“I had someone follow him, and there were indeed some suspicious movements in his routine. He disappears to an unknown location from time to time.”
“Really?”
“Yes. However…”
Diana brightened at the news, but Mizel’s expression remained somber. After hesitating, she sighed and continued.
“I tried to have someone find out his destination, but the duke is heavily guarded, and most of his guards are highly skilled. The ones I sent to follow him have narrowly escaped death several times. So, I’ve ordered everyone to pull back for now. I’m sorry.”
“No, it would be a greater loss to lose well-trained guild members over this. You did well.” Diana reassured the downcast Mizel and quietly fell into thought.
If he’s going to such lengths to cover his tracks, it means whatever he’s hiding must be significant.
This confirmed that Duke Findlay was indeed concealing something. For now, just confirming that this was a significant gain, especially since Rebecca has begun resuming her public activities more vigorously.
But for now, saving Prince Elliot comes first. Thinking of Elliot lying in bed, looking almost like a corpse, darkened Diana’s expression. She bit her lip hard.
…Could this be Rebecca’s doing?
Elliot’s symptoms were markedly different from before her regression. Previously, his illness had been a simple ‘disease,’ but in this life, it had become an incurable condition with no known cause or treatment. Could Elliot’s worsening condition truly be a coincidence caused by her regression?
Diana’s mind flashed between the current situation, where Kayden was gaining influence, and Rebecca, who had been biding her time but was now expanding her activities once again. It’s not an entirely implausible theory. The problem is figuring out how she managed to do this to Prince Elliot…
Hearing about his symptoms from the palace doctor and observing Elliot from a distance wasn’t enough to be certain of anything. After much deliberation, Diana decided that she would have to take a slight risk and examine Elliot herself. Only by identifying the cause could she find a way to treat him.
Even if it’s not for Kayden’s sake, I have to save him this time. It wasn’t because she feared that the nobles who supported Kayden through Elliot might waver if Elliot died.
“You don’t have to struggle alone. We may not be much help, but we are family.”
It was because Diana now considered Elliot someone precious.
…Family. Perhaps this is what it means to call someone family.
A determined resolve flashed in Diana’s eyes. Mizel, who had been standing quietly to avoid disturbing her thoughts, added more information.
“And, Master.”
“Yes?”
“There are others tracking Duke Findlay besides us, so I investigated them instead of the duke. And…”
Diana tilted her head at Mizel’s hesitation, not understanding why she seemed so reluctant to speak. It’s probably Kayden’s people.
Since Rebecca and Duke Findlay were closely connected, Diana thought little of it. But the words that came next from Mizel’s mouth were entirely different.
“One group is from the third prince’s subordinates, and… the other is from the first princess’s subordinates.”
“…What?”
* * *
Tap. Well-manicured nails slowly tapped on the table. Rebecca rested her chin on the table, deep in thought. Opposite her, Ludwig leaned back on the sofa, staring out the window, lost in contemplation.
As expected, he’s not easy to deal with. Rebecca frowned slightly as the report from her subordinates who had just returned to her echoed in her mind.
“The duke’s guards were more skilled than our men… I’m sorry.”
After returning to the palace, Rebecca tried to uncover the exact location of Duke Findlay’s laboratory to find out what he was up to. But the duke was not an easy target. He was protected by nearly dozens of guards, making it difficult even for Rebecca to track him unnoticed. Of course, the subordinates who brought her this news had already been reduced to a handful of ashes. There was no reason to leave any loose ends after failing to follow the duke.
It’s still too much for now.
Recalling Duke Findlay’s arrogant demeanor in the forest, Rebecca clenched her jaw. She tightened her fists so hard that her nails dug into her palms, trying to regain her composure. Soon, her light green eyes turned icy cold.
It’s useless to ask mother for help, especially since she doesn’t get along with grandpa.
The first concubine had never forgiven Duke Findlay for forcibly removing her from the position of heir. However, their shared goal of making Rebecca the empress kept them in cooperation.
There must be another way…
While Rebecca pondered how to uncover Duke Findlay’s secrets, Ludwig was deep in thought, staring at his faint reflection in the window.
This is strange. Elliot’s image, collapsing pathetically during the hunting competition, replayed in his mind. No matter how much he retraced the events before and after, he couldn’t figure out who had targeted Elliot. If it had been Ludwig or Rebecca, they would have done it more subtly, slowly, giving Elliot a false hope of recovery before finishing him off.
None of my or Her Highness’s men would have dared to act so recklessly.
It didn’t add up to think a subordinate had acted on excessive loyalty and acted on their own. Ludwig and Rebecca had never tolerated such presumptuous underlings.
The fact that he couldn’t figure out the ‘reason’ was what bothered Ludwig. He continued pondering over Elliot for quite some time before finally shaking his head to clear his thoughts. Well, since it’s confirmed that it has nothing to do with our side, this is an opportunity. His light green eyes, so similar to Rebecca’s, gleamed sharply.
Elliot was, after all, someone who had to be eliminated for Rebecca to ascend the throne without any obstacles. Though he was weak, he had gained considerable favor and used that favor to support the powerful third prince. Thus, the current turmoil among the nobles, caused by Elliot’s collapse, presented an opportunity.
Among the third prince’s supporters, there are quite a few who back him through the first prince. They believe that with the first prince’s support, the third prince could ascend to the throne…
Even if he lacked power, the roles of legitimacy and symbolism were not insignificant. The loss of support from the first prince, a member of the imperial family, and the empress would be a considerable blow to Kayden. Moreover, it wouldn’t be good for him emotionally either. They were close. In conclusion, now was the right time to shake Kayden.
When a rebel seizes the throne, it becomes a revolution. But if the rebel is suppressed by the established power, it remains merely a rebellion.
If we can overcome the situation within a year, there’s still a chance. Before the idea that Kayden was the next emperor took root in people’s minds, he needed to be brought down.
Ludwig’s specialty was breaking people from the inside. Now that the large pillar supporting Kayden, Elliot, had fallen, if one more pillar on the other side were to collapse, everything else would crumble on its own without Ludwig having to lift a finger. And the identity of that other pillar was clear.
The third princess consort.
Hi, now you can purchase 5 advance chapters in here.
Ludwig, you have chosen… Poorly. 🤭