I Just Wanted Revenge, But Everyone Loves Me - Chapter 57

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 57
With Hyacinth’s return, Bancadium became a flurry of activity without so much as a moment to breathe.
The Emperor’s Birthday was roughly two weeks away.
For a proper counteroffensive, the Duke and Hyacinth moved with tremendous urgency.
Of course, I too was spending my days in constant motion!
“You’re curious about the Crown Prince?”
Charlotte, a maidservant who had barely survived the Imperial Court’s hands, tilted her head.
I nodded earnestly.
“I hear he’s a very important person!”
“That’s right—he’s the second-highest person in all of Brosia.”
Charlotte smiled, her eyes crinkling prettily.
When she’d first arrived at Bancadium, her condition had been dreadful.
But with the certainty that no one could reach her here, she recovered her vitality day by day. She was still quite gaunt, but much of the shadow had left her face.
“Since I belonged to the Crown Prince’s household, I was able to serve him closely.”
“Wow!”
I let out an exclamation of feigned surprise, and Charlotte laughed softly.
Fortunately, she seemed to regard my questions as nothing more than a child’s curiosity.
But.
‘It’s all investigation, after all.’
I’d examined several books in Bancadium’s study, but I hadn’t obtained the truly important information.
The people who drove me to my death.
I’d learned nothing about those wretches yet.
Count Amelot at least had talked openly in front of me before.
‘Chancellor Jerbane.’
And the Emperor of the great Brosian Empire.
I only knew that they were the ones who’d been slowly consuming me—but I didn’t know their precise nature, or what peculiarities they might have.
‘One must know the enemy in order to strike at them!’
So I’d thought of a method: Charlotte.
A son the Emperor had killed. There must be some reason for him to slay his own blood.
‘The Crown Prince wasn’t the type to cause trouble.’
He was known for his righteousness and integrity. People loved him dearly for it, they said.
Of course, I could have asked the Duke or Hyacinth about this, but……
‘They’d want to know why I’m asking.’
I’d decided to bear the burden of vengeance alone.
I didn’t want to trouble them with my worries.
“Hmm. How do I even explain this?”
As Charlotte pondered, I couldn’t help but ask.
“Was he very frightening?”
“No. Rather……”
After deliberating for a while, she spoke.
“He was incredibly kind. Composed and never treated his servants carelessly. He was meticulous and quiet.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Moreover, he always thought of the people of the empire. And yet……”
As the memory resurfaced, her expression darkened for a moment.
Well, the person she admired had lost his life before her very eyes.
Of course the shock was inevitable. Though she’d improved greatly since then, it was surely a wound that could never be healed.
“Then did he quarrel with His Majesty?”
“!”
At my question, she was momentarily startled, then smiled faintly.
“Yes. Since I told you I was the one who saved you, you must understand what sort of person the Emperor is.”
“To some degree.”
In truth I knew nothing, but if I’d been completely honest, there was a risk she’d filter her words too carefully.
And as expected.
Hearing my answer, Charlotte calmly explained the details I’d missed.
“There were no particular signs before that. Except that the Emperor and the Crown Prince argued recently……. Oh, that’s right.”
As Charlotte recounted the situation, she suddenly remembered something and her eyes widened.
“He also quarreled with the Chancellor.”
“In the Garden?”
“Yes. It was on his way back after the Grand Conference ended—Chancellor Jerbane suddenly stopped him. They were having a conversation in the Garden, but the Crown Prince became furiously angry.”
“!”
Instinctively sensing a clue, I hurried to ask.
“Do you remember what they discussed?”
“That’s……”
She lowered her gaze in thought.
“I couldn’t hear what they said. I only remember that their voices grew loud.”
“That’s fine!”
It would have been better to know the conversation, but it didn’t matter either way.
The Emperor and Chancellor Jerbane.
And the Crown Prince as well.
Just knowing that something significant enough to make them raise their voices had occurred was sufficient.
* * *
Four days later.
Secluded in the study, I organized the information I’d gathered from speaking with Charlotte.
– Relations with the Emperor were strained.
– He had quarreled with Chancellor Jerbane.
– The Crown Prince’s mood had been unsettled for several days.
– After taking a trip, the rift became even worse.
‘This is all I can uncover for now.’
I decided to exercise restraint—pressing too hard would arouse suspicion, and besides, Charlotte’s face when recalling that event had looked too anguished.
As if the very memory itself caused her pain. She’d surely sustained a trauma from these events.
I didn’t want to prod at that wound.
‘So now I need to find out what they quarreled over.’
What problem had existed that caused the Emperor to kill his own son?
I’d painstakingly searched through historical records for this answer, but found nothing of note.
As I was merely rustling through the innocent pages, a long shadow fell across my head.
“Duke!”
Recognizing him, I hastily jumped from my chair. But in my haste to get down—
“Whoa!”
I nearly tumbled over again.
The Duke caught me deftly, scooping me up.
“Didn’t I tell you not to jump down like that?”
“I was just trying to greet you properly……”
“You’ll crack your face open doing that.”
He warned me sternly that if I jumped down one more time, I’d lose my snacks—then he gestured toward the desk.
“What’s this?”
“Oh, that’s—!”
Nestled in the Duke’s arms, I reached out hastily. But before I could, the Duke’s eyes narrowed as he seized the paper first.
After scanning the contents at remarkable speed, he asked.
“Were you investigating the Emperor and Chancellor Jerbane?”
“Yes!”
Fortunately, unlike before, it didn’t contain my future plans or thoughts on how to take revenge on Count Amelot.
“I heard you’ve been visiting the maidservant frequently lately. Was this what you were investigating?”
“I thought it might be helpful somehow.”
In a way, this could be used to clear Bancadium’s name too.
Rationalizing that it wasn’t an outright lie, I began to wriggle slightly.
“Is something uncomfortable?”
“Oh, no. I just thought you could put me down now.”
I was four years old.
Being carried like this was something only Veronika needed to do.
But disregarding my words lightly, the Duke uttered.
“Come to the Reception Hall with me.”
“The Reception Hall?”
“There’s something we need to discuss.”
Something separate to discuss—what could that be? My eyes widened with curiosity at his words.
But the real problem lay elsewhere.
“Your Grace……”
“What is it?”
I rolled my large eyes around.
“Could you put me down?”
At that, the Duke made his displeasure obvious.
“Put you down?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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