IDED | Chapter 128

Episode 128

That night.

Serena, Azaid, and their group held an emergency meeting at the Gordon Trading Company’s office. The documents Pai had brought caused an uproar.

After hearing the full situation, no one spoke first. It was a dire matter, yet one that couldn’t be handled recklessly.

Then, breaking the heavy silence, Jack slammed the table with an excited expression.

“At this level, shouldn’t we just arrest him immediately? Why the hell do we need to be cautious?”

“Because copies hold no legal power.”

“Then we should at least capture him and beat the truth out of him.”

“The Duke isn’t an idiot. Do you really think he’d just confess? He’d claim the documents are forged, and we’d end up facing backlash instead.”

“So what, Lily? Are you saying we should just sit back and watch, even though we know what he’s planning?”

“Who said we should just watch? I’m saying we need to think this through. And you need to control that temper of yours, Jack Gordon.”

“And you need to stop pretending to be so calm and composed. It’s pathetic.”

“Jack, Lily! Enough, both of you. Things are tense enough without you making it worse.”

Leonard stepped in to mediate, and Jack and Lily turned their backs to each other, fuming.

Pai, despite having caused the commotion, simply lay curled on Serina’s lap, yawning.

Serena’s expression wasn’t great either. The Duke had been plotting treason—and in the most brutal way, with meticulous preparation over a long time.

“So all the bloodshed in the Imperial Palace was part of his plan.”

Before Azaid became Emperor, the palace had been filled with numerous princes and princesses. The late Emperor had taken many concubines to maintain harmony among the nobility, resulting in a large number of siblings.

However, contrary to his intentions, this policy only fueled rivalry among noble factions.

Each faction secretly fought to put their own blood on the throne, leading to the infamous Prince’s Rebellion.

Every Crown Prince or Crown Princess met an unfortunate end. Not just them—even those who stood out slightly were brought down by a coalition of nobles.

Azaid had been excluded from these power struggles because he lacked the Croten’s Power and therefore had no claim to succession.

What they had thought was merely a political struggle turned out to be an elaborate scheme orchestrated by the Duke.

“Azaid was the easiest to eliminate, so he was put on the back burner… because the Duke planned to set up a puppet emperor.”

The reason he was so desperate to make Ophelia Empress was likely because, upon Azaid’s death, she would inherit the right to succession.

Instead of staging a coup, he planned to become a royal in-law and transfer the throne to Greenwood naturally.

“But he didn’t know… that Azaid possessed power rivaling the first Emperor.”

Serena pressed her tongue against the inside of her cheek. Just the thought of what might have happened if the Duke had discovered Azaid’s power sent a chill down her spine.

He would have cut down the threat early to eliminate any risk.

Serena still resented Raffaello for acting alone, but she couldn’t entirely blame him—after all, thanks to him, Azaid had remained hidden and was now the last surviving royal.

And the Duke’s plan had started to fall apart the moment Azaid revealed his power. If it had been right after his awakening, things might have been different. But now, Azaid had full control over his abilities, making him too formidable for the Duke to handle recklessly.

“That’s why he created that poison… to drive Azaid’s power into a rampage.”

They had already confirmed that the potions from the laboratory could either weaken or destabilize power.

Originally, they had planned to expose the Duke using the research lab incident, but now it seemed that wouldn’t be enough. Just then, Azaid spoke.

“Now that we know he’s plotting a rebellion, we need to find solid evidence and take him down completely.”

“Attacking Greenwood, the head of the great noble families, won’t be easy in a short time,” Lily added.

Leonard continued, “We must secure the original documents, rescue Nocturne, and prepare to strike the Duke—all before the Founding Festival.”

“If anything goes wrong, the Duke might flee,” Lily said.

As she and Leonard continued exchanging ideas, Jack ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Trying to keep up with all these plans was overwhelming for him.

Serena carefully considered their discussion. Nocturne was imprisoned in a Greenwood-owned villa—only a direct descendant of Greenwood could enter freely.

Just then, someone came to mind, and Serena turned to Azaid.

“Your Majesty, what do you intend to do with the Greenwood family?”

“They plotted treason. They must be eradicated.”

“But the Greenwood family has a long history. If the noble house that unites the great families suddenly disappears, it will create chaos.”

“I can’t go easy on them either. It’s crucial to set an example so no one dares to rebel again.”

“Then why not impose a heavy punishment while also establishing a justification to keep the family intact?”

“How?”

Azaid gazed at her intently. As Emperor, he couldn’t afford to be indifferent about this matter. His usual lazy demeanor was gone.

Serina calmly explained, “If a new leader removes the rot from within, the Greenwood family can survive. Someone like a direct descendant who might already resent the Duke.”

“You mean… working with Ophelia Greenwood?”

“But isn’t there a chance she’s on the Duke’s side?” Lily questioned.

Serena replied confidently, “No, she wouldn’t be. She’s a direct descendant of Greenwood and takes great pride in her noble lineage. If she had known about this, she would have tried to stop the Duke.”

Hearing her certainty, Leonard asked, “How can you be so sure?”

“According to Lydia’s latest information, the Duke and Ophelia have completely fallen out. And the reason? Because he refused to punish James Greenwood.”

“If she’s started to oppose the Duke’s actions, that’s a good sign. Until now, she had always seemed to follow his words without question,” Lily admitted, her stance softening.

Serena nodded, “Exactly. Even when I met her recently, she seemed different. It’s worth approaching her.”

She recalled Ophelia at Lydia’s wedding. Though Ophelia had an air of arrogance, she didn’t seem the type to turn a blind eye to illegal acts.

Even when James behaved rudely, she had tried to maintain her composure. That was proof of her noble upbringing.

Serena’s voice gained confidence. “I’ll make contact with her. I happen to be invited to the Marsala Salon, where she’ll be attending.”

“I received an invitation as well,” Lily noted.

With the Founding Festival approaching, Lily had also entered the capital. It wasn’t often that the Shield of the North appeared in the city, so invitations flooded her way.

Serena smiled. “I’d feel much more confident if you joined me.”

“I’ll escort you on the day.”

“You? Personally?”

“I’m used to escorting people.” Lily shrugged.

She was well known in high society as a charismatic woman. With her tall and slender figure, she looked stunning in trousers, making her a fashion icon.

Realizing she was about to be escorted by someone so famous, Serena scratched her cheek.

“Then, for now, we should gauge Ophelia’s stance.”

“Are you planning to use Lydia Vincent?”

“No. Lydia isn’t suited for such tasks—she’s too timid. There’s someone else more fit for the job.”

“Who?” Lily asked.

Serina scooped up Pai from her lap and held him close.

“Right here.”

Meow.

The cat—Pai, or rather, Dorothy—let out a small cry, as if in agreement.

Everyone nodded. No one could get close to Ophelia as easily as Pai could.

“If all goes well, this might even help us rescue Nocturne.”

That night, Ophelia returned to her room after yet another argument with the Duke.

“Something feels off.”

She couldn’t understand why the Duke wasn’t punishing James despite his incompetence. It was almost as if he wanted James to act out.

Normally, she would have comforted herself by holding Dorothy, but the cat was missing.

As Ophelia rubbed her aching forehead and opened the door—

Meow.

A familiar, beloved voice reached her sensitive ears.

“…Dorothy?”

Surprised, she looked around, and from behind the curtains—Dorothy peeked out.

“Dorothy!”

Ophelia embraced Dorothy as if she had never frowned before. She had assumed the cat had disappeared forever after vanishing shortly after claiming Leo as its owner.

She had been especially disheartened when Dorothy left the very next day after she had put the bell back on its collar. Stroking the cat’s back, Ophelia gently scolded it.

“Where did you go? I was worried.”

Although it was natural for an animal to disappear without a word, she couldn’t help but feel a bit resentful.

Meow.

Dorothy pressed her paws firmly against Ophelia’s arm before stretching out her neck.

“Hmm?”

Only then did Ophelia notice a note tied around the cat’s neck. She tilted her head in curiosity. Upon realizing that it was a message addressed to her, her expression hardened.

[I request a meeting at the third pergola in the Glass Garden of the Marsala Salon. -R]

“R?”

Ophelia stared at the mysterious initial and immediately thought of Leo.

N/ The pronunciation of the letter “r” and the letter “l” is similar in the Korean language.

‘He doesn’t seem like someone who would be invited to the Marsala Salon. And besides, that family is…’

Tapping the note lightly with her fingers, Ophelia fell into contemplation.

But after a moment, she smirked. She suddenly recalled how flustered he had been last time, his eyes darting around in panic.

‘That was rather cute.’

Amused by the thought, Ophelia quickly wrote a reply on the back of the note.

[Alright. I’ll see you then.]