It was as if Cedric had looked straight into the Duke’s mind. His next question was like a blow: dangerous and deliberate.

Even the bold Duke of Colbert faltered. The emperor’s words caught in his throat, and cold sweat began to roll down his temples. One misstep, one wrong answer, and he could easily be branded a traitor.

‘That wretch…’

The duke ground his teeth inwardly. The young emperor, newly seated upon the throne, had sunk his fangs deep into him. He had always known that Cedric was not an easy man to handle, but humiliating him so openly before the entire court was infuriating.

“Your Majesty.”

Anger flared within him, but Colbert was a seasoned man. He swallowed his pride, rose slowly from his seat, and bowed low without hesitation.

Cedric watched him kneel, he was an elder statesman, old enough to be the emperor’s father and the emperor’s lips curved faintly, almost in satisfaction.

“If Your Majesty truly believes that I harbor such disloyalty, then I beg you, take my head here and now.”

“…”

“If this humble life of mine can serve as proof of my loyalty and bring Your Majesty peace of mind, then I shall gladly accept death.”

His words sounded humble and devout, yet there was steel beneath their surface.

Cedric stared down at the duke for a long moment, then suddenly let out a quiet laugh, as though the matter were of no consequence. A short, sharp ‘ha-ha’ escaped him, and with the same smile on his face, he gestured lightly for the duke to rise.

“A jest, Duke. Do you think I would fail to recognize the loyalty of someone who has served me so faithfully?”

“Your Majesty. A remarkable performance indeed. Even I was deceived for a moment.”

“Truly so, Your Majesty,” another voice chimed in. “You could hardly doubt the Duke’s devotion.”

As the Emperor’s laughter rippled through the chamber, a few courtiers those not aligned with Colbert joined in, quickly agreeing. Meanwhile, the Duke’s supporters watched their leader closely as he returned to his seat, gauging his expression.

“I only meant to lighten the mood. It had grown far too heavy. I seem to have startled you instead, Duke. Still, I trust you’ll understand, after all, you’ve long stood at my side.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

Colbert inclined his head towards the emperor. His expression was calm, and his tone was even so calm, in fact, that it seemed almost too controlled. Several of the emperor’s close aides frowned faintly at the sight.

But Cedric, seated high above them, remained composed, his face unreadable. The duke’s subtle gesture offered nothing that could be used against him.

“The factions supporting the traitors have effectively been eliminated, Your Majesty. Most were executed on sight or are now being transported to the capital. A few remnants have turned to banditry, but even those will soon be subdued by Your Majesty’s knights.”

“……”

“Once the troops who were dispatched to the front return to the capital, we plan to restructure the order. Naturally, the first priority will be to assign more knights to serve in Your Majesty’s immediate guard, and furthermore…”

“……”

“…a considerable number should also be stationed near the imperial heir, who will soon be born. Given that Your Majesty’s reign is still in its early years, we believe it prudent to take every precaution.”

“……”

“That concludes my report.”

At last, the long recitation came to an end. But Gislin still held several sheets of paper—three, perhaps four—that he had not yet read. His hesitation was clear.

Noticing his unease, the emperor lifted his gaze and looked directly at his aide.

“Your Majesty.”

After a moment’s pause, Gislin swallowed dryly, lowering the papers in his hands. Bowing deeply, he spoke with careful deliberation, his voice steady but heavy with resolve.

“There is… a matter of concern, Your Majesty, something I must bring to your attention, though I do so with the utmost caution.”

“Speak.”

The large sapphire set in the ring on his left index finger caught the light, casting a faint blue hue across his cold eyes. This sombre, regal sight made Gislin even more tense as he began to voice the concerns he and his peers had held for a long time, without reservation.

“The Duke of Colbert and the nobles under his influence have been flaunting their accomplishments far too boldly.”

“…”

“Of course, no one denies the magnitude of their service. But Your Majesty, the victories they boast about were not theirs alone. Yet they speak as though they achieved all the empire’s triumphs by themselves, and now use that as justification to demand excessive rewards.”

“……”

“At the very least, Your Majesty, the lands, titles and properties seized from the traitors should belong to you. Their redistribution must depend solely on your judgement. Should you choose to bestow rewards, they must bow their heads and accept your grace with gratitude. If not, they should accept that as right and natural.”

Once he began, the words flowed smoothly and deliberately.

Cedric could already see where this was heading. From this moment forward, his court would be sharply divided into two factions: one beneath the duke, and the other beneath his loyal aides.

So be it.

When an external enemy is gone, internal allies always turn on each other. Now that the former empress and Gerard were gone, those who had never truly gotten along would form their own camps, each wary of the other.

There was no harm in letting them bare their teeth, thought the master of the hounds.

Cedric gestured for Gislin to continue.

“Many people ignore proper procedures, Your Majesty. As you know, in the western provinces where the Duke of Colbert rules, many lords still adhere to outdated feudal laws. They are loyal not to the Crown, but to the Duke himself, whose local influence far outweighs their devotion to you.”

“……”

“The duke has taken advantage of these outdated customs to exercise unlawful authority. He inspects taxes, tributes and all kinds of goods before they ever reach Your Majesty’s treasury. During this process, he conceals portions for his own gain. In short, he is embezzling imperial property and using his power to dominate the lesser lords beneath him.”

Cedric was already well aware of this. Colbert had long acted as the de facto ruler of the west, hiding behind traditions that had been abolished generations ago. The difference was that now, he had ceased even pretending to conceal it.

Judging by how vehemently Gislin was speaking, Cedric thought it might be time to issue a warning. Seeing that his emperor was listening closely, Gislin continued, growing more confident and more convinced with each word.

“Even what transpired earlier in today’s council, Your Majesty, the duke’s insolence stems from the same arrogance. He commands an illegal retinue of vassals, men bound to him personally rather than to the throne. With that false strength, he dares to act without fear of imperial authority. This cannot be overlooked.”

When he finally stopped, Gislin was slightly out of breath from his own fervor.

Cedric, watching him, made up his mind. If things were already leaning this way, then perhaps it was time to push his aide and those aligned with him forward and let them stir the waters.

Once Gislin had caught his breath, Cedric asked evenly.

“Then tell me, Minister, what do you think I should do first?”

Caught off guard by the Emperor’s question, Gislin hesitated for a moment. Unable to contain his growing excitement, he gripped the papers tightly and finally voiced the proposal he had spent a long time debating.

“First, Your Majesty, you must no longer leave the seat beside you empty.”

His words fell like a stone, turning the room still. As the conversation turned to the vacant position of Empress, Cedric slowly lowered his hand from his forehead and placed it on the desk.

Sensing the sudden change in the Emperor’s demeanor, Gislin tensed, but quickly realized that he was not angry. That steadied him.

“Her Highness is residing in the Crown Prince’s palace and is carrying the imperial heir in her womb. Your Majesty yourself affirmed this during the council meeting. Therefore, it is only proper that she be granted her rightful position.”

“Did you not once tell me otherwise, along with many others? I recall being told that my choice of position was none of your concern.”

“I believed Your Majesty’s will should come first and I still do.”

“Then why bring this up now?”

“Forgive my boldness, Your Majesty, but have you not already chosen her to sit on the empress’s throne?”

In that instant, Gislin felt certain that his intuition had been correct. The emperor’s expression showed not the slightest trace of displeasure. In fact, there was a faint glimmer of approval, almost welcome.

And truly, it made sense.

Once, Cedric had spoken openly of discarding her, of erasing her entirely. But that sentiment had long since vanished without trace. He had not yet appointed the woman in the Crown Prince’s palace as empress, nor had he considered any other woman.

‘Even if she is disliked, she is still the wife who gave him a child. Looking back, can His Majesty really be said to hate her? When he ordered Sir Dian to stay with her, the decision had already been made.’

Moreover, in front of the entire court and even in front of the duke himself, His Majesty deliberately declared the unborn child, whose gender was unknown, to be his heir. If that was the case, the mother would never be cast aside.

“Although she may come from a fallen royal house, she is still of noble blood and was personally chosen by the late Emperor to become a Crown Princess. Once the child is born, all will be done to uphold propriety. While it’s true that he could marry a foreign princess, the duke would use every trick in the book to prevent it. A powerless woman is the wiser choice.”

Above all, Gislin could not allow the duke’s daughter to become empress. He is already far too arrogant, and if his daughter were to ascend to the throne and her child were to become the next heir, it would be disastrous. Laxion itself would become the Duke of Colbert’s domain. Those already fat with ambition would gorge themselves until the empire rotted.

“If Your Majesty is intent on this, now is the time. The duke’s arrogance stems in part from the fact that the empress’s seat remains empty. He covets that place for his daughter and believes it is already his to claim.”

Indeed, many expected Lady Katrine, Colbert’s daughter, to be named Empress. Gislin deliberately mentioned her name to test the Emperor’s reaction.

Cedric’s expression remained almost unchanged, yet Gislin noticed the slightest tightening of his fingers on the desk.

He could have laughed with triumph. Bowing his head slightly, Gislin pressed his plea:

“Therefore, to shatter the duke’s delusions, I humbly beg Your Majesty to raise Her Highness to the position of Empress without delay.”

Cedric fell silent.

He tapped his fingers lightly against the desk, lost in thought. Then he slowly sat up straight to speak.

But before a single word could leave his lips, a sudden, urgent knocking broke through the tense silence.

At the Emperor’s nod, Gislin called out.

“Enter!”

A servant burst in at once, stumbling forward until his knees struck the floor. Breathlessly, he cried out, his voice trembling with excitement.

“Your Majesty, forgive the interruption, but I bring joyous news: The imperial heir, Your Majesty’s child is about to be born!”