“…….”

“You must not… you must not…”

In the Emperor’s despair, those standing by his side couldn’t even let out a proper breath.

At that moment, one knight entered.

“He’s not in the palace.”

In gratitude and apology, Ines bit her lip. For Marcus’s sake, Ines had to survive even in this situation.

And Carson…

Ines imagined him suffering in agony by now.

The enemies surrounding him were all the same. Having no flaws of his own, they exploited weaknesses around him. In the face of indiscriminate force, Ines’ momentum wavered and faltered.

Nevertheless, Ines would never crumble.

Ines was resilient against being suppressed and oppressed by force. Going back in time, she made a pledge. She would never yield to force.

Ines, just before losing consciousness, drove the knife into the land owned by Martin Blake. Surely Carson would recognize that mark. Ines thought of his golden eyes and regained her determination.

As time passed, when the sharp light of midday slipped through a small gap, Anthony and the Empress appeared in front of Ines together.

Carson looked at the courtier in front of him.

His face was the same as a few years ago. It was almost amusing to think that he wouldn’t recognize him if he dyed his hair.

Carson had seen this courtier on the day he announced his sending to Landhill.

The courtier standing beside the former Empress, who was swayed by Carson, was the same courtier.

The red wine he followed. The man’s hair was as red as that wine.

As if tearing off time, the scene of that day unfolded vividly before his eyes.

Carson and the knights guarding him were sent out, leaving only him and Martin Blake alone in the room.

Even though only the two of them remained, Carson didn’t say anything. Shortly afterward, documents related to Martin Blake’s laundered identity arrived for Carson.

“James Neil.”

Reading his fake name, Carson just smiled.

“If it’s the Neil family, they are probably a fallen noble family, and they might have disguised themselves as the second or third son there.”

He didn’t even look at the documents and casually uttered his words, and there was no mistake in his murmur.

“Considering the Blake family’s man is likely the only one left, and…”

The Emperor did not tie Martin’s limbs and hang him in the air. He didn’t whip him to see blood.

He didn’t deliberately wake him up, pouring cold water over him. He just silently waited for information related to him to fall into his hands.

“I know people like you well. If it’s not money, it’s probably an exploited weakness.”

After those words, he just stared at Martin without doing anything for a while.
Even just looking, the courtier knelt under his golden gaze and trembled, sitting on his knees. The courtier had a delicate face with peach-like rosy cheeks and translucent, radiant skin, perfectly in line with the former Empress’s taste.

“By looking into your eyes, I can tell you value weaknesses more than money.”

Carson, flipping through the documents, smiled slyly.

“You have a younger sister.”

Martin’s shoulders stiffened at Carson’s sudden remark.

“Are they in their hands?”

Martin didn’t respond.

“They undoubtedly aren’t paying any attention to your sister right now. She might even be dead by now. Unfortunately.”

At that moment, Noah arrived with news from the Mansuut family.

“How is the situation?”

“As Your Majesty suggested, the Mansuut Duke’s knights are getting ready for battle.”

But they hadn’t moved yet, so it couldn’t be considered a rebellion.

“And the Lady?”

“She’ll be here soon.”

“Is she coming willingly?”

“No, but she was brought here as per Your Majesty’s order.”

The phrase “brought here” carried a nuance of coercion.

After grasping Angeliana’s whereabouts, Carson ordered her to be brought forcibly. Since his enemies had kidnapped the most precious woman to him, he needed leverage.

“What were they doing?”

“It seems they were planning to gather the noble youths for lunch in the garden.”

This meant that they had forcibly brought the Lady, who was in the Mansuut Duke’s garden. Carson laughed heartily.

“Where is the Duke?”

“It seemed he was inside the mansion, but I couldn’t greet him as I hurried out.”

He probably couldn’t have imagined that an Emperor would openly take away the Duke’s daughter.

Even in such a pressing situation, he couldn’t have dared to block the entrance of the Imperial Knights.

“He might be busy.”

Deliberately bringing even the offspring of noble families into his courtyard, he must have known about it.

Carson knew better than anyone how the Mansuut family operated in coercing the Sun Emperor. But Carson wasn’t his father.

If he had feared such things, he wouldn’t have made it to this point. What he feared was solely the safety of his people.

“The Emperor, by showing weakness and tyranny, will surely attract the nobles like a swarm.”

“I’ve taken measures within reasonable limits.”

“As soon as the Lady arrives, send the knights out.”

“But we haven’t…”

“Well, the pretext?”

“…Indeed.”