I Will Surrender My Position as the Empress - Chapter 87
Lionel’s sudden declaration froze Elizabeth and Theseus in place. They stared at him, stunned. Theseus first regained his composure, his brow furrowing deeply as he barked out in frustration.
“Lionel, what are you saying?!”
Even Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief, but Lionel’s expression remained unwavering. He met Theseus’s gaze and repeated himself.
“We should relocate her to the Marquisate.”
“Are you out of your mind?!!! How do you expect to handle the consequences of this?!”
Despite the rising tension in Theseus’s voice, Lionel stood firm.
“She’s lost her title as Empress but hasn’t been imprisoned. She remains a guest in the palace. If we’re to achieve our goals, we need her support. It would be better if she stays at the Marquisate rather than here in the palace.”
“But she’s a deposed Empress! What will people think of you if you bring her to the Marquisate?!”
Lionel responded to his brother’s concerns with complete sincerity.
“I don’t care.”
“…What?”
As Theseus stood there, dumbfounded, Elizabeth, who had been watching the brothers closely, interjected.
“Then let’s bring her to the Grand Duke’s estate instead.”
Lionel turned to look at Elizabeth, who met his gaze, trying to reason with him.
“If you take the Princess to the Marquisate, as Baldr suggested, there will be endless scandals, not to mention that the Marquisate will become the Emperor’s target. Bringing her to the Grand Duke’s estate would be a safer option.”
“I’d rather become the target myself.”
“…What?”
“Rumors about the tower are already spreading. Everyone’s attention will naturally turn towards the Grand Duke and Baldr. To execute our plans safely, it’s better to divert that attention towards Herbert.”
This wasn’t just a reckless decision. Like a strategist moving pieces on a chessboard, Lionel had meticulously planned every move.
****
“Lionel, this rumor will soon reach Duke Despone’s ears. He’s the type to dismiss commoners’ gossip, but with the nobility involved, he won’t be able to ignore it. He’ll undoubtedly try to counter both the Grand Duke and Baldr. If we keep the Emperor’s attention focused on Herbert, the Duke and the Emperor will never be able to unite against us.”
Lionel’s cold calculation left both Theseus and Elizabeth momentarily speechless. He then turned to Elizabeth and asked, “The words you spoke to me that day—do they still weigh heavily on your heart?”
‘…A person who would deny the truth and plunge the empire into hell should not sit on the throne.’
Elizabeth slowly nodded in agreement. “Of course.”
As soon as she confirmed her resolve, Lionel pulled out a document and placed it before them. As Theseus and Elizabeth read through it, their eyes widened in shock. The document laid out a plan that could overturn the entire empire—one that Lionel had already set in motion. The rumors and public opinion were just the beginning. Lionel spoke firmly to Theseus and Elizabeth.
“Minor wounds can be healed with medicine, but when the rot has set in, you must cut out the infected flesh. As you both have surely realized, the empire has reached a point where medicine alone will no longer suffice.”
Neither of them argued.
“Honor and reputation mean nothing to me.”
“……”
“As soon as I bring her to the Marquisate, you must rally public support and push forward the agenda. The Emperor and Duke Despone will fracture the moment they face opposition.”
Lionel’s flawless plan left Theseus with no room to argue. Perhaps his brother had always intended to take on the role of Marquis Herbert with this very purpose in mind. Lionel was like a lone bull charging towards a target, unwavering. But what awaited him at the end of that path? What truly concerned Theseus was not his brother’s honor, but the fear that Lionel was rushing headlong toward a perilous abyss.
****
Meanwhile, Duke Despone, who had been reveling in the triumph of finally disposing of the troublesome Empress, furrowed his brow as he caught wind of an unexpected rumor. At first, he waved it off, silencing the attendant who reported it. But when another attendant informed him of the gravity of the situation, the Duke shot up from his seat.
“What? Who are the damned fools spreading such nonsense? Where is this rumor spreading?”
“Around the slums and commoner residential areas…”
“Then that’s fine.”
Duke Despone irritably ran a hand through his hair and lay back down on his bed. He was exhausted from staying up all night and planned to get some rest.
“Reporting on such trivial matters! That’s how they are—boiling over with excitement only to fizzle out. No matter how much they babble, what can those weak and powerless fools do?”
Muttering that he was just being paranoid, he was about to close his eyes when another urgent knock came at the door. The Duke sprang up in a rage.
“Who is it now?!”
But the message delivered by the third attendant was something even Duke Despone couldn’t easily dismiss.
****
“Even the nobility is becoming unsettled?”
“Yes. Moreover, there’s a widespread rumor among them that both His Majesty the Emperor and Your Grace plan to bring the entire empire under the tower’s influence.”
“What?! Who in their right mind would spread such an outrageous lie?!”
“The rumor has spread so widely that it’s impossible to trace its origin now.”
Cold sweat began to drip down Duke Despone’s back. Ignoring gossip among commoners was one thing, but it became a serious matter when it reached the ears of nobles—those who could propose legislation. And now, the grand scheme he had been meticulously preparing for years had leaked, a secret so guarded that even the Emperor was unaware of it. Although he reflexively asked who was behind this, the answer was already clear to him.
“Baldr, the Grand Duke… those wretched snakes…”
With fury etched across his face, Duke Despone barked an order.
“Prepare my clothes! I’m going to the palace immediately!”
At that very moment, a letter from Lionel arrived for Adele. She had been lost in thought, but upon seeing the letter, she quickly unfolded it. It began with a light greeting, but the next lines were anything but trivial.
“I will escort you to the Marquisate of Herbert.”
As she read this sentence, Adele involuntarily held her breath. Her first instinct was to dismiss it as absurd, but she continued reading. Lionel, in his neat and precise handwriting, laid out the reasons why she must come to the Marquisate. He seemed fully aware that unless his explanation was crystal clear, she would never agree to it.
Adele called out to Mrs. Giggs, who was organizing items nearby.
“Please find out what rumors are currently circulating in the capital.”
Mrs. Giggs promptly left to fulfill the request. Meanwhile, Adele reread Lionel’s letter, this time more carefully.
“Do you know the story of the camel, the lion, and the child?”
The camel, burdened with a heavy load, walks through the desert without knowing why. What it needs is the spirit of the lion, which dares to fight against unjust realities. And the brave lion, in turn, needs the spirit of the child, who creates a new world.
“Princess, you awakened the lion’s spirit within us, who had no idea why we were burdened with the calamity of the tower. Now, we wish to take a step forward in creating a new world. For our sake, and mine, please come to the Marquisate.”
Lionel’s letter, devoid of any personal sentiment and instead focused on the greater good of the Echmont people, deeply moved Adele.
Just then, Mrs. Giggs returned. There was no need to look far; even the maids and servants were already whispering about the rumors. Upon hearing Mrs. Giggs’ report, Adele nodded and looked down at the bottom of the letter.
“I will come to escort you.”
Adele tossed Lionel’s letter into the fireplace. The letter contained too much dangerous information to risk it falling into the wrong hands. After watching it turn to ashes, she turned to Mrs. Giggs and spoke decisively.
“Today, I will leave the palace.”
Mrs. Giggs responded with a resolute expression as if she had been waiting for this moment.
“Yes. I will make the preparations.”
And soon, the news reached the Emperor’s ears as well.
****
“What?!!”
The Emperor slammed his fists on the desk, demanding an explanation. The servant bowed even lower, his voice trembling as he spoke.
“Princess Gottrov is preparing to leave the palace.”
The Emperor’s heart sank with a thud, and his mind went blank as the world seemed to drain of all color. In a daze, Karl murmured to himself.
“What should I do…?”
The overwhelming sense of impending disaster made it hard to breathe. Karl desperately wanted to believe this was all a nightmare, but the harsh reality was unforgiving and unchangeable.
“They’re moving the princess’s belongings out of the Empress’s Palace,” a servant reported.
“The deposed Empress… leaving the palace?” Karl muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
The servant remained silent, uncertain how to respond to the Emperor’s rising hysteria.
“The deposed Empress is leaving the palace?!! Who dares to take her in?!” Karl shouted, his voice tinged with madness as he jumped to his feet. The servant looked at him with dark, concerned eyes.
‘He’s not well,’ the servant thought, shaking his head inwardly. The Emperor’s obsession with the woman he had once dethroned was perplexing, if not outright disturbing. Just then, the door to the office was flung open, and Duke Despone stormed in. He had just seen the overwhelming number of nobles rushing towards the palace with grim determination. The sight had struck fear into his heart, prompting him to hurry to the Emperor’s side.
Those who have much have much to lose. Even the most ancient and noble houses could crumble in an instant if the tower descended. Rumors of impending doom had kept many heads of noble houses awake at night, dreading the inevitable. But to learn that this seemingly unpredictable disaster had been orchestrated? And worse, that the Emperor and Duke Despone had plans to bring the entire empire under the tower’s control through the mage division? It was an outrageous scandal. The nobles, even those loyal to the Emperor, were incensed. When word spread that the Grand Duke was preparing to present a motion on the matter, the nobles swarmed the palace like a nest of furious wasps.
“Your Majesty!” Duke Despone shouted, trying to regain control of the situation. The last thing he needed was to let the turmoil over the dismissed Empress’s departure spiral further out of control. But the Emperor, ignoring the Duke’s call, stormed out of the office, his rage palpable.
“Your Majesty!” Despone tried again, this time stepping in front of Karl, blocking his path. The Emperor glared at him, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury.
“Step aside, Duke,” Karl growled.
“Where are you going?” Despone demanded, standing his ground.
“The deposed Empress is leaving the palace without my permission,” Karl hissed.
“And what authority do you plan to use to stop her? She’s not a prisoner; she’s been staying as an honored guest. If she wishes to leave, there’s nothing to prevent her from doing so!”
‘This is why I insisted she should have been killed,’ Despone fumed silently, cursing the Emperor’s indecision.
“Now is not the time to be concerned with the Empress’s whereabouts! Get a hold of yourself and focus! There’s a dangerous rumor spreading among the nobles—”
“Handle it yourself,” Karl cut him off, shaking off the Duke’s grip with a rough jerk.
“When have I ever needed your permission to act? Do as you please.”
With that, the Emperor brushed past Despone and stormed out of the room, leaving the Duke standing there, seething with frustration. He stared after the Emperor, his blood boiling with a rage that threatened to consume him. How was he supposed to deal with this? Instead of uniting to quell the nobles’ unrest, the Emperor was obsessed with a woman he had already deposed! What good would come of this madness?