Chapter 91

“Wouldn’t it be natural for someone like me, whose life is constantly being targeted by the Empress, to want her dead? If she dies, everything stabilizes. My father won’t be able to kill me. I can safely relinquish my right to the throne. If my brother ascends as Emperor, everyone can be happy.”

I wondered if Fedeshar’s own happiness was truly included in that vision.

I looked down into my still teacup. The weight of the feelings he had suppressed for so long felt heavier than the words he used to speak of the Empress’s death.

“Do you think the Empress will leave you alone, My Lady? It’s the same for Young Lord Weiss. He didn’t just back down quietly after discarding Count Peralt. There’s no telling what schemes he’s brewing in the shadows. So, why not join hands with me?”

“……I see now why you’ve reached out to me.”

“It was worth telling you after all.”

“The Alosi herb—how did you find out about it?”

“I learned of it through various channels. I am hoping to take the poison the Empress prepared to kill me and use it to let her die instead.”

‘To know that much…’

Fedeshar’s information network was surprisingly vast. Perhaps he knew even more than Bastien did? It seemed he was aware of the reason I received the merchant guild and the truth about the Alosi herb entangled within it. How?

Among those around him who might know of the incident, the most likely candidate was the Emperor. It was entirely possible the Emperor told him to plant seeds of malice toward the Empress.

“I need the Alosi herb.”

I was the one currently in possession of that herb.

His actions finally made sense. His efforts to build a friendship with me and his visit to the greenhouse were all a calculated move to get his hands on the Alosi herb. He had approached me with a specific purpose.

“Wasn’t that poison originally intended for me? So, you can simply hand it over to me. This isn’t a bad deal for you either, is it? It’s removing a dangerous variable that could target your life at any time or place. I swear, no harm will come to you.”

My head spun after hearing such a massive plot. I could understand Fedeshar’s position, but understanding and condoning were two different things.

And no harm would come to me? Was he joking? He was essentially asking me to be an accomplice in poisoning the Empress.

“Your Highness seems to be mistaken about something. Evan and I won’t lose our lives so easily to such things, and more importantly, our parents and the Duke and Duchess won’t just stand by and watch.”

“…….”

I took a slow breath in and out. Fedeshar must have heard every heavy exhale.

I think I was getting a little angry.

I had assumed Bastien would naturally take the throne. I thought that since the Bastien I saw wasn’t much different from his original character, once he became Emperor, the Empress’s threats and vigilance would slowly fade.

But that was only my perspective. For Fedeshar, it was different.

Just being alive made him a dangerous existence to her. I’d seen it often in history: those who lose the struggle for the throne are either exiled or purged.

However, I could never agree with his proposal.

“Your Highness, I’m sorry, but I will act as if I never heard what you just said. I have heard nothing in this room.”

“If you don’t want to be involved in a poisoning case, you can even claim it was stolen. Just tell me the location. My Lady, if someone were targeting your life, wouldn’t you act exactly as I am?”

Fedeshar tried relentlessly to persuade me, but I shook my head firmly.

The Empress had been a character I disliked ever since I played <Grow Love>. She sits at the top, manipulating people, never realizing that what she does is wrong. She is the type to sacrifice the few for the sake of the many.

Furthermore, perhaps due to a naturally high ego, she craved even higher positions of power. That was why she committed her crimes—clearing away everything that stood in her path. That was how she earned her seat as Empress.

“If Your Highness had asked for help to survive the Empress’s hands because your life was in danger, I could have helped you. But I cannot agree to taking another person’s life. Your Highness, you would be just like her…”

I trailed off. I heard the distinct rattle of a doorknob. My throat went dry.

‘Did someone hear us?!’

I looked at Fedeshar; he too was glaring at the door, visibly tense.

***

Evan and Bastien were moving in a state of endless silence. Caught between them, Count Delta naturally kept his words to a minimum, suppressed by the subtle atmosphere radiating from the two.

Upon arriving at the farmland, the Count left to hear the status from the manager, leaving Bastien and Evan to combine their efforts to bring the rain.

“Your mana is fierce.”

The mana Evan transferred to Bastien felt like a sharp electric sting. It was a sign of open hostility.

Evan spoke cynically.

“It’s because you harbor futile feelings for Lep.”

“I feel sorry for you regarding that. But I found I couldn’t hide my heart.”

“Ridiculous.”

Evan sharply dismissed Bastien’s trivial remark.

“Realize that you are only standing here on your own two feet because of your status as the Crown Prince.”

Evan’s ice-cold gaze pinned Bastien.

“Yes, I suppose so.”

Evan’s eyebrow twitched.

“I know well that you aren’t the type to forgive a man who hits on your fiancée. But you were the one who told me: don’t be discouraged by what seems impossible and take the challenge.”

Those were words Evan had said out of concern for Bastien being swayed by the Empress. This was why Evan disliked Bastien; the Imperial family loved to interpret things however they pleased.

“They say no tree won’t fall after ten axe strokes. Since we were once a pair that slipped up, I believe I have plenty of potential.”

“This is exactly why I urged Lep not to stay close to you…”

Bastien met Evan’s eyes directly, showing no intention of backing down.

“Was that the motto of the Weiss Duchy? ‘If there is something you want, obtain it by any means necessary.’ You told me that once. I quite like that motto, Evan.”

“By any means… Lep loves me most in this world.”

Evan lifted his chin, standing tall with confidence.

“Lep will never go to you, no matter what means or methods you use. Or do you plan to kill me?”

His voice was so chilling it felt as though it could freeze the sweltering air around them.

“Well… I don’t know about that far, but it’s true that the path to obtaining everything I want lies somewhere close to that.”

“……Why have you become like this, Bastien?”

Evan dazed for a moment, a deep shadow falling over his eyes.

“Because it is the surest path. You have no intention of helping me. Right now, my father is being swayed by those around him. I could end up the same way in the future. And you are as formidable as Duke Weiss himself.”

Bastien showed a genuine recognition of Evan’s strength. Even when Evan had moved about with a sickly complexion, Bastien had never once thought him weak.

“My mother doesn’t want an Emperor like that. And neither do I.”

A blue vein throbbed on Evan’s forehead. Whether he was the Crown Prince or not, Evan felt like cutting his throat right then and there. He had once thought Bastien becoming Emperor would be good for the empire, but now, Evan couldn’t even offer him a word of support.

Evan thought of Duke Weiss. He, too, had said he never dreamed the current Emperor would ascend the throne.

‘Things are flowing in an unpredictable direction.’

Bastien stared at Evan with a gaze that was uncharacteristically aggressive and filled with hostility. Evan moved his hand toward the sword he never let leave his side. A ripple of mana flared around Bastien.

Just then, Count Delta came running toward them, breathless.

“The—the sprouts! They’ve sprouted!”

The tension vanished instantly as the two turned to look at Count Delta. The Count flinched, receiving the sharp glares of both men.

***

At the news that the Bellian seeds had finally sprouted, I headed toward where Evan and Bastien were. Fedeshar said he would return first, perhaps because I had rejected his proposal. He claimed he had nothing more to help with and would deliver the news to the Imperial Palace.

The butler tilted his head at his decision to leave early when he could have departed with us later, but I simply let him go in silence.

Anyway, I took the carriage to the farmland and witnessed the sight of bright green sprouts popping up everywhere.

I clapped my hands in delight. It was proof that they could grow well even in this soil. I couldn’t help but be overjoyed.

‘I should tell Eldan to send the rest of the Bellian seeds to Count Delta immediately.’

Count Delta took my hand and expressed his deep gratitude. I shook my head, saying it was nothing. Only a small portion had been given for free; it was his own ability that secured the seeds to be planted across this vast land.

“It was a fair trade. I’ll have to write a letter to the merchant guild to send the seeds as soon as possible.”

“Yes, I will be waiting.”

I had made the decision feeling pushed by the Empress, but the fact that I had been helpful made me incredibly satisfied.

Thanks to the advance preparations, the Bellian seeds arrived smoothly at the Delta estate. After inspecting the goods, Count Delta successfully finalized the contract with me. I shook his hand with a smile.

I received an offer from Count Delta to stay whenever I wished, but I declined. I was finally able to return to my own mansion.

For some reason, Bastien left the Delta territory shortly after, following Fedeshar. Evan watched their retreating backs with a heavy, lingering gaze.

They had clearly gone off and had some sort of conversation. Seeing the serious expression on Evan’s face, it didn’t seem like a particularly pleasant one.