Chapter 50

After that, without obtaining any new information, Luithas returned to Anchease.

The general outline of the incident involving Lady Sedia had already been reported to His Majesty in writing, and Luithas wanted to discuss the matter in detail as soon as he returned, but unfortunately, His Majesty had gone to inspect the port city of Cauz. When he heard that even Amon and Gruuk had accompanied the inspection, Luithas felt completely let down.

Sighing, thinking he had no choice but to wait patiently, Luithas suddenly had the idea that it might be better to talk to the Empress about this matter.

The Empress, who was kind-hearted, would surely lend a hand to Lady Sedia in her difficult situation. Of course, he believed that His Majesty would handle the matter properly, but he felt that things would go more smoothly with the Empress's support.

So, Luithas was now sitting humbly before the Empress. ... Normally, one doesn't sit "humbly," but the Empress was, after all, one of his drinking buddies (though the Empress doesn't drink), and they usually enjoyed casual conversations.

However, today was different. Despite granting him an audience so early in the afternoon, the Empress's mood began to sour halfway through.

Since the Empress's mood worsened while talking about the Emperor's sister, it was probably due to something the Emperor had done. From Luithas's perspective, Emperor Alex was a very wise person, but sometimes he could be insensitive with his words.

"Um, how are you feeling?" Luithas interrupted the conversation to ask, but the Empress replied, "I'm fine."

He shouldn't take her words at face value. It was clear that the Empress was different from her usual self. It must have been something the Emperor did.

... Or perhaps it was still due to the emotional instability caused by her pregnancy.

What came to mind was an incident from just two months ago.

The Empress was currently pregnant with her third child, and at that time, she had severe morning sickness and could hardly eat anything. Naturally, the Emperor was worried and had various fruits brought in without regard for cost, hoping the Empress could eat something.

When the Empress said, "This is a luxury, as I'm not sick," the Emperor replied, "The price of food is trivial."

Feeling confident, the Emperor accidentally said, "It's much cheaper than keeping a concubine."

The Empress's eyes widened in shock. "A concubine?"

The Emperor quickly clamped his mouth shut, but the Empress covered her mouth as if the world had ended. "You were thinking about such things!"

Tears began to stream down her face. "I heard that one in three husbands cheats when their wife is pregnant, and it's true!"

The Emperor, accused of infidelity he had never committed, was flabbergasted. "Hey, wait. What kind of survey is that? Where did you hear it?"

While hugging the crying Empress, the Emperor shouted, "I've never heard of such information! Besides, is that statistic even reliable?"

The Empress, however, didn't listen to the Emperor's words. She was completely in her own world, sobbing quietly.

This was a temporary emotional outburst due to pregnancy. The Empress herself had said so later.

Incidentally, crying is a very meaningful act for mental stability, especially for women. Indeed, after crying, the Empress looked incredibly refreshed. In contrast, the Emperor, who had said something terrible to his pregnant wife, was dejectedly hanging his head in his office.

At that time, Luithas had thought that the Emperor didn't need to be so flustered over a little crying, but now, as a party to the situation, he understood the Emperor's feelings. Luithas's heart was pounding.

If the Empress, due to pregnancy-related emotional instability, suddenly started crying, what would he do...?

Unaware of Luithas's cold sweat, the Empress prompted him in a rather flat tone, "Please continue your story." "What kind of person is Lady Sedia, the Emperor's sister? I can't quite get a sense of her character."

Feeling implicitly questioned about whether it was worth extending a helping hand, Luithas's face drained of color.

Usually, the Empress would never say such a thing, but perhaps she was feeling emotional due to her pregnancy. However, he needed the Empress on his side. If the Empress wasn't supportive, it could affect the Emperor's stance toward Lady Sedia.

So, Luithas desperately began to recount Lady Sedia's story to the Empress. He told her everything he knew, from the first time he met Lady Sedia to her marriage and life with her husband, including the words of the servants, and even what he had heard from Fen. He didn't hide a single detail.

When the Empress's mood didn't improve, he even ended up talking about the afternoon they spent together in the garden.

The Empress finally showed interest when he mentioned that Lady Sedia cultivated herbs herself. She wanted to hear more about it. To avoid upsetting her again, Luithas eagerly shared the herbal knowledge he had learned from Lady Sedia, explaining the types, cultivation methods, harvesting, and their uses in great detail, almost like a scholar.

Then, the Empress asked, somewhat discontentedly, "So, you only talked about herbs?" Luithas had to admit that he had also talked about his childhood and mischief during his squire days.

Fortunately, the Empress didn't listen to the content of the conversation, so he avoided revealing his dark past.

When the Empress commented that Lady Sedia was a good listener, Luithas seized the opportunity to passionately praise Lady Sedia. He spoke earnestly about her appearance, character, and how much her sincere and kind nature had healed him. ... This was probably the first time in his life he had spoken so enthusiastically about a woman.

Gradually, the Empress began to nod in agreement, and the conversation became more lively. It seemed she was starting to develop a favorable impression of Lady Sedia, especially impressed by her ability to mix herbs herself.

Finally, the Empress said, "When Lady Sedia returns, I would like her to mix herbs for me." Luithas couldn't help but cheer internally. He had finally managed to get the Empress to mention "return."

"Lady Sedia wishes to return to her homeland," Luithas said, taking the opportunity.

The Empress sighed. "Of course. Just hearing her story is enough to understand how terrible it is."

Unusually, the usually calm Empress clearly expressed her displeasure with Lord Caines. She was particularly angry about how he had sent his paralyzed child to a separate residence and never visited.

"What do you think about welcoming Lady Sedia back to Anchease?" Luithas asked again.

The Empress looked puzzled. "Of course, we will welcome her. I've already discussed this with the Emperor."

"Really?" Luithas was stunned.

Was this a decision that had been made from the beginning? Luithas stared at the Empress in disbelief. What was the point of his desperate efforts to persuade her?

"Is there some problem?" the Empress asked, genuinely confused.

Luithas shook his head weakly. "No, nothing. No... It's a very kind offer."

The Empress smiled gently. "When I heard your report, the Emperor was very surprised and remorseful about Lady Sedia's situation."

"Is that so?" Luithas thought it was likely, but only until he faced the Empress's emotional instability.

Unaware of Luithas's thoughts, the Empress's beautiful face showed a hint of worry.

"Lady Sedia is in a truly difficult position. As you said, after five years, her life may not be guaranteed. We can't just leave her like this."

Closing her fan, the Empress sighed thoughtfully.

"However, whatever we do, we must first bring Lady Sedia to a safe place. We need to protect her and then have a discussion involving the Caines family."

"But even if we protect her, I don't think Lord Caines will allow it. In Sies, where the head of the family has strong authority, Lord Caines's word is absolute. Taking a family member without permission could lead to a national incident..."

"In that case, we should bypass Lord Caines and bring the matter directly to the royal and imperial families," the Empress said reassuringly. "In Anchease, we have Celsis, an adult imperial family member. It would be a waste not to use such a convenient pawn."

Luithas's eyes widened. "You mean Celsis Highness will go to Sies and obtain the king's permission on the spot?"

"Yes. If she says she wants to invite her sister for a long talk during her stay as a state guest, the king won't object. Once she has the king's permission, she can go to meet Lady Sedia and hide her in the state guest quarters."

After saying this, the Empress's face clouded over. "However, if we just protect her without a plan, Lady Sedia's future will be closed off. Lord Caines won't admit his guilt, and if we accuse a Sies noble without evidence, the Sies royal family won't stand idly by. As the king, he wouldn't want to acknowledge such a scandal, especially since Lady Caines is the king's dear cousin."

The Empress's concerns were exactly what Luithas had been worried about. He bit his lip, unable to respond.

"The Emperor said we can make some concessions regarding Sies's national interests, but the key is Lord Caines's face. We want to give him a fitting punishment for treating an Anchease imperial princess so unjustly, but without evidence, there's nothing we can do.

Even if she returns, she will be confined for life. It's truly frustrating..."

As she muttered this, the Empress unconsciously stroked her belly. When he glanced at her face, he saw a faint sign of fatigue around her eyes.

The maid, who had been standing in the corner, must have noticed this and approached the Empress, whispering something in her ear. The Empress replied softly, "I'm fine," but finally realized she had overstayed her welcome, and Luithas quickly stood up.

"I'm sorry. I know this is a tiring time for you, yet I've kept you talking for so long."

The Empress smiled and shook her head. "I was just listening. Are you sure your throat isn't sore, Luithas?"

Luithas made a face. The sore throat was the least of his concerns. He was more worried about having revealed everything. "Yes, I did talk too much."

The Empress couldn't help but laugh. "Today was very informative. Thank you for telling me so much about Lady Sedia."

Then, she called out to Luithas with concern. "Don't worry too much about her return. The Emperor is behind her. He will surely find a way."

After leaving the Empress's chambers, Luithas looked up at the sky from the corridor. The sun had already set low. He had been talking to the Empress for a long time.

He had been carried away by the Empress's mood and talked until his throat was hoarse. What had caused her inexplicable bad mood? Luithas had no idea, but he clearly felt his energy was drained.

He was exhausted. He had planned to wait for the others to return, but he no longer felt like it. The Emperor would surely hear about today's conversation from the Empress, so he decided to leave it to her.

Luithas decided to go home quickly.

The next day, when he met Emperor Alex, the Emperor thanked him for his efforts. "I heard about Sedia from Via yesterday. It seems to be a complicated situation."

When Amon and Gruuk asked what had happened, Luithas briefly explained Lady Sedia's situation.

"Still, it's surprising that she wasn't disinherited after four years without appearing in public, starting from the age of fourteen," Amon said, sounding amazed.

Alex shrugged. "Sies was in turmoil due to a change in the king. She had graduated from the royal school and met the requirements to be a noble. They could have hidden her illness and kept her in seclusion without disinheriting her.

Sedia would have been of marriageable age at fifteen, so they probably planned to disinherit her at an appropriate time. However, Glen died of illness before that."

If he hadn't died, he might have been poisoned, Luithas thought. If he had died, people would accept it, but if she were disinherited, a reason would be needed. They would have feared the exposure of their secrets more than anything.

"By the way, considering a noble as an adult after graduating from the royal school is a unique custom in Sies," Gruuk interjected, seemingly unaware of Luithas's thoughts.

"In other countries, knighthood is the minimum requirement for nobility, as they generally value military prowess."

Gruuk was right. Among countries that share the same faith, only Sies has such a system. Galarantia and Tars also consider knighthood the primary requirement for nobility, though the age of entry varies slightly.

"Sies is a country where faith and life are closely intertwined. The noble mindset is fundamentally different. In Sies, theology is included in education, and it seems to be more important than martial prowess."

The current Holy Cathedral is in the independent land of Malacan, but Sies's faith is still stronger compared to other countries. They take pride in being the birthplace of the faith.

"Moreover, it's unusual that the church sponsors the school for noble children. Sies is called a country of faith, and churches are everywhere, making it suitable for the country's education system."

"Yes, that system is really interesting," Alex said with a politician's gaze. "I heard that not only noble children but also the sons of wealthy merchants and children of clergy attend the school. They gain a broad perspective by interacting with people from various classes. It's quite different from Anchease, where noble children are educated by private tutors and only know the noble class."

Gruuk couldn't help but chuckle. "I attended the Academy of Literature. Thanks to that, I had a good experience. There were many things I couldn't have learned elsewhere."

After discussing the country's education system for a while, Amon suddenly said, "Despite being so close to the church and its teachings from childhood, how could Lord Caines do such a shameful thing?"

Amon's genuine confusion made Luithas shrug. "He must have been corrupted by the secular world and lost his faith. I heard that the children of that family, both sons and daughters, spend money like water, thanks to their parents' education."

"Living a life of luxury with ill-gotten gains. If it were a noble from our country, I would crush the entire family and reduce them to commoners."

Alex continued with enthusiasm, and Luithas heartily agreed internally.

"By the way, I heard you met Lady Sedia once. Do you remember that time?"

Alex shook his head. "I only remember that she came to greet my father."

"At that time, the Emperor had no interest in his siblings," Amon said with a wry smile.

"Yesterday, Via declared that he won't entertain any illusions about his sisters being happy in their marriages. He was deeply shocked by Sedia's situation and said he would contact his two sisters who married into Secourt after this matter is resolved."

"The Empress is typical," Amon said with a laugh. "What were the names of the two sisters again?"

Alex looked puzzled. A moment of awkward silence followed, and Gruuk sighed. "You should remember them. If the Empress finds out you forgot your sisters' names, it will be troublesome."

"...The Emperor has many things to do," Alex said, trying to justify himself. "I hope that excuse works with the Empress."

Alex's face turned a bit pale, and Gruuk raised an eyebrow. "I hope so too."

Feeling sorry for him, Luithas hesitated whether to tell him, but Gruuk blurted out the answer. "Mariaje and Liliacelena."

Hearing the answer, Alex repeated it quickly in his mouth. He seemed to want to avoid the Empress's anger.

"May I ask how the Empress was yesterday?" Luithas asked, suddenly curious.

Alex tilted his head. "Her mood? It was fine. She had a lot to talk about and was waiting for me to return."

"Her mood seemed to sour at one point. I thought the Emperor might have done something again."

"Again? What do you mean?" Alex looked at Luithas, as if feeling offended. "I said she was waiting for me. Let me tell you, Via is head over heels for me."

Alex leaned back, and Luithas, finding it ridiculous to listen to his boasting, decided to stop the conversation.

In any case, it was a good thing that the Emperor and Empress of Anchease had a good relationship. Despite the Empress's tendency to manipulate the Emperor, it was clear from her words that she trusted and loved him deeply.

The Empress had confidently said that the Emperor would surely find a way to resolve this matter. She must truly believe it.

As if reading Luithas's thoughts, Alex suddenly looked at him with a determined gaze. "You, do you have a way to communicate with Sedia?"

"Yes."

Luithas nodded, and Alex smiled. "Tell her my words. I will definitely bring her to Anchease. It might take some time, but she should be prepared to wait."

The Emperor's confident and unwavering words made Luithas momentarily speechless, and then he smiled.

With the Emperor's assurance, her return was a guaranteed future. The only question was how to resolve the matter.

"As you command," Luithas said, eager to convey the message to Lady Sedia as soon as possible.