As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

“That’s the situation.”

“Then, what about the temples? Especially the Great Temple, have you checked it?”

“The barriers made of divine power are so tight that it’s not easy.”

“…Then Your Excellency must have a rough idea as well.”

“It’s probably in the Great Temple. It’s only half a day’s ride from the capital, so it wouldn’t be difficult to go back and forth.”

“What more does the emperor need to gather power for? If he had just pretended to manage the empire like the previous imperial family, things wouldn’t have gotten this bad. It’s strange that he’s just left it like this. Does he just want power without doing any work?” Robin grumbled as if he couldn’t understand.

Aiven, who had been watching him, spoke up. “…There are some large-scale spells in black magic that require such a huge amount of life force.”

“What kind of magic?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Aiven.

He answered in a calm voice. “Magic to turn back time or revive the dead.”

After a brief silence, Robin scoffed. “

, it’s definitely neither of those. They assassinated the former emperor to become a new one, didn’t they?”

“…Probably. They might just be trying to consolidate their power. Anyway, there are many uses for great power.”

Robin nodded, and Hendrik spoke up.

“

, then let’s stop chatting and start our escort duty. By the way, Vice-Captain, where is Ren?”

“He’s playing in the garden with Luize.”

“Alright then, I’ll leave it to you. I have some urgent business to attend to.” Edward quickly made his way to the garden.

The members watching him soon burst into laughter.

* * *

Luize, who was sitting on a rocking swing with the sleeping Ren on her lap, smiled warmly at Edward as he approached.

“You were here.”

As he sat next to her, the swing wobbled slightly.

“…

” Ren stirred, curling up into a tighter ball and covering its eyes with his tail.

Luize whispered to him in a soft voice. “How did the meeting go?”

“It went well.”

“I also received a reply. I thought they wouldn’t help with such a difficult matter, but they accepted right away.” She took a letter out of her sleeve and handed it to Edward.

[You’re using the free voucher quite well. We’ll accept it.]

At the end of the concise letter was the wolf insignia of the Dawn Wolf Mercenary and Vivian’s signature.

“Thanks to you, Miss Luize, things will go smoothly.”

“It feels a bit unsettling, like something the forces of evil would do.”

“Of course, we plan to proceed with the guardian’s consent.”

“Right.

, and my aunt informed me that Servenia is ready anytime.”

“With this, all official business is completed.”

Edward tilted his head to look at her. Luize met his gaze and smiled along with him as he curved his lips gracefully.

“Then, would you like to spend some time with your soon-to-be fiancé who has just finished his work?”

“Unfortunately, Ren is asleep on my lap right now, so I can’t get up. Maxion is busy with his duties, so I plan to take care of Ren for the time being.”

“…”

Edward’s gaze turned to the sleeping baby dragon. Indeed, leaving this child alone was dangerous.

With a snap of his fingers, a picnic basket with a cushion perfectly sized for Ren’s dragon form was summoned.

As Edward gestured, Ren floated in the air and gently landed in the basket.

Closing the lid and holding the basket with one hand, he extended his other hand to Luize.

“There are many violets blooming in the sunny spot behind the main building. Have you seen them?”

“Not yet. Let’s go see them together.”

Holding hands, Luize and Edward headed to another garden.

* * *

The plan seemed to be going smoothly. Every person on Edward’s list was attacked without exception. There was not a single person admitted to the hospital under a black magic spell, proving Edward’s predictions accurate.

“

, is it really as predicted? It’s eerily accurate.”

“It’s fortunate that we’re on the same side as His Excellency.”

To cast black magic that drains life force, the target had to be unconscious. With the engagement ceremony approaching, there was no time to plant spies in each family, so everyone was attacked outside their residences.

“Aren’t you from the Silver Hawk Knights?”

“Yes. His Excellency secretly ordered us to protect the Count. We were told you might be attacked. We apologize for not informing you in advance due to the secrecy.”

“…I see.”

Most of those attacked quickly understood why they were targeted with just that explanation.

“There was an unofficial meeting recently. Opinions were raised that the sleeping sickness spreading in the capital might not be a simple epidemic. I was uncertain, but now I’m convinced. Thank you for saving us.”

“We’re just following His Excellency’s orders.”

“Please tell His Excellency even those whose families have been taken hostage are preparing to fight back. I’ll visit and explain in detail myself.”

“We will do so.”

The further a family was from the emperor, the more frequent unofficial meetings became.

Thus, the day before Luize and Edward’s engagement ceremony approached.

[…Therefore, the imperial family has taken measures to ensure that those afflicted with the sleeping sickness cannot be discharged immediately for their safety. Patients can be discharged a week after applying for approval from the imperial family, and the costs for that week will be covered by the imperial family to reduce the burden on the citizens.]

The hands of the person reading the newspaper trembled uncontrollably. For the first time in a while, the mainstream media covered a social and political issue as if they had anticipated that the nobles were preparing for a mass discharge. This was a warning from the emperor.

“There must be a traitor among us.”

“That was predictable. We mustn’t falter here.”

“I can’t give up my daughter. I’m sorry, but I’m out of this.”

“If you withdraw like this, what does that make the rest of us? Were you the emperor’s spy all along?”

“What did you say?”

Due to the Empress Dowager’s schemes, cracks began to appear among those who intended to side with Edward.

As their plans fell apart and the imperial family openly pressured them, the nobles began to look at the imperial family again.

“It seems I need to reconsider. It feels like we’re playing into the emperor’s hands.”

Those who were afraid retreated into the shadows and hid.

And the day of the engagement ceremony arrived.

* * *

Luize was surprised to see the attendees at the engagement ceremony.

“It’s exactly as Edward said.”

“It’s thanks to the Emperor reacting as expected.”

Less than half of the capital’s nobles attended the engagement ceremony. Half of those left immediately after the main ceremony, leaving only a few to stay until the end.

“I thought all the families on Edward’s list would stay until the end, especially since our knights saved them.”

“When their lives were saved, they must have been more furious with the emperor and wanted to side with me. They probably still feel that way to some extent.”

“…”

“Anger is fleeting, but fear lingers. They hid because they were afraid of being attacked again or having other family members experience the same.”

“But among those who stayed until the end, there are people whose family members are hospitalized and those we saved. Why did they stay?”

Edward smiled leisurely. “Miss Luize, do you know how to distinguish between allies and foes in the capital?”

“

… Well, the only method that comes to mind is… by those who speak annoyingly righteous words and those who flatter with pleasing words?”