C110
At that moment, the divine beast spoke to me.
"Mistress! Is that person the one who sent the greedy bastards to my house a few days ago?"
The handbag on my lap moved slightly.
As it regained its strength and increased in size, it was no longer easy to fit into a pocket.
It was two days ago. The divine beast, which was playing on my bed, suddenly stood up and growled.
"Just now, some strange guys broke into my house."
I asked if they were members of the Imperial Knights or mine engineers.
"No, it's clearly different from the people who have been coming and going with my mistress's permission for the past few days. They have an unpleasant greed."
The divine beast muttered with a serious expression.
"The extreme selfishness of trying to destroy other lives for one's own purposes. It's a murderous intent."
Several people trying to kill someone in a mine, not on a battlefield?
This was not a common case, and in this case, it was my guardian's turn to step forward.
The divine beast used its ability to return to its original location at any time and disappeared in front of me.
And shortly after, it reappeared shouting confidently.
"They were all destroyed! Do you know how difficult it was not to kill them as my mistress said?"
As I recalled what happened back then, I put my hand into my bag and generously stroked the head of the divine beast.
As always, the divine beast twisted its body, but seeing its tail swaying gently, it seemed to like it on the inside.
"Why are you so relaxed?"
The Empress, who was still unaware of the incident in the mine, frowned.
"It seems you're lying because you don't understand the current situation, but do you really think the Imperial Knights will protect your mine?"
Then, a snort was heard.
"Tell me. The illegitimate prince, who entered the palace just a few months ago, and me, who worked for the imperial family for decades. Which side do you think the Imperial Knights will listen to?"
"...There are probably many people from His Majesty and the Birod family in the Imperial Knights."
The close relationship between the imperial family and the Duke of Birod was not formed in one or two days.
Although the emperor knew that Duke Birod had helped kidnap Terence's mother, he joined hands with him.
This was because there was no influential family that had obeyed the imperial family for as long as Birod's family had.
"He chose power over love."
For generations, the imperial family supported Birod at a strategic level, so it was not surprising that there were people among the imperial knights who followed the duke's family.
That was the reason why the rank-and-file soldiers of Duke Birod could invade the mine without any special restrictions.
It was easy to infer that those who conspired with Birod among the Imperial Knights had let them in secretly.
"I know it very well. Oh, do you believe in the contract you made with the second prince?"
The Empress made another mistake this time.
"The imperial family has not yet announced the contract with you to the public. Even if it is known, you can simply explain that it was the arbitrary decision of the second prince."
That meant our contract was just a piece of paper.
"Or do you believe in the men you left in the mine?"
"..."
"Think about it. Why did my family send soldiers there when it wasn't even a fight with the Imperial Knights?"
"I was planning to kill my person."
"Honestly, I think that's also your deception. No matter how much I searched, I couldn't find anyone who resembled one of your subordinates in that area."
The imperial knights following the Birod family roamed the mine and the village.
It was natural that no one came out. Because the being I left behind was not human.
"I never specifically called him a subordinate."
To be precise, what I said was this.
"In fact, there are eyes watching this mine. You don't have to worry."
This was the response to a question from a conscientious engineer who visited the mine.
When I was about to leave for the capital, he told me that if I wasn't in the mine, someone might have other intentions and steal the magic stones.
Then, he spared no effort to advise me to leave someone to watch over this place on my behalf.
It was a reasonable opinion. Although I also signed a contract with the imperial family, I had no intention of leaving them all the management of the mine.
I planned to officially hire and send my managers later, and it wouldn't be a big deal if I left for a few days right now.
Because I had a cute guardian, the divine beast, who could monitor the trends of the Andala mine in real time 24 hours a day.
"I did it to reassure him and so that others wouldn't think nonsense."
The empress seemed to have interpreted this as meaning that I had left my men in the mine.
"Well, no matter how much you keep it hidden, I won't be a match for Birod's private soldiers."
"Are you saying that the imperial family can completely take over my mine without getting their hands dirty?"
"That's right. If you want to protest, do it to our family. These criticisms are very annoying."
Indeed, it was a family worthy of being called the loyal dog of the imperial family.
"Does His Majesty the Emperor know about this?"
The empress did not directly answer my question.
"It is a person with more greed than morality. This is what he wants."
"Well. Is that really true?"
"What do you know about His Majesty...?"
"I don't know, but there is someone who does."
I recalled a letter that Terence had secretly sent me some time ago.
In his letter, he wrote about a situation he thought was about to happen and asked if he could share my personal information with the Emperor.
-------------------------
Meanwhile, in the Emperor's office.
After hearing Mikhail's words to the end, the emperor sighed deeply.
"How is it that you don't stray from expectations?"
"What?"
"Two days ago, the Imperial Knights found the rank-and-file soldiers of the Birod family unconscious in the mine."
"Well, that can't be possible! I received a message today saying that the occupation was definitely a success..."
"That was made up by me. To see how you and the empress would react."
"...!"
"Due to their loyalty, they didn't reveal that you and the empress ordered it, but you just confessed."
The emperor stood up in front of his desk and looked at Mikhail.
"They did this without informing me in advance, but only said it was for the sake of the imperial family."
Mikhail was surprised that things were going differently than expected, but through his instinctive sense, he knew to whom it was owed.
"You!"
His anger was directed at his half-brother.
Terence was smiling. He knew very well that his father, like Mikhail, coveted the mine.
So, as soon as he arrived in the capital, he visited his father and explained why the imperial family could not have the mine.
"What? A divine beast... Is that true?"
The magic stones of the mine were created by a divine beast, and the person recognized by the beast as its master is Ethel.
Therefore, no one but Ethel can become the owner of the mine.
At first, the emperor could not believe this surprising fact, but he also knew his eldest son well.
If Terence wanted to lie, he wouldn't invent something so absurd.
Terence whispered in the doubtful emperor's ear.
"I had my subordinate investigate, and Duke Birod's movements were unusual. It seems they are targeting the mines. Let's see how the divine beast deals with Birod's lackeys."
"Oh, no way... There's no way they would do something so bold without telling me."
"Father, I have no proof, but you also assume it, don't you? It was Roland Cassius who moved Viscount Cainbert, and he did it for his granddaughter who wanted to own the mine."
"..."
"Is there any law that prevents my brother from doing the same? Mikhail already destroyed the authority of the imperial family once for the sake of Princess Cassius."
This time, the phrase "No way" did not come out of the emperor's mouth.
"If you and the empress really cared about the imperial family, you should have told me before doing it."
The Emperor looked at Mikhail and spoke coldly.
"But neither of you did that. Because the true purpose of the two people was different."
"Father...!"
"Your purpose would have been to provide Liena Cassius with the magic stones from the mine, and the Empress would have hoped to keep Terence under control."
Mikhail was left speechless.
"Did you think I would oppose if you told me? Or did you think that maybe I wouldn't trust you and entrust that role to someone else?"
"I just want to make things progress quickly..."
"Nonsense! Fine, be honest. I also want that mine. But I'm not rushing to do things like you!"
"..."
"How blinded by women must one be to act like a fool? Does the Empress know that you are doing this for a woman? Or did she consciously sympathize with you because she felt threatened by Terence's growing position?"
The emperor stubbornly lowered his head and averted his gaze from his silent son.
"Enough. At this point, I will have to dismiss the subordinates of the Birod family, who have taken root in the imperial family, including the imperial knights."
Mikhail looked surprised at the Emperor.
"Did you think I was turning a blind eye to this just because? Because that damn Cassius family was attacking me, I had no choice but to let it pass."
The emperor's remaining little trust in Mikhail was eroding.
As expected, the chamberlain walked calmly down the hallway, thinking that it was a good idea to cut personal interactions with Mikhail.
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At that moment, in the Empress's Palace.
"What?!"
The Empress's face paled after hearing what the maid said.
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