Killing Your Sweet Breath - Chapter 26

Chapter 13.2

“Now, please pick the most promising families from each pile.”

Sianna’s hands moved swiftly once again.

“House Zien is the most prominent within the emperor’s supporters, while House Antherden is the most influential on the opposing side.”

Winter opened one of the sealed invitations Sianna had pointed out.

“Antherden, huh.”

Winter remembered the conversation between Van and the emperor when they first met. It seemed that Van and Lady Antherden had once considered marriage.

“So, it would be best to attend the parties hosted by these two families you’ve selected.”

“The Antherdens, however…”

“I’m aware. The duke had intended to pair up Van and his daughter.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“The emperor opposed their marriage, likely because the duke is his biggest political rival. Van told me I only needed to stand by his side and smile, but now that I’ve joined him in this revenge, I have no intention of remaining a mere puppet. No family is better suited than the Antherdens to gauge the emperor’s opposition.”

“You’re right. Forgive me for my presumptuousness and unnecessary concerns.”

Sianna apologized, blushing.

It was almost laughable how she nearly gave advice, worried about a potential love triangle with Winter, the woman Van Helgram had chosen as his partner.

“No need to apologize. It’s a matter I should be well aware of. While I hold no particular feelings toward her, she might see things differently.”

Winter decided that in addition to assessing those who opposed the emperor at the party, there was something else she needed to do.

Even if the engagement with Antherdens had fallen through, they likely wouldn’t suddenly change their stance.

But what about the woman who was supposed to become Van’s wife?

What if she had been looking forward to their marriage, not for political reasons, but because she harbored genuine romantic feelings for Van?

That could be an unexpected complication.

And it needed to be confirmed.

* * *

“Lillian. I hear you sent over an invitation to the Helgram estate.”

Ricardo Antherden spoke to his daughter, Lillian, who was too busy looking through her jewelry box to pay him any mind.

His voice was thick with anger, but Lillian continued to focus on selecting her jewels, her eyes downcast.

“Lillian Antherden!”

“Yes, Father, I’m listening.”

As she turned her head, her luscious silver hair gleamed coldly.

“The marriage was abruptly called off, and yet you sent an invitation to that bastard? Have you no pride as an Antherden?”

“Please, Father, do speak accurately. I sent an invitation to Lady Winter Frost, not Duke Van Helgram.”

“Lillian!”

Ricardo’s chest swelled with fury.

Since the loss of his wife, he had raised his precious daughter with utmost care to fill the void. He held her close, fearing she might be blown away by the wind, and carried her on his back when it rained, worried she might be washed away.

That same daughter insisted on becoming the Lady of Helgram, so he personally went to propose a marriage arrangement to that immoral bastard.

Politically, it wasn’t a bad decision, but he would have never done it if his daughter hadn’t wanted it.

That look in his eyes—it was like a ferocious beast in its prime, hinting at a twisted personality that would inevitably make any woman miserable.

“Father, this isn’t because I have any regrets about Duke Helgram.”

“Then I suppose the invitation you sent wasn’t to suggest keeping a cordial relationship, knowing you.”

Lillian tilted her head and smiled as if confused by what her father thought of her character.

“And why would you assume that?”

“Why are you acting so unlike yourself? Have you truly fallen in love with him?”

Lillian burst into laughter at Ricardo’s words. Her dress, adorned with jewels and lace, rippled like waves with her movements.

“Ahaha! You really don’t know me all that well, Father. Do you think I’m doing this because I desire the duke?”

It took only a moment for her expression to drop.

The coy look in her eyes made her resemble a fox, but then they turned sharp, like a wolf eyeing its prey.

“What I’m after is the position of empress that he will grant me. The strongest woman in the empire, revered by all.”

Why did she have to inherit his insatiable greed for power?

With Antherden’s influence alone, she could’ve married any man in the capital and continued the family bloodline.

Even the emperor, who kept Ricardo in check, wouldn’t have hesitated long if asked to hand over his son.

But Lillian chose Van Helgram, saying that if she had to choose a madman, she preferred a “good-looking” one. And since Ricardo also disliked the emperor’s political stance he pushed for an alliance with Van Helgram through a marriage proposal to bring down the incompetent ruler.

“Duke Helgram is already engaged. Even as your father, there are certain things which I cannot change.”

But that possibility had already passed.

If her goal was to become empress, then marrying a royal from a suitable country wouldn’t be a bad solution.

He had suggested this path before, but Lillian refused, saying she couldn’t bear to let her beloved Antherden be forgotten by the empire.

She even attested that if she became empress, she’d ensure that one of her children carried the Antherden name.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll secure my place beside Duke Helgram by my own hands. If I can’t even manage that, I don’t deserve to become empress of any nation.”

Her determination caused Ricardo to sigh, but Lillian showed no sign of stopping.

“So, Father, you should focus on overthrowing the incompetent emperor. For I intend to take the throne when the time is right.”

She spoke softly like a butterfly, closing her jewelry box as if the mere sight of the glittering jewels were tiresome.

Compared to her immense ambition, these trinkets were nothing more than pebbles on a road.