Chapter 46
"I thought you were going to submit your resignation."
The somewhat cold voice cut deep into Dante Renard's heart. Dante feigned
indifference, his shoulders straightened, and he opened his mouth.
"Would you accept it if I did?"
"Who knows."
"I am not even trying because I know you wouldn't accept it."
In my heart, I've already left Cardion and am on a remote distant island. Dante
shot back sharply before biting his lip again. He must have truly lost his mind.
Only a few hours had passed since he decided to grovel before Eric. It was so
bad that Elisha looked at him with a look of pity, saying: "At this rate, you'll
forget how to walk on two feet."
"I thought you would reflect on your transgressions and at least apologize."
Eric also spoke, as if a little surprised. Dante forced the words that were
about to spill to go back down his throat and moved his eyes. Of course, he
intended to apologize. Until he arrived at the Imperial Palace, he was wondering
if he should even return his salary. Yes, until he arrived at the Imperial
Palace.
"No, but."
Wasn't this truly inevitable? After a moment, Dante recalled the last event and
frowned. Eric raised an eyebrow, looking curious. After a short pause, Dante
finally let out a long sigh and spoke.
"I heard a strange rumor on my way here."
And now, what was it again?
"That the Emperor of Cardion is interested in Dante Renard's apprentice."
"Isn't this a rumor that has been going around for a while?"
"Perhaps the Emperor expelled his annoying fiancée and brought a woman more in
line with his taste."
Perhaps he didn't need to add the part about how common, yet strange, the
Emperor's taste was, to abandon Elisha for "that kind" of woman. After finishing
his words, Dante again stared at Eric with a pouting expression. He was smiling
a slight smile.
"What a ridiculous story."
Of course, to those who didn't know the situation, it would naturally seem so,
but to Eric, who knew everything, it was a somewhat amusing rumor. And
naturally, it wasn't an amusing rumor to Dante at all.
"Are you going to leave it like this?"
"......"
"If this continues, she is the one who will be in trouble."
Of course, Elisha wouldn't care about such rumors at all. If anything, she might
worry about that lunatic, concerned that Eric's reputation might be damaged.
"I just don't understand."
What did Elisha see in that bastard to worry about him to this extent?
"I will not do anything that would harm her."
"Oh, yes. I'm sure you won't. Who would be more critical than an emperor
flirting with his friend's apprentice while he stalls on canceling his
engagement?"
"There is no reason to cancel the engagement while she is here in the Imperial
Palace."
"That only makes sense to you and me, who know the situation!"
Even Elisha must be wondering what in the hell has gotten into you!
"Elisha wanted the cancellation too. She said it would be better to use the
vacant Empress's seat as a political tool."
Dante then took a slow, deep breath and continued. At the same time, a small
crease formed between Eric's brows.
"Do you think Cardion's situation is so bad that we need to take advantage of
such a thing?"
"It was, at least until the Allied Nations Conference began."
"In any case, you're saying it isn't so now."
"That's why you should leave it vacant. By now, the whole country must be
clamoring to form a connection with you."
In the end, it will only lead to more situations like the one with Princess
Primavera. Not to mention the local nobles. In either case, it wasn't a bad
situation for Eric. Of course, all this assumed he would cancel the engagement.
"Is that really the only reason?"
At Dante's words, Eric stared at him intently and asked. His characteristic cold
eyes watched Dante persistently. Dante swallowed hard. The only reason? What
kind of question is that? Could it be that he thinks I'm saying this because of
Elisha?
"What other reason is necessary?"
Even if that were the case, it wasn't something he would tell Eric. Dante
avoided Eric's gaze and mumbled the words. Eric continued to observe Dante for a
moment before slowly opening his mouth.
"I will ask the person in question directly."
"What?"
"I am not stupid enough to believe the words of a habitual liar, you see."
After he finished speaking, Eric smiled gently once more. Dante was speechless
for a moment, staring stunned at Eric. That petty bastard. Just because I lie as
easily as I breathe, he'll use that against me like this?
"At any rate, I don't want to make things difficult for Elisha, so I will
refrain from seeking her out intentionally for the time being. As for the reason
for not canceling the engagement, I suppose I can discuss that with Mullin
Cassus."
In any case, Eric continued speaking without looking at Dante. Dante watched
him, and finally, unable to refrain, spoke.
"I didn't really want to say this, but."
"What."
"Why are you doing this to me?"
You expelled Elisha, then asked me to bring her back. You won't hire anyone new
and make me do both jobs. And now you treat me as if I'm the biggest liar in the
world.
"...And you."
But before Dante could finish, Eric's expression stiffened fearsomely as he
replied.
"How long am I supposed to overlook your insolence just because we are friends?"
"...You, really."
"Right now, it looks like you are pressuring me to cancel the engagement."
Eric's blue eyes and Dante's purple eyes clashed in the air. It was a tense
confrontation, in which neither of them backed down. In a tension like walking
on thin ice, a heavy silence reigned.
"Your Majesty, it's Mullin Cassus."
Mullin's deep voice came from outside the office. Eric slowly turned his gaze
and spoke.
"Come in."
Mullin, who opened the office door and entered, quickly assessed the atmosphere.
The office was completely soundproofed with a spell Eric developed, so he
couldn't know what they discussed, but...
"You two, did you have a fight perhaps?"
Mullin asked, eyes wide. Only then did Dante also move his gaze away from Eric
and let out a light sigh. Mullin looked back and forth between Eric and Dante
several times before continuing in a gentle tone.
"I don't know what you fought about, but."
"......"
"They say a lover's quarrel is like cutting water with a sword—"
"It is not like that."
"It's not that."
Eric and Dante responded in a single unison, their voices sharp. Both their
faces were wrinkled in disgust. It seems they fought so hard that the joke
wouldn't work. Mullin let out a small dry cough and cleared his throat. There
was a matter more important than these two young men's quarrel.
"I don't dare to intervene since you've fought, but I hope you can resolve the
matter quickly."
"......"
"A problem has arisen."
A very big problem, moreover. Mullin said and his expression was
uncharacteristically grim. At that, Eric and Dante became serious too, waiting
for Mullin to continue. Regardless of how bad their relationship was, they could
not allow personal feelings to interfere in a crisis.
"The survivor we found at the Shilan Plains was receiving treatment within the
Imperial Palace, right?"
Mullin finally began, letting out a shallow breath. Eric and Dante nodded at the
same time. The envoy from Dixion, whom the remaining mages discovered while
Dante and Elisha were dealing with the monster. He had been transported
immediately and had been receiving treatment in the Imperial Palace ever since.
The plan was to return him with the delegation that would arrive later after the
end of the Allied Nations Conference...
"This morning, he suddenly disappeared without a trace."
"What?"
"We contacted Dixion just in case, but they only replied that they knew nothing.
In fact, Dixion is protesting strongly, claiming this is another lapse on
Cardion's part."
As if he had already been exhausted before coming here, Mullin shook his head
weakly and sighed again.
"Were there any reports of someone leaving the castle gates?"
"Nothing at all."
"Deploy the forces and search the entire Imperial Palace."
Eric tapped on the table with his fingertips, lost in thought. The man known as
the survivor was a human who couldn't even handle a sword properly, let alone
magic. There was no way a man who had not even learned the art of swordsmanship
could have fled from his room to the castle gates without being seen. But lack
of witnesses despite that meant...
"Assassination? Or abduction?"
Dante muttered, tilting his head. Eric, who was still frowning, shook his head.
Who would sneak into the Cardion Imperial Palace to assassinate an envoy from
Dixion? If that were the case, they would have tried to approach him before his
body recovered. He felt he was missing something, but he couldn't quite
understand it.
"First, it would be best to apologize to Dixion."
Whatever the case, it was an accident that occurred within the Imperial Palace,
so he naturally had to take responsibility. Eric issued the order and his face
looked haggard immediately. All this had happened with little time left before
the end of the Allied Nations Conference.
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