Episode 38. Kassius's Chaos
The news of Canary's pregnancy shook the empire.
As the Emperor, who had previously been unaware of an heir, had one, it captured everyone's attention.
Even those who had once called Laxus a madman were now paying attention to him.
The crowd gathered in the square was no exception.
"The Emperor has an heir? Does that mean the child will become the next Emperor?"
"As long as there's no surprise, that's the case."
"But the Empress's status... tsk."
"She's a former maid. I'm curious to see how well she'll raise the child. Wouldn't it be better to have a well-educated noblewoman as Empress and have her raise the child?"
"Actually, that's true. It would be nice if Empress Renisha were here in this situation."
"Oh. There's that story, too. That Empress Renisha was banished for not being able to bear children."
"Hey! How could that be? Giving birth to a child isn't the most important position for an Empress! The Empress is supposed to discuss politics and govern the country alongside the Emperor! Could the Emperor be so indifferent?"
However, the gazes directed at Laxus and Canary were cold.
The reaction was that the Emperor's pregnancy was cause for celebration, but the aftermath was the problem.
Marquis Danvers chuckled among the merchants.
Renisha's moves were always right.
Renisha had declared that even if Canary became Empress, she would never be welcomed.
With Renisha, who had kept the mad Emperor in check, gone, the people would wander in search of someone to lean on.
But where would their hearts turn when they knew there was no one left in the imperial court?
None other than the departed Empress.
Voices were growing louder, calling for a godmother for Canary's pregnancy.
Now, it was time for Marquis Danvers to act.
The nobles holding power, including the Marquis of Danvers, swarmed the palace.
Both the Emperor's supporters and the opposing nobles had gathered together.
The palace servants looked surprised at their gathering.
"What's going on?"
"I don't know. It looks like chaos is brewing."
People stepped back to avoid blocking their path.
Henry left, and the newly hired chamberlain hurriedly opened the door to the audience room.
Laxus paused, staring at the nobles gathered before him with a languid expression.
"This is the first time I've seen you all gathered together like this. Are you here to celebrate the birth of an heir? There's a banquet coming soon, so it won't be too late to discuss it then."
"Your Majesty, I have something to tell you."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Now that you have an heir, we should naturally hold a banquet to celebrate. However, the empty seat next to Your Majesty is a problem."
"The envoys from other countries will undoubtedly take issue with it."
Laxus scanned the assembled crowd.
They were all figures considered influential within the empire.
Even if Laxus were mad, decapitating them here would be impossible.
The empire would be shaken. Isn't it true that even an Emperor needs a nation to thrive?
Laxus covered his face with one hand and sighed.
They had already made up their minds, determined to achieve their goals.
"Say what you want,"
Laxus said coldly.
"I think it's appropriate to make Canary the Empress."
"That's right. Make Canary the Empress. If the Empress seat is vacant, foreign envoys will look down on you. And besides, do you intend to make the child who will be your heir illegitimate? That's not right. He is the one who will inherit the empire."
The nobles repeated the same words, like a reversal.
Laxus, who had no heir, now had one.
That meant even if he made his daughter or niece Empress, there might not be another chance.
Especially considering that Laxus had not had an heir.
Therefore, it was decided that inserting a dummy Canary into the Empress's place would be beneficial to everyone.
Marquis Danvers had successfully brought them together with his smooth tongue.
The nobles were unanimously insisting that Canary be made Empress.
Laxus's expression cracked.
"Canary as Empress?"
Laxus let out a hollow laugh.
"What will become of Renisha then?"
The nobles stared at Laxus, who was mentioning the Empress he had banished.
Renisha had already left, and she was now another man's wife.
"Lady Renisha is now Lady Lottera."
"That's right. Wasn't that marriage ordered by His Majesty?"
"Why are you suddenly mentioning her..."
Amidst the confusion, only Danvers remained smiling.
Laxus was mad.
So mad that he couldn't even read his own emotions.
He didn't know where his confusion had originated, but it was already too late to correct it.
Renisha had pointed her sword at Laxus.
"She won't return, Your Majesty."
If Laxus was dreaming, shouldn't he wake him up?
"Lady Renisha will be heading to Hiloshine soon. She's going far from the capital."
Laxus placed a hand on the armrest.
He didn't know why Renisha had come to mind at that moment.
He simply had never imagined anyone else taking the Empress's seat.
Throughout Laxus's reign, Renisha had been Empress, and it had been so natural.
He was the one who had turned the world upside down and was having the hardest time adjusting.
"That's right,"
Laxus muttered.
"So, Canary should be Empress? A caged bird rising to prominence."
"You must make a decision for the sake of the succession, Your Majesty!"
Even Laxus couldn't help being cornered like this.
Laxus nodded briefly.
"Finish it quickly. Canary will be crowned Empress, but all ceremonies will be omitted. She will not have the rights Renisha had, and Canary must not interfere in political affairs."
Laxus quickly assessed the situation. Canary had no power.
Powers would gather to exploit her.
Laxus didn't want to be a puppet dancing in their hands.
Canary would be a symbolic Empress, possessing nothing of substance.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Each agreed to make Canary the Empress, despite their own differing opinions.
Something was off.
Usually, Renisha would casually reach out to Kassius.
She would often grab his chin and treat him like a puppy.
But lately, Renisha was acting strange.
She wouldn't allow herself to be alone with Kassius.
If Kassius even felt like touching her, she would naturally avoid him.
"What?"
Just two days.
Kassius, who had been paying close attention to Renisha, could sense this.
However, no one living in the mansion, except Kassius, seemed to notice anything strange.
"Isabella."
"Uncle!"
The child grinned and clung to Kassius's waist. She seemed brighter and more playful than before.
The maids and knights continued to argue over Isabella.
Anyway, Isabella was closer to Renisha than anyone else right now.
"Isabella. Don't you think Renisha's acting strange these days?"
"Ugh?"
Isabella tilted her head. Her short hair swayed.
“My aunt isn’t strange. There’s nothing strange about her.”
Isabella asked with a serious face.
“What’s strange about my aunt?”
“No. That’s not it.”
Kassius shook his head.
He wasn’t sure how to tell Isabella.
“It’s nothing, Isabella.”
Kassius smoothed Isabella’s hair and walked away.
Next, Kassius visited Terion and the knights.
Honestly, it would have been quicker to ask the maids serving Renisha, but he simply didn’t dare to speak to them.
Kassius sighed deeply.
His thick body trembled as he crossed his arms.
“What’s the matter, Lady?”
The knights burst into laughter.
“Damn it.”
Who had come to ask him what?
And there was no way they, who were far from romantically involved, would know anything.
Kassius grabbed the knights and turned away.
Then there was only one person Kassius could turn to for help.
"My. What brings the Duke here? I thought you were leaving the island in a day or two. Aren't you very busy?"
CKssius nodded with a curt expression.
“Madame Turiel. I came to ask you something.”
“You’re going to ask me?”
Madame Turiel waved the crowd away.
The guests who had visited the costume shop were also chased out.
Those who had been dissatisfied were silenced when they saw Kassius wearing the Lottera frame.
“...Renisha has been acting strange lately. But there’s no one in the mansion to ask her.”
“Hmm? What’s strange about her?”
Renisha, who had exchanged letters today, was no different than usual.
Turiel had meticulously explained to her what she needed to do while she remained in the capital.
But strange?
“It wasn’t like this when I handled Marquis Danvers’s affairs before.”
“But?”
“I’ve handled Count Calliot’s affairs much better than before. I met with Count Calliot as Renisha said, and he confirmed that he remembered his promise to her. Count Calliot has assigned me two of his subordinates, who will act as a link between Hiloshine and Count Calliot.”
“Well done.”
Of course, Turiel knew about this.
She’d already heard from Renisha.
She’d confirmed Danvers and Calliot’s intentions through Kassius, so she could use them when planning the game.
“But she's not treating me like before,”
Kassius said with a serious expression.
“It feels like she's avoiding me.”
“Avoiding?”
“I mean, just me. She seems to particularly avoid situations where we’re alone.”
Turiel smiled.
“Yes. So this is relationship counseling, yes?”
“Relationship counseling? No way. We’re already married.”
“Aha. So you’re consulting on marital issues? Did you two spend the night together?”
“Great!”
Kassius’s expression answered.
His face flushed, his gaze unsure where to look.
“If so, there must be one reason. The night was unsatisfactory.”
Madame Turiel smiled coquettishly.
A clumsy man who came to visit a woman to win her heart wasn’t bad.
It meant that Kassius cared that much about Renisha.
It was actually pleasing that the man who would become a cruel ruler when he held a sword was showing such weakness to Renisha.
“Unsatisfactory...?”
Kassius’s face turned pale.
“What should I do?”
Kassius’s voice became urgent.
The news of Canary's pregnancy shook the empire.
As the Emperor, who had previously been unaware of an heir, had one, it captured everyone's attention.
Even those who had once called Laxus a madman were now paying attention to him.
The crowd gathered in the square was no exception.
"The Emperor has an heir? Does that mean the child will become the next Emperor?"
"As long as there's no surprise, that's the case."
"But the Empress's status... tsk."
"She's a former maid. I'm curious to see how well she'll raise the child. Wouldn't it be better to have a well-educated noblewoman as Empress and have her raise the child?"
"Actually, that's true. It would be nice if Empress Renisha were here in this situation."
"Oh. There's that story, too. That Empress Renisha was banished for not being able to bear children."
"Hey! How could that be? Giving birth to a child isn't the most important position for an Empress! The Empress is supposed to discuss politics and govern the country alongside the Emperor! Could the Emperor be so indifferent?"
However, the gazes directed at Laxus and Canary were cold.
The reaction was that the Emperor's pregnancy was cause for celebration, but the aftermath was the problem.
Marquis Danvers chuckled among the merchants.
Renisha's moves were always right.
Renisha had declared that even if Canary became Empress, she would never be welcomed.
With Renisha, who had kept the mad Emperor in check, gone, the people would wander in search of someone to lean on.
But where would their hearts turn when they knew there was no one left in the imperial court?
None other than the departed Empress.
Voices were growing louder, calling for a godmother for Canary's pregnancy.
Now, it was time for Marquis Danvers to act.
***
The nobles holding power, including the Marquis of Danvers, swarmed the palace.
Both the Emperor's supporters and the opposing nobles had gathered together.
The palace servants looked surprised at their gathering.
"What's going on?"
"I don't know. It looks like chaos is brewing."
People stepped back to avoid blocking their path.
Henry left, and the newly hired chamberlain hurriedly opened the door to the audience room.
Laxus paused, staring at the nobles gathered before him with a languid expression.
"This is the first time I've seen you all gathered together like this. Are you here to celebrate the birth of an heir? There's a banquet coming soon, so it won't be too late to discuss it then."
"Your Majesty, I have something to tell you."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Now that you have an heir, we should naturally hold a banquet to celebrate. However, the empty seat next to Your Majesty is a problem."
"The envoys from other countries will undoubtedly take issue with it."
Laxus scanned the assembled crowd.
They were all figures considered influential within the empire.
Even if Laxus were mad, decapitating them here would be impossible.
The empire would be shaken. Isn't it true that even an Emperor needs a nation to thrive?
Laxus covered his face with one hand and sighed.
They had already made up their minds, determined to achieve their goals.
"Say what you want,"
Laxus said coldly.
"I think it's appropriate to make Canary the Empress."
"That's right. Make Canary the Empress. If the Empress seat is vacant, foreign envoys will look down on you. And besides, do you intend to make the child who will be your heir illegitimate? That's not right. He is the one who will inherit the empire."
The nobles repeated the same words, like a reversal.
Laxus, who had no heir, now had one.
That meant even if he made his daughter or niece Empress, there might not be another chance.
Especially considering that Laxus had not had an heir.
Therefore, it was decided that inserting a dummy Canary into the Empress's place would be beneficial to everyone.
Marquis Danvers had successfully brought them together with his smooth tongue.
The nobles were unanimously insisting that Canary be made Empress.
Laxus's expression cracked.
"Canary as Empress?"
Laxus let out a hollow laugh.
"What will become of Renisha then?"
The nobles stared at Laxus, who was mentioning the Empress he had banished.
Renisha had already left, and she was now another man's wife.
"Lady Renisha is now Lady Lottera."
"That's right. Wasn't that marriage ordered by His Majesty?"
"Why are you suddenly mentioning her..."
Amidst the confusion, only Danvers remained smiling.
Laxus was mad.
So mad that he couldn't even read his own emotions.
He didn't know where his confusion had originated, but it was already too late to correct it.
Renisha had pointed her sword at Laxus.
"She won't return, Your Majesty."
If Laxus was dreaming, shouldn't he wake him up?
"Lady Renisha will be heading to Hiloshine soon. She's going far from the capital."
Laxus placed a hand on the armrest.
He didn't know why Renisha had come to mind at that moment.
He simply had never imagined anyone else taking the Empress's seat.
Throughout Laxus's reign, Renisha had been Empress, and it had been so natural.
He was the one who had turned the world upside down and was having the hardest time adjusting.
"That's right,"
Laxus muttered.
"So, Canary should be Empress? A caged bird rising to prominence."
"You must make a decision for the sake of the succession, Your Majesty!"
Even Laxus couldn't help being cornered like this.
Laxus nodded briefly.
"Finish it quickly. Canary will be crowned Empress, but all ceremonies will be omitted. She will not have the rights Renisha had, and Canary must not interfere in political affairs."
Laxus quickly assessed the situation. Canary had no power.
Powers would gather to exploit her.
Laxus didn't want to be a puppet dancing in their hands.
Canary would be a symbolic Empress, possessing nothing of substance.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Each agreed to make Canary the Empress, despite their own differing opinions.
***
Something was off.
Usually, Renisha would casually reach out to Kassius.
She would often grab his chin and treat him like a puppy.
But lately, Renisha was acting strange.
She wouldn't allow herself to be alone with Kassius.
If Kassius even felt like touching her, she would naturally avoid him.
"What?"
Just two days.
Kassius, who had been paying close attention to Renisha, could sense this.
However, no one living in the mansion, except Kassius, seemed to notice anything strange.
"Isabella."
"Uncle!"
The child grinned and clung to Kassius's waist. She seemed brighter and more playful than before.
The maids and knights continued to argue over Isabella.
Anyway, Isabella was closer to Renisha than anyone else right now.
"Isabella. Don't you think Renisha's acting strange these days?"
"Ugh?"
Isabella tilted her head. Her short hair swayed.
“My aunt isn’t strange. There’s nothing strange about her.”
Isabella asked with a serious face.
“What’s strange about my aunt?”
“No. That’s not it.”
Kassius shook his head.
He wasn’t sure how to tell Isabella.
“It’s nothing, Isabella.”
Kassius smoothed Isabella’s hair and walked away.
Next, Kassius visited Terion and the knights.
Honestly, it would have been quicker to ask the maids serving Renisha, but he simply didn’t dare to speak to them.
Kassius sighed deeply.
His thick body trembled as he crossed his arms.
“What’s the matter, Lady?”
The knights burst into laughter.
“Damn it.”
Who had come to ask him what?
And there was no way they, who were far from romantically involved, would know anything.
Kassius grabbed the knights and turned away.
Then there was only one person Kassius could turn to for help.
***
"My. What brings the Duke here? I thought you were leaving the island in a day or two. Aren't you very busy?"
CKssius nodded with a curt expression.
“Madame Turiel. I came to ask you something.”
“You’re going to ask me?”
Madame Turiel waved the crowd away.
The guests who had visited the costume shop were also chased out.
Those who had been dissatisfied were silenced when they saw Kassius wearing the Lottera frame.
“...Renisha has been acting strange lately. But there’s no one in the mansion to ask her.”
“Hmm? What’s strange about her?”
Renisha, who had exchanged letters today, was no different than usual.
Turiel had meticulously explained to her what she needed to do while she remained in the capital.
But strange?
“It wasn’t like this when I handled Marquis Danvers’s affairs before.”
“But?”
“I’ve handled Count Calliot’s affairs much better than before. I met with Count Calliot as Renisha said, and he confirmed that he remembered his promise to her. Count Calliot has assigned me two of his subordinates, who will act as a link between Hiloshine and Count Calliot.”
“Well done.”
Of course, Turiel knew about this.
She’d already heard from Renisha.
She’d confirmed Danvers and Calliot’s intentions through Kassius, so she could use them when planning the game.
“But she's not treating me like before,”
Kassius said with a serious expression.
“It feels like she's avoiding me.”
“Avoiding?”
“I mean, just me. She seems to particularly avoid situations where we’re alone.”
Turiel smiled.
“Yes. So this is relationship counseling, yes?”
“Relationship counseling? No way. We’re already married.”
“Aha. So you’re consulting on marital issues? Did you two spend the night together?”
“Great!”
Kassius’s expression answered.
His face flushed, his gaze unsure where to look.
“If so, there must be one reason. The night was unsatisfactory.”
Madame Turiel smiled coquettishly.
A clumsy man who came to visit a woman to win her heart wasn’t bad.
It meant that Kassius cared that much about Renisha.
It was actually pleasing that the man who would become a cruel ruler when he held a sword was showing such weakness to Renisha.
“Unsatisfactory...?”
Kassius’s face turned pale.
“What should I do?”
Kassius’s voice became urgent.
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