93 – 93. Extended Family
Sienna also had an extended family.
Although her mother left her when she was a baby, the family was still thriving.
Great-grandfather, uncle, aunt, cousins.
They were supposed to be Sienna’s biggest allies. They weren’t as prestigious as the Wolpole family, the imperial aristocracy, but they were not an insignificant family either.
However, Sienna kept her distance from her extended family.
They were close during her childhood, but as Sienna started to “act,” they grew apart. It was because of her tendency to execute thieving maids on the spot, intentionally causing the downfall of a few families, and frequently organizing matches between criminals and trained dogs.
They didn’t just leave without saying a word to Sienna.
“It’s because I didn’t listen.”
The last time she saw her great-grandfather was probably a year ago. They coincidentally met at a royal event, exchanged greetings, and then went their separate ways. Sienna felt no particular emotions even when she saw her great-grandfather, who seemed uncomfortable with his distant granddaughter.
But Victoria was different from her. Very different.
“Timothy would never do such a thing.”
As soon as Victoria heard about Timothy Wolpole’s morphine leakage allegations, her face openly displayed surprise.
Trembling eyes. Hands tightly gripping the knife handle as if she could draw it at any moment. And even the gradually resurfacing familiar expression.
Such a reaction to a sixth cousin. Victoria’s genuine trust and reliance on her extended family could be felt.
It seemed okay to test the extent of that trust. Honestly, it wasn’t a test but rather an attempt to pressure her.
“I’m sorry, but it’s true, sister.”
“Why should I believe only your words?”
“There is evidence and witnesses. If you want, I can show you the actual op*ium den and the dru*gged-up individuals right now. Oh, by the way, Timothy Wolpole is still increasing the allegations.”
“….”
“That aside, it’s like you’re practically one with the Wolffall family, Unni. The nobles didn’t just line up for you for no reason.”
“Stop it, Siena.”
Victoria’s face was becoming increasingly flushed.
Was she angry at her younger sister for pointing out her weakness?
Or was she disappointed by her trusted cousin’s rebellion?
Even Siena found it difficult to discern with her keen eye.
But one thing was certain, Victoria, the First Princess of the Empire and an active-duty Army Major, was undeniably flustered like never before. It wasn’t the case when she sent Anais away to a good place.
“Well, it’s no wonder she’s surprised.”
The Wolffall family’s influence was truly formidable.
Including the household, there were four battalion commanders.
Although there was not a single high-ranking officer in the Imperial Army’s command hierarchy, it couldn’t be ignored. Battalion commanders were the highest-ranking combat commanders who actually commanded the troops. Thanks to their intricate military connections, they had partially infiltrated the Army to the point where people said it was like a spider’s web.
In the end, Victoria and the Wolffall family were inseparable. Siena knew that, which was why she confidently came all the way here.
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However, she couldn’t keep mocking her forever.
Because she had a more important goal than mere amusement.
“Victoria Unni.”
“….”
“As I said, I’m willing to turn a blind eye. Just because I don’t have a problem with it doesn’t mean I’ll let those swindlers who stole the morphine get away with it. How do you plan to handle them and their illicit money-making?”
“By any chance, how much morphine are we talking about?”
“You should find out for yourself, Unni. Anyway, if I stay silent, we can smoothly let it go, right? There won’t be any damage to the honor of the Wolffall family, Unni.”
Actually, quietly letting it pass was already impossible.
Even now, Timothy Walford, that guy from the Military Command’s subunit, is probably up to some sinister business to inquire about my wrongdoing. But there was a genuine intention to cut him some slack within reasonable bounds.
Of course, it wasn’t for free.
“You won’t just turn a blind eye, right?”
“Right. But it’s not a difficult request. You just need to promise one thing.”
After taking a deep breath, Sienna brought up the main point.
It was, in a way, a trivial matter,
But for Sienna herself, it was the most crucial and urgent issue.
“Alan.”
“Alan Kye?”
“Yeah, Alan. Don’t show any interest in Alan in any way from now on. No meddling, no official calls.”
Naturally, it was a demand related to Alan.
The Crown Princess?
Sienna could endure it even if Victoria took him away.
Sienna could be satisfied just by receiving a title from the imperial court and managing a few businesses. Besides, once she became the Crown Princess, there would be so much to do as one of the empire’s second in command and responsible for state affairs.
“But not Alan.”
In a way, it was an unnecessary demand. Victoria had never revealed any personal feelings to Alan.
But it didn’t seem like a misplaced request. From the moment she declared, “Not Alan,” Victoria’s expression gradually darkened.
It wasn’t just a serious expression; a subtle melancholy could also be felt.
‘Interesting.’
In the Montpaul family, there came a day when my elder sister, who had rejected the attempts of prestigious suitors sought by the Montpaul family, focused solely on her military duties, sincerely admired someone. There was no sense of pity, but rather, it was a time to be even more resolute.
“And your sister’s promise alone is not enough.”
“…”
“Have your sister personally request it from Father and Mother. Let’s make Alan Maydoff a member of the royal family, initiate the public selection process for the betrothal to the Maydoff family, send people, and confer a suitable title openly.”
“You.”
“Of course, it will be me engaged to Alan. We can’t have it with Anais, right?”
Push for the union of Alan and me with your own mouth.
Sienna could see that her sister’s expression became even more serious at this demand.
‘Of course, she won’t agree. Naturally.’
But there was no intention to propose another suggestion. If Victoria could request the union, it would be advantageous in various ways.
Clever Alan could use his skills to build a solid fence so that he couldn’t escape, and Victoria could prevent any change of heart. It was an act that would ruin the empire to go against the mate given to her younger sister with her own hands.
Maternal relatives. Or Alan.
Victoria, who had received two options, soon opened her mouth.
“Sienna. I will personally verify the truth. Timothy is an officer who grew up in a strict environment. He’s not a friend who would ruin his military career at the age of only twenty to earn a meager sum. There must be some misunderstanding.”
In the end, it was a denial of reality.
Sienna lifted a wry smile, thinking that if Victoria wanted to believe so badly, it was her choice.
“If you believe it that much, then what’s your answer?”
“I said I will verify the truth.”
A statement insisting on verifying the true face of a relative with her own eyes.
Sienna could roughly guess what Victoria was thinking right now. She must be hoping for a misunderstanding.
‘Yeah. That’s the kind of person he was.’
She had no reason to stop him when he wanted to invite pain.
Sienna decided to give her sister some time and left. Thinking that Victoria would be even gloomier the next time they meet.
It was a very satisfying day for her.
**
Victoria blankly stared at her sister’s back.
‘Arrange your engagement through me?’
Such a horrendous thing was absolutely out of the question.
She had suffered so much to bring the ‘Madway Viscountcy of the Brufen Tournament,’ befitting Alan’s status. How much she had pondered to approach Alan naturally.
She didn’t want to yield to her sister after preparing the dinner with great effort.
And, originally, this wasn’t something to ponder about.
‘Because it won’t be true anyway.’
She trusted the character of her extended family.
Lately, there were conflicts due to differing perceptions of Alan… but fundamentally, they were all good people. They didn’t use her status as the 1st Princess of the Empire to gain power, nor did they covet authority.
Timothy, the son-in-law from the collateral branch, was also a legitimate member of the Walfol family.
She entrusted him with the distribution of morphine because she believed. It was meant as a signal to immediately report if some corrupt military officers sought power.
Would Timothy steal morphine to make some money?
Even if he sold 10 grams of morphine privately at a good price, it would exceed his annual salary in profits. It wasn’t pocket change, but why would the Walfol family bother with making money? It would be ruining his precious military career.
‘It doesn’t make any sense.’
First, understanding the truth was a priority. Requesting her uncle for help…
“Ah.”
Upon reflection, it seemed that there was no need to ask Uncle Hayden or Ian for a favor. It would be strange to ask relatives to investigate the corruption of other relatives.
As for asking someone else for an investigation, it would have been pointless. All the officials and generals of the Victoria faction are aligned with the Wolfall family. Among them, there was a possibility that someone would be more loyal to the uncles than to Victoria.
In that moment, Victoria realized how much she had relied on her extended family.
She felt suffocated.
She had comfortably engaged in politics relying on her extended family, but she had never considered a situation where her family would hinder her. She had never thought about how to handle such a situation.
“I was this vulnerable.”
After belatedly regaining her composure, she found an alternative. She approached one of the commanders of the Guard Division, known for having a good relationship with the Wolfall family, and quietly asked him to investigate and capture Timothy Wolfall.
Of course, even as she made the request, a glimmer of hope remained.
“It can’t be true.”
It was trust in her extended family.
…
A few hours later.
Victoria was able to track Timothy Wolfall’s whereabouts.
The information was different from what she had expected.
Timothy had left his post without permission, kidnapped a military officer who had taken morphine without authorization, and even resorted to violence. It wasn’t just a few punches; it was closer to torture. He probably tried to shift the blame onto his colleague but failed.
“Your Highness…! This scoundrel took the morphine, so I was trying to uncover the truth…!”
As Timothy Wolfall rambled on, his hands were stained with blood.
The bigger problem was that there was another person from the Wolfall family among those who had assaulted the officer.
I believe Timothy must have brought it up, thinking that it was someone from the household, but because of that, the Wolfall family ended up being seen as a group that committed crimes.
The moment when even the hope that I barely held onto shattered.
“No, it can’t be.”
Victoria muttered with an empty expression.
Reality was even more cruel than I had imagined.