The Empress Tames the Tyrant - Chapter 56

After the assembly concluded, Cayenne invited Blake to a private meeting and served him tea. Although they had only met a few times during Cayenne’s childhood, the blood they shared made the encounter feel remarkably familiar.

“Thank you for accepting such a difficult request.”

Blake offered an ambiguous smile, neither affirming nor denying the weight of the task. Diane’s death had triggered a catastrophic storm for the House of Tiers. The late Emperor had been driven mad by the loss of the woman he loved so dearly, and the nobility, fearing the Emperor’s erratic wrath, had shunned the Tiers family one by one.

“To be honest, I was afraid to return to the Imperial Palace.”

The previous Duke of Tiers had left the Empire’s soil in haste, following the strong urges of his vassals, before he even had time to properly mourn his daughter’s death.

“Am I… causing hardship for the Tiers family once again?”

“No. It was never Your Majesty’s fault.”

A prestige built over a long history had vanished overnight. Duke Nigel, seeking to protect the reputation of the mad Emperor, had shifted the majority of the blame onto Diane. At a young age, Blake had faced a barrage of criticism and the constant threat that the mad Emperor might turn on Tiers as an enemy. He sought refuge in the Papacy to protect himself—a piece of wisdom from the previous Duke. If he lived his life praying for the deceased Diane, he would at least avoid provoking the mad Emperor’s ire.

“And I have an obligation to bring a proper conclusion to the affairs of House Tiers.”

His navy-blue eyes looked calmly at his nephew and Emperor, Cayenne.

“Your Majesty has grown up most magnificently.”

Blake had secretly visited Cayenne a few times after he was exiled to that harsh land, avoiding the prying eyes of others. However, Duke Nigel apparently found even those small meetings bothersome and tightened the surveillance until contact became impossible.

“The late Dowager Empress would have been very proud if she could see you.”

Cayenne nodded slowly. If the filthy Duke Nigel had mentioned his mother, Cayenne would never have forgiven him, but Blake was family.

“As you well know, Duke Tiers… this will not be easy. We might have to stake everything.”

“The House of Tiers and all its vassals have already staked their lives.”

It was an incredibly reassuring statement. Perhaps they felt a deeper sense of kinship because both Cayenne and Blake had essentially been banished by the late Emperor.

“We got through today without incident, but there is no way Duke Nigel will accept this quietly.”

“I agree. That man has always been more wicked and cunning than anyone expected.”

The current Parliament was dominated by Duke Nigel and the nobles who followed him. The elderly Minister of Rites was neutral only because he lacked any real power, but the actual machinery of the Empire was entirely in the hands of the Duke’s faction.

“Which is why he must be crushed completely.”

Cayenne spoke through gritted teeth.

“Yes. He has already committed treason and acted in a way that is unforgivable for a human being.”

Blake was already well-informed of the situation. He knew the depth of Cayenne’s rage and the importance of this endeavor.

“I have appointed you as Chancellor, but the majority of the Parliament still belongs to the Duke’s faction.”

For many years, Duke Nigel was simply referred to as the Duke in the Imperial Parliament. Quite simply, there was no other Duke who could stand as his equal.

“Our Empire holds legitimacy as its highest value. Thanks to that, Your Majesty was able to ignore the controversies and ascend the throne, and Duke Nigel reigned in the name of the Ten Great Houses.”

“Yes. And we, Tiers, are also descendants of the Ten Great Houses.”

Cayenne nodded with a satisfied smile. At this moment, Blake was the only person he could trust to keep the Duke in check.

“Your Majesty need only give me your commands.”

A firm resolve flickered in those navy-blue eyes.

“First, I want you to clean out the trash in the Parliament.”

“Of course.”

Now that the Duke of Tiers had made a brilliant return, the factions that once followed Tiers would begin to rise one by one. They were men who had been ousted by Nigel’s faction and had spent many years sharpening their blades in resentment.

“And make sure to uncover Duke Nigel’s treason with absolute clarity.”

“Yes. I will find evidence that he cannot possibly talk his way out of. I know well how cunning and suspicious he is, so Your Majesty need not worry.”

“Good.”

Cayenne said no more and took his maternal uncle’s hand. Just as he had done long ago in Rubeo when he was but a young boy.

As the sun began to set, a messenger sent by Cayenne arrived at the Empress’s Palace. Alicia quickly opened the letter and read down through his handwriting, which she had become quite accustomed to.

“I see…”

Even amidst the process of ousting Duke Nigel, Cayenne was looking after Alicia’s well-being. It was enough that he had told her in person last time, but receiving a letter explaining the situation in detail cleared her mind of any lingering anxiety.

“Agnes, there is no need to prepare for His Majesty’s banquet here today. Instead, send our palace staff to the Emperor’s quarters to serve a banquet there.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. It seems an important guest has arrived.”

“Yes. The Duke of Tiers has returned to the Parliament by His Majesty’s command. Privately, he is His Majesty’s maternal uncle and a member of the Ten Great Houses.”

The situation was unfolding with remarkable clarity. She could vividly feel Cayenne’s determination to strike down Duke Nigel and reclaim the Imperial power.

“I shall instruct the servants to prepare the banquet with the utmost care.”

Alicia nodded. While she was a little disappointed she wouldn’t see him tonight, she was inwardly glad that a reliable ally had joined his side.

“I suppose we can say it is completely winter now.”

Alicia murmured to herself as she looked at the bare branches outside the window.

“I am worried if the people of Rubeo will be able to survive the winter well.”

Just like Cayenne, Alicia’s worldview was expanding. Instead of simply waiting for or cheering on the Emperor from her palace, she was trying to find what she could do herself.

“War is a matter for men, but ultimately, people need money to survive the winter.”

Warm food and firewood to heat a home could only be bought with money. It was a sensibility a typical noble lady wouldn’t possess, but Alicia came from a world where one could not help but know how vital capital was.

“It takes money just to breathe. It takes even more to live like a human being.”

Alicia smiled a bit bitterly as she looked at the silver candelabras and crystal chandeliers decorating the parlor. Here, they were merely decorations, but for many, even one of those items could change a life.

“Your Majesty, the items in the Imperial Palace are the heritage of Darius passed down through generations. You cannot do anything with them except preserve and use them.”

Agnes spoke up out of caution, and Alicia nodded.

“I’m not thinking of selling anything. I know it would be a disaster if I sold Imperial property.”

It was prohibited both legally and morally, but more than that, if Imperial goods were seen outside, rumors would spread that the palace was in financial distress.

“If I were a capable Empress, I would probably hold a party for high society and raise charity funds at a time like this, wouldn’t I?”

But no noble lady was interested in an Empress who had been discarded immediately after her wedding. Although Alicia’s standing had changed significantly, she wasn’t exactly at leisure to mingle in social circles right now.

“Instead, I have one good method.”

Seeing Alicia’s mischievous grin, Agnes felt a sense of unease.

“I’ll use the gold coins from Lucan!”

I knew it. Agnes shook her head immediately.

“Your Majesty, defacing Lucan gold coins is a major crime throughout the continent.”

“It’s fine. They are my only dowry.”

Emphasizing integrity, Lucan gave nothing to its daughters marrying into foreign lands except thirty gold coins.

“Even though they are gold coins, they aren’t currency.”

Those were gold coins specially produced in Lucan, used primarily as payment for the Great Sage’s advice or for borrowing their power. In other words, it was gold that would eventually return to Lucan anyway; they were just putting on appearances.

“I know.”

Alicia knew well that the day would never come where she would borrow wisdom from Lucan. No, she didn’t need such things in the first place.

“Instead, I can turn them into money.”

Alicia flashed a bright smile.

“Agnes, did you know? Gold is surprisingly easy to melt down.”

“But…”

“Do you really want to give gold back to Lucan for their ‘teachings’?”

At those words, Agnes’s mind was made up.

“No.”

Alicia thought of the only useful part of the Lucan legacy in her life. Their teachings were nothing but hypocrisy and pretense, but the gold was real.

“First, weigh the gold coins. I need to know how much they’ll be worth later.”

It was a rare evening without Cayenne, but it didn’t seem like it would be boring. Perhaps she had searched for work specifically to soothe the emptiness of his absence.

“First, I need to think about how I can actually help Rubeo.”

Giving charity didn’t always guarantee gratitude. The nobles of this era didn’t know that fact well, which is why they felt proud of themselves after sending useless fuel like the Great Sage’s books. Alicia was not going to make that mistake.

“Since the Empress herself is showing charity, the people of Rubeo will be grateful and happy for anything.”

This time, Agnes was wrong.

“No,” Alicia said firmly. “Who sends it doesn’t matter. What matters is what is sent.”

When people are about to starve or freeze to death, what does the status of the giver matter?

“Agnes, people can only live if they have food, clothing, and shelter.”

It was a perfectly obvious statement, but it was not yet common sense in this world.

“They don’t need teachings or honor; they need things to wear, things to eat, and a place to sleep.”

Alicia spoke with eyes full of conviction. It was a very fortunate thing for the people of Rubeo.