“Idle? Do you think I am? This bastard. The moment I left for a while, this bastard boldly took my well-raised younger sister, and now he’s not even eating the food I gave him. Do you know how I feel about this?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have a younger sister. Moreover, have you forgotten that you almost went to prison if I hadn’t intervened when you were about to elope?”
“No, of course, I remember.”
“But still?”
“I don’t know about you, Valter. Anyway, aristocratic marriages take place in the palace. Whether it’s a change of rank or a promotion, to get married, you have to crawl into the capital. It would have taken several more months just for the marriage process.”
“So?”
“When the marriage partner is killed at that time, everything would have been peacefully resolved. Just like now.”
Cedric pulled something out of his chest and tossed it onto the table.
A temporary conferment certificate with the name ‘Samuel Marbo’ written on it, issued under the authority of the Crown Prince.
Now, when the Emperor’s approval is given, the word ‘temporary’ will be removed from that paper.
It’s the real conferment certificate.
Valter’s gaze, scanning the paper, cooled down.
“As planned, it seems to be processed, right?”
“Oh, yes. Thanks to someone who handled the intermediate contacts so well.”
The name written on the temporary conferment certificate, ‘Samuel Marbo.’
He was the leader of the western Changebaeks and, originally, the eldest son of Marbo Viscount, the intended partner for Odette’s marriage under the Emperor’s proposed political union.
And the fact that he received the conferment means one thing.
Marbo Viscount is dead.
Cedric tapped the temporary conferment certificate with his finger, speaking.
“As His Majesty approves, the conferment will be passed on. Samuel Marbo, having been a long-time fiancé, will probably hold the wedding within this year.”
“Any other intentions?”
“Do you really need to ask? Of course, there are. What loyalty do you expect from a guy who killed my father for the throne he coveted?”
Cedric’s lips, mocking, were clearly smiling, but seeing the cynical atmosphere, no one could use such expressions.
“A person who betrays once continues to betray. He is not someone to keep for long. Still, well. It’ll be quiet for a while.”
“Why? Did he serve the food well?”
“Marbo Viscount, who used to be the leader of the Changebaek, no, now the former Viscount. Anyway, now that he’s gone, do you think other Changebaeks will stay still? Those raccoons who were just covered in my father’s afterglow will have a hard time dealing with them. If that guy who was supposed to handle them is gone, they’ll naturally fight for the next focal point or disband by quarreling among themselves. There won’t be a chance for them to gather and entertain foolish thoughts like before.”
Although this was a story about Samuel Marbo, in other words, it also meant that the western Changebaeks had lost their focal point.
A group without a focal point would naturally fight for the next one or disintegrate by quarreling among themselves.
There would be no time for them to gather and entertain foolish thoughts as before.
So, ultimately, the Emperor could comfortably sit on the throne and get the picture he wanted without forcibly marrying Odette.
As Cedric, it was an additional point scored with the Emperor.
Cedric reminisced about the past and muttered.
“Come to think of it, it was strange from the first letter I received from you.”
Valter Ertman, what kind of good thing was this guy going to do? A guy who wouldn’t move unless he had something to gain from it. Suddenly, he joined hands with Samuel Marbo and handed over plans to kill Marbo Viscount?
It was suspicious, but there was no reason to refuse.
Above all, Valter and Cedric were implicitly in an alliance.
There was trust that they wouldn’t recommend something that would harm each other.
“So, I accepted it for now and wanted to see the situation… Taking my younger sister away while I’m gone? I told him to wait for me!”
“If you waited, you would have been an idiot to wait for a guy who was likely to interfere with your marriage. Besides, Odette agreed to it.”
“You must have been suspicious! I’ve been careful not to introduce you to Odette, and during my absence, you approached Odette…!”
“…Did you expect this?”
As if saying it’s obvious, Valter furrowed his brows, but Cedric seemed rather unimpressed, as if asking if it was even a question.
“You’re calling that an issue now? Did you really think I wouldn’t notice the way you looked at Odette since the days in Belfore?”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. I wasn’t interested back then.”
“What? You weren’t interested? To Odette? You?”
“This is insane…”
It seemed that, in Valter’s eyes, Cedric was not in his right mind. Well, to be fair, Cedric wasn’t exactly normal to begin with. But upon hearing the news that Odette had married while he wasn’t around, especially to Valter, Cedric seemed to have truly lost his mind.
“I expected it to some extent.”
Just when he sent Arnold away, now Cedric showed up.
Valter stood up with a growl.
“It seems there’s no further business, so go. Don’t address me with such things in the future.”
“Go? I’ll stay a bit longer.”
“I have nothing to do. There’s nothing good in seeing your face for too long either.”
Valter cynically retorted, turning away, but Cedric smiled with his fingers placed on the table.
“I’ll stay a bit longer, to see Odette’s face for the last time.”
“…What?”
“I sent Ertman to Arnold. Ah, don’t worry about others. I’ll probably withdraw as soon as I bring Odette.”
At that statement, Valter’s expression twisted.
“…Bringing Odette? What’s the reason?”
“Why? Do you think I’ll continue to keep Odette by the side of a deceitful guy like you? Prepare for divorce within three months; I’m looking for a new partner. By the way, it’s about time to bring her now…”
Ultimately, Valter’s strained patience snapped.
Bang!
With a loud noise, the table rolled on the floor, and Cedric’s collar was harshly grasped by Valter’s hand.
And at that moment,
“…Cedric, uncle? Valter?”
Odette entered the chaotic reception room.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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