94. Deceived, deceived, exploited and overcome (2)
“The situation at the time was that the 1st prince, the eldest son, was almost confirmed to be the crown prince. So what would happen if I killed him?”
“…Other princes and princesses must have run amok to take that empty seat.”
“Yes, that actually happened. “I was planning to select one of them who could be used as a puppet and place him in the king’s position, but…”
A blatant laugh was heard.
The duke, who had lowered his eyes as if reminiscing about the past, paused and looked up. The emperor was looking down at him with scorn.
“That’s funny. “Did you think things would turn out as easily as you thought?”
“…That’s right. “It was my arrogance.”
Edoard, the evidence of arrogance, looked at Desert blankly and then smiled.
“Who would have thought that the 9th Prince, who had no presence, would stand out?”
To be precise, I went crazy.
The 9th prince, Edoardo, believed that the 1st prince’s death was due to a fight for the throne, so he killed all of his brothers who had attempted to take the throne and took the position himself.
There was no mercy. Even their children were killed to destroy the seeds of rebellion.
The duke watched all of this in silence.
Edoardo, who ascended the throne, named the kingdom ‘Empire’ and recognized the first prince’s children as the crown prince and princess.
And laughed. Who are you asking to protect whom?
“…That’s strange. “Why is the ball so provocative today?”
The emperor raised one hand and touched his forehead as if he had a headache.
“From mentioning the 1st Prince carelessly to admitting to the murder charge that I was unaware of and revealing my dirty greed.”
“….”
“What on earth is your intention?”
I’m tired even if I’m not, so I don’t know why I bother to come and scratch my stomach.
Memories of the past that he had buried due to his busy life came back to him again, and the emperor gently gave strength to the hand holding the armrest.
[I will be back. It won’t take long.]
[In the meantime, I’ll ask for Elpidius and Alethea.]
If I had known it would be his last, I would never have sent him.
I should have caught him when I sensed something ominous.
When I heard the news that he had died, I should have investigated it instead of taking the sword.
No matter how disgusting the brothers who were aiming for his vacant position were, they should not have taken aim at their swords so easily.
He should not be easily swayed by the somewhat credible rumor that his other brothers had killed him to take the throne.
‘ah.’
head hurts.
A ghost sticks its face in front of me and giggles. It goes down, circles around the Duke, and is placed over his face.
He wanted to pull out his sword and strike his neck right away, but the emperor gritted his teeth instead of hastily expressing his emotions.
I can’t make the same mistakes I made then.
“Due to the murder of the 1st Prince, Deon Hart instead of Cruel Hart entered the Eight Years’ War. Salvation Church.”
“….”
“There was always a ball behind every incident. “There’s no way the ball is talking nonsense, so I’m starting to be wary of what he’s planning to do this time.”
“Of course. Even if you think about it, you won’t know right now.”
The emperor raised his head. He had a rare expression of surprise.
By saying those words just now, the duke was admitting two facts.
That he was involved in all the incidents the emperor mentioned, and that he was plotting something this time too.
Among them was a story that would have turned the world upside down if Deon Hardt had heard it.
[The Duke is the main culprit behind Deon Hart’s participation in the Eight Years’ War instead of Cruel Hart’s.]
Originally, the Hart family was supposed to have Cruel Hart participate in the Eight Years’ War. Even if the documents weren’t changed in the middle, it probably would have been like that.
The emperor also learned of the fact that the documents had been changed during a business trip after the war.
To be precise, when Deonhardt wanted the family to be exterminated, he felt something strange and investigated it.
──The documents were changed and Deon Hart was forced to participate in the war. In response, the Hart family submitted documents requesting corrections to the imperial palace several times in the beginning, but all of the documents were missing along the way.
Even though he knew all the truth, he pretended not to know and closed his mouth and closed his eyes and accepted Deonhardt’s request, but he was also trash… The
emperor glared at the bigger, thicker trash in front of him.
“Are you acknowledging all of that now? “The minimum punishment would be the death penalty, but it looks like Kong is truly crazy.”
Putting aside the fact that he killed the first prince, the fact that he admitted to being involved in all other major incidents makes each and every one of them a serious crime.
The duke grinned at the voice filled with a deep sense of death and threat, as well as a question that could not be concealed.
“I told you this before. “Your Majesty cannot kill me.”
He looked around with an exaggerated gesture, reminding everyone that the emperor had been bitten.
“There are no witnesses or evidence. “Do you need further explanation?”
“….”
The First Prince assassination incident cannot be tampered with because it is already over, and the omission of documents regarding Deonhardt’s participation in the Eight Year War is a huge blow to him unless there is evidence that the documents were stolen directly from the imperial palace. It doesn’t work. The duke just messed with the count family, and the count family has now lost its power, so who can say anything now?
Moreover, there is no clear evidence that the Duke was involved in the Salvation Church, so the emperor had no justification for beheading the Duke.
“Of course, Your Majesty, even if there is no evidence, you could personally end this life. But you probably don’t want to do that. “If you kill me without any justification, my honor will remain intact, and Your Majesty will become a narrow-minded tyrant who killed the duke out of fear or discomfort with his power.”
“You’re talking so well…”
Suddenly, the gold armrests were distorted.
The Emperor slowly leaned forward, looked down at the Duke, and smiled as if showing his teeth.
“How long do you think you can live by destroying all evidence and hiding it?”
─Yes,
“Just try to hold on until the end. “The moment the gap is revealed will be the day of your execution.”
It will also be the day when everything you have built up falls into the abyss.
The meaning of life, which had been fading at every moment, becomes clear again.
The purpose of life is strongly engraved in me, and I begin to feel some lingering regret about this life that seemed like it would not matter when I die.
Until the moment when Duke Stabe Illuster destroyed everything he had built and was brutally killed.
The emperor vowed not to die.
***
Daniel, who had no idea what was happening while he was away, stopped in front of the closed door and looked at his outfit.
Fortunately, I changed my clothes first, so the tattered look I had when I just came back was nowhere to be seen. The injuries sustained in the battle there were hidden under clean clothes, and the faint scent of blood was also covered up with perfume.
It is perfect.
Daniel’s face was slightly crumpled for a moment as he remembered the melee with the murderous knights waiting in Ireon, but he quickly calmed his expression.
Because I can’t look good in front of my mother.
-smart.
“mother. “This is Daniel.”
“Come on in.”
When I opened the door and entered, the first thing I saw was a woman smiling and extending her hand.
It was probably a welcoming gesture, but Daniel walked up to her, knelt down on one knee in front of her, held her hand respectfully, and bowed his head to place his forehead on hers.
Instead of removing her hand, the woman lifts her other hand and gently strokes his head. A soft voice sounded like flowing water.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Yes, I came back safely.”
“You sprayed perfume.”
“yes.”
“I don’t think I normally use perfume.”
“I tried it once this time. Do you like it?”
“son.”
“….”
Daniel, shocked, raised his head.
Taking advantage of that opportunity, the woman naturally withdrew her hand and cupped his cheek, making him raise his head. Eyes that looked exactly like each other met in the air.
The woman did not delve further into the loopholes in his words or reprimand him.
I just stare blankly.
After a short but long silence, it was Daniel who bowed first.
“…There was a conflict with the Murderous Knights in Ireon. I suffered some injuries in the process, but the injuries were not that serious and I didn’t think I would tell my mother. sorry.”
“Okay, how can I scold my son?”
“No…!”
The rebuttal to the sighing words could not be finished.
Daniel lifted his gaze blankly at the feel of the cozy cloth wrapped around his neck. The woman who tied the finished scarf around his neck was smiling faintly.
“Winter is almost over, but since it is finished, I thought it would be better to give it to you.”
“…This…”
“No matter where my son is or what he does, this mother will not say anything. Because you don’t deserve it. “If I could just say one thing as a favor…”
A warm voice that melted the snow settled in my ear, as if announcing the arrival of spring.
“Be careful not to catch a cold, son.”
Wherever you go, don’t get hurt, don’t get sick, and especially don’t die.
Take care, son.
This mother still keeps the gift her son gave her.
***
“Are you sure you want to leave right away?”
“okay.”
“You didn’t even change your clothes.”
“The duke was planning something again. “Looking at what you said to Jim confidently, even if you investigate now, it will be too late to do anything, so it would be better to hurry before something happens.”
You can change your clothes upon arrival.
The emperor crosses the hallway with wide strides, still wearing his cumbersome attire. The Prime Minister, who was following behind, spoke as if he was worried.
“The escort….”
“It’s just annoying, so that’s enough.”
“You’re wearing cumbersome clothes and moving around without an escort. Besides, isn’t the destination a battlefield? “Are you really sane?”
“I don’t know. “It would be better if I just died.”
“your majesty!”
“It’s a farm. “What if I become prime minister and can’t tell the difference between seriousness and jokes?”
There was a blatant sigh in a voice filled with obvious laughter. The Emperor glanced at the Prime Minister, then returned his gaze to the front and mumbled the words.
The mouth that had been smiling slightly became stiff again as if it had never been like that before.
“What is the king’s position? There was something the brothers said in an attempt to impress their father. “I still remember it.”
“….”
“One sister said she wanted to make the kingdom rich, and another older brother said he wanted to make it a kingdom that no kingdom could ignore, an empire. “I don’t remember who it was, but there was also a brother who had grand aspirations of unifying the continent.”
“….”
“I’m so glad you have so much greed. “Thanks to you, Jim is living such a busy life.”
Dry laughter echoed through the hallway.
The emperor, who has just left the building, leaving his smile in the hallway, does not stop walking and strides forward without hesitation on the well-maintained lawn. The voice continued.
“I plan to burn fiercely until the end. So, you don’t have to think about pointless deaths like suicide.”
It may be an inevitable death that he cannot control, but he has so much to do and responsibilities that he will never die voluntarily. Right now, I don’t even feel like I want to die thanks to anyone.
The emperor, who had just arrived at the stables and was brushing the bridge of his horse’s nose, suddenly exclaimed, ‘Ah.’
“Thanks to you, I remembered something I had forgotten. “I should have told you a long time ago.”
“…?”
“I do not place any value on the soulless body. So, if I die…”
“Your Majesty.”
The Prime Minister, sensing something ominous, hurriedly called him.
I wanted to stop him from talking. It was even more so because I felt like I knew what was going to be said.
But his call did not stop the emperor from speaking.
“I hope we don’t waste our troops just to get that piece of meat.”
“your majesty!”
