Chapter 244: The Doll and the Scheme
Chapter 244: The Doll and the Scheme
Did I just... fall for her trick?
As Lyon stood at the palace gates, feeling the night breeze on his face, he couldn't help but feel a mix of complex emotions after leaving with the small gift the Princess had given Anna and refusing the royal carriage that was offered to take him home.
That cunning, wicked woman...
The initial questions he had raised, including the vast cognitive differences, the busyness of their respective lives, the complications of the Prince's identity, and the fact that she truly desired the Lane Family and not him personally... and so on and so forth.
Although the Princess had spoken at length with him, these fundamental issues that had made him determined to reject the marriage seemed to remain unresolved.
However, despite the situation remaining unchanged from before, not only had he failed to call off the wedding, but he had also been cleverly manipulated by her into making promises not to blame her, not to abandon her, to give her a chance, and to never bring up the idea of annulment.
If it weren't for him barely regaining some rationality at the critical moment, he might have even set a concrete wedding date on the spot, completely trapped by the cunning Princess.
But strangely, even though he knew he had been duped, the thought of the Princess leaning on him, whispering soft words, and those eyes of hers that seemed to be filled with him, at least appeared to be filled with him, made it impossible for him to be angry with her.
Men... pfft!
Lyon inwardly cursed his weak self, sighed, and descended the stairs with a complex expression, his emotions even more complicated.
...
Phew... Lyon probably won't be back to call off the wedding anytime soon.
As Lyon admitted his failure to call off the wedding and walked down the stairs with a heavy heart, or perhaps not so heavy, a certain someone standing on the balcony, gazing in his direction, finally let out a sigh of relief.
Those who seek status often value face more, and by offering sufficient respect upfront, one can usually sway their attitude. Those who seek power tend to be more practical, and to reach a consensus, tangible benefits must be presented. Those who seek wealth, though also realistic, may accept empty promises if a bright future is portrayed. But the truly difficult ones are those who seek nothing.
Fishing requires bait, but Lyon neither seeks status, nor power, nor wealth. His identity as a Prince is even a burden and a nuisance to him.
So, if he had truly bitten down and insisted on breaking the engagement no matter what, then she would have been completely helpless, left to watch him slip away, shaking his head and tail, returning to the vast ocean.
Fortunately, in order to push Lyon into the position of the Duke of Lionheart, she had conducted extensive research on him beforehand, gaining a thorough understanding, which barely allowed her to grasp his weakness...
His soft heart and thin skin.
Even though he had made up his mind to call off the wedding, his character would never allow him to speak ill words. This left room for her to maneuver and even by expressing her own affection, making it difficult for him to directly refuse, thus stabilizing the situation.
And when she revealed her bottom line, stating that he was her only choice, and showing enough helplessness and vulnerability to make 'initiating the annulment' a decision filled with guilt, then with Lyon's character, he would never be able to open his mouth.
I am truly a despicable woman...
Watching Lyon's departing figure, the Princess on the balcony remained silent for a moment, a hint of apology in her glistening eyes.
I'm sorry...
Even with all the underlying thoughts, every word I just said was true. Marrying you is indeed the best choice for me, perhaps even the only choice, as only a marriage with you can give me the power to change the Kingdom.
Six years ago, I was a step too late, unable to save those who died in the flames of war. Those figures, screaming as they were consumed by the orange-yellow fire, became the nightmares that tormented me countless nights.
And if I were a step too late six years later, failing to seize this opportunity to change the Kingdom, given its current state, a day would surely come when a dream even more painful than the previous one would descend upon me.
Perhaps this is selfish, but I truly don't want to regret it again!
The Princess watched as Leon's figure gradually disappeared into the night, letting out a soft sigh before leaving the balcony and returning to her desk. She reopened the files she had yet to approve.
Behind her, on a shelf, an old tin doll with half its face shattered silently gazed at her back as she worked, its expression a strange smile tinged with resentment.
...
"The Duke of Lionheart's Night Visit to the Palace, the Princess's Good Fortune?"
"A Historic Meeting, the Princess's Faction to Take Control!"
"Beauty or Power? The Lion and the Nightingale's Alliance!"
"Shocking! The Duke of Lionheart's Night Meeting with the Princess, a Pregnancy and Marriage on the Horizon?"
"..."
"Everyone here must already know the news," the man in brown formal attire said, his brows furrowed as he patted the stack of newspapers on the table, their headlines varied but all reporting the same story.
"I won't waste any more words," he continued. "I've gathered you here to discuss one matter—what do you plan to do about this foolish Duke who claims he'll offer the entire Lane Family as a dowry and intends to marry the Princess?"
What do we plan to do? The question now is, what can we do?
The old nobles, invited to the gathering, exchanged glances for a moment. Then, an elderly count with a full head of white hair stepped forward, his face filled with righteous indignation as he proposed,
"Of course, we must depose him!
Out of the Kingdom's seventeen major departments, seven are already under royal control. If the Lane Family's Department of Public Works and Military Department also fall, then more than half the departments will be under her influence! Add to that the Lane Family's seat in the Senate, and even if we join forces with the Lower House, we might not be able to overpower the Princess!
We must depose him! If we let that fool remain as Duke, how can we stand up to him in the future? Will we have to bow to his every whim?"
"But how do we depose him? And who will do it?"
After the old count spoke, another noble by his side sighed,
"After the Lane Bloodbath, almost everyone in the Lane Family with the qualifications to stand up has been wiped out. Only an elder without much authority remains, and if we must say, we can barely include the newly elected head of the family.
But during the succession ceremony, the old Duke's butler had a heart attack, and the remaining elder was so furious he suffered a stroke. The new head of the family was also terrified by the Lionheart Duke's slap to the Prince, falling ill and still recovering. The Lane Family has no one left to stand up."
"..."
(End of Chapter)
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