Chapter 161

Proofreader: somnium

Skyla could not understand Marchioness Camellia.

“Ian Camelia can’t do anything anyway. At best, he will make a fuss.”

“I know. What I’m worried about is what your maternal grandfather knows.”

“Are you afraid that you will be scolded for not being able to solve such a problem?”

“That’s not it. No, in a sense it is not.”

Marchioness Camellia sighed.

“Your maternal grandfather wanted to get rid of all the Camellia people who had fled then. But your father asked to spare his life.”

“That something my father would have done.”

Skyla’s father, Marquis Camellia, was on the weak side.

When Marquis Luden proposed to marry his daughter for his title, he knew that bad things were going to happen to his brother and sisters.

However, it did not stop at the extent of his family being driven out by the scandal, but suffered several accidents and deaths. He was afraid as the series of unbearable misfortunes continued.

Marquis Camellia used to habitually say that he didn’t know it would go that far.

Although he had a bit of greed and resentment towards his brothers for abusing him, he was basically not the kind of person who could hurt someone that much.

“How could I have turned away from your father’s tears? I thought that even if I kept him alive, he wouldn’t do much harm.”

“Mother said you would take responsibility.”

“Yes. The children were also very young……. He’s been quiet up until now, so I thought he wouldn’t think of anything else in the future. I had neglected to watch as the years had passed. Anyway, since this happened, it must be difficult for me to escape responsibility.”

It wasn’t that she was afraid of being scolded by her father, but that she was afraid of falling out of the eyes of her master.

So Skyla couldn’t stay still either.

Now Skyla couldn’t wait for Artizea to meet her.

She thought that this, too, must have been Artizea’s work.

Maybe it could be a signal, she thought. She could rule out Marquisate Camellia altogether if she tries to walk the tightrope beyond this.

Now might be her last chance.

Skyla differed from Amalie and Gayan, who became a factor in the imperial government by their abilities. She couldn’t hope she would be of great use later.

Marquisate Camellia is a force in itself. Powers are involved in politics through amalgamation. It even belonged to a certain hostile force.

She had to do it right now to get her line changed properly.

If her time is wasted and she becomes useless, Artizea will not accept her.

“Madam is not meeting guests.”

The butler said so in an embarrassed manner, but Skyla stubbornly insisted.

“I am a friend of Her Grace.”

It was only a nominal story. But this time it was a good excuse for Skyla.

“I don’t know when she was ill, but I heard she is already recovering now.”

“However…….”

“If it is difficult to meet me right now, I will wait.”

She sat on the sofa in the parlor and opened the book she brought.

She didn’t really intend to read the book. It was close to expressing her intention of not backing down.

The butler made a troubled face, but he eventually said he understood and went to tell Artizea this.

Skyla waited over two hours. She thought maybe Artizea herself or her maid would be watching.

Artizea came out just before the teapot was emptied.

Artizea wore comfortable clothes tied lightly with a wide ribbon just below her chest.

Skyla looked at her with an awkward mood. She knew Artizea was pregnant, but seeing her in maternity clothes like this felt strange.

Skyla doesn’t even have a fiance yet.

Artizea slowly approached the table. Skyla calmed down and greeted her politely.

“I’m glad to see you looking good.”

“Lady is still the same. Nice to meet you.”

Artizea greeted each other and sat down. Skyla held out a little gift box, and said.

“Congratulations on your pregnancy. I had already sent a letter, but I thought it was the right time to greet you in person.”

Artizea didn’t answer. Celebrating her pregnancy was still very difficult to properly respond to.

Even though she knew the other person was just saying it out of courtesy, it was still so.

Skyla interprets Artizea’s silence as a rejection and gets nervous.

So she stood up from her seat and she bowed her head politely.

“You may think it’s rude, but I’m here to apologize for the sins that my mother had committed against Her Grace.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Artizea looked up at her with an expressionless face.

“Did something happen?”

There wasn’t, officially.

Skyla bit her lower lip.

There were no permanent enemies or allies in politics anyway.

Skyla did not think that Artizea would not recognize her own usefulness just because her mother had attempted to kill her on behalf of Grand Duke Roygar.

The reason Artizea didn’t meet her was probably because she was pregnant.

But Skyla still couldn’t help but be nervous.

“I am well aware that Your Grace is not one to be swept away by anger. I ask for forgiveness, and I am prepared to pay the price.”

“Well…… , what is it all about…….”

Artizea looked at the gift box Skyla had brought and pulled her words.

She didn’t mean to pretend to be angry. It’s understandable that Skyla was determined to switch side.

Is it because of Ian?

She deliberately disclosed information in the hope that either Marchioness Camellia or Skyla would react.

But even so, it was strange for her to suddenly change her mind all over the place and bend over.

Artizea had thought she would try to negotiate with her with a little more rethinking, a little more consideration.

Skyla lowered her head again.

“Sit down, Lady Skyla. Don’t make me look up.”

“I’m sorry.”

Skyla sat down again.

“I think there is no hope for my uncle.”

Ian wasn’t the only reason she decided to turn around completely. Convinced that Grand Duke Roygar would be defeated was the first trigger.

Grand Duke Roygar, after discussing with his vassals, decided to lay low and remain still for the time being.

If the Emperor had decided to give it to his child, it would have been difficult to touch for a while. Another reason was that he did not know what the Emperor had learned from Bishop Akim.

Soon, the result was exactly what Artizea had predicted.

But the reason was the opposite.

“No matter how bad things get, children are children. From His Majesty’s point of view, how pitiful would it be for a child who lost its mother?”

It is difficult to prevent that.

Instead, Grand Duke Roygar decided to plant his men in the army that would go south.

It was to attack if there was anything that could be a problem while keeping an eye on Lawrence.

Lawrence can be easily dragged down with the slightest blemish.

And as long as Lawrence is brought down, the floating forces will naturally gather around him.

That is, legitimacy protected by customs and laws. Grand Duke Roygar was not very concerned.

However, Cedric’s trend was concerning.

Likewise, there was a big difference in support between members of the imperial family, who had the right to inherit according to custom and law and those who did not.

Grand Duke Roygar said anxiously.

“Of course, Cedric must have been very upset this time, but we still don’t know, right? His Majesty cares for Cedric as well, and he is the only brother to the Grand Duchess.”

“I don’t know what Grand Duke Evron will do, but Lawrence will never work with Grand Duke Evron.”

Marquis Luden dismissed Grand Duke Roygar’s concerns.

“Did you forget that Grand Duke Evron assaulted Lawrence on the day the Grand Duchess fell?”

“I did hear it. It wasn’t enough to called assault, was it?”

“Even so, there is no denying that Lawrence was humiliated. With that pride, His Majesty has decided to fully support Cedric, but how would Cedric say that he regret it?”

“Well, that’s right, too.”

At that time, Grand Duke Roygar also smiled broadly.

“Cedric, that child is not a wild boar. His movements were certain.”

In the attitude of pretending to be relaxed, there was a sign that he was trying to psychologically cover up his weakness.

If Lawrence were to endure, he would have visited Artizea’s first, Marquis Luden said.

“Lawrence will not stand it even if you put tomorrow’s profits, let alone a cause, right in front of his eyes.”

Marchioness Camellia did not dispute that opinion on the spot. But she later told Skyla something completely different.

“Father and Grand Duke Roygar are both mistaken. Grand Duke Evron didn’t take political considerations? There is no way.”

Marchioness Camelia said, biting her lower lip.

“It seems like an action of no consequence, but it puts a lot of pressure on both Grand Duke Roygar and Lawrence. They shouldn’t deny that.”

Even for accomplishing that, Cedric didn’t pay anything. That in itself is huge.

Rather, he became the Secretary of State.

This does not change the fact that Cedric has quickly established himself as one of the most important figures in central politics.

Just because internal affairs were less conspicuous compared to foreign affairs or military affairs, it did not mean that they were not important.

Cedric had enough fame in the military. This was an opportunity for him to gain the experience he lacked and to expand his influence among the bureaucrats.

“It is father’s limitation that he cannot think that Grand Duke Evron himself could be a competitor. He is old.”

“If it’s that dangerous, why didn’t you tell maternal grandfather and uncle?”

Marchioness Camellia did not answer Skyla’s question.

It was because she thought it wouldn’t work even if she said it.

The terrified Grand Duke Roygar maintains his pride by consciously undermining Cedric.

Marquis Luden is still stuck in the political structure of his youth.

Marchioness Camellia thought that Marquis Luden was old.

His vision wasn’t blurred, so now he couldn’t see the world objectively and grasp the facts.

Skyla thought the same as Marchioness Camellia.

To that extent, Marchioness Camellia praised Grand Duke Evron, and she couldn’t think of changing faction because she was old.

‘She has been so faithful as a daughter for over 20 years, and also as a subordinate, and maternal grandfather doesn’t even recognize mother, he just thinks of squeezing her.’

Putting her as a daughter, he must understand that she could not refuse her husband’s request to spare the lives of her nieces and nephews.

Conversely, if he regarded her as a subordinate rather than a daughter, he should pay the price for her loyalty and service over the past 20 years.

Marquis Luden did neither.

If her mother’s birth was dirty, it was maternal grandfather, Marquis Luden, who committed the dirty work. This was unfair.

‘I have to do something.’

Skyla couldn’t help but think so.