Chapter 74

Lucretius crossed his arms and waited for me. I felt like I was being judged, but I remained strong.

"A few days ago, I saw Marquis Toruka's oldest son and Princess Liliana meeting secretly."

"Hmm...? Oh, that's right. They were engaged until recently. It wasn't announced, but it was a done deal."

"Yes. Anyway, I was able to talk to Clodys in private, and I offered to make a deal with him."

"A deal?

Lucretius nodded with his arms still crossed. His eyes looked sharply at me.

I continued confidently, "It was nothing special. I just reminded him of their dangerous situation. I told him the dowager empress is in a weaker position, so they should tell me if they find the dowager empress's weakness."

"Hmm…"

"In return, we will clear Marchioness Toruka's name and restore Clodys des Cornell's position as the heir to Toruka family. I also promised him a marriage to Princess Liliana."

Lucretius frowned deeply.

Before he could criticize me, I continued quickly, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I wanted more progress before letting you know. If you don't approve of it, then I will tell them the deal needs to change."

"… So that was why you asked me to stop Liliana's current marriage plan."

"Yes. I needed them to think I have the power to give them what they want."

"You are right."

He became silent and contemplated. I felt very nervous.

Lucretius asked, "Are you sure you can trust them?"

I didn't have to think before answering. I shook my head immediately.

"No."

He asked in amus.e.m.e.nt, "If you don't trust them, then the deal won't work. I would be afraid for them to bring us false information about the dowager empress."

This was true. I thought the same myself.

I admitted it easily and replied, "That's true."

"Then why are you going with it?"

I hated the fact I had to explain my actions. It felt like I was being judged.

I pushed down my anxiety and frustration as I continued, "What I trust isn't them, but their desire and selfishness."

"Oh?"

Lucretius smiled brightly. He always acted this way when I gave him an unexpected answer. It was as if he was my teacher, and I was taking a test.

… Hmm. I supposed this was true. Basically, he was like my employer. Right now, I was getting my work checked and confirmed by him.

"It wouldn't have worked if I tried to convince them by appealing to justice. To defy the dowager empress because she is cruel, and you would be a better ruler? No way. They would never listen. If they did, I wouldn't trust their words."

"…"

"So I told them they can wait till they are sure the dowager empress would lose. At that time, they should bring us a piece of key information that will help to expose the dowager empress. This way, they have nothing to lose."

"Their answer was?"

"Obviously they said yes, and that is why I am telling you all this."

"I guess you're right."

A long silence fell. I began to feel even more nervous.

Just when I couldn't take it anymore, Lucretius smiled smoothly and said to me, "Alright."

He allowed it so easily that I felt annoyed.

"Really?"

"It's definitely not a bad plan as long as we are aware that they can't be trusted."

"That's a given."

"Yes. It's a good idea to have people close to the dowager empress on our side. I do agree that they are desperate, and we can give them what they want. I don't know about Liliana, but Marquis Toruka's son probably doesn't like his father right now.

If they help us in a major way, I can make things happen for them."

"Princess Liliana has enough reasons to help us as well. She is being abused by the dowager empress. She was also about to be married off to an old man for her mother's gain. I'm sure she wants to go against the dowager empress…"

Lucretius shook his head to my surprise.

"No."

"Pardon?"

"I'm sure she is angry at the dowager empress, but the Liliana I know won't dare to defy her mother. She is a meek child. Whenever I see her, she looks just like the dowager empress, but her demeanor reminds me of my own mother. It always made me upset."

"…"

I forgot Lucretius has known Princess Liliana much longer than me. He obviously knew her better.

He continued, "And that's why I am surprised."

"About what?"

"Even if the situation is bad, I would have never guessed Liliana would go against the dowager empress."

"It wasn't me who convinced her. It was Clodys. She may not have done it for herself, but perhaps it was easier to do for the one she loves."

"I suppose she has never known love, so when a good looking man professed his feelings for her, she must have fallen for it."

"Don't be so negative. I could see that Clodys truly loves Princess Liliana."

I didn't know what caused it, but Lucretius suddenly looked annoyed. His serious expression changed into that of a pouting young boy.

"By the way, why are you calling Marquis Toruka's son by his first name so familiarly?"

"Pardon? Familiar? When did I…"

"You did."

He was being unreasonable. I started to sweat again.

"I also called Princess Liliana by her first name."

"You called her by her rank, not just her first name."

"…"

Lucretius's frown deepened.

"Now that I think about it… You said you talked to 'him' and not 'them', right?"

I did say that, and I had no intention of lying to him now. I didn't do anything wrong!

"That's right. I talked to him after Princess Liliana left."

Lucretius's eyebrows went up sharply.

"Where was this?"

"In the main library. Why?"

He now looked very angry.

W, what? Was he really mad?

Lucretius drank a sip of water in a fit of aggression before he asked me, "So you two talked in a private deserted place? Just the two of you?"

"We just talked very briefly."

He accused me in frustration.

"Just the two of you after Liliana left!"

"…"

What the heck!

I shouted angrily, "What are you insinuating? Nothing happened! Besides, I didn't trust him, and I was very careful!"

To my surprise, he agreed.

"I know. You would have been careful."

"… Pardon?"

"I'm telling you I believe you."

"Then why did you bring this up?"

I was becoming furious. If he gave me a stupid reason, I would explode.

However, what he said to me made me speechless.

"I was just jealous."

"…"

W, what?

I felt myself becoming red.

I turned away quickly.

"Stop being stupid. We have more important things to discuss."

Thankfully, he stopped his nonsense.

"That's true."

I sighed in relief.

While I tried to calm down, Lucretius continued, "Anyway, you did well by making a deal with Marquis Toruka's son and Liliana. I was right about you."

What? What was he talking about now?

Before I could ask him about it, he continued, "Especially considering the news I heard today."

"What news?"

Lucretius smiled and replied, "The dowager empress announced that she will not attend the upcoming ball. In fact, she decided to spend her time somewhere else during the celebration."

"Pardon?!"

"She said she didn't want the noises and the crowd. She is also very pregnant and needs some time for herself, some peace and quiet."

"So where is she going? Lonez?"

"No. She hates it there." He paused, enjoying my curiosity. After a brief silence, he finally answered, "Now that the former emperor is gone, she said she wants to go somewhere peaceful to rest."

"Could it be…"

He shook his head with an odd expression.

"Not her family home. She decided to go to Girand, which is similar to Lonez. Girand was a wing where pregnant women often go to give birth or recover from it. I felt uncomfortable having her where I can't spy on her… but I feel better knowing we have Princess Liliana on our side." When I nodded, he continued, "The best thing would be for her to give birth to a princess, but… If she has a prince and openly tries to take over the throne, it might be even better. It will give us a good reason to take her down. Besides, even if it's a girl, the dowager empress won't give up."

I agreed with him. The dowager empress wouldn't give up no matter what.

Lucretius added, "Also, as long as I don't have a child, all of my sisters still have a chance to take the throne. They can't sit on it, technically, but their husbands can still become the emperor."

I was shocked. I didn't know this.

"So the princesses can inherit the throne as well?"

"It used to be not possible, but four generations ago, there was no living male heir, so they changed the law. A princess' husband can become the emperor."

"That means…"

"That's right. Until I get my own child, Liliana's husband can become the emperor. This means… Marquis Toruka's son may be more ambitious than you think."

I got goosebumps. I thought the way he looked at Liliana was from love, but perhaps I was mistaken.

"…"

So Liliana could be Lucretius's biggest competitor. This meant it would benefit Lucretius for Liliana to marry a nobody like Clodys rather than someone with more power and influence.

"…"

This must have been why he agreed with the deal I made with them. It worked out in a much bigger way than I anticipated. Then why did he ask me to explain myself in such a judgmental manner?

He was so annoying.

I replied to him sarcastically, "Well, congratulations. It seems like I brought my master two birds instead of one like a good dog."

He grinned.

"And you can even make it into three birds."

"How?"

"Give me a child. It will fix a lot of our problems."

"…"

That bastard!