Dad, I will Listen to you - Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Leopold frowned as the wedding date drew closer and closer.
He thought it might be wise to gather at least some information about Elia before the marriage and hired an informant. Today is the day he received that information.
Elia Arost.
20 years old.
Platinum blonde hair, violet eyes.
Behavior unbecoming of her age.
Beauty.
“Even if I’d asked for information on some random street thug, I’d have gotten more than this.”
Leopold tapped the desk irritably, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Two hundred gold coins, and this was all they could dig up? And I even gave them plenty of time.
But there was no need to get more upset. At Leopold’s feet lay the cold corpse of the informant. It wasn’t about the wasted money. Leopold despised incompetence. And contrary to Karl’s expectations, Leopold was both ruthless and sharp-minded. He had already killed quite a few people.
“…Maybe I should meet her.”
“What are you saying? That’s out of the question.”
His aide, Allen, panicked and tried to dissuade him. Leopold leaned back in his chair. After all, if word got out that he was showing interest in Elia, it would be like admitting defeat before the battle even began.
“If I can gain a Dukedom instead of the throne, being a son-in-law isn’t such a bad deal.”
He shielded his eyes from the incoming sunlight.
“…If His Highness Gerald ascends to the throne, his maternal relatives will run wild. On top of that, his indecisiveness will make good governance impossible.”
It was a statement closer to certainty. Allen hoped he would change his mind. There was no one more suited to be emperor than Prince Leopold. He was ruthless, sharp as a blade, and highly capable—the perfect ruler. Allen couldn’t imagine anyone else taking the throne.
“That’s true. But I’ve given him plenty of chances. My father couldn’t break free from that damned tradition, so he didn’t choose me as his successor. Why should I take responsibility for that?”
“But you’ve built up so many plans until now.”
“It’s ridiculous that I even got worked up over that half-wit. And more than anything, it’s boring.”
Leopold stood up.
He wasn’t as obsessed with the throne as one might think. That didn’t mean he lacked ambition for power, though. His desire for power was simple: he didn’t want to be controlled by others.
There had been a time when he’d conspired in a rebellion out of anger at being looked down on by his inferior older brother simply because he was born later. But even that was only fun when facing someone of equal caliber.
“…Gerald is just too far beneath me.”
No matter how many spies he planted or schemes he devised, Gerald never noticed. All Gerald had was royal blood and a handsome face resembling the emperor’s. That’s why Leopold lost interest.
He had a desire for power, but he didn’t want to dirty his hands catching insects. So, he leisurely laced the nightly wine with poison and waited for the day of death. Predicting when Gerald would die was more entertaining than confronting him directly. Over time, Gerald would grow weaker and eventually meet his end, sooner or later. By then, Leopold could claim the throne without much controversy.
But now, something more interesting had come along.
“If you'd just waited, you would’ve naturally taken the throne…”
Allen clutched his chest, frustrated. Allen was more exasperated by the situation than Leopold, who seemed to be enjoying it.
“It’s meaningless. The public wouldn’t acknowledge me anyway. I’d rather take the dukedom.”
At first, he’d been furious that his long-laid plans had crumbled. He’d even tried to delay the marriage to see it through. But after meeting Karl, his perspective shifted.
“Shouldn’t you be concerned about your future wife’s chastity? If she ends up carrying another man’s child, what’s the point of you being the seed-sower? Since you’ll have nothing to do once you become my son-in-law, why not make f*cking Elia your main occupation?”
“When you enter the Arost family, it would be best to leave your royal authority and pride behind. I have no intention of treating you as royalty.”
The rudeness was one thing, but it had been a long time since Leopold had encountered someone so unpredictable.
And when he thought about it slowly, the reason the snake who knew his schemes had let Leopold go was clear.
“If Gerald becomes emperor, you will reside in the palace and assist him in governance.”
From the start, Karl had intended to use him as a shadow, not as a crown prince.
It was a wake-up call.
His desire for the throne vanished. Even if he obtained it, the disdainful gazes directed at him wouldn’t disappear.
“Even if I become emperor, if my father doesn’t acknowledge me, it’s all the same. From his perspective, would he easily accept someone who could devour him?”
Allen couldn’t argue. Watching him hesitate, Leopold chuckled lazily.
“I’m tired of dealing with cowards. If you understand, you may leave.”
Leopold waved Allen off and began reading the documents about Karl. The more he read, the more his interest in Karl grew.
He discovered that Karl was a second son and had likely inherited his title through patricide. There was no concrete evidence, but the circumstances pointed to it.
Leopold was certain. Karl and he were cut from the same cloth.
That’s why he was curious. When two similar people clashed, who would come out on top in the battle for the title? Leopold would covet the dukedom, and Karl would never willingly give it up.
“But it’s fine now. I’ve found something more interesting.”
Leopold smiled languidly. For some reason, he found himself looking forward to the marriage with Elia.
***
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