Chapter 276

Kyle settles his business with Laura Paliport and hones in on his brothers' schemes.

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Episode 276. About Six Months (6)

"I apologize, Your Highness. I've been incredibly anxious lately and I dared disrespect you as a result. Please forgive me, Your Highness!"

Laura's voice shook terribly and her fear was obvious.

“Never mind. Let's hear it.”

She caught her breath and spoke quickly.

“I was so in love with him, I followed him against my father's wishes. He was my first love....”

Kyle listened in silence as Laura Paliport told her story, and never once interrupted her.

Ten minutes later.

"... I can't be with him anymore. If this continues much longer there's a good chance I'll die."

After Laura finished telling her story, she took out a small notebook.

“My father told me to leave you this notebook, it's a list of the Toulouse family's indiscretions. This also provides a record of things even House Toulouse doesn't know about Franz.”

“May I see it for a moment?”

"Yes."

Kyle flipped to the last page of the notebook and read.

It described the humiliating ordeal Prince Franz had suffered at the horse ranch two months earlier where he'd been found shivering, surrounded by dead horses. It also described how Franz had been seen whipping the servants in charge of that section of the ranch.

Of course, Franz hadn't killed them. He had fallen into a trap and been framed.

The notebook also listed previous incidents ranging from touching a young woman to stealing the Emperor's seal. The notebook was a thorough record of Franz's misdeeds.

Kyle closed his notebook and slowly opened his mouth.

“Do you think you and your family will be in danger if my brother ascends to the throne?”

"Yes! Yes... We definitely will. There's no way he'll leave me and my family alone. He's told me that all the humiliation he's going through right now is my family's fault, that of both my father, and myself... I want to escape his grasp and ensure my family and I are safe.”

“Do you realize what this would mean?”

The majority of the Empire still thought the First Prince had the highest probability of becoming the next Emperor. No matter how often he was tried in court and driven away to his private residence, that wouldn't prevent him from becoming Crown Prince the moment he returned to the Imperial Palace.

Laura would be extremely safe if she was the favourite concubine of the next Emperor. The First Prince had openly stated that he would always keep Laura by his side.

“Yes. I have placed my hopes on you, Your Highness. Please become the next Emperor.”

“....”

Feeling that she needed to be more convincing after Kyle's lack of response, Laura impatiently began to recount her predicament.

“Franz used to say publicly that he would make me Empress if he ever sat on the throne, and I believed him, but ever since he was banished to the private residence, he would get drunk and rant about how he would wipe my treacherous family out once and for all. He wouldn't let me go, no matter how much I begged and pleaded. He wanted to keep me as a pawn against my father, so he could vent his anger on me. If that man sits on the throne, my father and I will surely die.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she bent down and sobbed.

“I'll burn this notebook.”

Laura's head snapped up. Terror filled her eyes at the realization her pleas had been rejected by the Second Prince.

“Why? Didn't you see? The Duke of Toulouse framed him at the horse ranch two months ago.”

But Kyle's next words brought Laura a deep sense of relief.

"We already know all of that."

It was true. They had already collected evidence of Franz's crimes and corruption. They had been trying to build a similar case against Joseph, but they had little on him compared to Franz.

The House of Toulouse had abandoned Franz, which meant the Empress had agreed to this new course of action.

Not long after revealing his claws, Joseph had quickly devoured Franz's entire base of support.

Kyle had mentally upgraded his estimation of Joseph's capabilities.

He also knew that, realistically, much of what was happening was beyond Joseph's independent abilities. Joseph had the determination to put things into motion, but he would struggle to carry out schemes to completion. Yet, it was also within his capabilities to find the right people to carry out his ends.

However, his actions had also betrayed his foolishness. The circumstances that Joseph had created to put himself in power were all the product of atrocious crimes.

And that would be his undoing.

Kyle could see the puzzle pieces coming together in his mind and realized that it was only a matter of time before he saw the full picture.

Tears welled up in Laura's eyes.

“Then why are you offering to help me, when I don't even have any worthy cards to offer you...?”

“I am considering history alongside your request. I have not forgotten the Baron's previous assistance, therefore I will have you escorted to a safe place if you wish.”

It took Laura a few seconds of silence before she fully comprehended Kyle's words. The anxiety that had been building all this time had quickly turned to relief, and now she sobbed freely.

"Heu...huh. Thank you... Your Highness. Thank you very much."

While Laura continued to sob, Kyle turned to Nick, who stood beside her.

“Take her to the civilian safe house tonight.”

The civilian safe house was the pre-arranged location where the civilians who needed to be protected during the sweep of the Black Crown villages would be housed.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Nick called to the knight at the door and ushered Laura outside.

“I'll leave you to it, then.”

Nick turned to leave, but when he saw the notebook in Kyle's hand, he opened his mouth to speak.

“Ugh. I understand, but it's quite distasteful isn't it, Your Highness.”

“....”

When his Master raised his head to look at him with a neutral expression, Nick was unable to contain himself and passionately explained the reason for his disgust.

“Am I mistaken? His beloved has been keeping such a dirty record of his activities behind his back. I know that the First Prince has done her wrong a hundred times over, but she was also pampered before the Prince was sent away from the Palace. To think she was writing all of this down even then. You truly can trust no one.”

Kyle coolly called him by his full name, “Nick Bright.” 

“Ah, yes, Your Highness!”

The moment his last name was called, Nick immediately stood up straight and at attention.

“You mean to tell me that you'd be loyal to me, even if I broke your trust by beating you to death every day to vent my frustrations?” Kyle asked, his voice flat and cold.

“Ha...ha...ha. You always have a reason for everything, but still, hahaha. You're not the kind of person who would do that. Of course, you've beaten me to death in the name of sparring practice... Ah! Please pretend you didn't hear that. Ha, ha, ha. I see, what you said is correct. Mrs. Laura has earned it!”

Nick scratched the back of his head, grinning from ear to ear.

“It sounds like you’re implying you wish to spar again soon.”

Standing up straight, Nick quickly changed the subject.

“Ah! As your humble servant, I should be heading to the safe house now.”

But Kyle didn't let him go. Instead, he put down the papers he was looking at and explained. He had decided to take the opportunity to teach him a lesson.

“In any relationship, the moment one person betrays their partner's trust, the relationship will never be the same. This is the Palace. In the world of Palace politics, it's even harder to form bonds based on trust. In court politics, where lives are at stake for even the slightest mistake, few people are willing to act on the basis of trust. This is why the court is a place where everyone masks their true intentions. Behind the scenes people will do anything to exploit one another's weaknesses.”

"Weren't they in love?"

“Love? Yes. There may have been love at one time, but now their relationship is only political.”

“Ah...”

“Since Lady Laura was born in the Paliport family, she would have been well aware of the political nature of the Palace and the pretense of love, and she would have anticipated and prepared for various final outcomes from the moment she went to the First Prince’s side. You can't define it as simple ‘betrayal.’ It's more complex than a single word. Do you understand?”

Nick nodded so hard his head almost fell off.

“Thank you for explaining it in such detail to this ignorant servant. I'll keep it in mind, Your Highness.”

"Good. Sparring will be scheduled for next week... ."

“Yes. Pardon? But, Your Highness, you must be busy, hahaha.”

“Get out!”

“Yes!”

Nick replied loudly and left the office just as Walter entered carrying paperwork Allen had given him.

Kyle's office was always a busy place, but it was especially active today.

After studying the Emperor's schedule, which Walter had handed him, Kyle turned back to him.

“Tell him we'll arrange to see the Emperor tomorrow night at nine o'clock in the drawing room in front of his bedchamber. Also tell Allen that I'll be at the official residence before then, and would like a few minutes of his time.”

"Yes. Your Highness."

“Tell him to never cancel the Emperor's private appointments, especially on behalf of my visits.”

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Walter replied quickly and left the throne room, leaving Kyle to return to his backlog of paperwork. 

He reached up to flick his hair back from his forehead. And just as he was about to remove his hand from his hair, he smiled at the thought that came to mind with the gesture.

[One more time!]

Her request that night, the fresh smile on her face, and those sparkling eyes looking up at him, chin cupped in her hands. 

Kyle's gaze naturally drifted to his sword, which rested on a wall rack beside his desk.

The blacksmith's workmanship was still pristine.

With a faint smile, Kyle muttered to himself without even thinking about it.

“I miss you.... Tara.”

Kyle sighed loudly at the sound of the desperate longing in his voice, and turned his gaze away from his sword with difficulty. Then he focused again on the documents in his hands.

He needed to get this task done as quickly as possible. That way, he could focus on the main issue and ensure that she would finally be safe. Soon she would stand by his side wholly and completely.

***

The next night at 9:30 p.m. The drawing room in front of the Emperor’s Palace bedroom.

“We are planning to hold a banquet next month to celebrate the appointment of the mid-level commanders of the Imperial Military Department's Special Weapons Force. The date is yet to be determined, but may be set at short notice depending on circumstances. Once the date is set, I would like Your Majesty to personally reward the successful candidates.”

“Is it really necessary for me to do that when you are the head of the Military?”

“I won't be in the Capital that day.”

“What? You're the head of the Military, planning an event that hasn't even been finalized, and you're the one who...! ”

The Emperor, who had closed his eyes during his massage, suddenly sat up stiffly as if in understanding.

“Will that be the day?”

His deaf male masseuse politely took a step back and stood with his head bowed, as if he was familiar with the Emperor's sudden behaviors.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

“Did you find everything?”

At that question, Kyle unfolded a map of the Empire and held it out in front of the Emperor.

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