Celebrity Lady

Chapter 140

Chapter 140The translation's quality improves over time, even I've got to admit it was kinda shite in the beginning... So I just knew TODAY (Sept 1st 2024) that this novel still has 16 chapters of SIDE STORIES! I'll finish it before September ends, so please keep checking this page? Haha

“Tell me more.” Wishit, who had risen from his seat, asked urgently.

Seeing the future requires great power. That’s why even though Wishit can enjoy the abilities of all spirits, he’s never directly glimpsed the future even once to conserve his power.

“If I tell you? Revealing this fact to the contractee would break the taboo. You’re a king with no remaining power, so it would lead to an immediate contract termination.”

“I know.”

Wilkin had known she couldn’t get anything through the king’s head. Wishit, whose top priority was Rubette’s safety, would want to stay by her side, even if he knew about any disaster in advance...

That’s why he could never open his mouth even if he knew about any catastrophe in advance.

“But still, tell me.”

“Fine, then.”

As Wilkin reluctantly disclosed the grim future, Wishit’s expression gradually hardened.

***

After Wishit suddenly ran away yesterday, I didn’t let it bother me and slept peacefully, waking up at ease.

‘That fool must have exhausted his power by meddling with Lord Reuben,’ I thought.

Unfortunately, he had done something without being asked, but it had already happened. Since he had easily disposed of the fanatic fan, I should at least enjoy some peace of mind.

“Hmm, the weather’s nice.”

Sunlight poured through the window.

Stretching, I headed to the kitchen on the second floor. As expected, our second brother, Victor, who was punctual as a clock, was having breakfast.

“Now, it’s time to apprehend the grand duchess. It’s been quite a while since Victor disappeared, so she might have already sensed something strange. I’ll send the guards. But before that...”

“I know, I should tell Victor not to get overexcited, right?”

“...That’s right. It could be troublesome if there’s a commotion in court.”

What if Victor, who had gone crazy just knowing I was troubled, found out everything?

‘Oh, how dreadful.’

I approached Victor, gently stroking my shivering arm. It was my responsibility to inform him of the truth and soothe him.

“Brother~” I pouted and playfully touched Victor’s shoulder, which made him look disgusted.

“What is it?”

“Since you worked hard yesterday, how about taking a day off today?”

“...? Where does that come from?”

“Right here. I’m the boss here.”

“Enough. I don’t want to hear that I get special treatment because I’m the boss’s brother.”

“Stop that and let’s have fun today. I already told the manager yesterday that you’d only work until yesterday.”

Victor turned to me abruptly. “So suddenly?”

“You promised to return to the Order of the Imperial Knights, didn’t you?”

“I said I’d stay for a month since I received my salary.”

“Don’t worry. You haven’t filled a full month, but I’ll give you the money. I’m not that stingy of a boss.”

“That’s not what I mean!”

“Oh my, my brother’s shoulders are as hard as rocks, they’re rocks...”

“Hah.” Victor looked incredulous, clicking his tongue as I rambled on, tapping his shoulders.

“Rest for a few days and have fun with me, then let’s return to our main jobs.”

“Ruby.”

“Yes?”

Suddenly, Victor’s tone turned serious. His mood, gripping my hand as I massaged him, took on an eerie quality, making me nervous.

“Wh-why?”

“There’s more I don’t know about the grand duchess, right? Did she harass someone else?”

...What’s my brother suspecting? Victor’s unexpected perceptiveness took me aback.

“Actually, I had a conversation with Father yesterday.”

“Oh, mhm.”

“I said I didn’t plan to go home until he expelled the grandmother and the twins.”

“He did, huh?”

“He said that wasn’t enough. He said he’d kill them. It didn’t seem like empty words; it looked like he’d really murder them.”

Wow, Dad might be the angriest person, but...

“So, I thought it over carefully, and it seems she’d harassed someone else. Else, he wouldn’t have said such things.”

Murdering a fellow imperial member.When it could be proven that they posed a threat to the life of the empire’s highest leader, the emperor.

“What do you think? Do you think the 2nd Prince would be the type to poison even his father’s teacup for the throne?”

“...”

I asked a question with an obvious answer, and Lark looked at me silently for a while. Eventually, he nodded. “It’s sad, but it seems likely.”

“His Majesty the Emperor probably hopes the 2nd Prince wouldn’t go that far, even for the throne.”

“Perhaps?”

But unfortunately for the emperor, there was no doubt that the 2nd Prince would not hesitate to step into that trap. He had even ruthlessly used his biological sister, the 1st Princess, so this would likely feel like a good opportunity to him.

“You look a bit down.”

“Me?” Lark, lost in thought, tilted his head slightly with a reassuring smile as if telling me not to worry. “No, not really.”

“You’re lying.”

“Yeah, actually, I am lying.”

He sighed and ran his hand back through his hair, leaning back and groping the air with a tired look. “Just as Father is shocked right now, I also have a great sense of doubt about this Imperial family.” He began to speak slowly, as if he were talking to himself. “Because of the need to produce as many summoners as possible, many consorts have come to the palace. They are tormented by a sense of obligation to produce pure-blooded imperial. If they can’t, they are stigmatized as unnecessary members of the imperial family.”

“Lady Endelturn was like that, right?”

“Yes.”

She’s now treated like the emperor’s mother, but I heard that her life in the palace was quite harsh, given her commoner background and the fact that she couldn’t bear a child.

“Women, that is, princesses, have a difficult time fulfilling the obligation to produce many imperial blood. So even if they have the legal right to succeed, it doesn’t mean much. They’re often pressured to yield the position of heir to the prince, even if they were born first. There have always been princesses who were unhappy with that...”

“...”

“All those imperial family members were created in this way; it’s perhaps natural that they start to resent each other. And since there are so many of them, there are also many who covet the throne, like Nathan...”

“...”

“He wasn’t the only one causing problems. Even in my father’s generation— even in my grandfather’s... There has always been strife among siblings, and the emperor had to ascend to the throne drenched in the blood of his kin.” Lark paused for a moment, sighed, and closed his eyes. “And I, too...”

“...”

“... turned out like that.”

Becoming the ruler ‘peacefully’ in the Descarde Empire’s imperial family is almost unheard of.

Lark, too, would only gain access to the throne securely after cutting the throat of his brother, the 2nd Prince, one way or another...

“Was the protection of the Spirit King a blessing?”

Doubt was evident in his murmuring eyes.

I gently placed my hand on Lark’s hand. He turned to me quietly.

“When Your Highness becomes the emperor... maybe you can change something.”

“...”

“It’s unfortunate for the 2nd Prince, but it doesn’t mean you have to kill innocent siblings to ascend to the throne.”

“That’s true.”

“So don’t weaken your resolve or blame yourself. Try to do something once you ascend to the throne, Your Highness. You’ll be able to do well.”

He smiled and gently placed my hand on his cheek. “Alright.”

I placed my forehead against Lark’s and comforted him. This was also a habit he often did.

“Hehe.”

“Haha...”

***

Amidst the eerie moonlight filtering through the tangled branches, Wishit watched over Rubette and Lark inside the room.

“Hmm.”

Observing the weary duo with a mix of pity and embarrassment, he cleared his throat and suddenly turned his head, as if exasperated.

‘These two sure have mood swings... Is it because they’re young?’

It had started as a touching moment of mutual comfort, but suddenly it seemed like they were about to kiss passionately.

“Sigh.”

Rather than the passionate young ones, Wishit directed his gaze toward the bright yellow moon in the night sky.

Seeing them struggle like this amid everything left him feeling even more perplexed.

The conversation with Wilkin came to mind once again.

“Who will die?”

“Landian’s contractee.”

This was the future that Vista had seen.

“This empire’s crown prince.”