Chapter 75………………………………………
“Does the food not suit your taste?”
At Terrence’s question, my eyes widened.
“No, it’s really delicious!”
“That’s a relief.”
Dining across from Terrence, I let out a quiet sigh of relief. This man was frighteningly perceptive.
We were in a restaurant. Despite its vast size—apparently reserved by Terrence for secret dinners or meetings—there was no one here but the two of us.
‘Be careful. I can’t ruin the time Terrence prepared for me.’
I tried my best to enjoy the meal. The antique interior was elegant, and the food exquisite. But my mind kept drifting elsewhere.
The last look on Tara’s face lingered before my eyes. She might die. It was only the worst-case scenario I could imagine, but still.
So far, there was no clear evidence that Tara had betrayed Liena. Even if there were, given Liena’s personality, she probably wouldn’t severely punish Tara—especially since Tara hadn’t harmed her directly. But…
‘Elliot is different.’
He was convinced Tara was a traitor and had a violent streak. Once a traitor, always a traitor—that was his creed. Since Tara knew many of Liena’s secrets as her close aide, he might eliminate her before she could become a threat.
In the novel, Elliot had even gone against Liena’s wishes several times because he cared for her too much. He eventually suffered for it and repented, but still.
At this rate, Tara might truly die. The hand holding my knife tightened unconsciously as I cut into the meat. I remembered her shy expression when she thanked me… and the bright smile she wore as she leapt into the air after completing her revenge.
I wasn’t close to Tara. I might not even have the loyalty to risk my life for her. My prediction could turn out wrong—Elliot might not harm her at all.
Still, one thing was certain.
I didn’t want Tara to die.
She had kept her promise to me. I wanted to help her.
‘But how?’
The opponent was the genius Elliot. On top of that, he was favored by Liena—the Duchess of Cassius and the head of the Iber Company. I couldn’t handle him alone.
Then again, wasn’t I already in trouble myself? Elliot harbored hostility toward me too—simply because Liena had cried over me.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand. Why was Liena so fixated on me? In the novel, she had barely cared about her sister-in-law.
It seemed excessive to say it was because of my mine. Even without it, Liena was already among the wealthiest in the empire.
And judging from her behavior at the courthouse last time, it felt emotional rather than practical. Why on earth did she… Ugh, I just couldn’t figure it out!
‘Should I just run away first?’
Even if I did, if Elliot was determined, there was no way he wouldn’t find me. If I wanted to survive, I needed to deal with him first.
Just then, Terrence asked,
“Is something troubling you after all?”
I had been carefully managing my expression, but had it still shown? I wasn’t as good at acting as Liena, but I wasn’t bad either. Yet Terrence sensed my emotions with unsettling precision.
“Oh, no. Nothing like that.”
“I see. My apologies for assuming.”
When I waved it off, he backed down easily.
“Still, if you ever do have worries, I hope you’ll confide in me freely. We’re friends, after all.”
“…Thank you.”
Terrence was a good person.
Which made it even harder to confide in him.
‘If he hears what’s going on, he’ll definitely try to help somehow.’
But he was a prince now. He was busy enough with his own matters. I couldn’t burden him any further. I had already received more than enough of his help.
I shrugged.
“By the way, aren’t you being too nice to me?”
I meant it as a joke, a way to change the subject.
“You have to live somewhat calculatingly in this world. You’re too kind for your own good, Tei.”
Calling a hidden mastermind “kind” was quite the joke. Terrence smiled faintly.
“Despite appearances, I’m actually quite calculating.”
“In what way?”
“To be honest, I asked if you had worries because I have one myself. I was hoping to consult you first and perhaps receive some help.”
“What kind of worry? And is it really something I can help with?”
“Of course.”
“I wonder how I could possibly solve a problem that troubles Your Highness…”
Even then, I didn’t take his words seriously. I thought he was only trying to lighten my mood. But the next moment, his expression turned solemn.
“What do you think I must do to become Emperor?”
It was a heavy question, delivered abruptly. I hadn’t expected something political.
“Ah, don’t feel too pressured. I’ve been asking people I consider my own this question lately…”
“You need to deal with Elliot Rood first.”
“Pardon?”
Terrence blinked in surprise. But I was even more startled by my own words. Still, I meant them.
It wasn’t because of personal feelings. Nor because eliminating Elliot would benefit me.
It was simply the honest conclusion I reached when considering his question. Even if nothing had happened with Elliot today, I would have given the same answer.
“You may already know this, but Elliot Rood is currently the genius serving Liena Cassius.”
“I know the name. The papers call him a once-in-a-millennium genius.”
“As long as he remains under Liena—and as long as she supports the Crown Prince, her lover—you’ll face significant difficulty ascending the throne.”
“Is he truly that remarkable?”
“History shows that not all geniuses change the world. But Elliot is different.”
Most of Liena’s brilliant strategies in the novel had actually come from Elliot. When Liena conceived a general idea, he was the one who refined and executed it.
Though he was jealous of the Crown Prince, he still offered countless stratagems to ensure his victory—because it was Liena’s wish. And there was something else.
“This isn’t widely known, but he’s the vice leader of the Iber Company.”
“I’ve done a basic investigation. Cecil Iber acts as head, and Elliot Rood is the vice head.”
“Elliot played a major role in Iber’s growth.”
“I wasn’t aware of that.”
Terrence tapped his forehead lightly, as if nursing a headache.
“Father has been in a foul mood lately.”
After taking a sip of water, he continued.
“The Cassius duchy alone rivals the imperial family. Add the Iber Company to that, and it far exceeds what can be left unchecked.”
Just like in the novel, once the Emperor discovered that Liena was the true head of Iber, he began pressuring the Cassius family in earnest.
“If Iber alone is problematic, and they also command such a genius… It’s as if the Cassius duchess is blessed by a goddess.”
Oddly, though he spoke in a tone of resignation, his eyes gleamed.
“It’s strange. The more advantageous my half-brother seems, the more he appears above me, the more I desire the throne.”
His eyes narrowed.
“It feels unfair. And it makes me want to prove with my own hands that no one is blessed without limit.”
“….”
“Ah, did I say something strange?”
“Not strange… I just relate.”
I had long known this world was unfair. I had accepted that Liena received every blessing—after all, she was the protagonist.
‘But this is too much!’
Because Liena was sad, Elliot had threatened me so viciously that I could barely swallow my food.
What had I done so wrong? Was divorcing when divorce was warranted such a crime? Was I supposed to remain bound to that house forever until Liena felt satisfied?
Just wait. Somehow, I would live the life I wanted. And to do that, I first had to deal with Elliot—
‘Hm?’
Suddenly, an idea sparked in my mind. I carefully lined up the fragmented facts.
For my freedom—and for Tara—I had to neutralize Elliot. For Terrence to become Emperor, Elliot was the greatest obstacle. The Emperor was already seeking leverage against Cassius and Iber. And Elliot was Iber’s vice head.
The outline gradually took shape.
Yes. This was it.
I met Terrence’s eyes.
“Want to work together on something?”
If handled well, it could corner not only Elliot—but the Iber Company itself.
After hearing my explanation, Terrence tapped the table thoughtfully.
“If what you say is true, this would be a bomb capable of bringing down the massive Iber in one strike.”
“It’s information I can’t use alone, but with your help, I thought it might be possible.”
“As it happens, Father is desperate to find grounds to investigate Iber. If I present this well, he’ll grant me official authority.”
“That’s perfect. We need to act quickly. If we hesitate even a little, they might catch on! I should go start gathering materials right away—”
“Wait, Idel.”
As I rose enthusiastically, Terrence stopped me. Standing instead, he took my fork and speared the largest piece of meat on my plate.
“Work goes better on a full stomach. Ah.”
Ah?
He held the meat in front of me, and without thinking, I opened my mouth. Only after swallowing like a child being fed did I come to my senses.
“I-I can eat by myself…!”
His gesture had been so natural that I hadn’t even questioned it for a moment.
