In the atmosphere that froze in an instant, Duke Heswin visibly jerked his body.
“So.”
“……”
“Are you going to propose the same thing to me?”
The low voice directed at me was like a well-sharpened sword.
It was so sharp and keen that if I were to answer yes, I had a clear premonition that an irreversible situation would unfold, enough to make my spine shudder.
“…… Your Highness, I will tell you clearly.”
Heswin, who had been hesitating for a moment, slowly opened his lips.
“I don’t think Duke Frederick’s story is completely nonsensical. However, if that is Your Highness’s intention, I will follow it unconditionally.”
Somewhat urgently.
“Placing a young lady from a solid family in the position of Empress is also a method, but if you think about it differently, it also means that a new force can be created.”
“So?”
Sinclair asked back with a face as cold as the frost of midwinter.
“…… Personally, I think it’s not a bad choice to put Lady Elaina in the position of Empress. It would be no different from keeping marital faith, and it would be possible to build a good image to the imperial people, and above all, Your Highness cherishes Her Highness the Crown Princess very much, so there is no need to cause unnecessary trouble.”
Touching a man who could bare sharp claws at any time, anywhere, for any reason, and tear apart an unknown opponent was the most foolish thing in the world.
Especially if the opponent was not simply a foolish hothead, but a person who was very skilled in political strife.
“……”
Without giving any answer, Sinclair looked at Duke Heswin for a moment.
The duke waited for his words with a slightly tense face, and it was only after a long time that Sinclair opened his lips with a snort.
“Fortunately. Actually, I was a little worried.”
“…… Pardon?”
“No matter how much it’s me, if I get rid of both families out of the five families representing Edenbell, things will get quite bothersome.”
In an instant, Duke Heswin’s face hardened.
“As expected, you are much wiser than your grandfather.”
“……”
“It can be said to be fortunate for you and me. Isn’t that so?”
“…… Yes. Your Highness is right.”
Duke Heswin belatedly realized that his life depended on the answer he had just uttered.
I knew that he was fond of her, but was it to this extent?
The prince’s feelings for the useless crown princess.
The fact was so surprising and embarrassing that Duke Heswin blinked his eyes several times without realizing it.
“Then……”
Then, he asked Sinclair again in a cautious tone.
“What are you going to do with Duke Frederick?”
“Well.”
Sinclair tapped the teacup with his fingers indifferently and answered.
“Actually, I’m not such an irresponsible person, you know.”
“Pardon?”
“I already know that the Duke Frederick’s family has a considerable number of private soldiers. And the fact that it can be quite a headache if those private soldiers go over to Hister.”
“Your Highness……?”
At Sinclair’s words, whose intentions were completely incomprehensible, Duke Heswin narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You probably already know how Duke Hank got involved with me, Heswin.”
And he made a shocked expression at the words that followed.
“It’s not difficult to do the same thing.”
“……”
“So I’m thinking.”
“Y-Your Highness……”
“What punishment should be given to the insolent duke who dared to mention my precious crown princess and asked to place his daughter on the empress’s seat.”
“……”
“But since it’s one of the five families representing the nobles of Edenbell, I should probably create a topic suitable for the scale of their reputation.”
Sinclair continued to speak in a dry voice.
“For example, we could deal with it under the pretext that he was preparing for treason in this chaotic time…… As you know, having a large number of private soldiers can be an advantage at times, but it can also be a disadvantage in this way.”
“……”
“So, it would be interesting to intercept those private soldiers in the middle.”
…… All those words are sincere. Sinclair Butler was not a great man who would utter such words as a joke.
That’s why it was more frightening and terrifying. Because I knew that the arrow could be directed at me at any time.
“…… I-I will have another conversation with Duke Frederick, Your Highness.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. The duke is not such a foolish person, so if he realizes the weight of his own words, he will surely change his attitude.”
“If you go that far, I may be able to show my generosity.”
“……”
“Of course, this will be the last chance.”
“…… Yes, I understand.”
“Good. Do it that way.”
After finishing his words, Sinclair sipped the tea that had cooled to a drinkable temperature as if nothing had happened.
Seeing him like that, which seemed a little creepy, Duke Heswin looked at him with shaking eyes.
…… I thought Sinclair had changed a little after bringing in the crown princess.
But no. Rather, he was growing into a much more ruthless and fearsome being than before.
No, could it be because of the crown princess?
Duke Heswin vaguely made a guess close to the answer and looked at Sinclair in front of him with slightly fearful eyes.
* * *
The venue for the additional meeting was also, without fail, Anelli’s townhouse.
More than half of the people had already arrived in the hall, and they all welcomed Elaina very much and uttered compliments.
“I already knew that Her Highness the Crown Princess was beautiful, but today she seems even more dazzling.”
This was Voltaire Denhel,
“I agree. But it would be difficult if you go around like this every day. If I were His Highness, I would probably hide you tightly so that no one could see you.”
This was Viscount Duane,
“Oh my, how can this color of dress suit you so well? It’s really amazing.”
This was said by Viscountess Lena, a close friend of Viscountess Legus and Perin.
“Our crown princess is always beautiful, Lena. It took so much time just to choose this dress. No matter what I dress her in, everything suits her well.”
“That’s right. If I could, I wanted to join a new gathering and dress her up every day.”
Although it was Elaina who was fully dressed up, it was actually Viscountess Legus and Perin who were very excited. They enjoyed people’s reactions to the fullest and stayed by Elaina’s side. They were like well-trained guard dogs.
“But I don’t see Prince Ryan?”
Perin, who was looking around, spoke with a puzzled expression.
“It seemed like he always came first every time.”
“…… The situation seems to have gotten a little complicated.”
It was Voltaire Denhel who answered Perin’s words.
“I went to the Henard family before coming here. But……”
“The duke was very angry and kicked us out.”
At the alternating voices of Denhel and Viscount Duane, Elaina narrowed her eyes slightly.
“I don’t know what happened. He usually informed us in advance whenever something happened, but this time there was no contact even to us. I wonder if he can even come to the meeting.”
“Well, I guess puberty has come late. They say late-onset puberty is the scariest. I don’t know what he did to make the kind duke kick him out, though.”
While listening to Perin’s muttering with a nonchalant expression, I felt that something was strange.
Why did the duke suddenly…?
…… Could it be related to the imperial family?
To be precise, did Prince Ryan say that he would enter into political strife, unlike the Henard family, who had been doing it for generations?
Just as Elaina was making a slightly anxious expression, it was that moment.
“Everyone is here.”
Anelli appeared in front of them.
“It’s already been 10 minutes past the promised time. I’m sorry I’m late. But I also needed some time to collect my thoughts.”
…… Time to collect thoughts?
At Anelli’s meaningful words, everyone made a puzzled expression.
“There’s no need to talk at length, adding flesh to the words.”
Standing in front of everyone, Anelli said with her usual gentle smile.
“I think you all know that the current situation in Edenbell is not ordinary.”
At that moment, Elaina flinched slightly.
“Her Highness the Crown Princess may not know yet, but the members of our gathering have various political colors. Of course, broadly speaking, it’s the same direction, but there are bound to be many forks in the road to the destination.”
…… As I expected, it wasn’t just a social gathering.
“As there are many opinions, at least among us, we have always respected each other and maintained maximum neutrality. You all know that.”
Anelli continued to speak.
“However, a few days ago. Someone came to see me separately.”
In an instant, Perin, Denhel, and Viscount Duane looked at each other with anxious eyes.
“With the good pretense of being a nobleman, we cannot continue to neglect the messy Edenbell as it is.”
“……”
“So, now I want to reveal my intention and walk a clearer path.”
At Anelli’s words that they had never even thought of, the hall became as quiet as if it had been hit by a waterspout.
…… And it was at that very moment.
The door that had been quietly closed creaked open.
Everyone’s gaze turned to one place at the sudden sound……
“I’m late. Sorry.”
Ryan Henard, who was in a messy state for some reason, greeted the members while looking at them.
“I was just telling them, and you’re coming right away. Prince Ryan.”
Ryan Henard……
He said that?
A clear path?
“Anyway, now that we’re all here, I’d like to hear your opinions. Whether you intend to join Prince Ryan Henard. Or if you will choose a different fork in the road.”
As Anelli finished speaking, people whispered to each other and looked at one another.
And Elaina faced Ryan Henard, who had somehow approached her side, with an embarrassed face.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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