I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 101

Standing on the dais, Minaz looked around the square.

Beyond the murmuring crowd, a wall of royal guards was being erected.

The movements were swift and precise, as if pre-planned. She had already known that private soldiers were stationed in Filicity and waiting around the square, but she never expected to actually see them deployed. As she clicked her tongue in awe, something caught her eye.

‘The crest of the Calabria Duchy!’

The soldiers surrounding the western part of the square were wearing the uniform of the Calabria Ducal family.

‘Has he already taken back the duke’s military power?’

She had anticipated such an attempt, but not this quickly. However, this was not the time to be thinking about that. If they, who had anticipated the situation and prepared for it, were flustered, the spectators who had no idea what was happening must be even more so. In a place with so many people, even a small disturbance could quickly turn into a disaster.

Before Minaz could even give a signal, Claude struck his gavel and shouted, “Everyone, be silent!”

At Claude’s bellow, the people’s movements ceased for a moment. He directly asked the Emperor, “Your Majesty, what do you mean when you say you will personally deliver the verdict?”

The Emperor glanced at the audacious young Chief Justice who was demanding an explanation, then stepped forward onto the dais.

“This trial is a diversion.”

As the Emperor opened his mouth, the murmuring square fell silent again. The voice of the man who had ruled from the highest seat for over two decades had the power to command everyone’s attention.

“The trial that should truly be held here is another matter entirely.”

This was by no means a good turn of events. Minaz slowly descended from the dais and approached the VIP section where she had originally been seated.

“Duke Bormia.”

At her low voice, Duke Bormia nodded as if he understood and immediately rose from his seat.

In the meantime, the Emperor’s words continued. “The Imperial family of the Empire is currently facing an unprecedented challenge. A group of traitors who have lost their reverence for the Imperial family that has protected the Empire for hundreds of years are running rampant, blinded by their own greed.”

The Emperor’s eyes became bloodshot and veins bulged on his forehead and neck, as if he was getting more worked up by his own words.

“To dare to summon a princess, who is of noble Imperial blood, to a place like this and subject her to such an unprecedented humiliation… The very idea of committing such a monstrous act is proof of rebellion!”

The faces of the nobles in the front row turned pale at the Emperor’s talk of rebellion. The Emperor paced back and forth in front of them, who did not dare to raise their eyes lest they get entangled, and poured out his heated rhetoric.

“I have exercised the utmost patience, but all I could do was endure the nausea from this farce of a trial! To corner a princess with the false testimony of some insignificant provincial noble… All of this is proof of rebellion.”

Minaz was barely able to contain her nausea at the insane sophistry that made her want to bleed from the ears. Many people seemed to feel the same way, judging by their disgusted expressions, but they seemed unable to speak due to the armed soldiers wielding swords and spears.

“If the testimony is truly false, then why do you refuse to verify it?”

“There’s no need to verify it.”

The Emperor simply dismissed Claude’s rightful question.

“History will judge the truth. As Emperor, I will annihilate all the traitors gathered here!”

At those words, the square erupted. The terrified crowd tried to flee, and screams echoed from all directions.

In the midst of the panic, Minaz looked towards the Calabria estate. The Imperial Royal Guard was clearly marching towards the mansion. However, she didn’t have time to worry about Eleanor and Skye who would be there.

The Emperor pointed at Minaz and Duke Bormia.

“Seize those dukes who have insulted the Imperial family and make them kneel before me.”

What a total disaster.

“I can’t believe he would go this crazy.”

Minaz muttered softly and bit her lip. As she reached for her sword, the Emperor threatened, “If you resist, you will be killed on the spot.”

As if to openly ignore his words, Minaz deliberately drew her sword with even more force. The Imperial Royal Guard, having received the Emperor’s command, surrounded her.

And at the moment they moved to grab her arm…

“Step back.”

With a low shout, shadowy figures appeared and blocked the path of the two dukes. It was, without a doubt, the Behind Knights that Lyan had arranged in advance. Eily was also standing in front of Claude on the dais, blocking his path.

‘I have to give him credit for predicting this insane possibility.’

Even as the troops were being deployed, she had wanted to believe it wouldn’t go this far. However, the Emperor was moving exactly as Eleanor had predicted.

The Emperor bared his teeth at the sudden appearance of the shadowy knights. Even if they were Behind Knights, they couldn’t kill everyone and escape.

“If you resist and try to blend in with the crowd, I will kill everyone in the mob along with you. You will not be able to escape this square.”

The Emperor, who was supposed to protect the people of the Empire, was instead holding the lives of civilians hostage to threaten the dukes. Any last lingering guilt she had about having to raise her sword against the Imperial family completely melted away.

“You are no longer the Emperor or anything else!”

Minaz glared at the Emperor, her eyes wide, and shouted, “Everyone, come out and face them!”

As soon as Minaz’s cry fell, black-armored knights appeared from all directions. When the elite force, now more than double in number, surrounded the dais, she could see the Emperor biting his lip.

“Take them all down! And the troops, advance!”

At the Emperor’s command, the soldiers surrounding the square began to move.

“Do not lay a hand on the civilians! If you want to stop us, your opponent is over there!”

With Claude’s shout, a battle began from outside the square. It was the private soldiers of the Floyd, Abrot, and Rowan duchies that had been prepared in advance.

‘It’s not enough. They won’t be able to hold them off for long.’

They had gathered as many as they could, but there was a limit to how many they could bring in without drawing attention, so most of their soldiers were still outside the capital. The duchess who had been sitting on the opposite side of the VIP section must have sent a falcon to summon them, but it would take a long time for them to get here.

There was only one way to overcome the absolute numerical disadvantage.

“Seize the Emperor!”

When the Behind Knights charged, the Emperor flinched and stepped back. The Imperial Knights and the Royal Guard instantly appeared and blocked their way. Although they were a force that couldn’t be compared numerically, the Emperor seemed to know that this was not a situation to be complacent about.

“All soldiers, advance with full force, protect me, and capture the ringleaders!”

The soldiers, with the exception of some units that were in combat, began to head toward the dais. They didn’t seem to be trying to massacre the people, but the casualties of those in their path seemed inevitable.

As the sacrifice of innocent people loomed, a surge of rage welled up in Minaz. She shouted at the Emperor, who was standing behind the battling crowd and trying to escape to a safe place, “Do you really think you can get away with this? You, too, will lose something precious!”

The Emperor didn’t seem to hear her.

Minaz’s voice grew louder.

“Where do you think our strongest force is right now?”

At her shout, the Emperor finally reacted. He had realized something from her words. His back stiffened, and then she heard him give a command.

“To the palace!”

With the Royal Guard escorting him without a gap, the Emperor headed straight for the carriage that was waiting behind him. The Behind Knights immediately pursued, but they were blocked by the resistance of the numerous Royal Guards.

Amidst the sound of clashing weapons and shouts, the Emperor succeeded in getting into the carriage.

“Go after him! We have to catch him!”

“No! Preventing the people in the square from dying comes first!”

Claude’s shout cut off Minaz’s command.

“But if we miss this opportunity…!”

“He’ll be fine!”

Claude’s voice was serious and final.

“Let’s leave it to him.”

She hated letting go of the target right in front of her eyes, but Claude was right. Minaz held back her burning anger and nodded.

“Stop the pursuit and minimize all casualties until the situation is resolved!”

At Minaz’s command, the Behind Knights turned around and charged into the square. It was the first battle within the capital in the history of the Empire.

With a heavy heart, Minaz watched it unfold and swung her sword.

The princess’s carriage, having departed from the square right in front, arrived at the Imperial Palace in no time. The carriage had windows, so she had a clear view of the commotion in the square. It was obvious how the situation was unfolding.

‘I told you to strike faster.’

The princess grumbled with a frown. It was good that the Emperor had finally understood her intentions and started to move, but the problem was that it was too late.

‘It would have been better if he had started before I suffered such a humiliation. He’s always so slow.’

The princess, who had been focused on the movements underground, knew that the Emperor had sent people there to find out her truth. Perhaps burdened by guilt, he had secluded himself and let things get out of hand. She was frustrated by his inability to make a decision.

‘After this is over, I’ll have to step forward and handle everything myself.’

Since the Emperor had mobilized soldiers in the square, public opinion would be at its worst. To reverse the entire situation at once, it would be best for the Emperor to take all the blame and abdicate.

The princess was in the middle of confidently making plans for the future when she heard a panicked voice from Zeppelin, who was looking out the front window of the carriage.

“Where is everyone? Why is no one here?”

She immediately turned her gaze in that direction. The Rosagrande guards who should have been there to protect them were nowhere to be seen. Only one person stood at the entrance to the massive Rosagrande.

“W-who is that man?”

The lady-in-waiting accompanying her pointed at the tall man with his face covered by a hood and muttered in a flustered voice. He was dressed in simple clothes for easy movement and wasn’t even wearing armor, looking like an assassin. Yet, the presence exuded from his broad shoulders and perfect physique was overwhelming.

Just by looking at his back, she felt like she knew exactly who he was.

The princess’s face turned cold.

When the ground that had been hidden by the flowerbed was revealed, a scream erupted from the lady-in-waiting.

“Th-the guards have been annihilated!”

The ground in front of Rosagrande was covered with the corpses of guards. A hundred knights had been annihilated in the short distance from the square to the palace.

A pale Zeppelin instantly gave a command.

“Turn the carriage around! Guards, attack that man with full force and protect Her Royal Highness!”

The carriage turned with a loud noise. The guards following the carriage approached the man as instructed. At their fierce momentum, the man who had been standing alone slowly turned around.

Under the blue sky, Lian Calabria’s handsome face was revealed.

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