Chapter 312: Chapter 312

TL: Zimmings

Amidst the commotion, the emperor gently closed his eyes.

Count Brivi shouted.

“The arrogance of Lady Dubblede is too much, Your Majesty. Independence in this situation? Isn’t she threatening the imperial palace with the lives of the people as hostage?”

The nobles under the Duke of Marche reacted as well.

“Now, take back your words and apologize to His Majesty.”

“The lady is so immature!”

Leblaine glanced at the nobles raising their voices.

“I will do nothing for this empire.”

“…… What?”

“I will neither subdue those monsters that took over the empire nor fight against the temple. Whether the empire is ruined or the people die, I will not step up.”

“……!”

The nobility frowned with wide eyes.

At that time, Prince Andre, who was attending the meeting, narrowed his eyes.

‘Stupid.’

How could a single girl supress those old nobles?

When he opened his mouth, Andre’s maternal grandfather, Duke Marche called him quietly.

“Your Highness.”

Andre smiled when he was told to be cautious.

“It’s an opportunity, grandfather. If I press that girl here, wouldn’t I be able to revive the emperor’s spirit and impress the nobles?”

The interrogation incident has already changed the view of the nobles who see Adrian.

There were not one or two people who praised him.

At this time, he have to step up and erase Adrian from their heads so that nothing annoying will happen in the future.

Duke Marche frowned.

“If you add words to this, you have a lot to lose.”

“Why would that miserable girl affected me?”

Prince Andre, who cut the Duke of Marche’s words, said.

Then Adrian, who was sitting opposite him, narrowed his forehead.

“Don’t insult her.”

Andre smirked and folded his arms.

“Did you think the lady is still a child? Why are you defending her?”

Leblaine’s gaze turned to Prince Andre.

Andre shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s not that I don’t understand the feelings of infants and young children. But a girl of that age…… how can you not understand the sensitivity of young ladies?”

“…….”

“But she’s acting recklessly, it’s no different than-!”

“Count Brivi sent three people to Dubblede Territory under his orders during Duke Vallua’s reign. My brother, Isaac Dubblede, was badly wounded by their sword.”

Count Brivi’s face went red.

“Oh, that’s…!”

“Count Chenus agreed when the temple went out for Dubblede. If we hadn’t stopped it in advance, we would have been punished under false accusations for trying to summon evil God.”

“…….”

“The Marquis of Nodelli sent an assassin to my father’s carriage. It’s terrible just to imagine what would have happened if they had succeeded.”

“……!”

“The empire is like that. Often, the noble are aiming for Dubblede for their advantage.”

Leblaine asked, staring at Prince Andre.

“Do you think I can’t even resent them?”

“It was inevitable because of the temple-”

“Your Highness, please admit it. All of this didn’t happen because of the temple alone.”

“Yes, I admit that Dubblede was frequently said as evil and the nobles were overly wary. But lady, think about it.”

Andre spread his arms and continued speaking.

“If you deal with the temple that rebelled against the Imperial Palace on this occasion and prove Dubblede’s loyalty, the nobles will no longer be overly wary of Dubblede.”

“No, Your Highness. I don’t like that, so I want to be independent.”

“What?”

Leblaine looked at the people with a cold gaze.

“I hate that when I fight for the right of people in my territory, we’re called evil.”

“…….”

“I don’t like the narrow-mindedness of people slandering our land as a criminal den.”

“…….”

“I hate the empire, which has always given the modifier ‘an orphan’ to a child who courageously expressed jer opinion for the world.”

“…….”

“I want my beloved family to be independent because I don’t want the people we have to protect to be hurt anymore.”

The people became silent.

Prince Andre stuttered.

“I don’t mean that…!”

“Your Highness!”

Duke Marche raised his voice and interrupted Andre.

If he provoke Leblaine here, everyone will know what other nobles did to Dubblede.

Andre shut up at the gaze of his grandfather.

Leblaine bent down.

“Please make a wise decision. So that I won’t be swayed by emotions.”

***

Leblaine and Dubblede were discharged, and the nobles told the emperor.

“Independence is impossible.”

“How can you not say anything, Your Majesty!”

The emperor slammed the table and said.

“Is there any other way? Is there any other way to stop the power of those monsters and the temple’s destiny?”

The nobles shut their mouths.

Marquis Shuheil, who had been crossing his arms, said.

“There’s no other way at this moment.”

“Is that why we have to grant Dubblede’s independence? No way! Drought is frequent in the empire. Even in summer, we can’t see a single drop of rain. When they become independent, the suppor for suwon will be cut off.”

The other nobles also nodded their heads.

“Whose influence that make the war ended eight years ago? Foreign countries and immigrants did not dare to fight us because they were afraid of the long-distance teleportation scroll created by Dubblede.”

“If the distribution network created by the long-distance teleportation scroll supported by Dubblede disappears, who will bear the loss!”

“What are you going to do with blue spinel? If Dubblede withdraws from the blue spinel business, prices will rise again.”

“Cheap blue spinel was the basis for most magic tools. If the price of blue spinel rises again, the power of the magic tower that produces magical tools will shoot up.”

“More than that…”

Edgar Shuheil, the son of the Duke of Marche, continued.

“Lady Dubblede’s power is too amazing.”

“…….”

“…….”

The nobles coughed in vain.

Her power, seen in person or through magic tool, was truly enormous.

‘The power to stop the rain and make it fall.’

It was an indispensable power for their agriculture.

‘If she have a ghost army, she can occupy the whole world beyond the continent.’

An army that never dies have no need for them to invest thousands of dollars in national defense.

‘That great divine power also…’

It was a force comparable to the pope’s.

She could be a symbol of divine power, and someone hat can create a new religion and unite the people’s hearts.

“We can’t miss such a treasure. Absolutely.”

Most of the nobles nodded at Edgar Shuheil’s words.

“The thought of having her as an enemy is terrifying.”

Marquis Shuheil opened his mouth.

“What should we do? The Dubblede is stubborn.”

“That…….”

“Without the power of the lady, the temple cannot be defeated. What if she doesn’t defeat those monsters?”

“…….”

“The one who hold the power in this is Dubblede.”

Groand erupted from all over the room.

If they knew this would happen, they should be nice to Dubblede in advance.

Who would dare to despise her as an orphan?

The emperor, who only saw the nobles who regretted it now, was deeply troubled.

***

A few days later, I looked out the window.

The number of holy beasts was increasing.

Flying beasts often appeared in the sky of each region, and huge beast appearing in mountain ranges frequently invaded the territory.

A huge amount of holy beast appeared in and around the system.

The people trembled with anxiety. The same was true of both commoners and nobles. But thanks to this, the price of land in Dubblede rose like crazy.

“Lady.”

It was Seria.

The people at the hope mercenary guild now go back and forth from the mansion without avoiding people’s eyes.

Seria was living in Dubblede’s house.

She, who poured me the tea, asked.

“Are you really not going?”

“I’m going to. If they grant me independence. What about the temple?”

“The imperial palace is constantly demanding their attendance, but no priest show up. Won’t the emperor need to come out soon?”

“He can’t.”

I drank tea and shrugged.

Why did the temple release that large number of holy beasts?

‘It’s a threat.’

If they touch it, it will be full-blown war.

“The cardinals of the temple? What are they doing now?”

“That’s… it’s kind of strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“They say that Mina has a suspicious wound.”

“Suspicious wounds? Weren’t she injured in the war before?”

“When the pope meets Mina, a new wound is formed.”

I frowned.

“Assault… or an experiment.”

“Either way, Mina must be cornered by them.”

I blinked slowly.

Then, a light bulb in my head come out.

When I covered my mouth with both hands and laughed, the chairman who came into the greenhouse frowned.

“What are you thinking about this time?”

“A goo~d idea. Chairman, call my brothers.”

“No, you have to meet the guests first.”

“Guest?”

“There is a guest from the Imperial Palace.”

The chairman said with a firm face. I opened my eyes.

“Maybe that…”

“Isn’t this about the independence?”

I rushed out of the greenhouse. My father and brothers were welcoming the guests of the imperial palace.

‘Did Prince Andre come directly?’

He looked up at me on the stairs and grinned.

“I’ll marry Lady Dubblede.”

… What kind of nonsense is this?