When the Female Lead Went Off-Script, the Main Male Lead Became the Tyrant's Empress - Chapter 2.2
An imperial relative with powerful authority and wealth could become a threat.
Therefore, unless he had an important report to make or had been invited to an imperial event, the Grand Duke rarely left his grand duchy.
However, because of the rapidly changing political situation both within and outside the Empire, the Emperor eased the pressure upon the North.
His reasoning was that prolonged restraint would only breed discord between sovereign and subject, making it difficult to build trust.
It would also increase the volume of trade and lower prices while they were at it.
Under the Crown Prince’s direction, an imperial social gathering was held at the palace.
Official documents establishing friendly relations were drawn up, and everyone exchanged gleaming looks that said, ‘Brace yourselves, you gullible bastards. Without suffering a single loss, I’m going to thoroughly clean out every last corner of your storehouses!’ while subtly proposing tax increases or negotiating prices. It was an exciting banquet that made the back of everyone’s neck prickle.
The northerners, thoroughly sick of the endless banquets and bargaining, expressed with their entire bodies, ‘To hell with friendship, I want to go home!’
Arden’s heart ached at the sight of them, so before Haster could leave, he made a suggestion to his imperial father.
“It has been a long time since honored guests visited us from the North, so why not show them a little more generosity?”
Then he promptly slipped Grand Duke Valtor’s party into that year’s imperial tour.
Haster, who had abruptly been assigned the role of the free carton in a two-plus-one milk promotion, vehemently declined in the most dignified and courteous language befitting a ruler.
However, the Crown Prince applauded and praised him instead.
“Look, Your Majesty! Isn’t he truly decisive yet modest? If such an imperial relative were not included among the tour attendants, the Grand Duke would be deeply disappointed.”
Haster glared at Arden with eyes that promised to kill him on the spot, but the Crown Prince merely winked at him repeatedly like an immature child.
The Emperor also exclaimed in admiration that his son was indeed exceptionally thoughtful.
While the father and son discussed the tour among themselves and the councilors interjected from time to time, Haster quietly closed his eyes.
A disloyal thought blazed in the eyes hidden behind his eyelids.
‘Wouldn’t it count as self-defense even if I committed treason?’
Thanks to that, rather than returning home, Haster fell victim to the scheme of his cousin, whom beating to death still wouldn’t have been enough to satisfy him, and was dragged all the way to the southern region against his will.
If Arden had brought him along, he could at least have allowed him to properly fulfill his duties as an attendant.
Instead, the detestable Arden used an incognito excursion as an excuse to drag Haster away and brazenly sneak out of the procession in plain sight.
“Haster, are you sulking?”
“Do not speak to me.”
“Hiing.”
At the pathetic attempt to act cute, Haster clenched his fist.
Arden grinned as he watched Haster restrain himself with patience as tough as iron sinew.
In that regard, Haster was simple and easy to understand.
If Arden prodded him just enough, Haster would reluctantly move in the direction Arden wanted.
However, that only applied to trivial matters.
When it came to something Arden truly wanted, Haster wouldn’t budge in the slightest.
Arrogant and taciturn, he would merely scoff at Arden no matter how much he tried to coax or threaten him.
It was so irritating and infuriating that Arden sometimes wanted to knock Haster down and dissect him piece by piece until he was finally satisfied.
“Help me!”
At that moment, a piercing scream shattered Arden’s thoughts.
When he turned toward the sound, he saw a blond woman in a white dress running toward them in a frenzy.
Sweat streamed down her deathly pale face, and her blue eyes held a fear that couldn’t possibly have been fabricated.
Several men were chasing after her.
It was the sort of situation that seemed obvious without needing to ask.
The two men moved swiftly and hid the woman, who was panting as though she might collapse at any moment, behind them.
“Those men are bad people. They’re trying to forcefully sell me off to some old man!”
At the woman’s words, the men who had been chasing her burst into raucous laughter.
“Stop talking nonsense and come quietly, Miss. Taking the money after agreeing to marry and then secretly running away is fraud.”
Arden clicked his tongue inwardly.
He disliked the man’s insolent manner of speaking, but he disliked the content of his words even more.
The woman immediately fired back.
“Bride trafficking! Trafficking a minor into marriage! I’m seventeen years old!”
Then she widened her eyes and pointed an accusing finger at them, demanding to know why they were making such a fuss when they had given the money to someone else and were the ones committing a crime against her.
There was no need to hear anything more.
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