Chapter 126

A Mess (12)

“Are you really trying to make a living by selling Rowena’s name here? You!”

Matthias shrank on his own as the boiling anger poured out. At the same time, he wondered what he did wrong.

The girl belonged to his family, and she didn’t know her position, so he just tried to make her pay. For it was horribly hateful that Rowena dared to be a crown princess to subject him and make him bow down.

Partly because every time he saw Theo’s face, he thought he would feel better if he remembered what he did to his sister.

Paul lay flat and trembled. Cecil rose from his seat, but he didn’t come down to them and use violence.

“…The treatment of the royal family’s in-laws would end here. Take Lord Adelia and let him taste the price of scorning the imperial family.”

The words were like dragging and torturing. Paul, who noticed the fact, looked up and looked at Matthias. Matthias was drawn away by the knights and gave them a bewildered look.

“F-Father! Anything… You have to say something! Father!”

Despite the pathetic screams, Paul just took his breath away. He had no power to save Matthias. He wouldn’t even know if he could meet Rowena later. It was hard to save his life now.

The knights were ready to begin flogging at Cecil’s command, with Paul pressed on both sides. Cecil gritted his teeth and stared at Paul.

“The crimes committed by the count are enough to confiscate both your title and territory. For Rowena, it would be enough if you could remove the dirty name of Adelia and put her in as an adopted daughter of a new family.”

Cecil was already searching for the candidates to give Rowena a background. When their lover’s family was low in rank, it was not uncommon for emperors and crown princes to do so.

“The Duke of Ermeier would be the best, what do you think?”

“T+that’s… My child loves her family and brothers. So…!”

“Even after going through that yesterday?”

Paul rolled his eyes. The crown prince was not in the mood to give up Rowena. So it was difficult for him to judge whether it happened or not.

“Her position! The family will only use her!”

“Is the Adelia said to be any different?”

Paul had nothing to say about it either.

“…Do you want to save your family?”

Paul nodded furiously at the sudden question.

“O-of course, Your Highness!”

“Do you want to live?”

“Well, yes… Isn’t that right?”

Paul was nervous because he couldn’t understand the crown prince’s intentions, but he was positive for now. He still wanted to save his family and save his life.

“Don’t you want to save your eldest son?”

“H-he…”

Thinking of Mathias made him sick, but it also made him angry. It wasn’t enough to stab his younger brother with a knife, while committing such a dreadful thing! He’d rather Matthias be caught, than cause the family’s downfall like this! No matter how tactless he was, he would have known by now that the crown prince would never let Matthias live.

“Such a son, he is a child who has done something wrathful! How could you forgive that?!”

Paul raised his voice with false anger. When he thought of Matthias, his heart seemed to collapse, but he had to save his family and his life.

“Oh, wasn’t he your most beloved son?”

“It may have been like that in the past… Not now.”

“Well, good. Then I’ll tell the count how to survive.”

Cecil, who turned around, returned to the throne and sat down. Paul stared blankly at him.

“Right now, step down from the count and give the title to your second, Theo. That way, you’ll save your life to the point of exile.”

“E-exile, what do you mean? Do you mean me?”

“Is it better to be imprisoned with amputated limbs? Or I can cut your neck neatly.”

Paul, who was choked up, wanted to scream to see Rowena’s face straight. But the crown prince wouldn’t allow it.

“R-Rowena wouldn’t like it if she knew about it…”

“Hmm. I can tell her you died in an accident.”

His heart seemed to drop to the floor. Cecil looked at Paul in delight.

“It’s okay for me to say that you ran away from the country. What makes you think I’m gonna be honest with her?”

“…”

Later, Paul realized that he and Matthias were thinking of the scary prince as a fool in love.

Even if he fell in love, he couldn’t have been weakened. He was a man who was educated as a crown prince, and that he looked exactly like the emperor, who was ruthless.

Why did he think so, when he just favored Rowena?

“I have no intention of waiting long. It’s a waste of time to give you time to choose.”

So, Cecil continued.

“Let’s decide right now. Whether to die or pass the title and go to exile.”

Paul dropped his head. There was no choice. He told the Crown Prince his decision in tears.

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