The Scapegoat

Olivia left, still half-doubting.

Flora went back to find Sean, but she saw a stranger standing beside him.

“That’s… the entourage of Prince Droevich of the Chieftain Kingdom?”

After the Empire opened the “Spice Road” through the Eastern Region, many countries in the Eastern Region sent their princes to the Royal Academy for study.

Prince Droevich of the Chieftain Kingdom was one of them.

It wasn’t surprising that someone from a foreign country approached Sean, but Flora quickly connected it to Sean’s eastern expedition to the Slayke Kingdom a year ago and the capture of ten thousand surrendered soldiers… Flora hurried over.

“Then, Your Highness Sean, we will await your visit.”

The attendant had finished talking with Sean and respectfully bowed before leaving.

Flora noticed that there were some people watching from a distance, but they weren’t with the Chieftain Prince’s entourage.

She immediately felt something was amiss.

“Your Highness Sean, what did Prince Droevich want?”

“He invited me to a gathering of the Eastern Region countries, but I’m not interested.”

Sean said, tearing the letter apart.

Flora immediately mended the letter and began to examine it.

“Your Highness, there are many unknown magics in foreign countries. Perhaps there is a ‘curse’ similar to the demons of the Southeast region. Please be careful!”

Hearing the word “curse,” Sean’s previously indifferent expression finally changed.

“I was reckless. It should be fine, right?”

Sean reached out his hand.

Flora carefully checked it all over and nodded.

“Also, unless it involves something confidential, we’d better keep the letter to prevent forgery or for emergencies.”

“No need. I don’t intend to deal with them.”

“Why? Strengthening ties with the countries of the Eastern Region should be important for the country now,” Flora couldn’t help but ask.

The Empire had many enemies, but compared to the demons of the Southeast and the Yao clan of the Southern Plateau, the main enemies were the Snow Clan, who occupied the vast territory of the North.

Moreover, the countries of the Eastern Region, located in the northeast and bordering the barbarians, were very important to be courted… At the very least, they should avoid them forming an alliance with the Snow Clan.

The Chieftain Kingdom’s area was roughly equivalent to several count’s territories.

Within the Lorende Empire, nobles were allowed to have multiple titles and territories.

Therefore, the Chieftain Kingdom’s ruler, if converted to the Empire’s system, could barely be considered an upper-class noble.

It didn’t seem like a bad idea to befriend them.

“No need, just focus on dealing with the domestic nobles.”

“Is it because of what happened a year ago?” Flora played the straight card without reservation.

“It has nothing to do with you.”

Sean seemed somewhat cold, but then he felt he shouldn’t treat his family that way, and his expression returned to normal, but this was enough for Flora to realize it was a “light novel” event.

“Your Highness Sean, is that something I can’t know?”

“It’s not that important,” Sean could only say. “Focus your work on Leicester and Bradley.”

After two months of observation, Flora knew that Sean’s use of etiquette for the purpose of disguise was quite accurate.

So Flora immediately judged that the events of the year to the eastern expedition, Sean just didn’t want her to know, but not that she couldn’t know.

In fact, it was hard to hide such things.

Flora had been rather depressed these past two years, and she didn’t care much about anything outside the Blue Lion family, so she didn’t know anything about what Sean had done.

But not knowing, she could investigate.

“Okay.”

Flora slowly closed her eyes.

What tricks did Flora have?

Sean frowned slightly, seeming to sense Flora’s insincere intentions.

“I just want to help improve your image.”

Flora said with a smile, which was also one of their prearranged plans for attending the school.

“I told you, you don’t need to know about this.”

Sean was a bit displeased.

“But if I know, wouldn’t it be better to help you?” Flora blinked her beautiful sky-blue eyes, unwavering.

“Have you forgotten that I said everyone has secrets they want to hide?”

“I haven’t forgotten.”

“So what?” Sean also knows that this is only an insignificant investigation aimed at Flora.

So he thought for a moment and said:

“You don’t know about it? Huh?”

Flora was taken aback and said anxiously:

“I only heard that Your Highness slaughtered ten thousand surrendered soldiers. As for the inside story, I haven’t heard anything.”

In fact, this was the simple information Flora had collected before she came to the mansion, and she hadn’t yet used her own resources to investigate, so as not to be discovered.

Sure enough, Flora couldn’t usually access secret information.

And Sean asked this way, just to confirm Flora’s family situation again because the upper-class nobles all knew the inside story, and many of the middle-class nobles also knew it.

The rumors outside were just the result of these people being forbidden by their elders and spreading rumors for revenge or other purposes.

Of course, Sean didn’t think this was an excuse to break his principles and consult underground information.

Flora’s situation could only be considered exchanging information… at least that’s what he was trying to convince himself.

“Actually, it’s no big deal. Those soldiers were already dead before they surrendered,” Sean said briefly.

“Slayke King!” Flora instantly understood the inside story.

“That’s right, and some forces within the kingdom colluded with them, so afterwards, those guys forbade others from spreading the news… now it seems, it’s probably those guys again.”

Those guys, naturally referring to the Renaissance organization.

Flora thought of even more.

“Your Highness, are you being hated by the people of Slayke?”

Sean didn’t answer.

But it was easy to think about. Most of the Eastern Region countries were small countries with areas equivalent to several count’s territories. Some were simply a city.

Ten thousand soldiers were already most of their able-bodied men.

Under His Majesty’s order to seal the information, Sean, as the nominal marshal, could only take all the blame, had to suffer the hatred of the Eastern Region people, and was used by those with ulterior motives within the country to publicize his cruelty and inhumanity.

“It’s okay, I’m used to this situation,” Sean said with a disdainful smile, seeing the worried and sad expression on Flora’s face.

“You shouldn’t get used to this!” Flora couldn’t accept it; it had nothing to do with reputation, but it made Sean look unbearable.

This time, Flora was really a little dissatisfied with His Majesty’s lack of consideration.

(‘That’s why I don’t want to say anything.’)

Sean didn’t feel wronged because he had always been in this kind of public opinion environment.

He didn’t feel sad or heartbroken… on the contrary, he found it somewhat unbearable.