"So, the castle is constantly seeing physicians coming and going? All to treat that slave?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Then take me to her immediately."
The silence that followed made the leisurely hand fanning itself come to a halt. Veloa sat up from her reclining position, her delicate brows drawing together.
"Why are you silent? Don’t tell me you still don’t know where that woman is?"
"According to the physician we bribed, he was blindfolded when taken to the castle. He couldn't determine the exact location."
"So you mean you haven’t found her?"
"My deepest apologies, Your Highness."
Her guard bowed swiftly, sensing her displeasure, but Veloa’s expression remained cold.
"Useless, as always."
She clicked her tongue and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Then at the very least, you must have figured out what illness she has. If they keep calling for physicians, it must be something serious."
"The physician said he had never seen anything like it before."
The guard’s pupils wavered visibly. He already knew that what he was about to say would incur Veloa’s wrath.
"The symptoms resemble pregnancy…"
"Pregnancy? That filthy thing is with child?"
For a moment, Veloa’s voice turned razor-sharp. Her piercing gaze burned with fury, as if she would burst into flames at any second.
"N-No! That’s not it!"
"She shows signs of pregnancy, but she is not actually pregnant."
Veloa frowned slightly. A lowly slave sleeping around was disgusting but not unheard of. She had no reason to interfere in how Cabelenus used his belongings—as long as they knew their place.
"That is what the physician claimed."
"He could have misdiagnosed. Have you asked the other physicians?"
"The people here are extremely wary of outsiders, and they place absolute trust in the Grand Duke of Schwarhan. It was not easy to get them to talk. It was difficult enough to get even one physician to open his mouth."
"Excuses, excuses. Useless fools."
Veloa irritably threw her fan down. She could tolerate Cabelenus taking in a slave, but a child? That was a different matter entirely. Even if the child was born a bastard, even if their mother was a slave, the fact remained that they carried Cabelenus’s blood. No matter how illegitimate, as long as they shared his lineage, they would become an obstacle—one that would persist, growing stronger over time.
"I need to get rid of that filthy wench as soon as possible."
"But, at the moment—"
"It is because of the moment that she must be eliminated. If that wretch truly carries his child, it will be a problem. Even the great Emperor of the Empire had a lowborn mother. There is no guarantee that a slave-born bastard wouldn’t have a claim to the throne."
"Princess, saying such things—"
The guard glanced around nervously, but Veloa remained unbothered.
"What does it matter? I’m not making things up. Everyone knows the emperor is the son of a Loakin dancer."
"He is the Emperor of the Empire. Even if he is not present, disrespecting him is…"
"It doesn’t matter. Once I become empress, I will deal with that filthy bloodline first."
Veloa smirked. She maintained politeness only because Jerpeneus currently sat on the throne, but she had never liked him. The idea of an emperor born from a dancer’s womb disgusted her. No matter what he did, a barbarian’s birth could never be changed.
"Because of him, a precedent was set—an emperor born to a commoner mother. Now, I don’t even have to concern myself with that issue."
Though bastards were rarely granted inheritance rights, precedent always left room for possibilities.
"Don’t look at me like that. For now, I still need him. Oh, but this could be an opportunity to use him."
"Wouldn’t it be amusing to see how the emperor reacts when he hears that his dear half-brother has a child just like him?"
Jerpeneus played the role of the affectionate older brother well, but in the end, his attachment to Cabelenus stemmed from his bloodline. If he believed that Cabelenus’s lineage had been tainted, his reaction would be predictable.
"But there is no actual child."
"If the emperor realizes it’s a lie—"
"There are plenty of excuses. The weak die quickly, and even the physician couldn’t confirm the pregnancy. I could have simply been mistaken."
And if, by chance, a real child was found, that would be even better. Veloa’s mood brightened as she leisurely brushed back her hair.
The existence of the child itself didn’t matter. She had no intention of allowing a slave’s spawn to live in this world.
"And even if the emperor finds out it’s a lie, what can he do? The seat beside the Grand Duke belongs to me. In the end, even he wouldn’t be able to touch me."
A confident smile stretched across Veloa’s lips.
"Your Majesty, Princess Veloa has sent word."
"At this hour? It seems the little troublemaker has brought me something amusing."
The time was approaching to reap what he had sown. Jerpeneus set down the document he had been reviewing and leaned back in his chair.
"Shall I connect you now?"
"No. Reject it and contact her in an hour."
"With her temperament, she won’t take that lightly. Are you certain?"
"That’s the point—let her stew for a while."
Jerpeneus smirked, tipping his chin slightly. He could already picture Veloa fuming after being ignored.
"She is one of ours. Is it necessary to provoke her?"
Hans, his attendant, furrowed his brow.
"So you intend to discard her?"
"I never planned to keep her around. A woman like that isn’t suited for Cabelenus."
Jerpeneus was smiling, but his green eyes, visible through his half-lowered lashes, were colder than ice.
"Then why did you send her? She doesn’t seem like someone you would favor."
"Favor? If anything, she’s the opposite. But I like people like Veloa. She’s easily swayed by emotions, transparent in her ambitions, and greedy enough to be manipulated at will. People like that are useful tools."
He tapped a finger against the armrest.
"Of course, considering her lineage, it’s a bit of a waste to throw her away so soon."
"Is Princess Veloa really that remarkable?"
"The King of Christi wouldn’t be so protective of her for no reason. Though, to me, it seems like she lacks the ability to wield that power properly."
If she had been even slightly less foolish, he might have given her more consideration as Cabelenus’s wife. But no matter how great one’s power was, if they couldn’t use it effectively, it was no better than a pearl hung around a pig’s neck. A woman like that was not suited to be Cabelenus’s match. Jerpeneus clicked his tongue openly, without a hint of regret.
"May I ask what Your Majesty is thinking?"
"A brother’s concern for his beloved younger sibling, perhaps?"
Jerpeneus laced his fingers together and rested them over his stomach, inhaling deeply. He knew that this move would make Cabelenus resent him, but so be it. It was better to be hated than to let an unworthy woman stand beside him.
"I still don’t understand Your Majesty’s reasoning."
"You’ve served me for quite a while, yet you still fail to grasp my intent. You’re still green, Hans."
"Your Majesty is known for deceiving even your own allies. I still haven’t forgotten what you did to me during the Battle of Petan."
"And yet, here you are, still by my side."
"That’s because there’s no one else capable of handling a sly serpent like Your Majesty."
Hans scowled slightly, but Jerpeneus only laughed. In the end, Hans grimaced, glaring at his master.
"A servant making such a face—how insolent."
"I know Your Majesty will allow it."
"You do know your boundaries well."
"It’s a necessary skill when dealing with the imperial family."
Hans responded coolly as he tidied the scattered documents on Jerpeneus’s desk. His master’s evasiveness was a clear indication that he had no intention of sharing his full plan.
"Isn’t it amusing? Even a mere servant like you knows how to stay within his limits, yet my dear younger brother does not."
"The Grand Duke would never cross the line."
Hans shook his head firmly. The Cabelenus he knew had never once overstepped his boundaries. Despite his noble birth, he had chosen to act as a loyal hound. Even now, that had not changed.
Jerpeneus held power, but his position was not yet stable. If Cabelenus were to rally his supporters and move against him, the outcome would be uncertain.
"Of all people, Your Majesty knows best how much he lowers himself. Why, then, do you persist in this?"
"Then what should I have done? Should I have blessed his marriage and given my heartfelt approval?"
For once, there was unmasked irritation in Jerpeneus’s tone. It was rare for him to be this transparent with his emotions. Hans carefully chose his next words.
"It’s likely just a passing interest. Even if Your Majesty does nothing, it will end soon enough."
He spoke cautiously, knowing that tension between the two brothers would not be beneficial. If they turned against each other, Jerpeneus would be the one at a disadvantage.
"That’s only my hope."
Jerpeneus sighed, covering his eyes with one hand.
"What makes you so certain?"
Hans saw no issue with Cabelenus marrying a slave. It was unlike him to be swept up by fleeting emotions, and even if he had made a mistake, he would surely come to his senses before making it official.
"Because it’s Cabelenus."
Through the gaps of his fingers, Jerpeneus’s green eyes gleamed. He had watched his younger brother for years—he knew him too well. Cabelenus had never once gone back on his word.
And this time would be no different.
"You don’t look pleased."
"To be honest, we would benefit if the Grand Duke were to damage his own reputation by marrying a slave."
Even Hans, the emperor’s closest aide, could not deny Cabelenus’s legitimacy. His mother, the late empress, had been the only daughter of Duke Melta, the most powerful noble in the empire. Even though she was gone, her family’s influence remained strong. If Cabelenus ever laid claim to the throne, Duke Melta would stake everything to support him.
"I cannot allow that to happen."
"Why does Your Majesty concern yourself with him so much?"
Hans knew that Jerpeneus held an unusual regard for Cabelenus, but he had never understood it. Based on their positions, it would make more sense for Jerpeneus to fear him and drive him away. That was what most people believed had happened when Cabelenus was sent to Schwarhan.
"Because he is special."
"If you mean his legitimacy—"
Jerpeneus let out a short scoff, his face twisting into something unreadable. This was not merely an issue of birthright. Cabelenus was special beyond that.
"I’ve said it many times before. I’m only holding this position temporarily. Cabelenus will be the next emperor. That’s how it should be, and that’s how it will be."
"Cabelenus has no interest in the throne."
His eyes darkened. The battle for power between the late emperor and empress had been ruthless, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. When the empress lost, she had been forced to endure humiliation. Cabelenus, as her son, had suffered the same fate.
His younger brother had once knelt before their father, begging for their mother’s life.
"Father stripped him of his title as crown prince and sent him to wander the battlefield."
"Do you really believe he will honor that promise forever?"
"There’s no need to speculate. He still abides by it, doesn’t he?"
When Jerpeneus took the throne, he had offered Cabelenus the position of crown prince once more, even summoning him back to the capital. But instead of returning, Cabelenus had requested Schwarhan instead—a land of unrelenting cold, nearly uninhabitable.
"That’s just the kind of person he is. He never goes back on his word."
Jerpeneus clicked his tongue, rubbing his chin with his thumb.
"If Cabelenus chooses to remain in Schwarhan, then I don’t care who he marries."
"But he is destined to be emperor. And if that is the case, then he must have a suitable empress by his side."
Jerpeneus’s gaze curved into a crescent-moon smile.
Once everything was settled, he would personally select a wife for Cabelenus.
Someone truly fitting for him—a woman of noble blood, possessing both the dignity and lineage worthy of an emperor’s consort.