The Extra Wants To Live

Less than three weeks after the central army was dispatched to suppress the rebellion, word reached Himmeln that everything had calmed down. All the strategies had worked out well, supplies were smooth, and battles were won one after another.

The casualties of the central army were fewer than fifty, making it clear that it was a significant victory. The hidden purpose was to eradicate heresy, conceal it, and create a foundation for political cooperation with the Church of Duren. It was a flawless operation, and naturally, Himmeln was in a celebratory mood.

"In the end, that's all the common people can do."

"How on earth did they take over Palton Territory?"

"Shh, don't even pay attention."

The imperial majesty stood tall again.

The nobles were busy keeping quiet, knowing that Emperor Azgoth was withholding the facts behind the rebellion.

"It was going to end up like this. What kind of rebellion was that… ."

While the common people were relieved that the rebellion had been successfully suppressed and the chaos had subsided, they also felt regret and disappointment. But since they would be hung if they talked about it in public, they just muttered quietly.

"Thank you, Duren. Thank you.. ."

Lilly was greatly relieved when a letter arrived with the news that Carl was safe.

News came that the Laurel Unit had infiltrated the enemy's rear and carried out a diversionary operation, with nearly half of its men killed or wounded.

Even though Master Jaren was involved, they suffered heavy losses, so it was clear how fierce the battle was.

When Lilly heard about the damage to the Laurel Unit, she was so worried that she couldn't even drink water. But how happy she must have been to receive one of Carl's usual letters!

This incident had elevated Carl's status higher than ever before, even though Lilly thought it couldn't get any higher than this.

On the surface, the person who contributed most to suppressing this rebellion was the cavalry captain Milione Hansval, who commanded the central army as a commander and successfully conquered Sambison.

However, the general opinion was that they would not have won so easily if the Laurel Unit had not carried out a diversionary operation, so it was correct to see Carl as the real number one contributor.

There, Carl deliberately did not join the central army before the attack on Sambison, even though he could have done so.

The conquest of Sambison was easy even without Carl and Jaren. But if Carl had participated that far, he might have surpassed Commander Milione and become the greatest contributor.

Since the empire was in turmoil, Carl had participated in numerous battles as a soldier and had made brilliant achievements.

He respected Milione, who was the commander of the battle that had been fought for the first time in a long time, and humbly yielded the credit.

Praise and applause for Carl, the Laurel Planter, could be heard everywhere.

This further elevated Lilly's status from a mere nanny of humble origins to the point where even the royal family, as members of the imperial family, could not easily deal with her.

Nevertheless, Lilly just lived quietly in her room, waiting for Carl to return.

What if she acted rashly and put even a small dent in Carl's authority?

Lilly's humble origins were already a blemish on Carl. It's just that Carl was so outstanding and Lilly was so careful, like she was crawling on thin ice, that it was buried.

Lilly spent most of her time praying in her room. She heard that Carl was safe, but she was still worried and couldn't bear it without praying.

Carl would be back tomorrow.

Lilly thought she would be able to feel reassured only when she saw him with her own eyes.

She felt a little empty without the silver staff necklace that she always held tightly in her hand whenever she prayed for Carl.

'I'll have to get a new one later.'

Crunch.

Lilly, who had been praying quietly, looked back with her shoulders shaking.

Lilly's room was actually Carl's room. Lilly was only a servant who lived in Carl's room.

A person who could burst into the room of Carl, the 4th prince and grand duke of the empire, without even knocking, late at night, despite the presence of Lilly, whom he regarded as his mother—there was only one such person in this palace.

Emperor Azgoth.

However, the person who met Lilly's eyes as she looked back was not Azgoth.

"Lady Lilly."

A very polite and gentle voice.

Emperor Azgoth's most loyal right-hand man, the real power in the palace who saw through and managed all the big and small affairs of the palace.

"…Your Majesty."

The attendant, Orten, entered the room and quietly closed the door. Lilly couldn't even imagine what was in his sunken eyes.

Orten sighed quietly inwardly as he looked at Lilly, who just looked a little bewildered.

He had always silently followed Azgoth's orders because that was his job. But this time, even the chief steward Orten couldn't hide his despair.

Lilly quickly shook off her embarrassed expression, stood up, and bowed her head to Orten. Although she could enjoy status thanks to Carl, Lilly was formally nothing.

"Your Majesty, what is it? Shall I bring out some tea?"

"No, Lady Lilly. Just a moment… just a moment."

Orten hesitated slightly, uncharacteristically. Then he slowly approached Lilly and stood in front of her.

"First of all, I apologize for my rudeness, Lady Lilly."

Orten bowed his head and put his hand on his heart as he apologized.

"What, how rude?"

Lilly found Orten's excessive politeness quite burdensome. Orten was acting as if Lilly were a noble lady.

Orten slowly raised his head and looked at Lilly. An unknown emotion floated across his wrinkled face.

Orten slowly put his hand into his bosom and took out a small glass bottle, perhaps about the size of a finger joint. It contained just one drop of clear liquid.

Orten held it in his hand and looked at it for a long time, then slowly handed it to Lilly.

"What is this?"

Lilly took it carefully, her reaction, knowing nothing and not even understanding the current situation, reflected her confusion. Orten closed his eyes.

"Lady Lilly, it is a poison meant to kill you."

At Orten's words, Lilly's faint gasp was heard. When Orten opened his eyes again, a pale and exhausted Lilly was looking at him with slightly cloudy green eyes.

Her frightened face was a little sore.

"There will be no pain. There will be no trace of poison, and you will remain peaceful as if you were sleeping."

"Why, why…."

Lilly hesitated and stepped back. The hand holding the glass bottle became pale and trembled with tension.

"Because His Majesty the Emperor considers His Excellency the Grand Duke as a candidate for the crown prince."

"… ."

Orten said something he didn't have to say. The mission Orten was originally given was simply to kill Lilly.

All he had to do was add poison to her food. Then Lilly would die for unknown reasons like Adrian's mother Emma, and everything would end simply.

However, Orten, with all eyes and ears in the palace late at night, came to Lilly himself and explained the background. That was because Orten deeply respected and admired this lowly nanny.

The Imperial Palace was a place reserved for only the most noble of the Empire and a crucible where the Empire's most vicious desires swirled.

Orten had watched it all from here in silence.

To Orten, Lilly was a very impressive figure.

It was incomprehensible that she treated the worthless fourth prince, who was on the verge of death, as her son and cared for him with utmost sincerity. But what happened after Carl spread his wings was even more shocking.

It would have been understandable if she had looked back on what she could enjoy at least once.

Even though she had become someone no one in the palace or the empire could take lightly, Lilly lay flat on her stomach and did not move for the sake of Carl's future.

Because that was the best Lilly could do for Carl.

She gave up her life for Carl, who was not even her own son, and turned away from everything that was given to her in return.

Her life as a mother, doing the best she could for her son, was like the life of a monk who spurned herself for God.

Orten regarded Lilly as a truly noble lady.

He acknowledged her as mother of Carl, who was the candidate for crown prince and the most likely candidate for Azgoth to become the next emperor.

So this moment was very painful for Orten.

Unlike when he had killed others who were just born and enjoyed life, like Emma, the mother of Adrian.

The fact that he had to kill Lilly, who was the most beautiful and shining, with his own hands, despite being of humble origins and in the lowest position, was unbearable for him.

"His Majesty the Emperor has postponed the appointment of the Crown Prince in order to find a truly worthy successor to the Empire. His Highness the Grand Duke has risen to the top in less than two years."

"But, why me…"

Lilly asked in a trembling voice.

She didn't see what Carl being great had to do with killing herself.