My villain wants to save himself, but the yandere heroine disagrees

"That won't make people relax, Orson. You and I are already in the same boat. We share honor and disgrace. If anything happens to you because of this, I will also be found out to have a connection with you, and then I will lose my inheritance rights."

"Your Highness." At this moment, Orson suddenly asked again: "Is the right of inheritance really that important to you?"

"What does this mean?" Elsa looked at Orson in confusion.

"If you put the three things together, the people's well-being, your own happiness and inheritance rights, what would you choose?" Orson asked.

"I will choose the inheritance." Elsa said without hesitation.

"why?"

"Because only if I inherit the throne, the first two can be realized." Elsa said this, looking at Orson with determination in her eyes.

"..." Orson was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head and laughed.

.

"Haha, sorry, I'm just too worried. Princess, you are still as idealistic as before."

"But I don't hate idealistic people."

After saying this, Orson looked out the car window.

"There is?"

At this moment, on the street where François was killed yesterday, there was already a group of people wearing white cloths and black robes standing there.

"That's the wake for François. Young Master Henry rushed here as soon as he learned of his father's death yesterday." Elsa said.

The distance between the Duke of Orleans and the city of Saint Laurent was not close, and he was able to get here in such a short time, which must have required the use of extremely costly teleportation magic.

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

Although François' body had been processed and placed in a coffin, making it look much more respectable, his face, distorted by excessive blood loss and pain, could not be restored.

As if he heard the sound of a carriage next to him, the boy turned his head to look at the carriage, and happened to meet Orson's eyes who was looking at him.

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

"Orson, Orson?" Seeing Orson staring out the window, Elsa called him specifically.

"What are you looking at?"

"Ah, nothing. The little boy in that group is the son of Duke Francois. His name is Henry, right?"

"Well, Young Master Henry, you should call him Duke Henry when you go there today."

"Oh, what a poor child. He lost his mother a few years ago and now he has lost his father." Orson couldn't help but sigh.

Chapter 74: Fear

Orson followed Elsa to the Imperial Court.

A special task force has now been set up here, led by Elsa, to investigate the cause of François' death.

Besides Afro, Elsa's confidant, there were several other people whom Orson did not know, but they all seemed to be professionals engaged in criminal investigation.

Following their advice, the entire city of Saint Laurent was sealed off from early morning, and the guards in charge of public security began to search house to house for any suspicious persons.

As for those gray industrial chains that linger on the edge of crime, they are the top priority of the investigation.

If it were in the past, Orson might have been worried that someone would use this incident to throw dirty water on the gang he founded, but now, the gang has been handed over and has nothing to do with Orson anymore.

On the contrary, after the gang gives up, the person who gives up may be in danger.

As expected, after the meeting, the information the staff produced left everyone dumbfounded.

"According to intelligence, we have compiled a list of several names of people who are in charge of the underground forces currently active in Saint Laurent City, especially those involved in casinos, taverns, and mafia businesses."

"First, there is Agnelli, the leader of the largest local gang in Saint Laurent. His ancestors are from Naples, but their gang has been developing in Saint Laurent for decades. They know best how to protect themselves, so they never lean towards a certain political force. Therefore, the probability of him directing this incident is very low."

"The remaining gangs are mostly agents of other nobles. Among the agents we can find, the one with the highest status and the one who controls the most underground forces..." The staff member said this, paused, and then said, "It's His Royal Highness the Prince."

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

"Don't be ridiculous. How could His Royal Highness do such a thing?"

"That's right! Your Highness is the future of the empire. It is impossible for him to do something that would ruin his own future."

"But..." At this time, Elsa signaled everyone to be quiet.

"According to your intelligence, the two largest underground forces in Saint Laurent City are also the forces most likely to hide people and arrange assassins. They are them, right?"

"Yes, and it is a coincidence that when His Royal Highness the Prince invested in the acquisition of those facilities, it was just before this incident happened."

"Although I don't want to think about it, it is not impossible that His Royal Highness prepared a dark network in advance to plan the assassination of the Duke and acquired these forces."

"Anyway..." At this time, Orson spoke up and gave a suggestion.

"I think we should report it to His Majesty first. Before His Majesty gives further instructions, we should not release the results of the investigation. Even if we do release it, we cannot include His Royal Highness's name."

"And, think about it, this matter is very harmful to the royal family.

If there is no benefit, why would His Royal Highness take action?"

……

Inside the palace, Arthas was sitting in his bedroom, and in front of him sat Odysseus.

Two people were sitting at the chess table, playing chess against each other.

"Isn't it a bit too much to trust my sister by letting her handle this matter?" Arthas asked as he moved his chess piece.

"After all, she doesn't have much experience right now, and given her personality... things might escalate."

"What else should I do? Ask you for help? Or should I send your people in and let you monitor Elsa's every move remotely?" Odysseus said half-jokingly.

"Arthas, you are the older brother, shouldn't you give in to your sister in everything? Besides, aren't you ahead of Elsa in the order of succession?"

"Sorry, father, I was rude." Arthas said this with an awkward smile.

Just then, a guard came in, whispered something in Odysseus' ear, and then glanced at Arthas.

Alsaston felt something was wrong.

Sure enough, the chess piece that Odysseus had just picked up fell down again, and he looked up at Arthas.

"Arthas, do you know what he just told me?"

"I don't know, I would like to hear the details."

"The Orchid Tavern on Oak Street, have you heard of this name?"

When Arthas heard the name, his pupils widened instantly and he looked at Odysseus in surprise.

"Father, why are you bringing this up?"

"I don't mind you developing your own group. It's normal for you and Elsa to have some secrets."

"But!" Odysseus was so angry that he slammed the chess table, and his wives fell down one after another.

"Just before this incident happened, you used your personal assets to acquire so many tavern and casino businesses!"

"There is no time to go wrong, but at this sensitive time!"

Seeing Odysseus so angry, even Arthas, who was always in high spirits, had to kneel down and beg for his forgiveness.

"Father, I... that's not what I meant, and I didn't do it... It's just that the underground forces and dark web developed by others are too huge, so I warned them and they wisely gave these things to me."

"Of course I know it couldn't be you, but look at what stupid things you have done! If this gets out, what kind of public opinion storm will you be caught up in? Don't you think you are annoying enough to the nobles?" Odysseus said angrily.

He was not worried that Arthas would be considered the murderer because of this incident, but as his eldest son, the one who would inherit the throne of the empire in the future, it would not be enough to just have outstanding military achievements. If he had no political ideas at all, he would not be able to beat those old foxes.

"Fortunately, Elsa informed me directly, so I can help you suppress the matter." Odysseus said this, put on his coat, and walked out.

He also has to wrap up the matter of Alsace, and no member of the royal family must be involved in this case.

Arthas looked at Odysseus's leaving back and lowered his head in disappointment.

He began to regret why he had hit Orson in the first place.

and many more……

Orson, you didn't do this on purpose?

When Arthas thought of Orson's decisive action at that time, he became suspicious.

Not only was the decision to abandon the dark web made quickly, but the subsequent price offered to Arthas was also extremely low.

At first, Arthas thought that it was Orson who took the initiative to show goodwill, so he accepted the kindness.

The dark web did provide him with some help afterwards.

But if all this was planned by Orson, then isn't he a little too scary?

Thinking of this, Arthas shook his head.

Impossible, absolutely impossible. If Orson was so terrifying, there was no way I could control him. All this must be just a coincidence.

Chapter 75: Hint

Inside the palace hall.

At this moment, a group of nobles were confronting Odysseus.

"Your Majesty, could you please tell me why we other nobles are not allowed to use private detectives to investigate the assassination of Duke François?"

A robed noble said this and looked at Odysseus.

He was a count under the Duke of Orleans, and this speech was obviously made on behalf of Orleans.

"I'm sorry, this is a big matter, and Saint Laurent City is not very safe recently. If you hire a private detective, we cannot guarantee the detective's safety, nor can we guarantee that what you investigate is not a smokescreen deliberately left by the murderer." Odysseus explained.

After hearing the royal family’s explanation, the nobles had no choice but to give up.

"Your Majesty." At this moment, Henry, who had been silent on the side, suddenly spoke.

He was only fourteen years old and now only reached Odysseus' chest. He walked forward and looked up at Odysseus.

"Your Majesty, regarding the safety of private investigations, this can be guaranteed by the city's guards, right?"

"Instead of opening an investigation, does that mean that my father's death is related to the royal family, and the royal family is going to clear all clues first and then issue an insignificant announcement?"

As soon as these words were spoken, several nobles nearby could no longer sit still. They came to Henry and pulled him back.

Especially Henry's uncle Sean, now the regent of the Duke of Orleans, directly rebuked Henry:

"Henry, now is not the time to hold him accountable. His Majesty would never do such a thing. Let us trust the royal family first."

"But the victim is my father!" Henry shouted.

As this voice fell, the entire hall fell into silence.

"Duke Henry." Odysseus was silent for a while, then said: "We can understand your feelings. You have lost your loved ones, so you want to find the enemy quickly and avenge your father's murder."

"But please understand that the murderer was able to ignore the entire Duke's Guard and kill your father."

"The forces behind the murderer are definitely not weak, so it will take time to find him out."

"Is it difficult?" Henry raised his eyebrows and looked at Odysseus curiously.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, if we wipe out all the dark forces in the underground of Saint Laurent City, we will definitely be able to find some clues. But now a day has passed, why are you still just doing a superficial search from house to house?"

"Why don't you search for those mercenary groups and underworld strongholds? The people standing behind them are obviously the murderers who killed my father, right?"

After Henry said this, he sneered, not like a fourteen-year-old child at all.

"I am not putting pressure on the royal family. If the royal family cannot do something, as your Majesty's loyal vassal, I don't mind helping your Majesty solve the problem."

"By the way, Your Majesty, I saw the eldest son of the Duke of Antica and Her Royal Highness the Princess sitting in a carriage today. Our land is a contract that has been passed down from ancient times to this day, and we will not tolerate any changes to the contract."

After saying this, he left with his vassals.

"Who is this Henry? He is only fourteen years old, but why does he look like a forty-year-old man?"

Elsa and Orson stood together in the corner of the hall. She looked at Henry who was leaving and asked in a low voice.

It was no wonder that she was confused. Henry himself was not a very flamboyant person, and in his previous life, everyone just treated him as an ordinary nobleman.

However, in such a short period of time after François' death, the vassals of the Duchy of Orleans had already taken Henry as their core. Even the regent Sean seemed unable to suppress Henry. I am afraid that after returning, Sean would only be the regent in name, and the actual power of the Duchy would still fall into the hands of this fourteen-year-old child.

"This kid might be a little like me." Orson said, shaking his head.