episode_0067

“Sigh….”

Gazing up at the yellowish sky outside the window, the Emperor let out a breath.

With a sudden gust of wind, his golden hair swayed ever so slightly.

Within his narrowed eyes lay an unmistakable depth of sorrow.

“In the end, it has come to this.”

Perhaps it was a conclusion that was predestined.

‘Whom can I blame?’

Slowly shaking his head, he might have known deep down that blaming anyone wouldn’t be right.

Herpina Schleyn.

Originally, she and he were fated to be engaged from birth by the former Emperor.

Naturally, the Emperor didn’t dislike her from the start.

Herpina was a woman one couldn’t possibly dislike. Beautiful, exceptional, and overflowing with grace.

In Mersen, there would hardly be a man who wouldn’t desire her.

However.

Encountering Wibrea, who captivated him at first sight, he found himself unable to resist and eventually broke off the engagement.

What could he do?

The fate of humans doesn’t always go as planned.

Love, even more so.

‘This woman is mine.’ Being certain of a woman and not being able to embrace another was his duty.

Yet, he hoped Herpina would find happiness with another man.

Feeling remorse for a long time, he had readily accepted the invitation from Count Schleyn.

Of course, he hadn’t imagined he would end up completely drunk.

Even though he usually didn’t get drunk no matter how much he drank, for some reason, he ended up intoxicated after a few glasses that night.

Waking up, he found himself lying on the bed next to Herpina, still fully clothed.

Seeing the crimson stains on the sheets, fragments of the previous night came back in bits and pieces.

The warmth, the intense scent, and the passionate cries.

Like being addicted to a poison without an antidote, he had fallen into an inescapable abyss.

“….”

Perhaps all this tragedy had clearly started from that moment.

But even if he were to be reborn and faced with the same situation again, he was certain he would make the same choice.

If repeating such tragedy meant welcoming Wibrea as his wife, he was willing to do so gladly.

Regardless, a decision must be made now.

Service had undoubtedly lost his self-restraint.

Having gone as far as ordering Lutheon Eosik to torment Elaine, it was no longer possible to leave the Crown Prince alone.

Although a glass had mysteriously disappeared, there was no evidence left, yet Eosik wouldn’t lie.

And there was no need for concrete evidence.

Everyone present would have felt it.

Despite the Crown Prince’s logical arguments, his tone, expression, and voice betrayed much.

As Service himself was the evidence, even the nobles of the Empress faction couldn’t hide their slight sense of defeat.

Undoubtedly, Service had ordered the harassment of Elaine.

So now, he had to depose the lad.

All that was needed was justification.

It was necessary to demonstrate to the world that Eosik was no longer the wastrel of the past but far more competent than Service.

While pondering on specific methods, a knock suddenly echoed.

“Come in.”

Creak-

Opening the door and entering was the Imperial Knight Commander Helcarto Despiousa.

However, unlike usual, he didn’t close the door.

Finding this rather strange, the Emperor naturally sat at his desk.

The more he looked, the more peculiar the Knight Commander’s actions seemed today.

Normally, he would stand at attention in front of the desk, reporting on matters in a polite tone.

But today.

As the wind rushed in, coming right up to where he was seated, even casting a dark shadow over the desk.

Swoosh-

He even drew his sword, holding the sharp blade near his neck.

“What are you planning to do now?”

Although phrased as a question, it was more of a sigh of realization that suddenly dawned on him.

“As expected. Was it really like that…”

The Knight Commander had betrayed them. Dismissing it as a remote possibility, the significant shock was now forcefully crashing down upon him.

Not long ago, he was tasked with investigating the mastermind behind poisoning the prince.

Yet, until yesterday, the Knight Commander had reported nothing.

Instructed to secretly protect Eos heading towards Eisen, the Knight Commander had merely pretended to follow along.

Helcarto Despious.

He was a comrade who had endured hellish battlefields for a long time.

Hence.

He had generously overlooked whatever unavoidable circumstances there might have been.

“Helcarto. In the end, are you siding with the Empress?”

“It’s merely for the future of Mersenne.”

“Then, is Servis behind this?”

Clack clack clack clack-

Soon after, a servant entered and placed a single sheet of paper before retreating.

“The Crown Prince truly knows nothing.”

“Excessive loyalty? Oh Helcarto, you are being so reckless. Is the man standing in front of me really the man known as Helcarto? It doesn’t seem like you at all. Are you truly unaware? If Servis becomes Emperor, he will surely try to kill you first. That child is capable of such actions.”

“Do not worry about me. I am prepared to sacrifice my life anytime if it means protecting Mersenne.”

“If we just wait, Servis will naturally become Emperor. What is the reason for going to such lengths?”

“Due to His Majesty neglecting state affairs for a long time, the country’s fortune keeps declining. Yet, you plan to pass the throne to such an incompetent Crown Prince. He will undoubtedly be a significant cause of the empire’s downfall.”

“Did you already know…”

“Who wouldn’t know that? You didn’t even send the Crown Prince to confront Rivengard in a standoff. Upon his return, you were planning to use it as an excuse for a grand ceremony. Moreover, openly treating the Crown Prince as a criminal at the banquet and praising the incompetent Crown Prince. Who wouldn’t know about that?”

“You are truly yourself. Perhaps because you have always borne the burden, you see through things quickly, don’t you.”

The Emperor gazed at the paper on the desk with a composed expression.

“But what is this?”

“It’s a decree proclaiming abdication. If you sign it and stamp it, that will be sufficient.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then, someone dear to Your Majesty will lose their life.”

Thud!

“Helcarto! How dare you!”

“Please don’t be too angry. If you sign and stamp it, I will immediately offer my neck here.”

“Hmph! That will never happen! You are mistaken. It is not Eos but Servis who will ruin the empire!”

“Very well. If you insist on forcing the issue, I will bring the Crown Prince’s head right now.”

***

Having turned transparent, I headed towards the Emperor’s residence.

At the banquet, I handed a poisoned cup to Servis and intended to eliminate the servant who concealed it.

Identifying the man was not difficult at all. Aitas, who had glimpsed the memories of a few servants, quickly uncovered his identity.

Silently burning beneath the fiery sunset, I walked slowly, preparing myself.

I had already caused someone’s death.

After killing swiftly with a single stroke, I planned to swallow Raklo and send him off to Helios.

It was when I arrived right in front of the Emperor’s residence.

Suddenly, the spirits began shouting for me to flee immediately.

When I asked why, dozens of knights around me urgently signaled that they were closing in fast.

But it was already too late to escape.

It was a state where dozens of mana clusters surged fiercely as if prepared for death, completely blocking the passage.

It felt as though I was just waiting to come out of the Royal Palace.

It could very well happen.

Just yesterday, a murder had occurred in the palace.

A murder that took place in front of everyone, even in the presence of the Emperor, was a disgrace to the many knights and soldiers guarding the imperial family.

So it was clear.

In order to restore the tarnished honor of the Imperial Guard and the Royal Knights, they must have been on high alert.

They were probably bloodshot, searching for any traces of potential intruders, so it wasn’t impossible for them to sense my presence.

But who was I?

I was the first son of the Emperor.

Once my identity was revealed, no one would dare try to capture me.

With that thought in mind, I released my invisibility.

However, the commander of the knights who walked out of the Emperor’s residence did not show me any respect.

He had always disliked me, so it wasn’t surprising.

However.

The determination to eliminate me was unmistakably evident in the eyes of the commander.

This time, there was a desperate resolve to get rid of me, burning brightly in the mana like flames.

“That person is no longer a prince. He has poisoned His Majesty’s medicine, stolen the seal of the Crown Prince, and last night at the banquet, he even attempted to poison Viscount Yeongsik. He is a heinous individual. For the future of the palace, behead that vile ex-prince!”

Perhaps due to the absurdity of the words heard.

Even as dozens of knights drew their swords, approaching right in front of me.

I could do nothing but stand still for a while.