IITYVA 58

Chapter 58

Dante lowered his head calmly.

“Please give me your command.”

Lloyd slowly lifted his chin.

As expected, he really does resemble His Highness… his looks are simply breathtaking.

As Dante marveled inwardly, a voice reached his ears.

“There’s a woman I want to bring here.”

For a moment, Dante doubted what he had just heard.

A woman he wants to bring here?

Coming from the Grand Duke’s heir, who was known to grow bored quickly—never clinging to the women who left, nor blocking the ones who came—were those words truly real?

“…A woman you want to bring here, my lord?”

Dante asked, dumbfounded.

Lloyd’s face, usually stiff and cold, softened ever so slightly, as though he was picturing her.

In a shy tone, he replied:

“Einra.”

“…Pardon?”

Who? Who did he just say?

Did I really just hear Einra—the spiritist I know of?

Overcome with emotion, Dante clamped a hand over his mouth.

Lloyd had never once brought a woman to the estate.

And yet now, the infamous womanizer himself was so sincere about this spiritist that he actually wanted to bring her here!

Until now, Dante had never seen a woman resist Lloyd’s advances.

And Einra was in her prime as a woman—if Lloyd truly set his mind to winning her over, there was no way she could resist.

On top of that, Lloyd was even considering marriage!

This is a chance to become the lady of the Baharaman ducal house, a line that carries imperial blood!

And the suitor? A man so handsome he had bewitched countless hearts.

The position, coveted even by the most distinguished noble daughters, was practically falling into her lap.

If I were a woman, I’d bow down in gratitude to the man who kidnapped me for him.

Dante’s shoulders trembled slightly.

Heaven must truly mean to spare me.

As Dante stood there, overcome, Lloyd tilted his head curiously at the strange sight.

“I already sent Einra a love letter, but she hasn’t replied yet. I can’t take it anymore, so I’ll just bring her here.”

“…”

“Dante? Are you listening?”

It had been a long time since Dante had listened so intently to anyone’s words.

“…Of course, my lord. I’ll make preparations at once.”

He forced down the grin tugging at his lips and answered steadily.

The Duke of Servante and the spiritist as allies… Perhaps now we have a real chance to survive.

“Ugh, I hate this!”

I shoved away the stack of documents laid out before me.

Sitting beside me, As laughed softly and asked:

“You hate it?”

I nodded vigorously without hesitation.

“Yeah. Lloyd de Baharaman—ugh, I already disliked him, but he turned out to be even filthier than I imagined. I can’t stand men who can’t keep their pants on.”

I had suspected something shady from hearing how many women he’d been with, but I never thought it was this bad.

He had over ten illegitimate children he didn’t even remember.

I shuddered, glaring at the records that detailed every one of Lloyd’s exploits.

He fathered children, then dumped the women just because he got tired of them…

All the while reassuring them that they had nothing to worry about while they were together.

If you won’t take responsibility, then you should’ve kept it in your pants in the first place.

Trash. Utterly useless trash.

“When the Baharaman duchy is destroyed, I’ll make sure a portion of their wealth goes to the women raising his children.”

I muttered in anger.

As’s crimson eyes curved gently.

“If that’s what Einra wants, then we’ll do it.”

I had been cursing Lloyd and his father to hell when I suddenly stole a sideways glance at As.

He had reverted to his younger form after twelve hours, but thankfully there were no feverish aftereffects this time.

Though he did say there were issues with using aura, like last time in the Haila County.

I must have stared at him too long, because As, who had just finished gathering up Lloyd’s files, called out to me curiously.

“Einra?”

“Oh—right. I need to get ready.”

I had agreed to an audience with the Emperor, but nearly forgot.

Startled back to my senses, I laughed awkwardly and hurried to summon Hisha.

Since last night—when As and I had fallen asleep on either side of the heavy partition—I still didn’t know if we had become “official” yesterday or today.

Of course, I was dying to ask.

But how could I ask that of a child?

Even knowing that inside he was a 21-year-old man, outwardly he was just a small, adorable ten-year-old boy.

Since I didn’t bring it up, As didn’t either.

So we remained… somewhere between lovers and not.

As always, when I stepped into the Semelite Gardens on the way to the palace, the Emperor came out to greet me with a pout.

“Well, well. Our Einra, who went off to play without me, finally graces us with her presence.”

Her tone all but screamed I’m sulking.

After sending Hisha away, I sighed quietly.

“But Your Majesty, going out to the capital with you is far too complicated—it’s a headache.”

“So you’re saying you hate playing with me?”

The Emperor asked with a pitiful look.

Was it fair for her to ask that with such an expression and voice?

I quickly shook my head.

“No, of course not.”

“Then play with me too.”

She demanded.

Before I could answer, As spoke first, smiling politely.

“With all respect, Your Majesty, if someone wishes for companionship, it would be wise to first make themselves a suitable companion.”

“A suitable companion, hm?”

“A rational person always considers opportunity cost. Naturally, one would prefer to spend time with someone more pleasant and entertaining. I only ask that Your Majesty take that into account.”

“Oh? So you’re saying I’m neither pleasant nor entertaining?”

The Emperor’s pink eyes briefly flashed with danger.

But As’s courteous smile never wavered.

“I only meant it as friendly counsel, and I hope Your Majesty will not misinterpret it.”

“Sounds like I am interpreting it correctly.”

Once again, the two traded sharp barbs with sweet smiles.

Suppressing a sigh, I clapped my hands.

“Alright, enough. Shall we get back to our actual purpose—how to bring down the Baharaman duke?”

“Indeed.”

“Of course, Einra.”

Finally, their deadly stares broke away from each other.

The imperial audience, as usual, was held in that grand reception hall.

“So, my cousin tried some pitiful tricks on you, Einra?”

The Emperor leaned back in her chair, legs crossed lazily, tilting her head.

With plenty of resentment still simmering, I nodded firmly.

“Here’s what happened at the last banquet…”

I rattled off everything that had transpired with Lloyd.

When I finished, the Emperor slowly swept back her hair.

“How dare he… That worthless womanizer thinks he can set his sights on you?”

Her lips twisted in distaste.

“With me here, what makes him think he even stands a chance?”

Smiling politely at the side, As added:

“Einra is my person. Your Majesty’s presence makes no difference.”

“Grand Duke Serenia, you ought to mind your manners first. Jealous men aren’t very appealing, you know.”

“I fear Your Majesty misunderstands the definition of jealousy.”

As replied with a serene smile, placing a stack of documents on the table.

They contained Lloyd’s scandalous behavior.

“To bring down the Baharaman house, we need a justification. Fortunately, the heir’s debauchery provides us just that.”

“So that hotheaded obsession with Einra has its uses after all.”

The Emperor straightened, flipping through the pages.

A smile curved her lips as she skimmed the records.

“Nobles care deeply about dignity and appearances. If the heir’s scandals were exposed, none of them could afford to openly support the Baharaman family.”

The Baharaman dukedom was one of the pillars nobles relied on to check imperial authority.

For the Emperor to move against them directly?

Even if she produced evidence of treason, the nobles would never be entirely convinced it wasn’t fabricated.

None would actively oppose her, perhaps, but unease would linger in their hearts.

But if Lloyd’s scandalous conduct ruined the family’s image, the situation changed.

No one would need to force them—the nobles themselves would abandon the Baharaman house.

“Have you thought of how to spread this?”

The Emperor’s rosy gaze shifted to As.

He nodded and was just about to speak—

“Your Majesty, urgent news.”

A knock sounded, and the Emperor’s aide stepped inside.

“What is it?”