The Price Is Your Everything

When Caymil showed up at the Empress's palace, Abelus was already there.

That wasn't surprising at all. The Empress must have secured Abelus's support before telling Caymil to get back into politics.

It also made sense that Abelus, sitting in the reception area, looked pretty gloomy. He probably had to endure a lot of embarrassing moments before realizing he needed to bring back the sister he had pushed away.

Caymil was done catering to her brother's whims. She greeted her mother and shot Abelus a smirk.

"Hey there, Abel."

The Empress didn't catch the sarcasm in Caymil's smile. She only noticed the weak tone Caymil had chosen on purpose, which made her feel a bit pleased as she looked at her daughter.

Caymil usually avoided flashy outfits, but she always dressed according to her status. She'd wear the finest dyed fabrics, even if they were dark, and sport small, beautifully crafted jewelry.

But today, she had on no jewelry at all, and her clothes were plain, like something a maid would wear. The Empress frowned.

"What's with that outfit? Your father is still alive, so why are you dressed like that?"

"Mother."

Caymil replied with a deliberately bored look.

"Everyone calls me a criminal; how can I walk around proudly? I'm wearing this so people will think I'm a maid and ignore me."

The Empress had been pretty upset with Caymil lately. She had urged her to return to politics multiple times and even sent a maid from the palace, but Caymil had stubbornly refused.

She was definitely angry, right? She didn't even consider what I did... Sure, I'm a criminal; my daughter tried to take out her own father. The only reason she's stuck in the palace instead of behind bars is that she's a Jewel Eye princess.

Honestly, the Empress didn't seem too worried about the Emperor's safety. They weren't exactly a loving couple, and since they had an heir, as long as they kept up appearances in front of the social elite, they were good. But it wouldn't be true to say she didn't find her daughter pretty disgusting.

She was furious and had lost her affection for her daughter, but when she saw her looking so vulnerable, that anger started to fade. She remembered how she used to feel a bit proud of her clever eldest daughter before everything went down. The Empress spoke softly, "If you knew you should be ashamed, you shouldn't have done it in the first place. And what's with sending my maid away yesterday? This sudden change of heart is surprising."

"Mother, I thought you didn't get how I felt. I was so upset that I acted out against you. Once I realized that, I felt so ashamed and sorry that I had to come here to apologize in person."

"Sister, aren't you being a bit too bold?"

Abelus couldn't help but jump in.

Sister, you're the one who tried to take out the Emperor. You really can't complain to Mom or just waltz out of the palace like nothing happened.

"That's enough, Abel."

The Empress replied sharply. Sure, Abelus had a point, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Caymil's look of "not getting it" was unsettling.

Would a daughter who attempted to murder her father really ask her mother to "understand her feelings"? Would she even feel sorry? The Empress was also aware that the manipulative government woman had used Abelus against Caymil. Had her gullible son fallen for her tricks again?

She'd heard that plenty of people saw Caymil's assassination attempt, yet the Emperor came out unscathed. He just kept sleeping, occasionally screaming like he was in a nightmare. If she had genuinely tried to kill him, there should've been a weapon, but nothing was found. That was part of why Caymil wasn't locked up in the Tower of Criminals.

Her feelings of resentment towards her daughter had faded even more than before. The Empress let out a sigh.

"I get that a lot has gone down. But as you both know, we've picked Abel to be our prince, and Caymil, you've got a criminal record. Still, if the royal family thrives, so do you all. Do you get what I'm saying?"

The Empress used affectionate nicknames, treating them like kids. Abelus looked like he wanted to protest but held his tongue. He was probably daydreaming about putting his sister in her place after taking down the Duke.

But honestly, it didn't matter. Once this was all settled, no one would dare to 'put' Caymil anywhere. So, Caymil spoke softly, giving the Empress and Abelus the reassurance they needed.

"If I can help the empire in any way, I'm all in, Mother. The main goal is to get through this crisis; nothing else really matters. Everything can be done in Abel's name. I'm fine with that."

"Exactly."

The Empress seemed pleased, and Abelus looked a bit intrigued. Caymil smiled.

"Since we're in a tight spot, can I share my thoughts on what we should tackle first?"

"Sure, what do you have in mind?"

"The royal family's current mess is all about the money, Mother. I'm ready to offer all my personal wealth. Plus, I can share all the weaknesses of the nobles I know. I think the key is to extract as much as we can from anyone who can afford it."

Caymil's insights about the nobles were valuable intel that not many had. Abelus's eyes lit up with interest. Caymil grinned.

It was a sly grin.

"The 'everyone' I mentioned really means everyone. There are two individuals in the empire who are super wealthy but haven't really pitched in financially. Our lovely aunt and Earl McKinnon. Abel is too nice to be tough with our aunt, and he only went as far as getting her son enlisted... but should we even care about their feelings right now? The royal family is in deep trouble!"

"Sister, what you're suggesting..."

"Abel, as your secret advisor, you need to summon your aunt from Tropur with an imperial order and take her land until this war is over. We can rake in enough taxes from the newcomers on that land. And as for Joyce McKinnon..."

Megara hadn't laid a finger on Lady Merriar. Nellusion hadn't touched Earl McKinnon either. They were both trying to play nice in this court, at least on some level.

But Caymil had ditched that idea. There was no point in letting the Duchess's allies hold onto power.

Especially now, with her ambitions within reach.

"Send him to the front lines to really fight. If Earl McKinnon wants to save his son, he'll throw all his money at it!"

The inn was a spot Diane hadn't been to in ages, and the bath was a treat she hadn't indulged in for quite some time. Feeling cozy and refreshed, she called out cheerfully, "I'm all done with my bath! You can come in now."

With a creak, the door to the inn room swung open. Talprin, dressed like a low-ranking noble, stepped inside, now pretty familiar with the place.

They had left the imperial capital behind and were heading to Maindelant, taking the quickest route possible. Even though they were out of the capital, the whole empire was on high alert due to the war, so they kept switching up their disguises.

Staying in the same room was part of their plan. Diane, even in her worn clothes, had a noble vibe, making it too obvious for a young lady to travel alone with just one male companion. So, Talprin, who could easily pass as a noble, was pretending to be her husband.

The McKinnon family would have been shocked to see a noble lady and a man sharing a room as a couple, but they both agreed it was the best way to stay under the radar. They were already using fake names, so it wasn't like it would spread as gossip. Besides, what was the point of worrying about it now?

They had figured out how to share a room without stepping on each other's toes. Diane took the bed while Talprin settled on the sofa. When it was time to bathe, they took turns stepping out for a bit. Even though they had different sleep schedules, they made it a point to hit the hay at sunset during this trip.

Most nights, they didn't have the luxury of beds or sofas and sometimes camped out in the woods, listening to the sounds of nature together, but they generally stuck to this routine. Today, they had the luxury of a leisurely bath, so Diane went first while Talprin kept watch outside, ready for any potential trouble.

The two of them had encountered so many bizarre situations that embarrassment was a thing of the past. Diane casually asked, as she always did, "What's the plan? Should I tell them to get some fresh bathwater?"

Talprin didn't respond, which was odd for him since he usually loved to talk about everything, even when nobody asked.

Diane, feeling a bit confused, studied Talprin's face and noticed he had a complicated look. She tilted her head in curiosity.

"Why?"

Talprin, who had been clenching his jaw for a moment at her clueless expression, let out a heavy sigh and replied, "I've got some news."

"What kind of news? You seem upset, so it must be bad, right? Did something happen to Liz? Or..."

Diane had been out of touch with the outside world for so long that she was pretty clueless about what was happening. Talprin, on the other hand, had been keeping tabs on his men through different channels.

While she was on the run, Diane's main worry wasn't about herself but about Neris and the McKinnon family. She was naturally anxious about Neris, who was caught up in the conflict, and she also fretted over the McKinnon family since her brother had enlisted after she went missing.

Noticing Diane's silence, Talprin clenched his jaw again. He nodded.

"There's an issue with the McKinnon family. Your brother, Sir Joyce McKinnon, was made an aide to Earl Wickaster three days ago and has been sent to Parish."

Diane was puzzled about what the issue was. Seeing her innocent expression made Talprin's stomach twist, as it always did when he looked at her. He explained slowly, as if he were savoring each word.

"Our. Lord. Is. Heading. South. He. Will. Definitely. Go. Through. Parish."

"So? The Duke isn't going to kill our brother, right? Isn't this a chance for him to be taken hostage by the Maindelant army? That way, our family won't be pawns for the royal family..."

She had considered that possibility. Talprin had noticed that Diane had a unique ability during their time together. She might not be as meticulous as Neris, but she had a way of grasping the core of things.

Sadly, the people involved in this situation were too ruthless to be dealt with by mere intuition and courage.

"Sure, but don't you think the royal family, especially Princess Caymil, would be aware of that?"

Doubt and confusion clouded her thoughts.

"Why would they intentionally put the two of them together when they clearly want to prevent the young Earl McKinnon from teaming up with our Lord? Do they think they can win? ...Caymil's Eonwol will definitely follow. They'll likely try to eliminate the young Earl before our Lord gets there, ensuring that the two families become bitter enemies for good."

Diane McKinnon's face didn't match the emotions of understanding and fear that had just surfaced. She was always at her best with a carefree smile.

That's why Talprin, who should have said, "Regardless, my orders are to ensure your safety, so we're heading to Maindelant," instead...

Spoke without his usual thoughtfulness, which was out of character for him.

"If we hurry, we might catch up with the young Earl."

The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted it. What was he thinking? This wasn't the time to act on impulse during a war. He was already worn out just looking after Diane McKinnon, feeling something bubbling up inside him. Her Highness, being as sharp as she was, must have had everything figured out.

He wanted to rescue her brother and wipe away the fear that had crossed her face.

But when Diane's expression brightened in an instant, his regret melted away. It happened so quickly that it was almost funny.

So he let out a sigh and said, "Let's come up with a plan."