Ever Ever After - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Engage Her To Clint

Teniac Empire’s Emperor Murray nagged to the ends of the earth.

“You haven’t married again this year! How long will you irresponsibly continue to put it off?!”

Lawrence groaned at the emperor’s excruciating remark.

He wanted to say that he had planned to kill Ailea on spot in a sea of flames, but for odd reasons, he wasn’t able to.

She looked like a stray cat, but her will had been shaken and she slipped out a tear when asking him to save that cute and pretty kitten.

He didn’t know what he was feeling, but when he looked at that tearful face of hers, he thought it was somewhat endearing. Lawrence decided to lock her up in a castle and take another gander at a later date.

But when his father’s echoing words penetrated his ears, he regretted not killing Ailea right away.

The emperor sighed at the sight of his son. Each and every piece of advice he gave his son went to his ear and out another.

“Why don’t you want to marry a child like that?”

“Ugh… she’s sick and hideously ugly. If you were in my position, father, you would do the same.”

“Is it because of Rita?”

“No… that…”

Lawrence shut his mouth.

The emperor also adored Rita Brea. There was no daughter more beautiful and pure like her, and the house she hailed from was excellent. She lacked nothing.

In fact, the emperor slowly leaned towards the idea of canceling the engagement between the hero’s daughter and his beloved son who had suffered so much over the past few years.

“If you’re to continue putting off the marriage like that, you better find a man willing to marry her,” the emperor hinted.

Another man? What did the emperor mean by that?

A name stuck to Lawrence’s mind.

While pondering, the emperor said unexpectedly, “Clint says he’ll be coming back soon. As you know, he’s recaptured the Excalibur and completed his mission. He deserves a proper title.”

Lawrence’s expression crumbled hearing Clint’s name pop up.

What do you mean capture? Was he supposed to feel elated?

Duke Risher, whose house was located in the capital, had three sons. Two of his sons fought at the forefront of the war and were killed for the sake of the country. But among those three sons was the youngest who was a knight-disciple led under Ron Elgar Euliana, Ailea’s father.

Alongside Clint, Ron trained some children around his age. The death of the hero had caused them many heartache and grief, only returning when they were around fifteen years of age.

Among those trained by Ron was Clint Risher, the man who recaptured Excalibur during wartime.

The Calise Family was a royal family and Excalibur bore the same status and weight as that of the Imperial Family.

Lawrence couldn’t believe that Clint’s name would become synonymous with the royal family because he had captured Excalibur. Lawrence wouldn’t admit to Clint’s grandiosity.

That aside, when thinking of Ailea and what Clint would do if he ever saw her, he’d only run away and never come back.

The thought of it caused gloominess to form in his aching heart. It was as if he was swallowing a monstrous poison. Did he really have no choice but to stay with that beastly woman for the rest of his life?

As if to cool his son’s horrid thoughts, the emperor continued, “How’s she doing?”

“Yes?”

Lawrence raised his head.

“I don’t think you care enough about that woman that you’d willingly go so far as to break off the engagement.”

“W-wait… do you mean marry Clint… to… to Ailea?” Lawrence frowned, wondering what was going on inside the emperor’s mind.

“Think, my son. Think of the vicious cycle of history in which a nobleman inherited the will of the castle of Excalibur. They’d rebel and annihilate the royal family. A nobleman once attempted to exterminate the royal family after capturing Excalibur.”

Excalibur was the pinnacle of architecture created by the Teniac Empire. With Excalibur being moderately separated from the emperor’s oversight, there wasn’t much interference due to the distance from the Imperial City.

Because it was located in the fertile land of Sutton, it allowed the emperor to collect and levy many taxes. But above all, Excalibur was advantageous for trade and diplomacy with nearby countries.

The nobles who had established themselves in Excalibur came to hoard enormous power and naturally developed a will to rebel.

“Having Clint around is good for the benefits of the Teniac Empire, but I warn you, Lawrence, that should you fail to rule properly is when he becomes a great threat when you are emperor.”

“…..”

“But if he marries the woman who once had a prior relationship to you, it will always become his biggest baggage. He’ll have no choice but to bow under your will. Besides, if he resists…”

“We’ll charge him with treason,” Lawrence said joyously.

This… wasn’t he killing two birds with one stone?

The corners of Lawrence’s mouth crept up.