Ch.231231. Do You Have Something to Ask of Me?

“Selden Alphonse, requesting an audience with His Imperial Majesty, the Star of the Eastern Continent.”

The place I entered following butler Welsran was somewhere I had never seen before, despite my numerous visits to the imperial palace.

A large table and numerous chairs.

It appeared to be the imperial conference room.

Emperor Malius Silonia sat alone comfortably at the center of the table.

However, his appearance was extremely gaunt.

“Sit.”

“Yes, excuse me then.”

Once again, tea and light refreshments were placed on the table.

Only after the butler and maids had completely left the conference room did Emperor Malius Silonia slowly begin to speak.

“Though late, congratulations on safely completing your coming-of-age ceremony.”

“Thank you.”

“I heard my daughter Etherian attended as well?”

“…She graciously honored my ceremony with her presence, which was more than I deserved.”

“Haha! Surely, there must have been strong opposition from those around her… Etherian seems to be doing more and more as she pleases these days.”

“She is a very caring person.”

“Caring… I wonder if it’s that I don’t know my daughter, or that you don’t know my daughter…”

I wiped my dry palm against my thigh from nervousness and spoke.

“How have you been, Your Imperial Majesty?”

“Thanks to the defensive formation design I obtained from you, I’ve gained quite a bit of trust from my ministers.”

“…You flatter me.”

“You’re always excessively modest.”

“Who would dare put on airs before Your Imperial Majesty?”

Emperor Malius burst into hearty laughter before adjusting his posture.

“By the way, I heard from Welsran that you personally requested a conversation with me?”

“That’s correct.”

“Do you have something to ask of me?”

I carefully placed the refreshment I had picked up with my fingers back on the plate.

“What I’m about to say may be quite improper. Would that be acceptable?”

“You’ve made me quite curious with such a preface. Go ahead, speak.”

“Princess Etherian is preparing for a succession dispute.”

Emperor Malius’s eyebrows trembled subtly.

Ignoring this, I continued.

“If Your Imperial Majesty remains idle, Princess Sairine will likely lose her life.”

“…That could happen. But would Etherian truly kill her sister Sairine?”

I expected him to flare up in anger, but his expression was quite composed.

He must know.

That if he dies, a bloody war will begin within the imperial family.

In the original story, Emperor Malius Silonia passes away after suffering from an unknown illness.

Judging by his current appearance, the disease must be progressing.

He must know best that time is running short.

Even after summoning the most renowned physicians, they probably couldn’t even identify the illness.

And so.

When Emperor Malius Silonia dies, the succession dispute naturally turns into war.

And blood will reign in the imperial palace.

I bit my lip slightly and continued.

“Princess Etherian will kill Princess Sairine. She knows best that if she doesn’t, she herself will die.”

Malius closed his mouth with a troubled expression, then slowly continued the conversation.

“…The truth is, I’m currently ill.”

“Is that so?”

At this, Emperor Malius opened his eyes wide.

“You’re not surprised that I’m ill?”

“I had guessed as much upon seeing Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Heh, I must look quite terrible.”

“Is it terminal?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even know what illness I have yet.”

“…I see.”

Emperor Malius leaned back against his chair and continued.

“Anyway, I’m in a situation where it wouldn’t be strange if I died at any moment. And when I die, Etherian and Sairine will engage in a succession dispute…”

The air in the imperial conference room grew heavy.

Emperor Malius stared at me intently and continued.

“That’s why I’m enduring each day steadfastly, despite the difficulty. Maintaining my position like this is the best I can do for now.”

“…There is a way.”

At my words, Emperor Malius opened his eyes wide.

“Are you saying you can stop Etherian?”

“That would be difficult. I just tried to persuade Princess Etherian earlier, but I failed.”

“…Then what?”

“If you can trust what I’m about to say without doubt or questioning, I’ll tell you.”

“If it concerns Etherian and Sairine, I’ll do whatever you say. Tell me now.”

For a brief moment, there was life in Emperor Malius’s eyes.

I took a short deep breath and spoke.

“I would like you to tell Princess Etherian the truth about that incident.”

“That incident?”

“The incident involving Princess Etherian’s uncle, Your Imperial Majesty’s brother.”

“W-what?!”

Emperor Malius was so surprised that he briefly lifted his hips from the chair.

“W-what are you saying?”

“Princess Etherian still believes that Your Imperial Majesty killed him because of the succession dispute.”

“…Just how much do you know?”

Titus Silonia.

Princess Etherian’s uncle and Emperor Malius’s younger brother.

Unlike other imperial siblings who were estranged from childhood due to succession disputes, Malius and Titus had a good relationship since they were young.

It was truly exceptional.

Therefore.

The imperial people thought:

Could Malius and Titus face the heir selection without a bloody war? Such was their vague expectation.

However, everyone’s expectations were overturned.

Because Titus removed the mask he had been wearing.

“Didn’t I say? That you wouldn’t question me.”

“…Did Welsran tell you?”

“Would you believe me if I said no?”

Titus had planned to kidnap Princess Etherian, who trusted and followed him, and threaten Malius to give up the imperial throne.

Fortunately, Malius found out, verified the facts several times, and headed toward Titus.

And.

He confronted Titus, who was holding Princess Etherian’s hand, trying to escape the imperial palace to kidnap her.

*Swish-!*

A single strike.

If he had shown even the slightest hesitation, who knows what Titus might have done to Princess Etherian, whose hand he was holding. So Malius approached with a smile and cut his throat.

In the original story, the truth of the incident was revealed by Emperor Malius’s butler.

That is, by Welsran, who is currently in charge of Princess Etherian.

‘Well, by then, it was already too late.’

Emperor Malius Silonia let out a short sigh.

“…As promised, I won’t ask. But would telling the truth change anything?”

“Things will change a bit. Since that day, Princess Etherian has considered her sister, Princess Sairine, as an enemy.”

“There may be hidden details to the incident, but the fact remains that I killed my brother over the succession dispute. What would change?”

I understand Emperor Malius’s thinking.

Since it happened because of the succession dispute anyway, would revealing the hidden details change anything?

Isn’t it an unchangeable fact that Malius killed Titus?

That’s probably why he’s been bearing it all this time without bringing it up.

It’s obvious that if Princess Etherian learned she had been betrayed by her uncle whom she trusted and followed, the wound would be immense.

“I don’t think Your Imperial Majesty’s choice at that time was wrong, but Princess Etherian is an adult now. She deserves to know the truth of the incident.”

“What about the pain Etherian will feel?”

“She is someone who can overcome it sufficiently on her own. Your Imperial Majesty should also trust Princess Etherian.”

Emperor Malius Silonia’s eyes wavered.

His expression, which had been full of curiosity about how I knew the details of the incident, gradually changed to concern.

“…If I truly tell her the truth about the incident, will Etherian’s view of Sairine change even a little?”

“At the very least, her relationship with Your Imperial Majesty will improve. That’s how we change things bit by bit.”

“Hmm…”

After quite a long silence.

Emperor Malius Silonia continued with an expression that seemed to have made some decision.

“Very well. As you say, I will tell Etherian about what happened that day.”

“…Thank you.”

“What do you have to thank me for? I am a man with not much time left to live. I must try something, even if it’s like grasping at straws.”

“You say you don’t have much time left. Your Imperial Majesty needs to stay healthy while Princess Etherian and Princess Sairine’s relationship improves.”

“If things turn out as you say, I too would have no worries, but as you know, reality is not so accommodating, is it?”

I looked clearly at Emperor Malius’s face as he smiled bitterly.

“Your Imperial Majesty will live a long life. I will make sure of it.”

“What…?”

I slowly rose from the sofa.

Then I bowed respectfully and straightened up.

“From now on, just trust me.”