I Became an Outcast in the Academy

8. Change (2)

“Recently, I heard some very interesting news related to you, Duke.”

The throne room of the imperial palace.

Right there, Duke Orphega was talking alone with the emperor.

Accepting an audience with the emperor is nothing short of a great honor for a subject.

It means that the emperor attaches greater importance to talking with the duke than to discussing state affairs, and above all, it is proof that the emperor trusts the duke to the point of meeting him alone.

But for some reason, Duke Orphega’s and the emperor’s faces were filled with an uncomfortable look.

It was as if they were both very dissatisfied with each other’s recent actions.

“Jim heard the news that they infiltrated Luthra under the pretext of investigating a disappearance and turned the place upside down. Is that really true?”

“… “Ah, you are talking about that.”

In response to the emperor’s words, the Duke of Orphega bowed his head and answered in a tone that said it was absolutely nothing.

“It was just that I suddenly had a whim at a moment when I was free because I had nothing to do. Also, she felt something ominous when she heard that such an ugly incident had occurred at the place where her daughter was attending school. “I just wanted to help solve the case in my own way, but things didn’t go as planned in the world.”

“Is that so? “Then, do you know what the two of you discussed after calling a specific cadet aside?”

Hearing the emperor’s words, Duke Orphega suddenly raised his head upward and looked at his face.

The emperor’s face was the same as usual. And at first glance, his voice didn’t seem to be much different from before.

However, after reaching the level of master, the Duke of Orphega was able to clearly notice things, as he gained super senses that allowed him to detect even the smallest details that ordinary people would not notice at all.

The emperor was currently disapproving of something about the duke.

“That’s fascinating. “The fact that His Majesty is paying so much attention to a single cadet.”

“Jim is also very interesting. “That is why you, who did not even give a single glance when renowned knights from all over the empire offered you thousands of gold pieces to share their sword with you, declared that you would take on a single cadet as your disciple.”

For a very brief moment, the Emperor and Duke Orphea looked at each other’s faces without saying a word.

And the two realized it instinctively.

The person in front of me was a competitor who realized the value of the treasure he had been trying to keep hidden.

Then, there is only one fact that must be prioritized here and now.

Is the other party now measuring to what extent he knows the truth?

“I’m sorry, but I hope you won’t touch that cadet, Duke.”

The first to speak was none other than the emperor.

“If you have heard the rumors, you would know well. That cadet is none other than the man my daughter has in mind. “I think that if you touch that cadet too quickly, your daughter might end up in an awkward situation.”

“It means that the cadet was actually the lover of Her Highness the famous princess.”

The Emperor nods to Duke Orphega’s mutterings.

“That’s right. Even if that’s not the case, the child will have to marry her fiancé after graduating from Luthra. “Then, couldn’t you understand my father’s feelings about letting him date as he wants, at least during his school days?”

At first glance, it may sound like the words of a father who loves his daughter are admirable, but from Duke Orphega’s point of view, it was really nothing more than ridiculous nonsense.

What kind of crazy man in the world could be lenient after hearing that his fiancée was eyeing another man?

In the first place, it was absolutely ridiculous for Orphea to be alone with the Duke for the sole reason that it would interfere with the princess’s love affairs.

Of course, the emperor himself would also be fully aware that that was a ridiculous excuse.

But still, there is only one reason why such lame excuses are being made to the duke.

‘Was this meant as a kind of warning?’

I noticed that you know some information related to Xian.

But I have no desire to make a big deal out of it. Because I don’t want the number of beggars who have realized the value of Xian to increase any further.

Duke, this is the last time I will nicely advise you not to cross the line.

So at this point, give up everything and step away.

This guy is already mine, and it’s been a long time since he became Cartesia’s.

I don’t know, but I think this is what the emperor really wanted to say.

‘But I can’t just back down from here either.’

If it seemed like the emperor would be kicked back like a dog with his tail just because he threw a warning once, he didn’t even try in the first place.

Duke Orphega was also sincere enough to hand over his only daughter to Sian without hesitation.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can fulfill your request.”

When the Duke of Orphea flatly refused, the smile on the Emperor’s lips deepened.

“Oh, can you tell Jim what the reason is?”

“It’s no big deal. “In fact, my shy daughter said she really liked that guy named Sian.”

“… Under.”

The Emperor snorts at Duke Orphea’s answer as if it is absurd.

“As far as I know, Princess Orphea has never even seen that damn guy’s face properly?”

“Well, since we are both students at Luthra, isn’t it possible that we ran into each other by chance?”

“Are you really going to believe me when I tell you that the princess fell in love with him just by meeting her face?”

“Isn’t that the way things between a man and a woman naturally work out? Just like when Her Highness Cartesia left with that guy Xian and then proudly announced that they were in a romantic relationship.”

The Duke of Orphega also answered the emperor’s words boldly, without hesitating even a single word.

It was only then that the emperor realized. The Duke also had no intention of giving in or resigning from this position.

If it had been a decent opponent, I would have gotten rid of it somehow, even if it meant going too far. Unfortunately, Duke Orphega was not a very easy opponent.

He is the guardian deity of the empire and at the same time a strong man who has entered the supreme state of being a master.

Let alone discussing the question of whether it was realistically possible to get rid of him, it was impossible to get rid of him as he was in charge of the actual military power of the imperial family.

‘I was afraid something like this would happen, so I tried to hide that guy from the public eye as much as possible… ‘

But I could never just give up the precious treasure called Xian like this.

He was the benefactor of the imperial family who saved Arrieta’s life, the man whom Cartesia loved, and at the same time, the future son-in-law that the emperor had predicted.

At the moment when the emperor was inwardly clicking his tongue, Duke Orphega quietly opened his mouth.

“Both are aiming for the same thing, but unfortunately, there seems to be only one treasure.”

“So? Are you saying that the duke will obediently step down for the sake of my honor?”

“Is that possible? I’m also desperate in my own way. However, since the option of monopolizing the treasure has disappeared, I would like to recommend the next best option to Your Majesty.”

“Next best solution?”

“If things are like this, no one can keep the treasure to themselves, but isn’t it completely impossible to share it?”

The emperor narrows his eyes when he understands what Duke Orphega is trying to say.

“So, what you’re saying is that you’re going to give him flowers in both hands?”

“If Your Majesty says that, Her Majesty Arrieta will be quite upset. “How about we limit the number of patrons to three people?”

“… What?”

Duke Orphega knew from the beginning. Just as it was impossible for him to finally monopolize Xi’an, the emperor also could not throw away someone as high as the Duke of Orphega in vain.

However, as the relationship still requires each other, there is plenty of room for negotiation unless you want to lead to catastrophe.

The Emperor and Duke Orphega each have the same goal.

By putting his daughter first, he ties Xian into a relationship called blood ties.

In that case, wouldn’t there be a simple solution for the two princesses and Princess Orphea to marry off all three to one man?

“Do you think that is realistically possible? “He’s not the emperor of some kind of empire, but he takes two princesses and a princess as his wives?”

“If something is realistically impossible, we can make it happen. “Isn’t power meant to be used in places like this in the first place?”

The Duke of Orphega opened his mouth in a stern tone towards the emperor, his eyes flashing.

“We already have some plans in place. I can’t say it’s a perfect plan yet… “If His Majesty helps, it could be a more perfect plan than it is now.”

With that said, Duke Orphega bowed his head deeply towards the emperor.

It was a kind of oath that if only this incident were to be tolerated by his force, he would be completely loyal no matter what happens in the future.

“I will make that Xian a hero of the empire.”