Chapter 286: Chapter 286

Proofreader: somnium

Cedric didn’t care at all. He couldn’t afford to do that.

People opened the way for him to the place where the Empress sat, and knelt in turn.

Cedric approached the Empress and knelt down on one knee without speaking.

“Cedric.”

The Empress called him in a deep, subdued voice.

“Thank you for taking care of Leticia while I was away.”

Cedric said so and held out his hand.

Then he realized he was still wearing his dirty gloves and he took them off.

Countess Martha respectfully received the gloves.

The Empress lifted herself up a little and put Leticia in Cedric’s arms.

Leticia, who had been sleeping in exhaustion, was awakened by the movement.

“Huhung…… uhhunng…….”

Cedric took care of the crying baby and held it in his arms. Leticia sniffled and realized it was her father who was holding her, letting her throat out and starting to cry.

Cedric hugged Leticia in a comfortable position, rested her head on his shoulder and patted her on the back gently.

“Sorry for only showing my face at the moment. Continue the banquet. I am going to put the baby to sleep.”

If it had been yesterday, his words would have been just a greeting.

But today was already different. It was a command.

The musicians started playing again. The quick-witted attendants brought a few more candles to light up the interior of the salon.

Stopped conversations resumed.

There are other stories that they really want to tell, but for now, they had to have a conversation about anything.

Because the new ruler of the Empire has expressed his will to cut off the attention.

Cedric bowed to the Empress and turned around holding Leticia. It was the first time Leticia cried so sadly, so it was breaking his heart.

When he came out of the salon, Gayan was still waiting with an anxious face.

“Your Highness.”

“Later.”

Cedric said the same again this time.

He had already heard of what had happened in the Crown Prince’s Palace on the way. It was something to do later.

Now is the time to say thank you to those who risked their lives to save Leticia.

Countess Martha, who followed him with his gloves, guided Cedric.

The first place Cedric went to was the room where Mielle, Hazel, and Natalia were resting.

As if they had already heard the baby crying outside, Natalia and Bernat, Hazel and Belmond editor-in-chief, stood up and groomed themselves neatly.

Mielle was asleep as if fainted. Keshore tried to wake her up.

Cedric gestured at Keshore to relax. And he greeted Natalia first.

“I am grateful for the kindness the Crown Princess has bestowed upon my daughter.”

He was blessed with indescribable blessings.

Their opponent would have protected Leticia as well. She was useful as a hostage, and they can’t do anything without the Imperial Family to support them.

But for Cedric, it couldn’t have been more chilling.

He still couldn’t say thank you for saving her. Leticia was now the heir to the Empire.

It was impossible to say that the Emperor of the Empire was given life-saving benefits from a foreign country.

So Cedric spoke only in his mind and lowered his head. In other words, he couldn’t because it would later remain in Leticia’s debt.

But he would do anything if there was anything he could do in return.

Natalia made a perplexed face.

“I haven’t done anything much. I’m glad that nothing happened to the Imperial Grandchild.”

“Thank you.”

Cedric spoke again.

Bernat smiled. He did not dare to speak openly, but the Iantz Kingdom would be rewarded with great rewards.

“Are you okay, Imperial Grandchild?”

Leticia, exhausted from her struggles, was quiet in his arms. Although she was quiet, she seemed to have calmed down a bit.

It would be better to leave her to the doctor and nanny, but Cedric didn’t.

Then, he walked towards Mielle. Instead of Mielle, Keshore bowed his head to Cedric.

It was a painful face.

He came to the Imperial Palace as soon as he received a call from Hazel, but he was no longer a Guard Knight and could not enter.

It was Keshore’s junior who guarded the gate. It was no use pleading that he would take only his daughter.

At that time, the Evron Knights ran out and trampled the West Gate Guard at once.

Keshore and Belmond editor-in-chief jumped into the dizzying palace in panic.

And at the entrance of a path used as a secret passage in a bush on one side of the garden, he found Hazel taking care of Mielle who had fallen.

Not long after that, Natalia arrived. With the help of the other Guards, they came to the Empress’ Palace and rested until now.

“I am truly grateful to Miss Mielle and Miss Hazel.”

Cedric bowed his head to Hazel. Hazel hurriedly fell to her knees. Beside her, Keshore and Belmond editor-in-chief did the same.

“It is an absurd statement. If something like this happens, I should obey the command of the butler and captain, but instead of doing so, I am only grateful to you for forgiving me even if I acted arbitrarily.”

“There must have been a reason why you didn’t follow it. On the contrary, I’m sorry I didn’t give you that trust.”

Cedric said so.

If they were soldiers, they must obey orders, even when in doubt. But not Hazel and Mielle.

“I am truly grateful that Leticia is here safely thanks to your judgment and determination. Please take good care of Leticia from now on.”

“I am honored.”

Hazel, not knowing where to stand, bowed her head.

Cedric also apologized to Keshore.

“There is still a lot left to know about your heartache. I’m sorry.”

“No. My daughter is now an adult……, I was just worrying in vain as a father.”

Keshore answered in a cracked voice.

He had no intention of reproaching Mielle. He didn’t even feel sad that a weak child like Mielle was forced to do an unreasonable task.

He would have been willing to lay down his life to repay the favor if he had been there.

However, Mielle seemed to be paying the price herself, and it felt very painful and strange.

It seemed as if that was Mielle’s fate. Even knowing that Mielle originally liked children and would have wanted to have her own if she was healthy.

Cedric thanked Belmond editor-in-chief with a few words and left the room.

Gayan followed again. Cedric went into the room where the baby cradle was.

After putting Leticia in the cradle, the waiting doctor came running. She was so hot that he could tell just by holding her.

Cedric took a wet towel and wiped Leticia’s swollen face by hand.

Only then did he finally take Gayan outside. The Guards guarding this place were all Gayan’s men, so he can trust them.

“How are the people that were in the Crown Prince’s Palace?”

“They were in Grand Duke Evron’s residence. The number of casualties is said to be 32.”

Gayan added,

“All are knights.”

If so, it meant that all babies and wet nurses who were left to serve as decoys in case of emergency were all unharmed.

Cedric let out a long sigh.

He knew there was nothing he could do. He himself had survived that way.

But still, perhaps even more so, it felt heartbreaking to see the Evron people risking their lives for Leticia.

And Marcus, who saw it, made a different choice, but there was something left to understand.

“Sorry.”

Gayan apologized by bending his body.

He was also responsible for the opening of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

He had been promised in advance. If the Crown Prince’s Palace held out with its door closed, and the commotion spread, Gayan was planning to send reinforcements in the name of catching those who disturbed the Imperial Palace.

That is why, as soon as the Empress called, Gayan was able to lead 300 Guards.

But before he could move, the Crown Prince’s Palace was breached. He was effectively doing nothing.

“You really don’t think you’re late, do you?”

Cedric said.

Gayan answered without showing any expression on his face,

“Your Highness has given me full power to act according to the circumstances. I misjudged the situation.”

“The Crown Prince’s Palace was broken open too soon. There was nothing that could have been done.”

Since the baby was at stake, it could not be said that victory and defeat were the priorities.

But Cedric had no choice but to say so. In fact, it was almost as if Gayan was not responsible.

No matter how he thought about it, there was no way it could be pierced so easily in such a short time.

Tonight, it was none other than the Crown Prince’s Palace that was most carefully guarded.

Among the 70 Evron Knights and the members of the Guard, 100 were also guarding it, including those they thought were truly reliable.

There were also employees.

Servants from the North were not just servants and maids. Most of them were those who had completed their military service in Grand Duchy Evron.

Even if they weren’t a knight, they would have been able to do enough to serve as a soldier.

At most, the number of troops available to the anti-Crown Prince faction was only a part of the Guards and a unit of soldiers who could sneak in secretly.

Even if the Crown Prince’s Palace was not suitable for being sieged, it did not make sense that it could not be defended with this number.

He didn’t move it to another place because he thought it would be stopped.

And it was too much to move to the Grand Duke’s residence, all the prepared bait could be in vain. And it will take too long for the Guards to go support.

It was not necessary to show that only the Evrons believed in this important moment.

However, it was impossible to distinguish between an assassin and a spy in the Empress’ Palace.

However, no matter how prepared they are, if the door is opened from within, they will not be able to withstand it. Even if it was Evron’s stronghold, it was the same.

The reason why they couldn’t hold out for even 30 minutes was because there was an insider.

After that, the pursuers could not even step on the shadow of the Evron Knights. It meant that Gayan had moved on time.

“…… It is my responsibility.”

Cedric said in a low voice.

Gayan misunderstood the meaning and lowered his head more deeply. This is because the Evron Knights took it as a sign that it was their fault that they did not properly protect the Crown Prince’s Palace.

But Cedric didn’t mean it that way.

It was then.

“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”

Gayan raised his head in surprise.

If the Empress had business with Cedric, it was right for her to call him. She wasn’t meant to come this far.

Cedric’s face sank cold.

“Go.”

Gayan hid his surprise and hurriedly left the room.

“Open it.”

Cedric ordered and the door opened.

The Empress entered the room without Countess Martha.

She left the salon just in time enough not to be misunderstood by the diplomatic envoys, and came right away.

There was deep fatigue on her face.

“I….have something to tell you.”

“Please tell me.”

“It is my responsibility that the Crown Prince’s Palace was breached.”

The Empress took a deep breath. Then she said,

“The spy was Juven’s husband.”

Cedric was not surprised.

Old Viscount Juven was the one Artizea accepted as an alliance because of the Empress.