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Chapter : 26
Freesia hurriedly snatched the documents from Ron’s hands. Among the several papers, she picked out a map and pointed to the location of the mountain she had seen behind the mansion.
“Ron! Is this the lake? Is there really a lake here?”
“Yes, that’s right. All the land up to that mountain belongs to the princess, and there’s a lake next to it. But when I went to check last time, they said the water wasn’t good. It has salt in it, so it’s salty and hardly any living creatures can survive in it.”
“…Ron.”
“Yes?”
Freesia asked in a slightly excited voice.
“Could there be another place like this in the empire? A salty lake, surrounded by plains, and the only massive mountain rising there?”
“No. It’s already famous as a unique geographical feature. Even if you wanted to deal with it later, it would be a headache…”
“This is it!”
“…?”
Ron looked at her in surprise at her sudden exclamation.
It was mine. That mountain behind the mansion. It was here. Nothing had changed. I just hadn’t been able to take it before.
Freesia let out a silent cheer. Her eyes sparkled.
“I have to send a letter to Duke Del immediately.”
A black carriage with a red flag entered the imperial garden. Even though it was early evening, many people were visiting the palace due to the new empress’s party, and beautiful music filled the air. The black carriage swiftly passed through the garden and stopped directly in front of the palace entrance.
“Switcherad, the young duke is entering.”
As the gatekeeper called out in a loud voice, the heavy palace doors, as ornate as they were, swung open. Hatz stepped down from the carriage, straightened the collar of his uniform, and strode up the steps into the palace.
Upon entering, the knights lining the red carpet in the long hallway bowed their heads. Hatz passed through them without expression and ascended the stairs.
He walked down the second-floor hallway and arrived at the audience chamber, signaling the guard at the door. The door opened to reveal the emperor, sitting casually with his chin resting on a long chair lined with golden trim and blue velvet.
“Enter.”
His commanding voice, broad shoulders, handsome features even at the edge of his 50s. Tail Ryu Maximilian was called the most ambitious and powerful emperor among those who had ruled the empire.
Most who faced the emperor trembled under his overwhelming presence. But Hatz, without a trace of nervousness, calmly bowed to him.
“I greet Your Majesty.”
After the brief greeting, Hatz stepped further into the room, calculating the distance to the emperor and stopping on the carpet adorned with a sun emblem.
“Young duke.”
“Yes.”
“Do I have to worry about something like this too?”
“….”
Hatz met the emperor’s eyes in silence. Cold, golden eyes fixed sharply on him. A heavy, cruel aura. Unlike ordinary people, it was clear the emperor viewed Hatz, still merely a successor, as someone to be assessed. He could distinguish precisely who he could use immediately and who he could not.
Hatz smiled faintly.
Just like my father. The Del Duke of the Switcherad family was just as imposing as the emperor. Hatz, raised under such a father, was no ordinary man either.
“I didn’t know, Your Majesty, that you would concern yourself with such trivial matters. I hear you’ve had many tasks lately; aren’t you overworking?”
“I won’t drag it out. Can this be resolved in a week?”
“No. I cannot promise. I apologize.”
“….”
Hatz’s curt reply immediately made the emperor straighten up from his reclined position. He gestured to the attendants and knights to close the doors and leave.
Once everyone had stepped back and the doors closed, only the emperor and Hatz remained in the large, quiet chamber. The air felt heavy and oppressive.
The emperor rested his chin on one shoulder, leaning against the chair.
“So, the wine didn’t arrive because of an accident?”
“Yes. It was beyond my control.”
“Beyond your control, huh…? Even if I spoke to Del directly?”
“It would be useless. The palace wine supply was interrupted due to an accident.”
At Hatz’s emotionless reply, wrinkles formed around the emperor’s eyes.
“All other regions’ wine was delivered properly, I hear.”
“Of course. But the palace wine is different. The accident occurred where the palace’s wine was stored.”
“Only there… by chance?”
“Your Majesty, all accidents are coincidental. If it were predictable, I wouldn’t be here. So no matter how much you want it, I cannot bring the wine immediately.”
“So, it doesn’t matter even if the ministers know. You don’t care about Del’s position?”
As the discussion naturally shifted to politics, the emperor briefly showed signs of fatigue. What should have been a short discussion was dragging on, and the recent increase in his workload made him weary. Hatz furrowed his brow.
But the emperor’s cold, piercing gaze quickly made Hatz erase his brief display of irritation.
“I am fully aware from my father’s perspective.”
So he deliberately staged the accident, making it easy to use as an excuse. Hatz smiled faintly after the short reply. The emperor still seemed displeased, his gaze cold.
“Then you should also consider what the ministers will think, and how they perceive your family in relation to the palace.”
“However, Your Majesty, since this was merely an accident, it would be odd for the ministers to think there’s a problem between our family and the palace.”
“The palace is noisy; it would be strange not to have such thoughts.”
“I understand. Very well.”
Hatz spoke empty words with a casual smile. Everyone would be gossiping: the Switcherad family’s wine not reaching the palace. Their uninterrupted, multi-generational wine supply had never failed before and should never fail. The Switcherad family was different from other ducal houses.
Their business, from fabrics and jewelry to paper and wine, had grown to support the empire. Particularly their horse business, started by Duke Del, produced horses of excellent bloodlines sought even by other kingdoms. The previous emperors prioritized relations with the Switcherad family, and to demonstrate this to others, they created special wine exclusively for the palace. Even an accident interrupting it would reflect poorly on their relations.
“Understood. I will handle it as quickly as possible. Let us not meet again for the same issue.”
“I will do my best.”
Hatz’s prompt response and slight bow of the shoulder finally eased the emperor’s cold gaze. He straightened and lightly rang the bell beside his chair.
The audience chamber doors opened, allowing a gentle breeze inside. Attendants returned to serve the emperor, and knights resumed their positions. Hatz straightened, turned, and left the chamber.
The friendly smile he had shown the emperor now vanished, replaced with displeasure and cold fury.
He didn’t even ask how his daughter was doing. What a wretched man… damn it.
Hatz clenched his fists so hard his veins bulged, suppressing his explosive anger as he descended to the first floor and stepped onto the red carpet.
At that moment, the palace gates opened with the gatekeeper’s call.
“Her Majesty Empress Bloé Matonus and Princess Vivian are entering!”
Hatz froze as he watched the massive doors slowly open. His expression remained neutral as he stared ahead.
Before him stood Bloé, in a large, sky-blue, voluminous dress adorned with ornate accessories.
As Hatz noticed her, Bloé noticed him.
“Young duke.”
Bloé smiled purely and beautifully.
Hatz clicked his tongue softly and relaxed his tightly clenched fists. He approached her and gave a slight bow.
“It’s been a while. You always look handsome.”
Hatz had never met Bloé personally, only passing her briefly on business trips with his father. He slightly raised one corner of his mouth at her familiar demeanor—a subtle smirk, almost a sneer.
“Excuse me.”
Hatz spoke in a low, emotionless voice and walked past Bloé toward the doors.
“Wait! Young duke, aren’t you making a mistake?”
Bloé’s tone rose slightly. Though soft, it carried clear displeasure. Hatz, intent on leaving quickly, closed his eyes briefly, then turned back with a light chuckle and continued forward.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you see my daughter? Even if you are a young duke, how can you not greet the princess of the empire?”
“Ah.”
Hatz finally looked at Vivian, standing next to Bloé.
Delicate and slender, Vivian had long light brown hair and an innocent face resembling her mother. When their eyes met, she gave a lively, warm smile.
“Nice to meet you, Young Duke.”
“….”
Hatz, instead of responding, raised one eyebrow at Bloé and said tiredly,
“I didn’t see her.”
“What did you say?”
“Too busy with work.”
“Wait…!”
Hatz coldly turned and quickly passed through the palace doors. Behind him, Bloé and Vivian watched his retreating figure. Hatz scowled as he entered the carriage. The doors closed, sealing the palace behind him.
Bloé turned and walked toward the second floor where the emperor awaited.
“Vivian.”
“Yes, mother.”
“Make that man yours.”
“But he won’t give himself to Freesia. Ron wouldn’t either.”
“You foolish girl…! I’m not telling you to beg Freesia! You’re to win the young duke’s heart, by any means necessary! Do you understand?”
“Yes! Of course, mother. I will do it. I want to take everything from Freesia, so I’ll make the young duke mine.”
As Vivian followed up the stairs across the red carpet, Bloé smiled coldly.
Once the young duke is handled, that girl will be finished. How dare she cross me.
Recalling her encounter with Freesia at the masquerade, Bloé’s short smile faded, and she bit her lip.
“Wait here, Vivian.”
“Mother, I also want to see father…”
At the audience chamber, Vivian grabbed her mother’s sleeve in a hurry.
“I told you not to whine like a child.”
“But it’s been more than two weeks since I saw father. Even for a moment…”
“Vivian.”
“Yes?”
“Behave like a princess. Look at what Freesia does.”
“…Yes.”
Vivian’s arms relaxed as Bloé’s cold voice scolded her, releasing her hold on her mother’s dress.
