I WAS WONDERING WHY YOU SUDDENLY CHANGED THE LOCATION OF OUR MEETING.
NOT VERY SUBTLE, ARE YOU, SISAIRE?
CESARE.
WORRIED ABOUT THE POOR, STRUGGLING PRINCESS?
DON'T BE RIDICULOUS.
IT'S JUST A COINCIDENCE.
AS IF.
THE ENTIRE PALACE IS TALKING ABOUT IT. IT'S ALREADY BEEN THREE DAYS, HASN'T IT?
TO THINK THE QUEEN DOWAGER WOULD TREAT HER OWN GRANDDAUGHTER MORE COLDLY THAN A STRANGER.
IN TERMS OF FAMILY DRAMA, BALDINA MAY WELL RIVAL THE KAZHEN IMPERIAL FAMILY.
ENOUGH OF THAT. LET'S TALK BUSINESS.
I'VE NOTICED THE FASADE MERCENARIES POKING AROUND VARIOUS PARTS OF THE PALACE LATELY.
I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE HOW SUSPICIOUS THAT LOOKS.
AND I DOUBT YOU WOULD ANSWER IF I ASKED WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO TELL ME, WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO OFFER IN EXCHANGE FOR MY SILENCE?
THIS IS WHY I ENJOY DEALING WITH YOU. YOU GET STRAIGHT TO IT.
YOU TELL ME, CHANCELLOR.
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT?
Episode 12
HMM...
THIS IS MORE THAN I EXPECTED!
MADE A VERY FAVORABLE DEAL
SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE'S REACHING HER LIMIT...
EVEN A NEWBORN FOAL WOULD HAVE MORE STRENGTH THAN SHE DOES RIGHT NOW.
WHY GO THIS FAR?
WHAT COULD SHE POSSIBLY HOPE TO STIR IN THAT COLD GRANDMOTHER OF HERS?
UNLESS...
IN THE PAST,
THE MORE THE EMPEROR GREW WARY OF ME AND TIGHTENED THE LEASH, THE MORE IT ONLY FUELED HIS ANGER.
I BELIEVED THAT, SINCE I WAS HIS SON,
ANY PAIN HE CAUSED ME WOULD HARM HIM JUST AS MUCH.
THE DEEPER THE WOUND, THE GREATER THE REMORSE.
HMM?
THAT BLOATED BUILD...
I TOLD YOU, I ONLY NEED A MOMENT!
THE QUEEN DOWAGER HAS ORDERED THAT NO ONE BE ALLOWED NEAR THE PRINCESS.
I'VE NO INTENTION OF INTERRUPTING HER. DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A MAN WITH NO SENSE?
THIS IS COUNT ETIENNE YOU'RE SPEAKING TO!
COUNT LARQUE ETIENNE, MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS
I ONLY WISH TO OFFER THE PRINCESS A BIT OF COMFORT IN THIS TRYING TIME.
MINISTER, THIS IS HIGHLY IMPROPER!
HOW CAN I STAY AWAY KNOWING SHE WAS ALMOST MINE?
YOUR HIGHNESS--
GAH!!
W-WHAT WAS THAT?!
WHO DID THAT?!
ARGH!
I-I'M UNDER ATTACK! SOMEONE'S TRYING TO ASSASSINATE ME!!
MY LORD!
ASSASSINATE...?
WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?
GUARDS! PROTECT ME!
AAGH!
HELP!!
WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?
W-WHAT IN THE...?!
IT'S NOTHING.
BOSS!
WAIT HERE. I'LL GO GET THE CARRIAGE.
HERE, USE THIS FOR NOW.
IT'S FINE. I'LL GO WITH YOU.
ABSOLUTELY NOT! NO WAY I'M LETTING THE FUTURE EMPEROR GET DRENCHED IN THIS RAIN.
I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!
THE FUTURE EMPEROR...?
BUT THE THRONE...
...MAY NEVER BE MINE.
YOU VICIOUS LITTLE THING!
AND TO THINK YOU CARRY MY BLOOD...!
JUST LIKE THE MONSTER WHO WOULD KILL HIS OWN MOTHER, YOUR CRUELTY KNOWS NO BOUNDS!!
HOW IRONIC.
THE WAY SHE'S MENACED BY HER OWN FLESH AND BLOOD ALMOST REMINDS ME OF--
During their secret meeting, Cesare and Sisair discuss palace gossip and the suspicious movements of the Fasade mercenaries before sitting down to negotiate. Meanwhile, it is mentioned that the Queen Mother has been cold toward her granddaughter for three days. Count Etienne panics while trying to approach the princess and claims he was the victim of an assassination attempt. In the rainy scene, concerns about the throne and the future take center stage.
