Episode 121
Episode 51. Everything Comes Back (4)
I wanted to catch and kill the Rollmandy family as well as Winslting right away.
However, meeting the empress was the priority.
In order to have an audience with the Empress of the Empire, several procedures were originally required. Especially when the Empress is having personal time.
However, no one could stop Duran from striding towards the Empress’ room. Even if it was Duran Zak, it was customary to ask about the business of at least one member of the Imperial Guard.
Not now. It was an atmosphere where you didn’t know what kind of anger you would get if you misplaced even one word. The knights of the royal guard opened the way and raised a sword to Duran.
“your majesty!”
The Empress was looking at the scenery outside the window. The new demons and the tragedy of Yoheim were far away, and the clear sky was spreading.
“Lord Duran. It looks like you’ve heard the news. I was just about to call you.”
Upon seeing the empress’ face, Duran’s anger slightly subsided and he was overcome with a strange feeling.
Will His Majesty protect Archduke Winslting again? How will Yuma react if he saves Jishka?
It was not a problem that could be solved by blindly angering and beating. Duran sighed as he recalled Yuma and Zishka in Matan.
“…Sorry for coming in rudely. Something out of the ordinary has really happened. Joachim is completely finished.”
“I immediately remembered what happened during the trial. When Yuma was about to say something about killing Secron Wolf Asel, Zishka intervened.”
The Empress put the pipe in her mouth and took a long sip.
“Lord Duran. Zishka is now missing. Very timely.”
“You mean lower Zishka is missing?”
Duran wasn’t good at acting.
Fortunately, the empress did not doubt Duran.
“We are going to announce Zishka’s disappearance soon and declare a national emergency. An ugly child is also a child, so I should at least pretend to be angry.”
“Huh… When did that happen?”
Throughout the talk, Duran’s conscience was pricked, and his head quickly calmed down.
“It will be ten days soon. Which country would you prefer? I’m thinking of the Kingdom of Helga or the Kingdom of Haseo. Or at this point, it would be okay to fight Kantra, who dares to call himself an empire.”
It meant that either the culprit or the culprit who kidnapped Zishka would destroy one of the two countries. To show an example of what happens when the princess of the empire is kidnapped. Even Duran could have noticed that much.
Duran hesitated for a moment to tell the truth. It was because of Winslting’s gang that Yoheim was over, and that Zishka was taken to Hugo by Yuma at Hella’s request.
If he did, he did not know what kind of bullshit he would hear from Catherine.
“Looking for the author who made Yohaim like that seems to be the first priority.”
“That is true. Although the culprit seems to be Zishka. During the trial, as soon as the name Yohaim came up, he stopped talking. My first daughter seems to have staged a play called kidnapping and escaped.”
Even though the Empress was aware of Winslting’s involvement with Joheim, she brought up Zishka’s name first.
“The poor Zishka… he strayed, but he’s not that kind of person.
As long as your mind is clear.”
“I changed like a crazy bitch about three years ago. see if that’s enough
Besides, wouldn’t it be strange if it was really kidnapping? Even after carrying out the kidnapping for the highest ransom in the world, there is still no news of negotiations.”
It sounded calm at first glance, but it was a voice filled with fury. The Empress shuddered and stared into the air. The only time she showed her emotions this much was when she was in front of Duran.
“My disciple came back to Joachim and said this. Someone blocked all mail from Yoheim to the Imperial City.”
The Empress looked at Duran without answering for a while.
“Lord Duran.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“We are already over sixty. I am sitting in the highest seat on earth, but my body is no different from that of ordinary people. If you look at his body, he’s just an ordinary old man.”
“It is not so, Your Majesty.”
“haha. As a grandmaster, you still have a strong body. I… I think a lot about being tired these days.”
“Why are you suddenly speaking weak words? Please don’t.”
The Empress was reminiscing about the days when Duran beat up Winslting. Winslting, the husband of the Archduke himself, who was in his 40s and married a commoner woman.
It’s enough to rot the inside.
It’s not enough to give birth to a half-breed, and now it’s dragging in an unknown demon.
Still, why do I want to keep that filthy husband alive?
The Empress couldn’t understand her own mind.
Afraid rumors will spread that you are the cold-blooded emperor who executed your husband? Out of fear of being swayed by public opinion and weakening the power of the name emperor? Because you love Winslting?
It wasn’t all. It was only clear that he had a strange stubbornness that he did not want to kill Winslting. Only an egotism suitable for incompetent and corrupt leaders.
Is it time to step down from the throne?
The empress recited the name of her second daughter in her mind.
“…Rather, you should have left it like that.”
“yes?”
“Nothing. I need some rest, Lord Duran. Just go back today. Let’s have a drink or something in the garden soon.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
Duran turned around and walked away.
“Lord Duran.”
Duran stopped walking and turned around again.
“You are the commander-in-chief of the Empire. I’d like to rely on your judgment for Yoheim’s business. I want to narrow down my options a bit. I’m so tired.”
“Don’t worry, Your Majesty!”
Duran got down on one knee, paid his respects, and left the imperial castle.
Unlike when he came, it was Duran who left the castle with a smile on his face.
9.5// “I’d like to rely on your judgment.”
The empress’ meaning was clear. It meant that he would kill those who would kill him and save those he would save. In the Kyle Empire, only Duran Zak was able to receive such unconventional treatment from the Empress.
As soon as Duran returned to the Jacques’ mansion, he informed Catherine of this fact.
“His Majesty gave me a hot hand.”
“Ha ha ha! When my Yuma returns, I will annihilate Winslting and the Heize Barris family immediately! As expected, His Majesty…
“Father.”
“huh?”
“Ha… my father… is sometimes enviably simple.
Catherine sat the agitated Duran down. Duran had no idea why this girl was hitting the candle again.
“Think carefully. What Your Majesty said that he would rely on his judgment is valid only in the present situation.”
“Hmm. This is the situation.”
“Your Majesty still doesn’t know that Yuma stole low Zishka.
There’s a high probability that you don’t know that Grand Duke Winslting used drugs on poor Zishka for three years, or that Hayes and Varis were involved.”
“That’s right…
“Of course, it’s good for us that Your Majesty has expressed his will to rely on Father. But so is our situation. I don’t know how things are going on with the Black Wolf.”
Catherine let out a long sigh and touched her forehead.
It was something I didn’t like from the start. She was not in a position where she had an old affection for Zishka like Duran or was asked by Hella like Yuma. Had he been asked, he would have refused.
Whether drugged or mind-controlled, Zishka’s actions were unpardonable acts of treason. No matter how you think about it, sending Yuma to save Shuka was a mistake.
“I don’t know whether Yuma succeeded or died. If Yuma succeeds, let’s say he brought low Zishka. Will His Majesty give the same conditions then?”
“Don’t you know the relationship between me and Your Majesty?”
“You know. But anyway, it’s true that your father cheated on your majesty.”
“I didn’t cheat, I didn’t tell you!”
“Is it that or this! Besides…
What if Yuma failed? Actually, what if you were already brutally murdered by the Black Wolves along with lower Zishka?”
Catherine bit her lower lip. After Yuma left for the Black Wolf, he hadn’t been caught. There was no news of whether he was dead or alive, so he was frustrated and to the point of going crazy.
“It was a very high probability of failure in the first place. Maybe Yuma is already dead. To the Ogre Slayer.”
Duran was a fool, but he was not an ugly father who couldn’t even read his beloved daughter’s emotions. Catherine was now anxious.
Duran gently wrapped his arms around Catherine’s shoulder. The daughter, who had a bad personality, had small and narrow shoulders. It was as light as holding cotton candy.
“Catherine. Yuma will come back.
Things will work out somehow in the future.
This father is the world’s strongest knight king.”
“That’s not what’s important.”
“What can I not do?”
“Even my father cannot bring the dead back to life.”
“Instead, he does better than anyone else at repaying blood with more blood. If Yuma died. I will immediately kill Winslting and all of them and start a war with Mattan according to Your Majesty’s will.”
Normally, Catherine would have given her a face, telling her to think and speak. Rather than the political situation becoming chaotic, the world situation is at stake.
However, Catherine smiled and closed her eyes in Duran’s arms. He’s a father who always rots inside, but at times like this, there was a strangely dependable corner.
“Take off the Zach name tag.”
“Oh great. Got it, got it.”
* * * “what?”
Hugo paused and turned his head to Yuma. Following yesterday’s Yongan Incident, Yuma’s bright eyes saying that she would ride the Tulka for free was an absurd situation that she hadn’t experienced since she was seven years old.
All the people in the carriage looked at Yuma with mischievous faces.
There would be no other human in the world who coveted Hugo’s possessions so openly. I don’t know if it’s Zishka.
Besides, it is not an ordinary possession. As soon as he saw the ancient wolf, which looked like Hugo’s favorite horse, he opened his mouth and lost his senses. I wondered if that was really Yuma.
“That wolf called Tulka I want to ride!”
wheein. A gust of wind passed between Yuma and Hugo. That stupid Marlon never said anything about wanting to ride a Tulka. I just sent an envious gaze without limit.
However, I never imagined that Yuma would do this.
“…Tulka doesn’t allow anyone to turn their backs.”
Yuma was already striding towards Tulka’s seat.
Tulka opened her mouth to reveal red gums as Yuma came.
I could see huge teeth covering the thin, long flat bottom. It felt as if a drop of blood would form if you even touched the tips of your fangs with your fingers.
“Aww!”
Tulka raised her head and howled. Yuma didn’t care and moved closer to Tulka.
Then, naturally, he placed his hand on Tulka’s head, did a somersault, and landed on top of him.
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