The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 50

Just then when Margrave Antes gritted his teeth.

 

“……Who is that?”

 

“It can’t be….”

 

Commotion spread among the astounded guests.

 

The person who had just entered the banquet hall so casually was an old lady that displayed the elegance of a noblewoman with her very being. 

 

For the past five years, she has never made an appearance at any event. 

 

The old lady calmly met the gaze of the astonished guests, greeting them politely.

 

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

 

The nobles stood up from their seats, each paying respect to the Empress dowager. 

 

“We meet Empress dowager.”

 

The Empress gave a curtsy as she greeted her.

 

“I’m really happy that you’ve taken this difficult step,” remarked the Empress.

 

There was faint tension for a moment.

 

Apparently, the Empress dowager and the Empress were not on good terms with one another and avoided looking at each other directly.

 

The Empress was the daughter of a family of collaborators who contributed to the current emperor’s coup while the Empress dowager struggled to protect her grandchild during and in the coup’s aftermath.

 

The two women looked at each other in a way that expressed a whirlwind of complex emotions.

 

After a while, the Empress dowager dismissed her personal feelings and responded to the Empress’s greetings.

 

“I didn’t know whether I would ever attend a meeting concerning important issues again. Thank you for inviting me.”

 

“Don’t mention it. It’s an honor to have the Empress dowager attend.”

 

Meanwhile, Antes’s people paid attention to the word ‘important issue.’

 

To them, at least those who attended this dinner seemed genuine. The people here didn’t intend to turn a blind eye to Margrave Antes’s plight.

 

After a while, Margrave Antes opened his mouth with a rather relaxed voice.

 

“I appreciate the consideration and the respect shown by Her Majesty, the Empress, and the Empress dowager for me and my people.”

 

Ante’s people had also calmed down by now, judging from their relaxed expressions.

 

Because it meant that Empress Dowager, the eldest member of the imperial family, respected Margrave Antes to the extent that she came to attend this event. 

 

“But we did not come here to be treated, my lands are in danger.”

 

In a blink of an eye, the Margrave’s eyes constricted sharply, making his gaze intense.

 

“The frontier, my people, and lands are in a desperate crisis.”

 

“…..Our provisions.”

 

“There is absolutely no end to the shortage of supplies for the soldiers. The soldiers are left in a situation where they don’t even have enough food to eat, let alone maintain or replace their weapons… …”

 

The Margrave of Antes bit his lips in frustration and anger as he clenched his fists tightly for the words he said, a painful reminder of his powerlessness in the worsening crisis. 

 

“His Majesty, the Emperor did not even allow for an audience,” said the Duke in a bitter and anguished voice.

 

Heavy silence enveloped the banquet hall.

 

The great lord held nothing back, making his appeal with his head hung low and disregarding his pride.

 

This means the situation is dire and Margrave Antes is truly desperate.

 

“Does it make sense to think that I can cover for the shortage of goods by simply having taxes on my lands reduced? Does his Majesty consider this measly attempt at support to be sufficient enough that he leaves us to fend for ourselves?!”

 

Margrave Antes raised his voice to such a point that one could see the blood vessels in his neck.

 

“The reason my lands received a tax reduction in the first place was because there was no choice but to do so, correct?”

 

“Hey, calm down a little bit.”

 

“No, no one would be able to calm down if they were in the same situation as me!”

 

Margrave Antes slammed the table with both hands in his outburst. 

 

“It’s so frustrating that I can’t decide whether the Emperor still has a grudge against me!”

 

At that enraged outcry, people began to implore the Margrave to calm down.

 

“Margrave Antes, you’re getting too emotional!”

 

“We are well aware of your frustration. Why do you doubt that?”

 

When Emperor Seon passed away, Margrave Antes was among those that opposed the current Emperor’s succession to the throne.

 

It led to protest against the Emperor’s younger brother when the throne still had its own successor, the crown prince.

 

It was clear now that Margrave Antes wished to know whether the Emperor was being vindictive and retaliating politically as payment for the Margrave’s past actions.

 

‘Honestly, I would ask the Emperor himself if I could, alas he is not here….’

 

Despite those around him trying to calm him down, the Margrave remained incensed.

 

The Empress who had kept quiet, looked around at the banquet hall, looking back and forth as she absorbed all that was happening. To say the situation was complicated would be an understatement but it was something the Empress was no stranger to.

 

Meanwhile, the Margrave’s voice was getting sharper.

 

“Otherwise, you can’t do this to us!”

 

“Uh-huh, look! His Majesty knows the threat posed by these beasts, and yet he just ignores them!”

 

“Then, Margrave Antes…”

 

But right then.

 

A calm voice, distinct from the guests, could be heard.

 

It was the Duke of Rochester.

 

“How about doing more work?”

 

“…..Doing more work?”

 

“You, Margrave Antes are now beseeching for ‘greater funds from His Majesty, the Emperor.”

 

Even though everyone’s focus was on the Duke, his face did not react or express emotion.

 

“That’s why the Emperor can refuse and has refused an audience.”

 

“That’s…”

 

“It sounds as if his Majesty is in control of the current situation,” stated the Duke.

 

Dark green eyes gleamed coldly.

 

“You have to regain the initiative to obtain control.”

 

“Lord, do you want to regain control?”

 

At the unexpected words, people started to murmur.

 

The Duke continued to speak calmly.

 

“I’ll take your silence as a yes. To do so, please formally request the Council of the Nobles to set up an emergency relief fund.”

 

In addition to the fund that the emperor judged and paid, there was one system in the Empire that allowed a fund to be organized at the Council of Nobles.

 

That was the emergency relief fund that the Duke was talking about.

 

However, the fund was almost non-existent, its current state abysmal and the reason for that was … ….

 

“Sir, Duke of Rochester. Do you take me for a fool?!”

 

Margrave Antes’s blood was boiling. His face was already red and now it was beginning to turn purple.

 

“In order for the emergency relief fund to be approved, it must be passed unanimously by the Council of Nobles!”

 

It was next to impossible to break through the complex interests of the nobles and unify everyone’s opinions.

 

However, even with Margrave Antes in front of him, being “very excited”, the Duke didn’t budge or bat an eyelid.

 

“I also don’t think you’re going to get a unanimous vote from the nobles.”

 

“Then what are you going on about!” roared the Duke. 

 

“You only have one goal. Taking back the initiative held by His Majesty the Emperor.”

 

“Are you joking around with me right now?”

 

Margrave Antes took a quick breath and proceeded to stare the Duke down.

 

“To request an emergency relief fund from the Council of Nobles signifies the urgency of the situation.”

 

The Duke maintained his calm yet serious demeanor in the face of Margrave Antes’s intense gaze.

 

“With this, you’ll automatically capture the public’s attention.”

 

“Oh, the public?”

 

At the sudden subject, the guests widened their eyes.

 

The Duke elaborated slowly, unveiling the solution for Margrave Antes’s problems.

 

“His Majesty, the Emperor refused your request for assistance.”

 

The Duke’s voice echoed in the people’s ears. 

 

“So, Margrave Antes could not withstand the dire situation alone and thus requested an emergency relief fund from the Council of Nobles.”

 

No one dared to open their mouths.

 

Lest they miss a word the Duke says, all eyes were fixated on him.

 

“Margrave Antes’s lands are in such a difficult situation, it’s only a matter of time before the demonic beasts invade the empire after the Margrave’s lands collapse.”

 

The Duke’s eyes shone sharply.

 

“In the end, the people of the empire, the common man would suffer the most from the damage caused by the demonic beasts……now, what if you told that to the public?”

 

The Duke slightly tilted his head as he saw one by one the astonishment written on the guest’s faces. 

 

“Mustn’t there be a consensus among the people of the Empire first before a budget can be approved and provided for Margrave Antes’s lands?” inquired a guest.

 

Then the Duke shrugged his shoulders lightly.

 

“Even so, His Majesty is sensitive to public opinion, he can’t ignore it.”

 

“Yes, that’s right,” replied Margraves Antes.

 

The current emperor was, in truth, not very popular among the people of the empire.

 

This was because, despite the Emperor’s claim of acting as regent for the Crown Prince due to his young age, the decision resembled the removal of the legitimate heir to the throne and the usurpation of what should have been the Crown Prince’s throne. 

 

“In such a situation, if it was revealed that the Emperor had been neglecting even his duty to ‘protect the people of the empire’… ….”

 

“Well, you get the picture. If public opinion becomes unfavorable towards his Majesty, he won’t be able to turn a blind eye to you any longer, Margrave Antes.”

 

The Duke of Rochester ended his speech masterfully.

 

“… … Damn, that’s great.”

 

“I didn’t know you’d come up with a solution like this.”

 

“That’s right. I’m surprised by the insight you’ve shown me.”

 

Even as Margrave Antes was still fuming, he nodded his head in agreement. 

 

As the guests began to shower the Duke in praises, the Duke shook his head and raised his hand. 

 

“You’ve got it wrong.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I am not the one who came up with this solution, someone else did.”

 

The guests were puzzled.

 

If it wasn’t the Duke of Rochester, then who? Who came up with this solution?

 

The Duke wedged in the answer amidst the confused guests.

 

“This is the solution his Highness, the Crown Prince devised.”

 

As soon as she heard those words, the Empress dowager, who had been silent the whole time, raised her gaze slightly.

 

The many eyes that watched the Duke were left stunned. 

 

At the same time, the guests raced to ask questions.

 

“Do you want me to tell you about the Crown Prince?” asked the Duke.

 

“But I heard that the Crown Prince is still imprisoned….”

 

“His Highness is currently under my protection.”

 

The Empress interrupted the conversation.

 

More questions followed after her answer but some doubted the Empress.

 

“Who takes care of who? Is this allowed?” questioned one guest.

 

“It was permitted by his Majesty, the Emperor.”

 

However, the Empress was only able to answer several of the guests’ questions.

 

“My thanks to you, Duke. I was able to listen to the advice of the Crown Prince on this matter. Give him my regards,” thanked Margrave Antes.

 

Unexpectedly, the guests began to whisper to one another.

 

The Empress dowager, who overheard the guests’ gossip, disregarded them because other things were on her mind.

 

The Crown Prince was deprived of his throne by the current Emperor and the Emperor’s wife.

 

I thought we couldn’t help but have a bad relationship after all that’s happened.….

 

‘…… Your relationship with my grandchild must be better than I thought, Empress.’

 

The Empress Dowager then looked at the Empress with a piercing gaze.

 

At that moment, the eyes of the two women met.

 

‘Ah.’

 

The Empress smiled awkwardly.

 

In return, the Empress dowager’s eyes softened.