Chapter 192.2 – Setting the trap
Translator – Yue
That promise was a pact made discreetly after the two tragedies that shook Arundell.
The first tragedy took place when the Queen Mother rebelled against the new King, causing a bloodshed, and the second tragedy happened when some nobles chose Count Clovis over their King and tried to usurp the throne from the young monarch. The coup d’état failed, but much violence happened. Therefore, after these two bloody episodes, a promise was made among both parties for the sake of Arundell.
“The Queen Mother and I promised never to cause discord again, but Your Majesty, you, who reaped the most benefits from this pact, are you trying to break the promise that your predecessors agreed on after so much pain?”
Due to the civil war and the conflicts caused by the Queen Mother, Count Clovis, son of the King, had to step aside and be replaced by Igor, who took the throne. That’s what Count Clovis was referring about.
Igor laughed. “If you knew that promise so well, you shouldn’t have attempted such evil plans while cowardly hiding.”
The Count was about to explode from anger after hearing Igor’s words. Evil plans? But before he could reply, Igor threw a bunch of papers at his feet.
“These were found in your office. Please, explain to me, Count Clovis, why did you order your servant to inform you of our every single action?”
Count Clovis looked at the scattered papers, wishing they would all magically disappear. Gritting his teeth, he raised his head and gazed at Igor.
“I do not deny doing that. Yes, it’s true. I did bribe one of the servants to get inside information of the Palace. However, if you are trying to frame me of treason over that, you are very mistaken, Your Majesty. That fact that I collected intelligence doesn’t mean anything. Did I ever use it against you, to threaten you? No, isn’t that right?”
Igor grinned. “That’s not completely true. You threatened our security.”
“What do you m-“
“My wife. You tried giving the Queen medicine, didn’t you? You tried to make sure she’d never have kids, right?”
Count Clovis’ jaw fell to the ground.
His evil plans began soon after the King and Queen held their wedding reception. If they successfully made an heir, the probability of stealing the throne would vanish into thin air. That’s why he made plans and carried them on. He decided to mix anti-conceptives into the Queen’s food.
However, his efforts were all in vain. He bribed one of the court’s ladies with a ton of money, waiting for the right moment. But, for whatever strange reason, the Queen’s food and medicine were always under the heaviest security measures.
The Count had never seen anything like it.
The Queen’s meals were under the same level of security as the King’s life. He had to choice but to bitterly give up and now, Igor was well aware of his plans. Sudden chills run down his spine when he realized that Igor knew all about his daring attempts, even when he’d failed.
How did he know?
The Count was frozen in his seat, unable to utter any answer.
Igor smiled. “You also plotted with your lover, Count. You’d use Leticia Olbach, the Queen’s step-sister, to get close to me, knowing full well the hatred she bears my wife. Am I mistaken?”
The Count’s face went pale.
“Did that woman say that?” Did she say it was my idea?”
“The wife of Viscount Olbach said that once she got close to me and became my lover, she’d help you become the future King.”
Igor threw the bait and the Count was quickly trapped in it. A sitting duck.
“No! That’s not true, that woman is lying! Those were her words… that she’d seduce the King and help me steal the throne…”
Count Clovis quickly shut his mouth, but it was already too late. He’d said things he shouldn’t have, so he felt extremely uneasy.
“Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
He slid from his chair and immediately kneeled in front of Igor. Given the circumstances, he had to beg the young King as much as he could while looking for a way to get out of this situation. He could plan his next move later, once he was freed from prison.
“What you’ve heard is true, but I’ve never accepted her suggestion, not even once. She planned it all by herself. So, please, forgive my life and…”
“I won’t kill you. Not this time, at least.”
Not this time? Count Clovis was wondering what he meant by that when they King’s purple eyes suddenly darkened.
“Since you are no threat to me even if I let you live, and given that you are so useless, I’ll pardon your life. Besides, I do not wish to soil my hands at the moment. But, to let you go,you need to tell me everything you know about Leticia.”
“…Leticia?”
“Only then will I have enough reasons to set you free. If the truth is that you fell under the spells of an evil woman, then you’ll gain some sympathy. Then, I’ll settle this case by saying that only you and your brothers plotted to steal the right to succession.”
“What do you mean by stealing the right to succession?”
“If you don’t agree, then die.”
The Count thought he’d misheard for a second. This King was known for his wisdom and mercy on his subjects. It was said that he never had a hidden agenda and that he always solved issues by following the due legal process. Because of this, he was able to seize power from the Queen Mother without spilling blood in the process. He even achieved victory for Arundell in a naval war against Chrichton while maintaining as little casualties as possible.
That very same man was now threatening him.
The Count blinked a couple times, wondering if there was the possibility that he was talking with someone else altogether. But, the man coldly smiling at him was definitely Igor Cheska, King of Arundell.
“It won’t finish with just your death, Count. I’ll gather all your siblings with a right to the throne and I’ll blame them of insurgency before hanging them from their necks at the castle walls. You think I won’t dare?”
The Count thought to himself for a moment, then realized that the King wasn’t speaking empty threats. Was there ever a moment in which Igor didn’t get what he wanted? He managed to steal political power from his mother, who once seemed indestructible, and he also made Chrichton’s most powerful naval warships bow down to his will.
Achieving all this without spilling blood was the hardest method. Therefore, if Igor was willing to let go of complicated tactics to quickly get him out of the way by cutting off his neck, he’d do it without blinking.
What’s more, there wasn’t any hint of light in his dark, colorless eyes. The Count, who had gone through many things in his life, recognized this a sign of hardly suppressed madness.
“I’m sure you know the nobility will not support you once they find out you planted a spy in the Palace to learn each and every one of my movements. That would be enough to bring them to my side.”
While the Count was still dumbstruck, Igor smiled and calmly went on.
“What would you like to do? Would you like this to end with you giving up your right to succession and spilling everything you know about that woman? O would you like to throw away your miserable life because of that greedy heart of yours?”
The Count lowered his head, speechless. Just then did he realize that his plans had been ruined before he could even start.
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