MPAWD 28

Chapter 28

While Edwin was on his way to Tyren, Lucas was heading to the imperial palace to attend the Noble Council meeting.

He was reviewing the agenda items that had been submitted for discussion at the meeting.

“It seems His Majesty wants to support the Fourth Prince as the next crown prince.”

Melvin, Lucas’s aide, pushed up his glasses with a frown.

“But he was only just reinstated as a prince! Crown prince? That’s outrageous—unless the world turns upside down!”

Lucas chuckled at his aide’s words.

“But isn’t today’s main item about appointing him as the commander of the Imperial Knights? Looks like His Majesty wants to give him control over the military first.”

Lucas recalled the Fourth Prince, Edwin, dancing with Lucy at the imperial banquet.

They seemed familiar with each other. Could they have known each other for a long time?

He shook his head as the thought crossed his mind.

How nosy of me.

Brushing off the thought, Lucas made his way to the council chamber.

However, that day, the main figure of the most important agenda item—Prince Edwin—did not show up until the very end of the meeting.

Duke Taits, a leading figure of the noble faction, slammed the table.

“As expected, you can’t hide one’s origins! Why on earth is His Majesty trying to place someone like him in charge of the knights?!”

“Watch your words! He is still a prince of the empire!”

What was supposed to be a solemn meeting quickly descended into a shouting match between the imperial and noble factions, each trying to assert dominance.

Lucas let out a sigh at the chaotic scene and sank into thought.

What could possibly be more important to him than attending on a day like this?

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, deep in thought, and as soon as the meeting ended, he ordered his aide to investigate Edwin’s whereabouts.

Fourth Prince Edwin… What are you planning?

Lucas recalled Edwin aiming an arrow straight at him during the hunting tournament.

Back then, I passed it off as a mistake and let it go. But if he’s after the crown prince’s position, then it all starts to make sense.

With the position of crown prince still unfilled, Lucas was currently first in line for the throne.

He smirked faintly, mocking Edwin in his mind.

Avoiding a fight that’s been brought to my doorstep? That wouldn’t be very Cretan of me.

If Edwin dared to provoke him again, Lucas had no intention of standing by.

First, I need to figure out exactly what kind of person he is.

After the council meeting, as Lucas was returning to the Grand Duchy of Cretein, his aide handed him a report.

“Prince Edwin has left for Tyren.”

Tyren—the capital city of the Grand Duchy Lucas ruled.

“Tyren? Why would the Fourth Prince suddenly go there?”

Lucas looked puzzled as he turned to his aide.

“We suspect he’s gone to find Lucy Diallo. And this is the report you requested on his past movements.”

Lucas took the report, eyeing his aide with suspicion.

“Lucy Diallo? Are you saying she’s in our territory right now? And why would the Fourth Prince go after her?”

“Well… I was just as surprised. Apparently, he was once her fiancé. The wedding was already scheduled, but on the day of the ceremony, he disappeared.”

Lucas’s eyes widened.

“What’s more—the date of their wedding aligns suspiciously well with the timing of His Majesty’s official announcement of the Fourth Prince’s existence. So it seems…”

Lucas immediately understood the implication.

He betrayed Lucy Diallo and sided with Marquis Becky.

Marquis Becky’s family was one of the founding families of the empire, holding power rivaling even the imperial family.

Joanna Becky… She was always rather persistent with me.

Marquis Becky had been a close friend of Lucas’s father, the former Grand Duke of Cretein.

He used to joke openly about marrying the young Lucas to Joanna someday.

Lucas had always thought of her as a younger sister, but Joanna’s feelings were of a different nature.

“Your Grace, I love you. I’ve only ever had you in my heart, from long ago!”

The day she mustered up the courage to confess to Lucas was also the day he began to distance himself.

Her obsession had grown worse over time.

It was around then that Lucas began limiting contact with the Becky family altogether.

“Once again, I must say—I’ve never seen you as a woman. And please stop sending these burdensome gifts.”

One day, when Joanna brought him a gift, he returned it unopened through a servant.

“Please also refrain from visiting the Grand Duchy without notice. I’m concerned you’ll become the subject of unwanted rumors.”

That day, Lucas drew a firm line between them, believing it was the best way to protect her.

“You’ll need to marry eventually, won’t you? Is there any better match than me? I don’t care if it’s a political marriage—just take me as your wife!”

Watching her cling to him, even throwing away her pride, Lucas swallowed his words.

He pitied her, but pity was no reason to marry someone.

“Why not me? What is it about me that you hate so much?!”

After one final rejection, Joanna cried and screamed, and from that day forward, she never appeared before him again.

I think the next time I saw her was during the hunting tournament.

Lucas snapped out of his thoughts about Joanna and turned his attention back to the report.

The past between Lucy and Edwin piqued his interest.

The Periquil Mine as a dowry? So… the emperor had been involved with Edwin far earlier than expected!

The deeper he read, the more shocked he became.

The report even detailed how, after the broken engagement, Lucy had agreed to become Duke Ballon’s mistress.

With each page, Lucas’s usually calm brow furrowed further.

Meanwhile, Lucy swung the fork she had hidden in her clothes.

“Ugh… You wench!”

The fork stabbed near the Count’s collarbone. Lucy backed away, her hands trembling.

Clutching his bleeding neck, the Count glared at her and yanked her wrist roughly.

“You dare stab me? I’ll beat that insolent behavior out of you today!”

The wound must not have been too deep—he still looked perfectly fine. He raised a hand, his face contorted in fury.

Lucy shrank back, eyes shut tightly in fear.

Bang!

Just then, the door burst open with a tremendous crash, and someone strode in with furious steps.

“Who the hell are you?!”

The startled Count’s voice rang out.

Lucy, too, looked toward the intruder.

“D-Dino?”

Dino, with a terrifying expression, glared at the Count and approached.

“Lucy, I’m a bit late, aren’t I? Go outside first.”

Lucy stood frozen, stunned by Dino’s sudden appearance. He stepped up and shielded her with his body.

“Oh? You know this man? Think you can run away now?!”

The Count reached out toward Lucy in anger.

But Dino’s kick landed faster than the Count’s hand. In an instant, Dino sent him crashing to the ground.

“What are you waiting for? Get out!”

Dino turned and shouted at Lucy.

“B-but what about you?”

“I’ll be right behind you. Just go.”

He gave her a small, confident smile—then, without hesitation, drove his fist into the Count’s face.

Startled by the brutal violence, Lucy stumbled out of the room.

Cough, cough.

As soon as she exited, she was met with a cloud of smoke. She couldn’t stop coughing—it was clear a fire had broken out somewhere.

I don’t know where I am. Where is this smoke coming from…?

She pressed against the wall and stumbled blindly forward.

Cough, cough…

“Lucy! Lucy!”

She heard Dino’s voice calling out.

“I’m here! The smoke—cough, cough—!”

She shouted into the air, and moments later, someone grabbed her wrist.

“We have to get out. The fire’s spreading fast.”

Dino had somehow found her location and now pulled her toward the exit.

When they finally escaped, what greeted Lucy was the sight of flames shooting up from the main building, slightly separated from the annex.

“There they are! That one’s the intruder! Catch him!”

Among the people running about with buckets of water, trying to extinguish the fire, the knights spotted Dino and Lucy and charged toward them.

“D-Dino…”

Frightened, Lucy clung behind him. Dino drew the sword at his waist.

Without hesitation, he began to cut down the knights who rushed at them.