"Their plan consists of 5 steps"
Grizel said while showing 5 of her right fingers to Emperor Drake and Prince Rex.
"First is to instigate the greedy nobles of the western region of the empire to commit rebellion against the empire and support them in secret"
The nobles in the western region of the empire are known for their selfishness, they would always oppose any of the Empire's regulations which disadvantages them, like when the empire asked the nobles to lower their tax rate for the people when the time of a downturn in economic.
She goes on to speak about her theory according to the big scheme again.
"Second is to divide the Imperial military and public defense, this empire is strong indeed, but if the strength was divided into several forces, it will certainly be weakened, Right?"
All of them nodded in agreement with her, Azure has the strongest military power compared to the other nations, but no matter how strong their military is, if it divided into several focuses, they won't stay as the strongest anymore.
Grizel continues as she got their agreement with her thoughts.
"At least we need to split our military and public defense into 3 forces, to guard the monsters in the Forest of Demise at the East, stationed at the capital in case of an emergency at the central, and guarding the rebellion border at the West"
Gasp!
"It can't be..."
Dion just realized their intentions of decreasing the military and public defense power because the case of crimes gradually increase these past years since the rebellion started, including the slave traders roaming around the capital kidnapping people right in front of the Imperial family 2 years ago.
A lot of complaints to the empire come from all over the continent, crimes, murders, bandits, robberies, even as small as a pickpocket leads to dissatisfaction towards the Empire.
This kind of small criticism is the start of the sparks within the empire, and this little spark will ignite into a huge flame among the people if it is ignored.
"Third is to spread the word about peace among the folks, in truth, the empire could have dealt with the rebels since long ago but was forced into a passive defense due to the priests sent by the temple are spreading the word of saying war is evil doings. If the empire recklessly attacks the west rebels, the empire will be seen as a tyrant who ruled with iron hands and..."
"We will lose the trust of the people"
Rex claimed, Emperor Drake heaved a heavy sigh, it was their unsolved problem for years already, they couldn't attack before being attacked by the rebels first, but unexpectedly the rebels only focused on guarding the borders and strengthening their forces as if waiting for something.
"And the fourth is..."
Grizel takes a breath before saying her next assumption, the atmosphere changes suddenly as the cold air creeps into their body.
"To take over Belial's prosperous land"
"They will frame the Belial Family of slavery and as the mastermind who sells the slaves to the rebels, with this, Belial will be charged for committing treason and deemed as the traitor supporting the rebels, becoming the scapegoat of the real traitors and get executed"
'Just like the Novel, the real reason for the harsh punishment is not because of Grizel bullied the heroine but the false accusations, though, Grizel's actions and personality influenced by Emma is the key to drag the Belial's reputation down to the lowest before they give the final blow leading to Belial's downfall'
Grizel added inwardly. Rex, Emperor Drake, and Dion widened their eyes, different from Dion and Drake who have no idea about this scheme, Rex is fully aware of the fact that the traitors are aiming for his fiancee and her family since the kidnapping issue 2 years ago.
He wasn't called a prodigy as empty flattery, he was suspicious by the daring activities of the slave traders kidnapping people in the capital that time, they boldly doing crimes right in the sights of the Imperial family yet flawlessly hide the nobles who are involved as if trying to create the scapegoat.
At first, he thought the victim will be the Belial due to their weakness and ignorance of the political affairs making them as easy prey, but it turns out a well-planned scheme to seize their land.
Before meeting with Grizel, he chooses to observe the traitor's movement first, he has the intention to use Grizel and her family as the bait to lure the traitors if he deemed her to be useless as his future Empress.
This Prince is as ruthless as Grizel to begin with.
Rex's hand is trembling while holding hers, guilt started to fill his heart, his breath become heavy with the possibility of his fiancee being accused unfairly if he chooses to abandon her to uncover the real traitors.
"Grizel, I... I am..."
Rex wanted to say the word sorry but stuck in his dry throat, he couldn't possibly say that he is aware of this matter and let it happens to her.
'What if she loathes me if she knows that I have the thought of abandoning her to reveal the real traitors? She may ask to break the engagement with me'
The thought of living without her is suffocating, he doesn't know what is going on but his heart hurt badly as if he was the one who is being abandoned by Grizel.
Even though it was only an intention before meeting with her and nothing happened yet, still, he couldn't voice his guilt, it was too much for saying that he has realized their scheme 2 years ago yet keeps on silent.
"I know, Your Highness"
Grizel said casually, she holds his trembling hands and looks deep into his guilty eyes which started to get red suppressing his own anger at himself, she leaned over his ear to whisper.
"Regardless of your choice, I rely only on myself, not even on God, not to mention on you"
It was her polite way of saying, it was none of your business, I can handle it myself, and don't mind me.
"Pfftt... Thank you"
Rex let out a relief chuckle hearing her stony answer, intentional or not, her sarcastic blunt remarks help him to lessen the guilt of his almost-be future sin.
Grizel knew that Rex is aware of her crisis ahead, he is a genius after all, but she never once hoping him to help, she is not the type of a heroine who will cry waiting for her prince like a damsel in distress, she depends on herself and her power to overcome this crisis, regardless of Rex's choice to help or not, her life is her own to safe, Rex is only an extra.
'My life is too precious for me to rely on the other'
Grizel begins again to speak with the Emperor, not bothering his confused face looking at his son's sudden changes of emotions, but he just brushes it aside for now.
"If Belial family was executed, the land will be confiscated by the empire, but there will be a lot of opposition from the nobles factions if the Imperial family want to keep the land as the part of theirs, nobles will create a petition to divide or choose the new lord of the land, but regardless of the results, East region will fall to their hands as well because..."
"The 2 of 3 identities of the traitor are the head of the Orthodox and Non-Orthodox faction who have the largest influence among aristocrats"
Emperor drake said with his grim expression.
Shockingly enough, 2 of 3 traitors are the leader of the 2 biggest noble factions, the Orthodox and Non-Orthodox nobles. Though, the members of the faction didn't aware of the fact that their leaders are joining hands to betray the empire from behind the stage, the reputation and the influence of these 2 nobles is not a joke.
These 2 nobles altogether could move almost all of the upper-class nobles, winning a petition is nothing.
"Ha! Those 2 are acting like mortal enemies in the noble council yet perfectly sync with each other in scheming behind the stage"
Rex added, he has witnessed the council members bickering with each other mostly between those two factions.
"Lastly, with my death, Prince Rex has to choose the new fiancee"
Grizel smirked towards Rex, even though it was only a mere assumption, he didn't like to hear Grizel's death whatsoever.
"Your Highness, with your logic, who would you choose to be the one who replaces my position?"
She asked in amusement seeing Rex's mood gotten sour by the thought of someone replacing Grizel as his fiancee.
"Do I have to answer your question?"
"Yes, it's the most important thing"
"Hhmm, I could only choose the low nobles among the neutral faction, if I were to use my logic, I will choose the noble house who has the most beneficial for m-"
Gasped!
The room is drowned in silence, speechless to the sudden realization except for Grizel and Levi who still seem to relax not a bit surprised.
"Impossible..."
"Yes, Your Highness. If you are not aware of the real traitors, you will definitely choose the daughter of the Goldway Barony from the neutral faction, the wealthiest Baron who has assets equal to a Marquess, and that Baron is..."
"The 3rd traitors on the list"
Grizel smiled, she knew his answer would be this family.
'Yes, ironically it's also the house of the Heroine of the novel, Liliana Goldway, the one who has your attention since the first time you meet her at the engagement party'
In the novel, Rex abandoned the foolish Grizel without a second thought to uncover the traitors, moreover, he has a crush on the Heroine who will be his new fiancee, everything is going well on his way without he realized that he was the one who is trapped into their scheme.
With this, the Azure empire would fall completely under their control without the public knows, the West was taken through rebellion, the East was confiscated by false accusations, both South and North are the territories of the traitors, the leader of Orthodox and Non-Orthodox noble factions, lastly, the central will be invaded through the marriage as Liliana Goldway the daughter of the traitor, or, the heroine becomes Empress.
On the surface, the Azure empire seems to be getting their happy ending as they reunited after several conflicts and wars, but little did they know, they are living under the control of the other nations.
The weird novel gives the readers a fake happy ending.
Even as the reader of the novel, Angela Samael didn't expect the father of the heroine will be one of the real villains, she wouldn't know if she didn't help and stop Lucifer's suicide attempt that time, since all of this information is thanks to Lucy as his former slave assassin.
Saving Lucy is like a key to see this world out of the novel perspective, leading her to the real hidden villains, all that was written in the novel is not everything, as if trying to say that, fate brings Lucy to Grizel.
'I'm not even sure if Lucifer was purely brought to me by fate or something else...'
To be continued...