I Became the Master of the Empress

224 – 228

Thus, I felt bewildered by the unexpected encounter with the mother-in-law.

Is it a matter of compatibility?

Just as Theodora cannot defeat me, I find it hard to win against the mother-in-law.

Moreover, I hail from Korea, a country known for its courtesy.

And here I am, having confined my own mother-in-law.

To be honest, I was reluctant to enter the Gold Area because I wanted to avoid the mother-in-law, who makes me uncomfortable.

Looking at her now, reminiscent of a cold north wind…

Should I run away?

I seriously consider it.

“You! Is it sane to confine us and the Pope?!”

This seems to be the first time the mother-in-law has been this angry since the incident with Lord William.

“Mother. Please calm down. He must have his reasons. Have you forgotten the incident with Lord William?”

Uh…? How does she know? What does she know?

Theodora has precisely brought up the current situation and the incident with William.

Damn it… Who’s the snitch?

I’m certain someone is feeding information to Theodora.

“That was wartime, and besides, Lord William and the Pope are not the same. The Pope holds a divine office. If we’re not careful, there could be rumors of us colluding with demons. Moreover, I’ve never heard that the Pope intends to overthrow the empire.”

The mother-in-law speaks as if she’s disappointed in Theodora, then sharply opens her eyes and glares at me.

“I want to believe it’s not true, son-in-law… but are you sure you have no ties to demon worshipers?”

At the mother-in-law’s words, I nod my head.

“Alright, if you say it’s not you, I’ll trust you this once. If you release the Pope and restore the Vatican to its former state, I will negotiate with the Pope…”

Seeing the mother-in-law under some misconception, I interrupt her.

“I don’t think a release will be possible.”

“Shouldn’t we release him?”

As Theodora and I speak in unison… our gazes meet.

What’s with that subtle smile?

I’m anxious. What exactly is happening?

“You guys, really! Why is it only at times like these that you’re so eloquent! Anyway, I won’t allow it! If anything goes wrong, Theodora, you won’t be safe either!”

At the mother-in-law’s words, Theodora looks at me and smiles faintly.

“He’s no fool; he must have prepared everything, right? And don’t worry. He’s not a demon worshipper. The Pope has vouched for him, so he definitely isn’t one.”

What? When did the Pope vouch for him?

A guarantee isn’t an easy term even on modern Earth.

Here, it’s more dangerous than on modern Earth.

In the modern world, it might not cost a life… but here, a wrong guarantee can strip you of all your assets and even your head.

“But… do you know that the Pope is in prison?”

I feel awkward intruding on the mother-daughter conversation, only managing an embarrassed expression.

Should I slip away for now?

“Even when William was in prison, he used it to deceive his enemies and quickly end the civil war within the emperor’s faction.”

“What! Who are the enemies?! Are you saying we have enemies?”

“Well?”

Theodora smiles meaningfully.

“But where are you going?”

Seeing her puzzled expression…

“I just remembered something I forgot.”

-Creak!

“What?! Is my brother-in-law running away?!”

-Thud thud thud!

And so, I fled.

Looks like I’ll have to sleep in the duke’s quarters tonight.

***

A few days later, in the morning.

I look over the report that came up through the intelligence department.

The demonstrators are becoming increasingly violent in their actions.

There was a clash with the soldiers in the streets of Rome, and the casualties were tallied at around 27.

“The first casualties.”

I expect the protesters to become more intense from now on.

Fortunately, I heard that priests and nuns are using their holy powers to treat the injured.

But I’m not sure if that’s fortunate.

Angry priests and nuns are arguing that the empire should be overturned and I should be sent to the gallows.

“Anyway, Karl, you’ve had it tough.”

Under Karl’s eyes, heavy dark circles have formed.

“The reports are just too many. It’s not just the atmosphere inside Roman, but the outside is also ominous.”

I expected as much.

The Pope’s influence extends beyond the empire and the allied kingdoms to the new continent.

Both internal and external resentments will be directed at me.

“Any specific military actions?”

Karl nods at my question.

“Not yet… but the atmosphere in the allied kingdom and the surrounding three countries is not good. They’re probably in the stage of weighing things before declaring war.”

At those words, I nod, then speak with an uncertain expression.

“If we send orders in the name of the military department… will they really follow?”

“It shouldn’t be difficult? The parliament has been dissolved, so it’s going to be hard to get cooperation from the nobles of our own country.”

“Indeed… Instead, the external and internal forces might conspire to throttle me.”

The trap that my uncle has been preparing for a long time.

He hoped the empire would fall into it, preparing for a long time, but neither my uncle nor I expected that this trap would ensnare me.

“If they declare war, the Grand Duchy will be attacked first, right?”

My territory, the Grand Duchy of Francesco, will be the first to be attacked.

Unlike Roman, there’s no triple wall of fortification.

With a large force, pushing through is not impossible.

“The likelihood is incredibly high.”

It’s only the first week.

Already, such a chaotic situation reminds me of when I first took power.

That reminds me. I wonder what Theodora knows.

But we don’t have much time to see each other, so I can’t ask.

“The Pope’s execution ceremony is next week, right?”

Locust had requested the Pope’s execution.

Although a stand-in has been found, the thought of proceeding immediately is daunting.

Especially now, with the empire’s citizens committing arson and violent protests everywhere.

It’s like pouring gasoline on a fire. How can one not be anxious?

Of course, the soldiers haven’t been seriously hurt, but if things escalate, their safety can’t be guaranteed.

“Yes, that’s true. But if we really go through with the execution…”

Karl trails off, his intention clear.

Toying with the hearts of the empire’s citizens like this will surely lead to significant backlash against me if it’s later revealed that the Pope is alive.

But as for me… I’m retiring anyway.

Might as well be the target of some resentment on my way out, as long as the plan doesn’t fail.

“The execution cannot be postponed. Once we’ve come this far, there’s no turning back.”

As I say this…

Karl nods grimly in agreement.

“Understood. But please be careful. There are those who are plotting to assassinate His Grace, the Archduke.”

“What?”

In the midst of this chaos, they plan to dispose of me and seize Theodora?

I didn’t expect a second Devian to emerge.

Do they even know how I operate?

As my thoughts grow complex,

I’m reminded of the Golden Knights in Nicaea.

“After the Pope’s execution ceremony, order the Golden Knights to come near Roman.”

In case of an emergency, if I were to die, Theodora must take control.

That would give meaning to all my hard struggles.

Whether she becomes a saint or a tyrant…

In situations like this, one never knows when or how they might die.

If I do perish, the Golden Knights and William will be a great support to Theodora.

“Understood.”

I watched Karl slightly frown at my command and I couldn’t help but smile a little.

“Why? Are you dissatisfied because I’ve stationed the Golden Knights nearby?”

He must be feeling discontent.

From Karl’s perspective, if I were to die and Theodora took power, he would inevitably feel unsafe.

After all, he has been the one thwarting Theodora’s attempts to meddle with the intelligence department.

It’s unlikely she harbors any fondness for Karl.

“Having the Golden Knights close by is quite burdensome for me.”

-Snicker.

“Don’t worry. As long as I don’t die, everything will be fine.”

“That would be a relief.”

However, I sense a puzzlement as his expression doesn’t clear up.

Karl too, might be hard to trust deeply.

If I were gone, he might have attempted to swallow Roman whole.

Certainly, with the capabilities of the intelligence department, they could fill the void after my death.

He’s quite close with Agrippa, and knows the weaknesses of the imperial senators well.

But to dispose of them at such a crucial time would be madness.

Let’s overlook it for now.

“Don’t worry too much. As long as we have Theodora in our grasp, we won’t have any problems. I’ll send them back once this is over.”

At my words, Karl nods.

“Yes, I understand.”

Watching Karl retreat, a pang of ache hits the corner of my heart.

There’s really no one to trust.

Karl has been an acquaintance since before the Balor incident.

The deep frustration at the thought that he might harbor other intentions is suffocating.

Power… I knew intellectually what it entailed…

But what can I say? It’s truly lonely.

I don’t understand why everyone covets such a position so much.

With that thought, I silently proceed to the next task at hand.