Laughter spread in the uncomfortable silence. The one who caused the expressions unsuitable for the occasion approached the other side after a while.

“Empress, did I seem so reckless? I’m curious about how I appear in your eyes.”

He stood in front of the Sahir Empress.

“You’re wrong in two ways.”

“…”

“Firstly, I will not sacrifice the relationship between the two nations. If Empress cooperates well, it will end with negotiations. And…”

Casually following his words, Kun slammed the table.

Bang!

With a roar, the Empress’s plate momentarily rose. The glass, fragile to cracks, had already tumbled and rolled on the table.

“I don’t know what strange thoughts you might have, but it’s not my personal matter. It’s a matter of national importance.”

“…”

“My wife and the Empress of the Freid Empire were almost murdered. Yes, it’s a very serious matter.”

Both the Empress and the Emperor were astonished at Kun’s words.

“Murder…?”

“The story of the hunt, so you must be well aware of the news of the monsters invading the mansion.”

“Yes, I heard about it.”
“That monster was originally targeting the Empress. Unlike the other one, it invaded the mansion where the Empress stayed, not the village. This means that Duke Argent used the catalyst that summons monsters even in the Empress’s mansion.”

In other words, as long as Cedric is suspected as the culprit, the suspicion of Empress’s assassination cannot be avoided.

Having calmed down, he returned to his seat with a benevolent smile. Correcting his usual arrogant posture, he sat down neatly.

“It seems there’s nothing more to discuss. Shall we start negotiations instead of threats, or rather, extortion?”

“…Alright. What would you offer in exchange for the Duke’s expulsion?”

“It’s the path the Duke took to gain favor from the Sahir Imperial Family. It has always been a condition that has remained a mystery, whether in the Fried Empire or here.”

After a moment, the Empress’s jugular rose and then receded.

“…That.”

“Even from Empress’s perspective, isn’t it quite unusual? He suddenly rose to the position of Duke without any exchange between the Sahir Empire. It’s a precious position that not even Liam Sahir, who has the blood of the great imperial family, could obtain.”

After the former Fried Emperor and Empress passed away, Cedric Fried concealed his tracks with the immense fortune he inherited.

Considering that he had a poor relationship with the current Emperor Kun Fried, he was thought to have fled due to concerns about future situations, but he appeared boldly in the Sahir Empire.

Escaping from the name of the Fried Imperial Family and holding a new power as Duke Theodore.

Not only other members of the imperial family but also Kun himself were unaware of the situation.

In such a sudden situation, there were various opinions and speculations among the public.

“But the imperial family did not provide a proper reason, so there was much resistance from both commoners and nobles in their respective societies. In addition, many speculations circulated. The most plausible one was that he, once a prince of the imperial family, stole confidential information and exchanged it for his position.”

“No, that’s not true! Although the imperial family has personal reasons that cannot be disclosed, I can swear that he did not exploit Fried Imperial Family’s information to exchange for his position!”

The Empress stood up abruptly and entered into a defense. In an already tense situation due to the conflict, the Sahir Imperial Family’s position was leaning unfavorably, thanks to a strange misunderstanding.

“So…”

“I understand.”

“Yes?”

“It means I am aware that there is no connection between his injury and the Fried Imperial Family and that the Sahir Imperial Family is innocent as well.”

Surprisingly, Kun sided with the imperial family.

The Empress, who had been passionately asserting innocence, was surprised by the unexpected support.

“Whether I sounded like I was demanding accountability and calling for the Duke’s defamation, I’m not sure. Unfortunately, the negotiation content comes after this.”
Kun sat next to him, listening to the conversation, and looked at the Emperor who remained silent.

“Emperor, Empress. I know.”

“…….”

“That day, how my brother bought the title from you. Under what conditions he could establish himself in Sahir.”

On that day, a letter from his father found in the safe.

“My son. I couldn’t write your name in the will because of the disgraceful actions your father committed in the past. I apologize for burdening you with that responsibility.”

The last gift Kun received from his father was said to be a personal message, not an inheritance. However, to Kun, it was more valuable than any other inheritance.

He had remorse but lacked evidence. Now, he had clear evidence.

“It has been strange from the beginning. After the Emperor and Empress passed away, my brother, who inherited a massive fortune, never revealed the appearance of being a parent even once.”

Cedric Fried, the Emperor’s illegitimate child.

Being an illegitimate child of the Emperor could be a good opportunity for social ascent, but in reality, his mother’s existence was never disclosed.

There were only two possibilities.

Either the birth mother died a long time ago, or the birth mother herself was hiding her identity.

However, considering that gifts were sent anonymously every year on Cedric’s birthday, the vital information about his birth mother was revealed.

“Isn’t it strange? Considering that sending a birthday gift every year implies maternal affection, but the surviving birth mother never once visited my son, no matter what he became, whether a son or money… She should have come at least once, turning a blind eye.”

Then, there was only one case where the birth mother herself wished to hide her identity.

Someone who shouldn’t be recognized as part of the Emperor’s government.

“So, I pondered deeply. Someone who doesn’t need money, yet it would be troublesome if it were revealed that their son is the Emperor’s illegitimate child.”

Though Cedric’s birth mother’s true identity could not be determined, at least her nationality was easily deduced.

“A person with jet-black skin, fitting all the conditions I gathered.”

That was the only hint Kun had from the past.