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nChapter 78

nProofreader: somnium

n“You want to assassinate the queen?”

n“I’m going to do the most necessary and desperate thing for Your Highness.”

nCadriol looked at Artizea with a sunken face.

nArtizea knew he was willing to negotiate. So, she added quickly.

n“We have already planted a sword in the Riagan Duchy. I will assassinate Her Majesty and accuse the Riagan Duchy. Her Majesty is secretly holding hands with the Riagan Duchy. I’m sure you know.”

n“The opinions of both sides are different.”

n“Yes, but Your Highness is not officially aware of the relationship between the Riagan Duchy and the Queen, so it will be enough justification for military action.”

nCadriol asked with a suspicious face.

n“How can I believe you’re going to do it?”

n“You must have already found out about me in the capital, so you must also know that I have become Her Majesty’s lady-in-waiting?”

nCadriol nodded his head.

n“It is the Empress’ desire to destroy the Riagan Duchy.”

n“You’re going to use it for the empire’s infighting.”

n“Yes, because the Riagan Duchy is not a small prey.”

nIn all likelihood, Grand Duke Roygar will come out. Because the salt business is lucrative.

nAnd now, the Riagan Duchy is in charge of the distribution of salt in the South Sea under the leadership of the emperor.

nThe money earned from the monopoly of salt was also the emperor’s greatest source of income. If you put your hand on it, it was easy to drive it into another direction.

nCadriol thought about it for a moment. Even if Artizea didn’t have to explain it, he could guess her thoughts.

n“In the worst case, father will be related to the imperial rebellion, and even if it is not, it will be revealed that the queen has a hand in the empire’s salt monopoly. There’s no way Gregor could stay still.”

n“I can’t interfere with the internal affairs of other countries, but Eimmel’s King will also have to show his sincerity.”

nSo it meant to force the abdication from the pressure of the Krates Empire as the cause.

nArtizea said calmly.

n“This isn’t something I’m doing for Your Highness Cadriol, and it’s something I can only do if I’m in the Empire.”

n“….”

n“All Your Highness Cadriol will do is to take action in time for your case. If you hide that we met here today, there is no one to doubt you.”

nShe waited calmly for Cadriol to think.

nIn the meantime, the trembling of her body stopped.

nCadriol suffered from his father all his life, and fought his stepmother, who he had a bad relationship with. He also learned that he would be betrayed by his father even if he established contribution and made his country rich.

nIf he could get rid of the two without hearing a say that he had hurt his parents, he would have nothing more to wish for.

nIf Artizea succeeds, he can be crowned without any moral flaws. If she fails, he doesn’t lose anything.

nAnd once he is crowned, Artizea’s way of harming him disappears.

nFor Cadriol, it is to solve both of these worries at once.

nIf he could also have some of the assets of the Riagan Duchy, it would have been a great profit.

nArtizea knows Cadriol well. She knew at least as much as Cadriol knew Artizea.

nSo she knew that this was an acceptable offer for him.

nCadriol looked at Artizea with a complicated face.

nArtizea was dumped on the carpet in front of the fireplace. Cadriol looked down at her.

n“You are smart. The successor you give birth to must be born with very good qualities.”

n“So, are you accepting my offer or not?”

nArtizea asked without shaking.

nCadriol laughed in vain. He then raised his body.

nHe reached out to Artizea.

nArtizea grabbed the hand and barely sat up. Her weary body seldom moved, so it was difficult to take her back off the floor.

n“I have an offer on my side as well.”

n“What?”

nArtizea tilted her head.

nCadriol said, holding her hand.

n“Isn’t it the purpose of the Marchioness to raise Grand Duke Evron as the emperor? What to do after you’ve finished?”

n“Are you saying you’re going to call me as Eimmel’s servant?”

n“No. I say come to me as a woman.”

nCadriol’s breath passed through Artizea’s palm.

n“If Grand Duke Evron is your only master, you don’t have to insist on him after everything is done, right? After all, you wouldn’t have any intention of staying in a small publicly exposed position anyway?”

n“That’s right…”

n“If you’re going to retire and go somewhere, come to me. The South Sea’s climate will surely be good for the Marchioness’ health.”

n“You don’t have to go through such troubles to keep an eye on me. Even then, you won’t be able to believe me anyway…”

nWith his lips on Artizea’s palm, Cadriol lifted up his golden eyes.

nThen she lifted her head with a bleak face.

n“Are you really saying this because you don’t understand my intention? Or are you deliberately pretending to not understand?”

nArtizea hesitated.

nCadriol shook his head. Then he pulled Artizea’s hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist.

nArtizea was carried lightly in his hand. It became a posture that seemed to be held in his knees.

n“You’re crazy. Have you forgotten what I proposed to you?”

n“No, I do remember… It was for alliance, wasn’t it?”

nIt wasn’t long after Grand Duke Roygar was ousted.

nArtizea had already obtained everything she would get from Cadriol at that time. So, she didn’t want to make complicated things like marriage alliances.

nIt was a time when there was a lot left to do for Lawrence. She had to be next to Lysia as well. She had no intention of leaving the capital and going to Eimmel.

nSo she refused.

nCadriol had a stunned face.

n“This is the first time I am this humiliated. I mean it.”

n“Do you have any weird habits of favoring a woman who axed your own neck?”

n“Hey, I think I have a bad taste, too. But I can’t help it. I know what kind of jewel when I see one.”

nCadriol lightly put his forefinger on Artizea’s temple.

nThen, he slid along the contours of her face, raising her chin.

nWhen this happened, Artizea could not help but be nervous.

nAll sorts of complex emotions raged in Cadriol’s eyes.

nHalf of that would be hate. But the other half was something beyond that.

n“Think seriously, Marchioness Rosan. I’m willing to wait for the situation to be resolved.”

nIt was right when he said that.

n“Captain!”

nHe heard a shout from outside.

nBang!

nThe door was torn apart with a strong sound. Cadriol knocked Artizea to the floor and covered her with his body.

nA bloody smell came in with the cold breeze.

nArtizea, who was astonished, was pulled by Cadriol. Then he jumped up and pulled out his sword.

nA body fell through the door.

nCedric slowly stepped over the body. He was holding a bloody sword.

n“Oh my God. I didn’t expect you to come personally.”

nCadriol groaned a little.

nLess than 48 hours have passed since he snatched Artizea from the stronghold.

nHe thought Evron would make all-out efforts to track him down. However, he didn’t think that Cedric, who had been out hunting, would come this fast.

nCedric looked at him with a cold face to freeze.

n“Let my wife go, then I’ll kill you in a way that you don’t suffer.”

n“The reality is that I’m going to die the moment I let her go.”

nCadriol replied lightly.

n“What do you think, Marchioness Rosan? Now, if I put a knife to your neck and threaten you, can you get me out of this terrifying situation?”

n“It’s not time to joke.”

nThe moment Artizea replied, Cedric’s complexion changed.

nKang!

nCadriol raised his arm in astonishment.

nIn an instant, Cedric’s heavy sword cut his steel forearm guards in two at once.

nCadriol took his back step and was attacked by Cedric.

nKang!

nKaangg!

nThe sound of metal crashing from the blades resounded in the narrow room.

nCadriol stepped back further. He drew a pistol from his waist.

nHowever, Cedric’s sword was faster. Cadriol pushed Artizea away and rolled over the floor, avoiding the sword from piercing his shoulder.

nCedric’s sword smashed the wooden window shutters.

nCedric’s cloak fluttered, causing the wind to stir the lights in the fireplace.

n“Ugh!”

nCedric’s hand grabbed Artizea’s arm and pulled her.

nArtizea had no idea what the fight would be like. When her mind was thinking, Cedric was moving to the other corner of the room, leaving her behind him.

nIt was to defend her from new enemies who might come through the door.

nCadriol shouted with anger.

n“You think I don’t want to kill you, right?”

n“Barking in the middle of a fight is something that even dogs don’t do.”

nCedric said softly.

n“Wait!”

nArtizea ran and hugged Cedric’s waist. Because her arm couldn’t even reach torso.

nCedric flinched and stood there. It was because he feared that any wrong moves would hurt Artizea.

nArtizea cried out to Cadriol.

n“Go!”

n“You’re telling me to run away from the enemy!”

n“Are you going to fight Evron in Evron? Are you crazy? You know this is his territory!”

n“Tia.”

nCedric called her.

n“Please let him go. He shouldn’t die right now.”

nThe diplomatic situation that would arise from the death of Cadriol here would be heavy.

nArtizea couldn’t see Evron’s under that burden because of her.

n“…..”

n“Please, trust me.”

nCedric said nothing.

nArtizea spoke this time to Cadriol.

n“Go.”

n“Marchioness Rosan.”

n“I will keep my promise. If you do not believe me, I will swear by Her Majesty the Empress’ name.”

nThe empress, which Artizea spoke of, did not refer to the present empress, but to the future empress, Lysia.

nCadriol got it.

nHe took the sword.

nThe oath Artizea made under the name of the Saintess is unbelievable.

nAnd Artizea is right; He can’t fight Evron in Evron.

nAnd even if it’s on the sea, he wouldn’t know. He had no ability to break the Shield of the Empire while on the ground.

n“I will come back to pick you up.”

nCadriol said that and turned around. Then he jumped over the body and ran out of the broken door.

nThe whistle sounded. Cadriol gave the signal to the warriors of Eimmel to escape.

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