The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 91

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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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Episode 91

“This was consumed by someone precious.”

“We shall excuse ourselves for a moment.”

As if they had been waiting, the two dukes excluding Roheim rose from their seats.

It was one thing for Count Keller, who was the Empress’s own brother, but even Count Halstead, who had originally maintained neutrality, being present here carried significant implications.

“Maid Manager. I trust you will make a wise choice.”

Count Halstead patted the Maid Manager’s shoulder a couple of times before leaving with Count Keller.

“Sit.”

Following the Empress’s nod, the Maid Manager took a seat, and a maid immediately poured him a cup of tea.

“Drink first.”

The Maid Manager tensed for a moment, but without showing it, he lifted the teacup to his lips.

He pretended to drink the tea, only barely wetting his lips before setting the cup down. Whether she knew this or not, the Empress picked up her own teacup and asked him.

“So, did you bring what I asked for?”

“That is…”

The Maid Manager hesitated for a moment before taking out a flat box from inside his coat.

The box had the imperial crest engraved on its lid with no other decorations.

However, this box was made of high-quality hardwood that had been specially treated to resist deformation even when wet and would not burn in fire.

While there was no separate locking mechanism, the seam between the lid and body was precisely filled with beeswax.

Therefore, to open the box, the beeswax had to be removed, and if traces of such opening remained, the will would lose its validity.

This was common knowledge. There was no way the Empress didn’t know this.

Yet as soon as the Maid Manager set down the box, the Empress had a maid standing nearby open it.

“Empress!”

“My ears hurt. Lower your voice.”

“The Emperor’s will must be officially announced by the Pope at the Central Temple after the funeral, in the presence of all the ministers. You know this fact well!”

“I know it well. That’s why I’m examining the contents before they’re revealed to the world.”

The wax-sealed box was opened and the Emperor’s will inside fell into the Empress’s hands.

Even the wax seal that had secured the string binding the rolled parchment was torn away. The Empress read through its contents without hesitation.

“…Ha! I knew this would happen. What? Give Kai a chance too?”

“Em-Empress!”

The Empress threw the will she was holding into the fireplace.

The shocked Maid Manager quickly rushed toward the fireplace to retrieve the will, but before he could even get close, he was subdued by Imperial Guards and forced to kneel on the floor.

“Empress! How can you do this! It’s already wrong to check the will’s contents in advance, but to burn it!”

“Who would know about it?”

“…Pardon?”

“If you keep your mouth shut, write a new will, put it in a new box and seal it with wax again, no one would know what happened here.”

In other words, she intended to forge the Emperor’s will.

What he had feared might happen became reality. The Maid Manager’s face turned pale as he looked up at the Empress and shouted.

“That box was blessed directly by the Pope after being sealed with beeswax. The Pope will notice that the will has been changed!”

“Really? Then there’s no choice.”

Without hesitation, the Empress threw even the wooden box into the fireplace. The Maid Manager’s expression went beyond shock to one of grief.

“Empress… What exactly are you trying to accomplish with such lawless acts?”

“Lawless acts? What could be more lawless than what the dead Emperor did to me?”

“Empress!”

“You’re the Maid Manager, do you really not know? What the Emperor did to me?”

“…”

The Maid Manager was speechless and remained silent. The Empress cast a cold glance at him and rose from her seat.

“You don’t need to worry about what happens next. You won’t be able to.”

“…Pardon?”

The Empress nodded briefly, and an Imperial Guard immediately struck the back of the Maid Manager’s neck with his hand.

The unconscious Maid Manager’s body went limp like a corpse. His body was soon carried away somewhere and disappeared.

By tomorrow, rumors would spread that the Imperial Palace’s Maid Manager had fled with the Emperor’s will.

Just like how the court physician who had conducted the Emperor’s autopsy had suddenly gone down to his hometown for personal reasons.

* * *

Two days before the Emperor’s funeral.

The party that had decided to return to the capital with Lionel crossed the border between the northern and central regions and arrived at a village north of the capital.

If they pushed a little tomorrow, they could reach the capital by evening.

Then they could attend the funeral the day after, so they decided to rest today without overexerting themselves. Everyone was exhausted from the forced march.

However, Lionel had other matters to attend to. While the other knights rested, he headed outside the village with Kreung.

“You’ve worked hard all this time.”

“Kreung!”

On a hill a little away from the village.

In the distance beyond the horizon, tall mountain peaks could be seen rising high.

Having successfully completed the mission of monster extermination at Ruda’s request, it was now time to return home.

“Peep!”

Then, Ruda landed on top of the giant horse’s head.

“What’s wrong? …Ah, you’re here to see us off?”

“Peep, peep.”

Lionel nodded.

“Right, I need to release the transformation magic.”

If the transformation magic were released here, it would cause an uproar. It had to be released only after reaching Heitensan.

“When I return from Heitensan, I’ll probably be in the capital. By then, Liri will be in the capital too.”

“Peep!”

Ruda hummed as if looking forward to seeing Cecilia after a long time. Lionel smiled while stroking Ruda’s head.

“Then I’ll see you in the capital.”

“Peep.”

“Kreung!”

The giant horse departed toward Heitensan with Ruda on its head.

Lionel stood there for a long time until the giant horse’s figure was no longer visible.

Then a villager carrying a bundle of firewood on his back approached Lionel from outside.

As if trying to enter the village, he was about to pass by Lionel and enter through the entrance when he set down his firewood bundle as if his back hurt and tapped his waist with his fists.

Then he spoke in a very small voice, almost whispering.

“It’s me, Fry.”

Lionel, who already knew his identity, didn’t bother to respond.

Instead of pressing him about whether he heard what he said, Fry continued speaking while pretending to wipe sweat from his forehead.

“The existence of the oracle has been exposed to the outside.”

Lionel’s body flinched for a moment. Though he didn’t turn to look at Fry, even that much was a significant reaction for Lionel.

“But…”

“Your Highness!”

Then, interrupting Fry’s words, a voice calling for Lionel was heard loudly from inside. It was Beric.

Fry naturally shouldered his firewood bundle again and entered the village.

He couldn’t convey the information that Nicole had disguised that oracle as her own, and he didn’t pass along a separate note or anything. He couldn’t.

Because he had received orders that information related to Cecilia, especially the oracle, was classified and should not be recorded even in code but delivered directly.

‘I wonder if there will be another chance to deliver it later…’

While sighing at the thought of the northern knights who stuck close to Lionel and wouldn’t leave his side, Fry passed by as Beric, who had run to Lionel with his hands on his knees, panted and asked if he had been in such a place.

“What’s the matter?”

“Just now, a messenger bearing the Empress’s command arrived here…”

“The Empress’s command?”

“Yes. Let’s go for now.”

The fact that she sent an official messenger rather than communicating through a mage or carrier bird meant that the Empress had issued a command, not simply conveying news.

Therefore, Lionel went directly to the messenger and received the imperial edict containing the Empress’s command.

“I have delivered the command to Your Highness, so I shall now take my leave.”

The messenger hurriedly left the scene as if he already knew what was written in the imperial edict.

Seeing this, Beric and Belrose felt uneasy.

“Your Highness. What command has the Empress issued?”

“….”

Lionel, looking at the unfolded imperial edict, showed no movement whatsoever.

However, they could tell that his usually expressionless face had now hardened much more rigidly. Though they knew it was impolite, Beric and Belrose moved to either side of Lionel and read the contents of the imperial edict.

And without exception, they both drew in sharp breaths.

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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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