The Extra Wants To Live

"Adrin been exchanging more letters with Marquis Grilldi than before. I can't tell you the details because of Aingir's suspicions, but there might be something going on with Minardi as well."

When Carl turned away, Camilla finally provided him with some useful information.

In the original story, Adrian didn't completely trust Camilla around this time.

However, he believed she wouldn't betray him, so he entrusted her with a series of important tasks.

Despite this, Adrian noticed the subtle difference in Camilla's attitude as she followed Carl around and weighed him, and he began using Camilla while being thoroughly wary of her.

Because of this, Camilla was unable to access Adrian's important work. Adrian created a complex system to prevent Camilla from discovering information about him, and he gave her endless missions to keep her from doing anything significant.

However, since Camilla didn't completely trust and follow Adrian, he wasn't aware of all her abilities, unlike in the original story.

As a result, Camilla was able to successfully complete the mission given by Adrian and deliver the bad news about Marquis Gasto's daughter, Elke Gasto, to Carl.

She was also able to meet Carl three days after being summoned.

"This is also different from the original," Carl thought as he turned his head completely away from Camilla and looked out into the rain-filled street.

In the original story, Adrian was extremely wary of foreign intervention.

The principalities belonging to the empire were so vigilant that it was unlikely they would have brought in the kingdom of Minardi, a foreign country.

However, now that so much had changed because of Carl, it seemed that Adrian was planning to seize the opportunity to win, even if it meant involving Minardi.

"It is possible that he reached out to Tumari in some way."

If Adrian wanted to keep Carl in check, moving Tumari would be the best option.

But it wouldn't be easy, as Carl currently held a firm grip on the eastern part of the empire, and the situation in Tumari was in disarray.

"Minardi's intervention... If I receive visible support, it will be a headache for Adrian in the future. If I want to use Minardi while tying my hands and feet, there's no other way but war."

Carl maintained his position as Archduke solely by military power.

Even if he were to establish himself in the eastern part of the empire, he could be sent to the western part of the empire at any time if there was a threat of war.

The incident at Palton last time would be an excuse to send Carl militarily to a place other than the eastern part of the empire, so if political maneuvers were carried out well in the center, they could tie his hands and feet by sending him to the western part of the empire, where Carl had no base.

Starting with Marquis Grilldi, Adrian would gather strength to capture Carl.

Meanwhile, they would deal with Aric and Nero in the center and establish a firm position.

Next, it would be a simple matter to isolate Carl, who was stuck in the western part of the empire and unable to move the Laurel Union.

To prevent the civil war from escalating into an East-West conflict centered around the Eastern Laurel Union and the Marquis of Grilldi in the West, the plan was to capture Carl and behead him.

"It's good to have the information, but I'm still not sure," Carl thought.

The problem was that they didn't know how far Adrian's influence extended.

Carl knew about Adrian's nature and could guess his plans. However, they couldn't be sure what Adrian was aiming for by modifying his plans.

"I have to change my plans," Carl decided.

Carl, who had been lost in thought, suddenly came to his senses.

Camilla, the assassin and master, was slowly pulling her hair off Carl's shoulder with delicate hands.

Instead of just grabbing her own hair and pulling it, she gently caressed Carl's shoulder with her fingertips and pulled the hair out one by one.

Her delicate fingertips and neatly cut nails gently scratched the hair that was wet from the rain and didn't fall out, or to be precise, Carl's shoulder.

When Carl turned around, Camilla, who had been concentrating on pulling out her hair, raised her eyes slightly and made eye contact with Carl.

"Because the hair is stuck," she said softly.

"…."

Carl remained silent.

Even as she spoke, Camilla didn't even pretend to look at her hair. Looking straight into Carl's eyes, she was now brushing Carl's shoulders with her fingertips.

The air mixed with Camilla's breath felt slightly sweet.

"… When are you going to give me information about Elke Gasto?" Carl asked.

"…."

Camilla blinked slowly at Carl's words.

There was no way Carl wouldn't know that she was deliberately keeping it a secret, and there was no way Camilla wouldn't know that he was pursuing it.

However, Camilla blinked and looked calm, as if she didn't know she was being interrogated.

"That's all," Camilla replied.

"You're not that incompetent," Carl countered.

"I'm busy because of Adrian's orders," Camilla explained.

"Shouldn't my orders take precedence?" Carl questioned.

"I'm prioritizing the order to gather information from under Adrian," Camilla responded.

"The alliance with Gasto is also important," Carl pressed.

"But it doesn't mean you can't do it without me," Camilla retorted.

Camilla slowly lifted the hand that had been sweeping Carl's shoulder and pushed it into the hood that covered Carl's face.

Like her voice, slow and soft, it was like rainwater seeping into dry soil.

The inside of the hood was filled with Carl's warmth. Carl felt a prickling sensation on his fingertips as they brushed against his cheek, and Camilla felt a burning heat.

Camilla lifted Carl's hood slightly to reveal his beautiful face and licked her lips.

"With this handsome face, wouldn't it be okay to charm the bird in the cage?"

The words flowing from her moist lips were probably referring to Elke Gasto. Or maybe she was referring to herself….

Carl snatched Camilla's hand from hers, which was barely touching his cheek but not quite touching it. The hand he held tightly was hot like fire.

"Camilla, do your job," Carl ordered.

"I am doing it," Camilla insisted.

"No, you're not," Carl stated firmly.

The alliance with Gasto was very important.

Hilfin, who was secretly suffering burdensome losses by exchanging silver for money through the Monte Bank, needed the neighboring Marquisate of Gasto, which held a firm grip on the northern part of the empire, to become financially stable.

In order to smoothly control and hide the Hilfin forces that had grown significantly militarily, and also to prevent Gasto from joining hands with the Balturan people and claiming independence in the future, this was by no means something that could be glossed over.

"Camilla, find out information about Elke Gasto and report back to me," Carl commanded.

Camilla didn't answer. Instead, she rolled her eyes and looked at Carl's hand, which was tightly holding hers.

"…"

"…."

Instead of pushing away, she took Carl's hand tightly and gently rubbed his fingers with her thumb. If she had the ability to think normally, she would undoubtedly know.

...And Carl was by no means stupid.

He could tell just by looking at the attitude she showed when they first had a proper conversation in the palace.

No, before that, when she hugged and comforted Carl when he was crying like a child, and when she saved Carl when he was in danger. And even now, Camilla was blatantly seducing him.

Camilla looked straight up at him, gently rubbing Carl's hand. Her pretty hazel eyes, like jewels, narrowed slightly.

"Are you embarrassed?"

"No."

"I'm embarrassed," Camilla stated.

"… … ."

Camilla slowly pulled Carl's hand down, then with a strength and speed that the master couldn't react to, she pulled her hand away in one breath and grabbed his wrist in return.

"Why are you not embarrassed?" Camilla asked.

"Camilla, I am your…," Carl began, but Camilla cut him off.

"Because you're conscious of me?" she asked, smiling faintly as she watched Carl close his mouth and furrow his brows.

"What do you want from me?" Carl asked, pulling her hand.

Camilla, despite having the power of a master, followed along coolly, and instead, she pressed herself against Carl and placed her other hand on his chest.

Even in the midst of all this, the hand that gently held Carl's wrist never let go.

"You probably already knew."

"Why?"

Carl squinted his eyes and glared at Camilla. He didn't know why she wanted him. She probably didn't just want to look good.

"I have been watching you," Camilla whispered. "For over a year, more than anyone else."

Hiding in Carl's shadow, always, always.

"That little, skinny boy…."

Camilla looked up at Carl and said with a mysterious expression on her face. "…has become a man."

"… … ."

"Are you uncomfortable?" she asked.

"No."

"Lie," Camilla flatly denied Carl's claim.

Carl did not have the emotions of a normal human being. There was no such thing as privacy for him.

Preferring to spend time alone was not about protecting his private space, but rather about organizing his thoughts more efficiently.

In fact, even though Carl realized that Camilla was watching him in the Palatinate, he did not feel the least bit uncomfortable about it.

And apart from that, Carl had already allocated Camilla a tiny bit of that space inside him that he may or may not have.

"I told you I was yours," Camilla spoke in a calm, rippling voice. "It was a story about a lord and his subject."

Instead of retorting verbally, Camilla pulled Carl's hand toward her face.

Just like that day, when Carl gently held Camilla's face.

Wouldn't this be too meaningful and intimate an act to be done in the relationship between a lord and his subject?

"… … ."

"… … ."

A little strength is put into Carl's fingertips.

It seems like something is being exchanged through their eyes.

"… … That's enough information on Elke Gasto."

Camilla's eyes sparkle.

But it disappeared in an instant with Carl's subsequent words.

"Rather than that, first of all, obtain the information or weaknesses necessary for negotiation with Marquis Gasto. After negotiation, I will secretly betroth you to Elke Gasto and form an alliance."