Adrian nodded appreciatively at the Duke’s mercy. The Duke spoke in a subtle voice.

“Instead, it’s not good for people to see that siblings in the same house support different factions. Try to keep it a secret that you support me, as much as possible. Don’t openly support the direct imperial family like your sister.”

“Well… that’s not possible. How can I support the Emperor and Empress? That’s absolutely not possible.”

“I mean it’s on the surface.”

Having to explicitly say even this much. The Duke barely held back a sigh and continued speaking in a subdued tone.

“Whatever Count Esmond does, it should be for Her Majesty and the Imperial family. It’s not for me. Understand?”
Adrian’s face turned red as he finally grasped the meaning. The Duke once again withdrew his tongue into his mouth.

‘Too late. It’s not a significant matter. Your capacity is just writing and discarding, nothing more.’

“Anyway, I’ll graciously accept your sentiments. If, by any chance, I ascend to that position…”

The Duke smirked for a moment, tilted his head, and continued.

“Of course, that won’t happen, but everyone is entitled to their thoughts, right? So, if I were to reach the position you desire, you would become my right-hand man. Without a doubt.”

“I don’t mind not becoming your right-hand man.”

Adrian knelt on one knee.

“But Your Excellency will undoubtedly become the Emperor. I will make sure of that.”

A tear dropped from Adrian’s eye as he said this.

The pupils of the Duke, looking down at him, flickered slightly. However, the emotions were entirely different from Adrian’s.

‘With a little skill, I might get what I want without lifting a finger.’

“…….”

Renee lowered her binoculars. The sight of Duke Montaner and Adrian seemed to be engraved on her cornea beyond the lens, as if it wouldn’t leave her sight.

The sharp gaze that was so sharp had become dull due to shock. But, she still knew.

‘No, that’s impossible. There must be some misunderstanding.’

…denying such foolish acts until now was enough.

Now she had to accept the situation hastily. It was a shortcut to becoming a bit less foolish.

“It was Adrian. He was the arsonist.”

Although it wasn’t clear what words were exchanged between them, Renee was convinced.

He set fire to the slums for Duke Montaner.

Come to think of it, Adrian had often talked about Duke Montaner since childhood.

He had imitated the splendid techniques displayed in swordsmanship several times, even getting injured a few times. Whenever stories about the new Emperor came up, he made awkward expressions, thinking it was just because of his mood. But now, looking back, it was because he was a follower of the Duke.

The image of Adrian’s face, moved by the Duke’s comforting touch on his shoulder, haunted Renee.

She guessed.

Probably, he had recently received the Duke’s attention.

‘That’s likely.’

In the midst of followers leaving like a receding tide, it was only natural for those remaining close by to stand out. They had to make use of at least one person before they left.

‘Not knowing even that, just trailing behind like a useless hanger-on.’

Renee found Adrian pathetic to the point of madness. She wanted to pierce him with the dart pin he gave her, a gift from him.

“There’s nothing you can’t do.”
Renee rose from the anticipated railing and pulled out a concealed dagger from her bosom, turning around. However, after a few steps, she suddenly sank down in frustration.

“Damn it.”

Renee vented her frustration by striking the ground with the dagger she held.

“Why does it have to be Adrian?”

If it were her second or third younger brother, there would be no need for hesitation; she would have dealt with it. Why Adrian of all people… Why Adrian, whom she liked the most?

‘Ad, sir. Your eye color was just like my sister’s.’

Ad… Adrian’s nickname.

Renee looked down at her hand that touched the ground with a vaguely blurred gaze.

The dagger in her hand caught the moonlight, flickering with a silvery glow. Renee’s eyes twinkled in response.

“Wait.”

As Renee groped through her memories, the clouds gradually lifted from her expression.

‘Midnight fire in the slums.’

The conversation she had with Liz half a year ago started to take on a new meaning.

‘Suddenly, a fire broke out in the slums.’

People who survived a sudden fire in the slums, where even rats and cockroaches were boiling in the filthy and unclean breeding ground of infectious diseases. It was a street that was disgusting and dirty, and people had hoped it would disappear, but it wasn’t that they wished everything would burn to death. So, when the fire happened, people were furious. They thought the royal family intentionally set fire to that street. They claimed that even before the fire, they saw officials loitering around the area.

‘So, what happened?’

‘Have you heard of mass hysteria?’

‘No.’

‘The commoners oppressed under the nobility needed a place to vent their anger. The great fire was a very suitable incident to empty their pent-up grievances. The commoners began to gather, and those who gathered power felt fearless. They thought that if they set their minds to it, they could overthrow this class-based society and create their own utopia. For that reason…’

‘A revolution happened?’

‘Yes, that’s right. It did. Violence and looting were justified under the name of a revolution. It was quite extensive. It was beyond what the security guards and palace guards alone could handle. So, the royal family stepped in. The palace dissolved the guards and…’

They suppressed the people, resulting in many casualties.

The oppressed commoners returned quietly to their daily lives, but the embers of the revolution in their hearts did not extinguish. Duke Montaner collected those unquenched embers, and with that as a foundation, he succeeded in rebellion…

“Pfft.”

Renee burst into laughter unknowingly. Then, with a twisted expression, she muttered under her breath.

“What? It has nothing to do with me, does it?”