Chapter 59

Because he knew the will of the late Duke who died that way.

Instead of retrieving the corpse, the Emperor ordered the entire building to be burned down, claiming it was saturated with the unclean magic of monsters.

He feared there might be traces left of how the monsters had been brought in.

At the time, Lady Royden made a big show of protesting, demanding whether they were going to make it so not even the body could be recovered.

Of course, she and the senior members of House Royden all knew the real circumstances, so the protest wasn’t sincere.

But among them, there was one person who knew everything and still protested in earnest.

That person was Aivert Royden.

“We can’t stay in this ambiguous relationship forever—between House Royden and the Imperial Family.”  Aivert spoke up.

Unlike the previous duke, who preferred speaking in circles, Aivert was blunt and direct.

“I hate the Imperial Family.”

There was no need to elaborate.

There must’ve been a way. But the Imperial Family didn’t even ask for their opinion before burning the building along with his father’s body.

If that was the reward for loyalty, then House Royden would no longer follow the Imperial Family with sacrifice.

That was his intention.

“I know,” the Emperor replied heavily.

“But disliking something doesn’t always mean you can avoid it.”

He looked at Aivert steadily.

“As you’re aware, conflict has broken out recently between the families from the Red Knights and the families from the Azure Knights.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“More precisely, the noble faction’s treatment of the Azure Knights’ families has crossed the line.”

He handed a document to the attendant who had approached him. It was a brief report on the recent conflict between the Houses of Ortin and Bran.

As the Emperor read through it, Aivert spoke.

“During the early days of the monster war, Ortin had been using a building gifted by the Imperial Family as their main commercial building. Bran claims they ‘accidentally’ demolished it, not knowing its origin…”

A smirk clearly appeared on his face.

“I don’t think I need to explain the actual facts.”

Surely, the Imperial Family had their own sources of information besides House Royden.

The Emperor nodded.

“So what you want… is for me to take Ortin’s side?”

“Then Ortin will be targeted by the noble faction en masse.”

There’s nothing easier to crush than a weak opponent.

Rather than branding Ortin as pro-imperial right in the middle of the noble faction…

“What if, instead, Your Majesty dispatched people to inspect and maintain the buildings the Imperial Family granted during the early monster war—including Ortin’s?”

The Imperial Family must have a list of those buildings.

If they were to ‘coincidentally’ send people now to maintain them, they’d witness firsthand the state of Ortin’s destroyed headquarters.

They’d start searching for the one responsible for such a ‘blasphemous act.’

Aivert smiled.

“If you do that, then House Royden will side with the Imperial Family.”

It was a bold statement. And to the Emperor, it sounded… strange.

Aivert’s suggestion was a natural and effective way to ensure Ortin’s victory—one that wouldn’t raise suspicion.

“It seems you’re asking for too small a price.”

For a family like Royden, drifting toward the center, the price for fully returning to the Emperor’s side should have been higher. Much higher.

Given how the previous duke was taken from them so meaninglessly.

But—

“No, it’s not a small thing.”

Because it’s what she wants.

Because it’s the way to protect her.

For Aivert, that was more than enough.

Besides—

“Above all… You know this already. I’m not someone who can stand against Rodella Syveric.”

Aivert knew it himself.

That his resentment toward the Imperial Family, as long as he loved Rodella Syveric, was just a form of rebellion.

But he loved her enough to accept that truth gladly.

“You left me alone knowing everything, didn’t you?”

He opened his hand.

“I didn’t want to be Royden. But for her, I became Royden. And for her, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do—including serving the Imperial Family.”

It would’ve sounded arrogant. But after the years of quiet service House Royden had given to the Crown, and the influence they had accumulated, his words weren’t simply arrogance anymore.

“You knew it already, didn’t you? You just needed certainty.”

At that, the Emperor smiled. It was practically a reply.

Aivert could tell—the Emperor’s smile now was much closer to relief than earlier.

The Emperor, once a close friend of the late Duke Royden, had developed a habit of being wary of anything uncertain ever since his friend’s death.

The death that came from unknown variables.

“So allow me to make a proposal. If you handle House Bran this time—firmly, but in a way that appears natural—”

Aivert’s voice echoed clearly in the audience chamber.

“Then I will offer my loyalty in equal measure, Your Majesty.”

To Aivert, this was a lossless deal for House Royden.

Because she would definitely become Chancellor.

His eyes met the Emperor’s.

“A deal with no reason to refuse,” the Emperor replied—and gladly took his hand.

***

Malik Bran, the eldest son of Count Brann, belonged to the Imperial Court Office.

In line with the noble faction’s plan to take over all departments of the palace, Malik had done his utmost to become the next head of the Court Office.

He was determined to catch the eye of Duke Benerix.

By boosting and backing fellow noble faction members within the office, he was now on the verge of becoming the department head.

“Hm hm hmm~”

He hummed to himself as he headed to the first floor where the promotion list would be posted.

He wasn’t nervous.

The noble faction had already internally selected him as the next head.

With that title, he would gain authority over personnel decisions in the office.

He could discreetly transfer dissenters to other departments or send them on endless provincial assignments, thereby gradually erasing their influence.

He was finally about to grasp power in his hands.

How many times had he had to bow and beg within the noble faction?

Now, he would no longer be the one begging—but the one receiving the pleas.

The money that would follow? Unimaginable.

That’s what power over personnel meant!

“Hehehe!”

Unable to contain his joy, he arrived at the first-floor lobby of the office.

He spotted a crowd murmuring in front of the promotion notice.

Even though the next head of the department had arrived, they didn’t move aside—only giving him sideways glances!

Even members of the noble faction weren’t making way for him. Unbelievable!

He began memorizing their faces one by one, thinking he’d make them pay later, and scanned the top of the promotion list.

[Next Head of Court Office: Adrian Lockmore]

“…?”

Who?

Not even a noble faction name.

Where was Lockmore from again?

Doubting his eyes, Malik rubbed them and looked again.

But his name was still not there.

Everyone was supposed to have given him the highest score. It had all been promised!

Then—

“Lord Malik, quickly—this way!”

It was Marquess Cabaron, also part of the noble faction.

“What’s, what’s going on?”

He didn’t even have time to grit his teeth and accuse them of betraying him.

The Marquess pulled him into a quiet hallway of the office and snapped: “Are you out of your mind, Malik Bran?!”

“Huh? What are you—!”

If anyone should be asking who’s lost their mind, it’s me! What is this!

“Why am I not on the promotion list?”

“As if you could be! What the hell has your family been doing?!”

“…?”

Still bewildered, Malik was struck by the Marquess’s next words.

“You dragged in on charges of deceiving the Imperial Family! How the hell do you expect to get promoted after that, you fool! The Duke is furious!”

“…What?”

Just moments ago, a glorious future had seemed to be unfolding before his eyes.

And now it has gone up in flames.

Not only was his promotion gone, he had essentially thrown a charge of imperial deception into the middle of the noble faction’s grand plan.

With a dumbfounded look on his face, Malik Bran stood in stunned silence.

What the hell just happened?