Chapter 69

That afternoon, as the scheduled council meeting began on time, the nobles flocked to the meeting hall in groups. Among them, the Grand Duke, who entered amicably with the Baldr brothers and took his seat, stood out. As a major landowner with a certain level of territory, she had the right to attend the council meetings at any time. The Duke of Despoina turned his head sharply without even glancing at Elizaveta, who was smiling brightly across from him. He had always been extremely displeased with his niece, who resembled the late empress in character. Ever since the Vuita incident, nothing had gone right. His hair was already thinning from the empress's antics, and now Elizaveta was back!

Finally, as the emperor entered the meeting hall, the council members stood up in unison to greet him. Karl immediately glared at Lionel. Vowing to remove this man from the empress's side, he turned his gaze, only to meet a familiar violet-eyed stare. The emperor and Elizaveta looked at each other for a moment. The delicate line between them seemed to have vanished without a trace. It was clear what the Baldr family, with Elizaveta's return, would demand. The fatigue from a sleepless night was already overwhelming him even before the meeting began. Karl rubbed his forehead irritably.

The council meeting finally began. From the start, the Duke of Despoina aggressively praised the achievements of the mage corps, clearly trying to minimize the accomplishments of the empress and the knights led by Lionel. Unable to bear the duke's incessant ranting, Elizaveta cut him off.

"Your Grace Despoina, I understand what you want to say, so please stop now."

The Duke of Despoina detested Elizaveta precisely because of her bold and straightforward manner. The duke glared, but she dismissed his lengthy speech with a single sentence without batting an eye.

"You want to say that the achievements of the mage corps are great, right?"

The Baldr family members nodded with pursed lips.

"Cough!"

"However, why do you only talk about the mage corps and not mention the empress and the knights at all?"

"Of course, the empress and the knights worked hard too! But can they be compared to the mages who destroyed the massive second-tier tower in one strike?"

"Is that so? While the mages did perform admirably, I want to highlight how minimal the damage was. Minister, please comment."

Lionel smoothly continued from Elizaveta's words, providing a concise and essential summary of the battle's progress and the extent of the damage. He concluded by adding:

"Her Majesty the Empress seemed to possess magical knowledge unknown to the mages of Echmont."

The impact of his words was significant. Renox clenched his fists and leaped to his feet, and the Duke of Despoina's face turned red.

"Hey! Minister! Are you belittling the mages of Echmont?!"

Lionel responded calmly to the duke's outburst.

"You know that's not what I meant."

At that moment, the emperor, who had been observing the situation, leaned on the table and addressed Lionel.

"So, Minister of Defense, what is it you want to say?"

Lionel and the emperor's gazes locked sharply.

"I believe it is right to grant Her Majesty the Empress the right to attend the council meetings."

As soon as his words were spoken, the Duke of Despoina slammed his hand on the table.

"That can't be done!! Historically, it has been extremely rare for the empress to attend council meetings!! You must be reasonable!"

Then Elizaveta raised her voice in response.

"It's rare, but not nonexistent. Why do you say it can't be done?!"

"What?!"

"If she possesses magical knowledge we don't know, shouldn't we seek her advice? What are you afraid of that you oppose it so adamantly?"

"Elizaveta Ulrich! Show some respect!"

"I am showing respect, Uncle!!"

As Elizaveta and the Duke of Despoina glared at each other like a dog and a cat, the Baldr family members also began to support Elizaveta's stance.

"The Grand Duke has a point. There is no real reason to oppose Her Majesty the Empress's attendance at the council meetings."

As the hall became noisy, Theseus quietly stood up, and the room fell silent. He looked directly at the emperor and spoke in a heavy voice.

"Baldr strongly demands that Her Majesty the Empress be allowed to attend the council meetings, Your Majesty."

Lionel followed, and Elizaveta also stood up. Soon, dozens of council members rose to show their agreement with Theseus. The heavy pressure made the Duke of Despoina and Renox's faces contort in despair. Karl's expression also hardened. Like trying to stop the tide with one's hands, even the emperor could not ignore the demands of so many people. In the end, he had no choice but to grant their request. The Empress Adelaide's attendance at the council meetings was officially recognized.

* * *

"What will you do if you allow the empress to attend, Your Majesty?!"

As soon as the office door closed, the Duke of Despoina burst out. Karl retorted without holding back.

"Then, did you have another plan in that situation?!"

The Duke of Despoina was furious with the emperor.

"Didn't I tell you that you should never send the empress to Vuita?! Look at the result now!"

"Did I not send the elite mages just in case? How could all the credit go to the empress alone if you had not been so negligent?!"

Enraged by the emperor's rebuttal, the Duke of Despoina panted heavily and angrily brushed his disheveled hair. A moment of silence fell between them.

'What is he thinking?'

As the emperor looked at him with an inscrutable expression, the Duke of Despoina frowned and tilted his head. Suddenly, the emperor spoke.

"Did you want to kill the empress?"

A blank face, a toneless voice. The unexpected and perplexing question left the Duke of Despoina momentarily stunned.

"...What?"

"Or was it Dian Poitiers?"

"...What are you talking about?!"

"If the empress bothers you, do not dare to touch her. She is mine."

The emperor took a step closer, threateningly.

"Empress Adelaide will be the mother of the future emperor of Echmont, and the father will naturally be me. So, whether they join hands now or not, the place for that woman will be by my side, won't it?"

The Duke of Despoina stared at the emperor, his eyes wide. The emperor's eyes, which seemed calm at first, revealed a deep, sticky possessiveness and obsession upon closer inspection. The duke's mind raced, and his brow furrowed in frustration.

"Are you suspecting me now? I, who have dedicated my life to the House of Ulrich, would harm the mistress of the house?! How could you think such a thing of me, especially at a time when the Baldr family and the Grand Duke are trying to support the empress?!"

But Karl remained silent, his cold suspicion unwavering. The Duke of Despoina wanted to shout in the emperor's ear, 'She's trying to crush us on purpose!!' Pondering what to do, the duke finally spat out a venomous remark.

"And even if the empress is by Your Majesty's side, what guarantee is there that she won't hold Your Majesty with one hand and Lionel Baldr with the other?"

Karl's eyes turned red with anger as soon as the words were spoken.

"Unless she decides to replace the advisor at the right time... But I don't think she will."

"What do you mean?"

The emperor growled, and the Duke of Despoina shrugged casually.

"That's just what I observed. During her time in Vuita, the two seemed very close. Perhaps more than just close? I told you, didn't I? During her stay at the viscount's residence, Lionel Baldr never left the empress's side. And she would look for him as soon as she woke up."

Karl clenched his teeth, recalling Adel's smile towards Lionel Baldr. The Duke of Despoina bowed respectfully.

"I am a loyal servant of the House of Ulrich, Your Majesty. Please believe me."

With that, he left the emperor's office, leaving the emperor in a state of turmoil.

* * *

Elizaveta and Theseus visited the empress's palace together. Lady Gix, still impressed by the two dukes who looked like a perfect picture, led them to the office with a suppressed sigh. Adel greeted them with a bright smile as they entered.

"Welcome, Grand Duke, Duke of Baldr."

She received their formal greetings and offered them seats. After a moment, Adel, observing their expressions, spoke in a gentle tone.

"The council meeting is over, I see."

Elizaveta nodded with a smile, and Theseus spoke.

"You will be able to attend the next meeting."

Adel raised an eyebrow and leaned back in her chair gracefully.

"The opposition must have been strong. Was it okay?"

Elizaveta laughed heartily, making even Lady Gix, who was waiting outside, widen her eyes. She then said, recalling the Duke of Despoina's face.

"The opposition was strong, but they had no reason to prevent Your Majesty's attendance. What could they do?"

"Thank you. It's all thanks to you two."

To the empress's words, Theseus shook his head slightly.

"Thanks to Your Majesty's achievements. Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine."

They continued light conversation until the teapot was empty. As Adel and Elizaveta were about to leave, Theseus took out a small box and handed it to Adel. She tilted her head in confusion as she took it.

"You need to take care of your health. This is a test strip that can detect poisons commonly used in Echmont. Use it before eating or drinking. However, handle it discreetly."

The box contained several sheets of paper familiar to Adel.

"Thank you. I was just about to receive one from the minister. I'll keep it and use it wisely."

"...Lionel already gave it to you?"

To Theseus's question, Adel nodded lightly. Elizaveta, who had been watching the two, interjected softly.

"Then, Your Majesty. Take care of your health and we'll see you soon."

"Take care, Grand Duke, Duke of Baldr."

Theseus turned to leave with Elizaveta, but his mind was still on their earlier conversation. The poison test strips he had given to the empress were secretly manufactured by the Baldr family. If their existence became known, poisons would become more sophisticated, so they were only used discreetly by the direct lineage of the family. Therefore, it was not something that could be easily given to outsiders, no matter how close they were. Theseus had agonized over it countless times before deciding to bring it as a sign of trust. But Lionel had already given it to the empress. Moreover, it seemed she didn't even understand the significance.

"The minister giving the paper to the empress shows a deep bond."

Elizaveta, who had once been the Duchess of Baldr, also knew this. Theseus's face hardened, and he fell silent before stopping in his tracks.

"Grand Duke, I need to see the empress for a moment. Please go ahead."

Elizaveta nodded slightly, and Theseus turned back to the empress's palace. The troubled look in Lionel's eyes last night was still vivid. Had his emotions deepened to the point where he could no longer control them? But if Lionel couldn't break it off, the empress could. It would be better for both the empress and Lionel. Theseus moved with a determined look, choosing his words carefully.