Chapter 690

Chapter 690

Chapter 690

"Well, this is a surprise, such an illustrious guest has graced us with their presence."

"You must have known I would come, yet you jest so well."

Myra El Herne retorted coldly.

"No, truly, I had no idea. Knowing this is the Herne's front yard, I anticipated someone from your side would come, but to have the First Princess herself as the first visitor, and unannounced at that, changes the story."

Kishiar's words slightly moved Myra's eyebrows.

"I regret not being able to inform you before my visit. But considering the Duke himself stirred a massive storm in Charloin without any forewarning, a bit of rudeness on my part might be understandable, don't you think?"

Her words were cleverly crafted. While acknowledging her own fault, she subtly referenced the sudden turmoil caused by Kishiar and the Cavalry. The word 'storm' she deliberately chose seemed like a reprimand but actually conveyed admiration, softening the mood.

That single phrase gave Yuder much insight about her.

Firstly, she was certainly not just a delicately raised noble lady.

Her demeanor felt more direct than expected.

And most importantly... it seemed she bore no anger or malice in her approach.

'So this is the kind of person she is.'

Previously, there hadn't been a chance to understand her character, making this interaction surprisingly refreshing.

"So, you're saying you're here not because of that 'storm'?"

"Officially, yes. Among the idiots caught by the Cavalry was a relative of mine."

Myra used the harsh term 'idiots' nonchalantly, her expression unchanging, showing her sincerity.

Kishiar's eyes deepened with interest.

"And unofficially?"

"Frankly, what the Cavalry does with that idiot is none of my concern. My urgency stemmed from feeling the need to meet and converse with the Duke and the Cavalry before the Second Prince."

"If it's just a family issue, it seems unnecessary for our Cavalry to intervene. Why must we have this conversation now?"

"Hern is currently deliberating how to handle the Cavalry in light of this incident. While some believe we should use this opportunity to eradicate the troublemakers in the South, others strongly oppose such action. I am among those who advocate for cooperation."

"Hmm. All I did was destroy one fighting ring that mistreated the Awakeners, and yet everyone is taking it so seriously. We're already busy recruiting new members. Why not just leave things as they are, as we have been? I'm not particularly concerned about the 'troublemakers in the South' or anything of that sort."

Kishiar shrugged nonchalantly, laughing like a carefree man, seemingly uninterested in the serious matter Myra presented.FiNd updates on n(o)/velbin(.)com

Myra's eyes fleetingly showed surprise, perhaps not expecting such a response. It seemed she expected her straightforward offer of alliance would be immediately welcomed.

'She's not adept at hiding her intentions or political maneuvering. Considering her age, that's expected.'

Among the young nobles of the four great ducal houses they had met so far, Pruelle and Priscilla from Tain house were the smartest and strongest in cool-headed responses. The Apeto brothers were mostly emotional and sinister, except for the gentle and kind Revlin. And Diarca's Kiolle... was embarrassingly foolish compared to the others.

‘But showing just enough of her intentions can sometimes make it easier for us to understand and deal with the situation.’

Yuder thought this as he scrutinized Kishiar's face.

It seemed unlikely that Kishiar intended to reject Myra. If they could cooperate with Myra, it would be beneficial for their future endeavors.

However, from Myra's words alone, it appeared as though Herne and Cavalry weren't collaborating, but rather, Herne was subtly offering a hand to let Cavalry handle their long-standing problems. That probably was the issue.

Cavalry couldn't appear as merely assisting Herne. Cooperation should be a process where both parties present their desires and work together as equals. The young First Princess of Herne, desiring to cooperate with the Cavalry, needed to realize this first.

Now, how would the not-yet-twenty-year-old First Princess of Herne react? If she was driven by emotion, she would leave in a cold huff. If reason prevailed, she would make a different decision. Yuder gazed intently at Myra's face.

"...I don't think that's what Cavalry wants."

After a moment, Myra's response leaned towards the latter.

"Hmm? How would the Princess know what Cavalry wants?"

"Before coming here, I researched how Cavalry handled this incident. You must have realized from the trapped Awakeners that this wasn't the only fighting ring. Considering Cavalry's past actions, it's unlikely you would stop after just one. You must be planning the next move, aren't you?"

Despite Kishiar's seemingly casual counter-question, Myra answered confidently. Her arrival here in less than a day was impressive enough, but having also grasped Cavalry's operations in that time was quite a feat. And her assumption about their next plan was correct.

"Then?"

"This time, no one suspected Duke Peletta's presence here, so you could resolve it through infiltration. But now that everything is exposed, others will try their best to hide. Without the cooperation of someone well-acquainted with this place, it might be difficult for you to proceed as you wish. If you give me the chance to cooperate, I swear I will do my utmost to assist."

"..."

"Let me be more frank. The truth is, if Cavalry steps in and I can assist, it would be a great benefit to me personally. Dealing with the nuisances of the south is what I've been most diligently working on as a potential heir of Herne."

Myra was no fool either. Clearly stating that this situation was definitely beneficial for her implied, 'there's no need to suspect any ulterior motives for my offer to cooperate.' She also decidedly lowered her stance, positioning herself as someone assisting Cavalry, not the other way around.

"But I'm not the only one thinking this. My biggest competitor, the Second Child Ashrav, likely has the same idea. If he collaborates with Cavalry first, it wouldn't make much difference to Herne and the south, but it would be a fatal loss for me personally. Therefore... I am determined to cooperate with Cavalry first in handling this matter."

"So, in essence, you want to aid Cavalry's efforts to gain an advantage in the succession competition."

"That's right."

Having said that, Myra bowed her head.

"I assume you are already aware, having heard from the owner of the Dawn Palace, but the succession struggle of Herne has been ongoing for a long time, ever since I was born. I have long hoped for her support, and we have been in contact for a while, yet I have not received a clear answer. I cannot hide the fact that my eagerness for this cooperation to succeed partly stems from the hope that it might also secure her support."

Kishiar straightened up from leaning on Yuder's shoulder, while Yuder himself stood up and moved a step back to his rightful place behind the man. Kishiar clicked his tongue in apparent disappointment.

"I thought I might get a little rest, but it seems there's no time for that."

"Could it be someone from the Herne family... Did the Lord of Charloin summon them?"

"Although the Lord here is of the Herne family's collateral line, I doubt that's the case."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because they mentioned the 'Owner of the Dawn'."

As Kishiar spoke, the door opened and a person entered. Removing their luxurious traveler's robe, platinum blonde hair, nearly identical to the Empress's, cascaded down.

At first glance, the lady appeared nobly raised. Her strong features could intimidate the viewer, yet the freckles around her eyes and lips softened the harshness. The riding outfit she wore under her robe suited her perfectly.

Yuder recognized her immediately upon her arrival.

'Myra El Herne.'

Yuder had seen her in his previous life. She was the candidate for Empress from the Herne family, proposed to Emperor Katchian.

Emperor Katchian, an adopted son, had ascended to the throne unusually quickly after only a few years as the Crown Prince, becoming Emperor without having had an Empress to be. Of course, there were whispers during his time as Crown Prince, but Emperor Keilusa's early demise reset everything to a blank slate.

The four great ducal houses fiercely contested who would sit beside the Emperor. The Diarca family naturally proposed someone from their line, while the other three houses openly criticized Diarca's excessive greed and nominated their own candidates.

Among them, the Herne family boldly proposed a direct descendant, with clear logic.

'The previous Empress was not truly our making. Herne suffered greatly due to her extravagance and various incidents, and we have struggled to cope ever since, so it is only right to give us another chance.'

Despite various events, it seemed Diarca eventually stepped back, allowing Myra El Herne to become the Empress. Naturally, her marriage to the Emperor was anything but smooth.

For reasons unknown, Emperor Katchian had suffered wounds on the night of his wedding in the Empress's Palace, similar to those of claw marks. Hushed rumors circulated the palace, suggesting a physical altercation between the two.

Thereafter, he never visited the Empress's Palace again. Whenever advised to produce an heir, he would erupt in anger, accusing the adviser of harboring treasonous intentions due to his youth.

The House of Herne was displeased, but the House of Diarca and other families were quite satisfied. This situation allowed them to propose their own candidates for the position of concubine or legal wife.

After Emperor Katchian began to cunningly assassinate or manipulate the power holders of other families, including the House of Diarca, Empress Myra's situation worsened. Since she was out of favor with the Emperor and virtually exiled, no one dared to visit her.

The Empress's Palace was always famously quiet, as if empty.

No one knew how she lived there.

Yuder, too, had almost never seen her until his death.

'I never expected to see her here again.'

To be honest, until just moments ago, he had nearly forgotten her name. But upon seeing her face, the memories of her from the wedding resurfaced vividly.

Kishiar, noticing Yuder's subtly furrowed brow and blinking, glanced at him discreetly yet keenly before turning his head with a smile.

"Well, this is a surprise, such an illustrious guest has graced us with their presence."

"You must have known I would come, yet you jest so well."

Myra El Herne retorted coldly.

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