Chapter 72

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After talking about the wedding of the Crown Prince and Marianne Alberton for about 10 minutes, Duke Alberton withdrew from the Room of the Sun only after receiving a satisfactory confirmation from the Emperor.

“Then, Your Majesty, I will see you again later.”

Perhaps because he got most of what he wanted from today’s audience, Duke Alberton bowed to the Emperor with a satisfied face and turned back without hesitation.

The Emperor stared coldly at the back of Duke Alberton, who had turned his back even before he had been granted permission to leave. And when he disappeared, the Emperor sighed deeply and leaned back on the throne.

“Your Majesty, would you like to go to the bedroom?”

Count Roche, his vassal, spoke cautiously, looking at the tired-faced Emperor, who seemed to have aged ten years in a very short time.

The Emperor then slowly raised his tired, drooping eyelids, glanced at Count Roche, and spoke as he immediately closed his eyes.

“……Well. This old man will close his eyes for a moment on the throne, so you go away for a while. I want to be alone.”

“I see, Your Majesty. Shake this bell whenever you have to call me.”

Count Roche bowed deeply to the tired-eyed Emperor before coming out of the Sun’s room.

After that, he spoke to the servants and guards standing outside the door with sharp eyes.

“I will be away for about half an hour from now. In the meantime, make sure no one enters the Sun Room. And if His Majesty wants to see me, send someone to the Crown Prince’s Palace without delay.”

“Yes, sir.”

The servants and the guards were scattered in perfect order at the order of Count Roche. Count Roche glanced at the busy figure with a squint, then quickly walked down the long hallway leading to the palace.

The destination was the Crown Prince’s Palace, as he mentioned earlier. Count Roche, who came to the Crown Prince’s Palace from the Emperor’s main palace at once, asked the guardsman who was guarding the Crown Prince’s drawing-room.

“Is the Crown Prince inside?”

“Yes. His Highness is having a little tea time while waiting for Count Roche to come.”

“Tell him.”

The guard nodded heavily and knocked briefly on the door of the closed drawing-room. Then, as if he had waited inside just like the guardsman said, Crown Prince Owen’s answer came back.

“Tell him to come in.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Soon the door opened from inside, and Count Roche had an audience with Prince Owen, who was drinking tea in the centre of the drawing-room.

Owen put down the cold teacup, looking silently at Count Roche, who bowed deeply toward him. Then he asked in a cold voice to the approaching Count Roche.

“Did Duke Alberton have an audience with my father a while ago?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Can you tell me more specifically what he said?”

“Of course, Your Highness. I will tell you everything without missing a word.”

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