I Don't Need A Husband - Chapter 69
Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi
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Chapter 69
The peace was short-lived, and a messenger came with news.
“Urgent news, Your Majesty.”
Isilis jumped up when the wizard ran from afar and shouted.
“What is it?”
“Marquis Miller had stepped forward and demanded proof of the legitimacy of the Imperial Family.”
“What?”
Proof of the legitimacy of the Imperial Family. It was a normal thing when there was an heir to succeed the country. However, it was only a formality, and it was the first time that a request for proof was made so openly.
“Call Duke Verus.”
“I take your orders.”
As the messenger who had brought her news left, Isilis stepped away roughly. Berthas asked as he followed her.
“The legitimacy of the Imperial Family?”
“It’s a request that can be made when there is evidence that there is a problem with the imperial lineage… but now? In this situation where the nobles of Larchen are losing their power, they don’t have to…”
“So, that’s why they asked for.”
“I see.”
She quickly grasped the situation with Berthas’ words.
The nobles had nowhere else to retreat. Everything planned was ruined, and countless nobles who had impure thoughts against the Imperial Family were cut off. Some had to give up their lives, some had to give up their fortune, and some had to give up their titles.
In this situation where their position was getting smaller, they had only one thing to do—to damage the authority of the Imperial Family—and that was to request proof of the legitimacy of the Imperial Family.
Duke Verus was already waiting in the office.
“Your Majesty.”
“I wondered which of the nobles, was it Marquis Miller?”
“Your Majesty. I really don’t know.”
“Of course, the Duke would not have known. I don’t think you would have known.”
Duke Verus was her guardian, so he couldn’t do anything to harm her. It was against his oath of protection. In the meanwhile, when Berthas heard them, his eyebrows twitched, but he closed his mouth.
Now was not the time for him to step out.
“To prove the legitimacy of the Imperial Family… are they saying that I am not the Imperial Family or that the crown princess is not the Imperial Family?”
“Your Majesty… I’m sorry to inform…”
“Who is the subject of proof?”
Duke Verus, who opened his tightly closed eyes, spat out the words.
“Your Majesty’s lineage was a problem.”
Isilis snorted at the Duke’s words.
“What nonsense are you talking about? If I am not from the Imperial Family, then who is the Imperial Family?”
“I think so, too, but Marquis Miller seemed to have a different idea.”
“You surely don’t believe that nonsense, do you?”
He could not say anything at Isilis’ words.
A day earlier.
At Marquis Miller’s mansion, Duke Verus was having a drink with the Marquis.
“I heard a strange thing.”
“Strange thing?”
“It’s something I heard a long time ago.”
“What other pranks are you trying to play?”
Duke Verus was about to tilt the drink to his mouth while laughing at Marquis Miller’s words.
“I heard that the current Empress is not of the imperial lineage.”
The drink that was going down his throat got stuck. Ignoring Duke Verus, who was coughing, Marquis Miller spoke.
“If the current Empress had sat in that seat despite not being of the imperial lineage if she just had strong magic and tricked the nobles of Larchen, what would you do?”
“What nonsense. I was there…”
“Do you. Did you see the Empress being born?”
There was no way he could see it. Only midwives, members of the Imperial Family, could enter the place where the Imperial Family was born.
“Red hair and ultramarine blue eyes are definitely the mark of the Imperial Family.”
“The previous Empress wasn’t born with red hair either, and the eye color is too pale to be called ultramarine blue.”
“Is there a law that says it should always be like that?”
“But why is the current Empress that way?”
“That’s because the previous Empress’ consort…”
“The previous Empress’ consort had red hair. However, he was born with red hair despite not being from the Imperial Family.”
“Whatever the previous Empress’ consort may be, the current Empress is the one who inherited the previous Empress’ blood!”
Marquis Miller snorted at Duke Verus.
“No, what if red hair and ultramarine blue eyes were not born to those with imperial blood, but having red hair and ultramarine blue eyes are the characteristics of those with powerful magic?”
“What are you talking about?! That’s blasphemy to the Imperial Family!”
“It happened a long time ago, so not many people remember, but there are rumors that the Empress is not from the royal family.”
“That’s false rumors!”
“Marquis Cyrka heard the rumors as well.”
“You… are you the one who brought in Marquis Cyrka?”
“It wasn’t difficult to attract a young marquis. All the more if the Marquis was a child hungry for his father’s affection.”
Seeing Marquis Miller’s sharp eyes shine, Duke Verus shuddered.
“You’re crazy, you!”
“If the Empress had recognized the nobles’ rights, I wouldn’t have stepped forward either.”
“Larchen is a country that lives by relying on the Imperial Family’s magic! What would happen if the authority of the Imperial Family was damaged in the current situation!”
“The Empress touched something she shouldn’t have touched.”
Marquis Miller’s daughter was also arrested in this incident.
The reason was that she participated in a meeting with Marquis Cyrka’s group. Indeed, his daughter participated in the meeting and signed the document dethroning the Empress, for which she was imprisoned.
If his daughter had come and consulted with Marquis Miller first, he would have hidden his daughter. She should not step out. He would have told her not to get involved in everything he had planned. But there was no chance.
“Are you doing this for your daughter? Didn’t you know that it would be fine unless she were deeply involved in it?”
“….”
Marquis Miller did not reply to Duke Verus.
Who would know that he was the one who orchestrated all of this. Marquis Miller had a long-standing love for the previous Empress. He was the most powerful candidate to be the consort… if only the previous Empress’ consort did not suddenly appear.
While the previous Empress also gave him some heart, he was not satisfied with that.
Wanting everything, he tried to kill the previous Empress’ consort on the battlefield. As he fell off the cliff after getting hit by an arrow, he was unlikely to survive.
Marquis Miller thought that after hearing the news that her consort had died, the previous Empress would welcome him as her new consort, but it was all was in vain. The previous Empress left as soon as the current Empress had grown up to a certain extent.
“Isn’t that strange?”
“What do you mean?”
“If the current Empress is clearly the previous Empress’ daughter, why did the previous Empress abandon her young daughter and leave?”
“Because it’s difficult!”
Marquis Miller shook his head to Duke Verus’ answer.
“No way. Even if it’s difficult, it would be more difficult to leave the only daughter. Isn’t she the daughter of the man she loves so much?”
Duke Verus’s mouth fell shut.
“What do you want to say?”
“She’s not the previous Empress’ real daughter.”
“…What?”
“Isn’t there a case with Aire? She might have loved her so much that she accepted a child who was not her own daughter into the Imperial Family.”
“What nonsense… You are out of your mind right now!”
“I doubted the current Empress from the moment she was born, and that suspicion has now been confirmed.”
“What does this mean? Hey, since when…?”
Duke Verus was deeply shocked by Marquis Miller’s words. To think that a close friend whom he thought to be loyal to the Imperial Family until now was a different person. If so, wouldn’t that mean that all the stories he had exchanged so far went to other nobles?
“I feel sorry for you.”
“You are no longer my friend.”
“Are you saying you’re going to throw away the time we spent together just because of the Imperial Family?”
“….”
Without answering Marquis Miller’s question, Duke Verus turned back.
“The moment you leave that door, we will become enemies.”
“I know.”
Answering Marquis Miller’s warning without looking back, the Duke walked forward. His heart ached at parting with his old friend as blood flowed from where he bit his lip.
Wiping the blood with his hand, Duke Verus continued walking.
“Your Majesty, it doesn’t matter what I believe.”
Isilis’ gaze returned to Duke Verus’ words.
“The important thing is that Marquis Miller requested proof of the Empress’ legitimacy, and Your Majesty must prove it.”
Duke Verus had no expression as he calmly explained the situation.
“Are you all right?”
Feeling strange, Isilis asked him. Duke Verus, who lowered his eyes in exhaustion, shook his head and spoke again.
“I am thankful that you are concerned about my condition, but we are in a hurry, Your Majesty. Marquis Miller is already swaying public opinion against the nobles.”
“What is the basis that I am not of the Imperial Family?”
“That I do not know.”
Duke Verus hid the words he heard from Marquis Miller the day before and did not convey them. Even the Duke thought it was nonsense.
‘If the current Empress is not the Imperial Family, then who is the Imperial Family? No, is there anyone who inherits the blood of the Imperial Family…?’
Duke Verus said, shaking off the sudden thought.
“I know you are still not feeling well, but you have to make up your mind. Your Majesty.”
“I’m laughing out loud because this is such nonsense.”
Isilis smiled faintly at Duke Verus, who had a worried expression.
“I understand the Duke’s concerns. However, they’re talking nonsense, so don’t worry too much.”
“I think so, too.”
“You must be tired today, so leave the palace and come back tomorrow.”
“I will take my leave.”
Bowing in front of her, Duke Verus stepped back. As soon as his figure disappeared outside the door, Berthas spoke to Isilis.
“Prove the legitimacy of the Imperial Family?”
“It happens sometimes. The Emperor should be born with powerful magic, but if the Emperor’s magic is weak, there is suspicion that it’s because they’re not from the Imperial Family. It’s a bad habit.”
Isilis tilted her head as she felt her temple aching. She slowly closed her eyes and spoke again.
“Come to think of it, recently, no nobles have asked for that.”
“….”
“It wasn’t during the reign of the previous Empress, and it wasn’t even before that. Though among the Emperors of Larchen, I have one of the most magic.”
Finding it incomprehensible, Isilis tapped the arm of the chair.
“So why?”
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