“Didn’t I already tell you that was the plan?”
“A guild that operates in a small, run-down building without any employees? People must be crazy to join such a guild.”
I wanted to say it wasn’t that bad, but I thought it wouldn’t be much different from what I imagined.
The money I had collected for half a year as guild operating funds was only 180 million ruans given by Duke Luteous. It wasn’t a comfortable situation.
I had to save as much as possible by renting an office and using the gate compensation.
“You must have noticed when you met the Marquis, but His Majesty plans to establish a Hunter Guild.”
“I know.”
“A shabby guild from a crazy princess and a guild established by the Emperor. It’s obvious which one the hunters will choose, isn’t it?”
“At first, maybe. But over time, they will come to my side.”
“Will you just sit back and watch until that happens? What if a third or fourth Hunter Guild is formed in the meantime? Are you planning to wait calmly then too? You have a surprisingly peaceful personality.”
If there are more guilds, the hunters will have to divide.
The problem is that the power of a guild depends on the number of guild members.
No matter how strong the leader is, if there are few guild members, there will be limits to their influence.
It was not a situation that was clearly advantageous for me, as I planned to establish a guild branch even in the Acron Magic Kingdom beyond the Taycan Empire to control its destruction.
“There’s no reason to rely on time. If you show an overwhelming presence from the beginning, that’s enough. I’m saying don’t even let them compare.”
“Ultimately, you’re telling me to join forces with the Marquis. Do you think I would do that?”
“Think smartly about what you truly need right now.”
I knew too.
The fact that if I accept Duke Luteous’ proposal, all the problems would be solved.
The issue of funding for guild establishment would be resolved, and I could become the owner of a prosperous guild.
‘And on top of that, I can deceive the Emperor.’
‘But to do that, Astel had spent 21 years in such a miserable and lonely time.’
‘No one could possibly understand.’
Every time she casually dined with Duke Luteous, the guilt weighed heavily on her.
Every time she spoke with Alex, the memories of his words to Astel haunted her, causing immense torment.
Even though the servants had been dismissed, the wounds they had inflicted upon Astel were still present.
Even now, when she looked at her diary, she could still see the traces of her tears…
‘But to think that just because of a lack of money, the Emperor would turn his back on Astel’s pain and anger him…?’
No matter how much she thought about it, it just didn’t make sense.
‘You promised Astel. You promised to avenge her.’
Above all, Duke Luteous’ intentions in helping me were unclear.
It wasn’t about earning money or gaining power. So why would he want to help me?
And he wasn’t someone who would sacrifice everything for his children either.
So, his expectations of me had always been ambiguous, but now, I had a vague idea.
I fixed my gaze on Duke Luteous and asked, “May I ask you one thing? Do you have a bad relationship with His Majesty?”
“Why do you ask such a thing?”
“It seems like the reason you want to invest in me is to hinder His Majesty.”
“…Human relationships can’t always be good. There are good times and bad times.”
“Is it a bad time now?”
“It’s the worst.”
I widened my eyes. It was an answer I never expected.
Wasn’t Duke Luteous the Emperor’s closest confidant? Astel remembered it that way too.
“…Since when?”
“For the past 21 years.”
Duke Luteous’ tone was calm, but his eyes flickered like angry waves.
It was the first time the Duke had shown such emotions.
He always seemed to wear a mask of ice that never melted.
The Duke rarely showed any emotions, always hiding behind a cold facade that seemed impenetrable. But today was different. For the first time, his emotions were laid bare.
He confessed, “I intend to use you to disrupt the Queen, yes”.
I culdn’t help but question him further, “Is that all you have to say? If you truly wanted to hold hands with me, shouldn’t you at least offer some kind of explanation?”
He retorted, “Would my explanation change the fact that I am using you? Would it erase the past where I treated you with indifference? Seeking emotional appeal now is a cowardly act”
Silence fell between us.
“Leave,” the Duke commanded, turning away.
I watched his rigid back as he walked away and left the study.
Later that evening, Alex called me into the reception room. He had just returned from a noble gathering and seemed agitated.
“Why are you involved with the Second Prince?” he demanded as soon as we entered the room.
“Who?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
“The Second Prince. He claims to be in a relationship with you. Do you know how embarrassing it is for me to be asked about it by everyone I meet?” Alex’s frustration was evident.
Who started such rumors? Aside from the Master at SeMOI, no one else knows that we’ve even met.
“I should meet with Verman soon,” I thought to myself.
Alex walked over confidently and took a seat on the sofa, while Genia discreetly prepared some tea .
“You’re meeting with the Second Prince knowing what kind of person he is? Well, you wouldn’t know anything, having been cooped up in the mansion. You probably can’t even recognize a person’s face and have fallen for him like other noble ladies do,” Alex remarked .
“Yeah, he’s quite handsome,” I replied casually .
“Snap out of it! Looks are all he’s got! The rest of him is a mess!” Alex snapped back .
“Well, you’re a mess in terms of looks too,” I retorted .
“Hey! What’s wrong with my face…ugh, never mind. I didn’t come here to argue. Anyway, the Second Prince is not an option. I’d rather meet the First Prince,” Alex stated .
“I could just meet anyone I wanted to? Was I that charming?” I asked sarcastically .
As I blinked excessively while saying that, Alex’s expression contorted as if he had bitten into something sour .
“…Don’t go doing anything crazy. Don’t drive me crazy,” Alex warned .
“I’m already driving you crazy,” I replied .
“Stop playing around and listen seriously. Do you remember the gathering I attended today? The one led by the Yggdrasil under the First Prince’s command,” Alex explained .
“And?” I asked .
“The First Prince asked about the connection between you and the Second Prince. Apparently, he has shown interest in you,” Alex revealed .
“Does that make sense? When did he even see me?” I questioned .
“Do I look like I know? The important thing is that the future Crown Prince mentioned it,” Alex insisted .
They must have obtained a ranking list from somewhere. That’s probably why they suddenly became interested.
I sipped my tea, pursed my lips, and set the cup down.
“Is that certain?”
“What? That His Majesty will appoint him as the Crown Prince?”
“Yeah ”
“Well…honestly, there’s been some uncertainty since the Second Prince became a Hunter, but the nobles’ support for him is solid. Unless Father withdraws his support for the Second Prince, it will eventually be His Majesty who appoints the First Prince.”
“Yes, that’s right. As long as Father doesn’t support the Second Prince, ultimately it will be His Majesty who will become the Emperor.
“Does the Duke not support either side?”
“That’s why the situation has become a bit strange. Until now, those who received support from the Luteous family have been appointed as the Crown Prince.”
The weighty figure of the Duke of Lutierus still lingered in my mind, refusing to fade away.
“Why does it keep bothering me, I don’t understand.”
I sighed irritably.
“Do you know what happened between His Majesty and the Duke?”
“If you’re asking, it’s not me, right? At least you should tell me the timing.”
“About 21 years ago, there seems to have been an incident, around the time I was born. I was curious if you knew anything about it.”
Alex suddenly fell silent.
The expression on his face, which had seemed hardened for a moment, soon changed as if he found it ridiculous.
“…Are you stupid? I was two years old at that time.”
“Oh, right. You kept talking about the old days, so I mistakenly thought you were older. Sorry.”
“Wait, let me think about it.”
“There’s no need to go that far….”
Alex turned his back and looked out the window. When the atmosphere, which was out of place for him, began to send shivers down my spine, he spoke up.
“Could it be that incident?”
“What incident?”
“I heard about it too. When Father went to war, Her Majesty held a party to wish for his victory.”
“So?”
“At that time, Mother was pregnant and not in good health, but she had no choice but to attend.”
“Why?”
“His Majesty ordered all the nobles in the capital to attend.”
“Did the Duke not know?”
“What could he do on the battlefield? He only found out after Mother passed away.”
“How did he react?”
“They say he was the same as usual. Didn’t even bat an eye, so everyone criticized him. It seems like he lost not only his sword but also his emotions after Mother passed away.”
“This is it!”
As soon as I heard it, a strong intuition washed over me.
That incident must have been the cause that worsened the relationship between the Duke of Luteous and the Emperor.
