I Didn’t Tame The Beastly Duke!

Given how Michael’s attendant had twisted Phil, she deduced that Michael and Phil had likely already fought by this point.

Celia deduced from the attendant’s reaction that Michael had killed Phil.

‘…Since Michael is quick-witted, it stands to reason that he is attempting to shift blame onto Leonis.”

Do you want me to come to you first in this scenario, without Leonis? She reasoned that he must have wanted to drive Leonis insane in order to harm or even murder her.

Because he thought there was a curse on him. It was judged that the madness of the curse would drive Leonis crazy after learning of Celia’s death.

It’s hard for crazy people to think rationally.

He may then manipulate the situation to his advantage.  It was an era when there was no such thing as a proper autopsy yet.

‘Because I also have to see Prince Michael…

Celia reached out and gently caressed Leonis’ cheek. Leonis, who was on the verge of jumping out, calmed down.

“I will see you again soon.”

They thought they had to take a certain risk in order to carry out their plan. It would be a big deal if a report that there was a problem with the imperial palace vault came up and the imperial knights flocked there.

Didn’t they even choose to communicate by matching the timing using a crystal ball?!

“I promise.”

When Celia said this, Leonis seemed to give up, even as he glared at the attendants with his burning eyes. They could see his fiery eyes piercing each attendant as if he were trying to remember each one who accompanied Celia.

Having barely stopped Leonis, Celia turned to the attendant.

“Where is His Majesty?”

“Th-This way.”

Celia’s eyes narrowed as the attendant changed direction.

“It’s a different direction than before. Hum…… Is His Highness Prince Michael also with His Majesty?”

The question that Celia asked caused the attendant’s heart to drop. The servant dropped his head at the question as if she knew that Prince Michael had planned all this.

“Yes, Duchess.”

He couldn’t decide whether to say no or yes. He just told the truth because he was caught off guard.

Prince Michael was in extreme tension that his birth might be revealed, and he wanted to confront the scenario in which Leonis was framed.

He did so even though his aides whispered that he had better stay away from his alibi. Michael didn’t know if the blood he had just killed was on his body somewhere.

“Now you have the smell of Phil’s blood on your body. If you go into the banquet hall like this… … Do you think the nobles won’t notice this?”

He couldn’t help it when he asked this question back.

That was right. In addition, everything would be over if the Duke of Cardian did not fall for this trap, which is why Michael had to check to see if everything was going according to plan.

That’s why he is cornered.

‘Because I don’t know how far this has been known…

No matter how powerful he was, the nobles would constantly look suspiciously at him.

Right now, he must have possessed exceptional powers or already invested resources that they could not betray, or else the aristocrats would exert undue pressure on him.

Are you worthy enough to stand above us?

Among the blue-bloods, it was the imperial family that could trample on the blue-blood aristocrats.

If it turned out that he wasn’t really part of the imperial family but rather the half-illegitimate son of a nobleman, then more than half of his supporters would turn their backs.

‘That’s why I let the power lean towards you.’

Because with just this one shot, they can sweep away everything he has built up.

And much more so, considering that Michael was an unrelentingly avaricious man who would never give up on anything.

Michael would eventually achieve “half” success.

Celia was certain of it.

✦ ✦ ✦

The colourful carpet darkened to a reddish brown tone. A red fabric was used to cover the corpse. Coincidentally, the fastest available fabrics were white and red.

The bloodstains were still visible through the fabric covering, even though it was over it. He, therefore, made the decision to either put some furniture over some bloodstains or have a servant stand there.

Michael found the situation to be hilarious. It reminded him of watching clowns play cards.

‘To think that I had to go through with something like this… What the heck is up with that bloodline!’

Of the three princes, Phil had the noblest lineage. But both what he did and what he said were vulgar. What else is in his head?!

He was one of the people who was interested in taking away someone else’s fiancee or wife.

However, Michael felt that the eyes of some people who were already aware of the truth were different from how they were before. Even his guards seemed shocked that Michael was not the emperor’s biological son.

They were already people who had done countless evil acts together on the same boat from which they could not escape, but there was a perception that a military connection was at the root of it all.

An illegitimate child created by the empress of the Marquis lineage.

If they only consider his half-blood, they see that he held a position that was lower than the nobles; therefore, it was possible for them to be surprised. But Michael is very irritated.

‘Why! Why Why Why!’

If he could go back in time, he would have strangled Nell, the first Empress, when he heard her reveal the name of his biological father and promise to teach him his secret.

A woman who stole the glory he deserved. She was the one he had spent his entire life trying to hold and shake with her wicked, filthy insides!

‘If we can get through today safely……’

If I put a crown on this head, I will surely kill her!

In the meantime, he considered killing the woman he had abandoned in order to wield even more of his grandfather’s power. Because that woman must be to blame for today’s crisis.

“Your Majesty, I have brought the Duchess of Cardian.”

The sound of a voice coming from the other side of the door caused the people in the room to calm down and stop breathing as soon as they heard it. The Duchess of Cardian was an unsuspecting prey who fell into his net.

A woman who looked like a trembling fresh deer.

It was Michael’s intention to kill her and catch her beast, the Duke of Cardian. There’s no way the curse of the Duke of Cardian will ever come down on him.

“…….”

No one answered this time either. It was common for lower-ranking nobles to remember the emperor’s voice.

If they go to one of the events that the imperial family hosts twice a year, they will have the opportunity, regardless of whether or not they like it, to hear the voice of the emperor.

There was no answer, but the door was open. A pale-faced servant stepped aside, and he noticed Celia Cardian and her maid standing next to each other.

In front of the entrance door. She stood on the trap that had been set for her.

It would be a stretch to say that he had first dibs on her because, strictly speaking, she was nothing more than a bait for catching bigger game.

‘Come in.’

Michael broke into a broad grin as he looked at Celia. In order to give her the impression that she is safe. A smile has always been the go-to response for this.

A sign that you can deceive your opponent and trust them. The first lie of mankind

Michael thought that’s what a person’s smile was.

Celia shifted her sight away from Michael and directed it towards the floor covering instead. Michael’s escort knights, who were hiding and holding their breath on the invisible side, were nervous at the moment she arrived.

They were concerned that the deer would see the carcass on the ground and avoid entering the trap because of it.

A red stain was already spreading across the fabric.

That furniture was hastily moved to hide the corpse, but someone could have noticed the body as soon as they entered the room and took even a few steps inside.

‘But I can’t move the corpse… Too much blood was spilt in the first place!’

There was blood, even if the first two were forced to kill Phil because they had no other choice. It was an expression of Michael’s inferiority complex as well as his rage towards Phil.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. There is a strange smell in the room…”

Because none of them opened the windows to let fresh air into the room, there was a strong smell of blood throughout the room. The knights lurking behind the wall were growing restless as they pondered whether they should move forward and attack the duchess right away.

“Ah……It happened because I was training an attendant. Your Majesty will be back soon.”

Michael pretended as though it wasn’t a big deal as he answered Celia’s questions while looking around. While the attendant was bringing the chair over as if to sit down, Celia moved her body as if she were entering the room.

He wants to grab her thin arm and pull her inside right away, but he’s worried about her maid or the scream that’s about to jump out of her mouth.

She is the source of guidance for the Duchess of Cardian, and the skill of the escort knights she accompanies is terrifying.

“I heard that you manifested his powers. The Duchy of Cardian sent a gift, and I prepared one for you as well.”

The magic pouch opening stretched and her hands pressed into it as she dragged her fingers to the egg on the ring of her fingers, and the servants swallowed their breath when they saw her hand emerge with the golden jewel box.

“It’s a gift…”

As he was about to kill Celia, Michael thought the situation was funny.

‘You stupid woman. She doesn’t even know she is going to die.’

“Will you take it?”

Phil wanted to kill her with his own hands, but Michael didn’t hold that grudge against Celia. It was necessary to kill the Duchess of Cardian horribly so that he would be easily angered, but he did not want to kill her.

He had to watch everything.

“I’d like to get another one…”

When Michael said that, Celia gave an anxious glance around the room. Because he only gave it a quick glance, it was impossible for him to see the ones she had hidden.

Michael quickly said that everything would go wrong.

“Don’t get me wrong. I just said that I want to receive the unwavering loyalty of the Duke of Cardian as the next crown prince.”

“Did you?”

Celia was guessing what the other thing he wanted to receive was. Because of this, Miline, who was standing next to her, was also on edge so that she would be ready to fight at any moment.

Contrary to her assumption that she had come to meet the emperor without knowing anything, he took notice of both Celia and Miline, who served as her escort and maid, respectively.

It was because Miline was a maid with assassin expertise, and Celia had just awakened to the power of her mixed blood. She even saw the corpse blindfolded and hidden under a sofa that had been dragged over there.

“If so……”

“Please take my present first!”