The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 63
Grand Duke Evron’s residence was thrown into turmoil when Lysia and Alphonse brought in the injured servant.
“What on earth is going on here?”
The guards rushed over, carefully helping the injured servant off the carriage, while the servants brought a stretcher.
Lysia’s face showed little color as she followed them toward the infirmary. Although she hadn’t cried, she didn’t seem to be controlling her emotions very well either; she looked utterly devastated, as if she couldn’t even cry.
Alphonse gently placed his hands on Lysia’s shoulders, stopping her from going any further. When Lysia suddenly seemed to realize others were present, he spoke to her in a gentle tone.
“It’s okay. It’s not a broken bone, and no major muscles have been torn. After some treatment and rest, he’ll be fine.”
There was no danger to his life, nor was there a risk of permanent disability. While the severity of the injury seemed to be causing mental distress, Alphonse was confident that rest would recover after proper rest.
His words seemed to help calm her, and after taking several deep breaths, Lysia slapped her own cheeks lightly with her hands.
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? You were just scared, right?”
Alphonse regretted not thinking it through. He had brought Lysia to Marquisate Rosan without giving much thought. He never imagined she would witness such an act of violence.
Lysia bit her lower lip until it turned white.
“Did… Did Lady Tia know about this?”
“I don’t know…”
Alphonse thought she probably knew. Given Lawrence’s behavior, it seemed unlikely he would have been careful in front of his sister. Five years ago, he might have been too young to do something so cruel, but…
And Lysia knew the answer too. Tears began streaming from her eyes.
Sighing, Alphonse pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her. Lysia wiped her eyes with it, but the tears kept flowing, so she buried her face in the handkerchief and spoke in an anguished voice.
“This is too much. It’s too horrible. How could someone do that to another person…?”
If Lawrence had beaten someone after a fight, Lysia might have been able to brush it off. Even if he had been raging mad, it wouldn’t have felt as dreadful.
But he had acted no differently than usual. He even smiled faintly, as if he enjoyed it, and casually spoke to her as if nothing was wrong, as though being caught didn’t matter.
It was horrific. Lysia was too young to accept the existence of someone like that.
“I, I need to tell Lord Ced.”
“Right.”
Alphonse sighed. He knew that this wouldn’t resolve the issue, but there was no way Lysia could turn a blind eye to what happened, and at least someone had witnessed it.
Meanwhile, Cedric was in Pavel’s living room, and Graham was with him.
It wasn’t often that the four of them, including Cedric, gathered together when the Empress’s three children were in one place. It was even rarer for just three of them to be at the Imperial Palace during the day.
Usually, Cedric spent most of his time with Pavel, while discussions about Evron were held with Eloise.
Cedric hadn’t expected Graham to be there today. He was a little surprised.
“I thought you’d be quite busy.”
“I’m not so busy I can’t see my siblings.”
Graham said this with a relaxed expression, but Cedric could tell he wasn’t completely comfortable.
Graham had recently taken on the role of Western Inspector General as Grand Duke Altin. The responsibility of the position itself was heavy for someone as young as him, in his early twenties, and there were also political issues involved.
The decision to send him to the West hadn’t been made by Emperor Gregor but by Eloise herself.
Cedric had heard about this directly from Eloise.
[The Emperor asked me three times. He wonders if there’s another purpose behind sending Graham to the West.]
[Lady Eloise’s authority is solid. Does the Emperor believe you’re trying to eliminate your rivals?]
[You’re quick-witted for someone only eighteen. I could have you sit in a cabinet meeting immediately.]
Eloise looked at him with a satisfied expression.
[The main thing they’re worried about is that. But I’m sure they’re also concerned about the opposite outcome.]
[If he succeeds in uniting the Western forces, he would have immense power. The Emperor might find that troublesome, especially if Graham does it.]
The absolute throne can only belong to one person. The Emperor and his grown-up heir will inevitably compete with each other. This tension was especially true now, when the relationship between the Empress and Emperor wasn’t completely peaceful.
If Graham were to unite the Western army into a powerful force, and if he joined forces with Riagan to support Eloise, Emperor Gregor might fear that his authority would be shaken. Graham did not like his father after all..
At the same time, he might be concerned that, when Eloise becomes Empress, Graham might use that foundation to challenge her reign.
He would also be worried about his son’s life in the process.
Cedric, now a bit detached from those issues, smiled bitterly.
[The Emperor certainly has many concerns.]
[What do you think?]
[Me?]
[Do you think I’m trying to eliminate Graham in advance?]
Cedric paused to think for a moment before shaking his head.
[I don’t think Lady Eloise would get involved in such messy matters, but also, I don’t believe Brother Graham would become a political player to that extent.]
[Right. If anything, I would feel threatened by you, not Graham.]
[Please don’t say such scary things.]
[I’m not being serious. Your ambition is to make the North prosperous, and that doesn’t conflict with my wishes.]
Eloise spoke while looking at the map of the Empire hanging on the study wall.
[The West has no political power to speak of. The East is full of competing factions, and Uncle Roygar is there. The North has you, and the South will be influenced by Pavel through the Riagan family.]
[Yes.]
[I want the imperial authority to reach every corner of the Empire. Fortunately, we have a young Grand Duke full of energy with nothing to do, so it makes sense to send him, don’t you think?]
Cedric smiled. The idea of spreading the imperial authority across the Empire was something Eloise could do because she was the legitimate Crown Princess with no issue regarding her succession. Otherwise, other potential heirs would have to be removed to secure her throne.
[If we can’t solve the Monster Wave, nothing else will matter.]
[To solve that, we need to plant the seeds first. Graham is direct, but he’s righteous. He’ll be my eyes.]
[Yes.]
Cedric nodded, though he couldn’t quite understand why Eloise was telling him all this.
Then Eloise smiled.
[Give Graham some advice.]
[Me?]
[You have a much more grand vision than he does. When we spoke last time, you seemed to have really thought about the West’s problems.]
Cedric realized how long ago that conversation had been. It had been about how the West, with its grain-producing lands, was inevitably connected to the North’s resource issues, and it seemed that Eloise remembered that well.
[Brother Graham probably won’t listen to a younger brother’s advice.]
[If he knows his younger brother has been thinking so hard to help him, he’ll listen, at least out of affection.]
Cedric couldn’t help but smile bitterly.