71. You Must Become Emperor

Herwen was looking over a document from Four Seasons, which contained information he had requested.

“Why are you interested in Count Winters?”

Ariella glanced over the document he was reading and asked.

“I’ve seen him frequently associated with Larael lately…”

“Your Grace!!”

Ariella, who had been especially sensitive about Larael these days, snapped fiercely at Herwen for bringing up Larael so casually in front of her. It had been less than two days since she and Herwen had reconciled.

“Don’t shout at me.”

Herwen took his eyes off the document and looked at her expressionlessly.

Ariella bit down hard, breathing heavily in her agitation. She had clearly held the upper hand in her relationship with Herwen, but she couldn’t figure out when the dynamic had reversed.

Herwen tossed the document onto the table roughly. There was nothing particularly special in it beyond what he already knew and what was publicly known about Count Winters. Still, he was surprised by Four Seasons’s information network. The report detailed everything from the number of employees in the Winters household to a list of furniture and even the number of utensils. Even the number of forks he had jokingly mentioned was included.

“There’s nothing special… but for some reason, it bothers me.”

There was nothing noteworthy about his relationship with Larael either, aside from having met through Beatrice, the wife of Marquis Argen, as her cousin. Still, Herwen simply didn’t like Count Winters.

Watching Herwen, Ariella clenched her fists tightly. Her nails, which she had been growing out for the engagement ceremony, dug painfully into her skin. But what hurt even more was the wound to her pride.

“Your Grace, don’t you have anything to say about our engagement ceremony?”

Ariella asked, eyes wide.

“Yes.”

Herwen replied curtly, glancing at her as if it was bothersome.

“By the way, Your Grace, have you heard any news about the Fenrir attack?”

“Yes. The criminal’s execution is tomorrow, isn’t it?”

Ariella smiled widely at his words, her expression full of interest.

“No, not that. I mean the news that His Majesty is secretly investigating the Fenrir incident.”

Ariella had overheard one of the emperor’s aides reporting to Duke Nox. She was willing to use anything if it meant reversing her relationship with Herwen. As he showed interest, Ariella’s eyes regained their light.

“What do you mean?”

Herwen frowned at her. He thought the Fenrir incident had ended with the wizard being caught. This was the first he’d heard that Edward was conducting a separate investigation. Herwen had always mocked Edward’s stupidity.

“It’s just as I said. His Majesty has secretly ordered an investigation into the Fenrir incident.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“I overheard Count Airborne, one of His Majesty’s aides, telling my father.”

“…”

“Are you involved in this, Your Grace?”

Ariella asked cautiously, though her expression was anything but careful—she looked delighted, almost excited. Herwen looked at her face for a moment, then turned away.

Herwen closed his eyes and stared into space. After a long silence, he suddenly burst out laughing.

“Now, finally, things are becoming normal.”

He spoke calmly. In his view, his relationship with Edward had always been abnormal. Though bound by the name of brothers, their relationship should have been one of pure rivalry, where one would die if the other took what was theirs. The moment Edward claimed his position, it should have been that way. But Edward had treated him as a blood brother, and that awkward relationship had continued until now.

In the end, soft-hearted Edward would be powerless even if he learned that the Duke of Anderman was behind the Fenrir incident. Especially if Herwen was involved—would Edward really dare to touch him? Herwen actually thought things had turned out well. He had always hated Edward’s nauseating hypocrisy, and now he couldn’t help but let out a rough laugh as he lowered his gaze.

“Is something funny?”

Ariella frowned at his chilling laughter. What she wanted was for Herwen to be intimidated and trembling in fear. His reaction was completely different from what she had expected. Ariella felt goosebumps at his expression and laughter.

“Ariella, don’t you see? I’ve never even been considered a rival before, but now I’m finally being recognized as an equal.”

Ariella didn’t understand how Herwen felt, but the word “rival” brought someone to mind.

Larael Hedway—the empress consort could not take the surname Kazel, so she could never be Larael Kazel. Even so, after the empress dowager, she was the highest-ranking woman in the Kazel Empire. Thinking of her, Ariella ground her teeth.

“Please become emperor and make me empress.”

Now that her engagement to Herwen was set, the only way to become empress was to make Herwen emperor. Herwen looked at her and began to laugh, even clutching his stomach.

“That’s no fun, Ariella. You clinging to me isn’t amusing anymore.”

It was an insulting remark. Ariella could not understand why Herwen, who had once promised her everything, was now speaking so coldly. She believed the root cause was Larael. Ariella felt her heart grow even colder. The feelings she had for Herwen were fading so rapidly that she couldn’t believe they had once whispered love for so long. Now, she found him utterly repulsive.

But the fact that she had no other options besides Herwen filled her with uncontrollable anger. Clenching her teeth, she forced a bright smile at Herwen, who was laughing at her.

“Your Grace, even if you say that, you know I’m your only choice. I don’t find it very amusing either.”

Ariella shot back, determined not to let him have the last word. The smile vanished from Herwen’s face.

With graceful movements, Ariella stood and sat next to Herwen, burying herself in his chest. She hugged him tightly. Herwen, staring blankly into space, finally wrapped his arm around Ariella’s shoulders as if accepting his fate.

***

Lately, Genderi has been busier than ever. She was overwhelmed with orders for dresses from the noblewomen she’d met at the tea party. Having always worked alone, Genderi had already reached her limit with these orders and couldn’t even consider taking on more.

As a result, only those invited to Larael’s tea party were able to wear Genderi’s dresses.

Even in the midst of her busyness, Genderi managed to make a dress for Larael and brought it to her. It was no use for Larael to tell her she could stop making dresses for a while.

While Larael and her maids were admiring the dress Genderi had left behind and chatting happily, Berser and Handelson entered after knocking.

Berser had been feeling discouraged ever since he failed to catch the men who tried to sell the boy Joy. In the end, he teamed up with Handelson to try to find them, but they still couldn’t. As night began to fall, a murder occurred nearby, and people gathered at the scene. That was where Berser finally found them.

It was concluded that they had killed each other in a fight over gold coins, but Berser couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling after looking at the bodies. The place where the bodies were found was a mess. Judging by the scene, there had clearly been a brawl, but the fatal wounds were precise and clean.

The investigator in charge checked their criminal records, found nothing suspicious, and closed the case after writing the report.

Berser started to feel that he had become too complacent and lazy, content with his position as Larael’s bodyguard. If it had been only Berser and Handelson at Larael’s side instead of Edward, the swordmaster, could they really have protected her from Fenrir? Berser was certain that if that had been the case, Larael would not be here now.

And that was why, from early morning, he had been knocking on Larael’s bedroom door.