“The elders seem to believe that Duke Nettleton will rise as a new power.”
“They’ll be on guard, struggling not to lose the power they have.”
“They may become more blatant.”
“What, like treason?”
Nikolai twisted his lips into a smile.
Cales seemed worried about his overly calm lord.
Rebellion. Usurpation. Blood. Death.
None of them were words to be taken lightly.
But he couldn’t ignore it either.
“Are you afraid that the rat will hide? Do you want me to be that kind of emperor?”
“Your Majesty.”
“Put my worries aside and find those who aim for Franz. I won’t kill them nicely.”
Cales bowed his head as if to apologize for his incompetence.
Nikolai didn’t want to torment his loyal subject more.
“What’s the trend in Warden?”
“The Queen of Warden has seized control of the government. Now the king is nothing but her puppet.”
“Don’t be lazy in surveillance. Since the former Empress of Hart has been enthroned as the enemy’s queen.”
“She’s a terrible woman. She hates you more than anyone.”
Nikolai chuckled.
Hate wasn’t enough to describe Penelope’s feelings.
Words like anger or revenge seemed neutral and vague.
Before being driven out of the palace, Penelope had left these words:
“I’ll stake my soul to ruin you, Nikolai. The only reason I live is to tear you to pieces and drink your flowing blood! Howl, Nikolai, towards the doom awaiting you!”
Every time he pronounced Penelope’s name, a splitting headache and nausea occurred simultaneously.
When Nikolai was 12, 20yearold Penelope had become his stepmother by taking the side of the Emperor.
She was a daughter of a distinguished family, who was once admired as the empire’s beauty.
Even young Nikolai had been captivated by his new mother’s beautiful figure on the day of her enthronement.
Death always lingered around her, although he hadn’t known he would eventually drive her away with his own hands.
“If there is someone in collusion with Warden, there is a high probability that a thread leads to Penelope.”
“Do you see the Queen of Warden as the mastermind behind the Crown Prince’s assassination?”
“If she had aimed for Franz, he would no longer be of this world.”
“She is still a wicked woman, nonetheless.”
“Two months from now, there will be a massive troop movement. Convey to the garrison commander not to give Warden a chance.”
“Do you mean Countess Claudia Roselois?”
Nikolai’s eyebrows twitched.
It was because a word that Elizabeth had muttered in her sleep came to mind.
「I thought you were Radia.」
He had investigated all around Elizabeth, but there was no character named Radia.
Could it have been a nickname?
‘Is the being that she fears even in her dreams Countess Claudia Roselois? But why? She’s just the childhood friend of my former fiancé.’
Question after question followed, one after the other.
What always remained at the end was Elizabeth and the shadow of Douglas looming over her.
He desperately wanted to know Elizabeth’s true feelings.
He repeatedly wanted to confirm that she didn’t love Douglas, that they were merely friends.
He didn’t know Elizabeth, not at all.
He wanted to make her feel the overwhelming difference between an Emperor and a fallen Count’s son.
Was it not impossible to weigh himself against a man who writes romance novels?
Nikolai looked himself over in the mirror.
‘I’m perfect today. Flawless.’
Why was Elizabeth the only one who didn’t recognize his beauty, which left men and women of all ages breathless with praise?
Had she seen enough handsome men?
‘Douglas is a cunning man with a crafty tongue and skillful pen, controlling people’s minds. I must watch him with my own eyes.’
A sharp sound escaped from Nikolai’s teeth.
He was often seized by the illusion of Elizabeth, who had fallen for Douglas’s murky charm, stabbing him in the back.
He imagined Douglas secretly intoxicating her with his fragrant lips, and wrapping his arms around her slender waist.
He had to win this game as soon as possible.
So that she would not be distracted elsewhere.
So that she would only look at him.
“We must hurry.”
Nikolai murmured without realizing it.
Cares understood right away.
“I will send a messenger to the Intedd Islands immediately.”
“That needs to be hurried as well.”
“Yes?”
“A messenger is slow. Summon Claudia Roselois to the Imperial Palace. I will personally order it.”
Although it was not part of the plan, he felt he needed to meet Claudia.
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]The Imperial Palace library was empty again today.
The guard was nodding off at the door.
The librarian was busy scribbling something, his head down on the desk.
It was quite convenient for me, who needed time to concentrate.
“I just can’t get started. I have to find the second divine relic.”
The library’s collection was unimaginably vast.
The topgrade oak shelves were so tall that looking up at them made one’s neck hurt.
The enormity of it was skyhigh.
“I have to pick out some children’s theology books that Franz will find interesting, too. I don’t know where anything is, though.”
I planned to replace sword training with basic physical education and increase art and theology lessons.
I thought Franz would be happy, but he pouted.
「Theology can wait, His Majesty said.」
「There’s no harm in hurrying. Let’s start with Morasinia theology.」
「I hate that even more.」
「Why?」
「I just hate it. Why learn it if I’m not going to be a priest?」
Why? Of course, to find the second divine relic!
But how could I confess that?
I was restricted on my own, so I would use the Crown Prince’s privilege.
「It’s the great goddess of healing. Didn’t the first Emperor defeat the plague with the help of the goddess’s power?」
「It’s all lies. I don’t believe it.」
「I won’t study boring theories. I will unravel the legends and secrets of the goddess. Exciting, isn’t it?」
「Not at all.」
「We’ll explore the temples! And interview the priests! How beneficial will that be?」
Franz, who was staring at me blankly, suddenly asked.
「Elizabeth, is there something else going on?」
As if not sure that he was Nikolai’s son, Franz hit the nail on the head.
Tears welled up, and I had no choice but to postpone my plan.
I pulled out a thick theological book from the bookshelf.
“You all must be struggling too. The emperor is busy with women, and the crown prince is making a fuss saying he doesn’t like it.”
Coughing erupted due to the white dust piled on the book spine.
“Cough, cough.”
Then, a neatly folded handkerchief was extended before my eyes.
In an empty library, from whom?
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
