Episode 29
Well, this is a surprise.
Ever since coming back to the capital, Leo had spent several days buried in work.
If Edwin had been here, half of it would’ve been done already. But unfortunately, Edwin Casper was absent.
So that’s why the Emperor’s been sniffing around for me.
Clearly, people had tried hard to cover for Edwin’s absence, but it hadn’t been enough.
When the top is a mess, the bottom follows.
With Edwin gone, the Emperor had completely lost focus and dumped all his work on others. And if the Emperor was
acting like that, what state do you think his underlings were in?
Crown Prince Winton, the one who should’ve been stepping up with some sense of duty and responsibility, was
clueless and incompetent, working his people to death.
The result? A mass exodus of people who simply couldn’t take it anymore.
It had only been a year without one man, yet the empire’s administrative system was already falling apart. The sheer
stupidity of it all made Leo click his tongue.
“I can see why the Duke ran off.”
The common rumor was that Edwin had simply burned out from work and bailed.
The higher-ranking officials knew he’d officially requested leave and stepped away for a while.
But no one knew the real story.
So all Leo could do was guess.
Maybe with the Hermann family wiped out and the annoying noble faction destroyed, Edwin had decided to take a well-earned rest.
Or maybe looking at this mess—he’d gotten fed up and just walked away. In the past, Leo might’ve believed that.
If he hadn’t met Emilia, that is.
Leo thought it was possible Edwin had spent the past year away from the capital searching for someone.
Most people would call that ridiculous.
After all, a year ago, thanks to rumors cooked up by the Casper family, Emilia had been painted as the villainess who
deserved punishment.
Whether those rumors reflected Edwin’s own opinion was anyone’s guess.
“I wonder what Emilia’s doing right now.”
He thought back to the last time he’d seen her.
A year ago, she’d been a woman with no will to live, no goals—on the verge of breaking completely.
Seeing her like that, Leo had abandoned his original objective.
He wanted to see her forget the man in her heart and start a completely new life. He wanted to see her stand on her
own two feet, even without him.
It became his little experiment, and she had slowly begun to rise just as he’d hoped.
She could smile normally, live without fear, and get along with people again.
Everything was going according to plan.
“And then the almighty Emperor decided to send that Duke to Cardinal to find me.”
So Edwin and Emilia must have met there.
Leo didn’t like that.
He’d been so close, he could see that Edwin’s place in her heart was almost gone. A little more time and he would’ve
reached his goal. But now he’d never get to see it through.
What would happen when Emilia saw Edwin again? And what would Edwin do to win her over?
Leo hadn’t accounted for this, and it unsettled him.
“Well… there’s more than one way to figure out what the Duke’s really thinking.”
Right then, there was a knock at his door, and a smile tugged at Leo’s lips.
Right on time.
“Come in.”
“Your Highness.”
The man who entered was Chris—the one currently handling all Casper family affairs in Edwin’s absence.
Leo welcomed him. If there was anyone who knew things Leo didn’t, it would be Chris.
After all, if Edwin trusted him enough to leave the entire house in his hands, he must know quite a lot.
Especially about Edwin and Emilia.
Leo’s eyes gleamed like a predator spotting prey.
Chris looked worn down.
He reminded himself that his master’s journey wandering far and wide to find one person was far more exhausting
than his own. Still, Chris was reaching his limit.
He was talented one of the people Edwin himself had recognized but he wasn’t perfect like his master.
So mistakes had been creeping in lately, and one problem after another had popped up.
And now Prince Leokus is back…
Chris was one of the few who genuinely welcomed Leo’s return.
While he’d been working himself ragged, the Emperor had been doing nothing, and the other royals in charge were all
arrogant and useless.
Even simple tasks would get delayed, dragged out, and barely finished.
Physically and mentally drained, Chris had found some relief when Leo started taking charge of things again.
“Welcome back, Your Highness,” he said sincerely.
“How amusing.”
“What do you mean?”
Of course, his welcome was for Leo’s competence, not his character.
“Since I got back, you’re the first person to actually welcome me.”
Chris laughed politely. “I suppose everyone else has been too busy. Imagine not welcoming you after such a long
absence.”
“Well, I guess they are busy. After all, this mess started when your master suddenly disappeared.”
Chris almost frowned. He could hear the mocking tone in Leo’s voice whenever he spoke of Edwin.
But he had to keep work and personal feelings separate. Leo was still a prince, and disrespect wasn’t an option
especially with someone the other royals already disliked.
One wrong move and someone might twist it, or worse, use it against him.
Leo watched him with interest and asked, “So, where is the Duke?”
“This isn’t supposed to be an interrogation, Your Highness.”
“How cold. I was just curious why the Duke left in such a hurry.”
It had been over a year since Edwin left.
Anyone else might consider that question rude, but from Leo’s perspective—having also been away from the capital
for a year. It wasn’t unreasonable.
Leo smirked as Chris stayed silent, clearly unsure how to answer.
“Hah. Seems your whole family has the same bad habits.”
“What was that?”
Chris’s composure cracked instantly.
“Use those ears you’ve got and don’t make me repeat myself.”
“Who is she? Where did you see her?”
The usually composed Chris lost it completely, speaking with desperate urgency.
If Leo told him, Chris might even kneel right here and now.
But one look at Leo’s eyes stopped him.
“So… why did Edwin Casper really leave?”
Chris couldn’t be sure Leo even had the information he wanted.
But Edwin had been searching for Emilia for a year with no luck, and Chris himself hadn’t been able to find a single
lead.
By now, Edwin had to be getting worn out too. And Chris dreaded what might happen if Edwin gave up—if he made
the worst choice without naming an heir, the entire Casper family could be ruined.
“The Duke left to look for my lady,” Chris finally admitted.
Leo laughed. “How funny. He threw her out, and now he’s chasing after her?”
That was enough for Chris to be certain—Leo knew where Emilia was.
“Then please tell me—where did you see her?” Chris pressed urgently.
Any scrap of information would be enough to keep Edwin from losing hope.
Hah. They must have met already, and yet he still hasn’t been told?
Knowing Edwin’s personality, he wouldn’t have stayed quiet if he’d had news.
Leo found Chris’s desperation amusing, though he was curious himself.
Would she even want to return to the capital, a place full of nothing but bad memories?
That’s when a sharp voice cut in.
“What did you just say?”
“Your Highness…?” Chris turned toward the door.
“You told me a year ago it was handled!”
Leo clicked his tongue. Great—another headache.
Princess Diana stood in the doorway, eyes blazing at him.
