“Ron Letius, you’re right. You’ve always been unacknowledged, no matter how hard you try, your opinions will never be accepted.”

Sieghart deliberately mentioned what the other party was concerned about.

Despite arguing that their plan was full of holes by bringing up his own situation, Ron seemed to be offended when Sieghart pointed out the truth.

Unable to refute, Ron just frowned and waited for Sieghart’s next words.

“But what if Kyle Letius dies?”

“…What?”

At the belated question, Ron stupidly blurted out a question rather than an answer. That was because the other’s question was not just shocking, but earth-shattering.

To mention the death of Kyle Letius, Ron’s brother and the Empire’s sun, the absolute ruler. If others had heard, it would have been enough to accuse them of treason.

Moreover, if the perpetrator was Duke Asthart, who maintained an antagonistic relationship with the Emperor, it would cause an even bigger ripple.

There’s no way he wouldn’t know that, yet to speak so casually to him…

Ron, who had been blankly staring at the man before him, suddenly widened his eyes as if realizing something. As if he had finally grasped Sieghart’s intention for visiting.

“You, don’t tell me…”

A mutter of disbelief followed.

Eventually, Sieghart’s eyes lowered as they met Ron’s. As if responding to the locked gaze, the man raised his sharp chin.

“The concerns only arise if we fail in our rebellion. If we succeed in eliminating Kyle Letius, there will be no issues to worry about.”

“…”

“How rational and valid your arguments are will become irrelevant.”

Sieghart, who had been fiddling with Ron Letius’s neck, soon grasped the pendant deeply buried. It was the token indicating that the man was a seed of the Letius Imperial Family.

After sneering at the imperial crest, he soon turned around.

He went and sat in the place where Ron had been sitting until just now. Crossing his legs crookedly, he made an expression as arrogant as his posture and continued speaking.

“When Kyle Letius dies, the empire will become anarchic. But does that mean the great Letius Imperial Family will collapse and the empire will disappear?”

“…”

“Of course, their priority action will be to find the next emperor. The top candidates will naturally be the imperial family.”

The gaze that had been fixed on Ron momentarily shifted. Where the man’s eyes settled was on the portraits of old princes that Ron Letius had hung on the wall.

“Do you understand what I’m saying, Ron Letius?”

“…”

“If the Asthart ducal family takes the emperor’s seat, what we’re doing would clearly be treason, but if we don’t take it and pass it on intact to the imperial family, it becomes a righteous act, not treason.”

“…”

“And we promise to give that position to you, Ron Letius.”

Ron’s shoulders flinched. Soon, his gaze also moved to where Sieghart’s gaze was lingering, on the portraits of the imperial family.

Ron’s gaze moved from left to right.

Starting with the Crown Prince Kyle Letius, who was a strong candidate for the throne succession, then the second Helio Letius, the third and fourth… and finally, the sixth Ron Letius came into view.

To think that he could become the Empire’s sun, surpassing those foolish brothers. Clear heterochromia swirled in the man’s blue eyes that had been full of disbelief.

Sensing success, Sieghart moved to conclude the meeting. It was as if he was confident that his next action would drive a powerful wedge into the confused man.

He took out the documents he had kept in his chest and threw them to Ron. The man who received the item in bewilderment turned the documents in his direction and began to read.

What Sieghart had handed over was a land deed. It was for a mansion not far from the village, known to be the most luxurious and extravagant in the vicinity.

“Live there.”

“…What?”

It was an abrupt statement.

As Ron Letius blinked his eyes as if he couldn’t understand, a new item was thrown into his arms again.

This time it was quite a heavy object.

“Use this for living expenses.”

The man’s gaze naturally turned downward. Judging by how heavy the pouch was, it seemed to contain a substantial amount of funds.

“I’ve already hired the mansion’s staff. The cost will be sent to your mansion monthly, so you can pay with that.”

“…What the hell is this? What are you plotting!”

Ron shouted after a moment. The incomprehensible favor seemed quite suspicious, and he was in a state of heightened vigilance.

“Plotting? It hurts to hear you say that. I’m just giving you what you deserve.”

He was a man who often spoke of feeling hurt even when he didn’t mean it.

“…What?”

“These are things you should have enjoyed originally. No, they’re actually inferior to that.”

Saying so, Sieghart shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

“Think about it, Ron Letius.”

“…”

“Isn’t it laughable that you, a member of the imperial family, find these things burdensome? Isn’t it ridiculous that you have to be in this uncomfortable situation of doubting and measuring the other’s sincerity over such trivial things?”

A silent sigh escaped Ron’s lips and circled the outside world. It seemed that Sieghart’s question had hit a weak spot.

“I’m personally handing over to you the things that were taken away due to Kyle Letius’s selfishness. These are things you should have rightfully enjoyed.”

Sieghart left, saying to check the details through the documents and placing a stack of papers on the table.

“…Is this really okay?”

Natasha Charliee, who was descending the forest with Sieghart, asked softly.

After a moment, the man’s steps stopped. His gentle gaze looking to the side seemed to be asking the intent of the question.

“I’m wondering if it’s alright for such a man to become emperor.”

Natasha murmured worriedly.

The reason for choosing Ron Letius as an ally was because he was the easiest target to recruit among the remaining imperial family members. It was chosen for the purpose of eliminating the current emperor, certainly not because the man’s abilities were extraordinary.

The Ron Letius that Natasha had encountered was a person far from qualified to be emperor. Of course, Kyle Letius also lacked the qualifications to be emperor, so if his story were to be brought up, there would be nothing to say, but…

Given that the Letius Empire was already in a precarious situation, if the newly enthroned emperor were to be a mess, the empire’s condition would rapidly deteriorate.

If the Letius Empire were to become prey for other empires, it would also endanger the Charliee Kingdom, which was close to the empire, so it was a headache.

“It will be fine.”

The other gave an unexpectedly firm answer.

Sieghart Asthart does not flatter others with empty words. It meant that even in a situation where he needed to reassure Natasha, where a lie was necessary, he was not the type to forcibly praise Ron Letius.

For such a person to gloss over Natasha’s concerns as ‘fine’?

“Ron Letius is a person who has never had anything in his life.”

Sieghart went on to explain how ‘thirsty’ he was for recognition.

“He’s only had things taken from him throughout his life, and now he’s holding something in his hands for the first time. He’ll struggle just to keep holding onto it.”

A life where he never had a chance to show anything, always lagging behind his brothers. When the time finally came to prove himself, his youth withered away without even blooming, defeated by Kyle Letius.

For such a man to stand above Kyle Letius and his brothers and grasp the emperor’s seat would surely be a major turning point.

“A man who has experienced loss will continuously strive to never lose it again. Because he’s aware that what he holds in his hands can be lost at any time.”

The man’s expression as he affirmed this was more solemn than ever. His confident face was equally dark and fierce. It was an unusual reaction for someone guaranteeing an unpredictable future.

As if he had strong evidence to support his claim.

And Natasha realized that this opinion was based on experience.

A few weeks later, about a month after Enoch Winter and Tisha Winter had settled in the village, they left.

“Oh my, so soon?”

“We’ve met a kind person who can treat my illness. My health has improved a lot, so I think it’s okay to move to another region.”

Natasha made an appropriate excuse to the villagers who were sad about parting with the Winter couple.

Perhaps because Natasha had played the role of a patient so well, not a single person found the sudden farewell suspicious. Only kind farewells asking to send letters occasionally remained.

Natasha and Sieghart, who had returned to the Asthart duchy, devoted themselves to the remaining days. Of course, they couldn’t ignore the duchy’s affairs, so they had to take care of all the backlogged work as well.

It was busy enough that even ten bodies wouldn’t have been enough.

And a few weeks later, a letter arrived from Ron Letius.

It all started when Sieghart sent a letter to the man.

「Are you living a happy life?

If so, I’m sorry, but I’ll have to take back the mansion.」

It was to remind him to be vigilant, in case Ron Letius might be living contentedly in his current situation.

He needed to realize that even the luxurious mansion and living funds that Sieghart had kindly provided could be lost at any time.

And this letter was the response that came back.

Natasha hoped that Ron would be someone who could understand the hidden meaning in the letter Sieghart had sent.

And in the contents of the letter,

「I’ll help you.

I must have it. I must take back what should have rightfully been mine.」

The best answer they wanted was written.