131 – 135
The day of the night market.
Normally, I would go out for a covert operation, but today was different from the usual clandestine missions.
Sitting in an ordinary carriage, countless people gathered to watch the protest.
“Is this right, everyone?! Is it right to arrest our hero, Sir William, and the Golden Knights who have protected us and our ancestors, as if they were traitors?!”
-Wow!
“Hey, you there! I have attended the Academy for the advancement of the Empire! And for the sake of our gracious Emperor! I have studied diligently for a long time. Yes! The reason I studied for so long and wanted to become an official was to serve the imperial family, who have cherished our people like their own children for so long! I would rather starve and die on the streets than become a dog of the traitorous Duke who torments people like demons and issues unreasonable commands!”
Did he say “dog”? He’s quite eloquent.
As far as I can remember, this fellow called “dog” is a friend I personally selected from the Information Department.
Honestly… I may have asked him to lead the protest, but it’s amusing to hear him say he’d rather starve than work under me.
“If you choose me, I will devote myself to His Majesty and the Duke until the end of time!”
The image of the bold Karl from before came to mind, making it hard to suppress a chuckle.
“Heh heh… Karl, that friend of yours is more audacious than you think, isn’t he?”
As I burst into laughter, Karl let out a sigh.
“You have no idea how much the Information Department despises you, Your Grace.”
A while back, when Karl was attending to his duties in the restroom.
“The Duke is a real bastard! Can’t he take a break for once?!”
“Is this guy insane? What’s the Minister doing? Shouldn’t superiors cut off nonsense and make sure things are done properly?!”
“I’m serious… Ugh… If it weren’t for this loan, I would’ve quit. Tsk! No, seriously, I’m an Information Department analyst. Why is an Information Department analyst wielding a baton against knights in prison?!”
I remember how shocked Karl was when he heard that. He came to me and complained about it.
At that moment…
-Wow! Let’s march! Let’s march!
“Let’s march in front of the palace and show our determination to the Duke!”
And so, disguised Information Department agents, pretending to be ordinary people, with red bands tied around their heads and pickets in hand, led the way.
[Release Lord William!, Duke, step back!]
-Release Lord William!, Duke, step back!
[Return power to the Emperor and the Council!]
-Return power to the Emperor and the Council!
“But what if we get hungry while protesting? When will the food cart arrive?”
In response to my question, Karl looks at the protest crowd and then at the clock on the cart before replying, “It’s scheduled to arrive in front of the palace in about 30 minutes.”
“Did we order tacos and bean soup?”
Among the foods brought here from the New Continent, there are tacos. They are easy to hold and eat with one hand, so I thought it would be convenient for the protesters to eat while marching, hence the order.
The situation is somewhat amusing.
I planned to participate in a protest telling myself to step back, even sneaking in to have a meal. I find it amusing just thinking about it.
“Let’s pretend to be protesting nearby and grab a bite to eat.”
When I suggest this to Karl, he looks concerned and asks, “Really. There won’t be any clashes, right?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve informed the Minister of Gasworks and even the palace guards. As long as we don’t cross the white line in front of the palace, we’ll be fine.”
In modern terms, you can think of it as a police line.
“We’ve also informed the kids beforehand… It should be okay, right?”
I say, watching Karl’s worried expression.
“The intelligence officers should handle it well. They know that if the protesters storm the palace, they won’t survive either.”
At my words, Karl lets out a sigh.
“Please… I hope nothing goes wrong.”
***
Meanwhile, as Devian watches over the anti-government protest.
“Emperor, Your Majesty! A… big problem.”
Ipha urgently stops me on my way to the honeymoon suite with a worried expression.
“Huh? Ipha, what’s wrong?”
Seeing Ipha’s pale face, I become concerned.
“The… the Duke…”
“Huh? What about him?”
As I inquire, Ipha glances around at the nearby attendants before hesitating.
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“It seems like there are many ears listening here…”
I look puzzled at Ipha’s hesitation.
“Is that so? Let’s go to my room.”
Guiding the hesitant Ipha, we head to the honeymoon suite.
-Click.
Seating Ipha on the sofa in the room, I ask, “Would you like some tea after a long time?”
Seeing Ipha’s stiff expression, I deliberately speak in a cheerful tone, to which Ipha nods slightly.
As I took out the tea set and boiled water, silence flowed.
-Clatter.
Pouring the steaming tea with wisps of steam rising, I filled my cup.
“What’s wrong that made you so contemplative?”
Even though I tried to engage with a cheerful tone and expression, Eifa’s stoic face remained unchanged, planting a seed of unease in my heart.
“Your Highness… You must not be shocked when you hear this.”
Watching Eifa’s expression mixed with fear, worry, and tension, my unease grew.
Could it be that Johannes has come all the way to Rome?
If it weren’t a matter of utmost gravity, Eifa wouldn’t be this unsettled.
“Don’t worry, why are you trembling like that? What’s making you so uneasy?”
As I inquired, Eifa cautiously began to speak.
“The… Grand Duke… has… handed over Epirus and Ezip to… Johannes.”
-Clang…
What? Who handed what over?
I unintentionally dropped the teacup I was holding, but that wasn’t important right now.
“Your… Your Highness, are you alright?”
A bit of the hot tea spilled on my skirt, but that wasn’t important right now.
Eifa’s words, completely unexpected.
“What? What did you say just now?”
Her words twisted my expression.
“Who handed what to whom? What do you mean by that?! Explain properly so I can understand!”
Handed over to Nicaea, currently at war?
“Didn’t the Imperial faction once invade Rome in the past?”
“They did?”
Before I married.
Back when Valorian committed treason, gathered an army from the Imperial faction, and marched towards Rome.
Back then, the Imperial faction engaged in negotiations with him, actively supporting my marriage.
I truly felt the world crumbling back then.
“At that time… as a condition for forming an alliance… handing over Epirus and Ezip to the Imperial faction, and the engagement of Princess Joy with Johannes, the King of Nicaea’s son…”
“What… what did you say?! Who decided that? Engaging my territories and my younger sister without my consent?!”
“That’s…”
“Explain in detail! Right now!”
Eifa’s words flowed out like that.
“And so…”
As Eifa’s lengthy explanation continued, my stomach churned and my head spun.
It can’t be true… He wouldn’t do that.
Until now, has he… been deceiving me?
In Eifa’s unbelievable elaboration, love, trust, and faith shattered into pieces.
And in that gap…
Anger, helplessness, and despair flooded my being.
What am I… hearing?
As I was lost in my thoughts, the words of Ipha came to an end…
“That… that can’t be true, right? It must be a conspiracy. He has many enemies. It must be a clear conspiracy by the hostile forces.”
“Your Majesty…”
“Immediately summon the governors of Epirus and Ejop to the palace!”
Although I ordered the summoning of the governors of the two territories to prevent this conspiracy that aimed to drive a wedge between me and him, Ipha, who looked at me with pity, cautiously spoke.
“Epirus and Ejop have already… reportedly fallen to King Ioannes.”
“That can’t be true, right? He… he always…”
He respected me. He wouldn’t have acted in such an absurd way on his own.
It makes no sense when I think about what he has done for me and the empire.
Yes! This is clearly a lie, an obvious political maneuver!
It must be. If not…
Yes! He will explain all of this.
“Where is he… where is he?”
Seeing Ipha shaking his head as if he didn’t know, I shouted towards the guards outside.
“Is anyone out there?!”
[Your Majesty! What is happening?]
Upon hearing the voice of the gatekeeper from outside the door, I issued a command.
“Where is he now?! Find him immediately! Hurry!”
[Yes!]
Having given the order, I sink into my thoughts.
Yes… it was definitely strange.
It was incomprehensible how the imperial factions that had arrived in Rome with overwhelming military force had easily formed an alliance with him.
Perhaps… is it really him?
Has he handed over Epirus and Ejop?
Since ancient times, the Emperor has ruled over three kingdoms as direct territories.
The Roman Kingdom, the Epirus Kingdom, and the Ejop Kingdom.
These three places are essential territories that the Emperor must secure to rule over the entire empire.
But if he gave them away to Ioannes…
Isn’t that tantamount to inciting rebellion against the Emperor?
His actions are clearly an abuse of power and nothing short of inciting rebellion.
And to make matters worse, an engagement with Joy.
Joy is nothing more than a young girl who hasn’t even reached 20, while Ioannes’ son is already in his mid-30s and has a 10-year-old daughter.
An engagement with such a man!
Absurd.
Even if I die, I cannot bear to witness such a sight.
How can I bear to see my younger sister marry a man older than her older brother?
And the most absurd thing is…
The husband she trusted…
To think that he orchestrated such a terrible thing and deceived her all this time fills me with deep anger and despair.
“Still! Have you not found him?!”
[Your Highness… His Majesty is coming. It has not been long since the messenger was sent.]
“Escort… His Majesty to the palace.”
Watching Ipah tremble, I inquire.
“Ipah, when did you learn this truth?”
If Ipah has been hiding this truth from me…
Ipah will not survive.
Ipah nods to my words, as if aware of my thoughts.
“Just a while ago… through Julia, who returned to the palace.”
“Julia?”
I know her as a blonde maid in her thirties.
“Bring her immediately, or no, I will go there myself, and you shall guide me.”
And so, with Ipah, I head towards the maid’s quarters.