I had to suppress a smile. Loxdian’s description was perfect. Grandfather was a heavy man, and the "raccoon" comparison fit his overlapping jawline and his clever, calculating eyes perfectly. I wasn't so sure about the hair loss comment, but it was a nice touch.
"What's wrong with my lovely granddaughter, Your Majesty?" Grandfather asked, his voice strained.
"I came to see my sister, not the Duke’s granddaughter," Loxdian replied coolly.
"Is that so?"
"Do you have a problem with me meeting my own kin?"
"Of course not. How could I?"
I felt like I was watching an invisible, high-tension wire being pulled taut between them. I was both the granddaughter of Altsbeit and the sister of the Emperor, but in this moment, they were treating me like a prize to be fought over.
"However," Grandfather continued, "please refrain from filling my granddaughter’s head with unnecessary ideas."
"Unnecessary?" Loxdian raised an eyebrow. "I think Your Majesty knows better than anyone what is 'unnecessary' for her."
I watched the two of them with a fan pressed to my mouth, hiding my excitement. This was better than any drama I’d ever watched back in my old world.
'Wow, they're actually fighting over me! Even if I’m the one stuck in the middle, this is fun!'
It felt like I was watching someone else’s life. I wondered what "unnecessary ideas" Grandfather meant. Was it Loxdian’s suggestion that I abandon the Altsbeits and join the Imperial Family? I didn't remember if Charlize had ever been told that before, but it seemed likely.
"Love? Affection?" Loxdian scoffed. "A Duke with such 'affection' for his granddaughter would hardly marry her off to such a pathetic loser."
I looked at him in surprise. *Pathetic loser?* Askin Lemut?
'Hey, I don't like him much either, but he's definitely not a loser,' I thought.
Loxdian caught my gaze and frowned, but he didn't back down.
"The Duke of Lemut is a man who knows his place and has the strength to back it up," Grandfather said, his voice tightening. "He is more than enough for my granddaughter."
It was a classic case of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Grandfather hated Askin, but he’d praise him to the heavens if it meant annoying Loxdian.
"A man who was sold for money? You call that a 'good match'?" Loxdian’s voice was like ice. "The Imperial Family remembers well how the Altsbeits swallowed the achievements of a twenty-year-old boy who just wanted to enter politics."
"I paid a fair price for those 'achievements'," Grandfather spat back.
"A fair price? Barking at a child until he gave up his birthright is what you call 'fair'?"
Loxdian was clearly in a foul mood. His voice stayed level, which somehow made the insults sting even more. I watched him with growing interest.
'He really hates Grandfather even more than he hates Charlize,' I realized. It was the old strategy of *Lee Jei*—using one enemy to destroy another. And Loxdian was currently bombarding my grandfather while using me as a shield.
"...Watch your words, Your Majesty," Grandfather warned, his face turning a deep shade of red.
Loxdian was a powerful Emperor, and Grandfather knew he couldn't openly rebel. But he wasn't the type to let someone trample on his pride without a fight. I just hoped the sparks from their collision wouldn't set my own plans on fire.
Suddenly, Loxdian’s hand landed on my shoulder.
"You. Go to the carriage. Now."
"Eh? Where are we going?"
"The carriage. Now."
He pushed me forward, and I found myself being ushered out of the room before I could even say goodbye. Grandfather looked like he wanted to stop me, but Loxdian’s cold gaze held him back. As I looked over my shoulder, I saw the two of them staring at each other with pure, unadulterated hatred.
'Hmm... I don't think they're going to have a polite conversation once I’m gone.'
* * *
As soon as Charlize was out of sight, the mask of civility dropped completely.
"You’ve been visiting quite often lately," Duke Altsbeit said, his voice trembling with rage.
"I visit whenever I please," Loxdian replied. The mischievous tone he’d used with Charlize was gone, replaced by an aura of hostility so fierce it made the nearby knights visibly flinch.
"Can you stop visiting my granddaughter? She belongs to the House of Altsbeit, not the Imperial Family."
Loxdian laughed. "She is my sister. That makes her Imperial blood."
"She is an Altsbeit first."
Loxdian’s eyes flashed with a dark amusement. He knew the Duke would eventually be the one to destroy Charlize with his own hands. Grandfather was a man who discarded anything he didn't need—even his own daughter.
Years ago, the Duke had practically sold his daughter, Loxdian’s mother, to the Imperial Family. She had fallen in love with the Emperor when he was traveling in disguise, and when the Duke found out, he was furious... until he realized the "commoner" was actually the ruler of the Empire. Then, his attitude had flipped instantly. He’d offered his daughter up, but only on the condition that one of her children would be raised as an Altsbeit.
Loxdian had known this story since he was a child. He looked at his grandfather now and felt only contempt.
'Let's see how long you can keep that proud look on your face,' he thought.
"Since you've already sent my granddaughter away, I’ll ask you again: why are you here?" the Duke demanded.
"Must I have a reason to visit my own family?" Loxdian said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Grandfather stayed silent, his jaw clenched.
"Fine. I came to bring her a gift," Loxdian said, his smile returning. "I was worried she’d show up to the Goddess Festival in some cheap, unfitting dress. So I had the Imperial designers make her something worthy of her blood."
"..."
Grandfather’s beard actually trembled. He barely managed to keep his voice steady. "I have already arranged for her attire..."
"Oh, I’m sure you have. But I’m not particularly interested in your 'arrangements'."
Loxdian looked the Duke up and down, a look of pure disdain on his face, and then turned to leave.
"Don't bother seeing me out. Your presence is... annoying."
The sound of Loxdian’s footsteps faded into the distance. The old Duke stood there, his shoulders shaking. He didn't turn around when he called for his lieutenant.
"Immediately! Buy the finest fabrics, the most expensive jewels, the most exquisite ornaments in the entire Empire! Give them all to Charlize!"
"Yes, Your Grace! At once!"
The Duke’s original plan to reprimand Charlize for her recent behavior was completely forgotten. He couldn't lose to the Imperial Family’s wealth.
'Giving my granddaughter a dress? Don't make me laugh. I won't let her go.'
His pride wouldn't allow him to be outdone. He was the owner of the gold, the master of the Altsbeit fortune!
"Find out who this 'Imperial designer' is," he barked. "And make sure they never make another dress like the one they gave to Charlize. Not for any price. And if they refuse to listen... kill them."
"Yes, Your Grace. It will be done."
Meanwhile, Loxdian stopped at the end of the hall and looked back. He could see his grandfather, red-faced and screaming at his servants.
It was exactly what he’d wanted.
'You greedy, annoying pig,' Loxdian thought, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. 'All you care about is your money. Let's see how much it helps you when the world starts to burn.'
He laughed, the sound echoing through the hall like the growl of a well-fed beast.