I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

Hearing what I said, he paused and fell silent.

Then I continued my presentation:

"It was Lisa."

"Before all this horror, Lisa sent a letter straight to our secret mansion. She found out about Carlisle and was scared that he would be yours."

"It was clear. I would also be worried if a new prince appeared on the scene. He would have carried Edmund out of his home as the only heir."

Raymond couldn’t deny that Lisa had a hefty motive for the massacre.

Of course, I don’t harbor false hopes that my judgments in an instant will turn his views on Lisa. But at least it will sow the seed of doubt.

Raymond's stubborn face made it impossible to read his thoughts or feelings.

It seems that he will need time to digest everything that has come true.

But then Raymond's harsh laugh was heard, breaking our silence.

"Huh, she dared!"

Raymond clenched his fists. I felt anger raging inside him.

Is he mad at Lisa now?

I don’t know where his thoughts were running, but, apparently, he had already forgotten about the Marquis.

Even if he doesn't believe what I said to the end, it looks like he will at least catch something.

He opened his mouth, black eyes flashing.

"What did the letter say?"

"Just an invitation to tea."

"Who else heard the conversation?"

"No one."

It seems that he was looking for an excuse to attack the Marquis. But, surprisingly, right now my hands were empty.

He frowned, as if the circumstances displeased him.

I myself had a lot of experiences.

And when I looked inside for answers to my worries, I heard his voice.

"If there is no evidence, then I have to do it myself. Lisa found out about our son, therefore, even if it’s unreasonable, I will have to put Sios under lock and key."

"No. Groundless arrest is an outrage."

Raymond responded coldly to my conviction.

"And I know that very well. But your letter, as well as your testimony, will create the ground for us."

"Ray.”

When I called him, Raymond stared at me.

"Of course, everything is in your hands. But then the nobility will oppose your rule."

Marquis Sios wasn’t a rank and file among the nobles.

Marquis Sios was the prime minister and Lisa was the mother of the crown prince.

And no matter how much the Marquis was now trembling in his estate, by this time he had bothered to accumulate great strength behind his back.

He wouldn't have given up without a fight.

"Even if the nobles get in the way, it’s not enough to stop me."

Raymond's eyes were cold. And they didn’t show hesitation, as if the decision had already been made ironically.

Yes, maybe he will succeed.

There was only a smoldering ember of hope, but if Raymond manages, we will light a huge flame.

Besides, I wanted most of all to catch Lisa.

She encroached on Carlisle. Now I won’t calm down, even cutting off her hands and killing her.

However, it was dangerous to take a step under the influence of emotions, and even if success is on our side, the problem today is this: we have something to lose.

"There is a risk of failure. Now there is no place for adventures. Let's move when we're ready."

He had seen a lot of blood.

It wasn’t good to start a war with the sides, who were already barely sitting still.

If the feud drags on, the damage will ultimately be borne by the innocent Imperial people.

Even if he bears the stigma of a tyrant-usurper, he isn’t such a tyrant.

"You're right… But it’s so annoying to doing nothing.”

Sighing heavily, he let go of the top button, as if it was getting stuffy.

He still seemed full of anger, but not as much as before.

"I can't hit Sios so openly right now."

"Your Majesty, was there anything in the Drua house? Something on the Duke's body… Or did the Duke leave something connected with the Sios family?"

Even the most useless clue would be good for us to sow confusion among the nobles.

Is it true that Duke Drua orchestrated the raid alone?

And so, even if Raymond grabs Marquis Sios, there will be no violent reaction.

"Jeremy said he found no signs of a struggle. I only brought a small ledger, but…"

I froze at his words.

"Jeremy… Didn't your knights find the body?"

"No. His heir discovered this personally."

"Ah."

I couldn’t imagine how shocked he was then.

I knew the Duke and Jeremy had problems. Nevertheless, the Duke was his father.

At that time, I heard Raymond's cold voice.

"Ellie."

Looking up, I saw Raymond frowning.

He rubbed his face irritably with his palm, and parted his lips.

"House Drua is ​n’t that important right now."

"I know."

I know even better than anyone else, so for a while I will throw Jeremy into the depths of my subconscious.

I cleared my mind and remembered what Ray had told me.

"You say the ledger?"

"This is a ledger with the names of the nobles who up to this point sent money to Duke Drua, and the exact amounts. There are lines with the name Sios."

"Marquis Sios consistently sent large sums of money, so this clearly indicates his connection with the Duke."

"Yes, when the nobles find out about this, they will naturally be suspicious of the secret deal between Duke Drua and Marquis Sios."

We had the same idea.

As the prestige of Marquis Sios shakes, disgruntled nobles will naturally float the news of the book.

Then we can investigate Marquis Sios and Raymond will find something.

"Are you going to announce the Duke's death today?"

"A black flag is already hanging over the Duke’s residence, so there’s nothing to pull. And further…"

Raymond hesitated.

I already knew what he was going to say.

Together with the news of Drua's death, we must reveal to the world the existence of a second prince. Otherwise, someone will do it for us.

Who would have thought that I would wake up in the Emperor's bedroom and, in addition, reveal to the world my son. But if the existence of Carlisle is revealed by someone else besides the official statement of the imperial family, this news will be overgrown with speculation.

However, none of this made sense.

Neither Lisa nor anyone else will be able to reach out to Carlisle's hands. Now this was the only thing that mattered to me.

Folding my trembling fingertips, I lifted my head and squeezed out the following:

"Make me an Empress."

* * *

[Name Ellie Croft Empress and appoint her son Carlisle the Second Prince]

This had to be handed over to the Ministry of Finance.

"Sire. Send to the Ministry of Finance?"

The lieutenant asked the Emperor again, looking only at the title of the decree.

From early in the morning, both the administration of the Emperor and finances were torn to pieces.

The sudden death of Duke Drua, his deposition as a criminal, and the succession of Jeremy Drua.

The ledger of Duke Drua, which indicates his connection with Marquis Sios.

It didn't even go to dinner yet, but the Empire was already thrilled with the next good news.

Here the Emperor summoned the lieutenant again.

The latter hasn’t even read the contents of the decree yet.

However, in the face of the Emperor, he felt that the content would be time consuming.

We had enough adventure from the very morning.

Let it be a small assignment…

But alas.

"Bring this to the Ministry of Finance. In the middle of the day, declare Ellie Croft Empress."

"Yes, sire… Wait, huh?!"

The Empress and new prince.

The lieutenant’s eyes widdened at these terrible words.

"Yes, sire."

The cold black eyes left no room for hesitation.

Raymond now rose from his seat.

Looking up at the now blue sky, he remembered his conversation with Ellie.

…Make me an Empress?