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*Empress Dowager remembered her conversation with Priest Jack.*
“Your Highness, may I venture to say that ………”
Priest Jack, wearing a white coat, did not speak, and his slender eyes gleamed.
The Empress Dowager released the teacup from her lips. Her gaze was entirely directed at the twisted lips of Priest Jack.
Soon he said, lowering his voice further.
”Beware of the Empress.”
“The Empress? What do you mean?”
”The Empress’s spirit this time is unusual. It’s the same story I’ve been telling you about. She’s very different from the other ladies…”
Soon, a smile escaped from the Empress Dowager’s mouth.
“Haha, yes, her age is different alright….”
Jack felt somewhat uneasy.
“Your Highness, this is not something to be taken lightly.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
The Empress Dowager smiled crookedly and showed the priest Jack the fragrant tea in front of her.
”The Empress came to greet me the other day and drank this tea.”
However, there was one thing that the Empress Dowager did not know: that when Liv regressed, she could feel the strangeness in the tea and didn’t drink it.
The Empress Dowager, unaware of this fact, smiled.
“If she drinks this tea, she’ll be cursed on her own. No matter how uncommonly energetic the woman is.”
Priest Jack was about to say something but stopped. Then said belatedly.
“First, I didn’t mention this to the other priests. Please be careful, Your Highness. The Empress is not an ordinary woman.”
*Back to present*
Remembering the conversation, the Empress Dowager determined that the culprit behind the whole situation was priest Jack.
‘In the end, that priest spread the story! Why didn’t he show up?’
The Empress Dowager only bit her innocent lips. Then she mumbled to herself.
‘How dare you come forward!’
There seemed to be no way to quell her anger.
Liv could sense that the Empress Dowager was angry. There must have been a plot by her to lock the young Prince in the tower.
Liv spoke again, trying to end the situation.
“This has already been proven by the priests. We must no longer stand against the Word of God.”
The hall was silent again at her words.
Carius sat in the upper seat and stared at this wonderful sight. He finally understood the meaning behind Liv’s message to him and her suspicious actions.
As he looked at his son, Theodore, he felt like he was greeted by a mirage. His own mirage that he had been searching for.
Carius was barely able to look in Theodore’s eyes. Perhaps it was because he felt guilty that he had not tried to take his son out of the tower before.
Theodore’s eyes that he hadn’t been able to see before, blue like his…
Soon he met Theodore’s gaze. Blue eyes that stared clearly at him.
At that moment, tears welled up in Carius’ eyes as the congestion he had been enduring overflowed. Carius placed his hand in his chest.
He could finally breathe in the breath that had been choking him. The wish that could not be reached seemed to be in his hands now.
He was thrilled. He was so happy that he wanted to kick the seat and run out with the child.
However, Carius had to swallow his overwhelming feeling. It was for Theodore and Liv, who had endured severe pain on his behalf.
Carius quickly fought back tears and turned to the nobles with a stern look.
“About the Prince, shouldn’t we do as the priests say? Three years ago, with the consent of the priests, the young Prince was sent to the tower.”
The Empress Dowager exclaimed with dim eyes at Carius’ words.
“Your Majesty!”
Carius then turned and stared at the Empress Dowager. A fishy smile crossed his lips.
“To my ears, it sounds like you want the Prince to be trapped in the Tower forever. Queen Mother.”
Carius said, looking at the nobles again.
“I see no reason for the Grand Duke to undergo imperial training, if the Prince is here…”
The Empress Dowager stood up on the spot and looked sternly at Carius.
“Then who will greet the envoys of the Delta Kingdom? You don’t mean to send the Young Prince, do you?”
She scoffed. It was as if she wanted him to throw out the impossible.
Carius turned his head to face the Empress Dowager, who was staring at him closely.
“It can’t be, can it?”
“Then you must give the Grand Duke the external status he deserves!”
At that moment, Carius’s gaze turned deadly. He rose from his seat and approached the Empress Dowager.
“I remember the imperial meeting three years ago very clearly. Not a day goes by that I don’t remember it.”
The cold look in his eyes, it was one of resentment. The Empress Dowager was transfixed by his eyes that overwhelmed her.
Carius lifted his lips, and the Empress Dowager trembled lightly.
“Do you see now how cruel it is to have your son’s future decided by an imperial council? Queen Mother.”
The Empress Dowager got goosebumps at the sound of his voice descending coldly into her ears.
“What does that mean? It sounds as if you are doubting me!”
“Compared to my suffering, this is nothing. Many eyes are here to see, please control yourself.”
The Empress Dowager’s body trembled with anger that rose up from within the moment. She couldn’t say anything else, and just grabbed her skirt tightly with both hands.
Carius slowly swept hair and sat back down in his seat. Then he shouted loudly to the nobles.
“The Empress will greet the envoy of the Delta Kingdom!”
Liv was momentarily confused by his unexpected words, and she could only blink.
“Isn’t it the Empress’s job to entertain foreign envoys? In fact, if the Grand Duke were to do it, it would lower the prestige of the Empress.”
No one was able to refute his words.
“It’s the right thing for the empress to do.”
“But will Her Majesty, who has no experience, be able to do it?”
The buzzing atmosphere continued. Count Duncan von Baxter stood up and spoke,
“You are right, but there is not enough time for the Empress to understand the customs of the Delta Kingdom well. The Grand Duke has apparently been to the Delta Kingdom many times…….”
Carius cut off his words immediately, lifting his eyebrows.
“So you’re saying that the predecessors were well versed in all the customs of foreign countries and welcomed foreign guests?”
He glanced at the Empress Dowager.
“Did you know the entire system of many kingdoms, Queen Mother?”
“…”
The Empress Dowager could only sigh, but could not speak. Carius gave the Count a silent look.
“Count Baxter, don’t you know that your words are a great insult to the royal family?”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
“Even though they are from the Delta Kingdom, they are merely vassals coming to greet our Empire. How can we be a great empire to rule them if you are already trembling with fear?”
The nobles could not say anything to the logical words of the emperor.
Edgar, who was sitting alongside the nobles, watched the situation closely. He gently closed his eyes as if he were lost in thought in an unexpected situation.
‘It’s changing from what I expected, that’s a big problem.’
This time, the imperial meeting wasn’t in an atmosphere of promoting only himself like before because of the unexpected appearances of Liv and the Prince.
Besides, the Empress Dowager’s expression was unusual. It was like a wild beast that would soon reveal its true nature.
If this continued, his mother and him would only be at a disadvantage.
Edgar’s eyes widened at the strange idea that flashed through his mind. It was as if the gods were present themselves.
Edgar rose from his seat when the atmosphere had quieted down to a peaceful hush.
“I, too, know it would be foolish for me to replace the Empress, as the Emperor had said.”
Edgar’s sudden words caused the nobles who supported him to open their eyes wide.
The Empress Dowager gave him a strange look, as if to ask why her son would say such a thing. But Edgar ignored her gaze with a glance.
“But Count Baxter has a point. Even if the Empress is receiving an envoy, there will be some shortcomings the first time. The fact that the envoys are coming means that sensitive negotiation issues could probably come up.”
The nobles nodded in agreement. Edgar said in a more firm voice.
“If the Empress couldn’t figure out their intentions, well, that would be a problem.”
Carius couldn’t help but chuckle at what he was saying.
“So you’re saying the Grand Duke should take it?”
Edgar shook his head.
“No…… instead…..”
Everyone was waiting to hear his next words with anticipation. Edgar made his suggestion without hesitation.
“Please allow me to help the Empress, Your Majesty.”
Liv stared at Edgar in surprise for a moment. Edgar gently raised his eyes again and faced Liv. Then he smiled faintly.
‘I’m not as easy as you think I am.’
To this, the nobles nodded in satisfaction.
“If His Highness the Grand Duke is willing to help, I can think of no better plan.”
“We agree!”
Edgar stared at Carius, a smile on his mouth. It was as if he was carrying the nobles on his back.
“I will assist the Empress. Trust me and leave it to me.”
It took Carius a moment to realize Edgar’s intentions. Edgar’s hidden agenda to join the Delta Kingdom in welcoming the envoys….He meant to solidify his position in the public arena for entertaining foreign envoys. And as Grand Duke, this was a rare opportunity to be near the Empress.
Added to that the fact that the emperor could never refuse this proposal…
All the calculations had been laid out in Edgar’s mind.
Carius stared at Edgar in silence. Then he sighed deeply.
“I would be grateful if the Grand Duke would do that.”
“It’s for the imperial family. Your Majesty.”
Liv looked at Carius in surprise. She somehow felt strange because she had no idea of his intention.