Chapter 26

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“I mean, Sir Azil. Nothing’s going to happen, is it?”

“Well.”

Maribelle used her fingertips to trace the rim of the teacup that the maid had prepared. She was having a much more awkward tea party than previously with the addition of Ethelred.

The reason Ethelred came to Calende Palace was primarily because of Kir.

Ethelred was struggling to get past the question that had popped into his head several times. Who did she have a crush on before? However, making a promise to ask her again next time would only waste more time.

Eventually, Ethelred tried to open his mouth again, “Your Majesty!”

A servant rushed in. Maribelle was confused by his sad and scared expression. Ethelred is here, who could scare Ethelred’s servant like that?

“T-there’s someone who is making a fuss and trying to find Your Majesty!”

Oh, he seems to have two lives. The mood changed in an instant when Maribelle realized something strange was going on. A similar sense of pressure to when Ethelred broke into a tea party not long ago.

Ethelred rose to his feet.

“Guide me.”

He’ll be cleaning up a corpse soon. Maribelle quietly searched for the cup after seeing Ethelred’s expression. She can now relax and enjoy her relaxing garden tea party.

******

Ethelred had to let go of his sword and take deep breaths in vain as soon as he saw the face of the person who had caused the disturbance.

“—What has brought you here, Aunt?”

“Oh my goodness. Ether! It’s difficult to see your face.”

A beautiful middle-aged woman with blonde hair shining as if made of melted gold brushed away the protests of the servants and laughed as if revealing her royal bloodline. Despite her old age, her unchanging boldness and splendor wrapped around her like a cloak.

Innis Rhodain. Originally Innis Peopil, she was the second scariest person in the empire, and at this point, she was the only royalty other than Ethelred, and she was Ethelred’s aunt.

Ethelred took in the scene where Innis messed up the atmosphere of his Palace and sighed.

“Even in the Igcentium, you’re making a scene. You must have missed the guillotine.”

“Oh my goodness, nephew. There’s no need to be so cruel. These idiots didn’t tell me where you are. How dare they, do they know who I am?”

The back of the servant’s hand was being stepped on by Innis’ pointed shoes. She had a girlish smile on her face, but her tone and demeanor revealed the dignity of a lady experienced in cruelty. Furthermore, because she had lived her entire life without bowing to others, she had the arrogance that exuded from her bones.

Ethelred looked down at the distressed servant being stepped on, and gestured for another servant standing nervously beside him to take him away.

“Why are you crawling in to see me when we don’t have a good relationship? You’d better be glad if you go back with feet intact, Aunt.”

“I was wondering where the good attitude you were talking about went. It seems like it died together with your mother. How rude.”

“I didn’t realize you’d miss someone who already has your eulogy planned; I’ll send it to you next time.”

Ethelred’s ferocious gaze always made his opponents feel intimidated simply by meeting him, but it didn’t work against Innis. Rather, she regarded him as cute seeing him as her nephew, who had reached puberty.

“My child has already reached adulthood. That’s all for now. I didn’t come all this way to fight with you.”

With a clear smile, Innis poked Ethelred in the cheek with a fan she was holding. Seeing Ethelred look twice as annoyed as usual.

“I heard the news. I heard you have a candidate for empress in your palace. Apparently, there’s a scandal with you, and now you’re throwing a party for the child yourself. Let’s see what kind of beauty it is that left my nephew so possessed. And I heard she was from Edenbert.”

Rhodein, an Innis family member, was separated from Edenbert. Ethelred laughed mockingly because Innis was looking to create contact with Maribelle in any way that even such trivial matters was brought up.

“You don’t have to meet her. I’ll lend you the carriage since you walked. Please go back.”

Ethelred’s indifferent eyes were clearly irritated, but his voice was polite. Because he understands that threats will not be effective against his aunt. But Innis was puzzled as to why she was being treated so coldly.

“Why? You’re afraid I’ll run into her and slap her? I’m just a little curious. In this Imperial family, I’m the only adult left. Do you think it’s reasonable that I don’t even know the woman’s face of my only nephew?”

“What do you mean nephew?”

Ethelred laughed. As Innis’ pretense was becoming more difficult to tolerate, he had never shown such a malicious smile before.

“You only have one nephew, and his name is Baldwin. Why don’t you listen to me when I say something nice to you? I told you to go back. Aunt.”

“If this is you being kind I suppose you’d cut my throat if you were angry.”

She said it like it was a normal conversation. Ethelred was looking at Innis with indifferent eyes that appeared dull at first glance, but Innis who met his gaze knew better. That indifference contains a well-forged blade.

“This is no longer your home, and it is no longer welcoming to you, Aunt. I’m not sure what you would do when your nephew decapitates you.”

Ethelred frowned and ruffled his messy hair off his forehead. He walked, thinking he’d stopped her properly but he was still annoyed because he’d been interrupted during the time he had wanted to spend with Maribelle. His annoyance was only worsened by the fact that his opponent was her.

That’s annoying.

Ethelred was about to take a step back when their gazes met inadvertently. Ethelred frowned as he noticed the same red eyes with contempt staring at him. And then he laughed.

“Why do you see me that way? Would I even go so far as to say kill it?”

“—I am a member of the royal family. You will not be able to kill me no matter what you say.”

“Is that right? Then you can say that until you die.”

That’s frightening. Ethelred ignored Innis and continued on his way. He considered asking the knights to drag Innis away. Ethelred might have done so if it hadn’t been for what Innis said.

“However, that child is not from the Imperial family.”

Ethelred’s brow furrowed. Innis grinned at him in an instant.

“Oh, why are you staring at me like that? You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”

Innis Peopil. She was the previous Emperor’s younger sister, and she was one of those who aided in the murder of Ethelred’s biological mother.