The Empress' Scandalous Paramour - Chapter 40

Moreover, throughout the past years, the number of times the Holy Lady entered His Majesty the Emperor’s bedroom was countless.

‘Though it’s been almost none in recent years.’

A man’s heart is so capricious.

The devotion that was directed towards the Holy Lady had somehow flowed to Her Majesty the Empress.

Now is the perfect time to have an heir… Now that Her Majesty the Empress says she will take in a consort, it was enough to drive him mad with joy.

How could the two of them be so misaligned?

“Then convey the intention to share a bed again. The Empress will surely accept it well.”

“That’s not it, Your Majesty. I meant you should seize this opportunity well. For example, before boarding the cruise, you could wear a wig and dress completely differently from usual… or even wear a mask would be good.”

The changed Her Majesty the Empress was relentless, like a vanguard leading a hundred thousand troops.

If one were to block her path, they would be trampled under the hooves of war horses.

Her Majesty the Empress’s expression, gestures, attitude. A tyrannical aura was felt from all of it.

And James thought every time he encountered Her Majesty the Empress like this.

Ah, Her Majesty the Empress will never forgive His Majesty the Emperor.

Then… though it’s a bit underhanded, there’s no other way.

The only option is to get close by pretending to be someone else.

“Hide my identity?”

“Yes. When you board the cruise, approach as a man, not as His Majesty the Emperor…”

At this, the face of the strait-laced captain of the imperial guard frowned.

However, no one contradicted the words of First Aide James.

They also thought there was no other way.

When she’s rejecting so strongly, we can’t force them together, can we?

“Certainly… there are times when one must be forceful, but there are also times when one must approach gently.”

“I agree.”

The nobles who had been grumbling unexpectedly agreed with James’s words.

In fact, the pro-Emperor nobles prided themselves on being the most loyal and considerate of this country.

From their perspective, now was not the time for a battle of pride.

“As you know, in recent years, Quan has gradually strengthened its military power under the pretext of monsters.”

It was then.

The Foreign Minister, Gallaghan, who had been quiet until now, opened his mouth.

The captain of the imperial guard and the commander of the Crusade looked puzzled at this.

They wondered why Quan suddenly came up in a conversation about turning Her Majesty the Empress’s heart.

But James immediately understood.

“The young one from Quan has now grown up and is hunting monsters. Shouldn’t you send him back soon?”

The young one from Quan.

That’s how they referred to Mereum in this place.

It meant that he could never be included in Nix, and that he was not seen as the Empress’s closest confidant or as a consort.

That one is a foreigner, and foreigners should return home.

His fangs have become quite sharp, and if he returns to Quan, it will likely cause internal chaos there.

The easiest way to divide Quan’s forces and plunge them into confusion right now was for Mereum to return to his country.

“It’s because such a person is by her side that Her Majesty the Empress won’t open her heart. I saw from afar once… it seemed certain that the young one from Quan harbors romantic feelings for Her Majesty the Empress.”

The atmosphere in the office, which had slightly improved, grew heavy again.

Who here wouldn’t know that?

The young one from Quan was as venomous as a scorpion, and as persistent as a snake hiding in the sand waiting for its prey.

When a banquet is held, his gaze is fixed on the Empress, never leaving.

What the Empress eats, who she talks to, where she goes. His quiet gaze that watches all of this in detail was enough to give one goosebumps.

He existed like the Empress’s shadow.

Derek Noert, who was originally called the Empress’s shadow, was pushed out without a sound.

It was such a natural change of position that no one even knew when he was pushed out, and the boy took the place that originally belonged to Derek Noert and glared at those who approached the Empress.

Just looking at that, isn’t the young one’s skill remarkable?

Gallaghan thought his eyes felt chilly every time he saw that scorpion-like person from Quan.

He’s quiet now, but that’s only because there hasn’t been a trigger yet.

He was born with the seed of a predator, and this characteristic became more evident as days passed.

“Isn’t it because of him that Her Majesty the Empress’s power has grown so much?”

The corners of the Crusade commander’s mouth trembled slightly as he listened quietly to Gallaghan’s words.

It was an unwritten rule not to bring up the story of Mereum, the commander of the Astaroth Knights, in front of the Crusade.

Especially heroic tales such as Mereum entering a spider-type monster’s nest alone, beheading their king, killing every last offspring, and cleaning up the entire area, or how the Astaroth elites led by Mereum defeated a horde of Minotaurs that had occupied a canyon for a long time, should never be mentioned.

Particularly, dealing with that Minotaur horde, which was hidden deep in the canyon, was supposed to be impossible, but Mereum did it.

With only five people.

So, yes, one could say that the Crusade has become this laughable all because of Mereum alone.

Therefore, the Crusade now grinds their teeth even in dreams at the mention of Mereum.

“So, send him back?”

“The pretext doesn’t matter. I’m honestly worried. Though it’s an unspeakable imagination… what if, by any chance, Her Majesty. Or Duke Achilo… could use that person as an excuse to join hands with Quan?”

If the relationship between the Emperor and Empress were good, such imagination would be dismissed as nonsense to be kept in one’s room, but Gallaghan’s point was valid.

From the point when those with holy power suddenly started to increase, monsters also increased proportionally.

Not only in Nix, but there was also a phenomenon of large monsters increasing in Quan, and the Quan imperial family seized the opportunity to issue a conscription order.

They might subjugate monsters, but where would those swords point afterwards?

If the Emperor of Quan reveals his ambition and by any chance approaches the Empress through Mereum. If he makes an appealing proposal….

How would the Empress react?

She has no children, her relationship with the Emperor is bad, and power overflows in her hands?

“Stop beating around the bush and state your conclusion.”

Everyone seated here understood the Foreign Minister’s words.

But Enrique urged Gallaghan to spit out the conclusion with his own mouth.

To this, Gallaghan bowed his head as if apologetic, but still pressed on with his argument to the end.

“Clip Her Majesty the Empress’s wings, then embrace her. Even if it’s somewhat forceful, it doesn’t matter. You must make it clear that this selection of a concubine or whatever is the last act of indulgence. She won’t think of anything else once she’s pregnant with the Crown Prince.”

Hiss.

Now the atmosphere had frozen to the point where even breathing would chill one’s blood.

No matter how worrying it might be, nothing has happened yet, so to forcibly embrace the Empress of a country?

“Mind your words!”

An old noble roared like thunder, and James began to break out in a cold sweat.

The Foreign Minister’s remarks didn’t just cross the line, they crashed right through it.

However, Gallaghan seemed determined to finish what he had started saying.

“If by any chance the Emperor of Quan dies, who do you think is next in line? The current Emperor of Quan has many children, but none of them have come of age yet.”

“!”

“Human hearts can change unpredictably. Her Majesty the Empress currently has no reason not to betray us.”

This is bad.

James thought that His Majesty the Emperor wouldn’t just let such remarks from the Foreign Minister slide.

Regardless of whether there’s any truth to it or not, there are things that can be said and things that can’t.

The Foreign Minister was now babbling that the Empress might hand over both countries to the young one from Quan.

“For now, how about we confirm that His, His Majesty the Emperor will personally board the cruise this time? We should take things one step at a time.”

James, envisioning the Foreign Minister’s house crumbling, its pillars being uprooted, and even the dust of his children being shaken out, hurriedly intervened.

The Emperor disguising his identity and entering a place where the Empress’s concubine is being selected.

It’s an unprecedented event, but having served His Majesty for many years, James had a sense. Specifically, a sense of guessing what words His Majesty wanted to hear.

“Let’s not look too far ahead, everyone.”

James laughed softly to calm the atmosphere and glanced at His Majesty the Emperor.

There was no expression on that beautiful dragon-like face.

James shuddered secretly at that face, which didn’t even show anger.

‘Please… let this pass safely. If the Foreign Minister is suddenly ousted, it will shake the pillar of the pro-Emperor faction.’

Cold sweat trickled down. James prayed like that, exhausted.

But even so, he couldn’t completely shake off his uneasiness.

‘But will the Holy Lady back down like this? That doesn’t seem like her character.’

Why is it so quiet?

Slash.

Under the moonlight, there was a death without even a scream.

The number of assassins who met their death with eyes open was five. Including one shape-shifting monster, a total of six necks rolled on the floor.

Mereum approached the bed with an indifferent face, shaking off his sword.

On the spacious bed lay the most noble lady in the world, asleep.