The Cooking Princess - Chapter 118

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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To succeed in poisoning the Emperor who had been safely protected within the Imperial Palace.

Moreover, the Imperial Palace was currently isolated from the outside, so they couldn’t even properly confirm exactly what poison had caused the Emperor’s death.

Chloe’s face turned pale as she desperately began racking her brain for how to navigate this situation, but there was no clear solution.

‘Claude definitely ordered the assassination.’

He must have targeted the moment when the Emperor collapsed and the command structure within the Imperial Palace became even slightly disrupted.

By eliminating the Emperor before Shuel, who was still merely Crown Prince, could properly receive full authority from the Emperor, he had intensified concerns about the Crown Prince.

In any case, it meant that Claude could poison anyone inside the Imperial Palace whenever he desired.

And this would also have a negative impact on the soldiers’ morale.

It meant that no matter how they risked their lives to protect the Imperial Palace, the royalty could die at any time due to internal enemies.

Having thought that far, Chloe desperately racked her brain.

The situation was not good at all for Shuel to inherit the throne during wartime.

And the cunning Claude did not miss this opportunity when the Imperial Palace had become chaotic.

[The Temple has become corrupt and joined hands with the fallen Prince to murder the Emperor.]

Chloe grabbed the back of her neck and immediately retaliated against the ridiculous proclamations that had been posted throughout the Empire.

[His Highness the Crown Prince has already received his investiture as Crown Prince, so there is no reason for him to harm His Majesty the Emperor.]

She knew that having a war of words through proclamations looked quite childish.

However, Chloe instinctively realized that it would be disastrous if Claude gained any more voice in this matter.

After all, it was true that the Emperor had died in the Imperial Palace.

If they pursued Claude as the Emperor’s assassin, they would end up proving themselves that the Imperial Palace’s security was full of holes.

But they also couldn’t meekly admit that the Emperor’s death was their mistake. The moment they admitted that, Claude would attack with justification.

‘What should I do?’

Cold sweat broke out on Chloe’s back in this situation where she could do neither this nor that.

And right then, Shuel returned from the battlefield.

“Shuel!”

She welcomed the precious ally who had appeared when she was in a state of being unable to do anything.

Though Shuel’s face didn’t look very good, he comforted Chloe, who must have suffered mentally, with a calm expression.

“I heard the news. That Father has passed away… is that right.”

“…Yes.”

With the truly unexpected death of the Emperor, all supreme command of the Imperial Palace now rested with Shuel.

Depending on his decision, the outcome would be determined – whether they could suppress Claude or fail to suppress him and be defeated like this.

‘There are limits to the help from the Magic Tower and Temple.’

Even if Shuel ultimately won with their help, if he couldn’t gain the nobles’ support, future governance would obviously be a thorny path.

No one would want to follow an incompetent and easy Emperor.

Chloe waited for Shuel’s decision.

The other nobles, seeing that the Emperor had been poisoned while they were isolated in the Imperial Palace, were very anxious and raising their voices about whether they should surrender to Claude right now.

In such a situation, Chloe’s expression became subtle upon hearing Shuel’s words.

“…Really? For real? Is that really okay to do?”

“Don’t worry, Chloe.”

Even if things go wrong, I will make sure you survive.

Saying that, Shuel gently tucked Chloe’s hair behind her ear as she looked anxious and doubtful.

***

Claude chuckled thinking about Chloe, who had ultimately not shown up to the appointment with the tribesmen.

‘Yes, that’s how it should be.’

It seemed that Chloe’s side had also noticed something suspicious about the tribesmen and deliberately didn’t come to the meeting.

Whether she came in person or not, anyway, the betrayal had been detected in advance, so that was enough.

Since the Emperor had died in the Imperial Palace that Shuel was protecting, they would be busy just dealing with the aftermath.

‘She must feel like she got stabbed in the back when she was trying to stab me in the back.’

Just imagining her dumbfounded expression made him laugh.

Since she had neglected swordsmanship to focus on cooking, she would now face substantial threats.

If they claimed that Claude had ordered the Emperor’s murder, they would have to admit that Claude’s influence reached even inside the Imperial Palace,

and then the nobles would naturally have no choice but to split.

Originally, excluding Chloe, Shuel’s support base was weak.

This was because the Empress had died long ago after giving birth to him, leaving him without maternal relatives to support him.

‘The Emperor entrusted that role of maternal relatives to Chloe, but.’

Now it was meaningless.

They were currently at war, the Emperor had died due to Shuel’s complacency, and the Garnet Family that should have been their strength was busy just defending their own estate.

Of course, Claude’s war situation wasn’t comfortable either.

Every time the Merchant Prince made an appearance, Claude’s soldiers were swept away like autumn leaves, and unlike the enemies who received good treatment with the Temple’s help, this side was severely lacking in medical support.

But he could overcome such disadvantages.

Because Claude’s own attacks were overwhelming, and the power of the barbarians commanding beasts in their attacks overwhelmed ordinary Imperial soldiers.

At this rate, Shuel, driven into a defensive position, would die.

Of course, he would have to endure disadvantages after ascending to the throne without even receiving support from the Temple and Magic Tower…

That was a problem that could be solved by taking Chloe as a second wife.

Whether she liked or disliked the forced marriage with Claude was none of his concern.

As long as he killed Shuel and left Chloe alone, he could somehow fit the justification to the situation.

Thinking this way, Claude strongly criticized them, placing responsibility for the Emperor’s death on them so that Chloe and Shuel couldn’t even breathe.

Chloe was working hard to resist, but it was meaningless.

‘Because the Emperor’s death is an undeniable fact.’

Claude also colluded with the Empress and natives who were favorable to him.

Even if Chloe learned of this in the current situation, there was nothing she could do about it.

Whenever she tried to cut out the rotten parts, Claude’s forces would pressure her, and whenever she somehow managed to suppress them, there would be chaos from within.

So thinking that she had no choice but to be at a loss and self-destruct on her own, Claude had thus internally confirmed his victory.

Until he heard the truly unbelievable news that all the spies he had planted had been executed by Chloe’s hand.

“…Huh?”

***

Shuel’s move was extreme.

In this situation, he wanted to put the Empress on the execution platform.

“But… mmm, no. I trust Shuel.”

“Thank you. I’d like to explain everything in detail, but… there seem to be many listening ears here.”

Chloe immediately understood Shuel’s words.

He couldn’t explain in detail to Chloe because he was even considering the possibility of eavesdropping.

There were many questions.

The forces supporting Claude were already subtly raising their voices, and in this situation, to execute the Empress?

Since she didn’t think Shuel would be unaware that things could go seriously wrong if handled poorly, Chloe silently just nodded.

‘In the original work too, he was skilled in all kinds of political schemes and strategies.’

Although the original work had disappeared without a trace, Chloe judged that Shuel’s abilities as the male protagonist remained intact, so she decided to set aside her doubts and follow his words.

Shuel also suggested the method for conveying news of the Empress’s execution.

Rather than officially announcing it first, he asked Chloe to subtly mention it in her salon so the word would gradually spread.

‘In this situation where power is shifting toward Claude rather than Shuel, what use is executing the Empress?’

Though Chloe felt puzzled, she followed his words for now.

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