43.

There was envy in Theodore’s eyes as he looked at Abel. He confidently says what he wants and his moves look amazing. He wondered if he could become like that someday. The future still felt far away.

“I know what you want. How do you want me to help?”

Abel answered Theodore’s question.

“I would like to place a bounty on Lord Devine.”

For a moment, I rubbed my ears with my hands, wondering if I had heard something wrong. And when she looks at Abel again, she speaks kindly again.

“I said I wanted to place a bounty on Lord Devine.”

“… … why?”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to find that way?”

“Archduke Graham. “The bounty is not placed on just anyone.”

“I know. “I usually bet on those who have sinned.”

“Are you doing that knowingly?”

I knew Abel was an unusual person, but I didn’t know it would be to this extent. Richt disposed of some of his property and disbanded his knightly order, but much remained. Land and vassals that have been passed down from generation to generation for a long time, much of the property remaining even after some of it was disposed of, etc.

Even though the head of the family, Richt, disappeared, there was a reason why they couldn’t go out and look for him. What if you put a bounty on it and the Devine family finds out about it? From then on, the chaos started.

Although the emperor’s power is said to be the highest, the power of the nobles cannot be ignored. If you touch something that is most precious to them, they will not remain silent. In particular, the vassals of the Devine family are famous for their loyalty.

The most difficult of them all was Ain, the butler. Although he has a low rank, he was said to be a genius when he was young. He maintained the Devine family properly even after Richt disappeared. Some of the scattered knights were also brought back.

They say they brought him here because they had nowhere else to go, but I could tell that they were preparing for when Richt, the head of the family, would later return.

“Devine won’t stay still.”

“I guess so.”

Abel nodded gently.

“I’m glad you understand.”

“I understand.”

Anxiety crept up in my chest.

“But I have no intention of backing out of my plans.”

I felt like I was getting a headache. Theodore placed his hand on his temple. I heard you understood!

“If it’s not possible to place a bounty because there is no crime, why not create a crime?”

“What a crime!”

“There is one sin worth covering up. “The sin that everyone suspects.”

Theodore’s eyes became fierce at Abel’s words.

“… … “Richt only stayed to protect his mother when she lost him.”

Abel snorted at Theodore’s words.

“Do you really think so?”

know. That Richt did not enter the imperial palace out of pure favor. Still, he ultimately did not cross the line and treated Theodore kindly. At the time, he thought it was okay to die at Richt’s hands.

You gave me the warmest time of my life, but I wonder if my life would be a waste. It was just painful that I couldn’t spend a little more time with him.

Theodore gritted his teeth. Here he must not fall for Abel.

“okay.”

“You’re good at deceiving yourself.”

“No matter what you say, my mind won’t change.”

“I guess so.”

Abel tapped the armrest of the chair with his finger.

“majesty.”

What else am I going to say? Theodore clenched the hand on his knee. I will never fall for Abel’s words.

“Don’t you miss Richt?”

I miss you. But Richt hated everything and went into hiding.

“It’s only for a moment to cover up a sin. “Wouldn’t it be okay to find it and then clear it up as a misunderstanding?”

“Does treason seem so easy?”

“It’s not easy. But hasn’t something like that happened several times in past history? How many emperors were there? “Didn’t you charge that family with treason to find his runaway concubine?”

Has that ever happened? As Theodore widened her eyes in surprise, Abel let out a small laugh.

“It looks like Her Majesty the Empress didn’t teach you that part. Well, it may be that they didn’t want to make it known because it was a shameful part of the imperial palace.”

“What happened to your mistress after that?”

“The emperor recovered his mistress and cleared her of treason by saying it was a misunderstanding.”

The mistress who ran away returned to the emperor’s side and died after an unhappy life. However, Richt’s case is different from that mistress.

“I can’t believe something like that happened.”

“Just a moment, just a moment. Just as long as we can find Lord Devine. “I will provide the money needed for the bounty.”

“The imperial palace also has money.”

“Isn’t it difficult for you to move easily since you are still the crown prince? In addition, I will be appointed as the guardian. “I am not interested in the throne.”

Abel rolled his eyes.

“I will only play the role your highness wants.”

It was an overly attractive story. This is why her mother was wary of Archduke Graham. Because power isn’t the only thing you have. Theodore lowered his eyes and lost himself in his thoughts.

Abel waited while Theodore pondered. Nothing will happen if you rush it. I just hoped that, as the crown prince, he would not make foolish choices.

“good. Let’s cooperate.”

done. Everything went as Abel wanted.

“Instead, you must not hurt Richt.”

“I don’t plan on doing that either.”

“Once I find it, I will immediately announce that the crime was a misunderstanding.”

“Of course.”

Devine will protest like crazy, but you can endure it for a while. If only for a moment.

“You know you can’t last long, right?”

“I know. “If you say it’s treason, Devine will stand up.”

On the surface, it will pretend to stay still, but it will move underneath and try to put pressure on the crown prince.

“Then first announce that you will become my guardian. “The bounty comes next.”

“great.”

There is no way the young crown prince would have the courage to deceive himself. Therefore, Abel was willing to answer Theodore’s words.

That day, a piece of news came out from the imperial palace. The story was that Grand Duke Graham of the North became the crown prince’s guardian. Some nobles shook their heads saying it couldn’t be so, but the next day it turned out to be true. This was because it was announced by the imperial family.

“Oh my God, Archduke Graham?”

“Aren’t you the kind of person who hates the royal family?”

“Iknow, right. So I thought the guardian would be someone else.”

The stories that were being talked about here and there naturally flowed to Count Mantel as well.

thud!

Count Mantel threw whatever he could get his hands on. The object flew out of his hand and hit the butler standing right in front of him, but he didn’t care.

“Damn, I just need to do a little more!”

I don’t know why Archduke Graham suddenly intervened.

“Did you find out anything?”

I nervously asked the vassal, but the answer I got was not pleasant.

“It is said that the decision was made after Archduke Graham had a private meeting with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, but the story behind it was unknown.”

“Who is the maid who was bribed?!”

“It is said that Archduke Graham was so sensitive that everyone nearby got bitten.”

“Shit!”

Count Mantel was ecstatic again. Although he was known as a raccoon with a sly attitude everywhere else, he was a tyrant inside his mansion.

Archduke Graham is a man who is impossible to push away. He is so skilled that he cannot be assassinated. The strength of his Redford Knights is well known. Fortunately, the royal family turned against him so there was no need to be on guard.

‘I can’t believe you two are holding hands.’

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I was about to throw the object in my hand again, when suddenly there was a knock and the door opened.

“Big trouble, big trouble!”

I was about to reprimand the retainer who came in unceremoniously, but he shouted with a pale face.

“The royal family charged Devine with treason!”

“her?”

Is the crown prince crazy? Even though they had Archduke Graham as their ally, Devine was not an easy family. If something goes wrong and he really stands up, the emperor, who doesn’t have much in his hands right now, may be reduced to a scarecrow by others.

I was so shocked that I forgot to hold anything in my hands.

“What… … ! “Is it real?”

“It’s real! “I also placed a bounty on Lord Devine.”

“Are you really crazy?”

A sound came out of my mouth.

Ain’s expression turned cold after hearing the news from the imperial palace.

“Treason?”

“… … That’s right.”

“So you put a bounty on the head of the family?”

“yes.”

Suddenly, my jaw tightened.

“What about the content?”

“It says that if you capture the target alive and bring them back without harm, you will be given a gold coin. “It’s an amount that would enchant even a nobleman.”

“Only the scum of the earth will be mesmerized.”

If he were a noble with a title, no one would touch Devine just because he had a bounty on him, unless he was crazy. Perhaps the first ones to move are those on the floor.

What on earth is the imperial palace thinking? Still, I thought the crown prince had feelings for Devine.

‘Well, what does that have to do with anything?’

The crown prince has already touched Devine. If that’s the case, we can’t just sit still here either.

“The head of the family wants to rest for the first time in a while.”

Ain put on his coat to go outside. This news would also have reached Devine’s vassals. Monster-like people who became involved through a previous operation. Although they said they disapproved of his son, Richt, he did not step out of Devine’s shadow.

The person who served has disappeared, but the things he bestowed remain. That’s why Ain decided to move them. He continued to provide his vassals with what they wanted. Everything so that you can feel comfortable without having to move too hard. It acted like a tongue in his mouth.