The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 224: Developments

Chapter 224: Developments

The Empire was abuzz with tales of Cassian’s feats. Stories of his bravery and heroism traveled far and wide, painting a picture of the perfect prince who had dedicated himself to the safety of his people.

It was said he had slain countless monsters, pushing back the dangers at the Empire’s borders and expanding the territory. People admired him deeply, calling him the people’s prince, their protector, and their hero.

Whispers grew louder with every passing day. Citizens voiced their hope that Cassian would reclaim his position as Crown Prince. Many believed he was the rightful heir, the one who had proven himself worthy through action rather than mere birthright.

The details surrounding the second prince’s death were shrouded in mystery. Without concrete evidence or answers, the narrative shifted entirely toward Cassian’s achievements.

The third prince, Marcus, was also gaining recognition. Despite his youth, he was celebrated as a prodigy. His tutors spoke highly of his intelligence and discipline, and his mother, the Imperial Concubine, worked tirelessly to ensure his path to greatness. However, time was not on her side.

The Emperor was growing older, and Marcus, though talented, was still just a boy. Cassian was making a name for herself and most of the citizens were on his side. What the emperor wanted was achieved, his blatant favouritism for Cassian infuriated her.

The Imperial Concubine grew restless. As if these problems were not enough. Her own father was working against her. He had long worked in the shadows to secure power for his family.

Lucas, his earlier pawn, had failed him, leaving him no choice but to focus on Marcus. But the Viscount’s ambitions began to clash with his daughter’s. He saw Marcus as a tool to further his own goals, while the Concubine struggled to maintain control over her son.

It was a bitter irony. The Viscount, once her strongest ally, was now her greatest adversary. She watched helplessly as Marcus, influenced by his grandfather’s manipulations, began slipping from her grasp.

A final blow was enough to render her mental state irrecoverable. She realised that she and the Empress were too alike. Both of them lost control over their sons, they were simply pawns in the game of politics with no real power for themselves.

The woman she loathed... The woman she hated... The Empress who stole the title from her, the woman whose son was favoured, that woman was not so different from her.

She was soon deposed as the Imperial concubine as she descended into madness. The Emperor did not treat her too harshly. She was still the mother of the third prince after all.

A distant cousin of hers entered the palace as the guardian of the third prince. The Viscount put up a big fight to have someone from his side enter the palace since he was so worried about the Empress harming the third prince.

Knowing the assassination attempts, the Emperor agreed, he had a headache dealing with these people. In his mind, Cassian was already the heir. This boy much like him was not loyal to anyone but himself.

He did not care about his mother’s family, he didn’t align himself with anyone through engagement. He was simply on his own, and that reminded him too much of himself.

Meanwhile, far to the north, Benedict had finally taken his rightful place as the Northern Duke. His ascension was not without challenges, but he had grown strong and determined during his time away. His mother’s death and the betrayal he had faced had hardened him, leaving no room for mercy in his heart.

One of his first acts as Duke was to reclaim his mother’s chambers. It was a symbolic gesture, a declaration that the time of outsiders controlling his home was over. As he entered the room, memories of his mother flooded back.

He could still picture her sitting by the window, her smile soft but weary. The room had been hers, a place of warmth and comfort, until Anna had taken it for herself.

This time, Benedict would not allow such disrespect.

Anna’s grip on the Northern Estate had always been tenuous, relying on her manipulative charm and the former Duke’s complacency.

But Benedict had grown too strong for her schemes. Without hesitation, he ordered Anna to leave the estate. His voice was cold and commanding, leaving no room for argument.

"You have no place here anymore," he said firmly.

Anna was livid. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. After everything she had endured, after all her efforts to climb the social ladder, she was being cast out like a commoner. Her dreams of power and influence shattered before her eyes.

"You can’t do this!" she protested, her voice shrill with desperation. "I am your father’s wife!"

Benedict’s expression didn’t waver. "You were a guest in my home. Now, you are no longer welcome."

The former Duke, Benedict’s father, stood silently beside Anna.

"You’ve changed, Benedict," he said quietly. "You’ve become colder."

Benedict’s gaze didn’t soften. "I became what I needed to be. For my people. For myself."

Without further protest, the former Duke took Anna by the arm and led her away. She seethed with anger, her mind racing with thoughts of revenge.

"How could you let him do this?" she hissed at the former Duke as they left the estate. "You’re a spineless coward!"

The former Duke didn’t respond. Anna, however, was not so willing to accept defeat. The title of Duchess, the influence and prestige she had craved for so long, had been snatched away from her. And unlike others in her position, she had no child of her own to secure a claim to the estate. Her hatred for Benedict burned brightly, but there was little she could do now.

The only thing she could do was to go ahead and contact those who helped her before. They had already abandoned her once, she had to work hard to get them back on her side.

But now... The moment they would learn that she was thrown out, they were going to abandon her all over again.