The skin brushing against the back of his hand was rough. The sensation was so coarse that it was hard to believe it belonged to a human, and it gave him goosebumps. It was a feeling he had experienced several times, but could never get used to. Franz let out a soft sigh.

The most notorious seductress in history, the wicked woman who enchanted the emperor, the serpentine woman. Despite all the vicious epithets attached to her name, his mother Marina, who had always been dignified, had left the capital and gone into hiding here for about two years now.

Marina possessed an extraordinary beauty that had captivated countless men who were considered the most handsome in the world, even the emperor himself at first sight, but now it was all in the past.

Franz blinked his eyes. His vision was gradually adjusting to the darkness. Then, the black silhouette in front of him began to appear, albeit blurrily.

“My treasure, my baby, Franz.”

The mother who had always stood tall and straight with her head held high was gone. The woman before him was in a bizarre posture, neither lying down nor standing, her bent waist unable to straighten, barely recognizable as a human being.

Just standing for a short while caused excruciating pain in her leg bones, so she always had to sit on the bed. This was partly the reason why Marina had fled and hidden herself here.

Marina, whose beautiful appearance was her greatest pride and only weapon, lost the power of the weapon she could wield when Emperor Alexander, who had been a solid support behind her, passed away.

And two years ago, when her face became disfigured, she lost even that last weapon.

Her face was so hideously distorted that she couldn’t even open her eyes and look at it properly, and her fingers and toes began to twist one by one, until now even her arms, legs, and waist had lost their original shape and were bent this way and that.

“How has your health been lately?”

The bones that should have been straight were grotesquely twisted, so there was no way she could be well. Marina complained of terrible pain day and night, and the number of days she spent suffering from insomnia was increasing.

“Not good. It seems to be getting worse every day.”

Marina’s shoulders heaved rapidly, as if she was out of breath even after a few short sentences.

“Don’t worry about me.”

As if trying to get to the point of why she had called her son here, Marina grabbed Franz’s hand and made him sit in front of her.

“But is it true that no one really suspects Maximilian’s death? I can’t believe Pulcheria or that woman would stay still.”

“It’s not something you need to worry too much about, Mother.”

“Yes, well. Even if they say something, who would believe the nonsense of a paranoid old woman in the back palace of the imperial family?”

“……”

“What claims can they make without evidence? They’ll just think it’s the ramblings of a bitter old hag who lost her nephew.”

“Yes.”

Franz was used to having such conversations with Marina, but it was uncomfortable. Wasn’t it too inappropriate for a conversation with a mother he hadn’t seen in a long time?

“Now we must hurry with the next preparations.”

She’s going to talk about that again. Another sigh escaped Franz’s lips.

“Mother, I am satisfied with how things are now.”

“What are you saying!”

“I’m saying I don’t really feel the need to be greedy for more.”

“Greedy? Did you say greedy?”

Marina’s grip on her son’s sleeve tightened. Exerting this much force would strain her twisted joints. Franz carefully pulled his clothes out of his mother’s hand.

“Please calm down, Mother.”

“How can you call it greed? It’s your rightful share that you should take, how is that greed!”

“How is it obviously my share?”

“It is your share! Who else would dare to take it if not the son of His Majesty the Emperor?”

A sigh of frustration escaped again. The huge wall he always felt when talking to Marina was even more solid today.

“Don’t forget how this mother raised you to this position, Franz.”

“You’re getting too excited.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Marina began to cough. Franz bit his lip at the sound of coughing that seemed to be scraping blood from her lungs.

“Did you say you don’t feel the need to be greedier?”

“……”

“Do you think you can continue to stay in that position unscathed from now on? No, Franz.”

Gasp, gasp. Marina’s face was filled with terrible pain as she paused for a moment to catch her breath.

“Now, yes. You will live enjoying the things you can enjoy as the Grand Duke. But what if someone else ascends to the empty throne? Especially if that Carl bastard rises, he will immediately try to get rid of you first. I’m not telling you to be greedy. I’m telling you to hurry and eliminate them before you get eliminated. How do you not understand that?”

Eliminate them before you get eliminated. It was true. They were currently in equal positions, so they could keep each other in check while living this prosperous life, but if that relationship tilted even a little, Franz would never be able to continue living as he did now.

All elements that threaten the emperor’s position must be eliminated. If by any chance Carl ascended to the throne, he would first eliminate Franz, the biggest factor of instability threatening him. And when that time came, Franz wouldn’t even be able to confront Carl, who had become the emperor.

“Don’t forget, Franz. How we set foot in the palace. What humiliation we suffered to rise to this position. Remember the eyes of Pulcheria, who looked at you, at us, as if we were insects. Don’t forget the tongues of Monica, who brought up our lowly origins at every turn. Think of those countless people who refused to acknowledge you, who carry the blood of His Majesty the Emperor, as an equal member of the imperial family. You must show them what you have. You must also let them know what you should have.”

Franz was suffocated by Marina’s terrible obsession with the throne. Yes. It was an undeniable fact that thanks to his mother, he had become the son of the emperor and obtained the title of Grand Duke to live a luxurious life. But Franz didn’t want anything more than that.

It would be a lie to say he didn’t want to become the emperor if he could. At first, he had also coveted the throne following his mother, and thought it might become his.

However, after seeing Marina’s greed for the throne turn into poison, all his thoughts changed. The blood of the people shed so far was already too much. He had no idea how much more blood would have to be shed to ascend to the throne.

“How much more… do you intend to do?”

He was just tired of everything. He wanted to quit. But Franz didn’t know how to stop his mother.

Even after seeing herself become so disfigured, she did not let go of her greed. No, she couldn’t let go. Marina now seemed to be completely swallowed by avarice.

“If necessary, you must find allies who will be your support.”

It meant getting married. Because if he had a powerful family on his wife’s side to firmly support him now, it would surely be a great help.

“Marry that child, Marquis Louisette, Franz. There is nothing more fragile than the human heart in the face of money. If you have enough funds, it won’t be too difficult to win over the nobles to your side.”

“We have enough funds now, Mother. The possessions of the Marquis Louisette family are actually mine, aren’t they?”

“I mean you need an official source of funds to show. If you are tied by marriage to a family known to have the most money after the imperial family, no one will suspect you no matter how much money you spend, right?”

“It can’t be done, Mother.”

“Why not, Franz?”

“Because Marquis Louisette’s marriage partner has already been decided.”

“What? What do you mean?”

Even though she had people sent to scout the situation in the capital, it seemed she hadn’t heard the recent news.

“You haven’t heard. The news of the marriage between Marquis Louisette and Carl is all over the capital.”

“How……”

Marina’s breathing became even more rough. In the end, she was gasping for breath and clutching her chest, complaining of pain.

“Take deep breaths. You mustn’t get excited.”

“How, how did that child end up with that bastard? I put in so much effort to control the Louisette family…! When are they getting married?”

“I don’t know. There was no official announcement, but judging from the atmosphere, I think the ceremony will be held as soon as the mourning period is over.”

“Then there is still time left. If the ceremony hasn’t been held, there are plenty of opportunities to break it off. We must prevent those two from being together. Wouldn’t it be like giving wings to that Carl bastard?”

It was undeniable. It would certainly not be good for him if the Marquis Louisette family sided with Grand Duke Albrecht.

Above all, if Carl, who was perfect in every way except for one flaw of not having established a family and produced a reliable heir, solved that problem at once through this marriage, the one who would naturally ascend to the throne between Franz and him would be Grand Duke Albrecht.

Marina could never miss this chance for her son to possibly ascend to the throne. Wasn’t this opportunity something she had created by risking her life in the first place?

Cough, cough. Marina, who had been heaving her chest faster and faster, eventually coughed up blood at the end of her coughing fit.