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nChapter 77

nProofreader: somnium

nIt was around midnight the next day that Cadriol arrived at the port.

nHe had already secured a safe accommodation and warehouse, so he could safely enter the city without being noticed.

nThere was anxiety that he might be caught.

nHowever, it was too dangerous to go out into the frozen sea in this darkness. It was because it was impossible to know where the ice was breaking and where the drift ice would flow.

nThe main ship was anchored and waiting in a far sea; deep enough not to freeze.

nIt was dangerous. However, considering the possibility of getting trapped in ice, this was better.

nBut once they’re joined, they wouldn’t be overtaken by Evron’s ship.

nCadriol put Artizea, who he had been carrying like a sack, down in front of the fireplace.

n“Get these guys out of here.”

nUntil then, the owners of the house and their families who had been rolled in front of the fireplace with their hands and feet tied and their mouths gagged were dragged out.

nCadriol took off the cloak he had covered Artizea with.

nEven though she had been in the cabin, Artizea’s body was frozen blue. Her face was ash colored, and her lips were purple.

nWhen he looked at her face, he didn’t even feel angry about his broken lips.

n“How did you think of marrying a northerner with such a body.”

n“It’s none of… Your Highness Cadriol’s… concern.”

nArtizea said, trembling.

nThe sailor poured hot water from the kettle hanging in the fireplace and handed it to Cadriol.

nCadriol held the cup in Artizea’s hand.

nArtizea couldn’t lift it because her body froze. Then Cadriol wrapped Artizea’s hand with his hand and put a cup of water to her mouth.

nAfter drinking two cups of hot water and sitting in front of the fireplace for a while, the color of Artisea’s lips returned.

nCadriol gave her warm porridge this time.

nIt wasn’t easy to eat, but Artizea tried hard to eat it. It was necessary for her body to hold on, and it was necessary to regain her reason.

nThe trembling of her body did not stop easily. It was because of the cold.

nHowever, mixed with tension, Artizea couldn’t tell which necessary side she was focusing on.

n“What are you going to do with me?”

n“Well, what should I do? I had originally intended you to be my wife.”

nCadriol muttered.

nShe had no idea how he returned to the past.

nOver the course of a month, he found out that no one else had this memory.

nSo Cadriol thought it was very likely that Artizea had no memory of it too.

nSo, he was planning to formally propose to her.

nAs Marchioness of Rosan she was inferior to the Prince of Eimmel, but not low enough that she couldn’t.

nAnd given that Lawrence was the emperor’s son, she was the right person.

nShe will not reject the alliance between Lawrence and Eimmel.

nOnce she got married and put in his hands, she would have no worries from then on. She wouldn’t know anything about Lawrence.

nHe was going to separate her from Miraila and Lawrence, and make her dedicated to him.

nIt would be good if she helps him as his wife and cultivates her talents as before.

nBut even if she couldn’t, it was fine. All he has to do is keep Artizea next to him and watch her do nothing.

nCadriol had the confidence that he could make her love him. Why won’t she when she will be treated like the most precious person in the world and be loved?

nEven the future Marchioness of Rosan, she is only an 18-year-old girl who is hungry for affection.

nHowever, he was already too late by the time he went to the capital.

n“I’m amazed because the Marchioness left after marrying Grand Duke Evron.”

nCadriol said, shooking his head.

nArtizea was mentally busy trying to infer his thoughts. Cadriol laughed at it.

n“So I knew that Marchioness had memories too. How far? Your memories?”

n“The moment of death.”

nArtizea replied only so. She didn’t have to tell him that she had cast a regression magic.

nCadriol was convinced and nodded.

n“Are you betrayed by Lawrence?”

n“….”

n“Well, it was a predicted ending. Marchioness made Lawrence a puppet and not took the regime directly.”

nArtizea did not answer.

n“I’m sorry. If I had seen it, I would have laughed at it cheerfully. Didn’t I tell you? Give up Lawrence and come to me. It must have been quite painful to be beaten by someone you trusted?”

nShe couldn’t say it wasn’t painful. However, Artizea did not want to show such intent, so she turned her head.

n“I never trusted you.”

nCadriol showed his teeth again and laughed.

nArtizea clasped her cold fingertips.

n“So, this time, is Grand Duke Evron the chosen man? Or, is it the Saintess?”

n“Please tell me your business. You have come to this place, so you must have a serious business.”

nArtizea said firmly.

nEven though she is a threat, the assumption that he came to kill her is wrong. If so, he doesn’t have to come in person like this. It is much better to wait for her to come to the capital and send an assassin.

nIt was the same if he came to kill her himself because of revenge.

nInstead of dragging her and saying phrases and words like this, it’s okay if he killed her when he caught her in the stronghold.

nIt would have been much easier to escape.

nCadriol said something Artizea never thought of.

n“Be mine.”

nArtizea opened her eyes wide. She had already guessed that his purpose was not to kill her, but she didn’t know she would hear these words.

n“Marchioness is too good to be under Grand Duke Evron. He will not be able to use your abilities in half.”

n“Do you mean that Your Highness Cadriol is different?”

n“With the memory, I am, of course, different. If the two of us hold hands, it will not be impossible to overturn the empire.”

n“I am not interested in the Eimmel Kingdom before.”

n“I will also help you take revenge on Lawrence.”

n“….”

n“I will not be bad to the Saintess and Grand Duke Evron. I am not interested in the northern part of the empire anyway. Marchioness will mediate. Me in the south, and Grand Duke Evron in the north hold hands and press the mainland of the empire to split it in half?”

n“Your Highness Cadriol.”

n“If Marchioness had joined hands with Grand Duke Evron for the sake of the Saintess, this would have led to a much better result. Rather than becoming the Crown Princess of the Empire, she would live happily with the Grand Duke Evron this time.”

nArtizea was silent.

nHe knows Artizea of the past. So she wouldn’t trust him.

nThere was no one more difficult to persuade.

nCadriol laughed happily.

n“Or, did you not marry the Grand Duke for the Saintess, but married the Grand Duke with a private heart?”

n“That’s.….”

nArtizea was confused and tried to refute. Cadriol intercepted her words and said.

n“You have had Grand Duke Evron in your heart from the beginning, so it’s not unusual to do that.”

nCadriol pulled her arm.

nArtizea saw her face reflected in his golden eyes. She had a silly look.

n“Did you think I wouldn’t know that?”

n“…..I’ve never done that way before.”

n“I’ll pretend I don’t know anything.”

nSaid Cadriol.

n“And for either case, I love you enough to forget everything. Come to me.”

n“……I refuse.”

nArtizea shook his arm. And she turned her face toward the fireplace.

n“It’s true that I’m a vicious woman, but I’m not so mindless enough to change my master twice.”

n“Then, I will kill you in this place. I will have a special taste of sprinkling you to the sea by slicing you alive in front of the Saintess and the Grand Duke.”

n“Are you convinced that killing me is profitable?”

nArtizea turned her head back and looked at Cadriol. A cool light returned to her turquoise eyes, shaking with anxiety.

n“Because you’re not sure, you haven’t killed me yet.”

n“It’s not about killing Marchioness. I’m asking you to come to me.”

n“If I follow Your Highness Cadriol and state my plan, will you believe it?”

n“….”

n“It will be difficult to do that. Your Highness’ plan has already been broken because I have the memory.”

nCadriol shrugs his shoulder.

n“Well, there’s nothing to lose just by keeping you by my side and monitoring you so that you can’t do anything.”

n“It’s easier to kill me than that.”

nArtizea said so.

n“I’m never going to follow Your Highness Cadriol. But, I’ll give you a plan. We’ve gotten along well together before. We’ll be good allies this time.”

n“And then you want to hit my back again? I’m sorry, Marchioness Rosan, this time I have nothing to do with the struggle for the succession of the Krates Empire.”

n“The current Queen of Eimmel.”

nArtizea said briefly.

nAnd when she confirmed that Cadriol had his ears open, she said.

n“She will be assassinated within half a year. It has nothing to do with Your Highness, but by the hands of the Krates Empire.”

n“…..”

n“I will create a cause for anger enough to cause military action and to force King Eimmel to abdicate. You will never lose money.”

nArtizea said so.

nThis is the only way to persuade Cadriol, who has memory before the return.

nNo matter how big her promises are, Cadriol won’t believe her. Artizea has a history of betraying him already.

nThen she had to present something more paramount than that. She must convince him that even if she later betrays him, he will not be hurt.

nThe circumstances of the Eimmel royal family were rather complicated.

nCadriol’s father, the current king, was close to sixty years old.

nCadriol was the first prince, and there were no siblings. This is because the king and the former queen, Cadriol’s mother, were not close.

nAs soon as there was a successor, the king and his wife did not meet again.

nAnd shortly after the death of the former queen, the king remarried. The new queen, younger than Cadriol, was beautiful and has a lot of charm.

nThe king loved Cadriol’s half-brother, born from the body of his new queen, it didn’t irritate him to put him in front of his eyes.

nOn the other hand, he hated Cadriol, who resembled the former queen.

nAt the time, his eldest son was already over 35 years old, and his second son was only around 7 years old. It was impossible for the king to pass his throne on to his second son when he would not live at least 15 more years.

nIn addition, Cadriol was already taking substantial control of the Eimmel crown. He had great achievements and was gaining support from the people.

nFor the king, he was also a thorn. To him, Cadriol was not seen as his son and successor, but as a political opponent taking away his power.

nTherefore, when Artizea prepared the frame and soldiers to be given to take out Cadriol, he did not hesitate to implement it.

nCadriol was silent for a moment.

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