My Child's Father is The Emperor - Chapter 13.2
Alvin was troubled.
Quick to grasp situations, he sometimes got so engrossed in his clever thoughts that he overlooked other perspectives.
“Why can’t you think that someone could start a new country?”
Ellipson’s words had complicated his thoughts.
This was something he had never considered.
The internal situation of the Albrecht Empire was not favorable.
There were no open revolts against the Emperor yet, but conditions ripe for opposition existed.
The previous Emperor had favored arts and women.
He invited musicians and artists to the palace for banquets and had an empress, six noble consorts, and five commoner consorts, neglecting state affairs and allowing treacherous officials to dominate.
Norman Cliff, the Duke.
While the Emperor was distracted, the Duke gained full control of the palace knights.
The Emperor didn’t hand over command.
Initially, he was only asked to oversee their training. But eventually, the knights wouldn’t move without the Duke’s command.
Van reformed the knights with his people after surviving the struggle for the throne.
Hence, the current military alignment within the palace was delicate.
With a new Emperor enthroned, it was right for Duke Cliff to relinquish control of the knights.
But he was stalling.
“I thought it would be easier if his daughter, Lady Velota, became the Empress.”
Alvin was not one to take the easy path unnecessarily.
However, after hearing Ellipson’s words, his thoughts shifted.
“If Lady Adele becomes Empress, 10,000 people will have to die.”
The Duke’s private army and his followers.
“If the Emperor goes into exile, 150,000 or more will die.”
During the throne battles, Van left no other bloodline.
Without a central figure, the Empire would plunge into more bloody turmoil until a new Emperor emerged.
“I never considered the Emperor might leave this country with only Lady Adele and Leo.”
Such a thought had never crossed Alvin’s mind.
Ellipson was a remarkable woman.
Alvin had always considered himself a genius, so he respected Ellipson for bringing up ideas he hadn’t thought of.
And now, this issue became an even bigger thorn in his side.
“Is there a way to make Lady Adele want to become Empress?”
Her willingness was crucial.
The position of Empress wasn’t one to be filled by dragging someone unwilling into it.
Alvin made his way to Adele’s room.
‘Since I’ve already asked if she wanted to be Empress, bringing it up again would not be unnatural.’
She hadn’t outright refused.
If she wasn’t interested, he had merely offered to help her seek asylum, advising against wasting her life on a foolish endeavor.
Alvin was a manipulator, he knew reversing a few words was not a big deal.
But after hearing Ellipson’s words, he felt unusually heavy-hearted.
“Hah….”
Alvin sighed and looked at his attendant.
“Please convey my request to Lady Adele.”
Guided to the drawing room, Alvin took a seat on the sofa.
“Good day.”
“Hello, Count Castellan.”
As Alvin sipped his tea, he ventured,
“Have you given any thought to our previous conversation?”
Adele, with her clear and neatly presented appearance, seemed quietly formidable.
Alvin observed her as a potential Empress candidate he might have to support.
“Is it true that the Emperor wishes for me to become Empress?”
Adele’s question, indicating her doubt, was a good sign for Alvin, showing she could be swayed.
“Yes, it’s true. The Emperor turns 28 this year. It’s unprecedented in the history of the empire for someone to ascend to the throne unmarried.”
Upon reaching the age of 16 and completing the coming-of-age ceremony, most are engaged.
They go through a period of courtship and around the age of 18, they have their official wedding.
Prince Vanhelm, being lower in the succession order and having a foreign princess as a mother who passed away early, had a shallow political background.
While other princes were engaged or married, influential families within the empire were reluctant to send their daughters to such a position. Occasionally, proposals came from less prominent families.
Apart from this, there were plenty of noble ladies who covertly desired just to enjoy time with Van.
During his princely days, to these noble ladies, he was a man desirable for pleasure but questionable for marriage.
This was the very reason for Van’s disdain for noble ladies.
‘Considering that, it might actually be fortunate that he has set his sights on someone like Lady Adele.’
And now, there’s already an heir.
Alvin decided to view the situation as positively as possible.
“Lord Castellan.”
“Please, speak.”
Alvin offered a professional smile.
“I wish to become the Empress.”
