173 – 177
The day Sabinele was employed.
Upon hearing that my mother is looking for me, I head to her room.
– Knock, knock.
“His Imperial Majesty is at the door.”
I hear a response from behind the door at the words of the guard.
“Yes, please let him in.”
– Creak.
The door opens, revealing my mother’s familiar room.
“I heard it was urgent.”
My words make my mother nod.
“Yes, the maid found a document while cleaning the Grand Duke’s office and called for you.”
A document from his room?
Sure enough, at the center of the envelope placed on the tea table is written “Report on the Attempted Assassination of the Emperor.”
An Attempted Assassination of the Emperor?
In wonder, I ask myself, “Could I have misunderstood something? If it were such a serious matter, wouldn’t I have been informed?”
Saying that, I open the documents and start reading.
Right from the start, the contents seem unsettling.
The Emperor’s faction’s reaction to the secret letter I sent, their backlash leading to an assassination attempt on me.
And during the banquet, they disguised the assassin as a maid, infiltrated the palace, but Devean, who was aware of this, informed the intelligence department in advance, preventing the assassination and arresting the maid.
Furthermore, a search of the maid’s residence led to her employment by the Emperor’s faction, and the intelligence department secretly uncovered organized movements within the Emperor’s faction and the contents of letters exchanged between the prominent kings and nobles within the Emperor’s faction…
The more I read, the more bewildered and anxious I become.
“This… How… dare they plot against me like this!”
Forgetting even that my mother is present, I express my anger.
“Tera, calm yourself.”
I shout back at my mother’s words.
“Mother! How can you ask me to remain calm after seeing something like this?”
Even though assassinations may be rampant, attempting to assassinate the Emperor?
When I firmly resolve not to let this incident slide.
“Tera, no one faces as many assassination attempts as the Emperor. The rise and fall of a family depend on who the Emperor is.”
“No matter what, I cannot forgive these audacious scoundrels.”
In response to my words, my mother coldly replies, shaking her head.
“I, too, cannot forgive those who attempted to harm my precious daughter. But from a political standpoint, instead of weakening your power by eliminating them this time, wouldn’t it be better to impose a harsh punishment and constraint on them?”
Listening to my mother’s words, I inquire, “What do you mean?”
In a chilling tone, my mother continues, “Attempting to assassinate the Emperor is a serious crime punishable by death, regardless of one’s status. It means you should make them believe you have evidence against them and that they must comply with your demands.”
Taking a moment to calm my anger, I realize the plan to dismantle the Emperor’s faction has failed.
Moreover, I had agreed to receive loyalty and periodic financial support from the Emperor’s faction into my secret account.
However… I had not secured the voting rights in the council.
This is because unlike the anti-Emperor faction, the Emperor’s faction operates in a republican form of factionalism.
“Are you suggesting that I should secure the voting rights now?”
Nodding in agreement, my mother responds, “Yes, exactly. It’s about gaining control over their influence in the council. Besides, they are obligated to follow your lead.”
I nod in understanding, “I will follow your advice, Mother. But… if this information was obtained from the Grand Library, wouldn’t they already be aware of it?”
Shaking her head at my question, my mother replies, “It seems they are unaware. I carefully examined it to avoid chaos if they knew. It’s labeled as a top-secret internal report, newly surfaced at the Grand Library.”
Letting out a sigh at her words, I mutter, “Phew… What kind of organization is the intelligence department… How did they come to know about my plan to apprehend the Emperor’s faction and their assassination plot?”
“I don’t know the specifics, but it certainly seems like a suspicious organization.”
Her words make me smile wryly.
“To monopolize such a fraudulent department… Anyway, Mother, may I take this?”
From Noble mtl dot com
Mother nods as if it’s obvious in response to my question.
I smile brightly and say, “Thank you, Mother.”
***
The Ministry of Justice’s report on Sabi Nelli’s release.
It states that she was released under Theodora’s pardon.
“Sigh… In the end, it went to Theodora, not me.”
A sense of bitterness washes over me at the news of Sabi Nelli.
It’s disappointing that she was chosen over me, but in the end, it’s going as I wished, isn’t it?
Thinking like that, I gaze at the report on the devil worshipers.
I see the preparations for establishing local branches and creating a detailed organizational chart as requested by Amon.
They must be planning to cause real chaos, right?
And…
One striking report.
It mentions that the residents of a village in the plains of Nikea were massacred.
The plains of Nikea turned into a wasteland after Byzantium fell, where Babylonian mercenaries and Nikean troops disbanded.
Well… the Nikean troops will find their way back home, but the Babylonian mercenaries are troublesome.
They turn into deserters and bandits near the area, causing havoc in nearby villages.
“We need to act quickly to handle this.”
But why is this information in the report about devil worshipers?
Curious, I read further…
“Good Lord…”
– From the traces of human sacrifices nearby, it is likely a demonic summoning ritual.
They delved into a place with poor security like ghosts.
First, we must send William here for a major crackdown.
– Also, the actions of the locust king, Rokust, in the Babylonian Empire have become mysterious.
“From one trouble to another. That’s the saying for times like these.”
The disappearance of the locust king Rokust’s actions indicates something significant.
It suggests a major change in the behavior of existing devil worshipers.
-Tap… Tap…
I tap my desk with my fingers, lost in thought.
Amon… I must not let that guy slip away.
If I fail to deal with the devil worshipers, my retirement may not be possible.
If they are determined to cut ties and hide, I might find it difficult to leave this place forever.
For now, let’s observe a bit more.
They haven’t fully revealed their intentions yet.
But I must inform the Vatican in advance.
With that in mind, I begin to write a letter.
-Whoosh… Whoosh!
A letter sent to the Pope.
After writing everything down, I put the letter in the envelope, seal it with red wax, and stamp it with my seal.
-Thud.
This should be good enough to send to the Pope.
“I wonder what to buy for Theodora’s birthday gift…”
Our peculiar relationship.
But she’s one of the people sacrificing for me.
I should get her a gift.
Come to think of it, she’s still wearing the aluminum tiara I gave her before.
Should I buy her a ring this time?
Thinking that I should get her a proper ring, not aluminum, I decide to start preparing early.
***
I bought an impressive ring with a ruby the color of her eyes at the department store.
After briefly looking at the newly released report during my preparations, I head to our honeymoon suite.
-Creak.
As I open the door and walk in, I see Theodora sitting on the couch, sipping tea.
“You’re here?”
Theodora seems a bit surprised that I came in early.
I loosen my tie and say, “Yeah, feeling a bit tired today.”
Is Sabine choosing Theodora?
Seems a bit mentally drained.
Come to think of it, I’ve been feeling a bit tired too.
It hasn’t even been a year since the Emperor passed away, and I haven’t had much sleep.
Lately, I’ve been experiencing eye pain quite often.
It’s a pain I’ve gotten used to by now.
“Well, rest. I’ll clear the table for you.”
I watch Theodora say this as she transfers the tea and cups to a tray and sits on the couch.
Then, I see her head towards the bed to wash up.
***
-Swish… Swish…
The man who came home early today, feeling tired.
Ugh… Can’t sleep.
Lately, I haven’t been able to sleep well.
Can’t blame myself…
When I think of the deeply sleeping Devian, something inside me heats up.
Ugh… It’s coming again.
The uncomfortable feeling of dampness between my legs and the inner heat make it impossible for me to sleep these days.
“Sigh…”
Back then… that kiss was so good.
His breath and embrace.
I want a bit more, no, I want everything with him like that.
Ugh… my stomach keeps feeling warm…
It’s like my body is heating up as if I drank strong liquor, yet I feel annoyed when I think of the peacefully sleeping Devian, unaware of my state.
Is this… unfulfilled desire?
Sometimes lewd individuals relieve themselves.
According to the Light’s Doctrine, acts done alone, not s*xual intercourse, are deemed sinful.
Ugh… I feel like I’m going crazy.
The sensation of moistening parts and the tingling near there sends shivers down my spine.
It’s been like this every time since the last kiss.
“Sigh…”
The more I look at Devian, the worse it gets.
So, when I purposely turn my body the other way.
-Swish…
Sensitive areas brush against my underwear.
“Mmm…”
Wha… what’s this?
A strange yet thrilling sensation makes a cold sweat run down my back.
Wha… what was that just now?
I remember something similar happening before, but I felt nothing then?
As the damp area and the clinging underwear brush against each other, I feel a slight relief in my pent-up emotions.
Ugh… so people knowingly commit sins like this…
I feel the urge to touch that place right now, but I bite my lips and try to fall asleep.