I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

"My idea is nothing more than a huge guess."

I remembered Raymond.

If Duke Croft falls, Raymond will suffer more than anyone else.

The Croft family was Raymond's right hand.

That was the main reason why Raymond rejected the nobility who insisted on the judgment.

My father was more than just Raymond's devoted servant.

He was one of the main associates of his uprising.

And if now one of the pillars of the Empire collapses, the nobles will break loose.

Although more than ten years had passed since the uprising, the remnants of the former Emperor's loyalists were not completely exterminated.

Kill them, and how many managers will remain in the Empire?

The choice was simple.

Consequently, there are still many nobles in this world who are secretly unhappy with Raymond.

"If you say so, it concerns all of us… Don't you think?" Jed asked carefully.

"Hmm. For just one such word, our heads can be blown off."

Jed's face tightened at what I said.

"What do you think about the coup?"

"Coup!!!"

Lumont screamed hurriedly.

If the Sios family is really targeting Raymond, the name for it is ‘treason’.

Treason was the biggest crime, the punishment for which wasn’t limited to beheading, but the destruction of all family members.

I said nothing further, but Jed caught my hint.

His face became as serious as mine.

"Marquis Sios, isn't he the Crown Prince's grandfather?"

"That’s right."

"And the Emperor has no other children… ahem."

Jed glanced at Lumont.

"Even if Prince Edmund is his only son, when Sios’s appetites grow… it’s difficult to imagine."

If he places the young Emperor on the throne, power will fall into the hands of Sios without end and edge.

And since Raymond also became Emperor after the coup and paricide, after that he could only blame himself.

But is Raymond really the Marquis’ target?

Marquis Sios was the prime minister and grandfather of the crown prince.

He already has the second power after the Emperor, but will he be so greedy that he will go to the point of treason?

And Lisa will allow this?

Raymond and Lisa.

Thinking about these two confused my worn-out mind even more.

Why didn't Raymond make Lisa Empress? Why did Lisa move away from Raymond?

"Yeah."

"Find out if Sios met with the supporters of the previous Emperor."

I hoped Marquis Sios wouldn’t take such a crazy step.

Though.

An ominous premonition blew.

* * *

"Fortunately, His Highness's fever has receded, Your Majesty."

After examining Edmund, the doctor of the imperial palace turned to Raymond with a report.

Edmund, who broke his arm in class, went to bed with a fever for several hours.

All the doctors of the Imperial Palace rushed to the place, so his life was out of danger, but the situation was still critical.

"Good job. Don’t leave the room for a minute until Edmund recovers."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The palace doctors left the room, and Raymond walked to Lisa, who was sitting by the bed.

Lisa held Edmund's hand tightly.

When the Emperor arrived, Lisa was already in Edmund's room.

"Lisa."

Lisa turned her head at his call.

"The temperature has subsided, so now everything will be all right. Go and eat something. I'll sit with him."

Lisa turned away with a tense face. She sat for hours without changing her position, without small gestures, even without a sip of water.

At that moment, Lisa rose from her seat, carefully releasing Edmund's hand.

Lisa instantly stumbled and Raymond grabbed her arm.

"Are you okay?"

"Everything is fine."

Her face was white as a sheet of paper, and eyes were red from tears.

Although the sight in front of him was grim, there was no big change in Raymond's gaze.

Lisa looked into his black eyes and with an angry face pulled her hand away.

After all, what he saw in them contradicted the desired.

Raymond didn’t sympathize with Lisa, even in grief.

‘How do you feel? Aren't you tired?’

Not even banal politeness was heard from him.

And this attitude was towards the mother of his only son.

He took a step back, as if he wanted to gain distance.

"I will make sure that everything goes smoothly. You will spend the night in the palace, and tomorrow you will leave. "

Raymond tried to leave.

If Lisa hadn't grabbed his hand.

"Stop."

Raymond looked at her hand and looked up.

Lisa and Raymond's eyes met.

Lisa grabbed his hand and opened her mouth.

"Your Majesty, I have something to ask."

"What?"

"Today the Marquisate held a tea party. Mrs. Croft was there too."

"Ellie?"

Lightning shot through his unfeeling eyes. Lisa didn’t miss this moment, and slowly continued:

"She shared with us… that Your Majesty will deliver a speech on the Duke's innocence and Lady Croft's donation. Is this true?"

Raymond's eyebrows went up from the unexpected turn.

"This is true."

"Ah…"

Lisa’s eyes widened as if she was surprised.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Just… I'm a little worried."

"Worried about what?"

"Sire. Although Duke Croft was found not guilty… Anyway, wasn't the Duke in charge of the Foreign Office? How can you say that it is clear?"

"This issue is already closed."

“In that case, if you favor the Duke and his daughter, the nobility will react badly. Even today, at tea time, Lady Croft didn’t please everyone."

“…”

"Only a few days have passed since the trial, meanwhile she is already walking around in expensive jewelry, in a dress… If Your Majesty will patronize her… Will the dignity of the monarch suffer?"

Raymond said, looking into those green eyes opposite:

"If the nobles still hold the Duke guilty of embezzlement, then I will really have to speak out in favor of Lady Croft."

"What… yeah?"

As if this were not the reaction she was expecting, embarrassment flashed across Lisa's face.

"Even though Duke Croft's miscalculations have taken our toll, he has already been declared innocent. But, nevertheless, Lady Croft voluntarily gave 4 000 gold."

Raymond smiled maliciously at the embarrassed Lisa.

"And even after such generosity, the echoes of the dissatisfied are heard. Then, as the Emperor of this country, I must teach them a lesson by my own example. Isn’t it? What do you say?"

Raymond looked at Lisa with dark eyes. His gaze pierced her.

He was checking her.

Lisa felt more and more pressure. A little more and she will break.

"Now, the words of His Majesty… I see that everything is true. I am simply an ignoramus in the sovereign affairs."

She looked disappointed.

"If His Majesty personally speaks in defense of Duke Croft… Of course, this will discourage the nobles from blasphemy."

"Great. Enough of this."

Raymond cut her off with a smug tone.

"Lisa."

"Yes?"

"Edmund was hurt today. So this time I'll pretend nothing happened. But I hope that henceforth you will refrain from prying your nose into my work. Because nobody asked you."

Raymond's voice was cold.

He wanted to say that only one Empress can influence the policies of the Emperor.

Here he smiled in front of her, but Raymond's gaze was colder than a snowy field.

Lisa took a step back and looked down.

"My fault."