When I asked where this was, Liv replied that she didn’t know very well either.

“I couldn’t come here alone, so I’m not very familiar with this place, Lord Count. But I think only those who have inherited the blood of the Count’s family will be able to enter. I heard that only the head of the Louisette family has managed that place for generations.”

“Only those who have inherited the blood of the Count’s family can enter? No one is watching it anyway? Can’t we just go in and see?”

“Lord Count… The Count’s family has not been managing the magic stones alone for nothing. Passing through that entrance itself is impossible without inheriting the blood of the Louisette family. Do you believe me if I say that the stone wall piled up at the entrance is entirely made of magic stones? They say that if someone who is not a member of the Louisette family tries to pass through there, magic will be activated immediately and their skin will be burnt.”

“It’s like a sensor and an electric fence. It’s terrifying.”

“What? Sen… what?”

“No, there is such a thing. Wait. I am a person who has inherited the blood of the Louisette family.”

“That’s right. Lord Count…”

“Then can’t I go inside?”

“Of course, Lord Count. That’s why I brought you here. Because only you, Lord Count, can enter there. If you go inside, there will be many things that will help you revive your old memories.”

So, this hidden secret space of the Count is shielded by magic stones, and only I, the head of the family, can enter.

Fear and curiosity were triggered at the same time. As Liv said, if I go in there, Celeste’s unconscious might come to me again.

“Then I’ll go and come back, Liv.”

“Yes, Lord Count. Don’t overdo it, and if your body feels strange again, come out right away.”

“Okay.”

Listening to the sound of the knights’ military boots moving in unison in the distance, I moved my steps toward the stone wall overgrown with bushes.

All the imperial relatives and collateral bloodlines, including Pulcheria, gathered. Originally, they had a luncheon meeting exactly twice a year, but today, they gathered together even though it was not one of those two days. The reason was to discuss what to do with the vacant imperial throne.

The attendees were the maternal family of the current archduke, the maternal family of the previous emperor, the maternal family of the previous crown prince, and the sixth cousins of the emperor before the previous one.

In the history of the empire, there were only two cases, including this one, where an emperor who ascended to the throne at a young age suddenly passed away without an heir.

If the deceased emperor had at least a sibling, there would have been no need to gather and seriously put their heads together like this.

Who should succeed the young emperor who passed away without a sibling or an heir? A heated debate unfolded.

In fact, the topic of the debate was which of the two archdukes would ascend to the imperial throne. Those gathered here were all descended from the legitimate bloodlines of successive emperors, so in fact, it was their position that Archduke Albrecht should rightfully ascend to the throne.

Then what was the purpose of this debate? Naturally, it was about how to solidify Archduke Albrecht’s ascension to the imperial throne.

“As you all know, our empire has had a system called ‘Electorate’ since ancient times.”

Serville, the sixth cousin of Emperor Alexander, opened the preface.

“It is one of the very old systems of the empire.”

Electorate. It is a system in which five nobles representing the imperial people become electors and decide important national matters by voting.

In the empire with a history of 1,000 years, the last time the Electorate system was implemented was about 700 years ago. It was content that could be found only after searching through old historical books over and over again.

The fact that they dug up such an old and musty system meant that the current situation where the imperial throne was empty without an alternative was very serious.

“But hasn’t the situation changed too much to revive the Electorate?”

Count Edward, with his grizzled hair, also raised his voice. His argument was that 700 years ago, when the country was formed as a union of states, the imperial power was weak, so nobles could elect an emperor on behalf of the people, but now it is not the case.

The imperial power has become much stronger than the combined power of the officials, so how can they revive the Electorate system and ask a few nobles to choose the emperor? His argument made sense.

Opinions were divided. Still, some argued that the Electorate should be revived as it is a deep-rooted system of the empire, while others argued that it is too much to ask a few nobles to decide the next emperor.

Eventually, those in favor of reviving the Electorate began to use somewhat aggressive language, asking if there were any other alternatives.

There was no answer. The debate grew more and more heated. The heated debate was mediated when Monica, the mother of the deceased emperor, appeared without notice.

“Monica. You don’t have to attend.”

Pulcheria quickly went to her side and offered words of comfort.

Having lost her precious youngest son, whom she had barely obtained in her forties, she had visibly become haggard in a few months.

She seemed to have lost half her weight compared to a month ago. Pulcheria supported the staggering Monica, who seemed to have difficulty even walking, and returned to her seat.

“No. I must attend.”

The vacant imperial throne. Monica temporarily took over as regent. Many things that had to go through the emperor’s hands were temporarily being handled by her. Before she could even wipe away the grief of losing her son, Monica was becoming haggard day by day, suffering from a tremendous amount of work.

“Let’s hear the opinion of Monica, who is acting as regent.”

“I… think we should continue the orthodoxy of the empire.”

“Does that mean you are in favor of reviving the Electorate?”

“Yes.”

At Monica’s answer, the room became solemn. What could they say against the will of the person acting as the emperor? Even though she had only said a few words, a deep shadow fell over Monica’s face as if she was tired.

“Monica…”

Pulcheria, who knew well how a mother’s heart felt after losing a child, felt that such an appearance of Monica was not someone else’s business. She must be enduring the pain that feels like tearing her intestines.

Monica is the wife of Pulcheria’s older brother. In a word, they are sisters-in-law. They are not very close, but not very distant either.

Leaning back in her chair, Monica raised her hand to cover her mouth. Her fingertips were trembling.

With the death of Emperor Maximilian, Pulcheria lost her nephew and Monica lost her son. Pulcheria also covered her mouth with a fan, feeling a lump in her throat.

After barely managing her emotions that were about to become agitated, she asked Monica about her well-being again. With her completely dried lips, Monica showed a forced smile.

“Which families correspond to the Electorate?”

Edward asked out loud. If they were to revive the Electorate system, it was the most important question. The person who would ascend to the throne would change depending on who became an elector.

“Swabia, Roam, Duke, Volker. The four ducal families.”

There are a total of six ducal families in the empire, and four of them, excluding the Tupper ducal family and the Briton ducal family, corresponded to the Electorate.

“In the event that the emperor dies without an heir, the Electorate will vote and elect the next emperor on the 100th day from his death.”

“But isn’t the Swabian ducal family currently without a head? Then how will the voting proceed?”

“According to the recorded content…”

Serville adjusted his glasses and read down the empire’s record book related to the Electorate.

“If the head of each family who will exercise the right to vote is unable to participate in the voting, it is stated that the voting will proceed with only the remaining people, excluding that family.”

“Does that make sense?”

“I guess there are many loopholes since it is an old system.”

People’s murmuring grew louder.

Pulcheria began to calculate in her mind. The Volker ducal family had a friendship with Carl’s maternal family, so one vote was as good as acquired. Then what should be done in the case of the Duke of Swabia?

Come to think of it, the Duke of Swabia also died around the same time as Maximilian. With the Duke of Swabia dying a month earlier, Maximilian, who was alive at the time, had instructed Carl to investigate the duke’s death.

I wonder if these series of events are somehow related.

Various thoughts continued. Speculation brought suspicion, and suspicion brought headaches. Pulcheria clasped her head.