Chapter 71:
“Welcome, Sir Milton! Please forgive me for only making arrangements after receiving your letter. I should have reached out first.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome, Your Excellency. I didn’t expect to meet you in person…”
“What are you saying? I’ve always wanted to sit down and have a cup of tea with you.”
Edmund’s face brightened at the courteous remark. Isaac was certain Edmund had brought good news.
“So, what brings you here? Honestly, I’d be glad even if it were for no reason at all, but since you’ve come to me in secret, there must be a reason.”
As Isaac opened the conversation, Edmund leaned forward as if he had been waiting for this moment and whispered.
“If what I’m about to say displeases you, feel free to ask me to leave at once. I won’t hold it against you and will withdraw immediately.”
“What is it that you’re hesitating to say?”
“…Your Excellency, does the Emperor’s hound not bother you?”
As expected, Isaac’s intuition was correct.
His cold blue eyes sparkled as a slight smirk formed on his lips.
“That mongrel, you mean?”
“Not just any mongrel. It’s a mutt so blinded by ambition that it devours anything in its path, whether it’s edible or not.”
“You’re saying exactly what I wanted to say. How refreshing!”
Isaac laughed heartily, nodding his head.
“That dog even snatched the position of captain of the royal guards, which should have been yours. You must have been deeply upset.”
“I’m not concerned about such things. However, I am greatly disappointed in His Majesty for keeping such a vulgar individual as a close aide while oppressing his long-standing loyalists.”
“Oh, heavens! To think such a righteous young man still exists! It seems the goddess Phara hasn’t abandoned our empire just yet.”
They quickly realized they were perfectly suited to each other’s needs.
Isaac needed someone to place near the Emperor, and Edmund needed a new patron to guarantee his rise to power.
Having confirmed this alignment, there was no need to beat around the bush.
“Sir Milton, I have a proposal for you.”
Edmund leaned in closer, as if waiting for this moment.
“I will recommend you as the vice-captain of the royal guard. The current vice-captain’s issues with gambling and women make replacing him a trivial matter.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency! What would you have me do in that position?”
“If, by any chance, the Emperor becomes uncontrollably mad… could I borrow your sword at that time? At the very least, it would be helpful if you could stall Laszlo for a while.”
Hearing a suggestion that was practically a regicide plot, Edmund showed no sign of surprise. It was as if he had been expecting such a conversation.
“If it’s for the future of the empire, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do. Leave it to me!”
His unhesitating demeanor greatly pleased Isaac.
The piece he had been waiting for was finally in his grasp.
“There’s going to be a change in the vice-captain of the royal guard.”
This abrupt announcement from Demarcus caused Laszlo to furrow his brows.
“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
“Sir Gastor has had some gambling issues. On top of that, there are also complications involving a woman.”
“Is there any noble who doesn’t have such issues?”
At this, Demarcus chuckled and pointed at Laszlo.
“There’s one right here.”
“I’m hardly what you’d call a typical noble.”
“In any case, if it were just minor troubles, I’d let it slide, but something troublesome happened early this morning.”
The vice-captain of the royal guard, Levi Gastor, was well-liked among the guards for his cheerful personality and straightforward nature. However, his impulsive behavior often led to problems.
Recently, he had grown addicted to gambling, which he initially took up out of boredom. Additionally, he had become involved with a woman who, unfortunately, turned out to be the mistress of a gambling den owner. When the owner discovered the affair, he attacked Levi in a rage, unaware of his position as vice-captain.
“The gambling den owner was killed on the spot.”
“It’s no surprise, given Sir Gastor’s skill. A common thug wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“The problem is that the owner was a subordinate of the Black Cat, a notorious underworld faction. It’s caused quite an uproar.”
The city guard intervened to restore order, but keeping someone who caused such a scandal as vice-captain would only give ammunition to those opposing Demarcus’s reforms.
Demarcus, being the type to cut personal ties for the greater good, didn’t hesitate to make the decision, and Laszlo, who understood him well, didn’t pry further.
“So, do you have a successor in mind?”
“Edmund Milton, the deputy commander of the royal knights. He’s been regarded as a future captain of the guard for some time and has strong backing.”
“Edmund Milton?”
Laszlo let out a scoff at the name.
“So, he finally got his position in the guard.”
“Seems you don’t like him.”
“Why should I like a snake like that?”
“I’ve heard his reputation is stellar. Is there a particular reason you dislike him?”
While others might not notice, Laszlo, who had been subtly undermined by Edmund, was certain of his deceitful nature.
“Anyone who can’t see through him must be blind. His eyes are those of a snake.”
“Laszlo, even you!”
Even the casual jokes made by Talon, the Count and close aide, made Edmund feel excluded.
Today was supposed to be his day to shine, yet Dimarcus sought out Laszlo no matter what, leaving Edmund to trail behind or often stand awkwardly alone.
‘Are they looking down on me? Me, who has the support of the nobles?’
Edmund suppressed the boiling anger inside him, trying hard to maintain a pleasant demeanor on the surface.
But by the evening, he could no longer resist the urge to show the difference between himself and Laszlo.
The signal came when a moderate noble who had just met the Emperor greeted Edmund.
“Sir Milton, congratulations on your elevation! I believe we met at the Radric Count’s party last time. Do you remember?”
“Of course, Viscount Brynhein. I trust your family is well?”
“Thanks to your concern, they are doing well. Come to think of it, it’s rare to see Sir Crysus at such parties. Though I did hear he attended Count Bliss’s party last time.”
The moment Edmund heard the words “party” and “Laszlo” together, the image of the Crysus estate, which was hardly fitting for a count, came to mind. It struck him that he could humiliate Laszlo without dirtying his own hands if he used it wisely.
He didn’t miss the fleeting opportunity.
“Sir Crysus seems to have started engaging in social activities. Why not host a party at your residence? There’s no better way to meet many people at once.”
Viscount Brynhein chimed in supportively.
“Exactly! Parties aren’t just about dancing and drinking. They’re a place to greet and connect with various people. Since your elevation, you haven’t hosted a party, have you? Is there a particular reason for that?”
“Now that you mention it, that’s true. Laszlo, why not consider hosting one?”
When Dimarcus also agreed after Viscount Brynhein, Laszlo’s expression subtly stiffened.
Noticing this, Edmund rejoiced inwardly.
Nuevos capítulos
Gracias Rumi
Amo tu trabajo
First of all, love this novel and the translation is amazing!!!
However, starting from this chapter the text is black, so when using the dark theme I get black text on slightly lighter black background