Translator: Kimmy

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Everyone agreed to the question Count Maron asked when he was on his second steak.

Unlike the previous Emperor, who was not imcompetent but was rather like a sly tyrant, the current Emperor did not request for anything too much.

He had the determination to carry out a policy and also was responsive.

That’s why some have even said his governing is too defensive.

Everyone in the parliament knew that it was actually the Chancellor that was stern and noncommunicable.

That was the only reason they came to work everyday despite trembling in fear of the Emperor’s intimidating aura.

He was terrifying but he was fair, so if they carried out their duties well, there was no problem.

Marquis Villiore grumbled.

“And Cartul was always like… that. They are strict about tradition and custom and also have something like elitism…Saying it’s uncivilized to have concubines. I mean we have nothing to say to that but this isn’t normal……”

They had a different culture, so it is understandable, but they have a relatively similar cultural background with Lesa. However, the people of Cartul seemed to scorn the Empire’s culture even more than the others.

And if they themselves didn’t do what they scorn of Lesa so much, there wouldn’t be much to say. But they were the ones having frequent visits to courtesans.

Marquis Villiore scoffed internally.

He was famous in the Empire for being a family-orientated man who only loved his wife and had never cheated on her.

He never could understand those people who talked behind their backs.

“I found out that they were still talking about how the Emperor killed his own brothers and his father to take the throne.”

Count Pillbourne spoke as he sipped on his wine.

He was from the alcohol-loving South and nothing made him happier than a good wine served for lunch.

“Seriously, they still do that?”

Count Maron was dumbfounded.

He was the only one in the parliament and one of the few that saw the Emperor at war and him succeeding the throne during it.

The Emperor barely had face expressions but his expression back then was not a satisfied, plan-succeeded face but was a confused face.

Even the High Priest placing the crown on his head flinched.

As one of the people who saw the young Emperor’s contemplation to run away when he was succeeding the throne, Count Maron was infuriated when he heard these rumours.

The only person that would succeed the throne if the Emperor decided to quit was Duke Gardellie, and the Count thought he would rather die than to work under him.

“We have to catch all of them who spread these rumors and execute them!”

“Count Maron, we are dining right now. Calm down. Well, they wouldn’t be able to understand it. We were initially like them too.”

“Ah, I’ve told you it’s not true!”

Marquis Villiore put on a bitter smile towards the agitated Count Maron and spoke.

“What Count Pillbourne is trying to say is, we were like that ‘initially’. Well, we all know what’s going on now. Anyway, he is so immature, that prince. King Sabina is heroic but his son…..”

“Those damned bastards!”

“Oy watch your mouth. Tsk tsk tsk, so hot-tempered. It’s getting worse as you age.”

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Why are you raising your voice again?!”

Looking at the two Counts that always argue, Marquis Villiore picked a salad into his mouth.

‘Mmm, this is good too.’

He thought today was a congenial and peaceful day now that both the Chancellor and the Emperor were absent and smiled between the two fighting old noblemen.

“Well, I was worried at first! I didn’t even know he was a prince!”

“That’s because you, Pillbourne, were slacking off from work! Everyone in the military department knew!”

“How are we supposed to know what you muscle-filled brains know?!”

The Public Order Department and the Finance Department were always on bad terms and Count Pillbourne and Count Maron were known for their feuding.

Despite arguing everyday, they were back together in no time so Marquis Villiore didn’t really care.

Besides, there was something else he was caring about.

“Was His Majesty that unnoticeable when he was a prince? His majesty is so….anyway, like that?”

The argument between Count Maron and Count Pillbourne stopped.

They were sharing glances quite uncomfortably.

Count Pillbourne put his fork and knife down and asked cautiously.

“Has it been ten years yet since you became a part of the parliament….?”

“Yes. It would be around that.”

Marquis Villiore took the position after his father was severely injured during the war.

Before that, he was living comfortably with his wife in his land that he wasn’t aware of the Capital’s situation.

It was 10 years ago when he had his name up in the parliament but it has been 5 years or so of actually participating in it.

So, compared to the two Counts that were over 60, he knew less about the internal affairs.

“This was a long time ago.”

Count Pillbourne drank his water again.

“When His Majesty was a prince…..uh, the previous Emperor ordered him to live strictly within the Northern detached palace. So, well, um. We honestly thought he was dead. Since there was no news of him and all.

And the crowned prince was his majesty, Leroy. We undoubtedly believed the successor would be Prince Leroy since the first born prince passed away. He never even participated in royal events. We didn’t even know he existed before the war.”

Count Maron continued.

“The military department was a little different. A few were secretly assigned to be his swordsmanship instructor. No one said a thing since it was confidential, but we did know he existed. We just assumed he was disliked by the Emperor so we couldn’t even say anything, afraid it would affect us….Every single one that went to his majesty, praised his talent. Thinking about it, it has been 20 years since then.”

“How so?”

The Marquis’ question was reasonable.

The current Emperor was capable. He had no physical flaws, had a fast brain, and had a good appearance besides being scary.

He had black hair, that was the symbol of the Rumilesas, so there was no problem in his legitimacy.

He also had no personality flaws.

Even if there was one, it would have been unnoticeable next to Duke Gardelli.

It wasn’t that prince Leroy was not good enough.

He was good in his own way but to Marquis Villiore, Karlos was always the suitable Emperor.

Just like an ambitious snake, the previous Emperor wanted conquest. So, he thought, compared to Leroy who was calm, Karlos would be a more proper successor.

“That we are not so sure…..Plus, he was the direct heir.”

“Count Pillbourne still had some doubts on the previous Emperor.”

Sometimes he felt a sticky, strange bad feeling.

The previous Emperor never did any harm to him but he couldn’t stop getting chills when their eyes met.

He also had violet eyes like the current Emperor but just thinking about those snake-like eyes made him shiver.

Those violet eyes that deepened darker and more mysteriously as he aged.

Count Pillbourne suddenly felt thirsty again and drank more wine.

“Anyway…..the first time I saw His Majesty was in the ceremony. Ah, was that also when I first saw the Chancellor? At first we thought he was a son born from a maid or a one-night mistake because he was a royal family member we weren’t aware of….We were all mortified when we found out he was the first-born. He was shocking in many other ways as well.”

“All the military generals backed away at that time. He is mature now but back then, when he was just over 20, even Margrave Siefred was frightened.”

“You were also frightened.”

“Shut up, Pillbourne. You prick!”

Ignoring the two Counts that started arguing again, Marquis Villiore rubbed his cheeks.

Thinking about it, he barely heard the Emperor talk about the previous Emperor.

‘A prince raised in confidentiality. It’s a perfect background for neighboring countries to gossip about.’

He was stressed about the recent foreign affairs that he felt like he wouldn’t be able to digest his delicious lunch.

Marquis Villiore was called to the Capital after all the royal family members departed for the war, so he never met the previous Emperor.

As a result, he knew not much about the previous Emperor.

Not much other than about how he’s the type to check the bridge before crossing it but not trusting it enough that he builds another bridge for himself.

He also had many relationships with women but it wasn’t to the point he was promiscuous and his governing was a little tyrannical but it wasn’t too bad, at least that’s what he thought.

Since the previous Emperor Josef’s reign was quite peaceful.

He was aware the previous Emperor was called the ‘Emperor of Snakes’ in other countries.

That was just a disgraceful nickname he earned while working for the Empire’s interest.

Except during his declining years, nothing happened under his reign, not even natural disasters.

To the point, it was surprisingly odd.

Also, the current Emperor especially didn’t mention the previous Emperor as well as his brother, Prince Leroy.

There was only one time Marquis Villiore heard the Emperor talking about the previous Emperor.

‘……..I should have retrieved the body.’

He remembered that it was during when the Emperor and the Chancellor were talking.

He still clearly remembered the cold air that filled the joint office.

In that weird atmosphere that felt like he used magic despite not being a sorcerer, the Chancellor ignored it and spoke.

‘Your Majesty.’

‘I know, I know. I’m just saying. What can I do, that was his orders. How regretful.’

He didn’t think it was the guilt of not retrieving his father’s body the Emperor felt.

His way of speaking was too light in that sense.

And he went back to his work right after that so he believed it was truly not something important.

However, Marquis Villiore couldn’t get rid of that doubt he had.

The Marquis was famous for being a family-oriented man.

So he thought it was weird how the Emperor, who was a warm person who cared about his surroundings, had no attachments to his family.

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