The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 203

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

Their eyes met.

Elisha, who had been staring at Ailren for a moment, passed by him and stood before the Princess.

“Regent King, you say. Of course, it’s true that I became the Regent King.”

Although the Princess had no choice but to serve as regent, Ailren had still called her ‘Your Highness the Princess’ according to protocol since the Emperor had not yet approved it.

The Princess, who seemed quite pleased with the new title of ‘Regent King,’ smiled as if she found Elisha, who was politely clasping her hands together, adorable.

She seemed to think that Elisha was being overly formal because she was nervous about visiting this place for the first time.

“Still, Elisha, I want you to treat me comfortably. Call me Lina. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Elisha’s head tilted slightly.

“Do you mean not just today, but from now on as well?”

“Yes, of course. Ah… are you worried that there might be people who would criticize you for not being able to distinguish between public and private matters? People like Edwina Hestian or my uncle?”

The Princess smiled more brightly than ever.

“It’s okay. There won’t be anyone left who would dare look down on you. I’m here, Elisha.”

It was just a moment.

At a speed only Ailren could catch, Elisha’s brow furrowed subtly before smoothing out again.

She wore a smile that Ailren knew well.

“I see, Lina. I saw the news bulletin on my way here.”

The smile she wore when facing customers who offered her goods.

An observing expression.

“So what will happen to former Regent King Crodil now?”

“There’s so much to review that no verdict has been reached yet, but just the revealed charges alone are enough to get him hanged for sure.”

“When you say there’s much to review, is that because of his ‘confession’?”

“Yes. I heard the scribe taking notes nearly ran out of ink. Isn’t that right, Count Ailren? You would know best. You were a witness.”

“Are you saying Count Ailren was there when the former Regent King confessed? And you witnessed all of it?”

“…Yes. That’s correct.”

Ailren nodded with his eyes downcast.

Even after answering, he knew that Elisha’s gaze remained on him.

“He didn’t seem like someone who would confess, so it’s surprising. The last time I saw the former Regent King, he looked quite arrogant, like someone who believed his crimes would never be exposed. Did he have some change of heart overnight?”

Though it seemed like she was speaking to the Princess, it was actually a question directed at Ailren.

“Who knows. But does the reason matter?”

However, once again the Princess cut off any opportunity.

“The result that this vicious man can no longer torment people is more important. For you and for me.”

The Princess, who had spoken with a voice that briefly revealed anger, suppressed her emotions with strange swiftness.

The pendant around her neck glinted.

“I’ve met many nobles during this time. I thought I needed people who would take my side to keep my uncle in check.”

“The so-called ‘Imperial faction’ nobles?”

“Yes. Perhaps because they had received favors from the Former Emperor or Current Emperor, they were quite favorable toward me. They said they would uphold the Former Emperor’s will and gladly serve this country, and I found them so admirable…”

“…”

“But now I find them disgusting.”

The Princess’s tone was calm as she swept back her red hair.

“If they truly had such intentions, if they were genuinely grateful to the Former Emperor and Emperor, shouldn’t they have stepped forward long ago?”

However, the words she chose were clearly laced with venom that had been long contemplated.

“Those who held their breath while my uncle and his faction controlled and misled public opinion weren’t being cautious. They were simply cowards.”

“Lina.”

“I know. Since I, who should inherit the throne, was inadequate, from their perspective they had no choice but to watch my uncle’s mood. I understand. I understand, but… understanding doesn’t mean I can forgive everything. They stood by and watched. Those people watched me.”

The disparity between her words and tone was chillingly felt.

The Princess, who had been speaking coolly as if reading a book or talking about someone else’s story, stood up.

“Their favor wasn’t directed at me. It was directed at Presrife. If my uncle had even a little more legitimacy, if my uncle had been Crodil ‘Presrife,’ they would have gladly pushed me aside and kissed my uncle’s feet.”

“Lina?”

“They wouldn’t have cared if it wasn’t ‘Katarina’…”

The Princess, who had been pacing around the office, suddenly whirled around to face Elisha.

“But you were different, weren’t you, Elisha.”

The Princess’s eyes shone like someone who had found the world’s only treasure.

“You helped me without even knowing who I was, and even after knowing who I was, you stood up to protect me. In front of you, I only needed to be ‘Lina,’ I didn’t need to be Presrife. Isn’t that right?”

“…”

“You were the only person who treated me that way. Without you, I couldn’t have come this far. …You’re my only true ally, the only person who will support me unconditionally.”

It was full of longing, flashed with possessiveness, and seemed somehow desolate.

“I’ll give you everything you want. I’ll make sure nothing bad or harsh can even touch your name. So stay by my side, Elisha.”

Ailren knew that the blade in the Princess’s words was stabbing at him, saying that he too had merely stood by and watched.

The fact that she had deliberately emphasized his position once more,

“As long as I am Presrife, there’s no way you would prioritize anything other than me.”

Perhaps it was all for this moment, he thought.

Nevertheless, Ailren tried to step between the two. More precisely, he tried to prevent the Princess from approaching Elisha.

But as always, Elisha was faster.

“So that’s why you wrote in the news bulletin distributed throughout the Empire that you would grant me a title?”

“Yes, because that’s something only I can do for you…”

“But I’m going to inherit Grandfather’s ducal title anyway. That is, if Grandfather gets his ducal title back as I ‘wanted.'”

There were two conditions Elisha had set when participating in the Ruby Tablet search.

One was to get back the abandoned mine of the Rionet Duchy.

One was for the former Duke of Rionet to get back the title he had voluntarily relinquished.

“You said you’d give me what I want, Lina. But why are you trying to give me something I don’t want?”

Though it’s embarrassing to say this as the recipient, Elisha said with a mix of jest, yet she was resolute.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Ailren’s mind.

“That she’s not the granddaughter of the former Duke of Rionet, right?”

Ailren hastily tore open the sealed file the Princess had given him and realized it was a document filled with questions about Elisha’s birth.

Then the reason the Princess was trying to give a title to Elisha rather than the former Duke of Rionet was.

“It’s as if you know there’s ‘some disqualifying reason’ preventing me from inheriting the ducal title. As if you’re trying to elevate my status in a way that no one could object to.”

Elisha’s words didn’t end there.

“But you know what, Lina. ‘Let’s confirm this.’ Suppose I do have a disqualifying reason.”

“And Crodil Etewyrn was just about to find out about it.”

Eivor had said.

That Crodil hadn’t managed to get his hands on the evidence.

But that evidence that Crodil couldn’t obtain despite using all sorts of vile means…

“How did you find out about it, Lina?”

Where did the Princess obtain it?

*

Tesagh jumped down from his horse.

Milton, who had been stamping his feet in front of Etewyrn Manor, saw Tesagh and ran over with a face that looked half ready to cry.

“Your Grace the Duke!”

“What’s the security situation at the manor?”

“Except for the Captain of the Royal Knights, there are only a few guards. The manor servants were all called away for interrogation, and once evidence collection was finished, the knights all withdrew at once…”

“Understood. Return to the Duke’s residence and wait.”

Elisha had entered the manor 30 minutes before his arrival.

Buying time wasn’t feasible either. What Elisha had received wasn’t an invitation but a summons.

One that required her to be prepared for punishment as an Imperial citizen if she refused or disobeyed.

Despite riding without rest, he was still late. Tesagh gritted his teeth and inserted the magical device he’d received from Milton into his ear.

「Ha— you weren’t the one.」

The Princess’s voice could be heard.

The fortunate thing was that he could roughly grasp the situation through Milton’s relay.

Right now, Elisha was wearing a magical device similar to the one used at Delphia Manor that transmitted surrounding sounds, while having consumed the Root of Blindness.

Although the connection was severely interrupted due to holy power, it was barely audible enough to understand.

「Truly— my ally, unconditionally me— you —that’s right.」

There was no time to wrestle with guards. The Princess’s whispers were gradually becoming more cunning.

Just as Tesagh quickly assessed the structure and ran straight toward the building where Elisha was located, avoiding the guards.

His heart sank at Elisha’s words heard through the magical device.

「Surely —— the duchy title —— receiving it —— ‘some disqualifying reason’ —— as you seem to know.」

A disqualifying reason?

‘Could it be that Elisha knows she’s not Duke Michele’s biological granddaughter?’

Tesagh was just about to roughly open the back door.

「’Let’s confirm it.’」

Through the magical device, Elisha spoke an unforgettable sentence.

The code that had been the signal to watch over Duie Delphia.

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