# 45
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Certain looked like a caged bird. If he killed the Emperor, Duke Spellman would brand him a disobedient and traitorous son and take control of the Imperial Palace. Duke Spellman was probably waiting for this.
“There is nothing that cannot be solved with money! Let Duke Spelman solve it. That is all.”
The Emperor was sniffing his nose.
"Don't do that either. Come and have fun with me. If you forget everything, nothing will matter."
The Emperor gripped Sertin's wrist tightly. The woman he paid him was coming back and getting attached to him again.
Breathing was difficult.
“There are so many interesting things in the world!”
“Huh!”
Certin looked at the Emperor with a look full of disgust. Just being the son of that damned blood was a curse.
“…You mean my father says I should let Spellman solve this matter?”
“Of course, of course. A father must solve his son’s problems! Augustin is not a little child yet.”
Are all the children dead?
Sertin felt like he was swallowing poison.
“Yes, then I will assume you have given permission.”
Cyrtain pushed the woman away from him again. Then he left that dirty place and closed the door forcefully.
The servant who came out behind him bowed, smiling in amazement.
“Did you just hear?”
“Yes, yes! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I committed an unforgivable crime, Your Highness!”
“I have heard His Majesty’s will, and you are my witnesses. He has asked me to hold Spelman responsible for this.”
“Yes, I heard that too.”
The servant bowed.
Certain pointed to Mortega. He was unable to expect such a situation to occur. He had prepared the papers in advance.
“Take this and go get my father's seal. I think you can do that, don't you?”
“Yes, sir. I will!”
The servant answered in a trembling voice. Sirten walked out of the imperial palace. The shadow of the Imperial Palace seemed to be pressing down on him.
He moved between heaven and hell several times a day.
If he had been in the war, it would have been better than this.
But he still has Augustin.
Damn, really...
Sertin ran an emotion-filled hand across his face. His face was very red.
Sertin gave an order to Mortega.
“Stay here and get the papers.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Certain was thinking of Evelyn.
He doesn't know how many times he thought about her throughout the day.
When he was feeling bad, like at this moment...and he felt that death might be better than this when the world seemed too heavy for him, he would think of Evelin.
To a very ridiculous degree.
* * *
Augustin was sitting on the window frame with a cold face.
“It's high.”
The prince's guards were outside guarding the door. All the guards in this palace were under Spellman's control, and they had probably gone through the experiences of war.
“Tsk.”
Certain keeps doing uess things. As long as Duke Spelman performed the role of a slave to the Emperor, Augustin would not be in danger.
He will leave this place today.
Wasn't what he did in the beginning for his father's sake?
“Why does that idiot keep doing annoying things?”
Augustin frowned.
It was a big surprise when he learned that Evelyn had been taken in Veronica's place.
He wondered how stupid she must have been for that to happen. Why did she do this?
Augustin ran his tongue over his lip.
But what was proven from this was one thing. Duke Spellman was not an extraordinary person.
“You brag too much.”
Augustin laughed bitterly.
He was kicking his feet and when he opened the door without saying anything, Augustin looked at the two people who entered.
Cyrtain and the Duke of Spelman.
"my dad."
Augustin nodded and then paid a little respect to Sertain.
“I salute His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Augustin got down from the window frame and went comfortably to the bench to sit. His slouching gait and exaggerated concern for himf were still the same.
He didn't appear to be even slightly caged.
“Please be seated, gentlemen.”
Augustin laughed with a swaying smile.
Cyrtain and the Duke of Spelman began a conversation, ignoring Augustin.
“Is it true that someone witnessed my son paying the museum director?”
“Yes, Duke. There are two witnesses to this, and there are victims as well, so he cannot escape the crime.”
Even then, Augustin was laughing. He was full of confidence that nothing would happen no matter how much Sirtain spoke. Duke Spellman was here, and no one could harm him.
Augustin was kicking his foot and whispering an indistinct tune.
"Is this correct?"
"How could it be? Why would I hurt that manager? I only caught him when he was drunk and about to fall. It seems people misunderstood what happened."
“Two testimonies confirmed that he actually pushed him. The description of his actions towards the young duke was identical between the two witnesses.”
"Yes."
Duke Spellman sighed lightly. Duke Spelman looked at Cyrtain and Augustin alternately.
Sertin won't back down.
He will try in every way to pick up any thread of speech to prove him wrong. He heard that the Knights of Cyrtain are closing down the Natural History Museum and investigating it.
“Your Highness, I think you might be influenced by the words of ordinary people. Maybe some will tell lies.”
This meant that he had to give up something. Either he ends his investigations at the Natural History Museum or releases Augustin.
“Apparently, that's what I think. The head of the Natural History Museum is in this state, and the criminals who were trying to uncover the truth are all dead.”
By that he meant pulling people out of the Natural History Museum.
In any case, everything that could be obtained was obtained. Certin was planning to hand over the museum in exchange for Augustin's release.
Duke Spelman understood this intention.
Duke Spellman looked at his foolish son. His son who was exposed because of his foolishness.
He shouldn't have been caught touching that manager. He would say that he did it for Duke Spelman, but it was just an outlet for his anger.
If anything had to be compromised, this would be it.
Before something was discovered, it was buried in the basement of the museum.
Duke Spelman finished his calculations.
“Augustin is not married yet, and he has some childish sides. When he gets married, he will become a real family man, but there is no one suitable for him to marry.”
Hearing Duke Spellman's words, Sirtain's eyes narrowed.
“Since ancient times, a marriage arranged by the royal family has been considered the best.”
Sirten understood the Duke's intention from those words.
These were the terms of the deal. The Duke of Spelman had handed Augustin's future and career into Cirtain's hands.
Which means that Augustin will be excluded from central politics.
The influence of the Duke of Spellman's family will decrease.
“If I were a father, I would want the marriage to be from a reputable family. It would be better to be the daughter of an old family with a long reputation in the distant regions.”
“It's natural to want to add a good person to the family.”
“Do you think the honeymoon trip will be at a villa located in the far west, Your Highness? Of course, I will abide by the royal family’s wishes.”
“I understand your intention.”
“We better hurry up. How about one week?”
By that he meant that he wanted to hand over the museum at that time.
Certain confirmed his understanding and nodded.
At this point, Augustin raised his head.
Raymond's second daughter's background was very different.
“Dad, what do you mean by that...?!”
“It's a good opportunity for Augustin to calm down.”
In other words, it was to weaken one of his political wings.
"my dad!!!"
Augustin shouted sharply.
“We can't keep the groom forever. By the way, I need a reward for this.”
But no one was listening to him anymore.
“Don't worry, young Duke.”
Sertin smiled coldly.
“Maybe the servants mistook them. I have to leave now. Duke, you must take your son and leave as well. You must hurry and arrange the marriage.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I will await your call.”
Certin did not look at Augustin and left.
“Father, what do these words mean! Marquis Raymond’s family…!”
"Shut up, Augustin. Didn't I tell you to exercise restraint?"
Duke Spellman said coldly. When his gaze met Augustin's, he realized the latter.
The situation has reached a point where there is no going back.