Chapter 469. Birdhead’s Nursery (1)
Translator: Aura / Editor: Tiny Zebra
Every thought was more terrifying than the last. And although the thoughts themselves were shaless, the inner voice conveyed serenity and intelligence.
‘Stop! How can you think that in such a solemn voice!’
Grand Duke Kapn shouted in his mind as he hurriedly looked from side to side.
He had never been subjected to such grueso thoughts. He wished to hear no more.
“What’s wrong?”
“Stay ten feet away.”
Grand Duke Kapn coldly warned Dolshi, still looking for the culprit.
Finally, he saw a woman sitting with good posture beneath a large tree. She held a thick book in one hand and wore glasses. The book was titled ‘An In-Depth Review of Tactics and Strategy’.
‘That woman’s inner thoughts… Are completely unexpected given her appearance and present occupation!’
Her expression was so solemn and wise that one would never imagine she could think such nonsense.
Grand Duke Kapn approached the woman.
As he walked, he realized that this was the place where he once collapsed with painful longing for Navier. For a mont, the sad mory of his unrequited love clouded his mind…
But then he noticed the woman again, and their eyes t.
Since Grand Duke Kapn had co too close, the woman raised her eyebrows and asked coldly,
“What’s the matter?”
At the sa ti, her inner voice cried out,
‘Wow, what a stud! Up close, he’s even more handso. Such virility and manliness! If a man like this said, ‘Princess Charlotte, I want your love,’ I would not hesitate to run into his arms. It’d be ecstasy!’
Grand Duke Kapn’s lips quivered. He had never t soone whose words and inner thoughts were so remarkably different.
He had t people who show a kind smile while holding a dagger behind their back, but he had never t a person with such a serious expression and such a naughty imagination.
‘Why does he look so nervous as he stares at ? Oh, my! There is but one possibility… Did this man really fall in love with at first sight?’
“No…that’s not it…”
***
It seed like only yesterday that the first autumn leaves began to fall. In the blink of an eye, the wind beca colder and the air chilled the tip of one’s nose.
Sovieshu ordered a table to be set up on the terrace, took his diary and sat there.
Once a servant brought the chestnuts and sugar in lted lard, accompanied by a bowl of soup so hot that he would need to blow on it to eat it, Sovieshu held his diary open with one hand and lifted a spoon with the other.
Eating alone was boring. It was always better to be distracted by sothing to shake off that feeling.
But while his eyes were on the diary, his mind wandered.
— Marquis Karl, I read in the court records that the woman nad Rashta spoke rudely and yelled a scandalous accusation. Was it true?
He recalled the Marquis Karl’s puzzled expression from a few days ago. Sovieshu lost his appetite, clicked his tongue and closed the diary.
After that first petition asking him to remarry or at least bring Sheir to the palace, a series of similar petitions followed.
The woman nad Rashta made a statent that shocked the entire audience at the High Court.
And now, the Empress’s seat was vacant and Grand Duke Lilteang, the next in the line of succession, was in a delicate state of health. The people had reason to be uneasy.
Since Sovieshu didn’t want to marry any other woman than Navier, he thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring Sheir to the palace. Sheir would be an excellent shield against those who insisted Sovieshu remarry. Besides, if he was going to bring Sheir to the imperial palace eventually, he had better do it before he fell into soone else’s hands.
His reflections over, Sovieshu set down his spoon and called Marquis Karl.
“Did you send for , Your Majesty?”
“Bring Sheir. If it will have to be done anyway, then the sooner the better.”
Marquis Karl seed surprised for a mont, but quickly bowed dutifully.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
His surprise was short-lived, for he knew it was only a matter of ti before this happened. Moreover, the night Sovieshu was of the sa opinion .
“Ah, Your Majesty. About the investigation of the Zensia Family, which you previously ordered.”
“Is it completed?”
“Duke Zensia had many friends, but none were close. After all, his family was once the most powerful among the nobility. He must have had many followers, but few true friends.”
“Still, there must be so with whom he was close.”
“Yes. Duke Zensia was especially close to his cousin, Marquis Ketron, and Duke Liberty. Both were also close to the forr queen.”
“What are they doing now?”
“Marquis Ketron was involved in the murder attempt on the Empress by Duke Zensia, but shifted his allegiance in favor of the Empress soon after the forr queen’s death. As a result, he saved his own skin. However, he has hardly been seen since. He rarely leaves his mansion.”
“What about the other one?”
“Duke Liberty had also sided with the Empress before the forr queen’s death. I heard his position remains the sa, although he seems more reserved these days.”
Sovieshu was thoughtful for a while. There were many things to consider in order to successfully collude with foreign nobles. Besides, what he wanted was to get rid of Heinley, not to harm Navier.
He had to evaluate all possible scenarios. If things went wrong, Sovieshu might be betrayed and his intentions exposed.
After waiting for Sovieshu’s answer for a long ti, Marquis Karl asked carefully.
“What shall we do, Your Majesty?”
“Sound them out in secret.”
“As you command.”
Marquis Karl bowed and left. But soon after he returned.
“Your Majesty.”
Sovieshu, having barely eaten, had just ordered the servants to take away the food.
“What is it?”
“Soone from the Western Empire has co for the boy.”
“Where are they now?”
Sovieshu stood up. Navier had resorted to Emperor Heinley’s help to convey the ssage, but it was a personal request from her, so no official envoy would be sent. It was likely that soone close to Navier was sent.
‘If I take good care of them, they will say good things about to Navier.’
Sovieshu quickened his pace.
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