Chapter 47

Adela studied Holden’s face as they sat across from each other.

The last time she’d seen him, his eyes had been filled with anger and anxiety, but now, they weren’t. In fact, he seemed more kingly than before, which reassured Adela.

“Did you enjoy your trip?”

Holden tried to smile, but his facial muscles were stiff, so it didn’t quite work.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble, Your Majesty.”

Adela lowered her gaze softly.

“What trouble?”

Holden’s question made Adela look up.

Did Holden not know? He couldn’t not know. He shouldn’t not know.

If he didn’t, it meant the King wasn’t getting proper information, which was a serious problem.

“Are you referring to the scandal?”

Fortunately, Holden did know.

“I have no excuse. I’ll stay in my quarters until the royal marriage, reflecting on my actions.”

“You did it for me. Why should you need to reflect? Sister, I…”

Holden’s brow twisted in pain.

“…I feel so sorry for you, Sister, that I can’t even bring myself to say it.”

“I won’t say it’s not because of you, Your Majesty. Even if no one else understands, I want you to know, Your Majesty.”

Adela’s eyes were filled with sorrow as she looked at Holden.

“I was too immature. Because of me, Sister….”

Holden’s throat tightened and he couldn’t continue.

“Your Majesty, you must be strong. You can’t let your heart waver over something like this. Even if a storm rages inside, it must not show.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Holden quickly composed his expression.

“Marquis Adamante will try to cover up my scandal.”

“Of course. Grandfather cared for you deeply, so it must be hard for him to bear.”

“But don’t just cover it up. Stir up the nobles, make them dig into this and challenge it.”

“Everyone who needs to know already knows. They’re just keeping quiet. Why make noise about it?”

Holden also didn’t want Adela’s name to be dragged through the mud any longer.

“Your Majesty, if I intended to let this fizzle out, I wouldn’t have started it. Rumors fade with time. Hammer it down and end this.”

“…….”

Holden pressed his lips tightly together.

“Honor that’s already lost can’t be regained. There must be some value in losing it.”

“I understand. I’ll make sure your efforts for me aren’t wasted.”

Encouraged by Adela, Holden made up his mind.

“In just a month, Your Majesty, you have become much stronger.”

“How could I do nothing when you’re working so hard to make me a King?”

A beautiful smile bloomed on Adela’s face.

Yes, that’s how her little brother should be.

Her judgment had not been wrong. What Holden needed was time.

If you plant a seed, water it, and let it bask in the sun, someday it will sprout. The timing for blooming and bearing fruit may differ, but it will come.

Holden was just a little slower than she was.

“Well done.”

The siblings smiled at each other for a moment.

The precarious trust between them was finally restored.

“There’s one more thing I must tell you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Keep an eye on Marquis Adamante.”

“Grandfather?”

“I’ll investigate separately, but you need to identify the nobles close to the Marquis and their private soldiers. And find out how many in the Royal Guard and Kingdom’s Knight Order follow him.”

“Are you suspecting rebellion?”

Holden’s eyes sharpened.

“If the Marquis does rebel, the Monarch he’ll put forward is me.”

Adela spoke calmly, but her words were truly shocking.

Adamante had already tried to stir things up once before. That time, he’d at least sought Adela’s consent, but now it would be different.

Holden hadn’t known about this until now, but he needed to. He was no longer just a younger brother to be looked after—he was the King.

“I’m sorry, Sister. I’m having trouble understanding exactly what you mean.”

“What does it mean when someone who doesn’t want to be the Monarch becomes the Monarch? It means the one pulling the strings is the real leader.”

“So Grandfather wants to set up a puppet Monarch?”

“Or he might make you his puppet, Your Majesty.”

“But why would Grandfather do that?”

“The Marquis believes he’s doing what’s best for the Kingdom. If something doesn’t fit his ideas, he’ll remove it by any means necessary.”

“That’s a truly dangerous way of thinking.”

History is full of such cases. Sometimes someone more capable than the King, sometimes someone full of arrogance, tries to ‘set the country right’ and only brings chaos instead.

“But if can prove to be a suitable King, Your Majesty, he won’t act.”

“So Grandfather isn’t happy that I became King.”

Holden’s face hardened.

He’d known the nobles were fiercely opposed, but he’d never imagined his grandfather was at the center of it.

At least his grandfather, he’d thought, was firmly on his side.

“It’s just a suspicion. There’s no harm in being careful. In everything, it’s better to know—ignorance leaves you vulnerable. So, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, Sister.”

“Please trust me to the end.”

This was something they could only overcome together if Holden trusted her.

“Of course, Sister. I’ll become a King everyone can acknowledge as soon as possible.”

***

At the same time.

At Adamante’s residence, several high-ranking nobles were holding a secret meeting.

“What do you plan to do next?”

Baron Ronald, Adamante’s right-hand man, asked.

“The current King is weak. We must depose him and put Princess Adela on the throne.”

Adamante spoke calmly.

“There isn’t a soul who doesn’t know about Princess Adela’s scandal.”

Count Daniel said.

“You believe a mere gossip magazine article?”

Adamante’s expression turned cold.

“It’s not just a passing mention. Whether true or not, the people believe the scandal. You can’t just insist it’s not true.”

Count Daniel’s tone was firm.

“Marquis, my son is of marriageable age. If we marry him to the Princess, wouldn’t that refute the scandal?”

Baron Ronald jumped in quickly.

So what if there’s a scandal? It’s about becoming a Royal Consort.

“You mean your second son? He hasn’t had his coming-of-age ceremony yet.”

Count Daniel said.

“It’s this month.”

“He’s four years younger than Her Highness.”

“So what? Younger men are trendy these days.”

Baron Ronald’s face was shameless.

“Marquis, isn’t my son better? He’s divorced, but he has no children and lacks nothing.”

Count Daniel said to Adamante.

“He’s divorced, but lacks nothing?”

Baron Ronald sneered.

“His wife cheated, that’s why they divorced.”

“How lacking must your son be for his wife to cheat with the gardener?”

“What did you say?”

Ronald and Daniel began arguing, their faces red.

Adamante was fuming. If not for Adela’s scandal, these men wouldn’t dare suggest marrying their sons to her.

Because of the scandal, all sorts of riffraff were trying to get involved.

“Enough.”

At Adamante’s loud voice, the two fell silent.

“Her Highness’s marriage is something I’m considering. It’s not urgent, so we’ll discuss it later. For now, just handle the tasks I assigned you.”

Marriage was a decent way to smooth over the scandal. The nobles were watching and whispering, so a decision needed to be made soon.

When the meeting ended, everyone left and Adamante was alone.

“Marquis, Dan is here.”

“Let him in.”

The King’s aide, Dan, entered and bowed to Adamante.

“Is there anything unusual?”

“His Majesty is meeting privately with Princess Adela.”

“How’s the atmosphere?”

“His Majesty feels burdened toward Her Highness. While you were away, he quit drinking and is enthusiastic about government affairs. The ministers are watching closely.”

“He quit drinking?”

Adamante’s eyebrows twitched.

Holden had been suffering from acute alcoholism. Due to stress, he often blacked out and had trouble controlling his anger. It wasn’t a fatal flaw, but it was a convenient excuse to use against him.

But now he’s sobered up and quit drinking?

“Yes. Since he stopped drinking, he’s also stopped getting angry and become calmer. Even the palace staff have noticed.”

One side is falling, the other is trying to rise. This won’t do.

To change the King, you need more than just power. You need justification. That’s why he’s rushing—while Adela’s excellent governance is still remembered and Holden’s abilities are still lacking.

‘Should I just kill him?’

No. If he killed him now, Adela would be suspicious.

He should have killed him when he had the chance.

One wrong move and everything’s tangled.

“Do whatever it takes to get him drinking again.”

“Pardon?”

Dan was startled.

“His current good behavior is because of Princess Adela’s scandal. Get him back to drinking like before. Make him drunk and disgrace himself.”

After sending Dan away, Adamante rubbed his forehead.

“If only I hadn’t been so soft, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

Regret washed over him again. He hated it—regret that only comes too late.

He wanted to keep Holden alive for the sake of his daughter, who worried about him until her dying breath.

He hoped Adela would realize herself that Holden wasn’t fit to be King.

He’d made a mistake by trying to let her ascend honorably.

Adela’s bold moves had made things much harder.

If only he’d pushed from the start. Tsk.