episode_0098

After my mother-in-law came to consciousness and explained…

[I’m sorry… I’m really sorry. It hurt a lot. son-in-law?]

It wasn’t nice to see a smiling adult bowing his head and apologizing, so I waved my hands vigorously and somehow the problem was resolved.

“Ha… If it wasn’t really you… what would have happened.”

As soon as I get to my bedroom, I get chills thinking about my hard day.

I, the grand duke, am having an affair with my sister-in-law…

Image The sound of going into the abyss can be heard up to here.

The Empire is a conservative country, and unlike Sardinia or the United Kingdom, men and women who have affairs are considered criminals.

Well… I have immunity, which is one of the emperor’s privileges, so there’s no problem…

To that extent, the image will go to hell.

All countries within the continent, including the empire, adopt monogamy.

As an exception, the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Sardinia have mistresses, but their children are not baptized, and their parents are so negative that they preach that no matter how baptized they are, they will go to hell when they die.

In addition, the religious order does not even hold funerals for those in government.

So in other countries, when kings are on their deathbed, they throw out their governments.

It would have been better to have the government kicked out than to be insulted as a king who couldn’t even hold a funeral.

But in this conservative world, having an affair with your sister-in-law?

“Wow… It’s terrible just to imagine if there were rumors that you and your sister-in-law were in a relationship like that.”

Theodora glares at me and says.

“Why do you do something that will be misunderstood?”

“That’s because Joy didn’t give me a ring.”

At first, Joy was reluctant to give it to her, but after looking at Theodora and her mother-in-law, she reluctantly accepted it.

“Apart from that. Aren’t you just taking too much care of Joy?”

I smile wryly at Theodora’s slightly sullen appearance.

“That’s it… I’m sorry.”

Theodora, a question mark appears at my words.

I confess my inner feelings to her.

“You and your mother-in-law… Joy was originally a harmonious family. Because I ruined it.”

Actually, my plan to kill Valorant and rule on behalf of the emperor…

I don’t remember when, but I had the idea when I was in my early teens.

Then, when I found out that the emperor’s family was in harmony.

I felt a bit sorry.

I’m working to prevent the resurrection of the Demon King, but they don’t know that.

And in order to bring down Valorant, he has to accumulate sins himself so that there is a justification for bringing him down.

If he killed the innocent Valorant, would he have been able to become a grand duke?

Rather, the emperor, the anti-emperor faction, the imperial faction, and even the neutral forces would have criticized me as an immoral person and refused to recognize me as a grand duke.

“That’s… not your fault, right?”

Was it really not my fault? Was there another way?

You might find it if you look for it.

If Valorant had leaked evidence of treason, the emperor would have cooked Valorant himself.

And I would have become a grand duke.

But that would be it.

The anti-emperor faction will be ousted, and the Grand Duchy will be subject to strong checks from the central government.

In other words, a situation arises where one must clearly watch as demon worshipers working for the resurrection of the demon king are active in the empire.

So… I was just taking advantage of the emperor or their family…

The sin of that heart.

That sin binds me and torments me.

Especially every time I see Joey.

“You don’t know… What if I had reported to the Emperor that Valorant was going to rebel? Maybe this didn’t happen.”

That is why I confess my inner feelings to Theodora.

-I flinch.

Theodora shrugs her shoulders at my words.

She speaks with a slightly trembling voice.

“Valorant is watching you…”

What Theodora said was wrong.

I just did it because that way I could take control of Roman and rise to the core of power.

The new Archduke Devian who killed the traitor Valorant.

And because you can have the emperor by your side while resolving a confusing situation.

But I can’t tell her the truth.

Because they have to look like a good couple on the outside.

I speak with ambiguous expressions, hiding my inner feelings deeply.

“Whatever it was… it couldn’t stop Valorant’s rebellion. I feel sorry for Joy and her mother-in-law… and for you.”

At my words, Theodora falls into my arms.

“It’s okay. You… you did your best. So… you don’t have to be so sorry.”

Theodora’s consolation actually makes my heart heavy.

And in the end, I couldn’t answer that question.

***

A few weeks passed like that.

“Hwaam!”

The time when the cold winter has completely passed and flowers slowly bloom.

Is it because it’s already April?

Maybe it’s because it’s getting warmer little by little, but I’m especially sleepy today.

I need to sign this…

My eyes are slowly closing.

-Squeak!

“What are you doing today?”

I am surprised by Theodora who suddenly comes in…

“Hmm?”

-Drurrr while at at last!

Something falls off the desk.

uh? What fell?

I hurriedly looked at the floor… the familiar fountain pen was broken in two… and black ink flowed out.

“Ah…”

“What’s going on?”

Theodora comes to the seat next to me and looks at the fountain pen that has been broken in two.

“Huh? Is your fountain pen broken? Was it because you were surprised because of me?”

I nod slightly at those words.

For… 15 years? This is a fountain pen that I have a lot of affection for.

Plus… this thing…

[Debian. Because you will rule the Grand Duchy from now on. Ta-da~!]

[uh? This…?]

The fountain pen my mother bought me when I was still alive when I was writing for the first time…

I look at it with a bitter expression.

“Uh… was it something precious?”

“This is the fountain pen my mother bought me when I was first writing.”

Saying that, he carefully lifts the fountain pen and looks at the broken part.

“I can’t use it. This is…”

“I’m sorry…”

I say that with a chuckle.

“No, it’s okay. But I don’t have a fountain pen for work right now.”

When I say that, Theodora speaks hastily.

“Do you have any spare fountain pens?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Yes, I’ve been using this one my whole life.”

I usually keep a few fountain pens on hand in case they break or the nib gets damaged, but I am someone who uses things carefully.

“I guess I’ll have to use a quill pen first. Lucius!”

When I call Lucius, he opens the door and comes in sobbing.

“Did you call me?”

“Yes. Is there a quill in the study room?”

Since fountain pens are usually expensive, let’s just say I usually have extra quills…

“Huh? We don’t have quills?”

“Huh? Why is there no quill?”

As if what I said was obvious.

“Everyone who works at the Ministry of Education uses fountain pens.”

Those words bring a wry smile to my face.

“Really? Then I have to go out to buy it…”

At my words, Lucius looks at the broken fountain pen on the desk.

“Huh? Did you break your fountain pen? Would you like me to borrow your spare?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Yes, I will have to use that first.”

The moment I tried to borrow Lucius’ fountain pen and get to work.

“Oh, but Theodora. Didn’t you come to see me earlier for urgent business?”

Theodora, who finally came to her senses after hearing my words, spoke.

“Ah… It’s my sister-in-law’s birthday and wedding soon. I wanted to ask what would be good to buy as a gift…”

Come to think of it, Mary’s birthday is soon, right?

I was planning to get married to Agrippa after Mary’s birthday.

I remember the birthday was next month and the wedding was two weeks later.

There is still a lot of time left.

“But you already got a birthday present?”

As if what I said was obvious.

Nod your head.

“Of course. It takes a week to get there, right?”

Even if it takes about a week to go by boat… is there still a month left to take care of it already?

When I think of that, Theodora’s eyes light up and she says,

“Then, let’s go out today to buy a fountain pen and a gift for your sister-in-law.”

“Umm… I have a lot to do today. How about tomorrow?”

Theodora nods willingly at my words.

“Good. Don’t forget tomorrow.”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

Saying that, I concentrate on my work.

***

Debian fountain pen.

Your mother bought it for you.

Come to think of it… Debian’s mother was when Debian was young. I know he passed away.

Hmm…

Come to think of it, I don’t know much about Debian.

In the first place… I never thought I would marry him…

In the first place, the Grand Duchy of France was famous for Valorant and Princess Mary, but Debian was not that famous… so it was impossible to know.

Although it has achieved great prominence now, Debian did not stand out that much at the time.

That’s because he has outstanding genius and intelligence, but the thing he values most in the Ryan family, which is full of monsters, is force.

I have no choice but to not know.

And it’s not the Roman city nobles you see often…

“Hmm… Does your mother know anything?”

Now that I think about it, I heard that my father and Valorant had a fight over my mother in the past.

In fact, I heard that the courtship of my mother, who was famous for being beautiful in the empire, never ceased.

However, he met his father for the first time in his early teens and their love grew together…

But when I was in a secret relationship with my father. I heard that Valorant once got slapped by his mother for persistently courting her.

Perhaps because it was so famous, I heard it a few times when I visited my mother-in-law’s house.

The amazing(?) legend of the mother who slapped the empire’s greatest knight…

Later, after my father passed away, I overheard my mother’s elders talking to each other at the funeral.

There was an incident where my father gave Valorant a ‘warning’ before marrying my mother, and Valorant, who took that into his heart, took revenge…

Anyway, my mother has known so much since she was young that there is no one in her social circle who doesn’t know it, so I think she might know about Debian’s childhood.

Well, because she was the empress. You must have heard a lot about other nobles.

With that in mind, I head to my mother’s bedroom.