Chapter 151
Proofreader: somnium
As soon as the servant could tell the news, the door opened.
Cedric came in very quietly. Accompanying him was only one lieutenant, and he had no servants.
He didn’t make a sound or say anything when he came in. However, the guests of the salon looked at him all at once.
He had that much presence.
Grand Duke Roygar hardened his face. He thought that Cedric must have been running here because he had a tantrum.
Politics is for a justification.
Cedric had no excuse to blame him. With the death of Bishop Achim, there is no evidence to link Grand Duke Roygar to treason.
But if what Cedric wanted to do was revenge rather than politics, there was nothing else he could do.
Because emotions need neither evidence nor justification.
Cedric took off his cloak at the entrance to the salon and untied his sword. And he left it to the servant and went inside.
Grand Duke Roygar brightened his expression.
“What is this, Cedric? I thought you didn’t go to salons.”
It was as if he did not know about the interrogation held at the Imperial Palace today.
Grand Duke Roygar was really determined to pretend he didn’t know anything officially.
He tried to smile. But he seldom did that.
Cedric did nothing, and he slowly approached Grand Duke Roygar and he was intimidated.
After all, humans are animals too.
As the hostile opponent narrowed the physical distance and came face to face, one was instinctively conscious of the physical difference.
Contrary to the brief, baseless imagination that ran through the mind of Grand Duke Roygar, Cedric did not distort his face.
Instead, he spoke in a calm manner.
“I have something to tell you.”
“Really? Shall we go to a quiet private room then? It’s a sudden visit, but I think my sister-in-law will be able to give you that much consideration.”
Grand Duke Roygar said in an outwardly relieved way.
Cedric didn’t seem to come to fight.
“No. It’s late, and it’s not going to take that long.”
“Then would you like to drink something? I just picked up some great sparkling wine. If nothing else, I was going to congratulate you on getting an heir, so that’s all good.”
Cedric seemed to think for a moment, then accepted the glass from Grand Duke Roygar.
“Then I will accept it with thanks.”
“Yes. You should celebrate. Since your wife is not feeling well right now, even if the celebration is delayed a little, isn’t it still a celebration? Now, it feels like Evron Grand Duchy has returned to its place.”
Grand Duke Roygar raised his glass.
Cedric did not hesitate and emptied the glass as he recommended.
And he glanced at his lieutenant. The lieutenant lifted up the ebony wooden box he was wearing on his side.
“Since you congratulate me like this, I think I can even get an excuse that what I brought was a gift in return.”
“What is it?”
Grand Duke Roygar asked, perplexed.
Cedric’s attitude was different from anything he had envisioned, and he didn’t know what to do with it.
He glanced at Marchioness Camellia. Because he wanted to know what she was thinking. But Marchioness Camellia also looked bewildered.
Cedric opened the box by hand.
Inside was a pair of dueling pistols. The two single-shot guns, made exactly the same, were elegant and beautiful, like a work of art.
Since it was in Cedric’s possession, the performance must also be certain.
“Cedric.”
Grand Duke Roygar called Cedric in a frozen voice.
He really couldn’t have given this as a gift. It’s not a gift, it’s a duel request.
Cedric closed the box cover and held it out to Grand Duke Roygar’s servant. The servant hesitated and looked at Grand Duke Roygar.
Grand Duke Roygar did not order to take it.
Cedric said to Grand Duke Roygar.
“I hate to bleed in places that aren’t even a battlefield, uncle. You don’t have to look so frightened.”
“Huh.”
Only when Grand Duke Roygar heard those words did he realize that he was turning blue. And he took a deep breath, pretending to be alright, trying to clear his expression.
However, his breath that had been blocked was not opened at once. Grand Duke Roygar made a sound as if his throat was strangled.
“Uncle.”
Cedric said in a low voice.
“I think you will understand my feelings, because you love my aunt and my cousins so much.”
“…… Cedric.”
“My uncle once told me. Anyway, we’re the closest blood relationship.”
Grand Duke Roygar looked at Cedric, not understanding what he was trying to say.
“Neither Uncle nor I have ever lived like a family, and each of us was busy protecting our lives and even our names. In life, there are a lot of things that just don’t go as planned.”
“What do you want to say?”
“I would like to tell you, even if it is late, that we should fulfill our responsibilities to each other.”
Cedric said.
“It means I will take care of my aunt and cousins, just in case. And if an emergency arises for me, I also want uncle to take care of my wife and children.”
Grand Duke Roygar’s mind was entangled.
He thought it was plausible, but there really was no way they could be such a relative.
They are of imperial blood, and power is a zero-sum game*.
The option for Grand Duke Roygar to gain Cedric’s support by attacking Artizea first became far away.
Cedric responded with treason, and now the gap between them is deeper than ever.
In Grand Duke Roygar’s head, thoughts of Marquisate Luden and Marquisate Rosan, Lawrence and Empress were mixed together.
Cedric is not a sophist. But he couldn’t take it literally. Besides, it’s the first thing that comes to mind when one pulls out duel pistols.
“Don’t be complicated, uncle. You know what I’m talking about, and you know you can trust me.”
Cedric said so.
The servant finally accepted the pistol box with a rush.
Cedric then slightly bowed his head to Grand Duke Roygar and left.
Marchioness Camellia hastily approached Grand Duke Roygar.
“Your Grace.”
“It’s the first time I’ve heard such a creepy way of saying that you can trust me.”
Grand Duke Roygar opened the pistol box again.
It wasn’t that he didn’t understand Cedric. Perhaps what Cedric meant was that if Grand Duke Roygar touched his wife again, he would use this pistol.
However, unlike his own wife, who was completely powerless politically, Artizea was an opponent that should never be left alone.
Grand Duke Roygar closed the box again. His own fingertips were trembling a little, and anger erupted.
He had never been so intimidated by anyone other than the Emperor.
＊＊＊
It was past midnight when Cedric returned home.
The walls of Grand Duke Evron’s residence were lit up brightly. It was for security.
However, when entering the wall, the main building was quiet and calm.
Ansgar greeting Cedric.
“You are late. Did you have dinner?”
“Simple one during the meeting. How is Tia?”
“She is sleeping.”
“Did she eat lunch and dinner properly?”
“Yes. She seems to feel a lot better after taking a bath.”
“That’s a relief.”
Cedric sighed.
Let’s think about tomorrow’s work.
Bishop Akim’s troubles made him feel cramped.
It was not always pleasant to hear that someone had died. Especially if it’s an assassination.
He won’t get used to it forever.
But he had to accept it. The world he had to live in is a world full of such conspiracies.
Even if he tried to run away, he knew there was nowhere to escape.
After briefly washing himself in cold water, he went to his bedroom, and turned his steps.
Alphonse was standing in front of Artizea’s room as usual. Marcus was dozing off on a bench next to him.
It was just in case Artizea’s body felt uncomfortable. Ansgar also had a doctor and a nurse stationed in the room next to her.
Cedric told Alphonse.
“Has anything happened?”
“There is nothing.”
“Good work.”
Alphonse bowed his head.
The knights who followed Cedric as escort stood next to Alphonse.
Cedric opened the door carefully so as not to make a sound.
There were only thin curtains on the window. The moonlight and the light of the torches on the wall mixed and seeped into the bedroom.
Cedric walked over to the bedside. Artizea’s eyelids moved.
Her breathing also changed slightly. She seemed to have woken up.
He sat on the bed and waited for a moment.
Artizea seemed unwilling to wake up. She seemed to be pretending not to know, even though she might be awake.
Cedric slowly placed his hand on her head. Her hair, which shimmered in the dim light, flowed between his fingers.
“…….”
Cedric opened his mouth, then closed it again.
He will wake Artizea if she is asleep. If she’s not sleeping and she doesn’t want to open her eyes, forcing her to talk to him will add something heavy to her mind.
Both were concerning.
It must have been a long day for Artizea. Now she had gone to her bed in peace, and he didn’t want to wake her up with a fuss.
Instead, he crawled next to Artizea.
And hugged her from behind.
Artizea stiffened her body. It looked like she hadn’t slept either.
“It’s okay.”
Cedric whispered in her ear in a soft voice.
She wasn’t as cold as when he first hugged her. But the tension was the same as back then. She seemed to have gone back to that time even though they were married.
“It’s okay.”
He spoke softly again.
Then he took Artizea’s hand and lightly covered her hand and pressed his lips to her head.
Artizea seemed to be tense for a moment. But she didn’t stay that long.
The inside of the duvet quickly became hot.
Artizea struggled to hold back her tears again.
There was really no reason for this now. There really isn’t, she’s not thinking of anything in particular, and there’s no reason to do so. However, from the chest to the stomach, the organs inside her body seemed to be rumbling at will.
As if recognizing it, Cedric’s hand lightly covered her eyes.
Her heart pounded and her heart raced. Cedric’s beating sound was much stronger than hers.
So, as soon as she was buried in the sound, Artizea forgot about herself.
And soon fell asleep.
Cedric felt the strength drain from Artizea’s body and pulled her closer for a hug.
He wished her a comfortable night.
*) Zero-sum is a situation in game theory in which one person’s gain always results in another’s loss.
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