An Unexpected Proposal-Chapter 73

That kind of partnership wasn’t easily shaken.

But it wasn’t flawless either.

A lack of trust meant that, at its core, their alliance was fragile.

"Do you have a plan?"

"It can’t be done in one move. We’ll have to weaken them gradually. If both of their foundations start crumbling, they won’t be able to act as freely."

A deep crease formed on Cabelenus’s forehead.

Even though he had suppressed much of it, the shackles still remained.

Taking on both factions at once carried too much risk.

"If we make the wrong move, we’ll be kicking a hornet’s nest."

"Then we create chaos before they can retaliate. If we scatter distractions that irritate them, even better."

"Do we have something like that?"

"We do. And it’s very close by."

Cabelenus leisurely unfolded a map of the continent.

His gaze landed on an emblem resembling a deer.

"We’ll bring Roakin into this."

"But Roakin…"

Gajev hesitated.

Even if it was kept quiet, everyone knew that Jerpeneus’s birth mother had been a dancer from the Roakin Kingdom.

The Roakin people were known for their striking green eyes—eyes that Jerpeneus despised.

It was the reason he was mocked as a "foreign emperor."

"Jerpeneus loathes Roakin because of his hatred for green eyes. And Roakin hates him just as much."

"But half of the Emperor’s blood is Roakin, isn’t it?"

"He would never see it that way. He once said that if he could, he’d drain the Roakin half of his blood from his body."

Though he had learned to hide it over the years, Jerpeneus hadn’t always been that way.

As a child, he had constantly blamed his bloodline, crying over it at every turn.

"That much?"

"Yes. And Roakin's reputation has never been great, so this will work in our favor."

"You mean the rumors that Roakin was trying to swallow up the empire?"

"The rumors started because the late emperor showered his concubine with lavish gifts. In reality, the amount wasn’t much different from what favored consorts had always received. But the High Priest interfered."

"Why would the High Priest do that…?"

Gajev’s expression turned grim.

Cabelenus’s face twisted with deep disgust.

"To protect the imperial family’s secret."

"A secret…?"

"It’s nothing grand. Just a simple question—how have black hair and golden eyes persisted through the generations?"

"The imperial family is… unique. You’re not saying—"

Gajev stopped himself.

Among the empire’s people, the special traits of the imperial family were an unquestioned truth.

The fact that Cabelenus was bringing it up meant there was something else beneath the surface.

"The only thing special about me is that I was used as a lab rat."

"Then…?"

"The imperial family has always disposed of children who didn’t meet their 'standards.'"

"Then how did the Emperor survive?"

"Because of the late emperor’s overwhelming favoritism."

Though the experiments had eventually lost sight of their original goal, they had all started because of Jerpeneus.

The late emperor had wanted his son to inherit golden eyes—no matter what.

"Hermann hated it. He despised the experiments, and he hated that he lost his influence over the imperial family because of them. That’s why he wanted to get rid of him."

He only succeeded halfway.

Hermann had relentlessly turned public opinion against the late emperor.

He failed to eliminate Jerpeneus, but he succeeded in killing his mother.

And from that day on, everything had spiraled out of control.

"After the emperor’s mother died, the late emperor became obsessed with his remaining child. That’s probably when he decided to pass the throne to him. And then…"

Cabelenus pressed his temples.

Even after all these years, memories of that time still gave him headaches.

"Let’s stop here. None of that matters. What matters is that those two will never truly work together."

"…"

"And Roakin will make that divide even wider."

Many within the empire had once been enraged by the influence Roakin held.

They had spent years criticizing the Roakin people.

That resentment wouldn’t disappear just because Roakin had been quiet for a while.

"Roakin will stir negative public opinion against the Emperor, but will it affect the High Priest as well?"

"Didn’t I just say that the High Priest was the one who made them an enemy in the first place?"

"But people enjoy scandal, not truth."

Negative rumors spread faster than reality.

Even if the truth about Roakin came out, no one would bother listening.

"They will if that truth gives them another reason to place blame. We have more than enough evidence of the High Priest’s fabricated calamities."

"It won’t be that simple."

"I know. If we misstep, they might turn the blame onto me instead."

The reason no one had acted against Hermann yet was because he wasn’t easy to bring down.

If he were, Jerpeneus would have already erased the rumors about himself.

But the fact that those rumors still circulated across the empire meant Hermann’s hand was still in play.

Bringing down the High Priest wouldn’t work while he remained at full power.

They had to wait for him to start falling before they struck.

"But we can’t let the power shift too far to one side. If the imperial family and the temple remain evenly matched, they’ll be too busy watching each other to focus on us."

"You mean to keep both factions under control?"

"Just enough to shift the balance back and forth. If they remain distracted, they’ll have less time to come after us."

Taking them both on at once wasn’t an option.

And if they unexpectedly worked together, things would become even more troublesome.

The safest approach was to gradually destabilize both sides while ensuring neither grew too powerful.

"Will that really work?"

"If we manipulate their fractures correctly, it should. Of course, they’re so busy tearing into each other that none of it is really an advantage in the long run."

Every single one of them was too greedy.

If given the illusion of gaining something, they would lower their guard, even if only temporarily.

"Right now, the temple holds the upper hand, so—"

Knock, knock.

The abrupt sound cut off Cabelenus’s words, his eyes narrowing.

Only a handful of situations could justify an interruption.

"I’ll check."

Gajev swiftly moved in his place.

Ever since the incident eight years ago, Cabelenus had become hypersensitive to unexpected messengers.

"I made it clear—unless it’s urgent—"

Gajev opened the door and froze.

The knock had been real, but no one was outside.

A mistake?

Or…

"Mister!"

A young voice called from below.

Gajev instinctively looked down to see a pair of wide, clear eyes staring up at him.

Mikael.

"What brings you here, Mikael?"

"I have something to tell you."

"Something… to me?"

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"Not you, Mister. The one behind you."

"The one behind me…?"

Gajev repeated the words and turned around, locking eyes with a pair of golden irises.

He let out an awkward chuckle.

Mikael was still calling Cabelenus "Mister."

"Mister, do you have a moment?"

"No. I don’t."

"…Should I tell Mom?"

"Suddenly, I seem to have some free time."

Cabelenus put down the report he had been holding, his expression still irritated.

Only then did Mikael flash a satisfied smile and puff out his chest.

***

"How did you even get here?"

"I told them I was looking for you. Everyone was really helpful."

The moment people realized the "Mister" Mikael was looking for was Cabelenus, their faces had gone pale.

They had no idea how to handle the situation.

Mikael narrowed his eyes slightly, studying Cabelenus’s face.

He still wasn’t sure what kind of person this man was, but one thing was certain—he was suspicious.

He needed to investigate further.

"Where’s your mother?"

"Mom’s sleeping. She didn’t rest well last night."

As soon as Mikael finished speaking, Cabelenus turned to Gajev.

"From tonight onward, have tea that helps with insomnia sent to Alicia’s room."

"Understood."

"…"

"What are you staring at?"

"Honestly, I thought you were lying."

Mikael’s gaze slowly swept over Cabelenus from head to toe.

Much as he hated to admit it, the well-dressed man did look quite respectable.

"Lying about what?"

"You said you had a castle."

"I said it because I do."

With a castle this massive, most people would have boasted about it.

But Cabelenus was strangely indifferent.

Mikael cleared his throat, carefully observing his reaction.

"Then is it true that you’re the second most powerful person after the Emperor? You said so before. That you were a…?"

"A Grand Duke."

"Right! That! That’s real, too?"

"Yes."

"Then you must be close with the Emperor?"

"…"

Expectation sparkled in Mikael’s eyes.

But Cabelenus subtly averted his gaze.

He knew exactly what kind of answer the child wanted, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Not when he had just been plotting the Emperor’s downfall.

"So, you’re not close with him. Well, that makes sense. You don’t seem like the type to have friends anyway."

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"It means you have a bad personality."

"…"

"You don’t actually think you have a good personality, do you?"

Now that would be shameless.

The deliberately cheeky tone was infuriating.

Cabelenus pressed his lips into a thin line.

He still hadn’t decided how to deal with Mikael.

The fact that the same blood ran through them was something he had yet to fully accept.

"I wanted to see the Imperial Palace, but I guess that won’t happen."

"There’s nothing to see there."

Cabelenus’s voice was tinged with irritation.

The mere thought of Mikael being in the palace was unpleasant.

"Nothing to see? But it’s the biggest castle in the empire! If this place is huge, then the palace must be gigantic."

"It’s big, sure. But size isn’t everything. More importantly, the person living there is far from decent."

"Still, I doubt he has a worse personality than you."

"…What exactly do you think of me?"

"I think you’re a Mister. A very strong but equally bad-tempered Mister."

Mikael puffed out his chest, utterly unashamed of his words.

"Did you come here today just to argue with me?"

"Of course not. I came to check something."

"What?"

"To see if you’re qualified to be my dad."

"…What?"

Cabelenus’s face twisted in disbelief.

But Mikael remained completely unfazed.

"I told you before, right? You can’t choose your real father, but you can choose your adoptive one."

Just what exactly was going through this child’s mind?

Cabelenus was speechless, letting out a hollow laugh.

If it were just a joke, he wouldn’t have reacted.

But Mikael’s face was too serious for that.

"I thought about it after watching you protect Mom. I think it’d be nice if you could guard her until I grow up."

"So, you’re saying you’d accept me as your father? How generous."

"I never said I’d accept you. Why would I trust you with my mom so easily?"

Mikael waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away an annoying insect.

"Then what?"

"I’ll be watching you for a while. Very carefully. With extreme precision!"

"Watching me?"

"It’s a test. You’re strong and rich, but you have a terrible personality. If you were nice like Uncle James, I wouldn’t have to check, but with you… I need to be sure."

"Your uncle isn’t that nice either."

Cabelenus muttered with displeasure.

He found James’s refined, gentlemanly act insufferable.

And now, Mikael was criticizing his personality while praising James? How absurd.

"No way! Uncle James is the best! He even buys me candy—"

"I can buy you candy anytime."

"Then buy it first before you talk."

Cabelenus’s expression completely crumbled.

He ran a hand roughly through his hair before leaning back against the sofa.

"…Gajev, bring me candy. Now."

"Candy?"

"Bring all the candy in the castle."

His voice was low, almost threatening.

He had no intention of losing to James.

Even if it meant humoring this ridiculously sharp-tongued child.