CH 28

‘What?’

My eyes went blank.

It didn’t matter to me whether or not Davan went down to the South.

The problem was that if Davan went down to the South, I might have to follow as well.

It is said that there’s a lot of monsters…

Just thinking about the monsters I saw in the original story made me frown.

Liquid monsters, magic monsters, mud monsters, wild boar monsters and more.

And they want me to go there? Why would I?

“Your Excellency leading the Pethion Knights, it would be best in many ways.”

The calmer Cadel’s words were, the thinner my gaze became.

“Aren’t they the best knights called the Wolves of Parillas? The problem will be much easier to solve.”

Hmm, it reeked.

Davan was the central axis of the capital’s politics, and his knights, the Pethions, guarded the center of the capital.

In other words, if Davan and the knights go down to the South at the same time…

‘Is everything really just an excuse?’

The pieces in my head came together and found their place.

Is Cadel’s real purpose the monsters, or is it to push away Davan’s forces in the capital?

The best case scenario would be if Davan dies while subjugating the monsters.

Once again, Cadel’s method of obtaining his purpose seemed great.

He was as natural as flowing water, and he didn’t leave a single mark on his reputation.

‘Outsiders must have thought it was cool.”

They would have thought of him as a leader who courageously spoke to the emperor.

As expected, the male lead would be applauded for not sparing his conviction.

Of course, all of this was when they didn’t know the real Cadel.

“But it’s the end of the year soon, so it’s time to be busy with each department’s settlement of accounts. How could you go?”

“I can assist Your Majesty with matters concerning the accounting and operation of the Ministry.”

“Really? Well, you do have experience running the government of the South.”

Even though the atmosphere turned against him, Davan didn’t say anything.

What the hell is he thinking with that robot-like look on his face?

“What would be different if we dispatched the imperial family as the person in charge?”

When I, who was sitting there with little interest, opened my mouth, the three pairs of eyes caught me in their eyes.

“The authority of the nobles and the imperial family is bound to be different.”

There was no change in Cadel’s soft tone as he spoke to me.

No, rather than soft, I felt a strong sense of persuasion. As if saying that this is not the place for the esteemed lady to intervene.

“Is that so…”

Without realizing it, I smiled a little.

It was again the animal kingdom.

“But surely it cannot be compared to the credibility of the Vernon family, which has been in direct control of the South since the time of the first lord.”

No matter what kind of rebuttal Cadel had prepared, he shouldn’t be able to deny what I said now.

For it would be a word that would deny himself at the same time as House Vernon.

“…”

Again, there was no answer from Cadel.

After a tempo break, he opened his lips again.

“There is no leader in this empire who is more accustomed to the situation of the South than Sir Vernon and who is trusted by the people of the South. That is how much bond you have.”

The same was true of this.

If Cadel denied my words, not only the long history of House Vernon would be damaged, but also his leadership.

Cadel was someone who didn’t want to leave even a scar to himself.

“So, I suppose.”

There was silence everywhere.

It was a very good environment for them to hear my voice clearly as there was not a single wind blowing.

“I think the people of the region will feel most secure when you, and not the court, protect the South.”

I added, looking straight into Cadel.

I said it in a circle, but there’s no way he couldn’t understand it.

I meant, “Don’t waste your time and know your place.”

“…”

I had no idea what he was thinking.

Because Cadel didn’t answer.

Instead, the tip of his chin looked firm, perhaps because he was clenching his teeth tightly.

‘Why in the world am I doing this?’

Suddenly, I lost all my energy.

I wouldn’t like it if I was thrown into the South infested with monsters.

But the one who stimulated me the most was the heavy monster in human disguise.

‘What, since when have you been watching?’

I happened to make eye contact with Davan. He looked at me for a very long time as if wanting to see what I was thinking.

“…!”

At that moment, I couldn’t help but panic, because a very strange smile appeared on Davan’s lips.

I look at it blankly—

“Isn’t the aroma of tea so good today?”

I heard the emperor’s voice out of the blue.

Even in the silence of the air, the emperor calmly took in the aroma of tea.

“I purposely erased all other scents, so the aroma of this tea feels even more special.”

‘What the hell are you talking about?’

I stared alternately at the tea filling my teacup and the emperor’s face.

The teacup looked gorgeous at first glance, but it was nothing special.

Is the scent that special? Sniff, sniff.

“Isn’t it? Sir Vernon.”

With a soft smile on his face, the emperor asked Cadel.

“Yes, Your Majesty. It is a fragrance that I will remember for a long time. It’s a scent I want to hide from anyone.”

Cadel smiled brightly.

“I love the ones that bloom in my greenhouse. You wouldn’t know how much effort I put into cultivating this tea leaf.”

These topics were too elegant to talk about for a while.

Like a game signal, ambiguous words were coming and going on the table.

“Whenever I see someone growing up, I always tell them.”

Blue eyes of a slightly paler color, similar to those of Davan, reached out to me.

“I’m proud of you. You’ve grown up so well.”

Ironically, at that time, I felt it.

That the emperor’s last gaze stayed on me all the time.

“Well, it’s a problem that hasn’t been solved since the previous generation, so will there be a sharp solution if only the person in charge changes to the imperial family?”

“…”

“Even the local leaders who have a strong grasp of the situation and have strong power are helpless, so another method will be needed.”

The emperor, who had only been talking about ambiguous subjects, abruptly changed the topic.

The gaze that had been on me was also cut off. He was truly an unpredictable person.

‘Well, fortunately, I’ve accomplished my purpose.’

Anyway, the nuance contained in the emperor’s words felt favorable to me.

It’s fine as long as you don’t drag me down to the South and become a food for the monsters.

Of course, there was one thing that bothered me.

Cadel was the one who would eventually be victorious.

He wouldn’t hate me or harass me for an argument like this, would he?

My eyes narrowed.

“I think you’d better ask the New Kingdom for that question.”

“To His Holiness the Pope?”

Perhaps it was an unexpected remark, Cadel replied in response.

‘What kind of person is the Pope?’

The Pope was Davan’s third brother. It was a strange combination. Beyond one’s imagination.

A series of conversations continued to ring around the round table.

I couldn’t hear anything in particular.

As the topic shifted, my interest naturally drifted away from them.

Feeling hungry, I pick up a fork to eat some fruit…

Rustle.

I heard it again.

This time it was clearer.

I wonder if it was the sound I heard before.

‘Something is unsettling.’

I put my fork down and looked around slowly.

As the emperor’s secret garden, there were no servants around, so there were only me, Davan, the emperor, and Cadel.

I don’t think there are any soldiers, but what if something happens? I frowned.

“…”

This time, too, Davan was looking at me.

If the tip of the emperor’s gaze touched me like a habit, Davan often made eye contact at unexpected moments.

‘What’s wrong?’

His lips moved quietly.

I pointed at my ear a couple of times, telling him that I heard a strange noise.

Davan tilted his head at an angle, as if he couldn’t understand what I was doing.

“It’s not a bad idea to go hunting together once in a while.”

“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”

I don’t know the details, but the conversation between Cadel and the emperor seemed to have ended.

Davan, who had been watching the situation, opened his mouth only then.

“Your Majesty. Is there anyone else in the Phantom Palace besides us?”

“It can’t be, and as you know, this place has a barrier set up with magic, so even the soldiers can’t enter.”

The emperor waved his hand as if he had heard an absurd remark.

But then it got even weirder.

Why is there a strange sound when there are no people or soldiers in the garden where there is no wind?

“There was a strange noise in the garden…”

The moment I opened my lips.

Rustle—

At the same time as the sound rang clear, the surroundings became completely silent.

The eyes of the people met with each other’s, as we sat in a circle facing each other.

“…”

Finally, this time, everyone seemed to have noticed.

The intrusion of uninvited guests.

Rustle—

I heard the sound of unfamiliar movement again in the quiet environment.

This time, everyone heard the sound, and the gaze of Cadel and the emperor went to the source.

“I don’t see anything.”

Cadel, whose corners of eyes were narrowing, murmured.