Dangerous Fiancee

Chapter 21

Colin's point was that the emperor blocked Ober from mounting a counterattack before he rose in revolt. That was a very plausible speculation, and Marianne agreed to some extent.

"But Ober may not act rationally as you think."

Marianne recalled her death just a few days ago.

Her appearance at the garden that night was probably an unexpected variable that Ober hadn't planned for. And as soon as he was faced with the variable, he immediately changed his plan and drowned her in the lake. Maybe these people did not know Ober's true character yet.

"That's..." Colin slurred the end of his sentence. It wasn't because he didn't know how to respond, but because he wasn't sure if it was okay to answer a little more.

He hesitated and then looked at Eckart.

"If you know too much, it will be hard for you to deceive Ober because you are overly honest," Eckart said, twitching his crossed fingertips. His tone was strangely provocative.

"If you're going to randomly select the intelligence you give me, I'll also selectively inform you of the tips that I've obtained."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, I would call it an act of revenge, if I have to name it."

She held her own in response to his challenge. In terms of the influence, she knew she was no more than a daughter of a noble family, while the other party was the emperor. Nevertheless, if she found herself in a disadvantageous situation like this, she would jump into the fire in spite of herself.

"If you don't hide anything from me, I will not hide anything from you, either."

"Was it because you were born and raised in the northern part of the border? You are always too scared."

"Compliment? Thank you."

Mariane smiled brightly. Eckart looked at her acting shamelessly and then rang the bell on the table twice.

Clang, clang!

As soon as the bell rang, the back door of the reception room was opened and the waiters came in in groups. Not one or two, but dozens. One-third of them had colorful baskets and pots, while the rest were holding neatly-organized large and small boxes.

After they came in an orderly manner, they put down the items on the table one by one. A path of blooming flowers trailed from the window to the couch where Marianne sat. Inside the boxes that opened with the creaking of hinges was a mountain of gifts. A variety of dresses and accessories, shoes and hats, gloves and fans were displayed.

"What the heck is all this..."

"If I didn't hide anything, you also said you wouldn't hide anything, right?"

Dumbfounded by all the gifts, she let out a sigh.

"This is not what I want to know," she said.

"Let me give this one as my proposal flower, and let me take the rest of them as stolen goods left behind by the cheater."

Come to think of it, she received his proposal yesterday. Though it was so unexpected and messy, she couldn't find anything like love in his confession.

"Your Majesty, I..."

Eckart stood up before she was done talking. He motioned the waiters out of the room and walked slowly towards the cluster of flowers.

"Even if Ober recklessly mounted an attack, he couldn't possibly kill your father."

The reception room was piled with potted plants and bouquets which looked like a part of the garden. There were all kinds of flowers that bloomed in spring. Ranunculus, tulips, daisies, freesias, hyacinths, daffodils, and the lilies and roses with early buds in the Imperial Palace greenhouse. Many other flowers also emitted their own fragrances. Their fragrances were so strong that they even felt dizzy when they stood near them.