When I Quit Being A Wicked Mother-in-law, Everyone Became Obsessed With Me

***

“Alexei!!”

Someone suddenly called his name loudly.

Alexei jumped in surprise and looked up.

“L-Liliche?!”

In the distance, a visibly excited Anriche was running toward him, completely forgetting the dignity she was supposed to maintain as the Duchess of Valois.

“It’s here!!”

With that shout, Anriche leapt straight into Alexei’s arms.

As he caught her, Alexei asked with a bewildered expression, “What do you mean, it’s here?”

Anriche raised her head excitedly.

Her violet eyes sparkled like stars.

“His Highness the Second Prince!!”

“Um, why are you looking for him all of a sudden…?”

Alexei couldn’t hide his mixed feelings.

‘Could it be that Liliche has feelings for the Second Prince?’

Even though he knew it was unlikely, he instinctively felt the need to be wary.

Meanwhile, Anriche calmed down a bit.

“Could we seek His Highness’s advice about the distribution network of the counterfeit money?”

“Advice?”

“Yes. You mentioned that the Second Prince is writing a thesis on distribution and logistics.”

A look of horror crossed Alexei’s face.

***

Alexei immediately sought out Frederick.

Of course, he couldn’t meet Frederick right away.

“I’m sorry, but the Second Prince is currently unavailable.”

“He’s busy and has asked me to convey that it’s difficult for him to meet.”

Perhaps it was because the issues of counterfeit money and gambling were entangled, but Frederick didn’t want to meet with Alexei.

However, Alexei pursued Frederick relentlessly, whether at the palace or the university.

After being turned down several times, Frederick finally allowed a meeting.

“Wow… the Duke of Valois is quite something.”

Frederick spoke with an exhausted expression.

“I’ve never met someone as persistent as you.”

“Well, I had to meet His Highness the Second Prince.”

Alexei replied without raising an eyebrow.

Frederick narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Isn’t the Duke entangled in an uncomfortable incident with my brother?”

Frederick shot back with a somewhat sharp voice.

“I’m in a position where I must remain neutral. To be honest, this meeting is quite uncomfortable for me.”

“Yes, that’s why I came to see His Highness.”

…So you came to find me?

Frederick looked somewhat puzzled.

At that moment, Alexei expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you for meeting with me.”

“Well, you should thank Lady Everett more than me.”

Frederick shrugged lightly.

“I personally respect Count Everett, so I couldn’t just ignore his daughter.”

Then he looked at Alexei with a piercing gaze.

“So, what’s this about? The basis for saying Count Everett might have been framed?”

“I witnessed the Empress personally meeting with Lady Rondini.”

Alexei stated flatly.

A look of shock spread across Frederick’s face.

A brief silence followed.

“…You don’t mean to say that the Duke of Valois suspects Her Majesty the Empress?”

A somewhat defensive response came back.

Alexei shook his head lightly.

“I’m not suspecting the Empress based on just that.”

“Then what exactly…?”

“Actually, before I sought out His Highness, I conducted my own investigation.”

Investigation?

Frederick tilted his head in confusion.

Alexei continued calmly.

“Do you believe that there exists a secret distribution network within the Empire that no one knows about?”

“Where on earth would such a thing exist… wait, could it be?”

Frederick, who had intended to scoff, suddenly couldn’t hide his surprise.

There was indeed such a distribution network.

“…Are you talking about the Royal Road?”

Frederick asked, his face tense.

The Royal Road.

It was a special distribution network that only direct members of the imperial family could use.

All goods passing through the Royal Road were sealed with the insignia of the Emperor, the Empress, and the direct imperial family.

And only direct members of the imperial family were allowed to verify the contents.

Alexei nodded.

“That’s right.”

“…….”

In response, Frederick tightly shut his lips.

He knew as well.

The only distribution network in the Empire that remained undisclosed was indeed the Royal Road.

‘I had been thinking that this aspect needed improvement, but…’

In truth, Frederick had not been deeply contemplating that issue on purpose.

He couldn’t intervene in that matter unless he became the next Emperor.

Moreover, Frederick desired a peaceful life rather than ambition for the throne.

But.

‘…It certainly could be misused.’

Frederick’s expression grew serious.

“Furthermore, the counterfeit money was mostly used to support Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the First Prince.”

“Th-That doesn’t make any sense!”

“Do you really think it’s impossible?”

At that counter-question, Frederick had to once again tightly close his mouth like a shell.

Because he knew the Empress and the First Prince well enough…

…It was plausible.

“You may have heard, but recently the Marquis of Sachsen has openly supported His Highness the First Prince.”

Frederick nodded silently.

He was already aware of that fact.

However, the following explanation revealed things Frederick had never known.

“And the Marquis, having received a large sum of money, managed to reclaim the mansion he had to sell due to debt.”

“That’s because the investment was successful…”

“That’s the public narrative. However, upon investigation, that investment was highly dubious.”

Alexei stated firmly.

“In reality, there was no way such a large profit could be made from that structure.”

“Th-That can’t be…?”

“Additionally, do you know that the Marquis Anderson, the Empress’s family, distributed money to numerous media outlets?”

At that question, Frederick couldn’t hide his horrified expression.

“All those media outlets published positive articles about the First Prince and Her Majesty the Empress.”

Alexei glanced up and met Frederick’s gaze.

“Where on earth did that enormous amount of money come from?”

“That’s, well…”

“Among those funds, there wasn’t a single one that didn’t involve counterfeit money.”

At Alexei’s assertion, Frederick, unsure of how to respond, asked again, “But that’s just a suspicion, isn’t it?”

Frederick continued in a confused voice, “That alone… cannot be accepted as solid evidence that Her Majesty the Empress actively used counterfeit money.”

“I know. That’s why I’m trying to find the distribution network that circulated that counterfeit money to secure concrete evidence.”

His blue eyes had become cool and calm.

“If I can locate the distribution network, I will naturally also discover the source from which that counterfeit money originally spread.”

“That may be true… but.”

“I have mobilized all of Valois’s resources to investigate every distribution network within the Empire.”

Alexei stated firmly, “The only place I couldn’t touch is the Royal Road.”

“…….”

Frederick fell silent.

At that moment, Alexei earnestly added, “Even if it’s not for Valois, please think of Liliana, who has lost her parents and is now all alone.”

Liliana.

At the mention of her name, Frederick stiffened.

“If, by any chance, the First Prince and the Empress had any involvement in framing the Countess of Londini against Count Everett…”

Alexei couldn’t suppress the rising emotions and pressed his lips together.

“Then those suspicions should be eliminated as much as possible.”

“……Count Valois.”

“For the sake of the late Count Everett’s honor, I beg you.”

Saying this, Alexei bowed his head deeply.

Frederick stared at him in bewilderment.

‘Count Valois… is he someone who would bow his head to anyone other than the Emperor?’

As far as he knew, he wasn’t.

After a moment, Frederick spoke in a heavy voice.

“……Counterfeit money is a serious issue that shakes the foundation of the Empire’s economy.”

Could it be?

A faint hope flickered across Alexei’s face.

“If this matter is not examined thoroughly, the ones who will suffer the most will be the citizens of the Empire.”

Frederick tightly closed his eyes and then opened them.

Having seemingly made up his mind, his expression was resolute.

“Then I will… assist you, Count.”

“Thank you very much.”

For the first time, Alexei’s face brightened with joy.

Frederick drew a line.

“I’m not doing this for Count Valois. It’s for the citizens of the Empire, and….”

Trailing off, Frederick then finished with a firm voice, “The dead cannot defend themselves.”

“……Your Highness the Second Prince.”

“I believe at the very least, there should not be any unjustly accused.”

At those words, a spark ignited in Alexei’s eyes.

He understood that Frederick’s situation was delicate.

One wrong move could anger the First Prince and the Empress.

Nevertheless.

‘So he won’t back down when it comes to what he believes is right.’

This is the kind of person the next Emperor should be.

Alexei sincerely thought so.