Chapter 73

Chapter 73

“Is the battle for the throne coming to an end? Until now, Adego had been taking care of the Prince, but Ansel, seeing as how you hastily inherited the title, it seems that something quite big has happened…”

Andra, who spoke up to that point, paused for a moment. After organizing the information in her head and saying it aloud, she realized that she didn’t know more than she expected. She has been deaf to news outside the academy while she was paying attention to her graduation thesis and the matter with Dustin, including the dungeon.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been concentrating on my thesis these days, so I haven’t been able to keep up with news from outside.”

“That’s alright. Graduation must be the busiest time.”

Ansel did not blame Andra. He turned away slightly and stared at the darkening sky.

“The Princess made some huge trouble. She was thinking of tying up the limbs of House Avellin. It seems that she didn’t like the last Western Designated Exchange.”

“That had nothing to do with Avellin. We suffered a loss from that too. Besides, with that opportunity, Her Highness already even touched the constitutional book of laws… But she still wants more?”

“That’s the cause in politics. Even the smallest thing becomes a cause and becomes a weapon that can be wielded against the opponent. Don’t worry too much though. Us Avellins wouldn’t just sit around watching it.”

The princess herself would be well aware that even she could not completely tie Avellin’s limbs down. Therefore, her purpose must be different from the start. For example, a generational change. Limiting Avellin’s movements is nothing more than a secondary factor.

From the beginning, the princess was aiming for Ansel to return to Ramhafzel, and threw a move to agitate Avellin.

‘You thought you knew me well.’

In fact, the princess could not confront the former Marquis Avellin head-to-head. This is because Marquis Avellin was a public servant who made a remarkable achievement when the emperor ascended to the throne. The emperor wouldn’t want his children and his subjects to stick together.

Thus, the princess aimed for Avellin’s generational change. As long as it’s Ansel, even the emperor wouldn’t intervene.

“The ten-year cycle is coming soon. Only the head of the family can coordinate it. Do you know what it means?”

“Do you mean to say that the Princess has been aiming for you from the beginning?”

“Yeah, roughly.”

Andra frowned. The princess pushed Ansel out of the capital five years ago and summoned him back again this time to isolate Ansel. Unlike five years ago, the capital now was held tightly by the princess’s husband, Anthony Airak. It was possible because he had filled the gap as Ansel was pushed out.

The second child, Adego, made an effort in the capital, but could not drive out Airak who had the princess as his backer. It was already good that Adego managed to save only half of Ansel’s power and keep it.

In this situation, it was natural for Avellin to be pushed back. The princess will attack Ansel at random with the iron mace called Airak, and the capital, which is no longer his domain, will helplessly work against Ansel.

It was for this reason that the lord of the estate, who had the same influence as the emperor in his own estate, came to the capital and bowed down to save himself.

“Then, isn’t it at a disadvantage for you to inherit the Marquisate now? What was Father thinking…”

“Andra, don’t worry. Her Majesty the Emperor promised five years ago, that’s why I am in the capital now.”

Ansel turned his head back to Andra and smiled softly. His smile looked so relaxed that Andra was relieved. Yes, her older brother wouldn’t have come to the capital unprepared. House Avellin also prepared a lot, so it must have been that their father trusted Ansel enough and sent him here.

“Do you think I went down to the East because I was pushed away by the Princess? No.”

“I know, I was just guessing. At the time, Father’s reaction was calm, so I vaguely thought that there might be another story that I didn’t know about.”

Ansel, whom Andra knew, was not the one to be pushed out just because the princess pushed him away. Although the two were lovers, Ansel was a politician who knew the difference between public and private affairs. If he endured, he might have persevered to the end and fought a war of nerves with Airak in the capital to this day.

But he left the capital without any regrets and returned to the East. There must have been something that Andra was not aware of. However, it was unexpected that it had to do with the emperor, so she was a little startled.

“Her Majesty is still troubled about it.”

“Worried about the successor?”

“Yes. She seemed to be thinking about it more than she did five years ago. Perhaps she was not sure of the Princess.”

Five years ago, on the day that the princess told him that they should break up, the emperor quietly summoned Ansel without anyone knowing. She ordered him to return to the East after dealing with the princess appropriately.

At first, Ansel disobeyed the order. He loved Viola passionately, but before that, he was an Avellin. As Avellin, it was his duty to keep his position in the capital.

To Ansel who disobeyed her orders, the emperor told an unexpected story. In the future battle for the throne, there will be virtually no one who can stand up to Viola, and in the end, Viola may succeed her. The emperor made an offer to Ansel, saying that she was especially fond of him.

Will he return to the East and wait for her support and then set his feet in the capital again, or will he remain as he is and face the princess and Airak alone.

Even though it was a proposal, Ansel’s options were naturally narrowed down to a threat and an order. So Ansel, in spite of the rudeness, took the liberty of asking the emperor. If the princess is the successor to her after all, why did she want to start a battle for the throne?

‘Viola resembles me. She will do anything to achieve her purpose. I can tell just by looking at the fact that she chose Airak immediately after throwing you away.’

‘Your Majesty, I am foolish and lacking in need of a definitive answer. Forgive me for my rudeness to speak like this.’

‘Ansel, son of Albert. I need certainty from Viola. She has to work harder because she resembles me. I had to sacrifice a lot to achieve this peace. I want to see if the Princess can do the same.’

The emperor’s beheading of all her blood relatives in order to ascend to the throne was recorded in detail in the history of the empire. Even the emperor herself was the one who took her father off the throne, beheaded him, took his crown and put it on her head.

Thanks to this, the emperor made a name for herself as a cruel person wearing a crown of blood, but on the other hand, she was also a person who stabilized the empire’s turbulent situation and made a name for herself as a competent monarch with a virtuous and upright policy for the people of the empire.

‘The era in which I lived is quite different from the era in which the Princess lives. I ascended the throne soaked in blood, but my children do not need to ascend to the throne until they see blood. Because I made that world. So certainty is necessary. I wondered if Viola, who looked so much like me, would do something wrong like me.’

The emperor smiled bitterly. So Ansel said nothing.

‘Don’t worry too much. If Viola becomes my successor, you will not regret this choice. Think of it as one more life you earned.’

‘…Yes, I am very grateful for your grace.’

‘And this. When you return to the East, give this to the Marquis. He will not blame you.’

In the end, Ansel returned to the East as ordered by the emperor, and he presented the emperor’s letter to his father, the Marquis, and after reading the letter, he nodded a little and hugged Ansel. And so Ansel’s life in the East began again.

As promised, the emperor supported Avellin without the princess’ knowledge. She even went so far as to attach Avellin to the second prince two years later, helping him to intervene in politics as well.

Another three years later, Ansel, who set foot in Ramhafzel after five years, faced the emperor who was still contemplating her choice. The emperor was still not convinced of Viola. But she felt that the time had come to choose her successor.

The emperor must choose.

Who would be more suited to the position of emperor for the empire in the future?

“Andra, from now on, a political battle will begin for a while. Her Majesty is preparing for the final test. That will decide who the next emperor will be.”

“Will it have a lot of influence on House Avellin?”

“It will be so. Since I am now on the Prince’s side, I will not be able to avoid facing the Princess. Maybe I can get hurt in the process too. So I can’t let my guard down.”

“Yes. I will keep that in mind.”

Andra replied to Ansel who had a slightly tense look on his face. Ansel looked at his sister warmly. He raised his hand and held Andra’s hand tightly.

“Andra, I think you’re smart and you’ll be fine, but…”

“I know what you’re thinking, Ansel.”

If things go awry, Andra would have to think about marrying the second prince, as they’ve been in marriage talks for a long time now. Also, if the emperor would raise the hand to the second prince instead of the first princess, then Andra would not be able to avoid the marriage. Just as the first princess married Airak to solidify her influence, so Andra will have to marry the second prince to further strengthen her household’s strength.

“Don’t worry. Because I am confident that I will take good care of my share. It’s not going to be anyone else’s matter in Avellin.”

“If you say so…Then all right.”

Ansel waved his hand once, then loosened his grip. He looked at the now darkened sky as the orange glow faded and turned his steps away. It was time to go. Andra also followed Ansel to the entrance of the academy to see him off.

“Oh, I almost missed the most important news.”

Ansel, who was riding in her carriage at the entrance to the academy, opened his mouth hastily.

“Important news?”

“Right now, the Morgennis border is noisy. It seems that there is a problem between the Margraves, so Her Majesty is considering who to send, the Princess or the Prince. If the Prince goes, you will have to prepare to some extent.”

“Ah oh…”

Morgennis border? Andra shut her mouth for a moment and blinked.

Wait, the Morgennis border is in the southwestern part of the country, isn’t it?

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