The Story Is Not Over Yet

Zagnac put on a funny expression that was clearly visible.
The Emperor, who nodded his head and swallowed his words, took a sip of tea and asked.

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“When do you plan to come back to the capital?”

“I plan to come back when the second boutique shop is finished.”

“What do you do with the delayed things?”

“Things that have been delayed are still being dealt with sufficiently, regardless of day or night.
However, what did you mean by urgent business?”

“Oh, I want to see the Duke.
I’ve seen the Duke’s face every day because it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”

“I see.
I wish you had said that.
Since you said it was an urgent business, so I was worried.”

“If I had not said that, you wouldn’t have come this early.”

The conversation was going nowhere.

Their conversation was always like this.
They just searched for the other person and didn’t do anything more than that — Emperor Alberto and Zagnac.

“Did you think about what I said last time?”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s about marrying the Princess.”

“I remember I refused.”

“But, I told you to reconsider.”

“And, I said I would say no without having to reconsider.”

A few months before going down to the outskirts, the Emperor forced Zagnac to marry the Eighth Princess.

It was something close to coercion, not a recommendation.
In addition, it was also a marriage to a little girl who had just made her debut.
The Princess was probably sixteen this year.
Emperor Alberto wished to keep Zagnac under him by marrying the Princess.

She was not the heir to the throne, and there was nothing to see, only the blood of the imperial family, ‘Liviahart den Argen.’

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Livia, which did not have any powers, and did not have outstanding looks, was just a wasted piece for Emperor Alberto.
Hence, the Emperor wanted to use her to bind Zagnac to his side.
Of course, he couldn’t do it because Zagnac refused every time.

“If you have nothing more to say, can I go? Preparing for the second store is quite a busy task.”

“When will you come again?”

“When the second store is finished, I will come up to the capital to greet the Emperor first.”

When Zagnac said so, Emperor Alberto nodded his head and motioned for him to leave.
In the end, today’s meeting was like that.
It was to show the meaning of being careful as the Emperor was always watching.

Zagnac gave his allegiance to the Emperor and left the audience room.

As he walked out of the audience room and walked down the wide hallway, a man standing with his back on the pillar caught his eye at once.
As if he was waiting for him, he turned towards Zagnac with a bright expression.

“Duke Ferial.”

“How are you, Crown Prince Chises?”

As Zagnac bowed his head politely, Chises nodded dignifiedly.

The first heir to the throne was Chises Ren Argen.
He was truly the son who inherited the blood of the Emperor, and he was very much like the Emperor.
Always ignoring Zagnac, he would not greet him nor made eye contact.

Because of that, Zagnac wondered why such a person had been waiting for him.

“I’ve been waiting for you to ask me something.”

The curiosity didn’t last long.
It was because he rushed to the point before Zagnac could even say anything else.
Zagnac nodded his head briefly, and Crown Prince Chises spoke again.

“I heard about the place you went to this time.
Have you not met ‘Azela Bellista’ there?”

“Azela Bellista…?”

An interesting smile was drawn on Zagnac’s lips.
Whenever Azela was talked about in the social world, the name that always came together was ‘Chises.’ It was unknown if he really loved her, though he wanted to marry her anyway.

Regardless, he was rejected by Azela several times.

“Are you talking about Countess Todd?”

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Zagnac asked with a calm smile, emphasizing the word ‘Countess Todd.’ Chises’s eyebrows furrowed at those words, and his shoulders trembled.
Although he was like the Emperor, he was not yet the Emperor.

Covering his mouth with the palm of his hand as he saw everything revealed on Chises’ face, Zagnac smiled happily.
Obviously, Chises didn’t even notice and fell for the word.

“That, yes… Well, she must be Countess Todd now.”

“I have met her before.”

In response to Zagnac’s answer, he raised his head brightly.
His red cheeks were an indication that he was excited.

Chises asked, clasping his shoulders tightly.

“How, how is she? How has she been? Does she look happy?”

“I don’t even know that much either.
Since I can’t know Todd’s family’s circumstances…”

“Yes, that’s right.”

When Zagnac answered, Chises shrugged his shoulders with a depressed expression again at those words.
His gaze on the floor looked like a child who didn’t have the toys he wanted.
Seeing that, his lips kept twitching.

“Well, I took the Duke’s time for nothing.
Thank you.
I’ll get going now.”

After a brief greeting, Crown Prince Chises tapped him on the shoulder and walked past him.
Zagnac, who was walking forward with a smirk and laughter, briefly exclaimed ‘Ah!’ and stopped his steps.

The next moment as Chises turned his body back, he said in a pleasant voice.

“Though I heard that there was a ‘mistress’ that Count Todd terribly cherished.”

“What, what…?”

“I think there were also rumors that Countess Todd became quite ill because of the ‘mistress.’ Well, I will get going.”

Zagnac, who glanced at Crown Prince Chises, who had stopped in place with a bewildered expression, bowed his head and hurried to walk with joy.
As he left the Imperial Palace, Zell, Zagnac’s servant, who was restlessly waiting outside, hurriedly stuck to his side.

“Duke!”

Zagnac had a dark and complicated expression on his face, unlike the one that had been smiling happily just before.

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Noticing that, Zell asked with a worried expression.

“Are you okay? I have a carriage ready!”

“Good job, Zell.”

“I told you not to come like that.”

“The Emperor called, but how come I can’t come?”

“Or, persuade Countess Todd…!”

Zell couldn’t finish his words.

It was because Zagnac, who had stopped standing tall, was wrinkling his expression fiercely.
In the end, Zell had to keep his lips firmly shut at the look that looked at him as if he was about to kill him.

‘In the first place, isn’t that why you go outside to find the Countess for that?’

He was usually sensitive when he met the Emperor, but it wasn’t to this extent.
He glanced at Zagnac with a sad expression.

“Why, why are you so angry?”

Zagnac, who had taken a step back at Zell’s faltering question, stopped again.

“Angry… Who? Me? Why…?”

The question was as ferocious as a beast starving for several days before its prey.
It seemed that he was the only one who didn’t know that.

…What made him so angry?

Seeing Zagnac who was about to kill himself if he said one more word, Zell covered his mouth and shut his lips, shaking his head.
After exhaling a light breath, he turned and walked towards the carriage.

‘…Am I angry? Me? Nonsense.’

Zagnac, who got into the carriage and shook his head, leaned his body back and closed his eyes.

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As his master was like that, Zell quietly followed him with a dissatisfied expression.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was a pleasant morning.
It seemed to have been the first time in recent years that the start of the day was so light and pleasant.

For several days, Azela voluntarily locked herself in her bedroom to write the report.
Thanks to that, an excellent report was completed in a meaningful time.

However, Daniel and Sylvia’s eyes were slightly different when she saw them.
They thought that she had returned as an accessory to the mansion, so they laughed merrily, mocking her like an idiot.
Didn’t feel the need to correct them, she left them alone.

All that was left was to show Zagnac the report when he returned to the mansion.

“Ma, Madam.”

After the butler was really fired, the Employees’ attitude toward her also changed.
They listened to Daniel and Sylvia first for fear of running away, though the important thing was that they started paying attention to Azela.
That alone was a considerable improvement.

“Yes, why?”

On the day the butler left the mansion, she secretly gave him a lot of money and a couple of the most expensive jewels she had.
She was thankful for all the hard work he had done so far and asked him to keep it a secret.

The butler, who had thought of being kicked out empty-handed, quietly shed tears as he stared at the amount of money he couldn’t have even if he worked for the rest of his life.
Fortunately, he left Azela with a thank-you rather than a resentment.

Nevertheless, the Count’s employees, who did not know that, all said unanimously that she had turned cold.

Now, they were afraid of her.

“A letter has arrived from Duke Ferial.”

“Yes? Bring it.”