Chapter 152

How to Tame My Beastly Husband — Chapter 152. Background (3)

“How dare you–”

Allamand’s shout was broken by a sudden fit of coughing. After the altercation with the new butler, his throat was not prepared for harsh exercise, and he clutched it, coughing as if he would next bring up blood. By the time it was over, he just looked tired.

And aged. No one would be afraid of such a toothless serpent, and all he wanted to do was end the conversation and go and rest.

“Why do you think the King forced you to marry that man?” He asked, putting a hand to his forehead.

Annette bit her lip. She still hadn’t been able to figure that out. If the King wanted to crush the Bavarias, why would he wed her to his son? The people in Deltium knew how highly King Selgratis thought of the illegitimate boy.

Though Annette served to offset that lineage, it made no sense if the King still intended his legitimate son to inherit. She couldn’t imagine what was in his mind, and Allemand laughed coldly.

“Think about it, you foolish girl.” His elegant fingers drummed impatiently on the table. “He wants to suppress our family to bolster his power. How does he best use Raphael Carnesis?”

“His Majesty thinks he’s important,” she replied slowly. “He may not have affection for him, but he at least feels that he needs him. He is about to become a Sword Master, isn’t he? It is important for both Deltium and for the security of the royal family.”

“That would be the case, under other circumstances. If the Crown Prince were not such a weakling.”

The words were heavy with implication, and Annette paled.

“No…”

All these inexplicable decisions click together like the pieces of a puzzle.

All of it made sense, if he was planning to use Raphael, and then discard him.

Allamand nodded, his purple eyes narrowing with satisfaction.

“When the hunt is over, devour the hounds. King Selgratis knows this better than anyone. No matter how useful his illegitimate son is, the Letan rebels have been crushed, and the war is over. Why does he need a Sword Master now?”

“But Raphael isn’t just a swordsman–”

“No doubt. He will grow up to be a master of the sword. That means it’s all the more important to eliminate him before he gets a chance.

Allamand plucked a cigar from a drawer and put it to his lips. Smoke filled the room as he lit it, and he began to cough violently again, almost choking on the heavy smoke. But he puffed again before he set it down.

“The Crown Prince is too weak. He should have been born a shepherd rather than as royalty. If he had had a sibling to provide competition, then perhaps he would have been forced to grow stronger. But that was not the case. That was why the King decided to use his illegitimate son.”

“Use him? Raphael?”

“Yes. As a sort of stimulant. The King compares Ludwig to Raphael, and it enrages the Crown Prince. Why would the King call a bastard his treasured son? It was to instill a sense of urgency in the Crown Prince, and danger from the existence of his half-brother.”

“…That is outrageous.”

“But it was something King Selgratis miscalculated. Raphael is more formidable than he expected. It would have been enough if he had just been a competent commander in the war. But if he could become a Sword Master, he becomes an imminent threat to Ludwig’s position.”

Allamand’s lip curled.

“Soon, he will be stronger by far than the Crown Prince,” he said, without any attempt to soften the cruel reality. “Especially once he becomes a Sword Master. People will admire him, and they have little respect for Ludwig. Raphael is too conspicuously excellent. Perhaps they will start thinking that someone else should be the Crown Prince.”