C138
"Brother! What happened?
"Did you convince Liena?!"
Leheim and Duke Cassius were waiting for Leandro when he entered Cassius's house.
"No. There is something more important."
Leandro moved to the duke's study and explained in detail what had happened at the founding banquet of Conejito.
The expressions of the two people who heard the story naturally became serious.
"He suddenly got engaged..."
"I wonder what His Highness Mikhail is thinking."
Duke Cassius asked his eldest son.
"What about Liena? What did Liena say?"
"Liena also seemed surprised, but she didn't say anything. Probably means she has no intention of rejecting the engagement."
Leandro replied, loosening his tie.
"His Highness said that the engagement ceremony will take place in 15 days. It seemed like he was in a hurry."
The three, father and sons, fell into despair.
In the current situation, it would not be an exaggeration to say that if the two forced an engagement, Mikhail would never regain the emperor's trust.
"Of course, as long as Liena is happy, he doesn't have to become emperor..."
Leheim received the words from Duke Cassius.
"Given the personalities of His Highness and Liena, there is no way they will give up. Both are ambitious."
Why are these two trying to proceed with their engagement in this way?
The three people put their heads together and discussed what would happen because of this incident and how the Cassius family should respond.
For Liena's sake, Cassius would have to actively support Mikhail from now on, but honestly, it was not a path they really wanted to take.
In the end, the night deepened without reaching a clear conclusion.
To change the mood, Duke Cassius asked his eldest son, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.
"So, you said you had something to ask me. Why did you come to the capital?"
Indeed, Leandro headed straight to the banquet hall as he ascended from the territory.
If he tried to meet in a normal way, Liena might avoid it, so he had no choice but to go to the banquet hall without even having a chance to relax in the city house.
"Oh, it's because of this."
Leandro took an object wrapped in a handkerchief from the inner pocket of his coat and placed it on the table.
It was a bead with a subtle black color.
"What is this?"
"That's what I wanted to ask. During the renovation of the prayer room of Cassius Castle, the north wall was knocked down, revealing a secret space."
Leandro's index finger tapped the smooth surface of the bead.
"It was consecrated as a treasure in a jar with delicate carvings."
"What?"
"I brought it because I thought it might be a treasure from a family I didn't know, but it seems to be the first time my father has seen it too."
"That's true, but the family has a long history, so it's not strange to have forgotten treasures. Wait, now that I think about it..."
"What's wrong?"
"I forgot because it was a long time ago, but my grandfather told me this when I was young."
The voice of Duke Cassius became cautious.
"There may be hidden proof somewhere in Cassius Castle that we are descendants of demons."
Leheim arched his eyebrows as if puzzled.
"Are we descendants of demons? Wasn't that a rumor spread by those who distrusted our family?"
"... If you look at the records left by the first patriarch of the family, it can't be simply called a rumor."
According to the records, the first patriarch of the family was a half-demon and left objects he received from his father, who was a demon, to future generations.
With the will to protect Cassius.
However, as the number of attacks from political opponents on the lineage issue increased, the Cassius family decided to deny the truth and hide such objects from the world.
Leandro, after hearing his father's story, said.
"So, are you saying that the object is a token, and this bead as well?"
"If what my grandfather said is true."
Duke Cassius nodded.
"But he didn't seem to have seen it with his own eyes, and when I was looking for Cheryl's time capsule, I also searched like crazy in Cassius Castle, but I couldn't find it, so, of course, I thought it had been destroyed."
"Well, I wouldn't have found it if it weren't for the renovation works."
At that moment, Leheim opened his eyes wide.
"But why were the renovation works suddenly done? In particular, the prayer room was built so solid that there was no incontinence anywhere."
"I just thought it would be good to try things here and there while I had some time..."
"Oh, I understand. You did something you shouldn't have because you were going through a hard time due to the divorce."
He smiled mischievously upon hearing his brother's ambiguous answer.
"Good, there were such rumors, so it makes sense that you would want to lead a busy life. For some reason, even after hearing the news that Liena was in prison, you didn't show up.
"No, it's not like that! And you and our father said I didn't need to come, so I didn't.
"Are you the type of person who doesn't come just because we say so? When Liena wrote in a letter that she missed the cookies the maid made, who was the person who brought the cookies?
"That-!"
Leandro, who was about to get angry, suddenly calmed down.
"... I don't know what to say. After my divorce, I started to think a lot about myself.
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"The fundamental reason Ethel stopped appreciating me is that I was indifferent to her but generous to my family, especially to Liena."
Leandro's voice lowered.
"At that time, I didn't realize it was such a big mistake, but looking back, I didn't really understand why I did it."
"......"
"Of course, Liena is my precious younger sister. I want that girl to be happy. But... what I did for Liena was excessive."
That was Leandro's conclusion as he spent time alone on the estate away from his family.
Then Duke Cassius also spoke.
"Actually, I recently asked myself a similar question."
Duke Cassius looked at his two sons one by one and shared his thoughts, starting with the discomfort he felt when looking at Roland Cassius.
"This time Leheim's story began."
After that, the three people became so immersed in the conversation that they didn't even realize the night had passed, and dawn had arrived.
The black accounts placed on the table shone brightly in the morning light.
Until then, none of the three knew yet what effect the account would have on them in the future.
* * *
A few days later, in the imperial palace.
Mikhail was heading to the empress's palace.
He remembered a conversation he had with his mother not long ago, the day after announcing his engagement to Liena.
"Mikhail! You really did that! Why do you only choose to do things that will lose your father's favor?"
The empress, who was very angry, called him and criticized him.
"Mother, don't worry. Soon my father will like Liena and congratulate us on our engagement."
"Say something that makes sense! His Majesty hates her and Cassius!"
"That's because he doesn't know how charming Liena is. My mother also hates her a lot because she has never had a proper conversation with Liena before."
"...I really can't communicate. I'll give you one last chance. Run to your father immediately and apologize and cancel your engagement declaration."
"I can't do that."
"Mikhail!"
"I really need to ask this favor of your mother. Please, prepare a place for my father to meet Liena."
"Are you insane?"
"Mother, if this continues, that dirty bastard will take over the Asteroth Empire you've cared for all your life. Are you still okay with that?"
"......"
"There are two options you have right now, mother. Either you become my perfect ally or you abandon this son."
At that moment, the Empress had a sad expression.
Seeing his mother like that made Mikhail's heart shudder, but unfortunately, he had a reason to fulfill his will.
"Let me see His Majesty the Emperor. If possible, for the longest time possible. If we let him know how true our love is, he will allow us to get engaged. Because sincerity works!"
Seeing his lover speak beautiful words, Mikhail once again had faith in his thoughts.
Once the Emperor gets to know Liena well, he won't be able to help but love her.
Because Liena was so beautiful that it was hard to believe such a creature existed in this world.
In a corner of his mind, he wondered if the cold-hearted father would really accept Liena based solely on her beauty, but a rosy future unfolded in his mind.
Soon, not only the emperor but also the empress would be ecstatic with their lovely daughter-in-law in their arms.
"... Well. That's what you said."
The Empress replied to Mikhail.
However, unlike her cold tone back then, today the Empress sent an urgent letter to Mikhail.
According to Mikhail's wishes, a meeting with the emperor had been arranged, so he should go immediately to the empress's palace greenhouse.
The Empress probably paid a considerable price to prepare this place.
Perhaps she gave away her private land that Duke Birod had bequeathed to her in the past.
This is because the emperor secretly coveted the land to build military facilities.
"I'm sorry, but after I ascend the throne, I'll be able to repay you many times over."
If Liena received affection from the emperor, the situation could change immediately.
Mikhail arrived at the greenhouse behind the Empress's Palace, imagining the near future.
"Welcome. His Majesty is waiting for you in the pavilion."
When Mikhail entered, the empress's maid greeted him politely and pointed inside.
"Oh, has Princess Cassius not arrived yet...?"
However, before Mikhail could ask if Liena had arrived, the greenhouse door closed.
Unfortunately, he couldn't come with Liena.
It was because a message from the empress arrived while he was outside the imperial palace for other matters.
"Well, it doesn't matter."
Liena, who was anyway in the imperial palace, would have arrived before him and already had an audience with the emperor.
Mikhail unconsciously hummed and moved forward.
Finally, the meeting place came into view.
"Hello, Prince Mikhail."
But the person who greeted him there was not the emperor, nor the empress, nor Liena.
"The people you're waiting for won't come. Would you like to have a conversation with me instead?"
Ethel Lucibiu, sipping tea calmly, smiled.