Chapter 253

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to @gyunjunwon. Thank you for trying to help me! 

Anyways, it seems like what I asked last chapter about the "Eunwon" word was difficult, since I don't really have a copy of the Korean raw. But here's the update! I decided to upload it today even though it's not 'perfect' because of that certain sentence. Thank you for your understanding!

Happy reading!

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Perez closed his eyes.

Above his head, he felt the heavy weight of the crown, ornately adorned with gold and precious stones.

Perez Brivacheu Durelli, Crown Prince of the Lambrew Empire.

He also reflected on his achievements as if savoring it.

And as he slowly opened his eyes, he saw hundreds of nobles facing him.

They seemed surprised.

In the end, it seemed quite shocking that he was ascended to the position of the Crown Prince, and some of them closed their eyes tightly.

Yeah, you wouldn't have known.

No one would have expected such a future when he existed, the only illegitimate child of the Emperor who was born from the body of a maid became known to them for the first time.

They would have thought that the future of the illegitimate child will only be until he dies at the hands of the Empress before he reaches adulthood, or when he dies at the hand of Astana, who became the Crown Prince, after being lucky enough to live a little longer.

"Until I get here."

Perez opened his mouth in a low voice.

It was a voice that gave listeners goosebumps on their arms.

The nobles looked at Perez somewhere with desperate eyes.

"So many things have happened."

The Crown Prince's red eyes found those who once spoke up with Angenas one by one.

He hadn't even ascended to the throne yet, but he was a little arrogant with the attitude he showed at the Crown Prince appointment ceremony.

No one dared to oppose him.

Now that neither the Empress and the Emperor are not in place, the new Crown Prince was already the Lord of the Empire.

Perez said, as if proclaiming.

"However, in the new era to come, the mistakes of the past should not leave a stain on them. So I'm here today to sort everything out."

Finally, the time has come.

Who will be the victim of the example?

It was when all the nobles gathered here couldn't even breathe.

"Bring it."

Perez beckoned to the servants waiting at the door.

"What's that?"

The attendants were holding a total of four sheets of paper.

Just a moment ago, like the appointment letter of the Crown Prince did, each piece is enclosed in a straight frame.

"Astana Nerempe Durelli, and even Patriarch Meyes and his descendants."

Perez said, pointing to the frames one by one.

"A memorandum of their abdication of the throne."

Renunciation of the title of succession to the throne.

It was a promise not to succeed to the throne no matter what happened in the future.

It was to surrender and dedicate practically everything as an Imperial family, giving up the greatest rights given by the lineage.

"Uh, at some point..."

The nobles were appalled.

There was no time to feel the relief that they were not the target of 'cleaning up.'

It has been repeated numerous times throughout history that the new throne, or the winner of the crown, arranges other successors to the throne.

But the process was usually messy and ugly.

Many died, and in the process, there were many cases of losing the trust of the imperialists and nobles.

It was also the first gateway for 'Eunwon' to jump into the politics tangled like a spider web and defile his body.

"Uhh..."

The aristocrats were in a doldrums.

As if to looking at everyone's eyes, the abdication documents of the heir to the throne shone brightly beyond the gold-painted frame.

The Crown Prince won and made them surrender their rights without shedding a drop of blood.

It was a perfect control.

Now, the only lineage that will continue the throne to the Empire will begin with the Crown Prince in the future.

"I think we're ready to start anew."

Perez spoke with satisfaction, then pulled another document out of his arms.

"I will convey to you the maintenance of His Majesty."

It was a perfectly clerical attitude, but the nobles who accepted it were not.

"What do you mean maintenance..."

"I didn't expect the sickness to be this severe..."

Giving down maintenance meant that the Emperor's life was running out.

The nobles listened to the Crown Prince in deeper silence.

"I, Yovanes, Emperor of the Lambrew Empire, amends the following with the Imperial Decree:

First, maintain the right to inherit the Empress's family and inheritance.

Second,....."

The nobles doubted their ears as they heard the content of the following maintenance.

Maintenance was the most powerful weapon the Emperor had.

Because it was Yovanes, who was usually greedy, the nobles prepared their hearts and minds.

It was because each family had no choice but to follow the most splendid funeral in history, even though they were told to spit out a thousand golds for each family right now.

However..

"The...the Empress...?"

The contents of the Maintenance were to maintain the independent authority of the Empress, unlike before.

There was nothing that Yovanes himself could benefit from.

All of it was maintenance for the Crown Prince, his successor.

"I can't believe he was doing whatever he pleases."

"How the hell did he force to do it?"

The nobles whispered in very small voices.

Yovanes couldn't have left that kind of maintenance on his own.

The Crown Prince must have made His Majesty left with no choice.

"Who the hell is he doing that for?"

One by one, large question marks popped into the heads of the nobles.

And at some point they realized it.

From a moment ago, the Crown Prince's gaze remained on the same person as if he was so drawn to her.

"No way..."

"The Lo...Lombardi?"

But she seems to not feel those gazes.

The Matriarch of Lombardi sat still in a very casual appearance without agitation.

Thanks to this, the confusion of the nobles aggravated, and eventually, the quiet conference room began to fluctuate.

In the slightest noise, the Crown Prince said.

"Finally, I have one announcement to make."

It was clear that the Crown Prince made up his mind to put everything together perfectly today.

The aristocrats were already detonating their third consecutive bomb.

"I, Crown Prince Perez Brivacheu Durelli, declare the validity of my engagement with the Matriarch of Lombardi, Florentia Lombardi."

As a result..

Some of the nobles even puffed open their mouths as if they were going to object right away.

But that was all.

To keep their head on their neck, they had to keep their mouth shut.

Indeed, the announcement of the engagement was as perfect as everything the Crown Prince has ever done.

There was no place to dig in.

He brought down his archrival, Angenas and the Empress, and organized other successors to the throne, leaving no room for the aristocrats to think rudely.

In addition, he twisted the arm of the dying Emperor to invent a law to protect the rights of the next great Empress.

The nobles felt completely hunted without even realizing it and became stupid animals trapped in capture frames.

"This is to keep the promise between the Imperial family and Lombardi."

However, the Crown Prince threatened in a low voice, apparently not enough.

"I will not marry any other woman other than Florentia Lombardi."

With that, they also learned that the word 'I will not marry' implies that 'I will not see a successor.'

It is not the Empress's immediate resurrection, but the Crown Prince's words who will not accept any successor.

Because he doesn't acknowledge any other Empress.

So this is nothing short of a half threat.

The nobles thought at the same time.

"Those who oppose the marriage between me and the Matriarch of Lombardi are against the maintenance of His Majesty the Emperor, and will be charged with the sin of disobedience to the Emperor.

No, it was a complete threat.

It was as if he was previewing the Prince's move to start solo without a hitch.

It was then.

"Your Royal Highness."

A voice that was neither too loud nor too high rang quietly in the conference room.

"The nobility is one of the foundations of the Empire. It is also the Crown Prince's important duty to govern and persuade the nobility..."

While the Crown Prince is threatening to send hundreds of nobles in the conference room and behead them for disobedience.

Who is the one speaking right against the Crown Prince?

The Matriarch of Lombardi stood up from her seat at the eyes of those looking for the source of her voice.

"It's difficult if you just give the umpire to accept and follow it unconditionally."

This time, hundreds of eyes were turned to the Crown Prince.

It was because they wondered how the Crown Prince would be angry with Matriarch Lombardi, who responded head-on to his authority, even though he was a fiancé.

But they were, once again, surprised.

".....I must have been excited for a moment."

It was because the Crown Prince, who had been devoting himself to the nobles with his fierce eyes a little while ago, softened at once.

Is that all?

"I apologize."

"Oh, no, no!"

"Apologize? You don't even have to, Crown Prince!"

When Perez apologized, raising his head slightly, the nobles shook their hands, not knowing what to do.

And his eyes, which had settled down a little while ago, began to sparkle toward Florentia.

"I think I need to explain a little bit more."

When Florentia looked at everyone and said so, the nobles raised their ears.

"I'm not saying I'm going to get married right away. I'm thinking of having a two-year engagement."

"Why two years, Lord Lombardi?"

Florentia replied with a smile on someone's question.

"I have no intention of doing anything half-heartedly between the Imperial family and Lombardi. So I want to have someone on each side to help me with my work."

Word by word, clear and soft speech without hesitation had the power to arouse faith in the listener.

In a different sense from the Crown Prince, the tone was rather pleasant to hear.

"And it's about two years before my cousin, who will help me with that, graduates from the academy. So it will be around that time that all preparations for Lombardi are complete for me to take over the authority of the Imperial family."

"It's true."

"Certainly, Lombardi also needs time."

The nobles nodded and understood.

"And Your Royal Highness and my successors will not only inherit the authority of the Imperial family, there's also something that they will inherit from me, Florentia Lombardi."

At the words of Florentia, the faces of the nobles were wide open.

It was because one person inherited the Imperial family and everything in Lombardi, saying that the worst that the nobles feared would not happen.

What's more, Florentia Lombardi has a Gallahan clothing business that takes Chesail oil and the Imperial cash.

Gulp.

Those who recalled how great the power of Florentia Lombardi, swallowed.

"There's not just a bad thing to look at. There's definitely a good side to it."

As if ventilating the turbid air, she said with a smile.

"For example, the hospital we are building in Lombardi."

When the hospital, which is the talk of the town, was mentioned, the ears of the aristocrats were lifted once again.

"As we have decided not to break up and remain engaged, we intend to operate not only for Lombardi citizens but for the entire Empire. Of course, everyone here can use it."

"Oh!"

"What a pleasure!"

There is no family  who's fast and as sensitive to their own gain or loss as nobles.

In other words, it was easy to handle.

Florentia added with a smile on her face.

"I also plan to further expand the Lombardi Scholarship Foundation. It is true that until now, the focus has been on the art side. At least in the future, smart and talented people will not be prevented from going to the academy for financial reasons. If there is someone like that around you, you can bring them in front of me."

"Haha!"

"As expected of Lombardi!"

"You have big words!"

The aristocrats burst into laughter at the rich words of Florentia.

Florentia also laughed with them.

And through a strange crack in the laughter, someone murmured.

"No matter how wealthy Lombardi is, can you afford all that money?"

It was also at that moment that the laughter wiped out from the face of Florentia.

"Who is it?"

She said coldly as she glanced over the nobles.

"I just said that."

No wonder the frightened party didn't come forward.

A little while ago, the eyes were so cold that she seemed to be the same person as him, enough to make the aristocrats avoid eye contact even though they had no sins committed.

(A/N: The "him" here is Perez.)

When no one had come out, the Matriarch of Lombardi told everyone.

"Don't ever doubt Lombardi's abilities again."

It was a short but a bloody warning.

She overpowered the Crown Prince, who was sowing fearful energy with a single word, and did good deeds that could benefit the entire Empire. And now, she even overpowered hundreds of nobles at once.

At the same time, the nobles glanced at the face of the person sitting next to them and thought.

Perhaps they should be more afraid of Lombardi than the Crown Prince.

They nodded implicitly in agreement even though there was no sound spoken.

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A/N: The two of them are sooo bad ass! <3 I love them!