CH 138

There was a separate entrance to the Empress Palace for carriages from the main palace. Lyle, returning from the first trial against Duke Lance, looked back thinking that the second entrance to the Empress’s Palace was somehow noisy.

“… … Is Empress still in her residence?”

“It seems that guests came and talked for a while.”

At the words of the servant, Lyle nodded.

He had asked the Duke of Card to look after Medea, knowing Luke would come instead. Unlike the Duke of Card, he seemed to have a special affection for his sister.

Lyle was realizing that her father had no interest in Medea. He had previously thought that Medea had only distanced himself from the Duke in order to win his favor, but was only now learning that he was not kind to Medea.

Normal parents would go and check on their daughters at least once after their child uncovered an assisination attempt in their own palace. A normal parent would go find the emperor and demand answers and ask him what’s going on.

Her father wasn’t a low-ranking aristocrat who would be scared to gain the attention of the emperor. Instead, the first thing he asked was, ‘Did the child miscarry?’ Although he was worried about Medea, his reaction to prioritizing the unborn child in her womb was odd.

It was after that interaction, Lyle was able to look at the actions of Duke Card with different eyes.

In Lyle’s childhood he had at least a mother, but it occurred to him that Medea had no one.

The day he first met Medea, Lyle was also young, so he did not notice her situation. Looking back through his now grown-up eyes, the Duke’s gaze towards his daughter was full of indifference.

There was a pang of guilt. But what good was it to regret now? He didn’t know what to do… … He even felt a little sorry for Medea. Even so, her actions were not justified.

‘I will not be tied to old pain and restrain myself from loving you.’

***

He went through the corridor of the Empress Palace and entered the drawing room where Medea was. She was already informed through her handmaiden that the trial would be done by now.

“Your Majesty.”

Medea rose from her seat and greeted him with a bright smile. When Lyle saw that figure, the tiny lump he felt in his throat had melted away.

“You didn’t wait long, did you?”

He approached and kissed Medea’s forehead. Feeling pampered in his arms, she said,

“It was not long when I heard you were coming.”

“That’s a relief,”

he remarked and glanced at her maids and attendants. They quietly bowed their heads and left the drawing room without a sound.

Hearing the door closing, the two went to the sofa and sat down.

“The Duke of Lance… … ?”

“He still insists on his innocence.”

The evidence was solid, as he had been captured before he had the chance to get rid of the evidence. But Duke Lance seemed convinced that he had a hole through which he could escape. Or was he expecting someone to help him escape?

“Although most of his power has been lost due to this incident, the trial will be prolonged because he is distantly related to the imperial family.”

Archduke Rowendale never returned from exile, so the only option left to save the Duke was to have him escape from prison.

But they were not as foolish as the Duke of Lance.

“In the meantime, he might try to murder the Duke in prison.”

“I think so too.”

The duke was an easy man to manipulate to do one’s bidding but he was not necessary for Archduke Rowendal plans. Therefore, assassination is the most convenient and rational choice.

‘For now, Lyle assigned protection, but… … Even if you die, it’s not bad. It might alert the Marquis of Bermon that if they side with the Archduke they will end up like the Duke of Lance.’

If it’s a novel, it’s a conspiracy that came out in the beginning, so it was most likely that the culprit could not be caught and the Duke of Lance would be murdered in prison. The unavoidable plot of romance fantasy.

‘I know who the final villain is, but I can’t get rid of him yet! What a shame!’

Medea frowned as she recalled Archduke Rowendal would be receiving reports on the situation in exile.

Archduke Rowendale did not appear until long after Medea’s funeral.

However, Seira, the main character, has already come to the capital, and a plot from the original has also surfaced. Archduke Rowendale may have also felt the threat of Medea’s pregnancy and was now determined to soon return to the capital.

In this case, Seira was of no help other than finding the spies who infiltrated the Empress’s Palace. It was also the part that she paid attention to because the main character had a good sense but was not Seira’s active part in the original novel.

In a world where Seira is still the main character, things will probably continue to happen. After all, this world will be moving to lift up Seira.

“The Empress, what thoughts are keeping you preoccupied in front of me?”

“Ah, that… … Archduke Rowendal! Since Duke Lance failed, I’m wondering if he’ll think of coming back… … .”

“If it’s my uncle, he would be planning as much.”

Lyle was convinced that he had been scheming to return from his exile from the beginning. Even in the worst case of the Duke of Lance accusing him, he wondered if he had purposely gone into exile to make an alibi that he was unable to instigate the Duke.

“Even so, it is not something the Empress should worry about right now. For now, all you need to think about is your health and our child who will grow up,”

Lyle said softly as he hugged her waist. Medea laughed.

“What about your Majesty?”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Your Majesty also takes care of me.”

Medea smiled, thinking she was adorable he poked the tip of her nose with affection.

“Can’t Emperor at least take care of three people? All the people of the Empire rest on this shoulder.”

“So I have to take care of your Majesty. Because everyone depends on it.”

When she spoke with a big bashful smile, there was a strange look in Lyle’s eyes.

Uhm? That look in your eyes is familiar?