Chapter 857: List

Chapter 857: Chapter 857: List

Ivy frowned, clearly uncomfortable with the direction Catherine’s plan was taking.

"I don’t want to win the throne by betraying someone. Isn’t there another way to accomplish the same goal?"

Her voice wasn’t particularly loud, but the firmness in her tone made it clear that she wasn’t asking the question casually.

She understood the importance of eliminating threats, yet she couldn’t bring herself to accept the idea of deliberately joining someone’s faction only to destroy it from within.

Catherine fell silent for a moment as she studied Ivy’s expression. When she finally spoke, her voice had become more serious.

"Ivy, you need to understand that the path to the throne is rarely a peaceful one. Sometimes, you must act ruthlessly, even against people who appear to be your own allies. If you hesitate whenever you have to make a difficult decision, someone else will take advantage of your kindness and use it against you."

She paused briefly, allowing her words to settle before continuing.

"However, that doesn’t mean there is only one way to ascend the throne. Prince Hugo managed to overthrow his own father to secure his position, but that doesn’t mean you must follow the same path or resort to the same methods. There is always more than one way to achieve your goal, and if you don’t want to betray Prince Hanake, then we can find another strategy."

Catherine shook her head slightly, her gaze remaining fixed on Ivy.

"The important thing is that you understand what you’re getting into. You cannot afford to approach this competition with the assumption that everyone will play fairly or that good intentions alone will protect you. You need to be prepared, think several steps ahead, and make sure that your opponents never gain the upper hand."

The argument between Catherine and Ivy continued back and forth for a long time, mainly because Ivy remained unwilling to change her mind.

Even Catherine, who had accumulated years of experience navigating the ruthless world of royal politics, was beginning to feel a little frustrated with Ivy’s soft-hearted nature.

The two of them eventually ended their conversation on a sour note, neither willing to completely accept the other’s perspective.

When Ivy finally returned to her room, she couldn’t help turning toward Silas, who had been waiting for her.

She let out a quiet sigh before speaking,

"If I can’t bring myself to betray them, then I’m simply trying to protect everyone from the damage that could result from my actions."

Silas regarded Ivy with a serious expression before replying,

"Ivy, from what I know about you, you’re not the kind of person who is afraid of trouble. So why don’t you want to betray those people?"

Ivy looked back at him just as seriously, her fingers unconsciously curling against her palm as she considered how to explain her reasoning.

"Because if I get caught, do you understand how much I stand to lose? I could lose you, I could lose our children, and I could even lose Catherine herself. Rather than getting too close to the enemy and allowing them to notice that something is wrong with me, I think it would be better to maintain some distance from them while I build my own faction in this world."

Silas finally understood her reasoning, although he didn’t entirely agree with her decision. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his tone carrying a note of concern.

"The princes and princesses of Planet Astra aren’t as simple as they appear to be. In fact, they might already know about your existence, apart from Catherine. However, you do have a valid point, and I understand why you’re reluctant to take such a risk. I’ll go and discuss your concerns with Catherine."

Ivy nodded, feeling a little relieved that he had understood her position.

That night, Catherine invited Ivy to her study.

Catherine didn’t begin speaking immediately. Instead, she took out a list and pushed it across the desk toward Ivy.

Ivy glanced at the paper before picking it up and carefully reading through the names written on it.

Despite the argument they had shared earlier, she had no intention of ignoring Catherine’s knowledge and experience.

Whatever their differences might be, she couldn’t deny that the older woman understood the cruel realities of royal politics far better than she did.

The list contained several names, each written clearly in elegant handwriting.

Catherine watched Ivy finish reading before speaking in a serious tone. "Memorize these names, because we’ll begin your lessons the day after tomorrow."

Ivy looked up at her and nodded obediently. "All right, I’ll remember them."

As promised, Ivy’s lessons began the day after the agreed-upon date.

The list Catherine had given her was surprisingly short, containing only fifteen to twenty names.

Ivy had initially assumed that she would have to study hundreds of people, so the small number caught her attention. Nevertheless, she understood that Catherine wouldn’t have selected these individuals without a reason.

On the first day of their lessons, Ivy sat across from Catherine and placed the list on the table between them.

Catherine glanced at her before asking, "What was the first name on the list?"

Ivy thought for a moment before answering, "Agnes Barrett."

Catherine nodded, her expression growing solemn as she began the lesson.

"Then today, we’ll talk about Agnes Barrett. She was one of the earliest contenders in the royal succession struggle and one of the first women to come remarkably close to inheriting the throne. However, despite her abilities and the support she had gathered, she ultimately failed to claim it. Do you know why?"

Ivy shook her head slightly, waiting for Catherine to continue.

"She failed because she believed she couldn’t bring herself to kill her own siblings for the sake of the throne," Catherine explained, her voice steady despite the grim nature of the story.

"She was afraid that if she betrayed them, she would become no different from the very people she despised. She believed that she could win the succession struggle without resorting to the same ruthless methods as her competitors."

Catherine paused briefly, allowing Ivy to absorb her words before continuing.

"Do you know what happened when Agnes became the most obvious choice for the throne? The other princes and princesses exploited her unwillingness to kill them. They hired people to destroy her completely, ensuring that she would never pose a threat to their ambitions again. By the time she was finally found, she had suffered such horrific injuries that her reproductive organs were permanently damaged. She fell into a deep coma and never recovered."

Ivy’s expression stiffened as Catherine described Agnes’s fate.

Catherine watched her reaction before asking, "Tell me, Ivy, whose fault was it? Was it the fault of the princes and princesses who arranged such a cruel fate for her, or was Agnes Barrett also responsible for what happened to her?"

Ivy remained silent for a long time, struggling to find an answer that felt right. Eventually, she lowered her gaze and murmured, "They were incredibly cruel."

Catherine nodded, showing no surprise at her response. "Yes, they were cruel, and some of them can be even more ruthless than that. However, you’ll learn more about them tomorrow."

The following day, Ivy returned for her lesson, and this time, the two of them sat in the garden.

Catherine glanced at Ivy and asked, "What was the next name on the list?"

Ivy recalled the names she had memorized and replied, "Crossfire."

Catherine nodded thoughtfully before beginning the next story.

"If I remember correctly, Crossfire was another contender from the early generations of the succession struggle. He was even crowned crown prince, and his path to inheriting the throne was practically guaranteed. He only needed to wait one more day before he could have claimed everything that had been promised to him."

She paused, her eyes narrowing slightly as she recalled the outcome.

"However, do you know what happened in the end?"

Ivy looked at Catherine, waiting for her to reveal the answer.

"He was killed by the very sister he trusted most," Catherine continued. "He had placed his faith in the wrong princess, and that mistake cost him his life. After his death, his sister helped another man ascend the throne instead."

Ivy’s brows drew together as she tried to make sense of the story.

She had expected betrayal from political rivals, but the idea that someone could murder her own brother after he had already secured the crown prince’s position still made her uncomfortable.

Catherine studied Ivy’s troubled expression before asking, "So, what have you learned from today’s lesson?"

Ivy considered the question carefully, but she was still struggling to understand what Catherine wanted her to take away from these stories.

Seeing her confusion, Catherine smiled faintly and said,

"You shouldn’t place your complete trust in someone like me, either. I might help you ascend the throne today, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t become ruthless enough to scheme against you and take it for myself someday."