I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 65

Beatrice had been asked the same question several times, but she wouldn’t answer. This time, however, instead of an immediate refusal, she scowled. Seeing this as a positive sign, Eleanor’s eyes lit up.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Beatrice snapped curtly, but her curiosity about the demonic beast was so great that she finally spoke.

“I can’t do it.”

“You can’t?”

During their conversation, Eleanor had managed to pry a few pieces of information out of Beatrice. The most striking detail was that a Vassal’s Oath could be broken by a sorcerer who was overwhelmingly more powerful than the one who cast it.

“That’s right. Because that spell was cast by the strongest sorcerer in the world.”

“But you’re that person, aren’t you?”

Ninety percent of Beatrice’s words were self-praise. Eleanor’s ears were practically bleeding from listening to how many great things she had done, how much of a genius she was, and how amazing she was. Was she feigning weakness now? Puzzled, Eleanor saw a flash of self-assured light in Beatrice’s eyes and bit her lip.

“You cast the Vassal’s Oath on Count Calabria, didn’t you?”

“I did. No one in the world can break it. Because I am the very strongest.” She boasted with a voice full of pride.

“Well, it’s a good thing. I don’t like him; he smells dangerous for some reason.”

Eleanor flinched slightly at Beatrice’s muttering. In the original story, Lian was meant to save the Princess from a rampaging Beatrice. Thump! The sound of the table being struck was jarring.

“Just give me the information we agreed on. What is the demonic beast outside?”

Eleanor pulled a nearby parchment toward her and wrote with a quill.

[Eligos]

“Eligos?” Beatrice frowned. “What’s that? I’ve never heard of a demonic beast like that.”

“It’s a demonic beast in black armor, riding a black horse. It cuts off its target’s vision and moves at an incredible speed, giving the impression that darkness itself is attacking.”

At Eleanor’s words, Beatrice clapped her hands together.

“That’s right. That’s exactly it. I think I heard the horse’s cry, too.”

Unconsciously, Beatrice agreed and then leaned forward. Her nearly white eyes under her wrinkled eyelids shimmered.

“So, what’s the way to break through?”

“I’ll need more important information from you to tell you that.”

Beatrice wrinkled her nose at Eleanor’s firm response.

“I don’t really have any important information I want to know from you anymore. So, instead, grant my request.”

“Damn it. You’re a calculating girl.”

“Just figured that out?” Eleanor replied haughtily before making her request.

“You can sense all the sounds and movements outside this room, can’t you?”

“I can’t hear everything, you know. There’s a limit to the distance.”

“The moment the Princess enters the basement will be enough. Spells that restrict movement won’t work. You have to light the inside with a strong light and then instantly eliminate it with a very powerful force.”

Even if she strengthened her physical abilities with a spell, a frail old woman couldn’t possibly generate enough force to slice a demonic beast in half. Beatrice remained silent on that point, but Eleanor felt that she hadn’t given up on escaping.

The two continued to talk for the rest of the allotted time, but without any further breakthroughs. Eleanor answered trivial questions, like whether the ‘Shairan’s Horn’ inn in Felicity was still in business or what the popular champagne brand was these days. In return, she requested a few items and then left the room.

Coming out of Eogainos’s office, Zeppelin ran into the Princess, who was on her way to see the Emperor. He was so engrossed in reading the scrolls tucked under his arms that he almost collided with her.

“Ah, my apologies, Your Highness.”

As Zeppelin apologized, the Princess picked up the parchment he had dropped.

“His Majesty must be busy again.”

The Count of Bormia had the right to act as a proxy for the Imperial administration. This authority had belonged to the Bormia ducal family since the beginning of the empire, so the Emperor could not appoint anyone else. Appointing someone else would be a public declaration that he no longer recognized the Duke of Bormia as his vassal. Therefore, the Emperor was currently suffering from unfamiliar and intense duties in the Office of Endorsement, and Zeppelin who had to handle the Emperor’s tasks, was also suffering.

“He’s a strong man; he will get well soon.”

Despite his words, Zeppelin’s expression was grim. The Duke of Bormia had been handling his duties without any problems until the day before. While it wasn’t unusual for a man of his age to suddenly fall ill, it was strange for him to be bedridden without any prior signs, especially after handling such heavy work.

He should have appointed a successor for the Duke of Bormia in advance.

When you put a lot of work on one capable person, it’s very convenient for a while, but when that person is absent, everything comes to a standstill. However, it was difficult to blame the Emperor’s shortsightedness for not having prepared a successor. The Duke had steadfastly held his position since before the Emperor’s ascension, so for the Emperor, he must have felt like a part of the imperial system itself.

It would be a relief if he were genuinely ill.

It would be a serious problem if he wasn’t sick but was intentionally opposing the Emperor, like the other dukes. Even if it wasn’t a rebellion, it would be a huge headache. The current period, known as the Empire’s greatest prosperity, existed because of the Duke of Bormia’s flawless administrative work.

This situation must not be allowed to continue.

Throughout the long history of the Empire, there had been collective resistance from the dukes. Each time, they had lost their cause and their leader due to the Emperor’s power, and their movements had faded away.

The central figure in all of this was Lian Calabria. It was impossible for the intelligent dukes of the Empire not to notice the strange atmosphere surrounding Lian, who was now a vassal to the Princess.

In the end, does everything hinge on Count Calabria?

If he returned and was in his right mind and loyal to the Emperor, the Empire would return to peace. How had the imperial family become so swayed by just one man? He was always an important figure, but the Emperor’s repeated blunders had greatly narrowed his own position.

Zeppelin was sighing internally when the Princess spoke.

“I hope Count Calabria returns soon.”

He flinched at the Princess’s voice, which seemed to read his mind.

“When he comes back, His Majesty’s heavy workload and your hardship, Count Zeppelin, will all be resolved, won’t they?”

Zeppelin sank into a heavy mood at her bright smile. Since the Emperor had told her, she must know about the Vassal’s Oath by now. Was she smiling, knowing what it meant to dominate the heart of the man she loved? Or was she too naive to see the dark side of it?

“We will try to make that happen, but we can’t be too optimistic.” Zeppelin replied very cautiously.

Now, simply making Count Calabria a vassal won’t return everything to normal as if nothing happened.

The Emperor had already trespassed on the ducal territories and forcibly detained the dukes. Furthermore, Eleanor Marice was gathering high-ranking nobles of the Empire around her with some mysterious power.

Now that he was at odds with the Duke of Bormia for an unknown reason, no one could tell what everyone else was thinking. The current situation had already become a complex political game entangled with the dukes’ interests, honor, and reputation.

Could this young girl really control the immense power of Lian Calabria and solve everything? Zeppelin was very anxious, but the Princess’s expression was still bright.

“I think things will work out well. Eileen has so many people helping her.”

At her words, something suddenly occurred to Zeppelin.

“I heard you’ve been spending a lot of time with His Grace Duke Phaedra recently.”

The Princess’s expression became flustered.

“We do hang out, but it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just that I’m a little hesitant to go outside the palace these days…”

The Princess’s startled and defensive look was like that of a rabbit.

“Yes. If it brings Your Highness some peace of mind, then that’s good…”

In fact, Zeppelin was secretly starting to hope she would turn to Duke Phaedra. Normally, someone as unconventional as Sky Phaedra wouldn’t even be considered a candidate for the Princess’s consort. Even setting Lian aside, there was Claude Roan, a young and flawless bachelor duke, and even an Imperial marquis would be a better choice than Sky.

However, if she changed her mind, even the Emperor would now give his permission. It would be much better than having the dukes turn against him and sowing the seeds of division in the Empire.

Besides, he seems to be interested in the Princess.

Sky had recently been conspicuously close to the Princess. There were even rumors going around that he had lured Eleanor Marice and offered her to the Princess. Since she had disappeared and some palace employees even claimed to have seen Eleanor Marice, the rumor was quite credible.

Just as he was thinking this, the Princess pouted and said, “But I can’t meet Duke Phaedra these days.”

“Didn’t you attend a banquet with him just a few days ago?”

“He’s been absent ever since that day.”

He had been so busy with his work that he hadn’t noticed Sky’s disappearance.

“Did he give you any reason for his absence?”

“I don’t know. I drank too much champagne and don’t remember much after a certain point in the banquet.”

Where in the world did Sky Phaedra go? A sense of foreboding narrowed Zeppelin’s brows.

“I think we should look for him quickly.”

“Should we? I was feeling a bit concerned myself.”

“Yes. Let’s go to the separate palace to meet His Grace Duke Phaedra.”

The two of them agreed and began walking toward the separate palace, unaware that Sky Phaedra was barely 300 meters away.

His tightly closed lips were a result of a few times his teeth had bitten down on them. Sky slowly lowered his gaze to look at his abdomen. In the faint light coming through a crack in the wall, his abdomen, wrapped in torn clothing, was visible. The bloodstains from the beginning were still there, but it didn’t seem like any more had seeped out.

“Hmph.”

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