Chapter 40….
“……”
Lloyd flinched slightly.
That alone was enough of an answer for Priscilla.
Priscilla felt satisfied.
“So my instincts aren’t completely dead yet.”
To Lloyd, that sounded ridiculous.
Even though it had been eight years since Priscilla stepped down from the ducal position, her instincts had never dulled—not even once.
All she could have heard was that Lloyd was associating with a noble in his territory, yet from that alone she deduced that the noble in question was Princess Minerva.
No one knew exactly where Minerva had been confined.
If anything, her insight seemed sharper than when she was still active.
Priscilla tapped the ashes from her pipe into the ashtray and spoke in a voice full of curiosity.
“I hear Ayla is receiving instruction from Princess Minerva.”
“…And what is it you want to say about that?”
Lloyd asked warily.
Priscilla looked at her son as if he were both adorable and foolish, then spoke.
“Knowing Princess Minerva’s personality, she wouldn’t do it for nothing… so what did you give her in return?”
Lloyd swallowed dryly.
Fortunately, Priscilla still didn’t know about Aslan’s existence.
It had been sheer luck that when Aslan arrived at the Blue Roof Mansion, he had run into Lawrence first. Since then, Lawrence had ensured that Aslan didn’t encounter anyone else.
‘Until the princess reveals it herself, I can’t disclose Aslan’s existence.’
Telling the truth was absolutely out of the question.
But a half-baked lie wouldn’t work on her either.
‘What on earth should I say…’
Lloyd bit his dry lower lip without realizing it.
At that moment, Priscilla gave a sly smile and said,
“So, it’s something difficult to talk about, then.”
“…”
Lloyd silently nodded.
Priscilla smiled with satisfaction, as if she had expected that answer.
“Alright. In that case, keep having Princess Minerva teach Ayla.”
“…What?”
“Since you’ve asked so nicely, I’ll completely leave Ayla to you. I’ll send you the list of servants I had bribed—dismiss them or reuse them as you please.”
Lloyd’s mouth fell open.
It was strangely… favorable toward him.
The Minerva of the past had been similar in nature to Priscilla.
She must believe that Minerva would guide Ayla well.
He wanted to say that he simply wished to raise Ayla as an ordinary girl, but he no longer had the will to drag out a conversation that was ending smoothly and risk a fight with Priscilla.
Lloyd lowered his head slightly.
“Yes, understood.”
“Good. If you’re going, go quickly. If you have other business, I suggest you freshen up here before heading out.”
Priscilla leisurely emptied the ashes from her pipe.
But her gaze was that of a predator with its sights set on prey.
Lloyd hurried out of her office as if fleeing from those eyes.
A few hours later, Lloyd finally left the mansion.
“Your Highness!”
As soon as Lloyd appeared, the man guarding the carriage quickly approached him.
When he saw Lloyd’s bare face, he promptly handed him a prepared mask.
“Ah, I knew it… Good thing I brought a spare. Here you go, Your Highness.”
Lloyd took the mask and put it on.
“Thank you, Pablo.”
This was Pablo, Lloyd’s aide on this trip to the capital.
Pablo shook his head and joked,
“Not at all. But really—washing up and changing clothes all by yourself? That’s cold, Your Highness.”
“My apologies,” Lloyd said with a bitter smile.
Seeing Lloyd’s troubled expression, Pablo asked in concern,
“Did your conversation with Lady Priscilla not go well?”
Lloyd’s face darkened further.
“…If anything, it went too well. That’s the problem.”
Pablo, having imagined the worst after seeing Lloyd’s grim look, was puzzled.
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
On the surface, yes. But if Priscilla were to find out that Minerva had changed greatly from the past…
‘We’ll be right back where we started.’
Still, he had bought some time.
With a resolved look, Lloyd climbed into the carriage.
“Let’s go. We don’t have time.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Pablo took the coachman’s seat, and the horses neighed brightly as they pulled the carriage at a brisk pace.
Their destination—the Imperial Palace.
It was time for Lloyd to repay Minerva’s kindness.
Priscilla watched Lloyd’s departing figure from the window, smiling in satisfaction.
Behind her, an elderly man with white hair approached carrying a tray and asked,
“Lady Priscilla, are you truly going to leave His Grace and young Lady Ayla alone?”
Without taking her eyes off the window, Priscilla asked,
“Sebastian, why do you think Princess Minerva, of all people, is teaching Ayla?”
“Well… perhaps she’s simply bored from living in confinement?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Priscilla finally turned to face him.
Sebastian was startled.
She was usually expressionless, as though nothing could stir her emotions, but now her face was lit up with excitement like a mischievous girl’s.
“She’s clearly dreaming of restoring her position.”
Priscilla’s blue eyes sparkled.
Sebastian stiffened, jaw slightly agape, before replying,
“That’s impossible. Her trial ended five years ago.”
Minerva had already lost the struggle for the throne.
No matter how much the Emperor doted on her, the best he could do at the time was to lessen her punishment.
And now, restoration?
Reading Sebastian’s thoughts, Priscilla said,
“Overturning a verdict is difficult, yes—but not impossible.”
“By now, all the evidence and witnesses will be gone.”
“That’s why my son is going to see His Majesty, isn’t it?”
Priscilla’s gaze returned to the window.
The carriage was already gone from sight.
She shifted her eyes toward the distant Imperial Palace and murmured,
“Yes… she’s not the type to lose so pitifully. Whatever made her surrender so easily five years ago, it seems she’s had a change of heart.”
Or perhaps… her exile itself was part of her plan.
When she learned Lloyd had received a false identity and land from the Emperor, maybe she chose to be exiled in order to make contact with him.
And there was no better shield against Princess Consort Gabrielle than the Duke of Eckhart.
Losing her supporters during exile was a small price to pay—because if Minerva returned with the Eckhart Dukedom at her side, her allies would surely regroup.
Priscilla’s eyes followed Lloyd outside.
He was calmly putting on the mask his aide handed him, without a hint of anger at the man’s familiarity.
Had it been her, she would have punished such insolence on the spot. Priscilla clicked her tongue softly.
‘How did she manage to win over my son? Even if he’s mild, that evasive boy isn’t easy to sway.’
Since she was teaching Ayla, perhaps she had used the girl as an excuse?
Priscilla chuckled.
‘Lloyd, to think the place you entrusted Ayla to in order to avoid me… was Princess Minerva.’
Foolish, foolish son!
Minerva would only raise Ayla to be a duchess.
Priscilla knew it because they were alike—Minerva’s personality was far too similar to her own.
She had worried Lloyd might not properly raise his successor, but with Minerva there, she could rest easy.
Priscilla pictured two years in the future and murmured,
“By the time Ayla enters the academy, the nation will be in turmoil.”
By then, Minerva would surely return to the capital.
She was already looking forward to it.
‘Come back soon, Your Highness. In return for winning over my son, I’ll gladly lend you my hand.’
The carriage carrying Lloyd disappeared into the distance.
Priscilla sat on the sofa with a pleased expression and lifted her teacup—
—as though to toast to a brilliant future.
