I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 104

A vibrant red ball soared high into the clear blue sky. The laughter of children chasing it echoed through the square. After a while, they were grabbed by their mothers, who came running at the sound, and dragged home.

Amidst the peace, Felicity appeared to be the same as always, but this scene was a hint that things were different from years past. Although it was quite hot, the gigantic fountain that used to cool the square was stopped, and the women were wearing black clothes instead of the colorful, fashionable dresses of the past.

“This is the scene you created.”

The Emperor, who was sitting on a high bed and looking out the window, turned his head at the voice. Beautiful purple eyes looked at him with an accusing gaze.

The scene I created, he thought.

The Emperor had no intention of denying his involvement. The unfamiliar scenery outside the window was the wreckage left by the tragedy that had occurred here two weeks ago. A white flag of mourning fluttered on the central flagpole where the imperial banner used to hang.

Across the square, in front of Count Calabria’s residence, a long line of people had gathered to pay their respects to those who were sacrificed in the battle in the square. The number had decreased from the beginning, but people were still coming without a break.

“Don’t you feel anything?”

This voice was a little higher and carried more emotion. Minaz Embrode looked at him, not bothering to hide his sarcasm. The Emperor looked at his face and thought it had been a very long time since he had seen her forehead without a frown.

“It’s stabilizing quickly,” the Emperor replied gruffly, looking at the faces of those who had entered the room. The Duchess of Floyd, Duke Embrode, and Dukes Bormia and Lowen. The dukes who had once sworn loyalty to him were now looking at him with utterly cold eyes.

“It seems like peace will be restored, but someone must take responsibility for the tragedy that was hung up there.” Lowen’s stiff words echoed in the room.

“What are you going to do with me?” The Emperor’s eyes had lost the ambition that once commanded the empire. He thought that without it, he probably looked like an ordinary man with a rather pale and gaunt physique. In his defense, he was currently bedridden with a rather severe injury. Even the attack from Lian, who had clearly held back, had broken his ribs, leaving him laid up for weeks. This meant that Lian could have taken his life on the spot if he had wanted to.

The Emperor’s question was directed straight at Lian, but the answer came from someone else.

“We will open a trial, question your crimes, and you will receive a punishment befitting them.”

“Now, here?”

“Since your health is not good, we plan to proceed with a summary trial here.”

A summary trial for the Emperor. The Emperor, however, did not protest even a little. Being dragged out in front of people and humiliated would be double punishment. Since he had lost that fight, there was no chance of him winning in a trial.

“Even the Emperor of the Empire is not above the law. However, you are charged with the crime of limiting and persecuting the freedom of the imperial nobility as specified by law, the crime of abandoning the emperor’s mission to protect the people and ordering a massacre, and the crime of obstructing and willfully ignoring a trial proceeding according to imperial law…”

The charges against him continued in a dry tone. The Emperor, instead of listening intently, observed the people in the room. After looking at the three dukes who had coldly turned their backs, he noticed the presence of a person he had not seen before. A tall, handsome man with glossy black hair was standing a step behind them. He was the only one with a gentle expression, but the Emperor bit his lip.

Sky Phaedra.

He felt a deeper sense of betrayal from him than from anyone else. There was nothing more he could have done wrong, but unlike the dukes who openly rebelled, it was like he had gained favor with a smiling face and then stabbed a sword directly in his back. The Emperor turned his gaze to another person to control his emotions. His eyes soon stopped as if caught by Lian’s face. He seemed indifferent, as if he wasn’t very interested. It seemed that bringing down someone who was in his way had no effect on him at all. He was the one who deserved to feel the most betrayed, but he couldn’t hate him.

“The evidence and results of all these crimes are clear, so we do not believe it is necessary to ask for the opinions of the imperial citizens. I will deliver my verdict with the authority given to me as the Chief Justice of the Empire.”

The boring list of charges was over. At this point, even the calm Emperor swallowed hard without realizing it.

“Gascail Hascator, you have been deposed as Emperor of the Empire.”

The Emperor, no, Gascail, listened blankly to the verdict that had been handed down to him. The content was that he would be demoted to Duke Haskator and would have to live in seclusion in the Duchy of Haskator until he died for the crime of massacring the imperial people. The Dukedom of Haskator granted to him would only be valid for as long as he was alive and would be returned to the state, not passed on to his descendants.

It was a very concise and easy-to-understand verdict, befitting the practical nature of Duke Lowen.

“You must leave Aeogainos today.”

He felt dazed when he heard that he had to leave the castle that had once been his. Even though he had become the first deposed Emperor in the history of the Empire, he didn’t think he was a fool. He probably wasn’t even the worst Emperor of the Empire. It was just that at the same time, there happened to be people with enough power and a sense of justice not to stand by and watch when he made a few mistakes.

But what was the use of such thoughts? He no longer had the strength to fight and was not so foolish as to deny the reality of his defeat. Even though he was ready to accept it, there was still a question in his heart.

“Count Calabria.”

When he called Lian, he raised his handsome eyebrows slightly, as if he was listening.

“I had many opportunities to stop you from achieving your goals. They were opportunities I let slip away by trying to save face and minimize damage.”

It was useless to think about it now, but there were too many moments he regretted so much he could spit blood. They were things that had happened because he had been confident that it was already in his hands, or because he had underestimated Lian’s determination. Since it was all over anyway, he asked a question, hoping to at least resolve one point of curiosity in his heart.

“If I had been proactive from the beginning and killed her, what would you have done then?”

“I would have cut open the bellies of everyone involved and shown them the hell I was living in.”

Lian’s voice was the same as usual, but it was chilling. Since he could give off such a murderous aura just by the hypothetical situation, there was no way to change his mind from the beginning.

“I was going to hand over everything to you.”

Lian showed no reaction to the low voice.

Did he lose everything he had because he was forcing something that had no meaning to him?

Born as the Emperor above all others, he had nothing left to pass on. No, perhaps there was still one thing left. Gascail asked in an even lower voice.

“Will Eileen also come to my side?”

Was it fortunate or unfortunate that he still had something he wanted to protect in this situation?

“You should have told her before it came to this. Tell her to not harm others and to be grateful for what she has.”

“From now on, I will never…”

“You cannot walk forward while leaving something behind.”

The voice left no room for negotiation. The Emperor let his arms drop powerlessly and bowed his head in despair. Leaving him behind, the dukes left the Emperor’s room.

Otajur Eunice, who was loitering at the entrance of Aeogainos, saw the dukes come out and ran over to them at a dash.

“What happened?”

“It’s as the council of nobles decided.”

At Duke Bormia’s answer, Otajur swallowed nervously. “His Majesty is leaving the capital, then.”

“He is no longer His Majesty.”

The message delivered in the Emperor’s room seemed like a summary judgment, but it was actually a disposition that had been reached after a week of continuous meetings, assemblies, and fierce debates. During that process, most of the high-ranking nobles of Felicity attended and expressed their positions, and the opinions of many other nobles were also heard. The method of collecting these was new to the Empire.

“A majority vote of all nobles. I was truly impressed.”

The lower-ranking nobles, who made up the absolute majority of the nobility, seemed very impressed by the fact that they all had one vote. Since everything had been decided in an inner circle among the high-ranking nobles, they had to go to their superiors and ask for a favor with a bribe if they wanted their will to be reflected in imperial policy. In such a situation, it was natural that those who gained the right to decide would follow the will of the person who gave them that right.

“The majority is not always right, but it is useful when making decisions by understanding the general trend, like this time.” Minaz replied leisurely and praised Otajur’s contribution. “Thank you for persuading the hesitant nobles so well.”

“I have no power. I just added a word to the faith of the dukes.”

“There’s no need to be humble. We will need your help in the future.”

“I will complete the task at the risk of my life.”

The Duchy of Haskator, which would become the Emperor’s place of exile, was designated as an island in the middle of a lake in the southern part of Felicity. Since it was in the middle of a lake large enough to be mistaken for an ocean, it would be difficult for outsiders to access, but the climate was not bad, so he would not have much suffering in his later years. The task of escorting the Emperor there was entrusted to the Behind Knights and Otajur.

“What about Court Count Zeppelin?”

“It hasn’t been decided yet.”

There was no reason to punish the old count, who had not cooperated with the Emperor’s criminal acts and had tried to mediate the relationship until the end. However, considering Zeppelin’s usual character, it was obvious that he would follow the Emperor to his place of exile.

“I think it would be good to persuade him to continue serving.”

“Everyone thinks so. We’ll have to try to persuade him somehow.”

When Minaz shrugged his shoulders while talking about persuasion, the people around him simultaneously thought that Zeppelin would eventually stay. Duke Bormia, who was standing behind Otajur, who was looking happy, asked, “So what is she doing now?” Even without a direct title, everyone knew that ‘she’ was ‘Eleanor.’

“She went to Rosagrande now.”

“Rosagrande? She went to the princess?” Minaz asked back with a frown.

“Yes. She said she had a promise to keep.”

“A promise?”

As a question arose on everyone’s face, Sky stepped forward. “I’ll go.”

“You? But…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t go where the princess can see me.” Sky dismissed the question and smiled. “The dukes of the Empire have the most important matter to decide right now.”

He met Lian’s eyes clearly, with a provocative light in his sea-colored eyes.

“If you see Eleanor, tell her that I will be coming for her soon.”

Lian said only that and started walking. Following him, all the dukes headed to the Emperor’s office in Aeogainos.

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