Chapter 187: Side Story 43

Count Jertho believed he held the upper hand. When Essellia summoned Sylvia and Jena, he had genuinely thought, ‘It’s done!’ But now, looking back, it was clear he was the one being dragged around.

Count Jertho gripped his cane tightly.

“That brat doesn’t even know to fear the heavens!”

He swept his cane across the table. The items atop it clattered to the floor, and he stomped his foot. His aide, pale as a sheet, retreated into a corner.

“Hoo! Still, the good news is we’ve got time on our side.”

He thinks we’ll just roll over and lose.

“We’ll need to add a new name to that list.”

“…Pardon?”

The aide looked up.

“Go to the forger. Have them make a seal imitating Thersion’s crest.”

“Pardon?”

“We need to isolate Prince Jeremiah. If we can tear Thersion away from his side, that’s our opening. We’ll forge the documents.”

Understanding dawning on him, the aide lowered his head with a conflicted expression. This was how Count Jertho had survived like a weed, always finding a way out, no matter the situation. He began pacing the room.

“Even if the sky falls, there’s always a hole to crawl out of!”

* * *

And sometimes, there’s a wolf who hears what’s whispered in the dark.

“Well, well.”

Terrun, who had been hard to spot lately, stretched lazily from atop a roof. Ever since Carlisle and Essellia arrived, he’d been stuck to Count Jertho’s side.

[“Why do I have to do it? There are so many people better suited than me!”]

[“I’m too old for this.”]

[“At my age, should I still be out in the field? You’re fearless, aren’t you. Want me to have you kicked out of Thersion?”]

He had basically been forced out. Terrun grumbled to himself. Of course, he wasn’t the only one pushed out.

“Humans really do come with all sorts of nonsense.”

Beside him, Tenail nodded seriously. He, too, had been shoved out by Luna and the Dephensores. Their words echoed in his head: ‘If you want to see the world, it’s better to go with a friend.’ Whether Terrun was a good and wholesome friend, though… he wasn’t so sure.

“Noisy, aren’t you?”

Tenail looked at the insolent Terrun.

“Since when did you start speaking so casually? Compared to you, I’ve lived for hundreds, no, thousands of years–”

“Is eating more meals than someone supposed to be impressive? Fine, then should I call you grandfather instead?”

Terrun tilted his head. A typically merciless comment from Terrun. Tenail’s face went pale.

“You… right now…”

“Wasn’t that what you meant, Grandpa? Since you’ve lived so much longer…”

“Hey!!”

Why does he always push my buttons like that? Is he doing it on purpose?

Tenail glared daggers at Terrun.

“Should I call you Tenail instead? Want to be friends, or want to be Grandpa?”

Truth be told, Tenail had never even held a woman’s hand before! Let alone grandchildren, he didn’t even have kids. He let out a long sigh. He just wanted to go back to his forest. Back to his safe, quiet home.

There was no need to associate with these people. The world was a dangerous place, and he was beginning to see that clearly.

“…Let’s be friends.”

There was only one option. Tenail hid his tangled thoughts and leapt down from the roof. Terrun cheerily followed at his side.

“See? We’re friends now. That’s why I’m speaking casually. Be grateful.”

“For what?!”

“Hey, at least I’m not teasing you for being old.”

Dear heavens. No, Father, please do something about this guy! 

Tenail kicked Terrun, but he dodged with a flashy somersault and landed ahead of him. A tumbling bear catches a wolf.

“Come back here!”

Tenail quickened his pace.

* * *

Watching the two of them tumble into the office, Ysildus clicked his tongue. So much for divine lineage, these ones weren’t any better than the rest.

Sometimes, their mental age seemed exactly the same as Terrun’s. According to Luna, it was because he’d spent his whole life in the forest so he was just that naive.

“Alright, that’s enough. What happened?”

Ysildus sighed as he asked. The two rowdy wolves finally quieted down.

“Ah. That guy’s got guts, I’ll give him that. He’s planning to put Thersion’s name on that list. Said he’ll forge it.”

Terrun pointed at the seal dangling from Ysildus’ finger.

“The seal?”

Jeremiah, listening nearby, tilted his head.

“Yup. He’s trying to drive a wedge between you and us.”

Terrun shrugged.

“Isn’t that a bit much? We didn’t come here to…”

“Terrun. We’re friends, right?”

Jeremiah cut him off. These wolves really didn’t have a shred of sentimentality. Jeremiah shot him a sidelong glance. Rising from his seat, Jeremiah turned to Ysildus.

“What should we do? What about Lady Sylvia?”

“…Hm.”

Ysildus stroked his chin. Honestly, he didn’t care what Count Jertho did. There was no way a little thing like that would ruin Jeremiah and Thersion’s relationship. After all, Jeremiah was the one clinging on.

And Sylvia… 

He never intended to make Sylvia the Empress. 

Count Jertho was a discardable card. What would it accomplish to place the offspring of a throwaway piece on the throne? She’d be nothing more than a puppet. He’d observed her closely during the banquet, but no one had particularly caught his eye.

“…Matters of humankind are best left to humans. How about letting Alexa choose the Empress?”

Jeremiah let out an awkward laugh. He knew exactly what that meant.

“Isn’t that a bit much? Even so…”

“I think it would be nice if Alexa had a good friend. Even better if that friend lived in the palace. Then she’d visit more often. You know, Alexa doesn’t really have any close female friends.”

The frustrating thing was that Ysildus made a much better argument. He gazed intently at Jeremiah.

“If Alexa wishes for it, Thersion will always move. You understand, don’t you?”

Jeremiah gave a hollow laugh. In other words, if he wanted Thersion to stay close to the capital, he’d better crown Alexa’s friend as Empress.

“…You think the Empress’s position is a joke?”

“Just bring in some suitable noble ladies. The Empress’s political faction doesn’t matter, Jeremiah. What matters is the bond between Thersion and the imperial family.”

Ysildus smiled like he found something amusing.

“Unless… you had other thoughts?”

“What kind of other thoughts?”

“Like betraying us, as Temperchi did in the past.”

“No!”

Jeremiah jumped up. He had absolutely no intention of building a separate power base away from Thersion. In fact, his enemies were within the capital. And if he did form some kind of alliance with them, who knew when they’d stab him in the back?

Wolves were the ones with real loyalty.

“Just look at Count Jertho. He’s ready to cut off all of his friend’s children without a second thought.”

Ysildus whispered like the devil himself.

“Better to make someone insignificant Empress. That way, we can remove her anytime we want.”

“…You speak of the royal family with such disrespect.”

Jeremiah clicked his tongue, but there wasn’t the slightest hint of offense on his face.

“Fine, do as you wish. How could I possibly win against you? Let’s trust Alexa’s eye for people.”

Ysildus had his reasons for this move. First, to see if Jeremiah had really let go of Alexa. Second, to install someone who posed no threat to Alexa as Empress.

Alexa held one of the five highest positions in the Empire. But if the Empress, who held the highest, ever bullied her? And if that foolish Jeremiah accidentally let something from the past slip to the Empress? That wouldn’t be unheard of. Better to head it off by placing someone close to Alexa in that role.

“But there’s a problem. Alexa doesn’t really have any noblewomen she’s close to. She’ll have to stay in the capital a while longer if she’s going to make friends.”

Jeremiah smiled in satisfaction. Hearing that, Tenail tilted his head with a puzzled expression.

“Wait… does Prince Jeremiah like Alexa, or Ysildus?”

“Beats me. I have no idea what those two are doing.”

Terrun clicked his tongue.

“So what about the seal!!”

“What about it? If you bring me the original, we can wrap this up nice and clean.”

“M-Me?!”

“Yeah. Who else moves like you, huh?”

Ysildus praised him. And just like that, Terrun fell for it, nodding with a serious look.

“You’re right. I am the only talent.”

Tenail looked at him strangely.

What is with this idiot. What is even going on with these guys?

They were a truly bizarre trio.

……

T/N: Tenail, you should go out more and meet more people hahahaha