Chapter 266
Nathaniel was dead, but Callum knew very well that his own residence must not be implicated.
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So, before leaving, he gave further instructions, “Tell our man in the prison: as long as he is willing to sacrifice himself, I guarantee his entire family will rise to glory!”
Although he was a death squad member, Callum still offered enough benefits.
Afterwards, he mounted his horse and rode straight out of the city.
**
At that moment, in the small house beside the Hadley family cemetery, Marcus and Alicia warmed themselves by the fire. discussing the morning’s events. “It was truly unexpected. Despite all our scheming, Father permanently removed the Chancellor and established a cabinet.
“There was not the slightest hint of this in advance.”
Marcus sighed, unaware of the approaching danger. “For now, we cannot go out again. First, have someone investigate the backgrounds of those in the cabinet. Even if we cannot win them all over, at the very least, we must have someone in the cabinet.”
Alicia was indignant. “Of the seven in the cabinet, six are unfamiliar faces, yet he deliberately placed Prince Dashnell among them. What is the King’s intention?!”
At this point, we can only be grateful that Prince Dashnell is physically disabled and cannot ascend the throne. But he is still a tremendous obstacle!” Marcus sighed again.
Alicia’s voice was sharp. “He is second only to one, above all others. Whoever ascends the throne in the future must win him over first.
It would be better if Margaery were not involved.
‘Now, because of Margaery, we are at odds with Prince Dashnell. Who knows what we should do in the future!”
There were actually some things Alicia still did not know. Marcus was frustrated but had not told her.
Yet at this moment, he could not hold back.
Marcus’s face turned ashen, his features taut. “Now, I fear Margaery has also become an obstacle for us. Father has ordered her to serve at his side, assisting with his writing!”
“What?” Alicia sprang to her feet, stunned “Are you saying the King wants her to enter the palace? Could it be that he intends to make her Queen?”
Alicia, in earlier years, had come from the prince’s residence when the King was still a prince.
After so many years, she was the most senior in rank. She was very angry at being overshadowed by Serena.
Yet she never expected that, in the end, she would be overshadowed by a mere young woman.
But after a brief moment of anger, Alicia recalled her earlier plan, let out a cold laugh, and sat down. ‘Prince Dashnell likes her, the King likes her as well. I shall see how this father and son divide this woman.”
The best outcome would be for both sides to suffer in the end. As Alicia thought this, a trace of malice flashed in her eyes.
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Chapter 266
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Marcus felt stifled and shook his head. “Father does not mean that. He intends to cultivate Margaery, not only granting her the name Glowsend, but also appointing her as the imperial seal bearer before the throne.”
“How could this happen?” Alicia’s eyes widened. “Isn’t that position above Chamberlain Warren?”
Marcus pressed his brow, his headache intensifying. “Chamberlain Warren and Chief Dermot are both old now. It is time to transfer authority.
“Father’s actions clearly mean that Margaery will replace Chamberlain Warren. Chamberlain Warren is happy to grant her this favor and has praised her publicly many times.”
Alicia’s expression grew extremely unpleasant. “Eunuchs are the least reliable!”
Marcus felt somewhat suffocated. “Margaery is not just Margaery; she is also connected to the Chapel of Wisdom and the Hall of Divinity. Chamberlain Warren shows her respect precisely to foster good relations with those two places.”
Nobody wouldn’t want that. Even Marcus wanted it too.
However, when he forced Margaery into marriage back then, his methods were too despicable, and the damage was irreparable. Not only did he expose his ambition for the throne to everyone, but he also offended Dashnell and Margaery.
Now, nothing he said would make a difference.
He felt stifled. “According to the news from the palace today, Margaery’s current status should be equivalent to the Chief Minister of the Inner Court, matching Prince Dashnell, the Chief Minister of the Outer Court, in power.”
He glanced at Alicia as he spoke. “I’m afraid that from now on, Mother, you will have to defer to her in the palace.”
Alicia clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms.
Previously, the highest–ranking female official in the palace was the Mistress of the Palace, but no matter how powerful she was, she only managed the King’s domestic affairs in the harem.
Now, with the emergence of the “imperial seal bearer before the throne,” everything was completely different.
She resided in the inner palace, yet managed affairs of the court; although she did not intervene directly, simply by staying at the King’s side, a few words from her could influence the political situation.
Just as the Empress and the four noble consorts were subject to the moods of Warren and Dermot, they would henceforth be subject to Margaery’s as well.
Because the woman closest to the King was no longer any consort of the inner palace. It was Margaery.
“Now, all we can hope for is that the King truly harbors wicked intentions toward her, causing Prince Dashnell and his father to turn against each other, and we reap the benefits as bystanders!” she said.
Given the circumstances, Alicia could only think this way.
As the two were in the midst of conversation, one of the assassins sent out by Marcus sneaked back, knelt in panic, and said, “Your Highness, Prince Nathaniel is dead! But our men have also been captured What should we do now?”
“What did you say?” Marcus was stunned, not immediately grasping the meaning of his words.
He had been eager to see Nathaniel dead.
With Nathaniel dead, Marcus would become the first in line to inherit the throne, With just a little effort, he could ascend.
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Chapter 266
However, it happened far too suddenly.
Moreover, it seemed there were things he should have known long ago, yet he did not.
Nathaniel was dead, yet Marcus’s men were arrested.
He was filled with dread, a sense of foreboding brewing in his chest, almost making him dizzy.
Alicia was also bewildered. “What exactly is going on?”
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The assassin dared not raise his head, trembling as he said, “The night before last, while we were training, someone suggested that Prince Nathaniel had offended many people recently.
“His breaking off the engagement with Margaery had angered the King, making it unlikely for him to ascend the throne.
“If we could kill him now, the King surely would not pursue the matter too harshly, since he was already to be deposed. It would be doing the King a favor, sparing him the trouble of finding another excuse to depose Prince Nathaniel.
“After some discussion, everyone agreed this would benefit Your Highness. So, tonight we…”
The assassin lowered his head. “But unexpectedly, Prince Nathaniel secretly brought more than a dozen guards, and fought with us. Then, some of our men failed to retreat in time and were captured by the Inquisition Court.”
He spoke, then looked up at Marcus, trying to reassure him. “But it doesn’t matter. After all, we are all assassins. At critical moments, we know what to do and would never implicate Your Highness.”
However, this matter was acted upon before reporting, so he inevitably felt uneasy.
Marcus took a long time to digest these words, then drew a sharp breath and angrily kicked the assassin. “And you still dare to come to me? Are you afraid others won’t know it was you, and that it is related to me?!”
Nathaniel must die, but it could not truly be traced back to him.
Marcus’s heart raced with fear. He hurriedly ordered his men, “Leave here, flee far away! Return only after a few years. If 1 succeed, I will never treat you unfairly!”
Alicia regained her composure and also said, “Things have come to this point. You must leave quickly and avoid being captured again”
She then turned to Marcus. “There must be no survivors in the prison!”
Marcus understood as well. “But right now, Chamberlain Oswald is watching us. We can’t leave.”
In the end, he could only look at the assassin. “You go and deliver a letter to Seamus. Let him handle the assassins in the prison. If he succeeds, once I ascend the throne, he will be the Grand Chancellor of the cabinet!”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
