To the Love Born in the Lowest Place

“I induced the 1st Prince to kill me. I provoked him to feel threatened by my existence. While emphasizing that I had no backing.”

At that moment, Walter’s eyes widened. Hildegard, standing next to him, also covered her mouth in surprise.

“Sister…”

“Why?”

“How could you do that?”

“What?”

“You really don’t understand anything…”

As Liv tilted her head at Hildegard’s puzzling words, Walter grabbed Liv’s wrist firmly.

“Liv, don’t use your life recklessly.”

Ah, so that’s what it was. Well, Emmett didn’t like Liv using her life either.

“It’s fine, I won’t die anyway.”

“But…!”

Suddenly Walter’s voice rose. His hand gripping Liv also tightened. As Liv frowned reflexively, Hayden intervened with a growl.

“Take your hands off my master.”

“She’s my sister before that.”

“No, she’s been my master since I was born.”

“Really…!”

Walter had an annoyed face, but soon he turned his head as if he didn’t want to deal with Hayden and looked only at Liv.

“Liv, I wish you would cherish yourself more.”

“Why?”

When Liv asked blinking her eyes, Walter sighed and then continued.

“Do you answer like this when Duke Lartman worries about you too?”

“Hmm…”

“…Duke Lartman must be so frustrated. Liv, can’t you please listen to me?”

“I’ll try to understand…”

“My sister, I still dislike you, but even so, I don’t want to see you get hurt. Even if your time rewinds, the fact that you felt pain while dying at some point doesn’t change.”

“But I don’t remember it.”

“I don’t want to see you in pain in any timeline…!”

At these words she still couldn’t understand, Liv just gaped blankly. Why on earth worry about Liv in other timelines? However, Walter continued in a firm voice as if he wouldn’t accept Liv’s thoughts.

“Liv, remember my words even if you don’t understand. Don’t use your life as a means. It’s not something that can be treated so lightly.”

“Yes…”

As Walter said that, Hildegard interjected from the side.

“That’s right, sister. I was really surprised too. I’m scared… that something might happen to you.”

Hearing Hildegard’s words, Liv began to doubt whether her actions were wrong. Even Hayden chimed in now.

“I respect our master’s opinion, but I wish she would value her own life more if possible.”

“I understand…”

However, still unable to understand their thoughts, Liv could only nod. But one thing was certain, that they were worried about her. Somehow, many people who worried about Liv had appeared around her. That wasn’t a bad feeling.

“Liv, are you planning to return to the Holy Hilysid Empire now?”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

Liv answered while glancing towards where Dante was standing. Seeing the nobles surrounding him, it seemed impossible to meet him for a while. If Liv requested, he would gladly make time, but Liv wasn’t in such a hurry to meet Dante.

Liv trusted Dante. More precisely, she knew how great she appeared in his eyes. Dante wasn’t someone who would forget Liv’s favor. Even if Liv disappeared without a word, he would certainly keep his promise to her. Thus, Liv was planning to leave the Merna Empire immediately the next day.

Until news of the Emperor’s death was heard.

* * *

[My goodness, I’m so glad I listened to you, Walter.]

Leopold, dressed in a black suit, smiled brightly at Walter.

[Thanks to you, I’ve managed to get in with the new Emperor.]

Leopold had newly aligned himself with Dante after the 2nd Prince was eliminated by Liv. So the ‘new Emperor’ he was referring to was none other than Dante Münster.

Even while attending the late Emperor’s funeral, Leopold had a grinning face. After all, the prince he supported had risen to the highest position.

As it wasn’t a position where he could participate in the funeral, Walter didn’t accompany Leopold. Instead, he was seeing Leopold off at the entrance with a sour face.

[Indeed, I never thought the next imperial succession would be decided so easily…]

[The Emperor was so ill that it wouldn’t have been strange for him to pass away at any time. It’s truly miraculous that the Crown Prince was appointed the day before.]

“That’s right…”

While agreeing, Walter had a somewhat strange expression. Liv made eye contact with him and soon nodded, indicating they were thinking the same thing.

As soon as Leopold left, Walter immediately approached Liv and asked, looking at her:

“Liv, what do you think?”

“…I think it’s strange too.”

No matter how long the Emperor had been ill, it was too conveniently timed that he died the very next day after the Crown Prince was decided. Yes, this was just like… Having finished her thought, Liv clenched her fist and said:

“I think I need to meet Dante Münster.”

* * *

Dante received Liv in a magnificent reception room. It was so huge that it made one forget about the old 5th Prince’s palace.

[Lady Liv, you’ve come?]

As soon as Liv set foot in the reception room, Dante stood up abruptly and welcomed Liv warmly. It was such a humble appearance that it was hard to believe he was the Emperor of a country. But Liv maintained a cold face in front of Dante.

[Thank you for making time, you must have been busy.]

[How could I not make time for you, Lady Liv! Why didn’t you come yesterday? I thought you would visit me.]

[Just… I thought it would be better not to disturb you yesterday.]

[You’re not a disturbance at all!]

As Liv sat on the sofa, Dante sat opposite her, watching her expression.

[Lady Liv, did I do something wrong?]

[Well, that’s what I want to ask.]

Liv opened her mouth in a confident tone.

[So why did you kill His Majesty the Emperor?]

[…]

Dante was silent. And then…

[I’m sorry. Did it cause you any harm?]

Hearing those words, Liv inwardly sighed. It had been a guess, but her prediction was not wrong.

The one who killed the Emperor was Dante Münster.

* * *

“Your Majesty, I have a report. A new Emperor has ascended to the throne in the Merna Empire. The one who became Emperor is the 5th Prince Dante Münster. There were rumors that he was a child born of the Empress’s adultery, so he lived shunned by everyone in the imperial palace.”

“Yes, I heard that news too. A letter announcing his ascension has arrived here as well.”

“And there is more news to report. According to rumors, there was a woman who frequented the imperial palace as Dante Münster’s advisor. Her name wasn’t known, but she was said to be a woman with white hair.”

“…Haha.”

August laughed as if deranged, sprawled on the throne.

“Hahaha!”

At that laughter, Marquis Schmidt quickly looked at his expression. Judging by his face, he was clearly on the verge of going mad with anger.

“Yes! So now that thing is trying to manipulate even the Emperor of another country!”

Crash!

The sound of porcelain breaking was heard next to the throne. Marquis Schmidt genuinely wondered which stupid servant had left porcelain near the throne.

“Yes, if that thing dares to try to take what’s mine, I should make sure it has no place to set foot on this land!”

August stood up abruptly with an enraged face. An overwhelming pressure suddenly emanated.

“Marquis Schmidt, what about the evidence of Duke Lartman’s rebellion?”

“Well… We persuaded many nobles who were on his side, but the Duke seems to have been meticulous and left no evidence of plotting rebellion. All promises were made only verbally. But since the nobles on his side have almost disintegrated, rebellion should be impossible…”

“You fool!”

This time, a piece of porcelain flew towards Marquis Schmidt with a loud noise. The Marquis, who nearly got hit by the shards flying in all directions, cursed the stupid servant in his mind once again.

“If Duke Lartman and Marquis Arendt join forces, it won’t be an easy fight at all!”

“Your Majesty, don’t you have me? If we combine our forces, we have more troops.”

The Schmidt Marquisate was originally in charge of expanding territory, so they had the largest number of troops among the Five Noble Houses. However, August glared at Marquis Schmidt with sharp eyes after hearing his words.

“What can I trust about you?”

“Your Majesty, please believe me!”

“I can’t leave Duke Lartman like this. It would be better to deal with him by attaching a suitable crime.”

“Your Majesty, but it’s impossible to deal with a former member of the Five Noble Houses with just any crime.”

“What about the crime of assassinating a member of the imperial family?”

At that moment, Marquis Schmidt closed his mouth. Soon realizing the meaning of his words, Marquis Schmidt’s face turned pale.

“Your Majesty, surely not…”

“Yes, if we frame him for assassinating a member of the imperial family, we can completely eliminate Duke Lartman.”

August started laughing with a deranged face.

“My daughter, how fortunate that you can be of help even in this way…”