Amelia's gaze. His green eyes, bathed in the crimson light of the candles, held so many thoughts and emotions Amelia could not decipher.
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