The Eldest Daughter Walks Down The Flower Path - Chapter 162

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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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The Eldest Daughter Walks the Path of Flowers Episode 162

Eduardo Bayard’s scheme had hit its mark.

The mind of the confined Emperor of the Empire, Claude Arpend, was growing cloudier with each passing day.

Even in his clouded mind that wandered between present and past, the Emperor was enraged by the situation where Olivier was suspected of not being his legitimate son.

And he completely believed Eduardo Bayard’s words that the source of those rumors was the Relbelloa family.

The Emperor had already forgotten that he had chosen Charle as the Crown Prince.

From such a man, Eduardo Bayard successfully obtained a single edict stating ‘I designate Olivier Arpend, my legitimate son, as my successor.’

After that, everything proceeded swiftly.

Official edicts of abdication were delivered to Olivier multiple times.

Each time, Olivier sincerely refused the abdication.

Sometimes he would send the edict back as it was, and other times he would tear it to pieces the moment he received it and throw it into the fireplace.

The four ducal houses packaged Olivier’s rude behavior as actions stemming from humility.

They announced to the entire Empire that he was firmly refusing the throne for the sake of his father Emperor Claude, and to yield the throne to his brothers Charle and Gabriel.

Thanks to this, Olivier’s reputation grew higher day by day.

Meanwhile, the nobles of the Izard faction were slandering such an Olivier with all sorts of dirty scandals.

It was petty behavior, but in fact they were doing their best to eliminate their political enemy.

And generally, this method was very effective.

However, all those slanders lost their effect the moment the 3rd Prince Olivier showed himself.

Before Olivier’s beautiful face that appeared almost sacred, all the dirty scandals and slanders lost their persuasiveness.

Gabriel clicked his tongue and commented thus:

“Ah, so this is when you use the phrase ‘face is credibility.’ This is truly a method only Lord Olivier can use.”

Now the political situation was flowing toward the entire Empire being eager to place the emperor’s crown upon the silver hair of Olivier, who humbly refused the throne.

With the situation being such, the nobles of the Izard faction also began to withdraw from the political struggle one by one.

Only the House of Relbelloa, which had nowhere to retreat, stood by the Crown Prince’s side, fighting a lonely battle.

However, the Crown Prince himself, who lacked realistic sense and was foolish, thought it was all useless effort.

“I’m the one who will ascend to the throne anyway, so why do they keep pestering my faithful younger brother? No wonder public sentiment is turning away! Relbelloa is truly useless!”

Charle Arpend openly made such remarks.

And Empress Adrianne.

Almost abandoned by her husband and son, she had entered the abandoned tower of her own accord and was staying there.

Some gossips created rumors that the Empress was possessed by Chartine’s ghost, or had gone mad like the Emperor.

However, in this chaotic political situation, no one was interested in the Empress who had been pushed out from the center of power.

Winter arrived amid the chaos and turmoil.

Wet snow poured from the frowning black sky, freezing everything to the bone.

It was a harsh season.

The people of the Empire believed it was because the Emperor’s seat was vacant.

Now the people of the Empire hoped that Charle would step down from the Crown Prince’s position on his own.

In response, the four ducal houses of the Empire, excluding the House of Relbelloa, announced their intention to deliver the official abdication edict to the 3rd Prince Olivier at his birthday banquet.

That edict, written in Emperor Claude’s own hand, would include the signatures of the four ducal house heads along with Lord Russel’s signature.

That was the reason why Eve Russel, the head of the Russel Marquis family, had appeared in the capital again.

The 3rd Prince Olivier had never had a proper birthday celebration before.

This was because the day he was born was also the death anniversary of Dowager Empress Chartine.

The nobles of the capital remembered the young 3rd Prince who stood like a doll at the edge of the banquet hall every birthday, dressed in mourning clothes.

His white face in black clothes looked particularly pale, and there was no one who did not pity his situation.

The moment such an Olivier appeared in the banquet hall wearing pure white ceremonial robes engraved with blue peacocks, the symbol of the imperial family, and adorned with golden regalia, the capital’s nobles seated in the banquet hall could feel a certain thrill spreading among them.

It was natural that they rushed to approach Olivier.

On the other hand, those standing by Crown Prince Charle Arpend’s side were only nobles from the House of Relbelloa.

Even that was an extremely small number.

Those who could see the future even a little had sensed defeat and withdrawn to preserve what remained of their power.

Now only Joseph Relbelloa, the head of the House of Relbelloa, Crown Princess Rollis Relbelloa, and Empress Adrianne remained by Charle’s side.

Among them, only Charle had come to this place to sincerely celebrate Olivier’s birthday.

“It’s my faithful younger brother’s birthday, so if I don’t drink today, when will I drink!”

He was gulping down strong liquor as recommended by his new concubine Janet, whom he was currently infatuated with, while keeping her by his side.

Meanwhile, Joseph and Rollis were plotting a new conspiracy in low voices behind him.

“…I didn’t know the ‘old peacock’ would be so angry. Who would have thought he’d choose the ‘third one.'”

“It was a fatal mistake. Now that it’s come to this, the only way is for the ‘old peacock’ to disappear as quickly as possible. We have no choice but to gamble while the ‘young peacock’ still has possibilities left.”

“Then we should increase the amount of ‘honey.'”

“If possible, I’d like to pry open the ‘old peacock’s’ beak and stuff a beehive into it.”

Joseph and Rollis, who had been whispering with their faces pressed together as if they might kiss, briefly stopped their conversation at Empress Adrianne’s appearance.

A mocking smile appeared on Rollis’s face.

“Your Majesty the Empress! You look well.”

The fact that Rollis had not said this to inquire about her well-being could be understood just by looking at the Empress’s complexion.

She was no longer the perfect empress of the past.

It was already a fact known to all nobles in the capital that the Empress, entangled in numerous lawsuits, had all her assets seized and could not afford to buy even a single new jewel.

By the side of the Empress, who had chosen confinement and headed to the abandoned tower, not even the faithful maids from her family remained.

As a result, the Empress had no choice but to appear in the banquet hall today in a shabby appearance unlike herself.

Her bare head without a wig pitifully revealed graying hair, and her bare face, not stretched here and there and covered with thick makeup, was full of wrinkles.

However, Empress Adrianne exuded more authority than ever before.

She stood with her back straight like a victorious general returning from a great victory, holding a young boy in her arms.

Seeing the boy, Rollis burst into laughter.

“Your Majesty the Empress, who is that child? Surely it’s not Your Majesty’s child?”

Despite Rollis’s obvious mockery, the Empress did not lose her dignity.

Adrianne said.

“I’m only now learning of the Crown Princess’s cleverness today.”

At her words, Rollis frowned.

“Pardon?”

“The Crown Princess is correct. This child is His Majesty the Emperor’s son, and has now become my son.”

Empress Adrianne grabbed the face of the child in her arms and showed it to Joseph and Rollis.

It was undeniably a boy who was the spitting image of Claude Arpend.

Toward Joseph and Rollis, who could not continue speaking, Empress Adrianne said in a benevolent voice.

“This is the child His Majesty the Emperor left behind at the hunting ground. I became his guardian and have been caring for him, and recently adopted him. He is His Majesty the Emperor’s precious blood, isn’t he? He should have a status befitting that.”

What broke the precarious silence was Rollis’s laughter.

“Ha, ha!”

Rollis said with laughter that couldn’t be any drier.

“Since it’s not Lord Charle, it must be that child? Your Majesty the Empress is truly, truly a fearsome person!”

At some point, Charle was also looking this way.

Though he had been completely drunk, he was now glaring at Empress Adrianne and the child in her arms with a completely sober face.

The Empress looked at them with an unwavering face and said.

“Do you know why His Majesty the Emperor was defeated? It was because he let go of the sword hilt.”

Empress Adrianne continued speaking.

“When you let go of the sword hilt, you end up standing before the blade. Therefore, I will not let go of the sword hilt until the day my breath stops.”

It wasn’t only the Emperor’s era that had come to an end.

The Empress’s era had already ended as well.

Yet she was saying she would not stop fighting.

At that strange dignity, those present could not say anything.

In the silence, Empress Adrianne slowly approached her son.

“Charle, my beloved son.”

Unexpectedly, her voice was very tender.

At that voice filled with affection, Charle’s body trembled.

She had never once called Charle so affectionately before.

Empress Adrianne whispered desperately.

“This mother may not have been a good mother. But since I tore my body apart to give birth to you, there hasn’t been a single moment when I didn’t love you. I wanted to give you everything. Who could love you like this? Could Joseph, could Rollis do the same?”

Charle’s eyes wavered at the Empress’s sincere confession.

To him, Empress Adrianne asked gently.

“My son. Won’t you follow me even now?”

However, Charle’s eyes grew dim again.

“I refuse.”

He slowly opened his mouth.

“A grown man cannot stay in his mother’s embrace forever!”

Watching Charle recite like a parrot words that someone around him had clearly whispered in his ear, the last trace of mercy slowly drained from Adrianne’s face.

Adrianne nodded her head.

“If that is your will, then so be it. I understand.”

While withdrawing from the banquet hall, Empress Adrianne looked back several times.

As if she would never see her son again.

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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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