Ch.149For Elise (3)

“There are many stars, but only one sun.”

That’s how it was.

If by any chance the Emperor were to suffer from a curse, it meant his children should be sacrificed for his survival.

Cruel. Yet also an extremely rational way of thinking.

When a star falls, it’s merely sad.

But when the sun goes out, it becomes a catastrophe.

That’s why this knowledge was permitted only to the sun.

I was facing its filthy aspect.

‘For now.’

It’s confirmed that the Emperor knew about “Curse sharing” and used it.

All the circumstances fit together smoothly.

‘There’s clear evidence too.’

None other than Elise’s lifespan.

The life expectancy for patients with mana stone disease was three years at most.

In normal cases, she should have been dead long ago.

But the rose had been fighting the illness for nearly 10 years.

She was living a full three times her expected lifespan.

That’s not all.

[EP???. For Elise]

-A lonely nest, a rose withering in winter-

A side episode.

Even in the original story, the rose didn’t die from her illness.

After being mentally driven to the edge, she ended her life by suicide.

In other words, she still had life remaining at that point.

It was something I could never understand.

Now I finally get it.

It was because one person’s curse had been divided between two people.

I muttered in a somewhat subdued mood.

‘The imperial family tree isn’t that complicated.’

And there are only two blood relatives within second cousins.

Valkaros.

And.

“Judas? What’s wrong?”

Perhaps she felt my obvious stare.

Sharlotte tilted her head.

I shook my head, signaling not to worry about it.

To change the subject, I casually said:

“Permission for an audience will be granted soon.”

“I wonder… would that person want to see our faces?”

“Yes. I believe it. Because Judas said so.”

“We’ll have quite a serious conversation today.”

But before that.

I should tell the children about these things too.

“There’s something I’d like you to hear.”

I began explaining calmly.

Like organizing the contents in my head, I laid out what I had been piecing together until now.

As my voice continued, the girls’ eyes grew increasingly serious.

They asked:

“Curse sharing…?”

“Why are you telling us this? Is someone trying to put a curse on me?”

“There are only two family members within second cousins to Elise.”

“…No way.”

All eyes focused.

Trembling eyes.

Eyes containing blue and green trembled.

I didn’t give a hasty answer.

I simply rose gently from the sofa where I had been sitting.

Because I could faintly sense someone approaching from outside.

Knock knock-.

“Who knows.”

Then.

A knock breaking the quiet space.

A voice came from beyond the door.

-His Majesty has granted an audience.

I neatly adjusted my clothes.

With a slightly bitter smile, I said:

“Shall we go hear the rest of the story?”

No matter how painful the truth might be.

It would be best to hear it from the person involved.

We left the room.

***

Soon we arrived at the audience chamber.

We were kneeling before the high imperial throne.

Looking up briefly, I saw a middle-aged man.

None other than the supreme sun of the empire.

“……”

He still looked tired.

Just as when I met him before.

No.

If anything, he seemed more weakened.

Dark circles that weren’t there before now marked his face.

The Emperor spoke with his characteristic expressionlessness.

“So. I hear you have a reason for seeking me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Is it important enough to barge into the imperial palace?”

“As one who has been given the duty of being the princess’s physician, I had words that I absolutely needed to deliver.”

“How intriguing.”

There weren’t many people in the audience chamber.

One could say there was no one besides us.

Even the closest trusted ministers had been sent outside.

He seemed to have guessed it was about Elise.

“Have you finally found a cure for the Second Princess’s illness?”

“It might be even more important than that.”

“More important than a cure, you say.”

“Before I speak… there are a few things I’d like to ask Your Majesty. Would you forgive my rudeness?”

“I don’t know what rudeness you speak of, but do as you please. There’s no reason not to. You’re the ruffian who treats my princesses as if they were your own.”

“I’m grateful for your mercy.”

Once again.

The Emperor didn’t call his daughters by their names.

He only referred to them with stiff titles.

Previously, he had even called Sharlotte “her.”

He wasn’t a person who made sense by normal standards.

Eyes like withered leaves.

That gaze was particularly cold.

Not eyes looking down at family, but eyes looking down at objects.

The Emperor’s heart was cold without even a hint of warmth.

I maintained my composure as I asked:

“First… why did you confine the Second Princess to a separate palace?”

“You ask the obvious question. If it became known that a member of the imperial family was cursed, wouldn’t it damage our authority in many ways? Sometimes shameful parts must be cut away.”

“You’re extremely cold.”

“I merely act for the empire.”

Lies.

I muttered inwardly.

“……”

Was it because of the excessively direct words?

The rose’s brow slightly twisted.

Her hand clenched into a fist.

I calmed her with a brief glance.

Now was the time to maintain rationality.

“I’ll continue with my questions.”

I needed to know.

I had pieced together everything you did, but I wanted to know your exact motives.

You were a character whose background was barely revealed in the original story.

I knew nothing about you.

So I had to find out.

Why.

Why you did such things.

“There’s something I learned during my investigation.”

“You boldly admit to investigating the imperial family’s background.”

“I had no choice.”

“Continue.”

“I heard that in your youth… Your Majesty was known for being exceptionally devoted to your wife.”

“Well. I don’t remember clearly. It’s been nearly 20 years now.”

“Then what about 18 years ago? When the Empress returned to the stars due to complications after giving birth to the Second Princess.”

“……”

Returned to the stars.

A phrase used in the empire to mean passing away.

After a moment of silence, the Emperor nodded.

“Yes. I remember that.”

As I thought.

There didn’t seem to be any problem with his memory.

Now I understood the whole situation.

“I don’t know what you were curious about, but is this enough?”

“It’s sufficient. Thank you.”

The Emperor’s eyes remained cold.

I met that gaze clearly.

It was time to reveal the truth.

As I slowly formed the words, various explanations ran through my mind.

A kind of contemplation.

‘Curse sharing.’

This much was certain.

The Emperor had shared the disease.

Those eligible for sharing must be blood relatives within second cousins.

Under these conditions, we consider two possibilities.

Either the Emperor transferred his disease to Elise, or Sharlotte’s disease was transferred to Elise.

I too thought this was the basic premise.

‘But.’

It was all wrong.

Everyone missed one part.

Namely, a few lines about the side effects.

-There are side effects to this process.

-Extreme mental erosion or loss of emotions are typical.

-Side effects only occur in the one who receives the shared curse.

Isn’t that strange?

According to our previous hypothesis, the rose was the one who received the shared curse.

But Elise’s emotions weren’t shattered at all.

She clearly knew how to be happy and how to be sad.

The same was true for Sharlotte.

‘Then.’

Who could it be?

If not Elise, and not Sharlotte.

Who is the only person in this room without emotions?

Who is the one bearing such deep sin?

“It was you.”

Yes.

Perhaps our vision had been too narrow.

My eyes were newly opened by the previous reasoning.

Misunderstandings tend to arise from confirmed biases.

We had been blind for too long.

‘Why.’

Why.

Why did we only think that Elise was cursed?

Why didn’t we think that someone might have taken her curse?

How could we not have known about that foolish sacrifice?

“Your Majesty.”

I looked up at the man sitting on the imperial throne.

His hazy pupils reflected no vitality, no interest, no emotion.

As if he had lost his heart.

I gazed at him with sad eyes.

“Your Majesty… took your daughter’s curse.”

The sickly rose.

The one who shared her cursed fate was…

The father who claimed to be her birth father.

Valkaros Lantana von Staufen.

-I merely act for the empire.

Not once had he ever…

acted for the empire.