Chapter – 16
Elias hastily clasped his hands behind his back.
“…I judged it necessary to quiet the noise quickly. My apologies.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for.”
“Then, where shall I escort you from here?”
“For now, to my castle.”
Elias’s eyes widened even more.
Will this really be okay…?
‘Should I inform Duke Balthazar?’
Evren glanced sideways, lowering his gaze slightly.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“Oh, no, there isn’t.”
Evren knew that Elias had just intimidated his subordinate over something trivial.
‘Hmph, I’ve heard that engraving creates obsession.’
Evren looked Elias over again.
Elias could be useful.
‘It would be a waste to throw him away just because he showed some concern for Liliane.’
Perhaps this kind of obsession could be managed with practice.
Evren looked down at Lamio with eyes that had lost their usual glint.
By now, Lamio was trembling all over.
“Y-Your Highness…”
“There’s no need to be afraid.”
Evren smiled leisurely.
Thanks to Liliane, he had a chance to strike back at the Tillard family. He had no intention of foolishly letting this opportunity slip away.
“I usually avoid getting involved because I can’t gauge things properly myself.”
That statement was sincere.
He couldn’t risk another reckless outburst.
But, well, who hasn’t broken a resolution within a day?
“Everything requires practice.”
“P-Please… spare me—”
“There’s no one perfect from the start, right? Don’t you agree?”
He recalled the words Iris Tillard had spoken.
‘If I’d known you’d sneak off to the north like a coward, I would’ve locked you underground!’
He grew intensely curious.
About everything that made Liliane Tillard decide to ruin herself.
He didn’t need to punish her… he was just curious.
Evren smiled.
Lamio felt chills run down his spine.
This man is smiling, yet he hasn’t blinked once.
“I’ll make sure the outside remains functional.”
“Y-Your Highness—”
“Shall we properly discuss the underground matter from earlier?”
“Ugh, ah, aah!”
The next morning.
Liliane received a report on Lamio as casually as if someone had told her about the weather.
“Your brother has been safely secured.”
“….”
“He’ll remain quiet until we bring him to the capital.”
Liliane stared far into the sky over the villain’s shoulder.
‘The sky is clear.’
Even though yesterday must have been bloody.
But now it was time to prepare properly before the original story began.
‘Alright. I should make a plan too.’
This year, the original story’s branching points would start unfolding rapidly.
The first: The delegation of princesses from the Kingdom of Tenebrin.
The second: The election of the Prime Minister and the selection of the Saintess.
The third…
‘The villain’s rampage and imprisonment.’
Later in the year, this man would cause a massive disaster.
‘He’ll destroy half of the capital, they say?’
Not just casualties—thousands of deaths.
The villain would be imprisoned, and his shadows scattered.
But eventually, he would escape and spark a war.
What remarkable perseverance. As expected, villains are the most diligent.
‘Ah, now isn’t the time for admiration.’
Anyway, if he causes trouble this year, Liliane would be dragged down with him.
All three branching points must be avoided.
But…
‘The rivalry between the two princes isn’t disappearing.’
The war could happen next year or four years later.
Why not just let this man and the original male lead fight, and then prevent him from becoming emperor?
‘Originally, Tarandia decided succession through a tournament.’
It had been abolished long ago for being too extreme.
‘Then let’s revive that tournament…!’
And Liliane would release the engraving and aim for a swift exit.
Good.
Liliane would fully exercise her extreme planning skills—starting now.
“Your Highness, if it’s not urgent, may I visit the temple here?”
“To check grades and affinities?”
To measure control scores, one must go to the temple.
“That too, but actually, a big player is secretly coming to that temple.”
“A big player?”
“Yes. Actually, Princess Meliora von Albrecht from the Kingdom of Tenebrin will be visiting.”
Princess Meliora von Albrecht.
‘The original story began with the princess officially visiting the empire.’
At that banquet, the male leads all flocked to Iris because of her talent and humble demeanor…
Anyway.
Tenebrin may be a ‘kingdom,’ but it rivaled the empire in wealth.
The princess ranked high enough in her kingdom to contest for crown princess.
“She sometimes comes because her abilities have caused her ailments.”
“Hm. Serious enough that her kingdom can’t treat her?”
“She probably can’t do it without being criticized by her brothers.”
Besides, Fernies was even mentioned in scripture.
Many believed prayers worked better there than elsewhere.
“So she occasionally crosses into the empire.”
“Haha. The frontier sure was a mess.”
The villain laughed, mocking the chaos.
“But how did you know?”
“She’s a regular of Iris.”
A princess of another country, beloved by famous people.
Even if Liliane were abandoned in darkness, it wouldn’t matter.
“Your Highness, the Tillard family will heal the princess and give the glory to the second prince.”
“The second empress will make full use of that.”
“Yes, exactly.”
“You seem confident in healing the princess.”
“Of course.”
After all, the method of healing was Liliane’s own invention.
‘This proves my usefulness and pushes the brothers toward a peaceful rivalry.’
And I’ll make a way for a slight exile…!
Liliane hadn’t lost her dream yet.
The shadows were in a slightly excited mood.
Liliane Tillard would remain with us!
…Why?
“You stopped His Highness’s rampage.”
“There are so many compatible knights!”
“She’s a high-grade controller no matter what!”
“Controllers are already rare.”
At that moment, Jeanne cleared her throat and spoke up.
Jeanne had been among the group monitoring Lamio.
“And do you know this?”
Since the Highness didn’t forbid her from speaking, she thought it was fine.
“The control-stone business run by Iris Tillard… Liliane Tillard’s side was actually handling it.”
“What?”
The shadows murmured.
The Tillard family’s control-stone business?
Wasn’t that the crown jewel of the artifact business?
“That can’t be. It’s a treasured family asset—”
“It’s true! Iris Tillard herself said so!”
“…!”
“All business had to be handled by Liliane, so they sent her to deal with it quickly.”
“Huh. She didn’t seem like it.”
Even though they were a rival family, everyone knew Iris Tillard’s reputation.
Beautiful, kind, and perfectly competent in business—the ‘flower of the Tillard family.’
But could someone on the same side lie about this?
Jeanne, now the center of attention, excitedly continued.
“There, she forced her cousin to confess for summoning monsters, and boom! Took out the recording stone so they couldn’t escape!”
“Ho.”
“And then, all the illegal acts were perfectly documented!”
“Ooooh!”
Everyone who heard this was impressed.
“…Impressive.”
“Seems she’s different from the rumors.”
They had heard she was a gloomy girl, useless to her family.
But what they had seen and heard until now was very different…
“Lady Jeanne, and everyone, aren’t you being too soft?”
Then a gentle but critical voice spoke.
The knights turned their heads.
Who was it? A slightly embarrassed expression flashed.
Among the controllers waiting in the rear during this schedule, there was one.
Margaret Rubelli, daughter of a marquess and an A-rank senior controller.
