[Chapter 134] Collusion

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"If this prophecy is announced by Your Highness and finally fulfilled..."

Adrienne accurately perceived the desire reflected in Teln's eyes.

For Teln, donations were just additional income.

What he needed was the authority of the temple through the prophecy.

Doris also approached under the pretext of donations, but didn't she eventually gain his trust by giving Teln the prophecy she had fabricated?

"Wouldn't the status of the temple rise even higher, and wouldn't it be the same as having Your Highness bring about the birth of a new crown prince?"

Teln couldn't bear the weight of the words and sat down heavily.

The exhausted High Priest headed to the guest room, leaving only us in the reception room.

"I've really misjudged people! If you were to instigate such a lie to Teln, I would have no reason to criticize him."

"Your Lordship. Just now, you were threatening to expose the story about Doris Castagna to the world if we didn't announce this prophecy together."

Adrienne kept her mouth shut for a moment, as it seemed premature to reveal that she was the real Adrienne. But for some reason, Epero sided with her.

"Well, I was so mesmerized by how confidently you spoke that I was unconsciously carried away. Madam, did you really save the Count?"

"Does that matter?"

"Of course it matters!"

"No, Your Lordship."

Adrienne had been excited since earlier, looking for a clue to oppose Doris's wrongdoing.

She decided that it would be better to completely deceive everyone rather than being entangled in trivial matters and failing to achieve what Roardnes wanted.

"What matters is to at least wash away the sins of the late Crown Prince and to fulfill what His Highness the Second Prince wants."

"!"

Adrienne felt a little guilty, but she had touched Canuela's sore spot.

"You've already heard the true will of Her Majesty Queen Retina from Sir Vincent, haven't you? Upholding that will, it is to help the most brilliant light of Her Majesty's life shine brightly on Ronta. And you, Lord Epero, must avenge the six princes."

Adrienne looked at Canuela and Epero in turn, who were speechless.

Epero's expression turned dark as soon as the story about the six princes came up.

The day he returned to the mansion from the cave with Vincent.

He bombarded Vincent with questions.

Why on earth did his brothers have to die like that and have their bodies preserved?

Vincent's answer at that time was a huge shock to Epero.

The killer was probably Duke Castagna.

And it was Bardenaldo who instigated him to do so.

The reason why the bodies were enshrined like that was probably because they planned to bring them to a secret room and display them after ascending to the throne.

Vincent's conviction that they would have been treated as trophies without any guilt.

Epero, recalling the painful memory, shook his head and composed himself again.

Even though the Crown Prince was already dead, weren't Duke Castagna, who actually killed his brothers, and his daughter Doris enjoying a luxurious life?

"That's right, Your Lordship. Isn't it also Your Lordship's responsibility that the Crown Prince grew up like that?"

Epero said, stabbing with a smiling face.

Canuela stopped for a moment, as if he had been petrified, and then sank into the sofa.

Canuela supported Roardnes and felt responsible for Bardenaldo's wrongdoing, intending to atone for his sins for the rest of his life.

But he was suddenly afraid that instigating the High Priest to tell lies would be another sin and incur God's wrath.

"Your Lordship."

Adrienne, who had figured him out, quietly called Canuela.

Canuela couldn't understand how this seemingly weak beauty could have such courage to tell such a lie.

But Adrienne smiled reassuringly at him.

"The prophecy is not false."

"If you're going to spout nonsense..."

"I'm going to make the prophecy a reality."

Her sparkling green eyes shone brightly.

"To clear the unjust accusation of the Second Prince's ominous red eyes, wouldn't 'the will of God' be enough?"

Canuela looked deeply into Adrienne's eyes, which had overwhelmed the High Priest earlier.

It was even more absurd than telling a lie.

Maybe she wasn't a seductress as rumored, but maybe she was crazy. The aura that had overwhelmed the High Priest was also like that of a half-mad person.

"With the will of God, Your Lordship can help me clean up all the remaining trash."

But strangely.

For some reason, he liked the woman in front of him much more than Doris, who had always flattered him with sweet words.

"Yes, Your Lordship. From my experience, if you become friends with this lady, at least you won't attend a funeral where I am the main character."

With Epero's arrogance recovering, Canuela's expression became one that could neither cry nor laugh.

****

Emperor Julius's face was quite indifferent when he met his son for the first time in a long time.

He was physically and mentally exhausted from the death of Retinia, followed by the death of Baroness Kuroseda, and the death of his heir.

"Do you want to become Emperor?"

The Emperor looked at Roardnes, who had entered fully armed even though it wasn't wartime.

"You've developed an ambition, haven't you?"

"An ambition?"

The Emperor's lips closed.

Strictly speaking, it was natural for Roardnes, who was second in line to the throne, to become the new heir.

Even Epero, the legitimate son of the current Empress, was qualified to be elevated if the Emperor wished.

"Roan."

"Yes."

"They say that an emperor is appointed by God."

Julius gestured for Roardnes, who was standing at the entrance of the audience chamber, to come closer.

"But it's also a position that you can't achieve alone."

"..."

"Among my brothers, there was one who was particularly talented, just like you."

The Emperor naturally recalled the fierce competition of his youth, which was incomparable to the present.

If it hadn't been for Noevian's help, he wouldn't have been able to ascend the throne smoothly despite being the crown prince.

"That person you're thinking of. Noevian Ronta was like that, and before him, there was a younger brother who had red eyes like you."

It was the first time he had heard that story.

When interest flashed in Roardnes's eyes, the Emperor smiled bitterly.

"If there had been someone who had the title of 'saint' like Doris Castagna at that time, I might not be here now."

Roardnes, who had been stiff at the sudden mention of Doris's name, frowned sharply.

"...What do you mean?"

"It means that if someone with the title of 'saint' had been able to quell the rumors about red eyes, like Doris at that time, and if a woman with that name had become his consort, that younger brother might have become emperor."

"Are you saying that Father also agreed to revive the system of criminal investigation?"

"Of course. It's your chance to become Retinia's light!"

The Emperor's eyes suddenly flashed.

"If you can only neutralize that legend that you are an ominous prince, you have to marry even if it's not Doris but Duke Castagna! It's a hurdle you must pass if you want to become emperor. Moreover, Count Railon and Count Ciscometin, who were wandering after Bardenaldo's death, are now trying to support you because of Doris. Now that Duke Castagna, who dislikes you, has fallen, it's the right time."

****

Roardnes took a step closer to the Emperor.

Interpreting the action differently, the Emperor's mouth moved even faster.

"Yes, do you realize it now? Roan, my son. After Bardenaldo's death, you have become the only evidence that Retinia and I have loved in this world. I will pass the throne to you. Even if you have red eyes!"

"Father."

"Yes."

Roardnes, who had already reached the Emperor's nose, looked down at his father with the moonlight behind him.

Emperor Julius's face, who was willing to pass on the throne, was submerged in Roardnes's shadow.

In that, Roardnes whispered.

"The first Emperor, Kirps, was a traitor."

Julius's lips, which had been slightly smiling, hardened.

"The true first Emperor is Caldeion with red eyes. Therefore, the symbol of the legitimacy of the Ronta royal family is red eyes."

"...Roan?"

"Do you know this record, Father?"

The Emperor swayed even though he was sitting. The Emperor's face turned ashen in an instant.

Roardnes simply stared at him with clear eyes, not holding him up.

"Among the countless royals that Noevian Trovika killed instead of your father, those with red eyes were not even recorded in history."

The Emperor couldn't make a sound with his mouth open. It was as if Roardnes's cold red eyes were strangling his neck.

"Is this really a coincidence?"

The Emperor blankly stared at Roardnes, who was moving away again as if he had forgotten to breathe.

His son's face, which was extremely definitive, was as cold as frost.

"I don't know if I need that saint."

"Roan. Ro, Roan..."

The Emperor kept calling his son, unable to connect his words as if his tongue was tied.

"I will give you a chance to correct history."

The red gaze that had been staring at the shape of his lips moving roughly turned straight to the deep blue eyes.

"I will give you a chance to atone for the years you have lived against the will of God by keeping silent about the truth."

"This, this is not that simple a matter, Roan!"

The Emperor shouted with difficulty.

However, whenever a crack appeared, his blue eyes kept shaking, expressing his anxiety.

"Do you think I wanted to do that? It's a matter that concerns the honor of my father, my grandfather, and even my great-grandfather! Are you going to completely destroy the foundation of the Ronta royal family that has been built up until now?"

"If you want me to shut up, don't urge me to marry Doris Castagna. And don't tell me that you will give me the position that should originally be mine as a condition."

"Roan! Roan!!"

Roardnes left the audience chamber after saying those words.

It was late at night, and he was also hurt to learn that his father knew about Rossi's records and asked about the truth.

"Even if I follow your words! Remember that politics, where many forces are intertwined, is never that simple!"

The Emperor's urgent voice echoed through the closing door.

Roardnes quickened his pace.

The flag of the Second Prince Roardnes suddenly entered the palace.

His return was earlier than scheduled.

As soon as she heard the news, Doris postponed her plan to go to the cathedral.

Although it was late at night, she urged Noura to help her dress up directly. This was because she was a woman who ran a business for noble ladies, so her insight was extraordinary.

Of course, she couldn't dress as brightly as before to maintain the image of a saint, but she had to pay attention to her freshness.

Doris ordered Noura, who had been called out at night, to wet her already dry hair and comb it.

Noura carried out her orders without a murmur.

"Somehow, I feel like everything is going well since Nora returned from the north, don't you think?"

"...Is that so?"

"And the Second Prince, whom I was worried about because there was no news, has returned safely and quickly."

"...But isn't the condition of His Grace Duke Castagna getting worse?"

Doris, who had been humming a tune and looking in the mirror, suddenly turned sharp.

Doris stared at Noura's face, who was calmly combing her hair, for a long time, then smiled sweetly again.

"He's a healthy man, so he'll recover soon."

There was a slight dissatisfaction in Doris's voice as she said that.

"Since I can also pray for my father at the cathedral... ouch!"

"I'm sorry, Your Highness."

"I've had enough of combing your hair!"

Doris glared angrily at Noura, who couldn't even comb her hair properly as usual.

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