Chapter 126

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 126

Chapter Title: Blue Rose's That Person

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Just as I tilted my head in puzzlement, Dad wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"I'll see you all the way to the carriage."

I glanced over, and Empress Yvonne's gaze was fixed on me.

With Duke Ballua—the one she'd been trying to pull to her side—now fallen, she'd need a solid ally to secure the crown prince's future.

The Duvered family was a perfect fit for her tastes. And with my reputation soaring after the arena duel, she'd be desperate to get her hands on me somehow.

It was exactly the kind of situation that would worry Dad.

'And now that we know Duke Marsch is tangled up in the kidnapping incident, it feels off to keep chatting with him.'

"Yes!"

I answered Dad brightly, then quickly bowed to Duke Marsch.

"Farewell!"

The duke smiled kindly, and I beamed back at him.

'What a tough old grandfather.'

Someone openly showing hostility like Duke Ballua was easier to deal with, honestly.

An elderly man wearing such a benevolent expression, as if he knew nothing of wicked schemes, was far trickier. You couldn't read him at all.

"Well then."

Dad and I headed to the carriage rental together.

After lifting me into the carriage, Dad turned to the escorts with darkened eyes.

"Keep a sharp eye on the surroundings. Predators eyeing prey sometimes lose all sense of heaven and earth."

He was referring to the nobles with bloodshot eyes, hungry for Ballua territory.

"Understood."

Tension etched across the escorts' faces.

"Leblain."

"Yes."

"From now on, if you need to leave the estate, you must always take your guards and Nos with you."

I nodded. Only after hugging Dad's neck in greeting did the carriage set off.

Up until then, I'd been waving cheerfully at Dad. But the moment we rolled away, I schooled my expression and drew the curtains over the window.

Then, alone inside the carriage with Nos, I shared everything I'd heard from Duke Ballua.

Nos stroked his chin slowly after hearing it all.

"The ringleader is Duke Marsch—eh? What's his angle?"

"Who knows. Endless possibilities. Either he's power-mad, or there's some massive power hidden in me that even I don't know about."

"Hm..."

"Or maybe it's Duke Ballua's last desperate ploy to pit me against Marsch."

Nos narrowed his eyes and quirked a brow.

"Either way, Marsch is worth digging into."

"Just intel-gathering. No need to poke around so much that the real ringleader gets wind of it and heightens his guard."

"Why not?"

"If he's the boss, he'll want something from me for sure. No need for us to chase it down—he'll come to us."

"Still, we need precautions. This is Duke Marsch we're talking about. Extra caution's in order."

As Nos said, Duke Marsch was no Duke Ballua.

House Ballua ranked lowest among the Five Great Ducal Houses and couldn't stand against Duvered without other allies.

But Marsch was different.

Duke Marsch was the emperor's father-in-law, father to Empress Yvonne who controlled the inner palace, and grandfather to the crown prince—currently the closest to the throne.

And that was just the start. As a founding merit house, they'd held the pinnacle of power since the empire's dawn.

Their amassed wealth rivaled Duvered's, backed by immense military might and a treasure trove of exceptional talents surpassing even ours.

"Still, a few lucky breaks. First, whatever the ringleader wants, I hold it."

"And?"

"They can't strike at me."

"...Pardon?"

"If Marsch is the boss, he's had plenty of chances to target me. Especially at the end of the arena duel. But even a coward like Ballua wouldn't stoop to tampering with the duel to kill me outright."

"So there's a reason you can't be allowed to die."

"Exactly."

I pointed at myself with my index finger and continued.

"In other words, the hostage is right here in my grasp."

"Who holds themselves hostage?"

Nos sounded incredulous, so I grinned wickedly.

"If you can, you can hold even bigger things hostage. Myself? Easy."

"So you're holding the advantage, Little One."

"They don't know that. They don't know my life isn't all that valuable to me. I just regress if I die. Uncovering the ringleader and regressing? Profitable deal."

Who'd have thought the curse of endless regression would become this precious?

'Life's full of surprises.'

I covered my mouth with both hands and giggled. Nos let out a wry chuckle, like he couldn't help it.

'The ringleader's getting impatient. Time's on our side.'

So I'll just kick back until they make a move.

Back at the estate, Aunt and my brothers were waiting for me.

"Squirt, heard Duke Ballua's dead?"

Ishak grinned.

"Good thing we skipped that gruesome apostle trial."

Henri smiled softly, stroking my head. Aunt and Yohan seemed to agree with him, but I tilted my head inwardly.

'Missed out on the spectacle?'

Duke Ballua had subjected me to far worse experiments, over and over. Would I really find an apostle trial gruesome?

But no need to advertise 'I'm a kid with no mercy in revenge!' So I awkwardly looked away.

"Uh, yeah... sorta."

"Come on. Told 'em to prep tea and snacks."

"Yay!"

Starving, I ditched my coat and hurried after my brothers.

Henri handed me warm milk tea as I settled on the sofa, and Ishak shoved a huge cookie my way.

I munched them down—slurp, nom nom—while listening intently to the family chat.

"Emperor's furious, from what I hear? Even if they pinned the palace attack on him, opening an apostle trial this fast is wild."

Aunt sipped her tea and replied to Ishak.

"He saw his chance. The nobles banded together to check imperial power, leaving his dream of strengthening the throne just that—a dream."

"Easy fix if he wants stronger rule. Pit the heirs against each other. Like Grandpa did."

As Ishak spoke, Henri gently brushed cookie crumbs from my mouth and chimed in.

"That's why he called Second Prince Adrian back to the palace. But it won't be easy. Empress Yvonne's got the palace locked down."

Yohan, legs crossed, tapped his knee slowly.

"Aunt, you keeping tabs on palace moves?"

"Of course. Something catch your eye?"

"Emperor won't let this chance slip. Bet he's about to bring up selecting a new empress."

"True... He could use the nobles' frenzy over Ballua lands to decree it."

"Exactly. He couldn't issue a selection before because Marsch, Yvonne, and their allied nobles blocked it. This is his shot."

I crunched my cookie, lost in thought.

'Empress selection, huh.'

The empress wasn't just the emperor's wife or concubine.

With polygamy banned by temple doctrine, the emperor could have multiple empresses only for political reasons.

The current 'empress' prepared the precious imperial heirs' future, bridged regions to the throne, and aided in governing—like a high office.

In my past regression, the emperor had tried for a new one, but Empress Yvonne thwarted it.

'Poisoned, they said. Who was she again...'

Not from a standout house, and Yvonne sealed lips tight—no name even leaked.

'Still, I met the Empress Dowager when I visited.'

Not long after sending back the demon, my adult thinking still faltered.

Her face hovered on the edge of memory.

'That person was... ugh.'

"Why didn't Father come with you, squirt?"

"More to discuss. Duke Marsch was there too, so he'll be late."

"Duke Marsch? What's he doing there? Father hates him."

"Yeah. He teased Dad, calling him 'Blue Rose's That Person'...'

"What kinda goofy name is that?"

"Said Dad was Blue Rose's That Person back in the day."

Suddenly, all my brothers' eyes snapped to me.

Aunt let out a soft chuckle.

"A nostalgic name."

Ishak leaned toward her, eyes wide.

"Spill. 'Blue Rose's That Person'? What kinda embarrassing title is that?"

"Too awkward for me to say. Lea, why don't you?"

Lea, guarding behind the sofa, smiled awkwardly.

"Well..."

Henri smiled sweetly.

"Tell us."

Ishak added, "Now."

Even Yohan focused on Lea.

"In the past, popular young lords among the ladies and gentlemen were called 'the Three Flower Princes.'"

"Who were these poor saps?"

"Duke Amities, Duke Grimware, and the master."

Laura, huffing beside Lea, shot up her hand.

"I know their nicknames! May I share?"

"Yes. Go on."

Ishak's eyes sparkled, and Laura clasped her hands dreamily.

"Duke Amities was 'White Stock's That Person,' Duke Grimware 'Black Violet's That Person.' And Master was...!"

"Blue Rose's That Person, right."

Ishak muttered darkly. Henri's smile turned chillingly sweet, Yohan arched a brow.

Aunt hid her mouth with a book, but her rare delight shone through.

For some reason, a chill ran down my spine.

Theodor returned home.

The estate steward took his coat and said,

"Bath's ready."

"Dinner first. Leblain's probably waiting. Where is she?"

"Well..."

The steward trailed off, flustered.

"Something wrong with Leblain—"

"Father."

"You're back."

"You're late."

Theodor turned, frowning. His three sons—who never bothered with greetings—had swarmed out to welcome him.

"...What's going on?"

"Nothing much."

"If it's nothing, why are you all... What's that smell?"

A thick floral scent wafted from where his sons stood. An unsettling fragrance.

The one that made him avoid the garden in summer.

A tiny child huffed and puffed down the hall, clutching a bouquet.

Leblain.

Theodor's face hardened at the sight of the flowers.

"Those are..."

Blue roses.

The only flowers that still got under his skin.

His sons beckoned the hesitant Leblain.

"Come here, squirt."

Theodor shot his sons a terrifying glare.

"A gift from Leblain."

"To Blue Rose's That Person."

Pfft.

The young masters turned away, shoulders shaking. Leblain, bouquet in arms and huffing along, froze upon seeing her father's face.

A demon.

The demon was here.