[TKOSINM] 296 – A Princely Greeting

"Heh heh, this is not an official meeting, so you don't have to be formal. After all, I came here unannounced."

"Please, have a seat."

Irene sat opposite the Prince as instructed by the Grand Duke and finally looked up, only to be met with a professional smile.

"I know this is coming late, but congratulations on becoming a Duke."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

The Crown Prince congratulated Noel, who answered with a soft smile. He then looked at Irene and said:

"Your wife looks more beautiful than before. I don't remember her having this eye-catching aura, last time I met her."

"Oh, thank you ."

The atmosphere was freezing, yet the Prince seemed to be trying his hardest to break the ice, but no one felt comfortable.

He was the child of the person who had killed Irene's parents and perhaps an enemy she may have to face in the future.

How could anyone smile in front of someone like that?

'Noel is good at managing his facial expressions, but I'm not.'

Irene's stiff expression was visible, but no one condemned her for it. She didn't want to know his reasons for visiting because she would be going to war against the Emperor in two weeks, so she did not feel obliged to act friendly to the Prince.

From the moment she heard that he was here, she had doubts that the Crown Prince had unexpectedly visited because he had noticed signs of a rebellion and wanted to eliminate the problem from its roots.

So while everyone was analysing the Prince and trying to gauge his intentions, the latter smiled brightly, pretending not to notice any of it and parted his lips.

"It's probably not the best time to drop by and say hello, so I'll cut to the chase and tell you why I came here. Please help me become the Emperor."

"Your Highness, what are you talking about all of a sudden?"

"…Helping you become the Emperor, I don't think I understand."

The Grand Duke and Noel asked questions one after the other while Irene just stared at the Prince silently because she simply couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Isn't Your Highness the Emperor's heir? Why would you want our help in succeeding the throne when it's already yours?"

"Yes, but I'm only an heir on the surface."

The Prince smiled bitterly.

"However, if things were to take the present course, I won't be becoming Emperor." 

"Why?"

"The goal of having a Crown Prince was to strengthen his position. It didn't mean that His Majesty would hand over the throne to me. And soon, his Majesty will make a move against the Grand Duke." He answered Noel's question.

"... On what basis are you saying this?"

"Recently, His Majesty's nerves have been on edge. Although he hates to be around people, he has been awfully close with Lord Rixis."

"That alone is not an excuse."

"It wouldn't be, but there's more. Lately, His Majesty has been secretly summoning members of the Knight Corps. In addition to that, the movements of the palace knights have become unusual. I see this as preparation for battle."

"Are you saying that the Grand Duke is the target?"

"His Majesty…"

The Crown Prince's expression turned bitter before he continued speaking.

"Being someone who became an Emperor through rebellion, he has always feared that the same would happen to him. And if there were anyone capable of that, then it would be The Grand Duke, since his power is on par with the Imperial family. That's why I sought you out because only the Grand Duke can stop His Majesty's madness."

 "..."

Hearing what the Prince had to say, everyone was rendered speechless. The Crown Prince didn't present evidence of any kind and only had his words and heartfelt emotions to defend his statement. Finally, a delicate voice broke the silence when no one else spoke up.

"Your Highness, will you be okay if your father dies?"

Surprised, The Crown Prince looked at Irene who asked him a serious question even when he didn't see that question coming.

"All my life, my father never regarded me as his son but as a disposable accessory. Nevertheless, I did not lose my hope in him. Until recently, where he put an end to everything I believed in."

For a moment, the Prince looked sad.

"I will be comfortable with it because, to survive, one has to kill Duchess Irene."

The Prince was sure that Irene would find him disgusting; that she would see him as a scoundrel trying to kill his father just to have everything to himself.

But…

"I understand ..."

Rather than that, Irene seemed to comprehend some of his feelings. She, herself, had run away from a house that made her feel like dying. It was a house that did not acknowledge her.

But he couldn't even run away, so maybe the only solution he had was to try to rid the source of his agony.