Chapter 76

While working, Karl frowned at the sudden visit from Elisabeth. To him, his half-sister was a troublesome presence. After a moment of hesitation, Karl seemed to make up his mind and waved his hand dismissively, allowing her audience. As the attendants hurried out and Elisabeth entered, the atmosphere in the office rapidly turned cold. Karl stared at Elisabeth with a cold expression, feeling a lump in his chest whenever he saw her, as she reminded him of someone.

"What is it?"

Elisabeth, feeling the emperor's eyes filled with hostility, suppressed her breath and bowed respectfully. The emperor did not even offer her a seat, despite her being a Grand Duchess. As she approached, feeling the solid wall between them, she braced herself. Their gazes met, and it felt as if her skin was being cut.

"Your Majesty."

"Speak."

"Even without the tower, Your Majesty's throne will remain secure."

At her words, Karl's movements froze. Elisabeth spoke earnestly and sincerely.

"Your Majesty's power is intact, regardless of the tower's existence."

"...Lies."

"It is not a lie. You must face reality."

However, Elisabeth had touched a sore spot for the emperor. As a dark sea raged in his heart, Karl's eyes turned bloodshot.

"Lies."

"..."

"Even you didn't listen. The words your mother spoke to me. She said no one would ever recognize me. Do you remember?"

Karl clenched his fists and growled, while Elisabeth, taking a deep breath to steady her trembling, confessed.

"The late empress was wrong."

"..."

"My mother was wrong."

"..."

Tears of frustration welled up in the emperor's eyes. Karl abruptly stood up and, like a raging beast, lunged at Elisabeth, grabbing her shoulders roughly and venting his burning anger.

"How can you stand by and watch all this time and only speak now?"

"..."

"I have always said that I am destroying the towers systematically. I am doing my best. Do you understand, sister?"

The emperor's face was now only filled with obsession. Elisabeth, unable to face it, closed her eyes. She feared what Karl would become after severing ties with the Duke of Despoina and how she should act then. ＊ ＊ ＊ After Elisabeth left, Karl opened the window and stepped out onto the terrace. The cold wind blew, but he didn't feel the chill. The empress was planning to attend the banquet with Lionel Valdor as her partner. The thought of her walking through the banquet with Lionel's hand made Karl's heart feel like it would burst, but he couldn't protest. After all, he had started it. Regardless of his feelings for the empress, what she demanded was something he could not grant. Karl clenched his fists and glared at the distant empress's palace. The Duke of Despoina visited the emperor daily, urging him to assassinate the empress. He argued that if they delayed any longer, the empress and her allies would become too powerful, and they must act immediately after the border day. However, Karl could not tolerate touching Adelaide. If only he could somehow push away the Despoina family, who were inciting the empress, but it was impossible at the moment.

"How can I... how can I sever the connection with the empress...?"

The emperor pondered this for days. Perhaps to help with his dilemma, the secret agent he had sent to Gotrop months ago returned with a thick report. Karl carefully read through the report on Adelaide's life as a princess in Gotrop. Although it was mostly official records, as it was difficult to uncover the inner workings of the palace, it was enough to infer her life. After finishing the long report, the emperor looked up, and the agent cautiously asked.

"Do you need any more information?"

The emperor was silent for a moment. Just as the agent, with a pounding heart, was about to speak, the emperor suddenly asked.

"What do you think?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Can the empress return to Gotrop?"

It was a difficult question to understand. The agent narrowed his eyes and tilted his head, and the emperor added.

"In other words, is there a place for the empress to return to in Gotrop?"

But it was still hard to understand. The agent bowed his head.

"What reason would the empress have to return to Gotrop?"

The emperor smiled wryly, stood up, and walked to the fireplace. He threw the report, which the agent had compiled over months, into the flames without hesitation. The fire consumed the report, burning more fiercely.

"I have no more questions. Well done. You may go."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Karl stood by the fireplace until the report was completely reduced to ashes. His eyes, reflecting the flames, glowed with a dangerous light.

"She prepared to leave... even though she could have avoided the royal marriage, she accepted it and didn't bring anyone with her..."

Karl's lips curled upward.

"She must have vowed never to return, leaving behind a place to return to."

Adelaide could not return to Gotrop. With her high pride, she would rather die than leave and return. If so, what was the source of her power here in Echmont?

"You gained power because you are the empress. Then..."

If the connection was too strong to break in the middle, removing the power from one side would be enough. Karl, with a determined look, called a servant and gave a secret order.

"Bring the High Priest."

＊ ＊ ＊ The empress used part of the border day budget to help the people. She drastically reduced unnecessary decorations for the banquet and redirected the funds to relief efforts. As a result, the empress's palace was bustling with activity in the lead-up to the border day. The most urgent task was to repair the water and sewage facilities in the slums. Adelaide, using her own funds, ordered the construction of water and sewage systems. Most of the gold she had bought from the merchant the emperor sent was used for the water project. When the Duke of Despoina heard about this, he was furious, claiming that the state budget was being misused, but he could not interfere since the border day preparations were under the empress's jurisdiction. The emperor remained silent. The day before the border day, large imperial flags were hung throughout the capital, and essential supplies were delivered to the slums across the Niyabara River, where the water and sewage project was underway. As Lionel headed to the slums, Adelaide added:

"Visit each house and distribute the supplies. If you see the boy from that day, tell him to not become a bad adult and that I will make a better world for him."

Following the empress's instructions, the soldiers distributed the necessary items in the narrow alleys. Not only the slum residents but also the poor in various parts of the city received supplies from the empress. The border day event was held annually, but such a large-scale relief effort was unprecedented.

"The empress is distributing these!"

"Really? I heard she destroyed a tower all by herself?"

"Yes! The tower that descended on the capital last time! The empress destroyed it!"

"And she's also working on water and sewage systems in the slums?"

The people gathered and praised the empress, losing track of time.

＊ ＊ ＊ Meanwhile, the Duke of Despoina visited the emperor's office again, spewing all sorts of insults.

"The precious state budget!! She's squandering it on useless things! I just came from the banquet hall! It was so shabby. Why have a grand banquet? Isn't it to enhance Your Majesty's prestige? How can Your Majesty's dignity be upheld with such a meager setup?"

However, the emperor remained silent, his face inscrutable. The Duke of Despoina, feeling an odd sense of unease, stared at the emperor and suddenly asked.

"Do you have some brilliant plan?"

The emperor, stroking his chin, abruptly asked.

"Duke of Despoina, you have lived as a royal all your life, haven't you?"

"..."

"Yes?"

"What if you suddenly lost your royal and noble status? How would you feel?"

The Duke of Despoina frowned.

"Someone who lived in a small house can move to a big one, but someone who lived in a big house can't live in a small one. If I suddenly lost my royal and noble status... I would use any means to regain my status."

"Exactly."

"..."

"Why do you ask?"

The duke's question was met with a steady gaze from the emperor. The moment the duke saw the emperor's eyes, a chill ran down his spine. The purple eyes glowed with a dangerous light.