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“I just realized that what I had prepared failed.”
The answer was more concise than expected. If the Emperor hadn’t pulled out a broken sword from his chest, Luciel would have felt dissatisfied with such a perfunctory answer.
The faded, broken sword fell to the floor with a clang. Staring at its familiar shape, he soon realized it was the ‘divine arrangement’ he had seen before.
“When I saw this was broken, I instinctively knew everything was over. So I thought I should pass the throne to you.”
“…”
“Wouldn’t it be more beautiful to be recorded as the one who protected the empire from a mad emperor, rather than as an emperor who ascended a blood-stained throne after killing his parents?”
“…Father.”
“Someday, you’ll feel grateful to me. The ones I ordered killed were all useless people who would only hinder your path.”
Luciel was speechless. The knights guarding him were the same.
But Luciel’s feelings were more complex. Not only could he not understand what the Emperor was saying, but there was not a trace of resentment in his voice. That felt extremely alien.
Luciel closed his eyes tightly, then opened them and asked after a pause. His voice, reflecting his turbulent emotions, cracked miserably.
“…Why are you so calm? Everyone here is your enemy. I’m about to cut off your head.”
His father had always felt distant. Whenever he saw him, he always thought: Will I ever stand in that position and see the world as you do? Back then, he would vaguely answer ‘maybe someday’, but now… he didn’t know. He couldn’t understand. It felt like he would never see it in his lifetime.
The person who already felt distant had become even more remote. He was someone Luciel couldn’t understand with his mind, nor did he want to understand.
“Even if I die, my aspirations will remain. Someday, you’ll understand my thoughts too.”
“…”
“You too will dream of the empire I dream of. You, who knows what I did was wrong and will end up killing me… but in the end, you’re my son. The same blood flows in you.”
“…”
“Son. You… resemble me very, very much.”
Luciel closed his mouth. His green eyes sank and began to waver.
“If aspirations flow through bloodlines, isn’t this a good method too?”
At that moment, Luciel, who had been silent with his mouth tightly shut, gripped his sword tightly.
“No. I’m different from you.”
Simultaneously, he nodded slightly. At this clear signal, the hesitant knights immediately approached the Emperor and subdued him. As Mikhail was suddenly pulled down from the throne and forced to kneel, before he could even react, Luciel pointed his sword at him.
“I know you never intended to kill me from the start. Because I’m your son. Because you know… I’ll be the next emperor.”
Luciel knew what kind of person the Emperor, Mikhail Lencester, was. A person who, even when driven to the edge of a cliff, would bite the neck of the person pushing him and fall together. That was his father.
However, the Emperor admitted defeat without any resistance. The reason was clear. Because he was his family. He had always been excessively obsessed with the framework of ‘family’.
Blood ties. Although he knew this damnable relationship had easily brought him victory, he still wanted to remove that label. He wanted to somehow refute the claim that his aspirations would be passed down through blood.
At that moment, his vague thoughts became clear. Luciel didn’t let go of that will and put it into words.
“Unlike you, I’m not someone who lowers their sword just because of blood ties.”
“…”
“Also… I’m not someone who craves the throne.”
“…What?”
“If I resemble you and leave future troubles by passing on my blood to the next generation… then I simply won’t become emperor. Evelyn will be the next emperor.”
“No. No. That child doesn’t have the qualities to be emperor…!”
“Enough. You can stop talking now. You no longer have the right to interfere.”
The sword pointing at Mikhail’s neck moved. Just as he was about to say something, Luciel calmly added.
“Because I no longer have a father.”
The sword swung.
***
The Emperor was dead.
This news brought great turmoil to the empire. Evelyn promised to reveal the evil deeds the Emperor had committed and do her best to compensate the bereaved families of the victims.
Many nobles died in this incident, but it didn’t spread too far. This was because it was revealed that those who were beheaded had all committed grave crimes deserving of death.
The guilty nobles, the assailants who killed them, and… the Emperor who instigated everything. Their bodies were hung side by side in the square in front of the imperial palace.
Some cheered that criminals had died, some doubted their own eyes, some were angry, and others shed tears. It was the sorrow of those who belatedly learned of the deaths of family members who had gone missing long ago.
But this turmoil too would eventually subside. Evelyn believed this without doubt. As she cast her gaze towards the noisy square, she casually asked.
“Are you really leaving?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn stared at the Crown Prince, no, Luciel who had now relinquished his position as Crown Prince, sitting opposite her. His unwavering demeanor seemed to reflect sincere honesty.
Then she frowned.
“Why? Because of what that person said? You know too, brother. It’s all nonsense.”
“I know. But somewhat…”
“Somewhat, what?”
“…No. It’s nothing.”
Luciel, wearing a strange expression as if shrouded in fog, shook his head. The words he couldn’t bring himself to utter lingered in his throat.
He knew that most of what his father said before dying was nonsense. But even so, there was some truth to it.
‘You resemble me, was it?’
Luciel wore a bitter smile. Although he had denied it and cut off his head, he was a person who knew himself well.
Different but not different. No matter how many times he thought about it, he came to the same conclusion. The slight possibility that he might really become as his father said kept sharply pricking deep in his chest.
So this was the solution he came up with. Giving up his position as Crown Prince and leaving the imperial palace. Evelyn seemed quite displeased, but he had no intention of changing his mind.
Eventually, she surrendered to Luciel’s stubbornness. After learning the date she had to see him off, she exuded a dissatisfied air for a long time. It was just like her to not hide the questions that popped up even in the midst of this.
“Do you know why father hated the temple so much?”
“Well…”
Luciel slowly retraced the past. A vague memory circled in his mind.
“I think I heard something like that when I was young. That he lost family.”
“…Family?”
“Yes. But it’s not something you need to worry about. My memory is hazy, and the fact that it doesn’t bother me much probably means it was just a tragedy of coincidences piled upon coincidences.”
Well then, Evelyn, I’ll be going now.
Luciel raised his hand and patted Evelyn’s head. Perhaps because he hadn’t done it in a long time, the gesture was quite awkward. Surprised, Evelyn blinked with wide eyes, and his hand quickly fell away. His gaze, slowly avoiding hers, seemed embarrassed by the current situation.
In the end, Luciel left Evelyn’s office as if escaping.
“…Who just came and left?”
“Ah, Priest Owen.”
Evelyn was equally unable to hide her embarrassment. After being dazed for a while, she was barely able to gather her thoughts at the appearance of another person, quickly running her hand through her hair. Owen just looked at this busy scene with strange eyes.
“So? What brings you here?”
“I’m planning to visit the temple.”
“Didn’t you say you’d stay in the palace for a while?”
Given that the Emperor had been purged overnight and long-hidden truths had been revealed, the atmosphere in the imperial palace was chaotic to say the least. For the sake of the next generation’s imperial authority, it needed to be quickly set right, and it was Marquis Fides who offered to lend a hand in this.
However, they were still short-handed. Owen had semi-forcibly promised to help due to his father’s unspoken request.
But now he suddenly says he’s going to the temple. Evelyn made an ambiguous expression at this puzzling statement.
“Well… it seems something big has happened. I intend to just check on the situation and return immediately.”
“Something big?”
“Yes. Specifically, to Arpel.”
As Owen answered, uncharacteristically drawing out his words, her expression quickly darkened. Especially at the mention of Arpel.
Although they hadn’t met for a long time, Arpel was a grateful colleague and friend to Evelyn. She wasn’t sure if he thought of her as a friend, but that’s how it was for her.
Something big happening to him? If Owen himself described it as ‘something big’, there was no need to weigh the gravity of the matter. Having just heard news of victory at the border not long ago, her mood sank even further.
Seeing Evelyn’s state, Owen quickly shook his head.
“No. I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that.”
“…Then what is it?”
“Well… it’s difficult to explain in words. For now, there’s no problem with his personal safety.”
It was an utterly firm voice. Thanks to this, Evelyn was able to set aside her worries somewhat.
However, contrary to her improving mood, her questions became even clearer.
So, what exactly is this big thing?
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
