episode_0168

“Who on earth would do such a horrible thing…”

Ratri was furious when he saw his grandson return with a knife wound.

She knew better than anyone that what she did to Raoul could not be undone. That was why she cared so much for Raoul’s children. In particular, she was the one who gave Charles the money he asked for, making him what he is today.

Charles also respected his grandmother, so he played the role of a weak grandson in front of her. That was the only way to maintain the illusion.

“Who would do such a horrible thing to our sick nephew?”

And it wasn’t much different for Lizel. Unlike Kyle, who knew Charles’ true nature, she also completely believed in the superficial appearance that Charles was acting, and she even gave him forbidden books and secrets that he asked her to find. In other words, she was one of the culprits who helped create the current Charles.

Especially when Raoul and Camilla were busy subduing the Demon King’s disciples, it was Lisel who took charge of raising Charles and Sharia. It was strange that the results weren’t the same as they are now, since she raised them while saying that they were weak.

“… Who said that?”

And Rosie was also indignant. To her, Charles was the child who approached her, even though she had blamed herself for not being able to forgive him.

The various families’ plots against his family, the various restraints he had put on Lisel because of his karma, and all sorts of ugly rumors that followed him. The one who solved all of these was Charles.

Of course, I only told Lizel to forgive Rosie, and the other families just took advantage of various weaknesses and solved them, and covered up the false rumors with false rumors targeting the other families’ young ladies.

Still, for her, Charles was proof that she had been forgiven.

“The rebel forces led by His Highness the Third Prince are churning…”

Charles vomited the blood he had deliberately kept in his mouth, dyeing the white blanket red.

Was it worth it to have deliberately saved the blood that had been gathering in his mouth instead of spitting it out? The eyes of those who saw that sight seemed to burn with anger.

Of course, Kyle and Heron, who knew its true nature, just looked at it as if it was ridiculous.

“I’m sorry… I should have been more careful… I was looking around on my own and ended up getting involved with those people…”

Charles played the role of a weak boy, shedding tears like chicken poop. For him, tears were not a proof of sadness, but merely a means to manipulate others.

Seeing his cute grandchildren crying, Ratri felt like he wanted to draw his sword and kill them all at that moment.

“What did you do wrong? It’s all that bastard’s… no, those bad people’s fault.”

Ratri calmed the child down by pretending to be sad and even hugging her grandson unexpectedly.

“Grandma…”

“We’ll solve it all.”

“I’ll help you… I think that way I’ll feel better…”

“Still, it’s not even completely better yet, so it’s better to rest…”

“But I’m still worried… Grandma, Aunt, and Rosie…”

The three were moved by those words and decided that they would definitely kill the bastards who hurt this good child.

Why else would Roger even pat Charles on the head?

“Yes. Revenge is only meaningful when done with my own hands.”

“But didn’t you get a lot of blood while doing that?”

“How many times do I have to say sorry…!”

When that story came up again, Rosie became uncomfortable and Lizel, who still disliked Rosie, continued to pick a fight.

Since it was a matter concerning his father, even Charles could not bring himself to defend him on that matter.

“First of all, this is the priority, so let’s take care of this first, but remember, I have no intention of forgiving you. Right now, I’m just enduring it by looking at Charles’ face.”

“… I know very well.”

After they left, Charles wiped his tears with a handkerchief and lay down on the bed, throwing his arms over his head as if he was annoyed.

“Ah, as expected, acting is so annoying that I can’t do it. I didn’t know I knew how hard an occupation being an actor is… Tsk.”

The only people left there were Kyle and Heron, who knew his true nature, so he was able to reveal his true form without any problems.

“How about thinking about this old man a little? He has a grandson who is like a million-year-old snake.”

“You should just keep on liking Sharia like you always did. I am far from that kind of person and I don’t have time to waste on that kind of thing.”

“…… How about acting a little more age-appropriate?”

“Just act according to your age. Not according to the number of years you have lived, but according to the number of years you will live.”

Heron had used his connections to secretly examine Charles’ body without Camilla and Raoul knowing. The result was, as expected, dragon venom. The poison that had been completely removed from his heart remained in his seed, and that was how Charles was born.

Although the concentration of the poison was not as severe as Raoul’s, it was several times more difficult to treat because he had it since birth.

Because of this, the blood was as venomous as poison, and Charles advised his subordinate who had carried him to soak in a medicinal bath for a few days. Likewise, he was planning to instruct the blanket he had vomited blood on to be burned.

“Anyway, you’re such a jerk. Do you think your parents will lose interest in you if you act like that?”

“At least my father seems to have taken it off.”

“He doesn’t hate you that much. He hates you just as much as pork.”

“Why do I feel dirty?”

“Don’t be too upset. At the same time, I like you as much as duck and mushrooms.”

“That just makes me feel twice as bad. Are you becoming like my dad and Sharia?”

Charles knew that he was destined to die young, so he took pleasure in incurring the hatred of others. At least, so that no one would cry when he died.

“What I’m saying is that no matter how much you do, there’s almost no one who really hates you. Your fiancee is one of them. We all are.”

“You are the exception.”

“I can’t possibly like you, you fucking punk, who’s harassing Sharia.”

“Anyway, this guy is crazy about his granddaughter.”

Even though Raoul and Camilla were disgusted, the person who sent Sharia all kinds of weapons, such as bows and swords, was none other than Minister of the Armed Forces Heron.

Charles was like an old snake, but Sharia was an exception. He was so cute that he melted even the heart of that stone-like drunkard.

“That guy can’t even understand half of what he’s saying…”

“It doesn’t have to be a verbal communication. Just a soul connection is enough.”

“I get goosebumps… Tsk. This is why I hate old people.”

“I’m still 55, you idiot.”

“Then is that young?”

Kyle had a gut feeling that the future of this country was not bright when he saw the successor to the military secretary and the military secretary acting like this.

Was the empire’s future ever bright in the first place?

“I… Charles…?”

“There is no need to use such honorifics, sir.”

“No, it’s like an instinct… I lived as a slave under them for several years.”

Thanks to all the errands and nagging he had been trained under Raul and Camilla, he ended up having that slavish instinct engraved in him that was so strong.

How can I speak comfortably in front of the person who has inherited those two bloods the most?

“Why did you stab yourself in the stomach…?”

Ratri was blinded by the fact that her grandson was injured, and the rest seemed unaware of it due to their inexperience on the battlefield.

Heron and Kyle could tell that it was a self-inflicted wound.

“They are the kind of people who would help you just by asking…”

“First. In order to do that, you have to explain the Sharia, so it is less efficient than using your parents. No, if they know that Sharia is a hostage, they will be even more shaken.”

“Even so…”

“Second. If things go wrong and they get caught and they say my name, they can still be safe. It’s like a smokescreen. I got stabbed in the stomach, so how could I possibly be in the same group as them?”

Of course, the quick-witted emperor and empress would know the truth behind the wounds and their true intentions, but some level of justification was necessary.

“Third. It would be the least damaging thing if I got hurt a little and ended up like that. It was the seed I planted in the first place.”

“…”

Raoul’s acquaintances commented that Charles was a boy who had inherited only the bad traits of his parents, mixed with a twisted personality.

But Kyle, who had seen his growth process from the side, knew that he was a child who embodied his parents’ personality more than anyone else.

Camilla’s boldness in willingly taking risks for others rather than herself, and Raoul’s stubbornness in willingly hurting himself for those within his own fence.

“And…”

“Yes…?”

“If only I could crush the hands of those guys who were acting cocky as if they had no ability but were barely holding on to the edge of the cliff while falling into the abyss… If only I could see their faces, filled with regret for not holding on a little longer even if their hands were crushed, and fear of falling into the abyss… I could stab them in the stomach over and over again.”

Of course, it was true that my tastes were a little twisted.