Chapter 100

Negotiations with Geranian were concluded swiftly.

Thanks to that, Fernan was able to return two days earlier than the four days promised with Julia.

Just as he was about to depart for the Grand Duchy, a messenger bird sent by the knight arrived.

“…”

Fernan's gaze hardened for an instant.  If it wasn't urgent, the messenger bird wouldn't come here.

Feeling ominous, he hurriedly read the message brought by the bird. After reading it, he crumpled it, biting his lips roughly. Julia disappeared.

Fernan was able to grasp the situation in a brief moment.

Based on the message, this time around, Julia probably didn't leave voluntarily.

The maid said Julia suddenly wanted to go out two days ago after she read a letter from a stranger that had arrived at the castle a few weeks ago.

Needless to say, she was deceived by a letter crafted by the Emperor's people or Marchioness Elody.

Fernan, who wrinkled his eyebrows, changed the direction of the procession that was going to the Grand Duchy.  And he immediately headed to the capital.

From the beginning, he should have explained it properly to Julia.

If only he had told her the story that the emperor was after her, this wouldn’t have happened….

Blue veins sprung up on his chin.

He shouldn't have turned away from his anxious feelings.

Hyaaa, he swung the reins loudly.  Unable to hide his impatience, he accelerated his pace even more.  At the same time, he issued an order to his lieutenants.

"Send a messenger to the Crown Princess to lead the army and infiltrate the capital as quietly as possible."

****

“So, what about the Grand Duchess?”

The Emperor, who was receiving a massage from the servant, asked leisurely.  Crown Prince Javier, who was sitting opposite the Emperor, answered in a relaxed voice.

“As expected, she is quiet. She’s probably scared.”

Javier raised the corners of his lips.

At first he only intended to use Julia to lure and threaten the Grand Duke, but the woman seemed interesting. When she looked up at him as if she was about to cry, it stimulated his heart.

“Soon the Grand Duke will bow under my feet.”

Javier continued speaking with a very satisfied face.  As soon as he heard the news that his wife was gone, the Grand would come to the Imperial Palace like a madman.

“In order to make a smooth transaction with the Grand Duke, I think it would be better to show him the Grand Duchess when he arrives.”

When he saw his wife in captivity and tears in her eyes, the Grand Duke would have no choice but to give up everything he has.

That woman was the key to shaking the Grand Duke.  Javier praised the logic he had made up to that point on his own and tilted his lips proudly.

The Emperor also leaned his back deeply on the throne with a relaxed look on his face.

“That’s a good idea.”

The Emperor was already very excited about how he could destroy Fernan, who would come to the imperial palace and demand to return his wife.

“Think in advance of what you will ask of the Grand Duke.”

Javier added. Nodding his head, the emperor tilted his lips in satisfaction.

There were too many things he wanted to ask, so now was the time to start preparing for the unforeseen circumstances.

“With this audience as the main focus, we need to increase the number of guards in the central palace.”

The Grand Duke would not be able to use force when his wife was hostage, but they prepared for the unexpected.

At the same time, he planned to keep the knights standing in this audience room so that the Grand Duke who arrived at the Imperial Palace would feel a little more pressure.

“The Grand Duchess must also be brought here in time.”

“I will. Your Majesty."

The emperor nodded his head as he looked at Javier who answered him surely.

Everything was going smoothly.

***

It was evening when the sun had completely set when Fernan arrived in the capital.

The distance to the capital would take a day, he broke through in less than half a day.

Eventually, when he passed the entrance of the imperial palace, the knights standing on the guard let him pass.

Fernan went straight to the central palace where the Emperor would be.

During the long time on his way to the capital, his eyes seemed gloomy at first, as if all thoughts had been sorted out.

There was no tremor in the footsteps that he took quickly, looking only ahead of him.

After crossing the wide stairs and passing through the hallway, he finally arrived in front of the emperor's audience.

Before the servant could inform the Emperor of his visit, he slammed the large door open with his unhesitating hands.

Through the wide open entrance, the figure of the Emperor sitting leisurely on the throne could be seen.

Around such an Emperor, knights were standing in a long line.

“Welcome, Grand Duke.”

The Emperor seemed to be somewhat surprised to see him visiting earlier than expected.

Still, he felt relieved that he had moved the knights in quickly in case Fernan appeared unexpectedly.

The Emperor then glanced at Fernan up and down.  He was now standing sullen and dignified, but by the time he left this place he would leave in utter tatters.  The emperor thought and smiled crookedly.

In the meantime, Fernan asked in a cold voice.

“Where is she?”

The Emperor, who knew who he was asking, tilted his head and laughed out loud.

“Grand Duke, no, Fernan.”

The Emperor, who changed his title in an instant, looked at Fernan with a relaxed expression.

“This uncle…..I thought you hated your wife very much.”

At one point, when Javier said that the Grand Duchess was at the center of the matter, the Emperor did not believe him until the end.

“But, how could you be so rude?  I am really curious about your intentions.”

The Emperor waved his hand as if genuinely curious.

About a month ago, when the Emperor sent his knights secretly to temple IIion to kidnap the woman whom Fernan had kept hidden, he could not imagine that woman was the missing Grand Duchess.

And it was fortunate that they could kidnap the Grand Duchess, thanks to the Marchioness Elody.

The Emperor tapped his armrest as he watched Fernan's face turning blue.

“Hmm…  I don't know the details, but seeing you staring at me so fiercely, it seems certain that the Grand Duchess has become your weakness."

With the joy of finally finding a "weak point" that would keep Fernan stuck, the Emperor snorted aloud.

Fernan, who stood unshakable, looked as if he was trembling in the eyes of the emperor.

“What do you want?”

As expected, Fernan let out a calm voice as if asking for a deal.

The Emperor looked at him with a satisfied expression on his face.

“What I want……  ”

The longer he delayed his words, the more impatient Fernan would become.

The Emperor was sure that the more he did so, the more he would get what he wanted.

Even though the emperor was delaying time like this, Fernan did not show a significant change in his expression, but such a thing did not catch the eyes of the emperor, who was already buried in greed.

“Why don’t you sit down first? You must have had a hard time coming a long way.”

The Emperor slowly nodded.  With those words, Fernan, who sat quietly on the chair, looked up.

The Emperor, who smiled satisfactorily, quietly admired Fernan's docile attitude.  What to ask for has been organized in his head dozens of times so far, so it was not difficult to bring it up.

First of all, he had to take back Fernan’s territory.

“I don’t need to say much. You know your situation well.”

“…  ”

“What I want from you is not big.  First, return two of the territories you own to the imperial family. A granary in the south and a port town in the west.”

Even if only those two were taken away, the deal remained too profitable for the Emperor.

But he didn't stop there, the Emperor continued to line up his demands.

“And, make sure to disband half of your soldiers.  Wouldn't that make the balance between the imperial family and your military power a good one?"

He himself thought he had conscience as he didn’t ask Fernan to disband all his soldiers.

If such an excessive demand was made, Fernan might protest. While the Emperor's calm words continued, Fernan only looked straight at him without any opposition or response.

The emperor only considered it acceptable.

Even if Fernan looked calm, he must be grinding his teeth on the inside. The Emperor chuckled and leaned against the backrest.  A lot of time was wasted during this long conversation.  He had already ordered a knight to bring the Grand Duchess who was trapped in the separate palace.

It was already time for the arrival of the Grand Duchess, but the Emperor was intoxicated with this situation, so he didn't really care.

Convinced that he had Fernan at his disposal, the Emperor had a very relaxed face.

Staring at that figure without a single ray of light, Fernan finally let out a calm reply.  

“Do whatever you want.”

As it was, Fernan slowly got up from his seat.  Then, with a large stride, he approached the emperor at once.

"Take everything you want."

At those words, the Emperor's eyes lit up.  It was because Fernan said it straight to the point.

Fernan, who stopped under the podium, continued in a quiet voice.

"My uncle will most likely want my life as well."

Fernan, who had changed his title to match the Emperor, took his right hand to his waist.

As he pulled out the hidden sword, the knights lined up on both sides flinched and raised their swords together.  Fernan continued without even giving them a glance.

"Kill me."

Fernan, who slowly gave the Emperor the sword, stared at him with dangerous eyes.

“Before I kill you, uncle.”

At the moment, the door of the audience hall opened wide with a bang as if it was about to be ripped apart.

Fernan’s armed knights rushed inside.

Fernan stared at the Emperor with his bloodshot eyes.  The Emperor wasn't the only one who dragged the time to plan a little while ago.