CH 39

(Estiya’s pov)

I drank tea from the servant of Emperor Tereo. Tea that has been cooled to the right temperature was perfect for drinking. A gentle breeze blew and shook the golden curtains on the window of Emperor Tereo’s room. It was a peaceful landscape. Suddenly, I remembered Rodrigo, who was struggling on the battlefield. I could feel the headache entering between my forehead.

“What’s going on?”

Emperor Tereo’s voice was low and serious, but there was a tremor in it.

He was shaking.

I glanced at the box that Emperor Tereo held with his fingertips.

“Did you like the present, Your Majesty?”

“Does your father, Count Cartina, know?”

It was different. Emperor Tereo laughed outwardly, but showed a sign of blatant discomfort.

“My father is busy cleaning up monsters at His Majesty’s orders.”

You want to know why I came?

“Yes, I do not know that your family is devoted to the Empire. A lot of hard work was shown.”

Emperor Tereo raised his teacup in praise. What he meant was clear.

You are my servants, don’t mess around and crawl on your own.

“Your Majesty, my heart is no different from yours. So I picked up the box and crossed the gates of the imperial castle early in the morning.”

I bowed my head. Showing the top of the head meant surrendering to the opponent. After all, Emperor Tereo wouldn’t even see me as his opponent. I am only a young girl, without a title and even without a husband.

In the world I live in, it would be upsetting to say such a thing, but this was a world where the status of a woman was determined by the status of their parents and husband. It was a little better because I am a noble, but whether I was respected was another matter.

Especially to Emperor Tereo.

I didn’t mind because I didn’t come here to build up points for Emperor Tereo. But that seems to appear to be Kaylan.

“Your Majesty, when Count Cartina is away, he entrusts his children with the affairs of the family. Especially when he deals with monsters.”

So, me and Kaylan also have the status of Count Cartina. It meant that we should not be ignored. Tereo, an old fox who lays down and rules the empire, and the naughty lion, Kaylan, looked amazing.

“Haha, the future for Cartina is very bright. Good. Tell me what you want from me.”

Emperor Tereo then straightened his back.

“War business.”

Emperor Tereo’s eyebrows twitched.

“In the box you’re holding is a weapon that Cartina has specially made to protect you and the empire. Do you know that?”

This is a circumstance in which the Imperial family gave money to the Cartina family for weapons to be built.

“Yes, tell me.”

“Cartina only offers its goods to the Empire, Your Majesty. But it somehow showed up in the Veloki Peninsula.”

“Where’s the evidence?”

“Sir Rodrigo’s henchman is wounded.”

Emperor Tereo, who knew how to say he couldn’t believe it, was silent.

“Tell me more.”

“I want to ask a question. Why did our family’s belongings get passed over to Veloki?”

“Are you asking for an internal investigation in Cartina?”

Conversely, Emperor Tereo was nervous, but Estiya didn’t bat an eyelash.

“At the same time, it seems that the imperial palace should also hold an internal investigation.”

“Are you daring to say there must have been some looting under my watch?”

“If it wasn’t Your Majesty’s orders, that would be the case.”

Emperor Tereo stared at me and leaned against the back of the sofa. The enemy looked at me as if he were about to eat me. The pupils caught between the folded eyes had a clear border of light.

“Can you take responsibility for what you say?”

“If there is something to be held responsible for, I will take it, and if I have to hold it accountable, I will.”

“And you too?”

The question fell to Kaylan. Kaylan replied with a nod of his head.

“I will not disagree before Your Majesty.”

Emperor Tereo lifted the box. He fell into deep thought. I grabbed the cooled teacup and poured the tea into my mouth. Since I first stood in front of Emperor Tereo, my nervous mind has calmed down now.

Has my anxiety shifted to Emperor Tereo? The Emperor, who was still motionless, twisted his body as if uncomfortable several times. Read only at pm tl.

“Let’s investigate.”

After a while, he opened his mouth. The results of that investigation will be obvious. Perhaps someone in the Imperial Palace stole it.

“Please allow Cartina to participate in the investigation itself.”

Emperor Tereo’s thoughts were predictable enough. I immediately pulled out the next card.

“Cartina?”

Emperor Tereo made an expression of blatant displeasure.

“This is Cartina’s stuff. Although I have told Your Majesty the truth, if this object is used with bad intentions anywhere, it will all return to Cartina’s fault.”

“Since when did Cartina start paying attention to publicity? You are my…”

“Since Your Majesty is an irreplaceable henchman, shouldn’t we be more careful?”

I cut off Emperor Tereo’s words. It was a charge of blasphemy, but Emperor Tereo did not argue. Even he knew that the Cartinas love him terribly.

I should also know that I must not lose to him. Emperor Tereo was greedy, but not stupid. The problem is that he may be too smart.

“What do you want?”

Finally, the answer I wanted came out of Emperor Tereo’s mouth.

“Please give Sir Rodrigo the right treatment.”

“He is at war. If he makes a major achievement, I will treat him the way he deserves, and if he loses the war, he will be held accountable.”

“I believe in fair treatment.”

It was just one sentence.

Either way, the war will be won. Certainly.

I got up. Emperor Tereo stopped me from reaching out to the box. Me and him faced each other with our hands on the box. The eyes of the red eyes disappeared between the corners of the curved eyes. Emperor Tereo’s hands returned.

“I believe in Cartina.”

“Is there any possibility of that?”

In response to my stern question, Emperor Tereo released his hand and stepped back.

“Leave the box.”

Are you trying to cover this up?

As I tilted my head and looked at him with questioning eyes, Emperor Tereo laughed.

“You are a smart kid. It’s not worth giving it to Rodrigo.”

“I will listen to it as a compliment.”

Fearing that Emperor Tereo would entangle me with the Crown Prince, I hurried up and bent my knees. He didn’t catch us.

In the carriage going home, Kaylan said nothing. He had a complicated look.

“When did you grow so much, brother?”

Laughter erupted from the words that mumbled like self-talk. Kaylan didn’t care at all about why I rebelled against Emperor Thereo, or what would happen to Cartina in the future. Those worries would overwhelm him and he would not be able to act as an older brother, that was all.

“There are still a lot of things I am not familiar with.”

Kaylan lowered his arm as he rested his chin against his window. He turned his body and looked at me. It was amazing to see the two eyes that resemble me staring at me.

“Your brother will help you in anything, so don’t worry.”

The reassuring words that he said without even realizing that I was deceiving him were comforting. The sudden comfort I received in a situation where I didn’t even know I needed comfort lifted my heart like an unexpected gift.

“Thank you, brother. You helped me a lot today.”

It is said that Kaylan had personal reasons for not allowing Rodrigo to go so that the war had to end quickly, but he went to threaten Emperor Tereo in the name of the Cartina family. If it were any other house, they would have locked up the person who spoke those words in the room when they made such an offer.

It’s supportive, even being with you.

It would have been impossible without love and faith in me.

“Is there something in your eyes?”

I turned my head, fearing that Kaylan would be embarrassed if he saw me moved to tears. Now it was time to visit Rodrigo one more time.

(3rd person pov)

Rodrigo led the elite soldiers on a reconnaissance in the morning. The enemy’s army had been quiet for a few days. The people who provoked them every day were so quiet as if they were even giving up the land.

Rodrigo knew well that he had to be more vigilant at times like this. They are breathing for reorganization before they launch an attack. Rodrigo’s prediction was correct. It was when he returned from reconnaissance and had just taken off his helmet.

“General, over there!”

The sound of horseshoes roared like thunder. Smoke rose from everywhere. There were no strange signs throughout the reconnaissance. Rodrigo took the long telescope roughly. With the telescope down, his face was wrinkled in a mess.

“Crazy bastards.”

The curse came out of nowhere. What the telescope caught was the naked slaves. Adults and children ran out without carrying anything. Throughout the reconnaissance, there were a lot of people who looked like them that were annoying.

“I thought they were running away from the war…”

Rodrigo murmured. Far from being properly trained and not a soldier in the war, putting up slaves who didn’t even have weapons. ;

‘Can I call this an operation?’ ;

Rodrigo shook his head resolutely.

“Should I attack?”

Devlan frowned and asked. The others were also waiting for Rodrigo’s answer.

“They are only used as shields. Look at the soldiers standing behind them.”

Rodrigo handed the telescope to the general standing next to him. As Rodrigo said, hundreds of knights riding horses had spears pointing towards the buttocks of the slaves. The answer was self-evident. If they don’t kill the slaves, they die. He was frustrated because there was no way to end this situation. Rodrigo shut his eyes tightly.

“Keep back with as little damage as possible.”

“Are you talking about retreating?”

Asked the general with a long white beard. He was a person who made a significant contribution in small battles. He was a great general, so it was hard to believe that Emperor Tereo had given him away.

“If you leave like this, you will lose. You have survived so far!”

He was outraged. Rodrigo looked up at him and raised his lips.

“There are many ways to win a war. I chose the most efficient way.”

Rodrigo grabbed his sword. Devlan’s eyes fluttered violently.

“No.”

He stood in the way, as if he knew what Rodrigo was up to.

“I have to take great risks to get great fruits.”

Rodrigo pushed Devlan aside. At the same time, Rodrigo handed Devlan a badge that gave full control of his army.

“Don’t leave. I will bring the head of the enemy general.”

He jumped on the horse. Rodrigo was far ahead while others took the time to understand.

“All troops watch the situation in the front. If your life is in danger, cut them mercilessly, whether you are armed or not, but useless killing is prohibited. Do you understand me?”

Devlan exclaimed. The badge that Rodrigo left with him prevented Devlan from following him.

“General Besilo, please cover His Excellency.”

He asked the bearded general. If he dies, he will not die in vain. Devlan believed he would save Rodrigo’s life at least once. General Besilo then grinned.

“You look as if you’re going to die soon. Will you hold on until I come back?”

General Besilo rode his horse and followed Rodrigo. Some knights followed him.

Devlan clenched his fists. If Gunther was with him at this time… He quickly shook his head to shake off his thoughts. The only thing he could do now was to trust Rodrigo.

(Estiya’s pov)

My father Stefan is back. Stefan was often absent these days because of the western border monster. After a long time, all of Catina’s family members gathered. Hela quickly glanced up and down at Stefan and gave him a light hug. Ether, Eyla, and Kaylan bowed their heads.

Stefan made frequent trips to the western border. Thanks to him, I was able to visit Rodrigo, but he wasn’t happy with it. What happened?

“I will be absent for the time being due to the problem of dealing with western monsters with Hela.”

Again, we wondered what had happened, but we kept our mouths shut. Instead, we exchanged glances under our bowed heads.

“In the meantime, you went to His Majesty the Emperor, Kaylan.”

I cursed the Emperor lightly inside and pretended to be holding a glass of water, observing Stefan’s intentions.

“Yes, I was there because he has done something threatening to Cartina.”

“To Cartina? Or to Erhardt?”

Stefan’s eyes narrowed. The air above his table grew cold. I put the glass of water down.

“It’s Cartina, Dad.”

I said with certainty. Stefan’s eyes, which had been filled with annoyance, slowly ceased.

“If it’s our Estiya, then it will be like that. But Estiya, I am worried.”

I tilted my head.

“Dad, I’m afraid that you will stand at the tip of His Majesty’s sword in the absence of Mom.”

What the hell did the Emperor say to make Stefan so worried? After all, he is like an old fox.

I really didn’t like it. After that, Stefan continued to nag us for a long time. At the end of it, we were told that the condition of the monsters on the western border was not serious. ;

The western border, the western border. I kept muttering without even knowing I was repeating it.

“Estiya?”

Eyla looked at me. I closed my eyes and smiled.

“You can’t go to the western border just because you are so curious.”

Why did you think I wanted to go?

But I nodded my head to reassure Eyla.