episode_0006

“Glientino, you scoundrel! Move out of the way now!!”

In the end, at the commander’s shout, even the soldiers rushed in.

“Get rid of that traitor right away!”

Glientino’s pupils trembled. It seemed odd that he was so persistent in trying to confirm something.

Even so, was it really necessary for someone who had come to fetch the prince to go this far? Despite his earnest plea to wait a little longer, they were determined to brand him a traitor and force their way into the bedroom.

It was no wonder Glientino was feeling indignant. This was truly a critical moment.

“No! I won’t move!”

Standing with arms outstretched in front of the prince’s chamber, he gritted his teeth. He was resolved not to budge under any circumstances, even if it meant facing death.

One strange thing, however, was that despite four burly soldiers clinging to him, he didn’t move an inch. It was as if he had turned into stone.

Looking at Glientino in this state, the commander’s expression showed a hint of disgust. Even after mentioning treason, his defiant and unyielding attitude was certainly not something an ordinary commander would display.

“Why on earth are you going this far?”

For the sake of the fallen prince? Out of loyalty?

His head involuntarily shook.

No, no. No one would ever do that for such a notorious fallen prince.

Then could it be… Could Glientino have harmed the fallen prince? If he was preventing anyone from entering for fear of being exposed, that would make quite a reasonable situation.

“Could it be that you, sir, have harmed His Highness, the prince!”

The commander’s accusation carried a certain level of conviction, but Glientino remained silent once again.

“Back off, you rascals! Back off!!”

He just violently waved his arms, struggling to push away the soldiers clinging to him.

“I won’t let this go!”

Glientino felt extremely awkward. Who could possibly understand his feelings? Did anyone even know why he was doing this?

His desire to step aside immediately was overwhelming.

However, if he didn’t do this, there was no way to avoid imminent death.

There was nowhere to voice his grievances.

The moment I mentioned that there was a spirit in my heart, it was because it would burst immediately. The fear of that day came back to me, and my body trembled again. The innocent prince was nowhere to be found. He had become a presence even more sinister than a demon. Putting a spirit into my body, I endured the terrible pain I felt for the first time in my life for quite a long time. Without moving a finger, just by thinking, hard things like clumps of dirt scattered and moved rapidly inside my body. It was such a fast and excruciating pain that I couldn’t even scream. Anything that touched thoroughly tore apart from the inside. Then, I quickly recovered. That miraculous healing was to be destroyed again, I realized that not long after. Still, I thanked and groveled. I pledged to devote my life, so as not to fall victim again. Yet the prince repeated such terrible acts with a nonchalant and weak face every few days. It was like taming a wild beast. I tasted a hell far worse than becoming a traitor. It would have been better to be condemned as a traitor rather than falling into such a miserable state. It was truly a terrible pain. It felt like being a tiny bug held in a child’s hand, having its wings and legs torn off one by one. Fear brought about greater agony than pain. Ignorance of how much more cruel things might come was pulled up from deep within the heart like a ship raising its anchor. So, even now, I am like this. As if staking my soul, my body and mind had no choice but to react first without being commanded. That was when, “Get out of the way, you brat!” In an instant, my body became light, and I swiftly fell to the side with the soldiers. Glenitno thought as he fell, “It’s over. It’s definitely over.” Now the chamberlain would enter the bedroom, and they would confirm the absence of the prince. If he belonged to the empress’s faction, Glenitno would die.

He may not be the queen’s man, but he will die for not keeping the secret.

Thud!

Even though he was pinned down by four sturdy soldiers, only the fear of the crown prince surged most fiercely within him.

“No…,” he muttered.

Shijongjang finally pushed open the bedroom door, passing the fallen bodies.

Creak!

As soon as the door opened, he hurriedly took a step forward, pushing it wide open. It was like the gesture of a hyena catching the scent of a corpse.

Whoosh!

“Yikes-”

However, as soon as he entered, Shijongjang, making a strange sound, took a step back. His face, startled as if he had seen a monster, was splattered with blood.

***

“Haa-haa-”

I barely managed to return to the bedroom in time. But I was out of breath and dizzy. My vision was spinning. I felt like I might collapse at any moment. I really felt like I was going to die.

Oh, come to think of it. I had already spat out blood in front of Shijongjang. Who told them to barge in suddenly? I had used up too much energy getting here. It’s too much now.

Thud-

I collapsed on the floor.

And then.

When I opened my eyes again.

I was lying on the bed.

There was a familiar face sitting on the bed.

“Have you gotten up?”

It was a gentle yet cautious voice of a middle-aged man.

I could tell who it was right away.

It was the Emperor of the Mersen Empire, the father of the crown prince.

“….”

I didn’t even have the strength to answer now. I could only blink my eyes laboriously. It seemed that capturing the emperor’s sorrowful face was almost the only thing I could do right now.

Maybe I should have used a different method.

I made a contract with the spirit of the wind to return as quickly as possible. In fact, just making a contract with the spirit consumed mana itself. It was an unwritten rule for ordinary elves not to make contracts with more than two spirits. But I, in a state with almost no mana left, made a new contract with a spirit to return quickly. As a result, I ended up consuming life force to replace the depleted mana and summon the spirit of the wind in an instant.

Transparently, I leaped as if carried by the wind.

I advanced hundreds of meters before soaring dozens more in a single leap and then descending again.

While I was at it,

I gave some vitality to Rack, increasing Glentino’s weight enough to buy myself ample time until my departure.

But as expected,

Commanding spirits with vitality

was a gamble with my life from the start.

Carelessly dashing through the azure sky as if becoming the very wind,

I couldn’t properly grasp the fact that my vitality was rapidly depleting.

Nevertheless,

I had no choice but to do so.

If it were revealed that I wasn’t in the Imperial Palace,

it would eventually reach the Empress’s ears through someone’s mouth.

Glentino, who falsified the report, would face execution.

And I, too, would soon lose my life.

That’s why

I didn’t hesitate to use my vitality.

Thankfully, I didn’t encounter any knights, nor did anyone catch me, but

I ended up consuming much more vitality than I initially thought.

The essence of life.

It was the most fundamental energy that sustains life.

Healing magic was merely surgical, unable to breach the realm of irrevocable damage.

Even the spirits couldn’t restore vitality, and for the priests, it was an impossible task.

That’s why I sought out the Saint, Elaine.

Only she, possessing a divine power that no one could trespass,

could restore vitality in this world.

I had already confirmed this in the novel.

Without her divine power, it would be impossible for me to be restored.

Then, I felt the Emperor’s piercing gaze.

His face looking down at me was filled with depth.

It seemed like he had a lot to say.

“Do you still resent me?”

It was a trembling voice that broke a long silence.

Already feeling so weak, as if I were about to die,

it was quite bothersome to be questioned with such a despondent expression.

With his gaze staring as if seeking an answer,

I could only shake my head helplessly to indicate denial.

Of course, even that was too strenuous, and I could only move slowly.

At that, the Emperor

expressed a look of complete surprise.

The large, wide-open eyes and slightly parted lips undoubtedly conveyed the feeling of “There’s no way my son could be like this….”

“….Father, I’m sorry.”

After a brief moment of silence, cautiously spoken words followed—a form of apology.

“….”

But right now, I didn’t want to hear such words.

“Bart… Viscount… Daughter….”

I wanted desperately to call for Lady Elaine.

But I had no strength left, and no more words came out.

And soon after that,

Everything turned pitch black before me.

As if rapidly sinking into death.

***

The Emperor of the Mersenne Empire.

Belcreed Supherator Caldevrion.

He had been visiting his son’s chamber for four days now.

The Imperial Physician and the Palace Mage both said there was nothing wrong with his son’s body.

Yet, they had also stated without a doubt that he was undeniably dying.

Indeed, even to the Emperor himself.

Apart from looking slightly more gaunt than before, there seemed to be no change.

This situation, therefore,

Felt incredibly frustrating and despairing.

He had been living quietly in the Imperial Palace all this time.

Why on earth, then?

Why couldn’t he regain consciousness for so long?

And why, exactly,

Were there still so many things left unsaid?

Why was he dying?

Eos Caldevrion.

He was the painful legacy left by his deceased wife.

At times, he felt the urge to cut off the painful reminder.

But he believed he had no right to do so.

He had rejected the Empress.

Right after the Empress’s death, Eos had said,

“All of this is because of you. I curse you with everything I have.”

The memory of that day was still vivid.

His voice was filled with boiling rage.

In his son’s eyes, who had lost his mother,

All that remained was seething, unrelenting hatred, like boiling, bubbling lava.

There was nothing to say.

Deceived or not, betrayal was betrayal.

And from that day on,

The Emperor could no longer approach his son.

And eventually, the dreadful incident erupted.

The dreadful incident where the Crown Prince killed numerous people.

At first, it was unbelievable.

Wasn’t he a son so gentle, resembling his mother?

Although I have long been known for my wickedness among those around me, I never imagined that I would stoop to such a level. Many demanded execution, nobles and commoners alike. There was not a soul who did not wish for the death of the prince, deemed by everyone as utterly wicked. However, Eos was the precious son left behind by the only woman I ever loved in this world. No matter what he had done, no matter how much others pointed fingers, he was an irreplaceable being, beyond valuation or substitution. That’s why, to save my son, I gave much to our enemies, doing whatever it took to prevent his punishment. I even accepted an unwanted empress at their behest. Long ago, I made a bastard into a crown prince due to a single mistake. Still, there was no regret; after all, I had saved my son. But for some reason, just a few days ago, my son, who had been perfectly fine wandering the palace, suddenly collapsed, vomiting blood. We even searched the palace thoroughly suspecting poison, but we couldn’t find anything resembling poison anywhere. So what on earth could it be? What could possibly cause my son to deteriorate so suddenly? It was a situation that was utterly incomprehensible. As I finally rose from my seat, having put an end to the endless sighs, tears began to fall from the emperor’s eyes. Finally, my son woke up. His face looked as if even blinking was an arduous task. I couldn’t feel the warmth of his grasped hand, and he couldn’t speak properly. He truly seemed like someone on the brink of death. Therefore, it was something that could no longer be delayed. Even if it was late, I had to deliver the apology I had put off for so long. So, I asked first. If he still resented me. The answer that came back was almost unbelievable… “I don’t resent you.” It felt like a thorough cleansing of the years of pent-up remorse. It felt like tightly knotted ropes were finally unraveling. And so, I found the courage to finally offer the long-delayed apology. I’m sorry. For betraying the beloved empress and for distancing myself from my son thereafter. I am truly sorry. It was at that moment that Bart’s name was mentioned.

Even his daughter, he said.

The emperor had a hunch.

That there was a woman he wanted to see before he died.

As a father, there was no reason not to grant such a wish.

“Baron Bart’s daughter. Just wait a little, I’ll summon her as soon as possible.”

***

Katia had finally calmed down.

It had been four days since the crown prince had visited.

She had almost finished what he had asked for.

She had apologized to Elaine and even dismissed Anna.

Feeling some inexplicable guilt, she made sure to provide enough severance pay, of course, assuming she would apologize to Elaine.

Just in case.

She gathered other servants, educating them not to neglect Elaine in the future.

She had also fought with her mother to ensure that Elaine would no longer work as a maid.

Even now, having dealt with all these matters, her heart was still pounding.

She felt as if at any moment the crown prince might suddenly appear from somewhere with a chilling expression and throttle her.

Thinking about the future was daunting.

Only now did she truly feel the weight of the sins she had committed.

Until the crown prince appeared, she had never considered how her actions would make Elaine feel.

She had only thought of herself as a victim of her father’s stolen love.

But facing the crown prince, she finally understood.

What it felt like to be trampled by status, power, and magic without ever attempting to resist.

The moment she suffered a greater evil than the evil she had done.

Finally, she understood Elaine’s position.

In the end, the biggest mistake was allowing Baron Bart to touch a maid and bear a daughter, despite having a wife.

And instead of blaming the powerful father, she had wronged her weaker step-sister.

And if the crown prince hadn’t appeared.

Ultimately, she would have continued to commit terrible acts against Elaine.

As her torment and shame rose like flames, a sound came from outside.

“Miss, someone has come from the palace.”

…No way.

It can’t be…

From the palace…

…It couldn’t be.

I must have misheard because I’m so tired lately.

With tightly closed eyes, Katia clasped her hands together and prayed.

Please, let it be an auditory hallucination.

“Miss, someone has come out from the royal palace. The Emperor has ordered your entrance into the palace.”

But then, a clear voice echoed once again.

Katia felt as if the whole world was crumbling down around her.