Duke Heston was feeling somewhat uneasy. He didnāt fear the Grand Duke. Heād even recently visited a spy agency for an audit, but his attempt to monopolize the empress was distorted.
āYou still think youāre the empressā fiance,ā the duke thought.
He believed Enoch was responsible for eighty percent of the empressā failure to marry. It was not unreasonable to hear rumors of both the empress and the Grand Duke in their prime and single and that the two still harbored past affection.
The Grand Dukeās attitude of being so close towards the empress also stirred up many rumors.
But those who watched the two closely knew that it was all nonsense. The empress was cold to the Grand Duke, and it was the Grand Duke who acted plainly to the point of holding affection for the empress alone.
Duke Heston could not understand why the Grand Duke stuck to the empressā side and claimed to be his loyal dog. The empress didnāt even have a decent bone of loyalty to throw at the Grand Duke.
One this was for sure, the Grand Duke wonāt do good for Duke Hestonās plan. He had the ambition to place his son on the seat of the throne as the emperor. The weak and docile empress was the perfect fit to string around in his grasp.
Duke Heston would have a rocky path, but he was confident in his plans.
āIt isnāt too late now, so why not try to figure out suitable candidates as your partner, Your Majesty.ā
āStop talking about the matter, Duke,ā Enoch spat out coldly.
Duke Hestonās flushed face turned red.
āWhat?ā
āI wasnāt going to say this, but it seems as if you donāt know your place. Her Majesty is the ruler of me, the ball, and the empire, not some seed that sheāll give birth to. Oh, but if she does, her partner wonāt be from the House of Heston.ā
The surrounding air cooled down.
At Enochās wild and blatant words, Aran forgot what to say. When the two of them were alone, she knew Enoch loathed the aristocrats in official positions and poured out all kinds of vulgar words, but in public, heād keep his manners in mind.
What was he doing now?
Duke Hestonās face looked like it was about to burst.
āIsnāt the Grand Duke a bit too unbecoming? How dare you criticize me for putting out a suggestion?! How dare you say such vulgar wordsā¦ā
āI only speak of this because I can see right through you,ā Enoch continued his words, not bothering to hide his ridicule, āAs you said, Her Majesty is a woman, not a man, so why donāt you find someone else for your son to give birth a descendant to without involving Her Majesty?ā
āWhā¦ what?ā
āGrand Dukeā¦ā
Surprised, Aran unwittingly grabbed Enochās arm, but he showed no signs of stopping.
āAre you suggesting that we put an illegitimate child on the throne? Seeing that you have ignored the legitimacy of the six-hundred-year-old royal familyās history, I doubt youād have a different mind!ā Duke Heston protested loudly.
āIām merely speaking the truth. Whether the child is illegitimate or not, whether the fatherās of high status or low, whether heās a mere commoner, it doesnāt matter. Whoever Her Majesty chooses doesnāt matter. What are you planning? And who in the world has more legitimacy than a child born of the empressā womb?ā
Duke Heston shut his mouth. He thought about how to refute the Grand Dukeās words, but he couldnāt think of anything. If he were to deny the legitimacy of whom the empress gave birth to, it would be tantamount to insulting the imperial family.
āStop it, both of you.ā
Aran eventually could not stand the sight any further and intervened in between the two men. Except for Enoch, she, who had no experience with men, was perplexed and embarrassed by the topic that drove her wild.
āI still have much to take care of in terms of the empireās affair. Iāve only recently ascended the throne. Itās better we talk about the matter of a partner and succession after the political situation has stabilized,ā said Aran, calmly.
āYes, Iām sorry,ā Enoch bowed his head.
āI, too, was rash. Know that I had no other ulterior motives, Your Majesty,ā Duke Heston reluctantly apologized.
āI understand.ā
Of course, Aran didnāt believe it, but she accepted the dukeās apology to quickly remedy the boiling situation. However, the cold mood hadnāt been easily resolved.
The duke secretly clenched his teeth and glared at the Grand Duke.
The empress hesitated when speaking about the matters of succession. A little push might have led to a meeting with his sonā¦ but the Grand Duke had to interfere. Now the guarantee that the empress would listen to his plea disappeared.
Enoch ignored Duke Hestonās blazing glare while Aran, nervous, picked up a glass of wine and took a sip. Enoch frowned, knowing she had low resistance to wine and alcohol.
āSuch matters only occurred because of their excessive loyalty, so donāt worry. Itās a good day, so enjoy to your heartās content.ā
Aran forced a bright smile to calm the awkward atmosphere.
Enoch looked at her strangely.
Meanwhile, some brave souls approached him while Duke Heston, with an astringent face, went away, glaring at the Grand Duke.