Vol. 11 Chapter 60 - Let's Get Along, Yum Yum Yum

Thalia and I went to the greenhouse. The surroundings inside the greenhouse continued to remain noisy.

Shabelle’s invited guests were talking about the day’s sightseeing. They were talking about Karpel, the Crown Prince, and Clara even after the three of them had left the greenhouse.

Not only them, but my girls were the same.

They appeared to be too amused to see the Crown Prince and Clara.

To appease the excited guests, I told them that today’s tea party would be over soon and then sent everyone off.

Karpel vanished after the Crown Prince left, so after saying our farewells, Thalia and I sat in her room.

Thalia took out a book and opened it.

Thalia’s little ring on her little finger shone at that moment, and what she held in her hand transformed into a flat box the size of a book.

The box was full of thin folded documents. Thalia took out some sheets, carefully opened them, and handed them to me.

“According to the findings of the investigation, the assassination the previous days was ordered by Marchioness Zelude. It appears that Marchioness Zelude believed Louis went to borrow Duke Krenberia’s power, which would entangle him with a young lady introduced by the Duke.”

“……”

The second paper contains information gathered by the Marchioness about Rhaya Siehn. Rhaya Siehn is said to have been a commoner raised by Ducal Princess Krenberia and to have fallen in love with Marquis Zelude at first sight.”

“The Marchioness must have thought that killing you would jeopardize my father’s and Marquis Zelude’s cooperation.”

“Yes. Furthermore, she may intend to enrage the Duke by dispatching an assassin to Krenberian’s mansion, causing the Duke to request that the Empress forbid Louis from entering the palace. She may intend to make it impossible for Louis to become an ally to anyone.”

The report also stated that because Marquis Zelude was attempting to gain control of his force, he was rapidly replacing his personnel on his own.

And Marquis Zelude may have already chastised the Marchioness for attempting to harm Thalia and informed the Vassals who supported him that Rhaya Siehn, who was protected by Ducal Princess Krenberia, is actually his twin sister.

Clara who seemed to have no idea,  was in a panic and spending more time with the crown prince when she learned that the Marquis of Zelude was trying to bring a young lady into the family.

Because nothing much happened these days, it appeared that the crown prince was responding well to his fiancee’s request.

To the point where they unexpectedly visited Krenberia’s mansion together today.

When I read through the information, it appeared that the Marquis did not intend to depose Clara and make Thalia the lady of Marquis just yet.

It looked like he intend to make the marquis’s family have two young ladies.

Thalia’s admittance into the Marquis’ Zelude family will be simply because she is already a noble lady named Rhaya Siehn, sponsored by Krenberia.

Though it would be difficult given that Clara stole Duke Ceres’ token from Thalia and made it public that she is a member of and pretends to be a noble.

As a result, the entire Marquis Zelude family was compelled to bear the guilt of deceiving the royal family and attempting to mix commoner blood with Imperial blood.

“Doesn’t this imply that the Marquis will not deny Clara as his twin sister and overturn her?”

“However, if I make my debut, Clara will find it difficult to remain in society. Even if I don’t say anything, everyone will notice what Clara did.”

If suspicions are raised about the bloodline’s spouse, the empress, not the prospective crown princess, will be deposed.

That is why, when Thalia makes her debut, Clara’s engagement to the crown prince will be broken off.

She was fortunate enough to be able to save her own life.

Perhaps this is why Shabelle became the crown prince’s lover with hardly any opposition from the former crown prince’s fiancée.

Despite the fact that they were eight years apart.

I’m sorry to say that the crown prince is a lolicom (lolicon complex) and trash, but after speaking with him today, I had the same impression I had when I read the novel.

A person’s impression of being raised upright and without lack by a strict father and a kind mother.

He was friendly and kind to everyone, but not the type to treat someone special.

‘Though in the novel, he cared a lot about Shabelle.’

I glanced at Thalia as I read the document and contemplated something else, while Thalia looked at me, waiting for me to finish.

In fact, I didn’t think it was necessary for me to read the investigation report because what was written was simply what Thalia had summarized.

She said she didn’t need my assistance at all.

To be honest, the report only contained information that had nothing to do with me.

But I still asked her because I was keen to know why she showed me these.

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“I know it’s shameless of me, but if it’s okay, I’d like to make my debut as Rhaya Siehn first. Am I allowed to do that?”

“Huh? Ah! That’s correct. You must make your debut at an imperial event so that no one from the Zelude family can harm you.”

“Yes. That is why I would appreciate it if you could bring me to the next Imperial event.”

I sighed softly as I remembered the next Imperial event would be held in two months.

“That is, hmm……”

The next imperial event, which occurred about a week after the beginning of the month, was the anniversary of the current emperor’s accession.

That time period also included the former emperor’s death anniversary and Karpel’s birthday.

Thalia was also silent for a brief moment, lost in thought.

Because the execution of those who followed Duke Ceres occurred at the same time.

“Ina-nim.”

“Huh?”

“Will you believe me if I say there is someone controlling information within the mansion?”

“…… controlling the information? Do you mean when the assassin broke into the mansion? If you say it like that, it sounds like my father distorts information that might reach my ear. But only my father……”

Karpel was ruled out from the beginning.

That kid doesn’t even talk to me, so whether he tried to hide it or not was a mystery.

So I tried to come up with an excuse for my father, but I couldn’t think of anything.

My father may have judged that he didn’t need to inform his daughter about an assassin who broke into the mansion and attempted to murder her daughter’s guest.

Actually, there was nothing I could conversate to my father.

To my father, I was like a baby who only need to be happy and act cute.

Whenever I attend a banquet or teatime, the butler always organizes and provides me with useful information that does not interfere with my conversation with the other ladies.

Apart from the information I requested, nothing reached my ears.

Just like the time I inquired about Thalia when I brought her to the mansion.

In any case, my father’s concealment of the assassin’s case this time would eventually reach my ear.

But what if he asks the Empress to prohibit the Marchioness from entering the palace because he knows I found out about it?

The Empress might simply believe that the Marchioness had done something offensive to my father and dismiss the matter.

Her Majesty the Empress would never suspect the involvement of an assassin.

If Thalia hadn’t told me, I would have assumed that the situation had been passed down as it had until now.

I understand why my father didn’t want me to know, but it was still something I needed to know.

But if Thalia hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have recognized the issue and would have ignored it.

And there has to be a reason Thalia is bringing this up right now.

“Isn’t there something my father didn’t tell me that I really need to know? And you happened to find out about it, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“So, tell me what it is.”

“At the moment, the border of Krenberia’s estate is completely undefended.”

“I am aware that the border’s defenses are insufficient. Because the law limits the number of soldiers that can be raised in the family, there is a soldier shortage.”

“The problem wasn’t as simple as that. Following the enthronement of the current Emperor, the imperial family manages troops for border defense in territories bordering other countries, with a limit on the number of soldiers.”

“……”

“This defensive force has no limit, but it does have a cost of maintenance. At the time of His Majesty’s enthronement, he set the same amount of border defense costs for each family and met with border families.”

“I see……”

“Defense costs were finalized over a two-year period based on agreements and territorial requests. We no longer have control over defense costs unless they are exceptional.”

“Because it will be distributed from the total budget, it will be difficult to control because we will have to cut somewhere in order to increase the cost.” Furthermore, it is a matter of military power, so it will be extremely sensitive.”

“Yes, the Krenberia budget is less than 5% of the cost of border defense.”

“5%? How is this even possible? ”

Regardless of how much the Emperor desires Krenberia, three countries border our territory.

The estate of Krenberia is directly bordered by ethnic states such as Elysium, the Kingdom of Lecce, and the Kingdom of Rossel.

I didn’t understand why there was so little if it was confirmed in accordance with the territory’s request.

Given the size of the empire’s borders, 30% should have been allocated.

Even the three countries bordering Krenberia had one of the most tense relationships with the Empire of Iverox.

The current Emperor broke the agreement with Elysium.

The current emperor has banished Duke Ceres, the house of the Queen of Kingdom Lecce.

And at last, Kingdom Roselle was initially at odds with the Empire of Iverox.

“Are you saying his majesty turned down my father’s request? However, abandoning Krenberia’s border defense is equivalent to abandoning Iverox’s border. How is that even possible?”