"It's here. A merciful master who disciplines his mischievous subordinates."
Obviously, the corners of Edwin's lips were raised smoothly, but his eyes weren't smiling at all.
At that moment, Huey, who had been arguing, looked at Edwin and slowly leaned back.
His neck went up and down quickly.
"Hahaha, it's just that I'm worried about you. Do you not understand my loyalty?"
Huey, who was trying to cover it up with a laugh, was shocked when Edwin suddenly stood up.
'Oh, it's dead!' It was just that look.
'Should I dry it?'
I pondered for a moment.
It is not uncommon for Huey to be scolded by Edwin, but it was because Edwin's momentum seemed to be sharper than usual today.
In the meantime, Edwin approached Huey and gently pulled out the dagger from the table.
I thought I had to dry it, so I opened my mouth when I heard Edwin's low voice.
"Don't show your tears in front of Lina."
Edwin slightly waved his dagger towards Huey, and Huey nodded quickly, even though he had an unfair expression on his face.
Edwin withdrew the dagger and turned towards me.
The warm spring sunlight fell on his face, which had just been blown away by the chill.
At that moment, I also let my stiff shoulders hang down.
Edwin returned to his seat and covered my face and lowered the corners of his eyes.
As if very upset.
"Our Lina should only look at pretty things. Don't look at that guy in the future. Gigi, Gigi."
The hand that gently brushed the corners of his eyes tickled.
Over Edwin's shoulder, Huey grabbed the handkerchief and dropped it, saying, 'It's too much'.
I secretly swallowed a laugh from Edwin.
It warms my heart to know that there are people who care about me.
"Thank you for your concern. I'm not overdoing it, so don't worry too much."
When the Archduke, Huey, and Beryl made eye contact in turn and smiled, everyone's expressions softened.
"Ed, let's start the meeting right away."
It's already late and I have to move early in the morning tomorrow.
Everyone has had a tiring day, so you should finish it quickly and rest.
Edwin recognized what I meant and beckoned Huey to start.
"First of all, I will briefly tell you about the situation of the zodiac."
He opened the report brought by Huey and started reporting in earnest.
"I've already told you that rumors have been circulating that the Lord has the ability to summon demons since the Lake Eslon incident, didn't I?"
"okay."
"Right now, the rumors are even more inflated."
"how?"
"Crawford was repulsed. There are even rumors circulating that they hid Jueri."
"It's fun."
Edwin smirked.
Unlike him, who was relaxed, my heart pounded right away at the word "Jueri".
I thought that I would not stand still as long as the Hwang family found out my identity, but when I heard the rumors, I was out of breath.
Edwin, who recognized my nursery rhyme, hugged me and comforted me.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my mind.
'You decided not to run away. You are determined to fight back.'
The royal family may be thinking of this as an opportunity.
Chance to catch Crawford and get Jeuery.
You can never do what they want.
I gave strength to the hand that was curled up.
"The rumors that only slept in the zodiac are spreading rapidly throughout the empire."
"The imperial family is definitely behind the rumors. Who is lighting the fire?"
"This is Duke of Shabini. They used the jewelry store distribution network to spread rumors."
"After all, the nuisance should be dealt with on the spot."
Edwin clicked his tongue as if he was annoyed.
"It seems that the Duke of Shabini is holding hands with the Crown Prince."
The Archduke narrowed his brow and said.
"Because that goofy inspiration is all about making my daughter the Crown Prince."
Edwin laughed.
"As for the Crown Princess, nothing has been officially decided yet."
The Crown Prince was officially in the process of choosing the Crown Princess as announced at the ball.
There are three stages in total.
Step 1 of recommending candidates from each noble family. The second stage of the nobility council's judging.
The final stage was the Crown Prince judging the finalists.
Although this was a formal procedure set out in the Imperial Law, it was not required to be followed.
With the Emperor's permission, the Crown Prince could choose his own rain without a selection procedure.
Nevertheless, the reason for taking the formal procedure was to give legitimacy to the Crown Princess, who would later become the Empress, to further solidify the power of the emperor.
'In the original story, I got engaged to Lillian right away without going through the selection process.'
Why is it different from the original?
Is it because Edwin's behavior has changed? So, is the Crown Prince trying to gather her powers on the grounds that she chose the Crown Princess?
So, which family made the finalists?
As if he knew my question, Huey answered right away.
"Currently, Princess Shabini and Princess Peyton are on the list as final candidates for the Crown Princess."
As expected, Lillian will become the Crown Prince.
I don't know how deep the relationship between the two is right now, but seeing the Duke of Shabini and the Crown Prince holding hands seemed to lean towards that direction.
'Will the misfortunes of the Peytons in the original continue?'
As I recalled the original content, my heart became heavy.
"It's just for show."
Edwin responded harshly to Huey's report.
"Well, it is not. In any case, it seems that Princess Peyton will be invited to the Imperial Palace as an excuse. The Duke of Peyton, of course, is holding her feet."
"Knowing that we are here, the Emperor will not let the Duke of Peyton stand still."
The archduke gave him a sad expression. A look of regret passed through his eyes.
"We've paid enough. The rest is up to Payton to do."
Edwin drew the line coldly.
"The important thing for us right now is to protect Rina."
All of a sudden, everyone's eyes turned to me.
If it wasn't for me, all of them wouldn't have had to fight this hard.
I felt sorry, but I didn't want to be depressed.
You can say you're sorry. What I needed now was real help.
I don't want to be a burden anymore. I want to fight with you too.
'cause this is for me
I glanced at the people gathered together.
Beryl, Huey, and the Archduke were also determined to protect me.
and Edwin.
The blue eyes that contained only me seemed to tighten my chest.
The resolve that I would never give up on anyone else was burning calmly.
'I want to protect these people.'
I don't want to lose.
I clenched my fists.
"Hey, how was the last time I asked you?"
On the way down to Payton, I asked Huey to do one thing.
I want you to spread a rumor throughout the Empire as well as in the Imperial Capital.
"Oh, don't worry about that. We are sowing the seeds evenly."
Huey winked at me and smiled confidently.
"Nothing has changed now, but wait and see. Even a small spark will burn hot."
"I plan to drop the embers myself. So, until then, prepare well. Please."
It's not enough to kill Jueri and put a stigma on him, and to frame Edwin as well.
It is said that even a mouse bites a cat when it is cornered.
Watch how the cowardly rabbit bites the lion's neck.
I raised one corner of my mouth at an angle like a villain.
"Foot."
As if sneering at my desperate determination, I heard laughter next to me.
what?
Feeling upset, he quickly opened his eyes to see Edwin's smiling face.
"My rabbit, are you very angry?"
fury? I'm not angry. I was determined
As I shook my head, Edwin tapped my lips, which was still at an angle.
"Are you going to kill anyone?"
When I looked at him with a 'maybe' expression, Edwin said 'cook' with a small smile.
"Beryl, Lina, aren't you exactly the same as me?"
"Yes? Ah yes. ... ... When preparing to hunt, you were just like the master at that time."
Beryl, in a moment of embarrassment, blinked her eyes and answered with a rather serious thought as if she remembered something.
"Sir Hyman, what a harsh word! A mean, cruel, and filthy master and our lady, who is as neat and tender as a lily, are similar! There is no such thing in the world to be so harsh."
Huey covered her mouth with her hand, looking shocked.
Beryl, who understood Huey's words one beat later, opened her eyes wide and spoke out urgently.
"Madam, I'm sorry. I don't mean that the master and Sungjeong look alike, it's just the facial expressions... ... . Oh, not this."
Beryl, with a slit in the back of his neck, ruffled his hair.
At that moment, the dagger flew in front of Huey and stabbed him again.
Huey, who quickly escaped this time, snorted at Edwin.
"No matter how intimidating it may be! Where do you bring the master to the madam? That is the worst insult, cancer."
Huey folded her arms and nodded her head.
I stared blankly at Beryl, who was constantly apologizing to me, and Huey, who was jumping around, and Edwin, who smiled and memorized Huey.
Why did the serious meeting suddenly become a mess?
"Angelina, you may want to spend less time with Ball Crawford from now on. Instead, you want to go with me."
I glanced at the archduke who was attacking me with a rather serious expression on his face.
'No, Grand Duke. Why are you here until your Majesty?'
I didn't know what to say, but my lips twitched, but suddenly my body was dragged to somewhere.
"Duke, Lina is my bride."
"She is also my daughter."
"I am the guardian."
He had no rights as my protector as he had no legal relationship with the Archduke yet.
The Archduke, who had his mouth shut, looked at Edwin with bitter eyes.
Edwin disregarded him and turned me to look at him.
"Lina, who were you so mad at?"
"It wasn't that I was angry. It was a commitment."
"What promise?"
"I am determined to overthrow the Emperor and Crown Prince. let it go They will fall into the trap they dug themselves."
Edwin's eyes widened slightly and then closed nicely.
"Yeah, this look. It's really just like me."
Edwin kissed my lips and smiled contentedly.
"Is it the same?"
"Oh, it's exactly the same. They say they look alike, so it must be true."
couple!
No, it's exactly the same. Nonsense.
According to Beryl, Edwin's expression is the same as he was about to go hunting.
For a moment, I remembered Edwin when he met Raven.
'I was making such a terrifying expression.'
All of a sudden I had goosebumps.
'No. Is it rather good?'
Still, because of his docile impression, there was a tendency to look at both the Warlock and the Crown Prince with ease.
Now, I have to fight them in earnest, but it would be nice if I could subdue the baseline even if not as much as Edwin.
I gave more strength to the corners of my lips. Then Edwin's smile widened.
"How can even an evil expression be cute?"
Edwin tenaciously painted my face as if he was trying to engrave my expression on his eye.
His gaze was so hot that wherever he touched, it felt like a flower of heat was blooming.
Then I heard a knock on the table.
Then I remembered that there were other people here, and I quickly buried my face in my hands.
A warm feeling spread through the palms of his hands.
"Large. Master, aren't you meeting? Shouldn't we also close our eyes?"
"Isn't Angelina supposed to go to sleep soon too?"
After Huey, the voice of the Archduke was heard.
I buried my face deeper.
"Go on."
Edwin nodded and clenched his chin.
"The lockdown of the imperial capital has been lifted, but a ban has been issued to the heads of state who have ascended to the imperial capital to attend the ball."
Banned?
I forgot my embarrassment and lifted my head.
Isn't the prohibition of departure a command that prevents people from leaving the zodiac? The aristocrats would have a strong backlash. why?
"Did you find out why they keep them?"
The Archduke asked as if he did not understand.