#402
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402
Although he had refrained from acting recently, Magritte was suspected of collusion with the temple.
It is difficult to approach them this way when you are distancing yourself from them. A report will be sent to the Archduke.
Magritte handled it skillfully.
“How do the participants in the martial arts conference know me?”
“I have seen you face to face from afar.”
Even Magritte, who did not enjoy going out, occasionally visited the temple. No wonder he knows her face.
The man’s golden eyes darkened.
“What does Grand Duchess Rinosa think about the meaning of Lumen?”
Why, here, like this. Is it to test her heart as a believer?
I had a headache. Magritte answered with a sigh.
“How dare I guess God’s will.”
If it was Lumen’s will for her to become the Grand Duchess of Linosa, it would also be Lumen’s will for her to follow the Grand Duke’s will and live for Linosa. That’s what I believed.
“Then, if there is someone here who upholds God’s will, would you please pray for his victory?”
Marguerite’s eyes wavered. Praying for his victory means praying for the Archduke’s defeat. It meant destroying the place where Rinosa and the Empire joined hands.
But Magritte had a different calculation.
There must be a reason why Lee Ja is so confident.
The Empire has turned away from the Temple, but Rinosa has not yet. Clearly, they are still maintaining neutrality.
If the temple achieves their plans, shouldn’t there be room for Rinosa as well?
The temple may also want to confirm that Rinosa is not completely leaning towards the Empire.
Also, even as a believer, I was reluctant to refuse the Holy Knight’s request.
Magritte smiled softly and gave the answer he wanted.
“May God’s will be done with your sword.”
If that’s what Lumen means, you win. Magritte’s meaning was exquisite.
The Servant greeted her with satisfaction and turned around. The Grand Duchess of Linosa was still leaning towards them, as expected.
Marguerite quietly looked at his back. If he wins, he thinks that things will unfold in a way that is beneficial to Master Lee in his own way, and that it will also be Lumen’s will.
Magritte did not know until the very end that he had chosen someone other than Helmut. Surprisingly, her choices were consistent.
When his figure disappeared, Marguerite turned and asked Alonso.
“Does Your Highness know that that person is a Holy Knight?”
He immediately distanced himself from the temple and looked into the Archduke’s intentions. Magritte was quite an aristocratic woman.
Alonso’s eyebrows twitched. As a knight, it is not his role to gauge the Grand Duchess’ true intentions.
But it was true that I felt an inexplicable discomfort every time I interacted with her.
Alonso could not get used to her purposeful attitude and words, which were different from the Archduke of Linosa and similar to Michael.
“Yes, you know.”
“If he wins the championship, won’t he be in trouble? “He wouldn’t have sent any paladin from the temple.”
Marguerite frowned as if he was genuinely worried.
“… … His opponent in the finals is also not an easy one.”
“You see him as more powerful.”
Magritte’s eyes became clear. Alonso, the leader of the Black Wing Knights, swallowed his words.
The grand duke’s eldest son. Helmut’s existence was unfamiliar even to him. When he did not know Helmut’s identity, it was Alonso who said that he was a dangerous man and that if he could not be eliminated, he should let him go.
Alonso, who had only recently learned of his identity, was dizzy.
‘How dare I.’
As a knight protecting the Archduke’s family, you judge the Archduke’s legitimate son as a danger to Rinosa.
His opinion may have had a significant influence on the reason the Grand Duchess made such a choice.
Since it was an unimaginable situation, Alonso’s judgment was not rash or wrong. He just said what he had to say as a knight commander.
However, I could not help but feel responsible for what happened as a result and for the secrets that were revealed only later.
What was required of him now was silence.
Now that the members of the Grand Duke’s family are divided for different reasons, he has to keep the secret as a knight who follows the Grand Duke.
“Do you know anything about him? “I heard that one of the finalists wore an iron mask.”
“He is not a member of the Black Wing Knights, and as far as I know, he is not from the Empire. “They are believed to have come from a far away place.”
“He’s a hidden talent… … . “Are they mercenaries?”
“I don’t know the details.”
“Well, it’s a competition with great rewards at stake. “We will be able to see what he looks like in the finals.”
Magritte quickly agreed to Alonso’s blunt answer.
“Is dinner coming soon? Let’s go to the Archduke. It’s been a while since I saw Charlotte… … “I guess I’ll see you again.”
Magritte walked ahead with a smooth gait.
Alonso’s face was stiff as he silently followed her back.
‘It’s the finals soon.’
Only then will everything be unveiled and clearly revealed.
*
The next afternoon, the emperor’s procession arrived from the empire. It was a day before the finals.
Imperial knights wearing shining armor surrounded the emperor’s carriage and watched sharply ahead.
After the previous assassination of the crown prince, the security for the royal family became more stringent.
An unpleasant situation should not have occurred in this place where the crown prince and the emperor gather in one place, so there was a tense atmosphere around the martial arts venue.
Asuka spoke to the Imperial Knights who were observing the martial arts hall.
“Hey, how are you? “It’s been a while since we’ve been together.”
The other person frowned at his greeting. He was Gannon, who had once lived with him in the Imperial Knights.
Although he knew that his opponent was a member of the royal family, he could not suppress his animosity after suffering all of Asuka’s tyranny.
“Your spirit has become clearer.”
Asuka was dressed up nicely and now looked like royalty.
“I’m naturally good-looking. “You’re still the same with no progress.”
Ganon struck a grinning Asuka.
“I heard you participated in a martial arts competition.”
That was all he said, but from the wry expression on his face, I couldn’t tell that Ganon’s intention was to point out, ‘The person who eliminated you is in the finals.’
Asuka’s eyes narrowed. He rubbed his nose and sarcastically.
“It was like that. “If it were you, you wouldn’t have even made it to the finals.”
Asuka enjoyed watching Ganon’s expression harden.
“There is a rumor that they are noble members of the Imperial Knights. Why don’t you take care of your facial expressions? Is it really okay to be that emotional? “But where is Ralph?”
Asuka looked around. Earlier, when the emperor’s procession entered the city, she had seen him and Gannon.
“You seem to like Ralph.”
Ganon, who had been holding on to this, answered.
“I am from a commoner background, so I was afraid you would harass me. “It’s nerve-wracking.”
Now that you are a member of the royal family, shouldn’t you take care of the commoners who are discriminated against? In particular, the Imperial Knights were like his front yard.
“Did you pretend to be a commoner in the hope that someone would bother you?”
Ever since his identity was revealed after briefly joining the Imperial Knights, rumors abounded. Among those rumors were Asuka’s past activities.
The crazy dog of Greta Academy’s swordsmanship department. Although he was born as a commoner, he was at the top of the swordsmanship department and had outstanding skills that no one could touch. He said it was actually a member of the royal family.
It was a rumor worthy of being talked about widely.
“Why don’t you stop whining unnecessarily and tell me where that guy is?”
Asuka’s eyes shined fiercely. Ganon couldn’t answer.
“I’m at a place where dinner is being prepared. “There will be an escort there while the meal is in progress.”
“huh? Dinner?”
Asuka blinked as if she hadn’t heard anything at all. Gannon noticed something about her and raised the corner of her mouth.
“Yes, a dinner with His Majesty the Emperor, other members of the royal family, and the Grand Duchy of Linosa. “I understand that Archduke Farnese is also attending, but it looks like he wasn’t called.”
Asuka’s expression distorted. He was also unable to properly manage his facial expressions.
Asuka will be attending the finals tomorrow with Archduke Farnese, but she has never heard anything about today’s dinner.
Before that, I had never even met the emperor face to face.
Archduke Farnese probably excluded Asuka out of fear that she might cause an accident.
Isn’t this an important occasion with the Grand Duke of Rinosa and his family? It was unreasonable to expect Asuka, who had barely completed her etiquette training, to behave appropriately there.
Archduke Farnese was realistic and never did anything unreasonable.
“Well, it’s not been long since you returned to your hometown to be able to participate in such an important national event.”
His tone was full of ridicule, as if he was only a royal in appearance and was not playing the role of royal family properly.
In her history, Asuka had never tolerated someone who was arrogant towards her. Besides, here he knew that no one would blame him if he hit Gannon.
But there was a more important issue than that.
‘Wait, won’t Charlotte be there too?’
Although she didn’t feel left out, that was the biggest problem for Asuka.
It was Asuka who had been paying attention to the relationship between her and the crown prince.
Fortunately, the crown prince was very busy, and Charlotte was also concentrating on the martial arts competition, so there was no special atmosphere between the two.
However, Asuka was also unable to make any progress in her relationship with Charlotte.
It didn’t matter that I wasn’t attending such an annoying event, but I was worried about the other attendees. Isn’t the crown prince going to attend there?
Plus Charlotte and her parents. That event could have been a place where the arranged marriage between the Crown Prince and Charlotte was discussed in earnest.
Archduke Farnese was never on his side. To him, the emperor’s wishes took precedence over Asuka’s wishes.
‘Does that make sense?’
The wings of imagination spread out in my mind. Asuka, her face turning bright red, immediately jumped out of her seat and ran out.
Asuka left with the threat of an accident, only Ganon looked embarrassed and looked embarrassed.
Isn’t this the case that I’ve let people know that I’m talking nonsense?
“Oh my gosh, what should I do?”
But he soon thought to his advantage.
I only answered because Asuka asked. She didn’t do anything wrong to him. Lying to the royal family is blasphemous.
However, Gannon, who was left alone, was overcome with anxiety.
