The Villainess is on a Quest - Chapter 74

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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 74
Yes, he was resolved. Kleid was already the future Emperor, a certainty confirmed.
The moment he became her consort, ascending to Crown Princess was all but destiny.
Knowing this moment would come eventually, Aine found something almost amusing in the way Kleid carefully broached the subject, watching her expression nervously.
‘And endearing, somehow.’
The fact that he was voicing such a proposal surely meant Odin had made his decision.
Yet Kleid fretted the entire time, afraid she might feel resistance or burden toward it.
Imagining his inner thoughts, Aine felt laughter threatening to break across her face.
Part of her wondered what his reaction would have been if she’d refused. But she didn’t press the question.
Something told her he would have willingly surrendered everything for her sake.
“Kleid. How is the investigation into Retaria progressing?”
The moment she spoke, his expression hardened visibly. The warmth that had filled the air froze over instantly.
Aine had been avoiding this subject—she’d rather not have raised it—but she couldn’t remain ignorant forever.
She needed information about Retaria. Once she learned they were after her life and the children, she had no choice but to know.
“Information about them is surfacing gradually.”
He didn’t want to expose her to danger. For that reason, Kleid would have preferred she remain safely sheltered, knowing nothing, living quietly.
But Aine had a right to know.
It was directly tied to her, and should something happen to him, she would have to fend for herself alone to survive.
Kleid understood that keeping her locked in a cage was no kindness. He was certain she would find out the truth regardless.
“In this operation, their primary target was Sonelopi.”
“What did they intend to do with her?”
“They planned to groom her to their liking and install her as His Majesty’s heir.”
The words from Kleid’s lips struck harder than expected.
Make Sonelopi the heir? There were several ahead of her in the Succession Order already.
For her to inherit the Imperial Throne, either Philip would have to become Emperor, or all other successors would have to die.
Aine was certain they were aiming to eliminate all the higher-ranked competitors.
“Bold, isn’t it? To step forward and claim they’d make her Emperor themselves.”
“I share that sentiment. I didn’t think there would be so many with such nerve. Though that’s precisely why they resorted to infiltrating the Chesher Estate, I suppose.”
To completely crush their ambitions, it was necessary to establish a Crown Prince.
And that Crown Prince was already Kleid, whom Odin had marked and prepared long ago.
“Has Retaria’s base been identified?”
Who belonged to them, where their headquarters was, whether they were truly the organization moving Retaria—there were multiple unresolved questions.
“Regarding any connection to Retaria, they refused to speak until the end.”
Until the end. Hearing those words, Aine’s brow furrowed. By now, she was genuinely curious about who led Retaria.
* * *
“Alex Rodman. What are we to do now?”
Even within Retaria, the turmoil was significant. The objectives had been three-fold.
Bring Sonelopi back. Kill either Aine or Wilhelm, or ideally both.
They’d hoped for at least one success, yet to their dismay, all three had failed catastrophically.
Staring at the disastrous results, Alex held his tongue, suppressing the curses he wanted to hurl at the incompetent fools before him.
“First, let us offer a moment of silence for their noble sacrifice.”
The words ‘this is not the time for it’ nearly escaped his subordinates’ lips, but they swallowed them and nodded as Alex desired.
Sacrifice was sacrifice. Those who fell first for the Cause, and those captured—all had held firm and refused to confess.
After the solemn silence ended, Alex finally spoke.
“Current losses?”
“Of the seven hundred deployed, more than half are wounded or dead. Sixty have been taken prisoner.”
Faced with this painful defeat, Alex’s eyes narrowed. Yet he intended to pass off such casualties as trivial.
“They’ve certainly learned how much of a threat we are.”
He’d driven home the point that Retaria was no incompetent organization incapable of action.
If they so chose, they could mobilize forces and wreak terror freely. Now the Imperial court would feel genuine fear of Retaria.
“But what of the captured personnel? They are surely waiting for us to rescue them.”
At someone’s words, Alex’s expression twisted grimly. Rescue? Salvage those failures who couldn’t even complete their mission?
He wanted to snort and declare they should simply be left to die, but he knew better.
“True. Abandoning them would damage our morale as well.”
If they were sent into danger knowing rescue wouldn’t come, who would fight with courage?
Even if they fought for the Greater Good, they needed to be given a chance to survive.
“More importantly, we must show the people that the Imperial House is no longer what it once was. Only then will many begin to support Retaria.”
Weakening the Imperial court’s influence—music to Alex’s ears.
“The Emperor must be prevented from interfering in our work again. Do we have the exact location of where they’re being held?”
“We believe it to be the Imperial Palace Underground Prison.”
It was too late to turn back from a line already crossed. If they had dared to invade the Chesher Estate, what reason could stop them from striking the Imperial Palace itself?
“However, the rescue operation cannot proceed until he grants his approval. For now, we must prepare for every contingency.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Alex began writing a letter at once.
He detailed the situation and requested permission for the rescue operation, then folded it and tied it to the messenger bird’s leg.
“Soon the war between the Empire and the Kingdom will resume.”
* * *
“Linus! Where is Linus!”
Binet’s voice reverberated through the royal chamber.
His cry sounded almost like a scream, but the attendants, accustomed to such outbursts, showed no alarm as they searched for Linus.
When Linus finally appeared, he clicked his tongue inwardly, then entered the royal chamber with a sigh.
“Your Majesty. You were looking for me?”
“I trusted you with this, and you’ve made a complete mess of it!”
The moment Linus stepped inside, Binet hurled a wine cup at him. It missed by inches and shattered against the wall, but Linus showed no reaction whatsoever.
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
The composure of that response filled Binet with revulsion; he longed to lunge at Linus and seize him by the collar.
But he had something more pressing to discuss.
“When did I ever say I wouldn’t collect taxes from the nobles? And now you’re lifting restrictions on private armies? Have you lost your mind?”
Not only had Linus acted on his own, but he had steered policy in a dangerously wrong direction.
Since the reign of his late father the king, the focus had been on strengthening Royal Authority by limiting the power of the nobility and rescinding their privileges.
During Matthias’s reign, they had nearly succeeded in completing this work.
Now, suddenly, all of it was unraveling. Binet glared at Linus, who stood there with an expression of perfect calm despite orchestrating this disaster.
“All of it was for Your Majesty’s sake.”
Linus approached Binet and spoke.
“To secure recognition of Your Majesty’s legitimacy, the nobles had to be appeased, and to subdue the 1st Legion, which still refuses to pledge loyalty to Your Majesty, we needed to reduce their funds.”
Everything was for Binet’s benefit. Binet wanted to refute such hollow words immediately.
“To silence the nobles who know of that day’s events, there was no other way, was there?”
But at Linus’s cold remark, Binet’s mouth froze shut.
His face drained of color as he stared at Linus.
“Among the nobility, whispers have begun to spread about what befell His Majesty Matthias.”

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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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