Nikan confirmed the letter he received from a covert guest.
Failure.
Bang!
"This useless vermin!"
He punched the desk in anger while preparing to visit the Imperial Palace.
'Failed to kill an eight-year-old? These worse-than-mongrel fools!'
Why does he pour 20 million gold a year into the casino even though he doesn't enjoy it? Nikan fumed with rage, furrowing his brow.
'Wait.'
Doesn't the assassin's failure imply that someone is protecting Navia?
'Suleiman Genegar? Or Margaret Romanov?'
They were powerful magicians who dominated an era.
Such individuals could indeed thwart an assassin.
But there was a more pressing issue.
'Why would they help Navia?'
To them, isn't she just a stranger, a young child?
Even someone he had adopted.
"...I need to figure out what they're thinking when I go there today."
* * *
Imperial Palace audience chamber.
Ulrich, seated in the highest seat, glanced alternately to his left and right.
To the left, Nikan Agnis.
To the right, Suleiman Genegar.
And next to him sat his wife, Diana.
Nikan had revisited the palace, claiming he found a cure for magic backflow illness.
"Your Majesty... There's been an issue with the Eseled Ducal family and their territory."
Emperor Ulrich was stunned by this absurd statement.
If he had been from 300 years ago, he might have thought, 'These nobles are at it again,' but territorial disputes were rare nowadays.
And while it was grandly termed a territorial dispute, it was essentially a noble brawl.
Such a thing happened in Agnis?
'Even with Eseled, where he said he'd send his daughter to?'
Ulrich nodded after hearing Nikan's explanation.
'A mistake by Wood.'
Nikan blamed everything on Navia, defending his son.
The incident, barring its absurdity, was not significant.
It was children who caused it, and there was no real harm to Eseled.
The Emperor arranged this meeting, pretending to believe Nikan, while secretly mocking his poor parenting.
"Let's begin the discussion then."
The territorial dispute was quickly resolved based on the prepared peace treaties from both sides.
It couldn't be otherwise, as it was just a one-sided mistake by Wood, and the discussion was merely 'let's not fight.'
The important part was the compensation.
Nikan solemnly declared.
"Agnis will pay 10 million gold and a year's mining of magic stones as compensation."
Magic stones are consumables.
Once the magic within the stone is exhausted, it becomes an ordinary rock, making it extremely valuable.
Thus, a year's mining was a considerable amount.
The Emperor and Empress both showed surprised expressions.
Suleiman also raised his eyebrows at the unexpectedly high compensation.
Nikan, with a dark expression, continued.
"I don't understand why Navia did such a foolish thing. Given the nature of the matter, a harsh punishment is only fitting."
Suleiman quietly nodded his head.
The inevitable event Navia spoke of was now happening.
How long had Navia envisioned this scenario? And how lonely had her fight been?
Suleiman spoke up.
"Is there a need to be so harsh?"
In a moment, the atmosphere shifted abruptly with a single casually dropped comment, catching the attention of the three people observing him.
Like a pack of jackals.
Emperor Ulrich's voice, initially laced with boredom as he observed the situation, suddenly changed in tone, indicating a sparked interest.
"I'm not quite sure how to take that remark, Count Geneeger."
"This incident is indeed regrettable. But isn't it true that Miss Navia is still uninvolved? It seems prudent to consider things more carefully, according to the judgment of the Eseled House."
Nothing definitive had been said yet.
Instead, a heavy nuance of pity for Navia was implied, leaving room for interpretation.
It was all as Navia had requested, of her own volition.
Diana considered sacrificing an innocent child to resolve the issue at hand, but then discovered an unexpected possibility, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Could it be because of Theorban?"
A few days earlier, Diana had received a letter on a golden plate.
<em>"Your Majesty, Empress.</em>
<em>I, Theorban Alvin, as the proxy head of the Eseled family, have an urgent petition for you.</em>
<em>As Duke Lark Eseled is unmarried and childless, our house faces a crisis of continuity.</em>
<em>Therefore, I, Theorban, having only one daughter, am willing to formally adopt her into the family line.</em>
<em>As a cousin to the current head of the Eseled family, I carry the Eseled bloodline and can preserve both status and tradition.</em>
<em>I kindly request your consideration.</em>
Diana saw through Theorban's true desire to make his daughter the empress.
Thus, Theorban intended to reign over the Eseleds.
'How amusing it would be to relay this to Nikan, who behaves as though he's already secured the prince consort's position.'
To gain what is most valuable, hardship and adversity are often necessary.
Diana, as if suddenly remembering, brought up a topic.
"Speaking of which, I have something to mention. Count Theorban Alvin of the Eseled House has sent a letter regarding succession."
At this, not only Suleiman but even Nikan's eyes sharpened.
"The Count wishes to adopt his daughter into the Eseled family."
Suleiman felt incredulous upon confirming Navia's words as truth.
"It seems like a reasonable suggestion for an unmarried Duke, doesn't it? What are your thoughts?"
Nikan was irked that Theorban dared to compete with him for the prince consort and a potential candidate.
And the fact that the Empress seemed to be enjoying this situation was particularly annoying.
If Theorban's daughter replaced Navia as the Eseled heir, Nikan would lose his opportunity to intervene.
But this was not entirely advantageous for the Empress either.
'If Vivian becomes the prince's consort and Theorban's daughter becomes a secondary wife, then two noble families will become relatives of the royal family.'
Unless the Empress could manage both, the royal family would be caught in a power struggle between the two noble families.
However, if Navia became the Eseled heir, the story would change.
'If Navia becomes a secondary wife, an opening for the Eseled heir would arise, justifying the appointment of a suitable person.'
Thus, for both Nikan and the Empress, making Navia the Eseled heir was beneficial.
Amidst the tense standoff and complex calculations, Suleiman offered a clean and favorable response for the Eseleds.
"This seems like a matter that should first be discussed internally within the Eseled House."
Suleiman then considered the next topic for discussion.
'Navia.'
He needed the picture she was drawing.
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