So I Was the Persecuted Grand Duchess Destined to Die? Chapter 71

Chapter 71

So it really was like that.

Looking at the Crown Prince’s calm face, Xavier swallowed the anger boiling deep inside his chest.
That anger was clearly directed at the Empress.

As if he understood that feeling, the Crown Prince gave a bitter smile and spoke again.

“Brother, you know this as well—every banquet held by the imperial family falls under the Empress’s authority as mistress of the palace. There wasn’t much justification to refuse.”

“There was no need to refuse outright, but a masquerade ball of all things? There will be people attending for the first time. Is she trying to make sure no one can make any impression on the Crown Prince?”

The Empress was a master of politics.
Especially when it came to the darker side of things, her mind worked with frightening sharpness.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she was the most skilled schemer in the palace—
including the Emperor himself.

“That’s part of it, but more than that, she probably didn’t want attention focused on certain first-time attendees. With faces hidden, it’s easier to pull strings.”

“……”

Xavier could hardly fail to notice that he was included among those “certain attendees.”
And that Renée was as well.

When the image of the innocent woman surfaced in his mind, his worries deepened.

She hadn’t sparkled with excitement just at the words imperial banquet?
She’d tried to hide it, but anyone could see.

And she’s looking forward to it so much…

Xavier forced down the sigh threatening to escape.

For him, his condition left him little choice—but for Renée, this would be her first banquet ever.

As a child, she’d been shut away in the marquess’s household, enduring relentless abuse.
After that, she’d been shut away in the North, never even setting foot in high society.

Renée seemed quite happy with her life at the ducal estate, but—

For a young lady her age, just hearing the word “banquet” would normally be enough to make her excited.
And Renée never even had a debutante ball.

In effect, this banquet would be her debut.

And yet, before it even began, the Empress was already pouring cold water over it.

Xavier couldn’t help but wonder why.

Even though Blanche blood flows in her veins—she’s still not under the Empress’s control?
How very like her, to cut things off at the root.

Xavier knew the cruelty hidden behind the Empress’s benevolent mask.

Even after he took a Grand Duchess, assassins had come for him relentlessly.
Their source was obvious.

Of course, Renée had slept peacefully through it all, unaware.
That was because Xavier made sure she never knew.

He had intercepted the killing blades that eventually reached even her, secretly treated her wounds—
and shed a great deal of blood in the process.

She doesn’t need to know about any of that.

Thankfully, after Ternox became his adjutant, magic made it far easier to filter out intruders.

Even so, the Empress’s persistence—sending assassins again and again despite repeated failures—was exhausting, even for Xavier.

Until now, she’d worked quietly beneath the surface.

But now she was laying the board out in the open.

“Does His Majesty the Emperor know about this?”

“Of course. But even if he didn’t, what would change? He’s practically handed over not just the inner palace, but the throne itself.”

A puppet Emperor who had retreated from governance, wrapped in the Empress’s skirts.
Anyone with eyes and ears knew that much.

It was no exaggeration to say the imperial palace had become lawless.

Despite the Empress’s tireless efforts, the Crown Prince’s position remained firm—
largely because of the constant doubts surrounding the Second Prince’s competence.

In a way, the world really is fair.

Swallowing his self-mockery, Xavier’s eyes sharpened once more.

“This isn’t a trivial matter. We need thorough preparations.”

His low, heavy voice cut through the air.

Callian nodded, as if he’d been waiting for that.

“Of course. I’m already planning to reinforce the guard and place knights in plain clothes throughout the venue.”

“That won’t be enough. The Empress’s side will likely deploy their own people under the excuse of a masquerade. Have you noticed anything suspicious so far?”

“You know her as well as I do. She never lets anything slip.”

“That’s a problem.”

It was too late to withdraw now.
Doing so would be exactly what they wanted.

If House Celeste—the Crown Prince’s strongest supporter—were to suddenly cancel and not appear, it would be like throwing themselves into a fire pit.

“Haa…”

And yet—

Something felt wrong.

A sharp, almost animal instinct warned Xavier that this was dangerous.

“Is this because of the Grand Duchess?”

Callian spoke quietly, having observed Xavier’s shifting mood.

The friend and brother he’d known for so long wore an unfamiliar expression.

Xavier probably didn’t realize it himself, but the way his face softened whenever he drifted into thought of someone was almost amusing.

Wow. He’s fallen hard.

But contrary to Callian’s assumption, Xavier replied coldly.

“Why do you keep bringing up the Grand Duchess? She’s irrelevant.”

“Then don’t tell me it’s unrequited love?”

He meant it as a tease—

“……”

—but the silence that followed shocked Callian instead.

“Wait, seriously? You? Unrequited love?”

“That’s not it.”

Xavier answered irritably, but his mind was already filling again with what had happened earlier.

“Yeah. I like you.”
“…Ah. Ice cream?”

The truth that had slipped out unintentionally.

Xavier himself had been more startled by that unprepared confession than anyone else.
But he’d never expected that kind of response.

I knew she was clueless, but still…

Right now, Renée seemed completely unaware of how he felt about her.
No—perhaps she didn’t want to know.

To her, I’m probably just an irritating political-marriage partner.

Because of how stiff and distant he’d always been, there was hardly anything that could be called mutual affection between them.

More than anything, hadn’t he only ever hurt her?

He had to admit it.

This was a one-sided, selfish feeling.

Calling it a confession… all I really did was snap at her on my own.

The worst.

Even if these feelings were new to him, acting like such a child—

At this point, it would be stranger if Renée did feel anything for him.

“Haa…”

Watching Xavier sigh deeply, Callian let out a hollow breath and lamented.

“Wow. You really live long enough to see everything.”

“That coming from you, brat?”

Xavier let out a short laugh, poking at his childhood nickname.

Focus on what’s in front of us.

Letting his mind wander like this, with the Empire’s Crown Prince right here, was unacceptable.

Callian, unbothered, was simply amazed by his brother’s change.

“Anyway, enough of that. Let’s talk details about the guard deployment.”

Xavier’s eyes—now sharp again—fixed squarely on Callian.

Looks like he really wants to avoid that topic.

Seeing Xavier desperately steer the conversation away, Callian decided to be generous and let it go.

As they discussed guard placements and the current state of the imperial court, the conversation eventually reached the list of attending houses.

“Oh, right. House Blanche will be attending as well.”

“…You could’ve mentioned that sooner.”

Though it was only natural that a marquess’s household would attend the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet—even if they were a prominent Empress faction—

“Tch.”

Xavier clicked his tongue, irritation twisting in his chest.

So that’s why she was in the capital.

The scene from the street earlier resurfaced in his mind.

Bianca Blanche, the precious youngest daughter of House Blanche.

It had been his first time seeing her in person, but he’d recognized it instantly.

Damn it all—she looked quite a bit like Renée.

I don’t like that either.

If he hadn’t intervened, Renée would have suffered grave humiliation—or even physical harm.

As Renée’s frightened voice echoed in his memory again, irritation surged up inside Xavier.