I, the Villain, Want to Save Myself, But the Yandere Heroines Disagree
Chapter 73 - Poor Child

Francois’s death held significant political implications.

Although he was not without heirs, after his death, his son Henry would legally inherit the ducal title.

However, his son was only fourteen years old now. Although not a child who understood nothing, he was completely incapable of governing. His wife had also died a few years ago from an illness. According to law, his only direct relative, Mary, should be regent now.

But Mary was also dead.

This meant that power would be obtained by the collateral family.

This also clearly separated the assassins from the Antica side.

If Mary were still alive, then Mary would have a motive to organize the assassination. But now, even if Francois died, the rule of the Orleans Duchy had nothing to do with her family.

Orson lowered the carriage curtain and turned to look at Arthas.

“Your Highness the Prince, was Duke Francois’s guard really that weak?”

“No,” Arthas shook his head. “Most of Duke Francois’s guards were Tier 6 elites, and the captain of the guard was a Tier 7 existence. If assassins wanted to make a move against him, even a Tier 8 assassin couldn’t break through the guard’s defenses and assassinate Duke Francois in such a short time... ”

“Unless the assassins themselves were more powerful, or there was more than one assassin, is that right?” Orson asked in turn.

“...”

Just at this moment, Odysseus also arrived at the scene, accompanied by Elsa. He walked up to the two of them.

“Arthas, you are in charge of the security of the Imperial Capital, aren’t you?” Odysseus said this, questioning Arthas.

“Mm,” Arthas nodded.

“In broad daylight, one of the most distinguished individuals in the Empire was assassinated here,” Odysseus said, and even touched his own neck.

“This makes me very worried whether I will still have my head on my shoulders tomorrow.”

“...Apologies, Father. Your son was negligent,” Arthas naturally heard the dissatisfaction in Odysseus’s words and quickly knelt on one knee to apologize.

“It is not me you should apologize to, but the Toulouse family,” Saying this, Odysseus pointed to the carriage, and then looked at Elsa beside him.

“Elsa, I will leave this matter to you. Figure out how to solve the case.”

“As you command,” Elsa heard this and nodded.

“As for Arthas, what do you want to do?”

“Father, what is your meaning?”

“You have two choices now. You can choose to lead troops south and temporarily weather this storm of public opinion, because, after this incident, there will inevitably be people who will blame you. You can redeem yourself through war and also divert attention.”

“Or, you can resign from your position, return to the palace and stay in seclusion, and come out after the discussion has passed. What will you choose?”

“...” Arthas was silent for a long time, then loosened his clenched fist.

“Father, allowing assassins to sneak into the city and commit assassination, the blame lies with me. Please dismiss me from my position.”

“Is that your choice?” Odysseus heard this and nodded.

“It seems you are not only interested in the military, Arthas.” After saying this, Odysseus walked past him and came to the carriage.

Just like Orson before, he lifted the carriage curtain and saw the gruesome scene inside.

“Sigh, Francois, I will find the perpetrator in the end.”

After saying this, he shook his head and returned to the Imperial Palace with his guards alone.

From beginning to end, he did not speak to anyone else.

Including Orson, who was standing by.

As for Arthas, from the moment Odysseus finished speaking his last words to him, he had kept his head down, cold sweat continuously seeping out. It wasn’t until Odysseus left that he stood straight again.

At this moment, he realized that his back was already soaked with sweat.

It wasn’t just because of nervousness, but also because of what Odysseus had just said to him.

“Brother, the blame for this matter does not lie with you,” Elsa also walked up at this moment, comforting Arthas. “Saint Roland City is so large. If someone is capable, they could completely sneak in from some unknown dark corner at this moment. Even with the best security, something like this is bound to happen.”

“If you ask me, with your abilities, leading troops to the front line and winning a great victory is the most reliable plan. At that time, let alone the issue of dereliction of duty, your reputation for victory will spread throughout the entire Empire, and no one will not applaud you.”

“My sister exaggerates. I have no such abilities,” Arthas shook his head, and then did not focus on chatting. He made an excuse and slipped away directly.

At this moment, Elsa turned her gaze to Orson.

Her sharp gaze seemed to pierce through Orson’s heart.

“Did you do it?”

“Do I look like someone with that much power, capable of influencing a Duke’s life and death?”

Elsa smiled and did not say anything more. Then she ordered her subordinates to begin investigating Saint Roland City.

...

With this incident occurring, everyone in Saint Roland City was naturally on edge.

That was a Duke! He had a captain of the guard with Tier 7 strength, and a large group of Tier 6 experts as guards, yet he was still killed, and he couldn’t even resist for long.

Then, if ordinary people like themselves encountered such ruthless assassins, wouldn’t they not even have a chance to beg for mercy?

But upon closer thought, it seemed those assassins didn’t need to target ordinary people anyway.

But for slightly higher-ranking individuals, it was different.

Because they needed to attend the conference, everyone basically booked hotels on the streets closer to the Imperial Palace. And at dawn the next day, two figures appeared at Orson’s door.

“Oh, Miss Olivia, you’re up quite early in your anger.”

“You too, Miss Celineina.”

The two of them just stood at the door and waited for a long time. Neither of them took the first step.

It wasn’t until Orson opened the door that both of them simultaneously took a step forward.

“Orson! Are you alright!” *2

Celineina was the first to reach Orson, hugging one of Orson’s arms. Olivia was not to be outdone and also hugged Orson from the other side.

Seeing the scene before him, Orson felt a tingling sensation in his scalp.

“No, why would you think something happened to me?” Saying this, Orson asked in confusion.

“Furthermore, please let go. This is very strange.”

“Let her let go first,” Olivia said this. “I am your fiancée. Why can’t I hug you?”

Seeing Orson look at her, Celineina also reluctantly let go.

“I was just a little worried something happened to you, Orson... Don’t misunderstand.”

Of course, Celineina saying this was clearly for Olivia to hear.

“Weren’t you leaving at the same time as Duke Francois and the others last night? At that time, I also happened to hear that Duke Francois was assassinated. I was preparing to go out then, but I found that the hotel was sealed off and I wasn’t allowed to leave,” Olivia said this. “So I came over as soon as it was daytime.”

“Me too,” Celineina echoed from the side. “And just now I heard from the front desk that you came back very late last night...”

“Ah... that... I did have something to do last night...” Orson said this.

“Something to do?” Olivia frowned and looked at Orson. “Orson, you didn’t go to the scene of the crime, did you?”

“Mm,” Orson nodded. He didn’t lie.

“Then do you know who assassinated Duke Francois, Orson?” Celineina on the side asked.

“How would I possibly know that?” Orson said this, shaking his head.

Just as the two were preparing to ask something else, a voice came from behind them again.

“Orson, you’re awake. Could I ask you for a favor?”

Everyone looked at the source of the voice.

Elsa was standing in the corridor.

At this moment, she had changed out of the formal wear from yesterday and was wearing casual clothes for everyday life.

“Your Highness the Princess?” Olivia also saw Elsa.

Elsa smiled and greeted the three of them, then looked at Orson.

“We encountered some difficulties during the investigation. Orson, I am now requesting your help in the name of the Imperial Family. Is that alright?”

The other party had brought up the Imperial Family, so Orson naturally couldn’t refuse. He could only reluctantly nod, then looked at the two girls beside him.

“Apologies, I might have to excuse myself for a while,” Saying this, he followed Elsa out.

As for why Olivia and Celineina, who were left in place, didn’t follow?

From Elsa’s tone just now, it was not difficult for them to conclude that what she wanted Orson to help with must be very important and something only Orson could help with. What would the two of them do by going along? Just cause trouble?

Or wait to be chased away by Elsa and make fools of themselves?

“Why aren’t you following?” Olivia looked at Celineina beside her and asked.

“I still have some social intelligence, I suppose. But you, aren’t you Orson’s fiancée? Why aren’t you following?”

“Heh...” The two of them exchanged another glance, then parted ways unhappily.

On the other side, sitting in the carriage, Orson looked at Elsa sitting opposite him and thanked her, “Your Highness the Princess, you truly helped me a lot just now.”

If Elsa hadn’t come and pulled him away, he would have been stuck in another strange scene of conflict.

It wasn’t that he disliked them; it was just that the atmosphere was too strange.

“Orson, you seem to be quite popular with the ladies,” Elsa said jokingly. “Besides your fiancée, I somehow feel that Celineina is also very interested in you.”

“No, no,” Orson shook his head, then changed the subject. “By the way, Your Highness, why did you suddenly think of asking me to help with that matter?”

“Oh, you mean that...” Elsa thought for a moment, then said, “Perhaps it’s intuition. I just feel that with you helping me, Orson, there will be significant progress.”

“Uh... intuition?”

“Not entirely, I suppose. After all, you are very smart, Orson. Working with you, you will definitely be able to help me.”

“Alright...” Hearing Elsa say this, Orson even suspected that she had gone to Aphro for a fortune-telling.

Otherwise, how could there be no reasonable explanation?

“Here, I say, Orson,” Elsa looked at Orson again.

“It’s just the two of us here. Only I can hear what you say. I will ask you again. Does Francois’s death have anything to do with you?”

“Perhaps,” Orson replied.

Elsa heard this sentence. Her pupils widened slightly, and her expression became tense.

“After all, if my ‘mother’ hadn’t been driven out of the family, Duke Francois should be my uncle, shouldn’t he?”

But after hearing Orson’s subsequent words, her expression relaxed again.

“I say, don’t make jokes like that at a time like this. Otherwise, if it really was you who did it, it would be very difficult for me to handle,” Elsa complained.

“Apologies, Your Highness the Princess. I thought it might help you relax a little.”

“That kind of thing doesn’t make people relax, Orson. You and I are already in the same boat. We share glory and shame, good times and bad. If something happens to you because of this matter, I will also be investigated and found to have a connection with you, and then lose my right of succession.”

“Your Highness the Princess,” Just at this moment, Orson suddenly asked again, “For you, is the right of succession truly that important?”

“What do you mean by that?” Elsa looked at Orson in confusion.

“If you put the people’s peace and prosperity, your own happiness, and the right of succession together, what would you choose?” Orson asked in return.

“I would choose the right of succession,” Elsa said without hesitation.

“Why?”

“Because only when I inherit the throne can the first two be realized,” Elsa said this, looking at Orson, her eyes filled with determination.

“...” Orson was startled, then lowered his head and laughed.

“Haha, apologies. I was overthinking it. Your Highness the Princess, you are still as idealistic as before.”

“However, I don’t dislike idealistic people.”

After speaking, Orson looked out the carriage window.

“Where is that?”

At this moment, on the street where Francois was assassinated yesterday, a group of people with white cloths on their heads and wearing black robes were already standing there.

“That is to keep vigil for Francois. Young Master Henry rushed over as soon as he learned of his father’s death yesterday,” Elsa said this.

The distance from the Orleans Duchy to Saint Roland City was not short. To be able to arrive in such a short time, he must have used transportation magic with a very high cost.

Orson looked at the grief-stricken crowd. In the center of the crowd, a thin boy stood there quietly.

Although Francois’s body had been handled and put into a coffin, making it look much more presentable, his face, distorted from excessive bleeding and pain, could not be restored.

It seemed he heard the sound of the carriage nearby. The boy turned his head and looked at the carriage, meeting Orson’s gaze.

For some reason, Orson read a hint of danger in the boy’s eyes.

“Orson, Orson?” Seeing Orson staring out the window, Elsa specifically called out to him.

“What are you looking at?”

“Ah, nothing. Among that group of people, that child, he is Duke Francois’s son, named Henry, right?”

“Mm, Young Master Henry. From today onwards, he should be called Duke Henry.”

“Sigh, what a poor child. He lost his mother a few years ago, and now he has lost his father,” Orson couldn’t help but lament.

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