Chapter 156

Seibel refuted Vellian’s words with a straight face.

“What are you thinking? The empress has nothing to do with this. All she did was manage the Imperial Palace and take care of His Majesty the Emperor.”

With an absurd look, he once again denied his friend’s words.

‘I can’t help it. Now, I have to protect the empress.’

That’s the most important thing right now. Never associate this with the empress.

‘In order to do that, the connection between this case and the duke must be hidden as much as possible.’

Therefore, His Majesty the Emperor has only detained and neglected the Duke of Reston, the main culprit of the case.

Perhaps when things calm down a little, he will kill him secretly. If the duke dies suddenly now, it will draw people’s attention and cause public suspicion.

“But you reported to the empress, didn’t you?”

“Of course, because the empress was acting on behalf of the emperor.”

Seibel continued to refute Vellian’s words, but remained calm.

“As I said before, my decision to return to the capital was at the behest of my father. After returning, I first reported to the empress because the emperor was ill. Even then, Her Majesty only said, “Thank you for your hard work.”

Actually, it was Astelle’s plan to dig a trap near the capital and persuade the duke, but Seibel cleverly lied. However, Vellian still doesn’t completely believe that.

“No, then what the hell is going on here… … Why is the old duke—”

“Since the emperor was lying sick, some nobles must have plotted to take over the capital. And the Duke of Reston… … .”  Seibel said, thinking of the old duke who was imprisoned in the abandoned palace.

He continued, “Because some of the nobles who caused the disturbance have close relations with the Duke of Reston, maybe he knew this beforehand, so he kept it in the palace.”

Denying that they are completely unrelated will make him suspicious. Basically, you have to mix a little truth with a lie to tell the other person to believe it.

“But if anything happens to the duke, Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince might find themselves in a difficult situation.”

Seibel continued the explanation as prepared in advance.

“So there was an order from His Majesty the Emperor to keep the duke inside the palace so that he would not make any noise. Externally, it was said that he was brought in to testify about this incident.”

Seibel calmly lied. He thought it wouldn’t matter since Vellian would never go to see the Duke of Reston himself.

Vellian listened to Seibel’s long explanation blankly, and then his mouth twitched as if he was about to say something again.

Seibel warned sternly before he opened his mouth, “I won’t forgive you if you say something disrespectful to Her Majesty again.”

“Ha… … . Okay. If you say so, I will believe it.”

Vellian raised his hands as if he had lost.

Seibel then brightened up the atmosphere.

“Nope. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to say hello to you properly because I’ve been busy all this time.”

“No worries. I’ve been crazy busy too. Still, I’m glad this went smoothly. I’m glad His Majesty is safe too.”

Otherwise, the empress might have become the regent. For Vellian, it was a terrible thing.

The two parted ways after a long conversation. Vellian turned and looked at Seibel as he left, and he thought deeply. Seibel’s words sounded plausible enough.

‘But there’s still something strange.’

Why did the nobles suddenly want to take over the capital?

Of course, these people have been close with the Duke of Reston recently, so they may have been influenced by the duke and tried to get rid of Seibel and other people on the emperor’s side as soon as the emperor died.

The emperor may be aware of that fact and just try to cover it up.

‘But the flowers brought by the young duke or the pharmacist next to the empress are strange no matter how much I think about it.’

Vellian walked into his office with that thought.

He has ordered someone to keep an eye on the pharmacist anyway, it’ll be fine. In particular, he told him to keep a close eye on what she was talking about when she came into contact with the Reston family.

***

“Mom, what are you looking at?”

Theor, who came into the study, approached the table and asked Astelle. Astelle turned to Theor for a moment and answered, “I’m organizing my new books.”

On the table between the two of them, thick books were piled up like a mountain. They are all books on how to grow herbs. There are also books on how to grow vegetables in the mountains and how to farm in the alpine region.

These were the new books she got after Gretel suggested growing herbs.

Not many books on farming methods like this were in the small library of the Empress Palace, so Astelle sent people to the imperial palace’s library or outer palace to bring all the books related to herbal cultivation.

“It’s heavy… … .”

She turned to the small voice to find Theor holding up a large herb-growing dictionary with both hands.

Astelle smiled and quickly took the book. “It’s too heavy for you to carry. Give it to me.”

Astelle put the book on the edge of the table. Theor’s clear eyes turned to the neat handwriting on the cover of the book.

His little fingers swiped down the letters on the cover and stopped at the words “Herbal.”

“Are you reading a book like this because you’re afraid my dad will get sick again”

“Hm?”

“This, herbal book.”

“Yes. I don’t want him to get sick anymore, so I try to grow medicinal herbs that are good for the body.”

Gretel’s idea is a bit vague. There are people who grow and sell herbs in plantations or greenhouses, but no one grows herbs artificially in the mountains in that way.

Theor looked at the herbal book and Astell alternately, and asked out of the blue. “Mom, do you like Dad now?”

“What?”

Theor tilted his head, resting one hand on his chin like an adult.

“Aren’t Mom and Dad getting along now? You like Dad now, don’t you?”

Astelle was a little perplexed.

In the meantime, she knew that the mood between the two of them had improved and Theor was happy too. But she doesn’t know how to answer this question. If she simply affirms it, it means that she has always hated Kaizen.

“I have never hated His Majesty.”

As if knowing she was lying, his glass-like red eyes stare up at Astelle.

Astelle groaned inwardly.

‘It is said that you cannot hide your true feelings from animals and children.’

Theor, who was staring at Astelle, lowered his gaze and let out a small sigh.

“Yes, I see. But now you two are getting along better.”

“… … .”

Sounds like he doesn’t care about Astelle’s lies since they got along well now.

Astelle lightly tapped Theor’s nose with her finger. Theor burst out laughing while avoiding it in surprise.

“I like when Mom and Dad are happy.”

“… … yeah.”

Astelle also smiled.

Young Theor is happy to see his parents getting along. The older he gets, the more he understands the circumstances around him, and the more he learns about his family.

How will Theor react when he finds out about his birth one day?

‘Since he likes Kaizen so much, I hope he won’t be hurt even if he finds out the truth later.’

It’s inevitable that Kaizen may be hated by Theor because of his past, but at the same time, it’s sad.

‘… … .’

As Kaizen was on the verge of death, Astelle realized her feelings for him. It may not be a burning passionate love, but Astelle is clearly in love with him.

As she was thinking about it, she heard a knock.

“Your Majesty, Sir Seibel has come.”

***

Gretel returned to the hostel and hurriedly locked the door.

She checked the windows and locks several times. She was worried that someone might have broken in again, so she put marks that only she know here and there.

Fortunately, there was no sign of anyone entering. It seems he didn’t come inside this time.

As she was about to turn around in relief, she heard a knock on the door that was tightly closed.

knock knock.

Gretel was startled and walked to the door.

“Who are you?”

“Miss Gretel?”

It was a familiar voice she had heard several times.

“Duke?”

Gretel hurriedly opened the door that she had locked tightly. Fritz in plain casual clothes standing outside.

“I’m sorry for visiting late at night without an appointment.”

“It’s okay. What… … oh no, please come in.”

Gretel tried to ask what was going on, but when she realized that he was standing outside, she hurriedly let him in.

The inside of the hostel is cluttered with various books, pictures, and luggage.

“Please wait for a moment. I’ll get you some tea.” Gretel paused as she entered the kitchen. “I always drink herbal tea, are you okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

Gretel went to a small room used as the kitchen and heated the water. She doesn’t have a pretty porcelain cup that can be called a teacup, so she took out two ordinary mugs.

To serve tea to the duke with a mug like this… … how embarrassing.

She could see the entrance to this building through the window under the cupboard. In front of the entrance is a carriage with no pattern. Fritz seems to come here secretly, hiding his identity.

‘What’s going on… … .’

Gretel filled the mugs with anxiety.

After a while, the two sat face-to-face with mugs. Fritz, who had been silent for a while, bowed his head to her.

“I’m here to apologize to Miss Gretel.”

“Yes?”

“I heard from Her Majesty the Empress. There was an intruder.”

“Well, why is the duke apologizing to me?”

“Because this is also our family business.”

Gretel grabbed the mug with both hands without saying a word. After all, it was the duke’s father who made this happen. He felt a sense of responsibility as a son.

How does it feel to know that his father is a bad person? It must be terrible.

Gretel’s father is an ordinary apothecary, and her mother is a pharmacist. Both of them are commoners and good people.

“My people have been keeping an eye on this place since afternoon. I’ve also reported this to the empress.”

“Oh, I see.”

Fritz took a sip of tea, lowering his voice. “Fortunately, nothing seems suspicious so far.”

Gretel suddenly realized. In the middle of the night, the empress’ older brother, the duke, came here secretly in plain clothes.

If there is someone watching me, wouldn’t he come nearby just out of curiosity?

And Gretel noticed that the young duke in front of her had it in mind.