~Chapter 92~
“Didn’t you just say that to me? That I should be your concubine…!”
“How dare you say such nonsense! Kneel and apologize to His Majesty at once, Aisha Ashton!”
“What? You stay out of this!”
Aisha shouted like a tiger, and the knight was so surprised he just stared at her.
Belmore bit his lip and gave a silent signal to the knight captain.
Soon, the captain led the knights away, leaving only Kilian, Aisha, and Belmore.
Aisha broke the silence first.
“You said it yourself, didn’t you? That you know my relationship with the Duke is fake. That I should be your concubine. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about anything!”
Make her a concubine?
Kilian’s forehead tightened with anger.
But Aisha didn’t notice.
“Everyone in the empire knows His Majesty is wary of Duke Kilian.”
Kilian already knew everything, so there was no need to hold back.
And with Kilian by her side, Aisha wasn’t scared anymore.
So she started “barking” back at Belmore.
“Even if I became your concubine, do you really think the Duke wouldn’t notice what you’re trying to do?”
“But I didn’t think you were the type to talk. Do I look stupid enough to let you expose me? If you want to, go ahead. But remember—if your mouth gets loose, so will mine.”
“If I talk, you’ll talk too? And if my secret gets out, the nobles who hate ‘Sunday’s Exposé’ will come after me?”
“It’s true ‘Sunday’s Exposé’ is popular, but a lot of nobles hate it too. Don’t you wonder why I never punished the nobles who served the Empress Dowager? This is why. Sometimes I don’t have to get my hands dirty to get things done.”
“That might be true, but I think ‘Sunday’s Exposé’ will publish a breaking news article before that happens.”
“Just like when we exposed the Empress Dowager. I’ll make sure it’s a special issue, and everyone in the empire will see it—free of charge.”
Belmore’s blue eyes grew cold as ice.
‘He never expected me to fight back like this.’
But I’m not the type to just sit and take it. If everything’s out in the open, I’ll fight.
The only thing that held me back was not wanting to hurt Kilian any more.
“Ha.”
A cold laugh slipped from Belmore’s lips.
Kilian and Aisha watched him in silence.
He looked at them with a face cold as winter frost.
“You two seem much closer than I expected.”
“……”
“So you actually care for each other. I guess it makes sense—you went through so much together, fighting the Empress Dowager.”
“You’re too kind.”
Kilian said with a sarcastic face.
“But it was Your Majesty who took the Empress Dowager’s power directly.”
His tone was mocking.
“Yet you give us all the credit. Maybe you just wanted to use us, like you did when you secretly called my fiancée out here tonight.”
The one most surprised by this conversation wasn’t Belmore.
It was Til, who was secretly listening nearby.
‘Kilian Winters… Is he crazy? Was he always like this? Or did he catch it from Aisha? Can madness be contagious? Good! He’s doing great!’
Of course, the one who “infected” him was secretly cheering for Kilian.
“So what now, Your Majesty?”
Kilian asked Belmore calmly.
“Should we let the palace accuse us of treason?”
“……”
“If we become traitors and our secrets get exposed, you’ll be the evil emperor who tried to use ‘Vivi Bubblemouth’ as your tool. It won’t hurt us much.”
If things really went that way, Belmore would be in big trouble.
Many of Belmore’s supporters liked him for being gentle and kind—unlike Roselia.
But if they found out he was just as bad as her?
“Your willingness to be a traitor is almost touching, Duke.”
Belmore smiled coldly.
“But sadly, it won’t happen—at least not yet.”
‘He’s not as scary as I thought. Maybe we won…’
Aisha was ready to celebrate—
“Maybe I can send you to prison now, but I don’t have enough proof for the gallows. So, I’ll have to wait for another chance.”
In the end, Belmore showed his true colors to Kilian—
promising he’d cut his throat someday.
But Kilian wasn’t fazed at all.
He looked calm, as if this was what he’d expected all along.
“If that’s what you want, Your Majesty, then do as you please.”
Kilian answered simply.
“But before you attack outsiders, maybe you should check inside your own palace.”
He took out the letter again and waved it.
“Who do you think sent this letter, Your Majesty?”
“What?”
“I don’t know either. But the maid who brought it said—”
“The person was wearing a mask and a cloak, but under that, he wore the uniform of the imperial knights.”
For a moment, Belmore’s face froze like ice.
“I hope you get what you want.”
Kilian stared at Belmore with his usual blank face, while Belmore clenched his teeth in rage and glared back before storming out with the knights.
He watched them leave with suspicious eyes.
And then, only Kilian and Aisha were left.
It was their first reunion since Aisha left the Winters mansion.
