Chapter 97: Chapter 96

Counterattack (8)

“Haa, I really don’t know what was going to happen.”

“How could it be? Thanks to your good words, we passed it easily.”

“By the way, where is the Crown Prince?”

“Where they think he can’t be.”

“Where?”

“Marquisate Owen.”

Marquisate Owen was the home of the Crown Princess. As soon as Marquis Owen, who had already heard of Verdick’s plans, brought the carriage carrying the Crown Prince into his mansion, with his most trusted entourage, he locked the Crown Prince in the Marquisate’s underground prison and treated him.

He was going to make the Crown Prince live first and then pay the price for daring to try to kill his daughter.

The Imperial faction, of course, did not doubt Marquis Owen. They didn’t even think that the Crown Prince was going to poison the Crown Princess, so they thought that when the Crown Prince died, the one who would suffer the most would be the Crown Princess, who would become the next Empress. So, they did not expect that Marquis Owen would take the lead and cooperate with Verdick, who planned to kill the Crown Prince.

Even though his only daughter was in danger of dying, it was not easy to think of killing the Crown Prince. However, Evan promised the marquis a treatment befitting the Imperial family for the Crown Princess.

º º º

As time passed, Evanstein worked hard to bring the case to a close. He, of course, was able to get the job done without raising doubt from others, since he had talked about most of it before it happened.

As a result, now Aristasia was drinking tea with the Consort. The atmosphere alone was reminiscent of a light tea time, but it was not unusual in that the Consort, the birth mother of the second Prince, and Aristasia, a commoner, had tea a week before the Crown Prince’s accession.

“Aristasia.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I am very grateful to you.”

The Consort drank her tea and smiled bitterly. Since Verdick had to kill the Crown Prince because of Aris, the second prince and the Consort were very grateful. They had lived on a thin ice sheet every day under the control of the Empress and the previous Crown Prince.

Unexpectedly, the second prince was able to ascend to the throne, and was able to gain support from Verdick, the leader of the Imperial faction, and Marquis Owen, the leader of the neutral faction. Of course, there was a condition that they had to treat the former Crown Princess as a member of the Imperial family, but it wasn’t difficult at all. Compared to what the second Prince and the Consort got now.

“So I have prepared something for you.”

When the Consort clapped her hand twice, a couple came to their side. Obviously, they were the County couple of the same family as the empress. She remembers seeing them at the banquet hall several times. Even though they had a connection with the Imperial family, they were not pompous in character and had a soft impression.

“I want you to be my adopted daughter.”

“…… me?”

“It will not be easy to live as a commoner who has lost her parents.”

That was true. No matter how much Verdick was giving her support, Aris did not forget that she was in danger of being sold by Gehrig, and that she was looked down upon at that time.

“When I think of Verdick behind you, I want you to be my son’s wife.”

“What?”

“But I want my son to live longer than that.”

“Ha, ha ha…….”

The Consort was vaguely guessing the cause of the previous Crown Prince’s death. The emperor knew, but he didn’t say anything. Because the opponent, Verdick, was the biggest cause, together with Owen that was overwhelming alone.

And the Consort remembered the story Duke Verdick had come and told her before the previous Crown Prince. She couldn’t believe it when he first came to visit and offered to make her son the Crown Prince. She wouldn’t not know that he was of the Imperial faction and thought he wanted to test her loyalty, so she sent him away, telling him not to say nonsense. But still, Verdick is Verdick. He never spoke in vain.

“What do you think?”

“…….”

“Is this something to worry about? I’m asking you if you want to join the family of the next emperor and his birth mother. Then no one can treat you badly.”

“However…….”

“And you’re completely out of Verdick, so now you can marry Verdick.”

Aris was surprised. Marriage. It was something she had never thought of.

From the moment she heard the Consort’s words, her heart raced. How can she live with the one she loves without being criticized by others? … !

“Bu, but I have to discuss it with Brother and Leon…….”

“Duke Verdick and the Knights Commander said they would comply with your opinion.”

The Consort had previously thought that the appearance of three people at the Emperor’s banquet was unusual, and that she thought that Aristasia would return to Verdick, even if she did not get to be an adopted daughter.

But the brothers seemed to want Aristasia to sit in the position of ‘Duchess’ rather than simply a mistress or lover. So, the Consort wanted Aristasha to join her family because she wanted to repay the favor for the Crown Prince’s death and make a stronger connection to Verdick.

“…… Good.”

“You thought well. Lady Aristasia Foneta.”

The Consort was also very happy. That way, she can completely capture Verdick’s heart. She smiled as she thought it was her turn to take revenge on the empress for trying to kill her and her son.