CHAPTER 90

"I want her to let go of her anger. I heard that you are good at that kind of thing?"

Just who is the one who said that? She had no idea.

But the matter this time was different. The current Empress Siord was very uncomfortable with Dalia.

Even when she talked with Beolde just now, she was hurt when she compared herself with Dalia.

'Even when you know that, you still want to dump this thing on me!'

Dalia glared at the brazen Beolde.

It was not enough to apologize right here, but she took a step further.

"For your information, I didn't do anything wrong, so if you say that, I'll kill you."

"...."

'I'll just have to give up on making Mr. Meldon a Duke.'

I'm sorry, Mr. Meldon.

Dalia inwardly apologized.

Even if she said she would give up, she couldn't really give up.

Based on the original story, Duke Artus might actually help kidnap Dalia instead of Adrisha abroad.

He had to be ousted unconditionally. She needed Meldon to do that.

'It would be nice if I could satisfy either of the conditions.'

On the way out, Dalia met Duke Mershain. He smiled softly and grabbed her hand.

"Since you're here, why don't you join us for a meal?"

"...Would that be alright?"

"Of course."

"Is Lady Beolde will be joining too?"

"My sister often skips lunch. If you don't mind, we'll have a meal together."

In any case, before persuading Her Majesty the Empress, she had to succeed in persuading the Duke of Mershain first.

Dalia nodded.

She dined alone with Duke Mershain in the main dining hall. He was smiling all the time.

"Do you like the meal?"

Dalia smiled and nodded. Seriously though, it was really good.

Towards the end of the first main course, Dalia slowly brought up the subject.

At first, Duke Mershain's expression, which was making a fuss that he would listen to anything she said, became more serious as the story progressed.

Rather, Dalia was relieved to see it. Deep down, she thought there was no way he could take a 17-years-old seriously.

Duke Mershain became infinitely weak when the conversation regarding his sister came out, but he was a politically skilled person being able to cover up dozens of her assault cases.

Only by convincing him properly here can Meldon be made into a Duke.

When Dalia's explanation was over, only dessert was left for the meal.

Mershain prepared milk pudding for Dalia and he drank black coffee. While she was eating the pudding, Mershain then opened his mouth.

"Then, is Lady Dalia really sure that Mr. Meldon can be the Duke of Artus?"

Dalia nodded. Duke Mershain, who was rubbing his chin, sharply asked.

"Is that certainty agreed upon with His Excellency Duke Pesteros?"

It was a question of whether the Pesteros family would take Mershain's side if this matter escalated into a political dispute.

'I'm glad that I told my brother in advance.'

Dalia nodded her head. Mershain made a humming sound. It seemed to be appealing.

"Since he's a transcendent, that's enough reason for him to be the family head. As long as he's not too crazy."

"He is very normal."

"Have you met him in person?"

"Yes."

"Hmm."

Duke Mershain tilted his head. Then he bowed his head and uttered a small groan. Probably because it's a big political decision.

"If Mr. Meldon becomes the Duke of Artus, the Artus family will owe a great debt to us who directly supported him."

"I see."

"Of course we'll be happy if it's like that. But it's hard to understand why Pesteros would come here and talk to me to make him the Duke of Artus."

As expected, he was sharp. She smiled awkwardly.

"...Well, the Duke's heir offered me a contract marriage...."

"...."

Duke Mershain covered his eyes. The mere thought of it seems disastrous.

"My heartfelt condolences."

"...That's why my brother was very angry."

"If it were him, that was possible. Since he cares about Lady Dalia a lot."

"...."

"Anyway, I understand the position of the Pesteros Ducal family. We will also consider it quite positively. Even at such a young age, you came as the representative of the family, you're truly amazing."

Duke Mershain smiled kindly.

Dalia secretly thought that Duke Mershain was more amazing for seriously listening to her without any ridicule, but she didn't say it out loud.

It's been a while since Dalia got rid of the pudding from the world, sso the meal ended like that.

She was lost in thought as she climbed into the carriage.

'Now, let's say that the first one is done.'

A bigger obstacle remained.

Since she succeeded in the first one, she wanted to do the second condition as well. In addition, it was no use for Dalia to stay uncomfortable with the Empress as she is now. She felt sorry for her.

'How can I change the Empress's mind?'

She couldn't figure out a way no matter how much she thought about it. Empress Siord did not have much presence in the original work.

The only thing that she remembers is that Beolde, who betrayed Frederic's Empire in the Aceras route, made an important deal with Aceras to save Siord at the end?

No matter how much she pretends she doesn't care, Beolde actually likes Siord. Contrary to Siord's misunderstanding.

'It would be nice if I could let the Empress know of such things.'

For now, she was going to ask Cedric for advice. He has something to repay Dalia after all.

'...to say that it's a fake.'

Still, the necklace was beautiful. Anyone could tell that it was a real diamond.

Dalia had a maid to polish it and send it to the Empress yesterday. She got a courtesy reply that she had received it well this morning.

'...As expected, she was uncomfortable with me.'

Dalia was depressed.

By the way, where did Meldon go? Does he even know that Dalia is trying so hard to make him the Duke of Artus?

If he doesn't know, he will be forced to know all about it for a few hours unconditionally. She clenched her fists.

* * *

At the same time, the Empress wiped her tears with a handkerchief and got into the carriage returning to the Imperial Palace. Ever since Beolde returned, the thoughts that had never disappeared before continued to haunt her.

'Because of me, sister has to live indefinitely. That's why sister hates me.'

The reason why Beolde treats her so rudely is because she actually hates her.

Dalia, she envies that little girl. She, too, was once an ordinary sister with Beolde. She jokes and giggles at all kinds of jokes.

Since when did everything go wrong...she knows. That's why it was more painful.

'It's what I did. I have to take responsibility for her.'

When Empress Siord was still the Crown Prince's fiancée, she was enamored with the word that it was a drug that prevents people from aging, so she bought the drug.

If she hadn't done that, Beolde wouldn't have taken the drug, and she wouldn't have been like that.

'Cedric, that child too...'

It was all Siord's fault that Cedric avoided her. Thinking like that, Siord's heart continued to ache.

So she didn't know. The persistent, thick energy that keeps sticking on her back.

The person who created the energy was hiding in a carriage following behind the Empress's carriage and continued to memorize the prayer by mouth.

His name was Kelsion, someone from the Holy Empire.

When the Empress's carriage entered the Imperial Palace, Kelsion gave up his pursuit and went to an alley.

There was another young man in a robe waiting for him. The young man was the same person who threatened the Duke of Artus at his own residence.

Kelsion politely knelt before him.

"Your Holiness."

The young man smiled under his robe and untied the robe knot behind his neck.

The face that had been hiding was revealed. Brown hair, green eyes, and a beautiful appearance reminiscent of an angel.

He said warmly.

"Aren't you happy, Kelsion? There seems to be a little time left before we can free that poor child from his captivity at Frederic."

"... It's all thanks to Your Holiness' grace."

Kelsion said so and drew the sign of the cross.

The young Aceras smiled.

Even after the plan failed, he devised various other things. There were several achievements. One of them had already been shown to Duke Artus.

A potion that drives the transcendent crazy by using the holy power. Duchess Mary Blueport's mana explosion incident was a great inspiration to him.

There was a time when he thought he would regret it if she had really died because of it, but now the memory of that time was dim.

Now the development of the potion is almost finished. This means that there is not much time left to bring Dalia Pesteros.

'But it's a pity that I missed Beolde.'

He thought that she would rot in the back alley for the rest of her life, but seeing her reappear in the capital again, it seems that she might have heard of a way to break the curse somewhere.

Though she could be a pretty good card....

Of course, it's still too early to give up.

"Did you succeed in approaching the Empress's soul?"

"Yes."

Kelsion said firmly.

The driving force of the warriors, the fanatics of the Holy Empire is faith. Their absolute loyalty and overly deep faith resemble brainwashing.

In fact, the officers of the Holy Empire, such as Kelsion, could use divine power to make humans immerse themselves in one thought.

Of course there was a limit.

There was no power that as great as to instill an empty thoughts or lead them to commit suicide. However, it was often a very effective method for those who were caught up in the trauma of the past.

Aceras continued.

"Once she gets moderately confused, tell her that the Holy Empire has a way to break Beolde's curse. If those two act the way that we want them to, Frederic will be ours."

When the Empress is in their hands, only then their subordinate in the basement can be set free.

He should hold up well until then.

He had too much information as he was the most elite.

'I wish I could have just killed him.'

Aceras smiled without revealing his true feelings to his faithful subordinate.