Please Be A Traitor

Thalia received the report I was holding. She sighed after reading the report.

“Three years ago, I worked for Baron Malesa, not for Viscount Sevey. After my mother passed away, I worked as a clerk for Lady Malesa. I worked there until I was expelled upon learning that Louis had ascended to the position of Marquis Zelude and that the Marquis’ sister, Clara Zelude, had been betrothed to the Crown Prince. I went to Marquis Zelude’s mansion because I believed something was wrong, but I couldn’t even get in.”

In order to meet Louis Zelude, Thalia then attempted to gain the compassion of a young aristocratic family in exchange for a recommendation to work at Marquis Zelude’s mansion.

She was eventually driven out after swinging back and forth due to Baron Malesa’s disapproval with her past behaviours.

It’s no wonder that when she saw signs that I believed in her, she abruptly claimed to be the Marquis’ sister, which she hadn’t stated previously, maybe because she was afraid of being convicted for impersonating an aristocrat.

“I found out after I was kicked out that someone had ordered the slum robbers to kill me. It was Baroness Vigor who managed to get me to escape. I lived quietly because I didn’t want to die.”

Thalia, who claimed to live quietly, was emotionless, like a doll.

Since she was the twin sister of Marquis Zelude, then it meant she was just 19 years old, and yet she looked quite mature for her age.

Although, given that she had been threatened with her life since she was a child, she was obligated to be mature in that way.

‘So pitiful.’

My gaze met hers while I was thinking that.

Her gazes were quite deep and intense. There was neither wonder or fear in those gazes for the future that lay ahead of her.

Instead, she simply stared at me, as if she was prepared to accept whatever I did.

“I will let you meet Marquis Zelude.”

Thalia was taken aback by my statements and glanced at me with a puzzled expression.

Then she gave me a serious look, as if she didn’t comprehend what I had just said.

“Why?”

“Well, since that isn’t difficult for me to do? Although meeting him alone may be difficult.”

Thalia pondered for a moment.

“But…… but I don’t have anything to do for you, Princess.”
(T/N: in this context, “princess” refers to the duke’s daughter, hence the princess is referred to as the duke’s daughter rather than a member of the royal family.)

It may be the case, for now.

However, Thalia’s attitude and demeanor right now were perfectly suited to the position of Lady Zelude.

Clara was not a was not serious and frivolous person, and the fact that she was pitying me made me uncomfortable.

Thalia was a better choice than Clara if I wanted to join hands to take over the social circle.

But perhaps the thing that bothers me the most is that I stole Thalia, who was supposed to be Shabelle’s strength.

Although I tried to cover up the discomfort of taking away Shabelle’s friend by being her friend.

“I believe you’re acting on a whim, but……”

Obviously not.

“Didn’t you say you worked as a clerk for Lady Malesa?”

“Yes? Ah, yes. Since I was a child, my mother has taught me how to write. I composed a letter for Lady Malesa and translated her classical literature, which was written in an ancient language, into the Imperial language.”

“Could you then teach me an ancient language?”

Talia’s expression was subdued.

“I’ve heard that your reading skills are already extraordinary, that you could understand the Bible at the age of seven, surpassing those who were already high priests. Is there anything I could possibly teach you, Princess?”

Well, there’s some stories related to that high priest.

Because my mother shared the same blood as Karpel’s mother, he stated it was a sin for me to love Karpel and think of him as an opposing sex rather than a family member.

I was so enraged that I confronted him.

Well, as that High Priest said, we are all the God’s creatures, the God’s sons and daughters.

However, if he said it that way, it’s the same as stating that everyone who forms relationships through marriage is a sinner.

So, weren’t the priests who gave their blessings to the Emperor’s marriage, the master of the Empire, also sinners?

I violently drove away the stunned high priest after hearing my statement.

I’m not claiming that my reading skills are exceptional, but that uncle circulated false rumours, which led to this situation.

There was no retaliation from the Great High Priest since many priests became godmothers or godfathers, and their godchildren married into aristocratic families.

Even yet, I had no idea the rumours had travelled to the level that Thalia was aware of them.

“It’s not for myself, but for a lovely girl I’ve been looking after recently……”

At that moment, I could feel Karpel suddenly bowing his head from my side.

He was laying his chin against the window sill while twisting his body when I turned my head to look at him.

I continued talking to Thalia, trying not to see his irritated countenance, after noticing his uncomfortable stance, which he rectified.

“I think that child has a hard time learning the ancient language.”

“If it’s still a child…… then are you asking me to be that child tutor?”

I nodded my head.

For Thalia, becoming a tutor for a young lady would be a good proposition.

It’s also good for me, because I won’t feel too guilty about stealing Shabelle’s ally.

Thalia inquired warily, as I was feeling pleased with my brilliant idea.

“Do you mind if I use an alias for the meantime?”

“I doubt Viscountess Sevey will do anything to you even if you use your real name.”

“However, Princess, Clara could be displeased with you. Furthermore, protecting an aristocratic impostor might result in you being ridiculed.”

“When you join the Marquis family, that petty misunderstanding will disappear.”

Karpel exclaimed, as if it were absurd.

Thalia, on the other hand, was not embarrassed and maintained her demeanour.

“Please allow me to state this in advance, Your Highness. Marquis Zelude seemed to have forgotten about me. So, even if I had a position in the Marquis family, there would be nothing I could do to reimburse you. Today was my last chance to take a risk, because as someone who was born together as him, I don’t want him to forget about me. When I threatened Duke Krenberia’s daughter, I knew exactly what would happen. I didn’t expect the Princess to be so thoughtful. But still, I don’t want to promise things.”

As soon as I heard her, my heart began to race. I can’t believe she has such a strong sense of loyalty.

After hearing what I said about being willing to help her meet the Marquis, Thalia could pleading with me to bring her to Krenberia’s mansion and ready to do anything.But, r

“Ha!”

I was moved, but Karpel snorted next to me, dampening my emotions.

Thalia embarrassed and lowered her head.

“Even if we just bring you to the Marquis Zelude without demanding anything in return, the Marquis Zelude will compensate us for presenting his true sister. Of fact, this contradicts what you just said.”

That was, in fact, the case. Though that was not the reason why Karpel snorted.

If I wanted to, I could execute Clara Zelude, who is creating her own power, overnight and bring Thalia to the position.

Even if Thalia was a fake, I could have made it legitimate and demanded a castle from Marquis Zelude in exchange for finding his true sister.

That really was Krenberia’s power.

Thalia appeared to be well-versed in social matters, maybe as a result of her job in an aristocratic household despite her upbringing as a commoner.

She was also well-versed in etiquette.

Despite her extensive knowledge of the royal line, Thalia appeared to be unaware of Krenberia’s power.

I shook my head since I didn’t have to tell her that with only a few words, I could instantly make her into Thalia Zelude.

“Since I’ve already decided to help you, I won’t mind if there are any negative rumours floating around about me. And, just so you know, I have no cause to be concerned about Clara or Marquis Zelude.”

Despite the fact that the Marquis Zelude family was the most powerful after Krenberia, the level of power was different.

This is why the Emperor is aiming to overpower Krenberia.

When the Emperor took the throne, he exploited the Duke of Krenberia’s power to purge all of the other families.

At the same time, the Duke of Crenberia’s influence grew too great.

When my grandfather passed away and my father wandered around, the power went off for a while, but now my father has made up for it.

On the contrary, the Marquis Zelude family had various issues with the family heirs before the present Emperor rose.

It was the biological father of Thalia, the former Marquis. At the time, the former Marquis was betrothed to a young lady from Duke Ceres’ household.

However, there is a major issue. The issue was that the former Marquis had a different woman than Princess Ceres.

When the former Marquis Zelude’s father died, the former Marquis Zelude, who inherited the title, unilaterally broke his engagement and married his lover.

As a result, the cost of the unilateral breakup had to be paid to the Duke of Ceres, and the price was so enormous that it caused the Zelude family to weaken.

Unfortunately, the former Marquis did not have a lengthy life. After five years of marriage, he died without having any children.

Immediately after that, the Emperor was changed, and only for maintaining the family lineage, the present Marquis who was still 5 years old at that time, was brought to the family.

‘It’s preferable to get along with Thalia than Clara or the Marchioness.’

Anyway, since the former Marquis was still 5 years old at that time, it was the Marchioness who led the Marquis Zelude household.

And once the Marchioness became established in society, whenever I went to the salon, the ladies would always bring up the Marchioness’s relationship with the former Marquis.

That’s how I learned about the stories.

It is said that after the marriage annulment, Princess Ceres was expelled from the family.

Although I’m not sure why the Duke expelled his daughter because of the incident.

At first sight, there was a rumour that the amount paid for the breakup was so high that Zelude kicked out Princess Ceres in fear of the breakup not proceeding.

For that story, the Empress told me that Clara was the daughter of Princess Ceres.

As a result, as a commoner who grew up among commoners, I should assist her in reclaiming her nobility, and Her Majesty assured me that she should not be considered an illegitimate child because she was born in an engaged relationship.

She couldn’t claim her lineage as the surviving lineage because Duke Ceres’ family had been purged.

And it was for this reason that Marquis Zelude and Clara were chastised for impersonating as nobles, for society still saw them as illegitimate children with tainted blood.

How could the former Marquis be ignorant whether his daughter’s name is Clara or Thalia, no matter how he severed his relations with his ex-fiance?

Princess Ceres may have been younger than me in my previous life when she was exiled from the household.

Will I be able to live if I am thrown out of my family?

Princess Ceres was also evacuated, despite the fact that she was carrying two children in her tummy. In the middle of it all, she reared her daughter in this manner.

‘She’s incredible.’

Come to think of it, this story wasn’t really unrelated to me.

Because if I don’t manage to evade the Emperor beast invasion, I could end myself on the streets.