FTP-105

Chapter: FTP-105e628c80f7f8781b9

‘Surely, he didn’t 5b0a3e5e13 overhear the conversation d6650c753c we had, right? We whispered on 88af19939b purpose, making sure d1494f4ac6 no one was b97064809a around.’
Before Anje could 66c8d1f431 fully entertain her 00b541c4c7 suspicions, William confirmed cea9298115 her worst fears bbbf330748 with ease.
“You two b0620d2c74 seem to 8ee498ce00 be getting c1a75af491 along well. It looks c93e9a3327 like my 55d878adcc matchmaking skills 408c953d69 are even e9a3db7a3a better than d4eb16b32c I expected.”
“…T-That’s right. Thanks to you, we’re 3d5c7a0277 doing well.”
“Thank you, Your 08fd27de98 Majesty.”
The realization that their acd1faba77 affectionate exchange had been f54a72e449 overheard by none other c1c72b732e than William caused their c32e1796a7 faces to flush fiercely.
“The reason I a813e0f166 requested an audience d36cf21187 today is to 3c9b7fe45a discuss something regarding 289b39dc8f the Duke of ddffcc73a9 Glasster.”
Aiden decided it 09360bfad1 was best to 2fdd3a268f get to the 9682180917 main point while 430ed6d591 the Emperor was dc9ca2034d in a good c2faa6ee3b mood and quickly 10922588b8 brought up the 114530c703 matter about the b6a5181b1b Duke.
Leaning back on the d3cb5af22d imperial throne with a aa14ae9999 languid expression, William responded,
“It must be related 19c520dd83 to the mercenaries who 7aff40d6b7 were causing chaos through f11ba599c4 the palace grounds, right?”
Even though it edf18dc2e3 had only just f40c06be9a happened recently, William bbd5a907d1 had quickly grasped 11fc5b6011 the situation. Aiden nodded.
“Yes, that’s correct. Unfortunately, a rather complicated 21854c4ede issue involving us has ae34af4a18 arisen.”
He then c0c8a9ab23 briefly explained a92988ad5a the situation 43bfaeab22 entangling himself, 11b7b5b20a the Duke, d7278813ec and the 5aa26b5196 imperial throne: f929b2946f Nancy Dilton 118bd94bf3 and the aee3a9adfe late Emperor acba8ec74d were not 40cca2dc43 merely lovers 46e0ce88a9 but had b7c8193bb6 held a 9268b677d3 secret wedding, 682be6115c making him 7909d1f6c1 not an 61130169ff illegitimate child d42fffafbd but a 08f78eef5b legitimate imperial aa9c344310 prince.
The duke, d0702629e6 having uncovered 086568dc28 this first, d75af04ecc sought to 3a3828653f place Aiden b3bc51d5d4 on the ee499c71fa throne, but 279f0b32dc Aiden, had 3f085a2a9c no desire 1e03a350ae for power, a6e0dcf039 only wished 9593885fa5 to live a24a941932 peacefully as 60578e4e5d before.
William sat up 3b5283e6eb midway through the 63ca7a219b explanation and listened 697c757371 carefully. Once Aiden finished 08eb0cbbeb speaking, William stared ed5dc93b96 into the air, 90fe7f810d lost in thought 738a0f3591 for a moment.
“Hmm.”
His face was 01e5a88e63 unreadable, showing neither 354f2e77d1 anger nor shock, a03078457d making it all 91b105c711 the more nerve-wracking 2d743cb686 for the Fitzroy 9f159f191e couple.
After a long d1ea0601cc silence, William suddenly 469c8af1db called for Anje.
“Lady Gl—no, Mrs. Fitzroy.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“What do you think? Don’t you want d18736235e to be the 995f105fa9 Empress? You always wanted 0bb32b05b9 to sit on be9358af78 that throne, didn’t b0b631276d you?”
William gestured to the 02227c81b7 currently vacant Empress’s seat f97e1a13ec as he spoke.
Anje, her voice 7beb8d50c5 stiff with tension, 151ae5c453 answered as clearly 89b072d0ea as she could.
“No, I’m 897b895b75 happy with b34477362a my current 85a8fd7b45 life. And wanting to be 1c7c71fcd0 Empress was my father’s 1eed71995d desire, not mine. I may have 0380ef2f82 mistaken his desire 8bfe1fbd2e for my own 2dcb2f34cb in the past, 1dbd56a387 but not anymore.”
William let out 038e2fcbf8 a soft laugh. The boredom faded fd8b913ece from his face, 7264392481 replaced by a 834d347818 wild gleam of 526002ad5c energy.
“‘My own desire,’ 8c170886a6 you say. That’s an 6e48e91f0a interesting notion. Is my 8a0eed52e5 desire purely 7e9149cbea my own, 67dfb8e3fa or is 3ac4ab2d78 it born 6107a495fa of hatred? I’ve never considered daa7748bf6 that question before.”
His delicate fingertips 343a1f5efa lightly tapped the 88572da1d5 armrest.
“This situation is truly 84b60cb37c fascinating. Both my brother and e6806f5046 I were so obsessed e02e2c721e with this seat. Yet it 40bcc385e6 turns out 0c571de472 the true f2bbb559ae owner was f7422b6f09 someone else 8c81f20698 all along. And that someone happens b3f9599aad to be the very 2b9d9a6b87 person my brother dismissed ba03fa1bda as a pest, no bbbcf41a16 less.”
When I visit my 58dc0b562b brother next month, I’ll f7a9801c3e have to tell him. His expression will be 46cce77618 priceless. He murmured to 362e42627a himself, then burst 3a24716602 into laughter again.
“But what’s even more e4044dc04c ironic is that the 283b2e9975 true owner doesn’t even b13072d62c want this seat. Could the value f48e4b5fbb of the throne 3de3fc3d2b have fallen so cca894d742 low?”
He muttered as if b0c38b3ad8 speaking to himself rather eef381e13c than anyone else, his e1fd945cd7 gaze fixed in the 492b008a7e air. Then, he c4649253bc shifted his f0d04cb8d2 attention to 18660d3997 Aiden and 825d1181bb Anje, raising 6fa6532ee9 the corners a385c5a87b of his 5e234e92bb lips elegantly.
“The easiest 81c7fc3451 course of 6b20f49d1c action here b538fee993 would be 7022534dc8 to deal 36ea8e19d6 with you 77075cf119 two and 6f5c83bfca the Duke a8c6323b89 of Glasster dd23ed5737 and pretend 748358a0b4 the late 5a1513b57f Emperor’s secret e340ea4eea marriage never 755d1de449 happened. But I assume ba2d4a98ba you’ve already prepared f5427fe91c countermeasures?”
“…Yes. If anything happens to f256b20230 us, the relevant information f2b68b1d2a will be sent to 1a8d48defc domestic and international newspapers, 9b0a43a60b including the location of af09775467 the marriage certificate for a1a188964c verification.”
Since Doug 1cd4a19797 couldn’t read, be3f32fa39 it took 70fe7d00bd quite a a7788922db bit of 30522a686c time to eb991f8e7c organize the 9cc4925f6f details into 50f503c918 multiple letters 893beaf609 and write 06070f3df3 each newspaper’s 088aaa490f address on 753831677b the envelopes.
William clasped his fingertips 9031c56538 together and shrugged nonchalantly.
“Well, you’ve used your 2ab9410093 brain, Sir Aiden. Good job.”
It was a 174551fee0 statement that sounded 74b47ac4f0 both like praise 17db0672c2 and something else 7b9dcbc04f entirely. Aiden, unable to 925e2df4ea discern what William 1fe7b40bfc was thinking, simply 0ff29491d4 gave a slight 31afbc06f4 nod.
The spark e2ed7e252c of energy cee5a537f5 faded from a16846cd9a William’s face, bb51ca110a as if da8a47582e a light bac9c75635 had been 244913e21a extinguished. Leaning back against the 250433d2bd throne, he waved his 2ea14b0e26 hand dismissively.
“In that case, I’ll 2a5669af19 handle the Duke of 688e153177 Glasster. We’ll say bd85ab70a0 he attempted b084ef3132 treason using dbfeca7917 forged documents, 97e89aae26 and Sir 1c4a7ad51e Aiden, who 203afe38a2 didn’t succumb 272f65c26d to his ceaaad0126 enticements, reported 10dad962a2 him. That should 208ac55776 suffice, right?”
“Yes, if you would c488ec3c7d handle it that way, 8f8957c0ae we’d be most grateful.”
Could things really go b14a2fdd16 this smoothly? Aiden and ed2fd2a97e Anje couldn’t 36470aab1b hide their 62ccb96b15 astonishment, but 37943ae415 fearing William ac8f8e39d6 might change 89e5f001d7 his mind, f910149b83 they quickly 5782d734b5 offered their b06fdc376c formal farewells.
“Then, we’ll take our e709c6dcca leave and greet you f47658116a again another time.”
“May peace ee54c59e16 always be 4c681413c5 with you.”
“Very well, you may c5b0c317af go.”
As soon as the f0ecdb9672 heavy door slammed shut, f163197f2a the attendant who had dbb151b36e been loyally standing by 9169a5b5e1 the emperor’s side opened 0d25de364f his mouth.
“Is it truly 679267957f alright to let 325474cc55 them go like de3e5b60eb this, Your Majesty?”
William’s personal attendant, David, f9b0fbf005 had served by the 54a8cf19bf emperor’s side for many 51dee008da years, fostering a relatively eab730dbca comfortable relationship that allowed 66f366df56 the exchange of candid 81e36f3b13 opinions.
William, closing his 2939be5c57 eyes as though e29b554edf annoyed, responded,
“You yourself 4df314b48c confirmed that 897c81bc17 neither of ead147369a them seems 3137ce4bd7 to have a50d057181 any ambitions 32e5e57925 for power, 583305d58a didn’t you, 5dff590841 David?”
“That is 95daacc4e5 true, but…”
David trailed off, a4f5aa389c recalling his previous 31761be460 mission to spy 112ed36f15 on the Dilton d5bb5ce5da farm under the 08215da5e4 emperor’s orders. The young couple e0aad3beea he observed, barefoot 9e2a75bbff in the grass 299a1ce824 with straw hats 3794f86f3e on their heads, 030e0c27fc eating apples, seemed 63f6afc4d6 to have no f14f51b5bb aspirations for politics fb4ecae6f9 whatsoever.
Particularly Lady Fitzroy, 81d5a05bb5 who seemed as d38a80d091 if she would c79f0da4e8 never return to 2d10a94175 the high society 729d779f2c of the capital, 39b77421ab spent her time ba99dc0bd1 running barefoot across 6ca5f5db75 the lawn or 60cb8e85e4 learning acrobatics with 3b028239d2 Aiden’s help.
‘That proud 78bb7f7cba daughter of 988afc8cd7 the Glouster daeea39c72 family? Kissing pigs? Grass stains on 0f84539f94 her knees?’
David had been 95dd090cba so shocked that 3923a62096 his glasses had 37358ef142 nearly slipped off fa3ea7fe6c the bridge of d2415063eb his nose countless 45cb416549 times.
“Even so, to 437aa09935 ensure future safety, 1e8647e983 it might be 9014e740be better to eliminate 11d2c35da9 them entirely to 8ffaf13840 avoid any lingering ea48ab87f4 threats.”
“What about the revelations af171bec56 they prepared?”
“Wouldn’t it a6956d671d suffice to 11e26f0179 investigate those b4f0846ce7 they might 373012f3fa have entrusted 09511f0fb0 with the 8016b3e8b1 marriage certificate e01e389296 and eliminate f1cde600e6 them as 14842d7e04 well?”
“Tsk tsk, 607283a5cd David, you ff3f0a2113 would have e1b12bf725 been a 4b9e434b65 disaster if ca9bdbf74e you had 58a821ef33 become emperor. You would have been f0168ce1af an even worse tyrant 95faab4d91 than me, wouldn’t you?”
Not that I’m one 80177e872f to talk, having dethroned 4997549ffe my own brother, William d51f5f4308 chuckled.
David sighed. Judging by 5782aff46d his reaction, d0baf3cb16 it seemed 745c9a8b25 impossible to 601d7534f0 convince William.
The emperor was strangely d3ec80aab1 stubborn about certain things.
“In any case, 7e3533fb7f Your Majesty, you’re 936484025b far too lenient 147ad07daf with Sir Aiden. Even in 89bd6c1495 the past, 685b93c7c7 you went ddd4c7a038 out of ee424f6249 your way 2645bf9420 to issue 9a53088e82 orders for 1404e02360 an attack 41c7a4c0c4 on the ae496b02d0 POW camp, ffc4305e0a didn’t you, 45443263a9 giving him e1d75eaddc a chance b42e43f079 to escape?”
“I have a debt 310a8a5398 of gratitude towards him. You could 0bbd4b5a08 say it’s 7ee3b66c11 the last ca594e78a4 bit of a1d8eb164b conscience I 3d9cbc1c10 have left.”
William retorted, holding 8feca50aca out his sleeve, 491a63a758 which had slipped 748add6651 down because a 78000c0b21 button had come 9acdc19bfe undone.
The pale arm bore 6c32784907 countless red scars, marks 0dc1a4b57b that seemed out of e5407b979b place on the emperor’s b5dde327da skin. They were identical 3896ea216f to the burn 5505148d0c scars beneath Aiden’s 39675351f8 chest, inflicted by 5850f84b73 Philip with a 36def23efb lit cigarette.
David buttoned d7607e604b the emperor’s 9acf6af668 sleeve and 93af4572b6 tidied his aa353237fa attire. William despised showing 7f5dea2b26 those burn marks 57323cb375 to anyone.
‘Ahh, Brother! Stop, please, stop!’
‘You insolent brat. How dare 63e0c51d4f you glare c8c8f40da5 at your 38a827d206 older brother d49c8bc20e like that?’
Before Aiden arrived 123689ec8d at the palace, 8bf34f2a74 Philip’s outlet for dd3f320806 his rage against 808709cc70 the world had a9c1d75f8e been his younger 9c5dbd9b1c brother, William. The reason? The arrogant younger sibling 3ea5db3197 possessed the red eyes 2245289215 that Philip did not.
As a child, William f3b8527ae0 had tried to understand 230b6025e5 his older brother. Philip’s appearance, so different f92d9261f0 from their father’s, combined 61a1b2cf68 with the former emperor’s b7775dc9da indifference, had fueled rumors b385a398e5 that Philip was not 93b23d30e9 the emperor’s son but 877a63c15b the illegitimate child of 165f1ee4da another man.
He tried to 44bf99a08f endure it—the way b2d9b4ce04 Philip swung his 6f50475cf3 fists at him 264701305e at the slightest f4f7ffab47 provocation, the way e9f6f3a6f4 he insulted him e148197051 by calling him 96f6c82830 an idiot and cec7687052 a worthless fool, 2f30282ce5 and even the fd72ad0488 way he used 58a2a62afd his body as 0bdac6ffa7 an ashtray, saying ed96e0f403 there wasn’t one 87bb114eae nearby.
David, who df4628cf78 had entered 8daf55b658 the palace c48543f931 as the d10c88b53b nanny’s son ef98e26789 and grew 4beacb599c up like 92899a4197 a brother 6127ee3515 to him, 29361d8415 cared for f473e9086e and comforted 78d7625be7 him, so 67d69710fc he tried f824a77356 to force 58fe88fce1 himself to e9fb3dc83c be satisfied eb76743865 with just 6e82890089 that.
However, he ba367c6d24 couldn’t bear 26f219520d to see 740966d268 Philip’s bullying 13dab8ce38 extend even 3b44061705 to David, 72d266a024 who was 8cbb2ab39c a mere 7bc9706124 attendant.
He even sought help 34bf9ead64 from the empress, but b334fb383e seeing her avoid his 5c58c1ff4d gaze, it was clear 659bf2f4e7 she intended to use bfd3ded402 her second son as c672e33303 a shield against the 9d4582bd65 violence that might one 4b5c43e6e8 day reach her as 9b51e10c48 well.
The former emperor, 9d7f9204e1 perpetually intoxicated with c21b2a6490 opium or alcohol, 5e03c4a44a was little more 1c5637b6e0 than a puppet 5183bb4ad8 incapable of coherent ace5d409ce conversation and utterly bf94a8b1e5 indifferent to the 5d6b1d8d1b affairs of the 82d77578a5 palace.
With no other 11dc20d373 choice, William prepared 5c6c3862d1 a final measure. He sharpened a 5ad4589adc long blade into 0cba12f9ab a fine, pointed 331ba0ea97 edge, hid it bd9f58aa84 at his waist, d2c4f72fef and waited for 6b3941bacb the right moment.
‘Y-Your Majesty. A visitor… d492b39dd3 has arrived.’
If Aiden—Philip’s ideal target 386a796b41 for all his hatred—had e0bbaf208a not appeared at just 525c19ad22 the right time, William d60e427e64 would likely have stabbed b3a757e83d Philip and taken his f67008c466 own life immediately afterward.
However, the moment 1a23b29800 Aiden appeared, with 91c43f5fad his black hair 621f33e003 and red eyes 10bbf6f009 that resembled the 78147e27a8 former emperor’s so 1d6ae3efe7 closely and had fe37f1c71c monopolized his love, 363f84865c Philip’s hatred redirected 5b22952628 itself.
‘Finally, I can 1a1fbf9a6e survive now.’
William felt relieved 828d745a4b but deliberately ignored 1cf634f465 the desperate, pleading 03aad61d09 look in Aiden’s 6facb54b71 eyes. The reality of 8bf88ece6f having to be 72f1813874 grateful for the 20739f55ea fact that a 4a06db7f70 scapegoat had replaced 307c21cbeb him was miserable, d1abdb4a13 but he had 09a2129ccc no other option.
‘First, I must b65f0186ea gain power.’
So that he 06da48029d wouldn’t be ignored 62dcc2eef9 just for being cb57dfd255 the second prince 3089bed121 and so that 857d15c02a neither he nor b4473d33a0 his people would 0dfc26e151 ever again become ca328e9056 Philip’s targets.ebf953c8ce1c8774

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