Chapter 27. The Principality Of Bertino, Part VIII

"What are you doing? Send her out of here right now! And get Albert!"

At the cold voice, Julietta hurried up to the woman. The moment she pulled her arm, telling her to get up, her glasses flew away, and her face burned in a flash.

Ouch. She was hit again. Because of the Prince's women, who hit her on the cheek as if she were a neighborhood punching bag, Julietta had to think for a moment about this job.

The moment she reflexively ran to pick up the stripped glasses first, she heard a dull sound of 'thud.' As soon as she looked back with glasses, she saw a wistfully crying woman rolling to the door.

"Do not think that I would overlook that since you are a woman. How dare you sneak into my sleeping room and even touch my maid? You went crazy to die. Isn't that right? Isn't there anyone there?"

Killian, who kicked her coldly in anger at the beating of his own maid, shouted. The outside was disturbed by a shout which was different from the previous one. The guards rushed in and out of the other room, and after a while Sir Albert, who was dressed up in pajamas, came in.

"Your, Your Highness?"

Albert was appalled at the sight of the Prince, who aimed the dagger, a treasure of family of Bertino, at the woman who was lying down.

"Where's Count Baden? Did he go back to his castle?"

"Oh, no. He said he would see Your Highness in the morning, and he rented a room at the inn.""The whole family that he brought must have rooms in the inn. I told the inn owner not to accept any guests while I am staying. Did you tell the Count that it was treason to break my orders?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"In the late night, sneaking into the room of a potential crown prince must have been a scheme to assassinate me by holding hands with someone. Arrest all those who are staying at the inn, except our party."

Albert opened his eyes to the growing task.

When the Prince said about treason earlier, he thought it was about scaring him to take off the annoying Count Baden. But he ordered him to arrest all of them with a straight face. Once angry, he was in that state where no one could stop him; he felt that now and became uneasy.

Soon, Count Baden and his companions were arrested and dragged in front of Killian, whose cold silver eyes glistened. The Count waited for good news and looked sulky with anger at the sudden turmoil.

"The Count, your daughter secretly attacked me this night to assassinate me. When did you start with this plan?"

Count Baden protested in a fit of rage when he accused his daughter, who he had sent to seduce, of being an assassin. "Your Highness, what an assassination! I don't even think about it. It's just an immature act my daughter committed in love for you. Since she saw you last year, she's been lovesick and divorced. Please forgive her for the crazy thing that stupid child has done for love."

The Count laughed inwardly, asking for forgiveness with a somewhat frightened look. However, he felt bad knowing that the Prince should have done this as he pushed his daughter into the room even after last year. He stared at his foolish daughter, who had failed to lure a man and brought him to such disgrace.

Killian's derision was heard in the ears of Count Baden, who only thought of stepping down after giving the proper measure in tune.

"Count Baden, I haven't been letting you go because I did not know. Don't you think I knew you were weighing between me and Francis? Why, if I accept your daughter today, will you betray Francis?"

The Count's face hardened as the Prince stared at him touching a sharp knife.

Francis, the first Prince, was the most likely figure to rise to the crown prince, with Killian, the fifth Prince, now in sight. Unlike Killian, who seemed to be little interested in the crown prince's position, Prince Francis was actively expanding his influence. Between Francis and Killian, supported by the Emperor, the nobles were looking where to put their feet, and so was Count Baden.

Last year, the family of Duke Dudley, the mother's side of the family of Francis, sent a man to the Count who had been disgraced for pushing his daughter into Killian.

Currently, the number one family in the aristocratic hierarchy in Austern with no Empress, was the family of Duke Dudley, of the Empress. At such a gesture from the great nobility, the Count had no choice but to be moved. It was now possible for him to enter the central aristocracy, which he had aspired to for so long.

Four hundred years ago, the current balance of power was enacted when the long war ended and meetings between countries began regularly. Thus, at a time when a mutual non-aggression treaty was signed and war was gone between countries, the status of a margrave was nothing more than a nobleman who failed to advance to the center, or another such a title.

Baden Territory was a city with commercial development because of its geographical characteristics. It was one of the important channels of foreign trade.

Unlike the two Empires, who set up direct-connected Magic Squares under mutual consultation, the kingdoms had to cross the borders by land. In order for goods from other countries to go to the Principality of Bertino, the Kingdom of Shurant, and the Kingdom of Levatum, they had to cross the border after taking the Magic Square. Count Baden, who had amassed wealth in accordance with geographical advantages as a key location, had always been thirsty for advancing to the center.

Though they were the same country, the central aristocrats completely ostracized the local aristocrats.

History had shown that the family of Kielini of neighboring Tilia Territory had made a great contribution to the reform of the kingdom of Austern to the Austern Empire, through war. The reward led the family of Kielini to produce the Empress, and quickly widened the gap with the family of Baden.

Count Baden, who had always envied the family of Kielini, now one of Austern's top aristocrats, decided to take advantage of their way of gaining status, and had been steadily trying to push his daughters into the fifth Prince when passing Baden Territory to go to the Principality of Bertino this time of year.

Count Baden once again examined Killian's gaze, who was staring at him with fierce eyes.

The image of the Prince staring at him with his arms crossed seemed so severe that no needle would go in.

He was nervous because he thought that it would not be possible for him to have a chance if the restoration of the broken Magic Square of Bertino was completed, and he had not been able to get a proper chance since the fifth Prince had not given him any opportunity.

While he was agonizing that the opportunity for him to turn Austern's royal family into his in-laws would be his last, the family of Duke Dudley approached him.

Count Baden began to roll his head. His instincts informed him that he should board the fifth Prince's boat, but could not give up the connection to Duke Dudley. The Count, who had decided to send his daughter again today as his last chance, had allowed the followers of the Duke to stay in the castle for weeks in case he failed.

Although he thought that the Prince in front of him would not know all this, the words of the Prince hit the mark. The Count's face had lost all color.

"Did you think I wouldn't know? The Count, you don't know me too much. Can't you avoid the sight of His Majesty? You are so stupid," the fifth Prince said with confidence that the Emperor had his back. It was like he was proclaiming himself to be the next Emperor.

"Now do you know how big a mistake you've made? I have warned you so many times and overlooked your actions, but you sent your daughter to sneak into my room. How dare she hit my maid?"

People tilted their heads in unison as some seemingly divergent words came from the mouth of the Prince, who had a very cool, great-looking, unapproachable aura. Silence sank in the room as everyone thought hard to figure out the truth about the Prince's words.