Chapter 43
“There’s no reason why you can’t be, right? Your mother was the Empress who served as this country’s First Lady, and you are the first imperial grandchild of this nation. And the Crassia Empire follows the principle of primogeniture. You possessed far more legitimacy than both of the princes, and even the child in Empress Spirenda’s womb. You have the qualifications. I’m going to spare you the boring answer about there being no precedent for a female emperor. I’ve already heard enough of that from someone else.”
Blair smiled brightly. Adriana was utterly dumbfounded, as if she’d been violently struck on the back of her head. Theodore, who had been identified by Blair as the anonymous someone, flinched slightly.
“How?”
“There are a few ways. The most important thing is for Your Highness to recover your health immediately. I’d like to replace everyone in your palace with trusted people from our household, but that would be too conspicuous, so we can’t do that. So please be extremely careful with what you eat. I recommend watching the cooking process directly and eating right away.”
“I’ll take care of that side of things.”
Adriana responded compliantly.
“One more thing: His Majesty the Emperor is not in good health right now. He will pass away soon. Of course, it’s not due to anyone’s plot, but natural causes. Before that happens, we’ll help you secure your position as successor.”
“Did you read that through astrology too?”
Adriana joked lightly. She wasn’t seriously curious about the source of that information. Having come this far, she had no choice but to trust Blair’s words.
The imperial family had almost no family affection. Especially for a father who was a philanderer who touched one woman after another and created three half-siblings—no daughter anywhere would like such a man. She would feel some moral sadness, but if it was true that he would die of natural causes soon, it wasn’t enough to feel particularly guilty about.
“Yes, something like that. I recently read the stars.”
Blair responded with a joke, winking.
“We’ll create underground public opinion, and the House of Sichen Duchy will need to provide supporting fire. I believe you’ll cooperate with that, of course.”
“I will.”
“In truth, Your Highness’s legitimacy is superior to any of your siblings, but there will be many people who object to serving a female emperor. Of course, among them, the House of Baron Spirenda, who will be the loudest with their complaints, will have to be taken down first.”
“Then what should we do?”
Though Blair was the youngest among them, both people in this room were completely focused on his words.
“You’ll need to establish at least one achievement in Your Highness’s name that everyone will have to acknowledge. Then they’ll all accept it.”
Blair raised a finger and wiggled it.
“What kind?”
“There are many things to do. We’ll select something appropriate. Your Highness should focus on recovering your health. Until the stage is set to take down the House of Spirenda, you must act as you normally would. It won’t take long. We only need to secure the ledgers and the baron’s household payment records. Once we have records showing that the physician received similar amounts at similar times, it’s over. If they have the items in physical form, that would make things even easier.”
Blair rose from his seat with a bright smile.
“Then I’ll take my leave first. We shouldn’t all leave together and attract attention. After I return home by carriage, I’ll send a carriage for you, Brother, timed with your normal departure. Brother, please leave the palace at your usual time. Your Highness, please return after spending some appropriate time here following my departure.”
The two nodded in unison.
“I’ll make you Emperor, Your Highness. Trust me. Despite appearances, I’m quite capable, you know. You can tell just by looking at my brother, right?”
Blair concluded with a joke until the end, opening the door with a slight smile. Adriana nodded slightly. After Blair disappeared, only Adriana and Theodore remained in the small room.
“Your brother is truly impossible to figure out.”
Adriana shook her head and spoke.
“I think so too. Either way, he’s a clever and kind fellow.”
Theodore took his youngest brother’s side. Even though he himself wasn’t sure what kind of person Blair was now, Theodore fundamentally believed that Blair was a good child.
“That child seems somewhat different in temperament from you. Did the Count and Countess spoil him as the youngest?”
“Well, I’m not sure. It doesn’t seem like they particularly did… But he’s still gentle-natured.”
Theodore defended Blair again with an awkward smile.
“No matter how many times I hear it, everything seems utterly implausible, yet strangely, the points he makes aren’t completely nonsensical. After all, House Monetery has no reason to fabricate lies to tell me.”
If Adriana became Emperor, there would certainly be benefits that would come back to them. But even seeking such a reward, House Monetery, not just any ordinary house, wouldn’t go to such extremes. House Monetery was already a sufficiently powerful and influential family. They weren’t in a position to want more. Ironically, this put Adriana’s mind at ease. Adriana slowly opened the door and stepped out.
“I’m putting my trust in you, Theodore. Please convey to your brother that I’m not trusting in astrology.”
“Yes, understood. Please return safely.”
Theodore respectfully bowed his head and saw Adriana off.
* * *
After leaving the imperial palace, Blair took a carriage directly to the merchant guild where Clara was located. The guild was closer to the port than to home. An employee who recognized Blair’s face immediately guided him to Clara.
“Blair?”
Clara rose from her seat as she recognized Blair. Blair smiled brightly at Clara’s call.
“What brings you here?”
“I have a favor to ask of you, Sister.”
“Oh? What does our youngest need?”
Clara smiled as she looked at Blair. Clara truly had a unique personality. Clara, who was said to boss around even seasoned merchants as she pleased, was quite generous to her young brother.
“Sister, I’d like to secure the trading ledgers for a medicinal herb called Karpen for the past five years.”
“Want to use it yourself? Come to think of it, you also picked up an antidote for Karpen this morning. Is someone suffering from Karpen poisoning?”
“You’ll find out soon. I’m sorry I can’t tell you now. And if there are any records of large quantities of Karpen going to physicians, please also secure those physicians. Finally, I need the expenditure records of Baron Spirenda’s household for the past three years.”
“The others aren’t too difficult… but are you involved with House Spirenda? Why that family?”
“They’re committing an unforgivable crime. Even copies will do, Sister. Though originals would be better if possible.”
Blair grinned.
“Hmm, you’re as puzzling as ever. Anyway, it’s not a reckless matter, is it?”
“Of course not. It’s something Brother Theodore asked for.”
Blair used Theodore’s name. It wasn’t exactly untrue.
“I wonder what you two brothers are plotting without me. Anyway, I understand. By when should I deliver these?”
Clara shook her head and answered.
“As quickly as possible, before they catch wind of it and cover their tracks. And without drawing attention.”
“I’ll do my best. Leave it to me.”
There was nothing money couldn’t accomplish.
“I’m counting on you. Love you.”
Blair affectionately kissed Clara on the cheek and left the guild. Now it was time to design a stage for Adriana.
## 7. amoroso – Lovingly
Having left early in the morning, Blair was finally able to return home as dusk fell. Between visiting the palace to speak with Adriana and then seeing Clara, he had spent a lot of time on the road. Blair, who had loosened the cravat he’d worn to enter the palace, walked into the house. His clean neck, where his Adam’s apple was just beginning to show, was revealed.
“Oh, Young Master! You’ve returned?”
“Yes. Everything alright?”
Blair washed his hands in the prepared basin and made meaningless small talk with the maid.
“Ah, no. By the way, a guest has arrived for you.”
“Really? Is it Father’s guest?”
Count Monetery always had many visitors. Friends coming over was also common. It wasn’t anything special, but why? Should he go greet them if it was an important guest? The maid shook her head as Blair asked.
“No, Young Master Blair’s guest.”
“Yes, right. My guest. Yes… my guest?”
Blair, who had been mindlessly repeating the maid’s words, raised his head in surprise.
“Yes. He said you would know him as Master Kyle.”
The maid tilted her head curiously.
“What, really? Who did you say is here?”
“Yes. He said he was Master Kyle. He’s an extremely beautiful person. He’s in your room now… Oh my!”
Blair rushed down the hallway. What? I told him to visit when he was bored after resting a bit, but it hasn’t even been a week since the break started, and he’s already here? Blair ran all the way to his room on the second floor in one breath and flung the door open.
[To be continued in the next part…]
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
