@KuroInfinity If this was another series, I might think the former marquess's expression in his last panel, where Eli tells him that she's going to be the empress, is one of bafflement, that is, not understanding how Eli can be so gullible. However, I reckon he actually believes her. The villains have been so super simple so far. Even the dowager is relatively simple as a villain, but since the current emperor is so weak, the dowager can do whatever she wants, with nobody trying to stop her. Although that being said, maybe the current emperor's weakness is also thanks to the dowager. That would make her plans cross generations, and thus her apparent simplicity would actually be just taking it easy because she can.