Chapter 47

47. Your Son-In-Law, My Husband

“What?”

The earl stammered as if he wasn’t sure he heard correctly.

“I’m going to put Callion Tiflis, no, Callion Isulandt on the throne.”

“Adele. Are you out of your mind?”

The Earl of Cornwall’s throat made a windy sound. He couldn’t believe his daughter’s change of heart, that she would stand by Elkius even if everyone else in the world turned their backs on him.

Adelaide spoke calmly.

“Father, you know Elkius betrayed both you and me.”

“Betrayed? The emperor promised to make you an empress-.”

“Do you still believe that nonsense?”

“Yes. …….”

“That promise was broken the moment he sent me to be Callion’s wife, and what emperor in the world would accept as empress a woman who was another man’s wife?”

Earl Cornwall made a grunting, pained sound. It was a valid and painful point.

“Did you really not notice that Elkius’ attitude was strange?”

“…….”

The Earl of Cornwall glanced down at the seafoam pipe he proudly displayed on the parlor table.

Surely not. Despite some conflicts, hadn’t they gone through hardships together with Elkius?

“With so many responsibilities as Emperor, it’s natural to have minor conflicts that we should understand.”

He extended the pipe towards her.

“Look at this. It’s his gift from Count Owens. He said he remembered me when he saw it and gave it to me as a gift.”

Adelaide took the pipe.

As she carefully examined it, she separated the tobacco chamber. After wiping the inside thoroughly with a handkerchief, she placed it in the fishbowl and the fish quickly turned over and rose to the surface.

“……!”

“Look. There was poison inside.”

The Earl of Cornwall stared at the fishbowl in disbelief. Adelaide spoke up.

“Elkius abandoned us.”

“H-How… Your Majesty was supposed to—”

“I suppose he decided we were no longer useful.”

The Earl of Cornwall’s hand trembled as he spoke.

‘If I had only known that Elkius was so vacillating, I would not have betrayed Duke Roxus!’

‘Would it not be better for me to ascend the throne and make Adele Empress, rather than wait for my father to abdicate?’

He was foolish to have allowed himself to be seduced by the snake. Adelaide seized her father’s hand and said.

“Elkius Isulandt is hopeless. The outcome is obvious if you side with him.”

Whether he dies at Elkius’ hands or is caught up in his downfall and dies with him, the outcome Earl Cornwall hoped for will not come.

Earl Cornwall agreed with his daughter. If Elkius has abandoned them, it is best to find another ally. However, he was troubled by the fact that this lifeline was Callion Isulandt.

It bothered him that he had been the one to block Callion’s path.

“If the Duke knew what I did, he would never forgive me.”

“He knows.”

The Earl of Cornwall’s eyes widened.

“And you mean to tell me that he accepted…… you despite that?”

“Yes.”

Adelaide nodded slowly. The Earl of Cornwall swallowed hard.

“What did you agree to receive in return for putting the Duke on the throne?”

“My father’s and my safety.”

Adelaide’s voice trembled slightly.

“If Callion becomes emperor, it will not bring the honor you desire, but it will save your life.”

Earl Cornwall realized that his daughter had begun a very dangerous gamble. If Adelaide’s decision is right, he has no choice but to go along with it.

“What do you think …… this father should do?” he asked.

“Do nothing, just leave the capital.”

“Leave the capital?”

“Yes. I suggest you use the excuse of ill health and go down to the estate.”

“What about money? If you want to do something big, you have to have money.”

“I’ll take care of that. Elkius would be suspicious if your funds were funneled to me, so stay put.”

Earl Cornwall nodded in Adelaide’s direction.

“I understand. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.”

“I will.”

The Earl of Cornwall looked at Adelaide with a newfound respect. His daughter, once so fearful and tearful, had hardened into a shadow of her former self.

His child who left him had grown up so much, which somehow made him feel bitter, but the Earl just smiled.

“By the way, Father, I have a question for you.”

“Yes.”

“The pocket watch your father used to have.”

“A pocket watch?”

“The one that was supposed to make wishes come true.”

“Hmm? A watch bought from a Caucasian shaman?”

As if suddenly remembering, the Earl of Cornwall slapped his knee.

“I lost it a while ago. It was an expensive item, so I regretted losing it.”

“That watch, do you remember who you bought it from? “

“It was…… on my way to the kingdom for a big deal before your mother’s birth, but I got lost near the border and nearly died.”

“…….”

“Then a Caucasian shaman saved my life, and I barely escaped with my life, and he told me to buy the watch to repay him, so I bought it for a thousand cels.”

……So the shaman had seen it all coming.

“Do you remember his face?”

“I don’t know. It was so long ago…… I remember he was quite tall, with black hair down to his ankles. But why are you asking me that now?”

“Oh, I heard that the watch grants wishes.”

“I can’t prove it, as I’ve lost it, but the shaman was a very credulous man.”

Adelaide laughed softly at Earl Cornwall’s comment.

“Then why didn’t you make a wish?”

“I did wish. It just didn’t come true.”

“What did you wish for?”

“I wished for your mother to be healed.”

The smile on Adelaide’s face faded.

“How is Mother…… doing?”

“Still the same. Do you want to see her while you’re here?”

“Yes.”

The Earl of Cornwall smiled faintly and stood up.

“If you’re done talking, let’s leave. I don’t want to keep His Grace waiting any longer.”

Adelaide followed her father out of the parlor and into the hall.

Callion turned to look at the family portraits on the wall.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting so long, Your Grace.”

“No need to apologize. There was much to see; I lost track of time.”

“If I had known you were coming, I would have had something ready for you…….”

“It’s okay. Next time, I’ll make sure to inform you.”

Callion offered his hand politely.

Unlike when they entered the mansion, he could tell that the conversation was going well due to the friendly gaze. Adelaide turned to Callion.

“My lord, I’m going to see my mother before I return, will you come with me?”

“If she is your mother, of course I should see her.”

“Father, then I’ll go see my mother.”

“Very well.”

Adelaide followed Callion to the room at the end of the hall. A gust of warm air rushed in as they opened the door.

A large bed lay lumpy in the center of the room, and the figure of a thin, middle-aged woman was visible.

Adelaide slowly approached the bed while Callion froze.

“Mother, I’m here.”

The woman on the bed looked dead.

Her eyes were open, but she didn’t seem to understand, Adelaide took her hand gently.

“I’m sorry it’s been so long, I meant to come sooner, but things got in the way.”

“…….”

“How have you been, Mother? You look much better. It must be because father has been so good to you.”

“…….”

“I missed you a lot, didn’t you miss me?”

“…….”

“By the way, I bet you’re wondering who this man is, he’s your son-in-law, my husband.”

Adelaide looked at Callion, her face wet with tears. Callion, who had been standing silently, smiled warmly.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. I’m Callion Tiflis.”

“He is your son-in-law, isn’t he handsome? He’s a very nice man.”

“…….”

“We’ll be in the capital for a while, I’ll stop by whenever I can.”

She caressed the countess’s face affectionately. Her unfocused eyes seemed to moisten slightly with emotion.

Adelaide stared at her mother, who didn’t answer and finally spoke.

“I’ll leave now, Mother. Take care.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The carriage ride home was silent. Callion glanced at Adelaide, who stared out the window.

He knew of the Earl of Cornwall but had never heard of the Countess of Cornwall. He assumed she preferred not to engage in external activities, but he never knew there were circumstances like this.

“Please understand my father.”

The complexity of her emotions was evident on her pale face. Adelaide lowered her gaze and continued.

“Father didn’t desire power from the beginning.”

“…….”

“If my mother hadn’t become what she was, my father wouldn’t have taken the hand of Duke Roxus.”

“What happened?”

Callion spoke carefully, worried about opening old wounds.

“When I was fifteen, a high-ranking noble approached me saying he wanted to make me his concubine.”

“…….”

“He was older than my father, and when I refused, he threatened my father, claiming that there were illegal elements to his business.”

Callion gritted his teeth.

Adelaide’s stunning beauty had made her the talk of the town even before she became a noble. But he was shameless enough to want a fifteen-year-old as his concubine.

“But when my father persisted, he sent someone to the mansion and tried to take me by force. My mother was fighting with those people to protect me and fell down the stairs… … .”

She trailed off, shaking her head. Feeling a lump in his throat, Callion cleared his throat.

“Who were they?”

“I’d rather you not know.”

“How could you pretend not to know about such a reckless act that harmed someone? Why didn’t you report it? If you had reported it right away—”

“It was an accident, and there was no one to testify, and he was too high up for a mere commoner to stand against.”

He could understand the resignation in Adelaide’s words.

“Let’s find a doctor. There must be a way to help her get better.”

“It’s no use, my father traveled all the way to the kingdom and brought back doctors he said were competent, but they all said there was nothing they could do.”

“Well, you don’t know that, do you? We can make inquiries…….”

She shook her head.

“I don’t want that. I just… want her to be able to rest peacefully without suffering anymore.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks over her forced smile.

Callion hugged Adelaide tightly.