I Will Surrender My Position as the Empress - Chapter 54
As Lennox approached with a sharp look on his face, Diane ushered even Lorraine out of the room.
“Why did you summon me?” Lennox asked.
Taking a deep breath, Diane exhaled heavily before speaking, “Seize the opportunity to kill the empress.”
“What?!” Lennox exclaimed.
“Keep it down. Lower your voice,” Diane cautioned.
“Kill the empress?” Lennox repeated.
“Yes.”
“It’s not an easy task.”
“I know. But at the very least, that woman must die before my child is born. By the time the baby arrives, she should no longer exist,” Diane stated matter-of-factly, locking eyes with Lennox.
“When the baby is born, the emperor will undoubtedly present my child to the empress. That’s for sure.”
“…”
“If you’re thinking of seeking help from Duke Despone, don’t even mention that I plan to kill the empress in fear of having my child taken away. The duke won’t bat an eye at such words. There’s no loss for him in that scenario.”
“Then?”
“Rather than that, it’s better to sow discord between the empress and Duke Despone. Make the empress’s presence irksome.”
Of all people, it had to be Lennox. He might be foolish and lack backbone, but there was no one else Diane could trust to carry out the task of killing the empress. Diane took a deep breath and contemplated her next move.
“Listen well, Brother. You must not casually mention killing the empress to Duke Despone. It was he who advocated for making Princess Gottrov the empress. He desired a puppet empress. However, by now, the duke must have realized that the empress is not of an amiable nature. So, he may not be fond of the empress anymore.”
“Is that so?”
“That’s why, brother, you should carefully choose the timing to kill the empress, gently nudging Duke Despone in a way that makes him want to kill the empress himself.”
“But, you know, does she really have to die? Can’t we frame her for a crime or something?”
“Force her to abdicate?”
“Yes. Wouldn’t that be better?”
Diane let out a soft sigh. “Do you think the empress will willingly abdicate? What about Gottrov? Will she stand by while her country’s princess faces adversity? Even if she’s a discarded pawn, she won’t stay quiet if dethroned.”
Unless the emperor took the initiative, the empress’s abdication was an implausible scenario. Sneakily killing her seemed much easier.
“Fine, I understand.”
“We don’t know when the time will come. Preemptively recruit an assassin capable of delivering death and prepare some poison.”
Lennox nodded with a determined expression.
“Got it.”
“And one more thing.”
“What?”
“It seems another blonde maid has entered the imperial palace.”
“…Again with that story?”
“Handle it.”
“…”
“It seems like she’s persistently crawling in, thinking she can make a move. We should show her what she’s up against,” Diane said.
“…”
“If you’re going to handle the empress, dealing with just one maid shouldn’t be a problem, right? Consider it a warm-up. It’ll put my mind at ease.”
Diane gripped Lennox’s hand firmly and whispered with a determined tone, “It seems my child is likely a boy. This child will be the next emperor. I’ll be the emperor’s mother, and you, brother, will be the emperor’s uncle. That’s how we’ll stand in this normal position. Understand?”
Lennox’s eyes sparkled. “Understood.”
***
The next day, Duke Despone personally sought out Adele. Brazenly, wearing a pitiful expression, he asked, “Empress, how great are your concerns?”
Look at his audacity.
While inwardly thinking so, the empress also tilted her head with a bittersweet expression.
“Thank you for your concern.”
Both the expression and the voice… feels like acting.
Duke Despone also scrutinized the empress with eyes full of suspicion. When their sharp and keen gazes met, both the empress and the duke subtly averted their eyes. The two remained silent for a moment, smoothing out their expressions.
Adele was the first to say, “I’m fine, so please don’t worry too much.”
After Adele, who had visited the Magician’s Guild the last time, left, Duke Despone wrestled with his thoughts. Should he publicly acknowledge the empress as a magician and allow her to attend the Central Council meeting? He could acknowledge her easily. In fact, it was strange not to acknowledge her, considering everyone knew that the empress had single-handedly destroyed the tower. However, the problem was her attendance at the Central Council meeting.
No! Absolutely not!
On the surface, he pretended otherwise, but the more he thought about it, the more it didn’t seem like a normal situation. If he foolishly let her attend the meeting and she uttered nonsense, it would be difficult to rectify.
I must not entrust her with the task of removing the tower.
If, by any chance, the empress took control of the situation, would the Baldr brothers not insist that she attend the Central Council meeting as well? While the duke was pondering intensely, Adele read the duke’s expression with sharp eyes. It seemed that the duke had made up his mind, perhaps prompted by Diane’s pregnancy. Assisting in the discreet leasing of the Ivory Palace was likely part of his efforts. Adele pretended not to know and continued the match.
“When is the next Central Council meeting? Ah, before that, I need to be certified, right? When and where should I go? I’m fine to go right away,” the empress said.
The Duke pretends to be greatly considerate and claims that he would certify her without any tests. He didn’t forget to mention that it was possible due to my unprecedented concern for the empress’s convenience. Adele couldn’t help but touch her forehead at his performance.
Just try saying you can’t attend the Central Council meeting. Pretend to faint or something to silence her. Anything to keep her from talking.
As the duke took a deep breath to broach the main topic, there was a hurried knock on the door. Both of them turned their attention to the door simultaneously. As it cautiously opened, Lady Giggs and an armed knight entered one after another.
“What’s going on?”
The serious expressions on Adele’s and the duke’s faces deepened at the unsettling atmosphere. The knight approached, his face stern, and spoke.
“There’s news that the tower has descended at the Marquis Vuetta.”
“The Marquis Vuetta?”
As Duke Despone urgently inquired, the knight nodded.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
As the words fell, the duke abruptly rose from his seat.
“Oh no, Empress! I must personally go there! Excuse me.”
Adele narrowed her eyes. While the County of Calvin was left unattended, what criteria dictated an immediate visit to the Marquis Vuetta? The duke hastily grabbed his outer garment and questioned the knight as if interrogating him.
“You must have contacted the Magician’s Guild and the Knights’ Order, right? Let’s go quickly; it’s urgent!”
“I’m sorry, but before that, I must deliver an order from the Empress to the Emperor.”
The duke, with widened eyes and irritation, asked, “What? What order?”
As the knight was about to open his mouth, the empress intervened.
“An order to participate, I presume?”
“What? Participate?!!”
Startled, Duke Despone exclaimed, “What’s going on?” When the knight looked at him, he quickly nodded.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
The duke, abandoning the outer garment he had picked up, vehemently waved his hand.
“No! Our Empress to participate in such a danger?! No way!”
“I’m fine,” Adele reassured.
“No, it’s not allowed! Absolutely not!”
“It’s fine.”
“…”
“Why would it be troublesome if I went?”
“Not exactly, but I’m just concerned for Empress. It’s a hellish place. So please…”
“Don’t worry.”
“…”
The empress and the duke stared at each other as if they were trying to outwit each other. Eventually, the duke swallowed his boiling frustration and turned away.
‘Is wearing a crown on your head becoming a habit, Karl Ulrich? Rather than putting a leash on a wild animal, you dare to open our doors! ‘
As the duke angrily left the reception room, Adele also rose from her seat and quickly headed to her room. With the prey in front of her, it was now time to catch it.
****
The army that received the order to mobilize quickly gathered. In order to remove the massive tower ranging from level 2 to level 1, the Imperial Knights 1st and 2nd divisions, Strikers 1st division, and Keepers 1st division were all mobilized. It was nothing less than an assembly of the elite. This was in stark contrast to Count Calvin’s request to bring even one keeper, which was promptly rejected. Despite the chaos of the knights and mages preparing for deployment, they continued to glance somewhere.
“Empress, please reconsider!”
Duke Despone, dressed in a robe, confronted the empress. He tried to persuade her by presenting various excuses to prevent her participation.
“It’s difficult to find separate accommodations on the way! Have you ever tried homelessness?”
“Well, there, can you see the luggage I’ve packed?”
Adele pointed behind her without any courtesy.
“You won’t have the luxury to cook separately throughout the journey! Have you ever tried eating rations? Do you know how hard they are on the teeth…?”
“I have healthy teeth; I enjoy eating tough things.”
“Don’t expect a carriage!”
“I prefer horseback riding. After all, didn’t I grow up in Gottrov?”
“…”
As the duke, unable to find a retort, was left speechless, Adel’s innocent face countered his arguments. An awkward silence enveloped the room.
