TPOP 45

Chapter 45

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In the thirteen years since the Empress's tragic death, Felix's attention had been focused solely on the dead. In that sense, it was far better to play with the living. Even if rumors did get out about the blind maid, they would be much easier to deal with.

But he still couldn't be entirely sure. No matter how noble his position, no matter how eccentric his behavior, he was still a man. A man in his prime with a functioning body.

He wasn't known for being particularly promiscuous, but the matter needed to be addressed nonetheless.

"Do you bring her into your bedroom?"

"Do I have to report in detail about my sex life?"

"Of course not, I was just trying to take the necessary precautions just in case."

"Oh, I see."

It was a polite tone, but Felix quickly agreed.

"It would be a real headache if she got pregnant, so do whatever you want."

"If you like."

The necessary precaution, of course, was birth control. The Crown Prince's first child had to be of noble or royal blood. A maid of questionable origin could not be allowed to carry the precious sperm. Once she got pregnant, it would be too late, so it was wise to take preemptive measures, not only for the Crown Prince, but also for the poor maid.

Assuming, of course, that the girl was truly a loyal servant.

The Duke still had his doubts about Diana Escalif. What if the girl, now that she had access to Felix's private residence, betrayed him? What if she tried to assassinate him in a remote location where not even the guards were allowed to enter? However much Felix liked her, could he guarantee that it wouldn't happen?

"If you believe she's so loyal, why don't you use her as a spy?"

"Are you suggesting a double agent?"

"Exactly."

It was at this point that Prince Eisen's forces began to make suspicious moves. Nobles supporting Eisen were secretly amassing troops. They were even buying large quantities of iron ore for weapons.

But Felix was indifferent to all that was so obvious.

"Well, it seems like a waste of time to send her away."

Hugo took a deep breath to stifle the rising anger inside him. Yes, he had expected this reaction when he brought the subject up so abruptly.

"So, just out of curiosity, Your Highness, do you have any intention of ascending to the throne?"

"Who else can rule this country if not me?"

Felix's mouth curved into a smile.

"The son of a whore?"

Eisen had never been given the surname Astiano. He was given the title of prince, but was never officially recognized as a member of the royal family due to fierce opposition from the nobility, led by Duke Christen.

Eisen's mother was Hilde's prostitute; she hid this fact and approached the emperor disguised as a noblewoman. Eisen was the child born of this union.

At the time, no one knew that the emperor's mistress was a former prostitute. The empress tolerated her and her son because the mistress was supported by the Count of Montaigne. After the death of the Empress, the origin of the mistress was revealed. In the end, it was Felix himself who killed the mistress.

For this reason, Felix held the brothel workers in extreme contempt: those who worked there, those who visited them, and anyone else who had even the slightest connection to them. Without exception.

"I'm afraid, Your Highness, there are quite a few nobles who support Prince Eisen, so I suggest you return to the palace soon. Will you be attending the upcoming birthday banquet?"

"I suppose so."

That was why Felix had returned to the palace from the hunting grounds. The emperor's birthday was just around the corner. The Emperor was bedridden, and the Crown Prince was in seclusion, so the Council of Nobles was going to organize the event. Of course, seven of the ten noble families in the council supported Felix.

"The preparations are complete, as per Your Highness’s instructions, but I'm not sure they will be up to your standards."

"I don't expect artistic flair from you anyway. With low expectations, I can't be disappointed, unless it's subpar."

"I can confidently say that we will surpass last year's event."

Dozens of painters, sculptors, tailors, and artisans were called in to decorate the palace and prepare for the ceremony. Rare jewelry and textiles have been flown in from neighboring countries to meet the Crown Prince's standards, which never tolerate anything disproportionate or unbalanced-in other words, anything less than beauty.

There was another reason he went all out for this year's banquet. At last year's Foundation Day celebration, a carelessness about the preparations being "good enough" led to something unprecedented. As soon as Felix entered the ballroom, he walked out.

Hugo shuddered at the memory of the National Day celebration without the Emperor or the Crown Prince.

Felix himself was deeply affected by the state of the ballroom that day. A few months earlier, he had drawn up a structural blueprint of the entire palace and sent it to Hugo. The blueprints detailed what colors to use where, what kind of fabrics, what items to place in the main hall, and even how to tie the curtains.

Felix's dedication to aesthetics was evident in his eye for detail, which made preparing for this year's banquet easier than in previous years.

"Your outfit to be worn on the day of the event only needed finalizing. The tailor will be visiting the palace in two days, and you must be there - after all, the main character of the day is the Crown Prince himself."

Although the banquet was nominally to celebrate the emperor's birthday, the emperor would not be in attendance. The day would in fact be a public relations event to cement the crown prince's ascension to the throne.

Thirteen years had been a long time. Earlier this year, the emperor fell from his horse and became bedridden, further fueling calls for the Crown Prince's return.

Hugo's plan was to reintroduce the Crown Prince to society by the end of the year and move quickly enough to hold a coronation by next year. If possible, a royal marriage would be ideal to boost public opinion. The polished appearance of the crown prince would be telling. Once the Crown Prince made his appearance, the entire empire would be abuzz with speculation about who his bride would be.

Of course, it was a highly unlikely plan.

Getting the arrogant man back into the palace was the first hurdle, let alone marrying him.

Prince Eisen must have foresaw the intentions of the Crown Prince's supporters early on. That was why he'd been steadily sending women to the secluded palace since last year.

Hugo wasn't too worried, as his nephew led a bloody life, but remained remarkably clean when it came to women.

So things were back to square one. Felix leisurely smoked a cigar and gave a nonchalant order.

"Call the tailor to the villa."

"...And you'll do it even if Diana isn't there?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Felix frowned through the thick smoke. Hugo seized the moment and spoke quickly.

"Actually, I've come to offer you a suggestion, Your Highness. I have a way to make the best use of that maid. Would you like to hear it?"

It was wise to remove a source of uncertainty that could sway Felix. But to remove something, it was more efficient to first extract value from it.

"According to the employment contract the maid signed, it seems she is required to report her accomplishments to Prince Eisen every twenty days. It looks like her regular reporting date is coming up. Why don't we send the maid to the prince to test her loyalty and get some meaningful information out of her?"

"Meaningful information?"

"Didn't she overhear earlier that Prince Eisen's forces are targeting the birthday banquet?"

"She did."

"That's not enough. If we can find out how many assassins Prince Eisen plans to send, where they are, and even part of their strategy, we might be able to stop the disturbance in advance."

Felix, now lost in thought, smoked the last of his poisoned herbs.

Hugo had underestimated Felix's willingness to succeed to the throne, but Felix had no intention of passing it on to his half-brother. His indifference to external politics and unseen power struggles stemmed from a firm belief that he would eventually ascend to the throne, no matter what his minions did.

When the old emperor died, Felix would become emperor, but whether his ascension would be smooth or chaotic was worth considering.

"Prince Eisen will send an assassin before the birthday banquet, and the target won't necessarily be Your Highness, but anyone on our side, including me or your key allies."

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