Chapter 23 : Viper and Survival

Count Crisa was dragged to the Imperial Castle the very next day.

I wondered how long the old count, dragged away even earlier than Igo Crisa’s warning, could survive in the imperial prison.

Just as an uncomfortable feeling was slowly building up inside me, a letter arrived from the Imperial Family, just as I and my brother had expected.

The contents were simple.

It said that the Imperial Family found the Piteos Ducal Family's work of building a hospital near the temple very commendable, and that we should ask for help anytime if needed.

I placed the overly extravagant, gold-decorated letter on the table and frowned.

Though it said I could ask for help, it was a letter that blatantly revealed their intention to intervene in the hospital project.

What the 1st Prince had proposed at the hunting festival was to clean up the vagrant children and criminals near the temple and start a new project.

I thought his real purpose was the latter.

How long had it been since vagrant children started running rampant in the capital, yet now he suddenly steps up to root them out?

This situation seemed as if... they were paying attention to those they had defined as vermin.

Would it be the wise choice to accept?

The Imperial Family reaching out to the Piteos Ducal Family again seemed, at first glance, like a suitable opportunity for the Piteos Ducal Family to regain its former status.

But if the other party was Rasia, he might still hold a grudge against the Piteos Ducal Family.

‘On the contrary, it might become an even greater disaster for Piteos.’

I rubbed my throbbing temples and adjusted my glasses.

Fortunately, I had one last chance left to avoid this.

The opportunity is called tradition, which they valued most.

It was what Duke Piteos had obtained by risking his life at the Hunting Competition.

Strictly speaking, the Imperial Family was not supposed to encroach upon the central zone until the next Hunting Competition was held.

Sending a letter in advance like this, and offering help rather than ordering us to hand over the project immediately, was ultimately because of that.

They needed the pretext that they had not broken the tradition.

Therefore, this choice was entirely up to me.

Would I accept the Imperial Family's proposal now and face the storm, or would I express my humble regrets and once again plead to hand over the zone to the Imperial Family after a year?

If the former, unless luck was on our side, the Piteos Ducal Family was highly likely to stumble once more.

If the latter, Piteos would gain the unfavorable condition of having refused the Imperial Family's proposal.

Both were crappy choices, but well, if I had to add another condition that differentiated the two, it was the matter of Count Crisa's life or death.

If the former, Count Crisa would somehow manage to stay alive, but if the latter, the Count would certainly die.

I had a hunch that accepting their proposal might save the Crisa family, but it would cause a great repercussion for the Piteos Ducal Family.

***

Inside the carriage passing through the endlessly stretching garden, I rested my chin on my hand and looked out the window.

The well-groomed trees and the flowers from all over the Empire, which I had only seen in pictorial books, might have pleased my eyes, but they couldn't please my heart.

My mind was filled with thoughts of the noble council meeting that would be held today.

I hadn't damaged the honor of the Imperial Family, nor had I shown any opposition to them.

If there was anything they could find fault with, it was just one thing.

Is the purpose, after all, the remaining people on the streets?

If the content of the letter was just as it said, that the Imperial Family wanted to support the Piteos Ducal Family's project, then nothing could be better.

It was a project that I would hand over to the Imperial Family as a sign of obedience in a year anyway.

Just because the timing was moved up, it wouldn't harm the ducal family.

The real problem would arise when what they wanted was hidden beneath that, and I couldn't know what it was.

Knowing already that these were questions without answers, I firmly pressed my furrowed brow.

“Are you alright?”

Pale, who was watching me worriedly from across, asked cautiously.

“Yes, don't worry about it.”

“Headache medicine is prepared.”

“No, that one makes me drowsy, so I can't. How much longer?”

“We should arrive in about 5 more minutes.”

“……It's certainly spacious.”

Forcibly ignoring the faint shadow of the forest, barely visible in the distance, I closed the carriage window.

***

“The Acting Head of the Piteos Ducal Family, Lord Tollin Crisa.”

Entering the ivory-colored meeting hall, I ignored the gazes that gathered on me all at once and walked to the head of the table.

These were the people who, when Agoni Piteos held the ducal title, were anxious to get close and couldn't even shove their faces in front of him once.

But after the Duke's execution, they all turned their backs.

They must have thought that the Piteos Ducal Family, now led by a brat, would fall into ruin in an instant.

Unexpectedly, I was protecting everything of the ducal family well, without letting anything be taken away.

In their eyes as they looked at me, there was discomfort, reproach, and a hint of contempt.

After all, there were those here who had been badly burned by me while coveting the wealth of the Piteos family.

“I've heard a lot about you. That the Acting Head of the Piteos Ducal Family is spending his days very busy.”

Not long after I sat down, Duke Millio, who was seated nearby, spoke to me with a good-natured laugh.

They were the Millio Ducal Family, who, despite being a ducal family, were told they lacked tradition and dignity, and were compared to the Piteos Ducal Family.

I remembered him as the one who used to pick subtle, pointless fights with Agoni Piteos.

I gave him a slight nod out of courtesy and looked forward again.

The Emperor had not yet arrived.

Thinking it would be nice to have some time to sit and rest until then, I gently closed my eyes.

“If Agoni Piteos saw the acting head's current state, he would be very sad.”

I had intended to, until his grating voice uttered a name it shouldn't have.

I glanced at his greasy cheeks, raised in a laugh, and smiled back brightly.

“You must be Duke Millio. I am still lacking in many ways, so I'm poking around here and there.”

He was the father of the brat who had been stupidly watching in the square.

“Just like a young man, your work lacks consistency.”

At my words, which finally focused on him, Duke Millio chuckled and replied.

Perhaps he heard something from his son, as his unpleasantly wide eyes held traces of unconcealed hostility.

It seems foolishness is hereditary.

Despite Duke Millio's reply, which subtly seemed to ignore him, I didn't erase my deep smile and whispered.

“That's why, as you can see, I have no fear and no hesitation.”

“What?”

Facing the plump face that asked blankly, my expression slowly hardened.

“I hear you’ve been hiding a special hobby at your villa…….”

At the unexpected topic, the color drained from Duke Millio's face.

“That, how, how!”

“Shh…… If you get so flustered, everyone gathered here will find out, won't they?”

At that calm voice, Millio realized his current appearance was sufficiently suspicious, and he scanned his surroundings and clamped his mouth shut.

A light of terror settled in Duke Millio's eyes.

This was the Duke Millio who had intended to avenge his frightened son.

He was the one who had freely sneered whenever people talked about the Piteos Ducal Family's rabid dog.

As if the guy who used to stick close to the insufferable Agoni Piteos, all intimidated, would know how to do anything.

“……”

“If you don't want to see the meeting's agenda change to whether or not to execute Duke Millio right before your eyes, keep your mouth shut today. A day won't be enough to move your secret place, will it?”

Who called this bastard a rabid dog?

This was a viper.

A viper that bites and kills all enemies around it.

***

It's gotten a little quieter now.

I tore my gaze away from the pale-faced Duke Millio.

“His Majesty, the Emperor, and the 1st Prince are entering.”

With good timing, an attendant announced the arrival of the person everyone had been waiting for.

Two men with beautiful platinum blond hair entered the hall.

The Emperor sat on the imperial throne overlooking the table where they sat, and the 1st Prince took his place beside him.

It was like a picture of a god in the sky looking down on mortals.

Their inhuman faces and shining platinum blond hair made those who saw them feel naturally overwhelmed.

Everyone naturally bowed their heads at the sight.

I, too, bowed my head.

And I clenched my teeth.

To avoid showing them eyes that mixed momentary disloyalty with reverence for the Imperial Family.

***

The meeting proceeded quite smoothly despite the tense atmosphere.

As it was a noble council meeting convened so suddenly, everyone was on edge, wondering when the Emperor would bring up the real agenda.

But until the boring talk of tax rates ended, the Emperor just sat expressionlessly, saying only the minimum necessary words.

The one who threw a stone onto the calm surface was the 1st Prince, Rasia Abalan, who was participating in the meeting in his capacity as the Emperor's aide.

Just before the meeting ended, Rasia Abalan, who had requested the right to speak, bowed his head to the Emperor and opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty, the number of criminals in the capital has greatly decreased recently.”

The quick-witted ones glanced toward my direction, where I sat quietly.

Rasia extended his arm toward me, pointing at me.

“It cannot be denied that all of this is thanks to the Piteos Ducal Family's hospital construction project. The decrease in the crime rate and the improvement in the streets' security, all of it. The Piteos Ducal Family, as always, is the sword of the Imperial Family and a model for the nobility. I believe that looking after them is also the duty of the Imperial Family.”

The hall stirred at the 1st Prince's smooth delivery, as if he were reciting a prepared line.

The Emperor, who was sitting on the imperial throne watching them, opened his mouth.

“Acting Duke Piteos, the Imperial Family will grant you one thing you desire as a sign of appreciation for your hard work. What is it that you want?”

At the Emperor's extraordinary words, everyone focused on the words of the Acting Duke, who was sitting still.

Amidst it all, I felt like the protagonist of a cheap play, and I suppressed the urge to vomit and quietly bowed my head.

I thought that since my lines were already given, I had no choice but to attune myself to my god, even if I was awkward.

“Your Highness, please allow me to dare make one request in response to your gracious words.”

After confirming the Emperor's nod, I continued.

“As the hospital project is proceeding by hiring nearby residents, we are lacking in professional personnel and equipment. I humbly request the assistance of the Imperial Family in this matter.”

Even after I finished speaking, I kept my head down, so no one could see my expression.

Though no one spoke, everyone knew that the help I had just requested from the Imperial Family was not merely superficial help.

But no one said it out loud.

The Emperor looked around the hall with the same bored expression and spoke to me.

“It is permitted.”

I, the young Acting Head of the Piteos Ducal Family, bowed deeply once more to express my gratitude.

The Emperor continued.

“The 1st Prince will be responsible for this matter.”

“I am grateful for your boundless grace.”

The sound of someone tactless gasping echoed in the quiet meeting hall.

***

“Tollin.”

I, who was walking with a feeling like I could drill through the floor, turned my head at the curt voice.

I stood in place, waiting quietly for Igo Crisa who was approaching me, and spoke first.

“Count Crisa will be released soon. That’s good.”

Igo Crisa looked at me with his still-unreadable face, then slowly nodded.

“Thank you.”

“It was merely an order that wasn't bad for the Piteos Ducal Family either. It wasn't for the Count's sake.”

I retorted quickly, not wanting him to mistake my choice for some belated love for my family.

It was a conclusion reached after weighing and re-weighing various conditions.

The matter of Count Crisa's life or death had the lowest priority among all of them.

The issue of dealing with the vagrant children that Duke Piteos had tried to save held a higher priority than any sense of duty to save him.

If I delayed the choice for a year, the typhoon set to strike the Piteos Ducal Family might grow even larger.

Rather than not knowing what pretext they would use to attack Piteos, it was more comfortable to respond if the attack was focused on the single hospital project.

Besides, the admission period for the nobles' academy was fast approaching.

Before then, I needed to somehow create the impression that the Piteos Ducal Family had not been completely abandoned by the Imperial Family.

If I could just do that, the rest...

“I know. That's not what I'm thankful for.”

As I was steadying my resolve alone, Igo Crisa's impassive voice fell over my head.

Then what is there for you to be thankful to me for?

At the incomprehensible words, I frowned, and Igo Crisa's lips curved slightly.

“I mean, thank you for always being you.”

Feeling the displeasure that was already creeping up on me as if it were piercing my head, I decided to ignore him.

“I'll be going now. I'd prefer if we didn't see each other again, if possible.”

“Tollin, have you no thought of seeing Father?”

What is this person saying right now?

Wondering what I had just heard, I glared at Igo Crisa's face again.

“We aren't close enough to see each other and ask how we're doing, are we?”

Igo Crisa, perhaps agreeing that there was nothing wrong with my words, quietly nodded before finally opening his mouth.

“Tollin, you no longer need to worry about the Crisa Count Family.”

“What are you talking about? I had forgotten all about it until you came to find me, Older brother.”

As I spoke with disgust, Igo Crisa muttered, ‘Indeed,’ and chuckled softly.

Finding him, who was so free with his laughter today, unfamiliar, I turned my body, truly intending to leave this time.

This time, there was no voice to stop me, so there was no reason for me to look back either.