Lennox shrugged and instead mocked him, and the conference hall instantly grew noisy. True to the belligerent temperament of the people of Ehmonte, raised voices soon began flying back and forth. Those aligned with Duke Despone took advantage of the chaos to hurl crude accusations at Lionel, and with the shouts of those pushing back, the Council Chamber of Ministers quite literally turned into a marketplace.
In the midst of it all, Lionel—the very center of every topic—sat with lofty composure, as though he hadn’t heard a word. His attitude was so detached it bordered on boredom. Even after enduring the insult of being called “the Empress’s lover,” his expression did not waver in the slightest, his breathing steady, as if it were nothing more than an obvious fact.
Karl, who had been standing by and watching the quarrel unfold, felt his irritation explode at the sight.
“That’s exactly why people say you must be careful about who you let in.”
At the Emperor’s sudden words, those who had been tangled together shouting fell silent. In the dead quiet, the Emperor openly glared at Lionel.
“Even commoners know that a wife supports her husband. You should at least understand the situation before you go around indulging in romance.”
It was blatant condemnation—an insult that dragged the absent Empress through the mud, and also a way of dodging Lionel’s reasonable question. Lennox curled his lips into a faint smile, while Theseus ground his teeth and clenched his fists.
Just as the fragile silence settled, hurried footsteps were heard. A single attendant rushed into the hall and went straight to the Emperor. Karl, who had been leaning back in his chair, straightened and looked at him.
The attendant pulled a stiff document board from his robe and presented it. As Karl read, his brow twisted into a mess. It was an order bearing the clear seal of the Empress.
“What?!”
When Karl hurled the document down and demanded an explanation, the attendant answered swiftly.
“Her Majesty the Empress has revoked the permission for Diane Poitiers to reside in the Ivory Palace.”
All the ministers widened their eyes in shock. Lennox, who had been blinking blankly, leapt to his feet in outrage.
“This cannot be! It was something His Majesty personally approved!!”
The attendant stared at Lennox in surprise, then turned back to the Emperor.
“Under palace law, the authority to approve residence within the imperial palace belongs to Her Majesty the Empress. However, in recognition of Countess Diane Poitiers’s service in attending His Majesty and managing palace affairs until now, Her Majesty stated she would grant special permission for her to reside in the Ivory Palace.”
Then nothing had changed, had it? Just as everyone tilted their heads, the attendant continued.
“However, since it is against strict palace law to privately grant residence to someone who is neither of the imperial family nor holds a clear official position, Her Majesty decreed that if Countess Diane Poitiers wishes to remain, she shall be recognized as a ‘guest,’ be permitted to stay in a designated room of the Ivory Palace, and all related expenses shall be paid by the House of Poitiers.”
In other words: If she wanted to stay, she could—but she would pay for every bit of it.
The Empress had meticulously calculated the servants’ wages, room maintenance, and the cost of all supplies used, even setting the fee on a daily basis. The sum was, of course, astronomical. After all, it was the cost of using the Ivory Palace, renowned as the most beautiful palace in the empire.
It was the moment when Adelaide’s heavy blow landed squarely on the throats of Karl Ulrich and Diane Poitiers.
Furious, the Emperor sprang from his seat and stormed out of the council chamber. Lennox, who had been venting his anger at the unfortunate attendant, also chased after him. Most of the ministers, however, were busy whispering to one another with amused expressions.
After all, wasn’t watching other people’s domestic disputes the most entertaining thing in the world? From their perspective, whether Diane Poitiers lost her right to reside in the Ivory Palace or not was none of their concern. In fact, the Empress’s order was, in principle, entirely reasonable.
“Honestly, this is how it should be.”
“Indeed. Her Majesty the Empress is generous. To say she’ll permit residence if they wish. Even if she does require payment.”
“Paying is only right. By what qualification does a mere young lady occupy an entire palace within the imperial grounds?”
Amid the noise, Theseus leaned toward Lionel and asked in a very low voice.
“You knew?”
Lionel rose from his seat with a shrug. The idea of treating Diane Poitiers as a guest and extracting payment instead of expelling her had, in fact, been his suggestion.
After exchanging farewells with a few ministers and leaving the chamber, Lionel murmured quietly to Theseus.
“There is something I wish to discuss, Brother.”
“…Did you cause trouble?”
“How could I?”
As a child, unlike Theseus—who never once did anything that earned him a scolding—Lionel often got into trouble like any other boy. The difference was that Lionel usually handled the aftermath himself. In other words, he only caused as much trouble as he could clean up. The Duchess had often scolded him, shouting, “You sly child! If you could foresee the cleanup, you shouldn’t have caused the trouble in the first place!”
“It’s within the limits you can handle, right?”
At that, Lionel let out a small smirk, hands in his pockets as he walked, as if to say, Do you even need to ask? Theseus shook his head.
“Well, as you say, what more do we even have left to lose? Still, I’d like nothing more than to wring the necks of those who dare mock you to my face.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I’m not blaming you.”
“There’s no need for you to get angry over every little thing, Brother. If you don’t react, it will soon fade. And I truly don’t care about that sort of talk at all.”
“Alright. So what did you want to say?”
As they continued walking, Lionel explained the Empress’s proposal. When he finished, Theseus suddenly stopped. The brothers faced each other in a sunlit corridor.
“Will you be alright with this?”
Around the same time, the doors of the Empress’s Palace were thrown open with a loud bang.
Who would dare open the main doors of the Empress’s residence of the Ehmonte Empire in such a reckless manner? The waiting maids rushed out in alarm, only to bow their heads in fear. The Emperor swept past them like a raging storm.
Just then, someone suddenly appeared at the top of the staircase on the second floor. Karl stopped short as he was about to ascend. The two faced each other across the stairs.
The Empress was dressed in a black robe, and beneath it she wore practical boots rather than court shoes.
The maids hurriedly retreated, sensing the dangerous air that suggested a fight could break out at any moment.
“Where are you going, dressed like that, Empress?”
Karl spoke first, his voice as sharp as ever. Adele began descending the stairs toward him, slowly. Their gazes were like blades, both of them tense down to the backs of their necks.
Adele stopped two steps above where Karl stood—precisely at eye level.
“What is it?”
A violent urge surged within him to crush those beautiful lips that spoke so calmly.
“Withdraw it.”
At Karl’s abrupt demand, Adele did not even blink and immediately shot back.
“Why don’t you withdraw yours first?”
“……”
“And withdraw what, exactly? What is wrong with my order? I am not expelling her outright. I am simply saying that if she wishes to reside, she may do so—provided she pays an appropriate sum. Is there a more lawful solution than that?”
“I won’t argue further. Withdraw it. Right now.”
“Then Your Majesty should correct your own conduct first. The price of a single fine horse. The merchants you sent to the Ivory Palace came today, didn’t they? They were instructed to sell jewels and clothes worth exactly the same amount as the supplemental budget that was just rejected. I sent them all back.”
Even teasing has its limits.
At those words, Karl furrowed his brow.
“Those who draw the sword must be met with the sword. That’s an Ehmonte proverb, isn’t it? Do you know it?”
Adele offered a courteous bow in accordance with etiquette, then stepped aside to pass by him. Or rather, she tried to.
Karl grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around, growling.
“Didn’t I ask where you were going?”
Adele met his eyes calmly and answered in an even tone.
“I am going undercover.”
