episode_0156

Leaving the noisy banquet hall behind, Katlena came outside into the quiet space as people began to crowd inside the building.

“Phew… I feel like I can live a little now.”

“That’s right. I was so busy trying to say hello to everyone I saw that I was out of my mind.”

In the case of the older sisters, they were still chatting with other customers, and most of the other people were also currently eating inside.

At this moment, there was only Zero by her side.

Feeling a sense of leisure that she hadn’t had in a long time, Katlena quietly leaned back on a chair in the garden while being escorted by Zeros.

‘With this, Mother has become a duke… and now I will be returning to the Academy in a few days, right?’

Even if my mother becomes a duke right now, nothing will change much.

However, given the mother’s personality of always pursuing new things, there was a high possibility that the internal affairs of the Duchy of Dragona would become hectic in many ways, unlike during the time of her father, who had stuck to the old ways.

And of course, in Katlena’s mind, the thought that she did not want to get involved in such a situation was very strong.

Although she had gathered her own followers because she recognized the need for power to protect herself, her ultimate goal was to completely separate herself from political power and lead a peaceful life with Zeros.

If there is one thing I wish for, it would be to receive a small estate or something and live quietly, or to set up a small business with my mother’s help and enjoy a leisurely and peaceful life.

It was really unwise for her to get involved in something so troublesome that she couldn’t handle.

‘In order to do that… somehow, as quickly as possible, this situation needs to be resolved perfectly…’

Although, due to the events up to now, the power of her grandfather, the vizier Saladin Azak, could be said to have been greatly diminished.

A situation where the damage is so severe that it can practically be considered fatal.

But…apart from that, Katlena knew very well that her grandfather was someone she would never give up on.

Since he is such a vicious person that he even uses his granddaughter to scheme things, it is clear that he will continue to plot something in the future.

And it was clear that they would try to use Katlena in some way or another during the process.

‘Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m going to be taken advantage of easily… But even so, my grandfather is not an easy person, so I might have to continue suffering for a while…’

With that in mind, Katle decided to slowly return to the Academy and think about any more annoying things later.

at that time.

“..Katlena.”

“!..”

The next moment, a familiar voice was heard from next to her, and Katlena slowly turned her head in that direction.

At the same time, Zero automatically shows signs of being on guard towards you.

There… at this very moment, from Katlena’s perspective, there is someone she absolutely does not want to meet…

Standing there was her grandfather, Saladin Azak, the imperial vizier.

“… Ha..Grandpa..”

Katlena speaks in a stiff voice.

Her grandfather’s face, looking at her like this, had a complicated expression on it that even Katlena could see.

“Ha..Grandpa..How is it here..”

“Of course, the highest vassal monarch under the empire has changed, so shouldn’t you, as the prime minister, come and see for yourself?”

“… .”

Saladin Azak speaking in a calm voice.

But at this moment, looking at him like this, Zeros was considering whether or not he should immediately pull out the sword on his waist.

Unlike before, the person before his eyes was now someone who clearly had hostility towards Katlena.

The granddaughter who practically destroyed all of his plans, and in the end, fatally wounded him by hitting him in the back of the head at a crucial moment.

Even though we are blood relatives…

No, Zeros was thinking about what this wicked person might do to his granddaughter, who had betrayed him even more because they were blood relatives.

at that time..

“Zeros. Stay back.”

“!..ha..but..”

“Do that.”

Cattlena gives orders firmly.

Regarding this, Zeros felt uneasy, but he had no choice but to step back for now, following his master’s orders.

And then,

Katlena stands before her grandfather, the prime minister.

He looked at Saladin Azak and spoke in a calm voice.

“I know you have something to say to me. Go ahead and say it.”

“..Yeah.. That’s right.. I have something to say.”

Saladin responds to Katlena’s words with a cold voice.

Then he saw his granddaughter in front of him.

He spoke with a voice full of disappointment and doubt as he looked at his own flesh and blood flowing through his veins.

“..Why is that so..Why on earth..Did you betray me? What is the reason..”

The prime minister asked in a voice that was unusually deep and emotional.

Looking at him like this…

Katlena looked at her grandfather and spoke in a clear voice.

“Grandfather… no, you abandoned me first.”

“!”

At those words, a deep look of embarrassment began to appear on the prime minister’s face.

Then, looking at him like that, Katlena spoke in a cold voice.

“Because you tried to sacrifice me. You tried to make me disappear with my mother by distorting the truth about my dead mother.”

“… .How.. How did you know that fact..”

The prime minister speaks with a trembling voice as he listens to her words that accurately hit the truth.

Katlena spoke to him in a cold voice.

“That’s the point.. right? What’s important is that you decided to use me as a pawn. For the sake of the empire.. Your granddaughter, I was abandoned. That’s why I abandoned you. Does that make sense now?”

“… .”

The prime minister said nothing more to Catlena’s words.

Immediately after that, he turned his back and left where Katlena was.

As if he had nothing more to say to Katlena.

And, seeing him like this, Katlena felt a bitter taste lingering in her mouth and sat down on the chair without strength.

“..Are you okay?”

“..Yeah.. It’s okay.. I knew you’d react like this anyway. That person.. was that kind of person from the beginning.”

Katlena spoke in a bitter voice to Zeros, who asked in a comforting voice.

Although she was saying that, deep down, she was hoping that at this moment, her grandfather would apologize to her.

No matter what, it was his grandfather who gave birth to him.

I’m sorry for leaving her, I made a mistake.

If he had asked for forgiveness like that, Katlena’s heart would have been much more at ease.

But… he didn’t do that.

Without asking for forgiveness or offering words of comfort, he simply figured out why his granddaughter had turned her back on him and, as if he had no more business with her, he turned around and disappeared.

And… what does that mean?

Katlena could clearly recognize it.

that..

That person who is disappearing in front of you…

It meant that even at this moment, he did not regret his actions even a little bit.

‘Yes… I guess so… You are a person who thinks that any sacrifice is right for the empire. It was like that in your previous life. It’s the same now.’

What other people call patriotism.

A character who is obsessed with it and sacrifices everything he has.

It was the man who was his maternal grandfather,

Katlena concluded that the blood relationship between her and that person was completely over.

‘Now… you and I have no relationship. The same goes for the relationship between your daughter and me. To me, there is only one mother… Mina Roseveta Dragona. That’s the only one.’

In that way, Katlena slowly got up from her seat with Zeros, neatly tying up the problem that had been troubling her mind since the transfer.