NOVEL NEXT Ch. 27
The House of Cardina.
It was one of the only two ducal families in the empire, similar to Aschenbach, which was integrated into the empire through negotiation.
During the final stages of the Esperusa unification war, King Aschenbach of the northeastern region was subjugated to the Esperusa Empire under the condition that the autonomy of his land would be preserved, and he became a duke.
So, what about Cardina, the other ducal family?
If Aschenbach was the king of the northeastern region, Cardina was the center of the Western Union.
The power dynamics of the western coastal region were complex. The imperial-appointed nobles, the natives of the western region, and the merchant guilds that sustained the wealth of the west were intricately intertwined, creating a tangled and complicated power structure.
The family that unified the intricately intertwined western powers through bloodline politics was Cardina.
It seemed complicated, but it was actually a simple story.
It meant they arranged countless marriages here and there, creating inseparable relationships.
When they were subjugated by the empire, they set the condition that a successor from their family would become the empress. Cardina, which thrived on marriage politics, was even more practical than Aschenbach.
Thus, it was strange that Cardina appeared here.
“The Merchant Union wouldn’t want the empire to split apart.”
Economic prosperity required peace. It wasn’t a situation where multiple countries were in turmoil; the empire had stabilized to the point where it was hard to understand why Cardina would support Aschenbach’s rebellion.
“Our dear Lucy is so…”
Theodora trailed off without responding to my muttered words.
“Even though you’ve been holed up in the Opal Palace, you somehow know all of this.”
I responded with an awkward smile.
It was difficult to answer questions like how I knew about the traitor. After all, I couldn’t say that I knew it because I’d read the original story.
‘But, did the original story include this kind of detail…?’
A sense of discord suddenly flashed through my mind.
‘I should have studied for the civil service exam instead of working in a company.’
I chuckled dryly. I must have liked the original story a lot—considering I could recall content that I wasn’t even sure was there.
Still, when a story involved two dukes of the empire, the scale of the situation wasn’t just doubled; it increased quadrupled or eightfold.
There wasn’t any mention of Cardina in the original story. What was the point of remembering the plot well when the crucial parts were different from reality?
“It could be the work of someone in the Cardina family or their subordinates, not the duke himself. What’s certain is that the pirates currently active were once knights loyal to Cardina, and that Aschenbach’s funds are involved with them.”
“Proving the flow of funds would be the most solid evidence.”
Theodora nodded at my words.
“There are also various other activities supported by the duke, like backing the independence movement of the Kingdom of Belios or purchasing national bonds through the merchant guild. However, these are easier to prove, and thus easier to cut ties with. Revealing the connection with the pirates would be the most damaging.”
Theodora said this with a sly grin.
“Luckily, we have Richard on our side, don’t we? It won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible either.”
Richard’s mother came from a family that was central to the Western Union. For that reason, the western nobles generally supported Richard unless they had a particular reason not to. It was like his political home base.
But wouldn’t it be a disadvantage if the opponent to expose was Cardina?
“If this involves the Western Union, Brother Richard might try to distance himself from it. If both Aschenbach and Cardina are harmed, it would be a loss for him.”
“That’s why you need to persuade him well.”
Theodora laughed playfully. I was taken aback.
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“Why? It’s not like Richard is someone who calculates gains and losses down to the last detail.”
I was at a loss for words.
Richard did have a straightforward personality and could be a bit impulsive. But he was not so clueless that he didn’t understand where his political power came from.
“But…”
“Just talk to him, Lucy. He’ll listen to you.”
Theodora spoke with a meaningful tone.
With Theodora insisting this much, I couldn’t just refuse. I’d try to persuade him, though I didn’t have high hopes. Resigned, I nodded.
“Disrupting the empire like this is just the first step. Next, they’ll launch a more direct attack. They’ll target the capital.”
“Target it?”
I raised my voice in surprise.
“Are you saying the duke will raise an army?”
“No, it’s magic.”
Theodora answered firmly.
“Duke Aschenbach has been gathering wizards who’ve been expelled or unable to enter the Magic Tower. It’s suspected to be for a curse, but it’s not confirmed yet. They’re just stockpiling materials commonly used in magic.”
“What happens if the curse is cast?”
“Well, maybe everyone in the imperial palace will slowly waste away and die? Or perhaps a plague will spread throughout the capital?”
By now, I was too shocked to be surprised. When I first heard the word
“I’m sure Rudolph or Lady Ariadne will handle that. There’s no one better suited than those two when it comes to magic.”
There was no disagreement here. Although it was doubtful whether Ariadne, the archmage and Rudolph’s mother, would get involved in this matter.
“When the curse activates, and the emperor dies or, at the very least, the imperial family falls into chaos, the duke will finally make his move. He could rally the army and charge toward the capital, or simply declare Aschenbach’s independence. I couldn’t find out the specifics beyond that.”
Theodora spoke with frustration, but even this was already a massive revelation. It was hard to believe she had uncovered this much in less than a month…
… no, even this amount of investigation couldn’t have been possible in such a short time.
“Sister, can I ask you something?”
“If it’s you asking, Lucy, I’ll answer anything.”
Theodora spoke lightly, but I was serious.
“When did you start investigating? About Duke Aschenbach’s rebellion plan.”
Theodora’s smile faded a bit at my question, and she replied with equal seriousness.
“Since the day I named Teridion.”
“How…?”
“One of the beasts controlled by Duke Aschenbach is the Blue Serpent.”
I inhaled sharply in surprise. Theodora’s grandfather was a subordinate of Duke Aschenbach?
“Yes, this is a war to capture the Blue Serpent. I’ve been preparing for this war for a very long time. I never imagined I’d gain such a reliable ally.”
I had no idea.
All the knowledge I had was based on the original story. In the original, Theodora was merely a neutral information broker.
In the original, there was the downfall of the Aschenbach family due to false charges, and Imelda’s struggle to clear those charges.
Nowhere in those stories did Theodora’s name appear.
What exactly was the original story?
It was a question that had crossed my mind several times, and it resurfaced again. But thinking about it now would only give me a headache, so I decided to set it aside for the time being.
What mattered was that Theodora had been preparing for this for a long time. Thanks to her, I could just go along with it, which was actually good for me.
After organizing my thoughts, I nodded.
“Is this explanation enough?”
“Yes, it’s more than enough.”
“I’ll contact Richard and Rudolph separately. You’re busy with something very important right now, aren’t you, Lucy?”
Theodora winked playfully.
“So, how is your adorable young master doing these days?”
The moment I heard those words, my mood plummeted. I had momentarily forgotten about the Tristan issue, but it resurfaced.
“What’s wrong, Lucy? Is something the matter?”
Theodora asked, alarmed, as if she sensed my distress.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to confide in her. But I couldn’t handle it on my own, and I felt Theodora needed to know that the situation had worsened.
“The truth is…”
I told Theodora what had happened with Tristan. After refusing to speak with me for a while, he had finally opened up today, but when I told him that I wanted him to be happy, he had looked pained and fled from me.
“Oh, Lucy!”
Theodora’s reaction was intense.
“That’s, that’s so romantic! It’s practically a proposal!”
She clasped her flushed cheeks and squealed. I had to raise my voice to not be drowned out by hers.
“What are you talking about! I told you, it’s not like that!”
Her reaction was similar when I mentioned wanting to make Tristan a duke.
It seemed like Theodora thought I had fallen for him at first sight, and no matter how much I protested, she wouldn’t believe me.
“A lonely illegitimate child and a young princess who only wishes for his happiness. Their love blossoms on the green fields… Lucy, it’s pure romance! This should be a book! It’d be a bestseller!”
“Tristan hates me!”
I yelled back.
“And that’s not even the important part! Tristan doesn’t want to see me anymore. I have no idea why! I was just being honest with him!”
As I spoke, my feelings of frustration grew.
“L-Lucy?”
“Of course, I know I was being a bit unrealistic. But I couldn’t just suggest killing the duke or seeking revenge right then and there. And it’s not like I insulted him or threatened him, so why is he reacting like this?”
“Hey, Lucy~ just, just calm down a bit~”
“What if I never see Tristan again? The duke’s rebellion plan is right in front of us, and if I can’t persuade Tristan…”
A tear suddenly fell from my eye.
“What if Tristan dies?”
The fact that Tristan disliked me was something I couldn’t change.
If Tristan didn’t want to take revenge himself, I would respect that decision.
If the emperor didn’t permit him to become a duke, there was nothing I could do about it.
But if Tristan died, if that future came despite all my efforts…
I thought I would truly fall apart.
“Lucy, hold on, don’t cry…”
Theodora fumbled, unsure of what to do, then came closer and hugged me. It wasn’t the suffocating embrace from earlier. This time, it was a gentle hug, as if she was afraid I might break.
Theodora’s hands wrapped around my shoulders were warm. I sniffled and cried a little in her arms.
“The truth is, Lucy.”
After my sobs quieted, Theodora spoke cautiously.
“There’s something I didn’t tell you because I thought it would upset you. I didn’t think you needed to hear it, but now I think I should tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Your young master, Tristan. I think I know why he ran away like that.”
I lifted my head sharply to look at Theodora’s face.
“I told you, right? He’s being abused in the duchy. Ever since he was little, he hasn’t been properly fed and has taken on rough tasks while being beaten by Ludwig. But that’s not the worst of it.”
Theodora spoke with a dark expression.
“Lucy, everyone who has ever been kind to him… has died.”