Chapter 68
“Isn’t this the seat you’ll be taking soon anyway? Even if I call you Duke a little early, who would blame me? Right, Your Majesty?”
Antonio moved the tableware without giving a clear answer.
Today, the extravagant crown on his head felt unbearably heavy.
“Your Majesty, it seems you’re not pleased with the new Duke Godwin?”
“It’s not displeasure exactly… I’m worried. Could there be significant backlash from the nobles?”
His gentle eyes, partially hidden beneath the dark blue hair falling over his eyebrows, scrutinized the new Duke Godwin.
Neatly combed hair, single-lens glasses, and unique clothing modeled after a mage’s robe.
The one elegantly slicing meat with perfect posture was none other than Patrick Godwin, imitating Peter Godwin.
Patrick, unnervingly copying his half-brother down to the outfit he usually didn’t wear, adjusted the chain of his glasses.
‘He even copies the habits.’
It was said that he always felt inferior to his brother, and now that inferiority was manifesting in such a twisted way.
“Are you saying it’s because I’m illegitimate, Your Majesty? But I don’t think there’s much difference between me and my brother, is there?”
Antonio set down his fork and knife, worried the food might go untouched.
“You know as well as I do. While the Duke of Godwin hasn’t confirmed his heir, externally the title of minor duke went to Peter Godwin. And now, without even contesting the succession, you push aside the rightful heir to become duke yourself. Unprecedented.”
Just recently, Patrick stirred resentment by taking a bureaucratic position without any exam. Now it’s the dukedom.
It was obvious how the heads of the nobility opposing the emperor’s faction would react. Antonio already felt as if the noise from their complaints was echoing in his ears.
Bang! Astara, who had been pretending to be a gentle mother, slammed her hand on the table. Since the Tetrad incident, which had elevated Killian’s status, Astara often lost her composure.
“Then you’re just going to let Peter Godwin become Duke? Don’t you realize he’s already aligned with that Killian, Your Majesty?!”
Why someone as perfect and exemplary as Peter Godwin would fall out of favor with the Empress Dowager? The reason was clear: Killian.
‘He said the North has many astonishing things.’
About a month ago, after the epidemic situation stabilized, Peter Godwin was summoned to the palace to be praised for developing the cure.
At that gathering, Peter arrogantly claimed in front of many officials that it wasn’t him who developed the cure but the Grand Duke and Duchess, and then unexpectedly began to praise Northern culture.
The officials, seeing Peter’s eccentric side for the first time, were speechless, but his eloquence was dazzling.
Enthralled, they forgot that trade with the North was prohibited and took an interest in the Northern goods Peter brought, angering the Empress Dowager.
Yet words cannot be controlled.
Despite the Empress Dowager’s rage, Peter’s antics quickly became the talk of the capital.
The supposed interest of the minor Duke Godwin naturally piqued the public’s curiosity, which turned into admiration for the North.
Those who wanted to openly criticize the North were now almost nowhere to be found in the capital.
‘Just looking like him doesn’t make Patrick Godwin the same as Peter Godwin.’
Antonio, shooting a disapproving glance at Patrick, fiddled with the knot at his waist.
It was a charm from the North that Peter had given him as a gift to bring luck.
‘I’d like to visit the North someday, but Killian might really dislike that.’
The Empress Dowager, noticing Antonio’s distracted thoughts, was exasperated.
“Your Majesty, are you even listening to me?”
“I couldn’t hear, what did you say? It didn’t seem important, so I let my mind wander. The affairs of state have been exhausting lately.”
“Your Majesty… how could you…”
Astara fanned her flushed face. Although slightly arrogant, she was certain that her loving son would soothe her soon enough.
“I must leave early due to the afternoon schedule. Mother, please enjoy your dinner with Young Lord Godwin at leisure.”
But Antonio didn’t seem inclined to soothe her.
“And just so you know, this time I cannot follow your wishes.”
“Your Majesty!”
“The dukedom should, as precedent dictates, go to the one who gains the majority support at the nobles’ council.”
Her heart pounding wildly at being opposed for the first time, Astara could only watch as Antonio calmly, without faltering, conveyed his intentions.
A spark of confidence returned to Antonio’s once self-effacing face.
“If you do not wish to turn half the nobles into enemies, then you must do as I say, Mother.”
Finishing his words, Antonio clasped his racing heart and left the dining hall. Until now, he had never even glanced at Patrick, even by accident.
Patrick, treated almost as if he didn’t exist, turned red and then darkened.
“Argh!”
Unable to contain her anger, Astara yanked the tablecloth, sending the precious dishes clattering to the floor.
“This is all because of that Killian! No, that wretched adopted child of Count Esta!”
Killian had been annoying, but not this much. At least he had stayed hidden away on the battlefield.
The real problem was that tiny girl attached to him, who had cunningly claimed the Grand Duchess position with her innocent face.
“I should have forced Lady Luzabec to become Grand Duchess back then,” Astara muttered with strange intensity, biting her nails in frustration.
“It’s best to deal with that adopted child first.”
“Ah—”
Peter stretched out on the damp stone floor, letting out a long sigh.
Iris kicked the bars irritably.
“Can you be quiet? This is so noisy, really.”
“What a hopeless situation, right?”
Peter, lying on his side comfortably, spoke casually, and Iris thumped her chest in response.
“You get what you deserve for being nasty. Myself and you too, it seems.”
“Why are you casually lumping me together with her? I despise a snob like you. Don’t act friendly.”
Peter laughed so hard he clutched his stomach and rolled on the floor.
When his restraints made it uncomfortable to move on the stone floor, he stopped.
Outside, everyone believed the minor Duke Godwin was receiving proper treatment in the investigation room. In reality, Peter’s treatment was no better than Iris’s—maybe even worse.
Because he was unlucky enough to reveal that he had magical power, he was stuck in this situation.
“By the way, is the minor Duke a magician? I had no idea.”
“That’s right. I never said anything.”
“Why not? Being a magician isn’t bad. Isn’t it a profession people admire?”
“I didn’t want my father to feel proud in a boastful way.”
“Excuse me?”
“If he knew his already perfect son could use magic, how much would he show off? And even without revealing I’m a magician, I’m already enough to be admired.”
Unbelievably arrogant. Very much so.
Iris wondered if Peter had always been this way. But rather than overthink, she decided his prison life must be hard and glared at the iron bars.
“Damn. If only I hadn’t gone to the Duke’s house that day…”
