DYBAR - Chapter 152 < The Appearance of a Living Testimony >

DYBAR - Chapter 152 < The Appearance of a Living Testimony >

Do Your Best And Regret




The procession through the gardens of the Emperor's palace got closer and closer. And when it finally disappeared down the window.

"How...”

Someone muttered above the confused silence. Those few words were enough to dismiss this embarrassing moment.

How did Princess Madeleine, who was kidnapped, arrive at the imperial palace holding the hand of Grand Duke Vikander?

How could the Grand Duke appear at the negotiating table of the Allied delegation regarding the civil war?

One by one, confused gazes turned towards the prince. Leopold, who perfectly understood the questions contained in the gaze, bit the inside of his mouth.

A fishy smell spread along with an eerie crackling sound. 

War is a fight for justification, and Olivia, who came back unharmed, has just taken away one of his justifications. 

Leopold muttered while not even feeling any pain.

“...Among the attendees at this meeting...”

His bright blue eyes twinkled with anger as he looked around the venue.

“...It looks like someone has a different opinion.”

And finally, when he showed that he did not want to admit that there were some shortcomings in his control.

“Hail to the Imperial Sun and the Little Sun.”

The heavy conference hall door opened and a wonderful voice came in. It was the Grand Duke.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, so please smile, Your Majesty. And the Prince. This will be me and my vassals’ last tribute as nobles of the empire.”

The nobles who were watching the Grand Duke and Olivia showing off their perfect manners were astonished at the sight of the two knights who followed them. 

Oh my God. 

The sight of them with the swollen scars left behind after being beaten was truly miserable.

"Someone is unsure about Baron Interfield...?"

Someone muttered. Only then did the nobles recall the two knights who had been dragged away last time for insulting the royal family.

And they ignored the presence of a middle-aged wizard and another person without presence who followed him.

Bethanny's magic that made the two already healed people look like patients were now effective even within the walls of the imperial palace.

Olivia deliberately didn't look back. Instead, she gave full force to her hand holding Edwin. As if that was a signal, Edwin smiled softly and opened his mouth.

“I hurried over because there was a noble meeting. I ended up being late again today.”

Unlike the friendly smile, sharp words came out like a dagger.

"But... The agenda is so interesting that it’s worth coming early. A meeting to decide who will aim the tip of the spear at me.”

***

Something is wrong. 

The nobles, including Count Comode, broke into a cold sweat. They were just a little envious of the junk that would fall after the war and the wealth of the powerful Vikander.

But how did he know? 

The Grand Duke took his place. Afterward, he stroked the tip of his handsome chin and let out a strange growl. The brightly shining eyes slowly looked at the conference venue.

It was as if he were trying to find out who was opposing the Vikander family.

There are obviously a lot more nobles. The nobles struggled to break the momentum due to their overwhelming spirit. 

Leopold became impatient as he looked defeated as if he had ten thousand tails.

“...What kind of rudeness is this, Grand Duke!"

“I came to ask, Prince.”

The Grand Duke smiled leisurely. And then he walked towards Leopold with long strides.

The Leopold's throat rang slowly.

There are only six. Two knights with poor appearance, a wizard who disappeared with Olivia, and one person whose presence was vague. And the Grand Duke and Olivia stood in front as if guarding it.

Moreover, this was the imperial palace. Countless knights and nobles followed me. Putting all that aside, this conference hall alone was filled with delegations from his allies and nobles who would stand on his side.

However...

“What is the reason for treating loyal Vikander like a useless hunting dog?”

Why does he crave it so much?

Leopold glanced at the Grand Duke with earnest eyes. Olivia, who stood next to the Grand Duke, was dazzling, and Leopold envied the wealth surrounding the Grand Duke, and hr wanted the knights who came here even with that body.

“...Are you asking because you don’t know that, Grand Duke?"

“I really don’t know. Will the Crown Prince give me an answer?”

If the war started anyway, the Grand Duke would lose and he would take over.

So Leopold shouted in a more dignified voice.

“Are you pretending not to know that the great nobles of the empire who went to negotiate the rate of mineral taxes were detained?”

The nobles, who were at a loss as to what to do, just noticed and agreed with Leopold's words.

The Duke of Kiwal, who was watching the scene, narrowed his eyes. His heart pounded with disappointment.

He's sure he received the letter he sent. No, even if it wasn't his letter if he had known that these negotiations were taking place, he should have been prepared. 

Grand Duke Vikander believed it was possible, so he sent a letter...

“If you are talking about the Duke of Elkin, he returned to the Islands today after a pleasant stay in the Vikander Territory.”

In contrast to his threatening expression, the Grand Duke's voice was surprisingly kind right now.

The Duke of Kiwal had seen the Grand Duke's face like that before.

Last summer’s banquet. The time when the Princess's whereabouts were revealed.

“He said he liked the beautiful mountain scenery and didn’t take any steps away from the Great Siege. He was quite satisfied with the way he was treated.”

“You spent quite a bit of money to get LeCalle’s necklace.”
 
While the Duke of Kiwal was revising his evaluation of the Grand Duke in his mind, Leopold snorted as if it were absurd.

“Return it. If the Duke of Elkin had come to the Islands, he would naturally have come to tell His Majesty first! Are you telling a lie that will be exposed?”

“It’s not a lie. Look over there and then talk.”

Edwin chuckled and gestured to the window.

“You have a very loyal servant. It’s rushing towards here like the wind.”

After hearing those words, beyond the window he looked out was not only the Duke of Elkin but also the Duke of Madeleine. Two loyal subjects of the empire. They simultaneously looked up at the place where the conference hall was located. It definitely seemed like their eyes met.

“It just so happens that the Duke of Madeleine is also coming along. Okay, let’s think about it here,”

The Prince, who had started with great momentum, was cut off. Beyond the window, the Duke of Madeleine and the Duke of Elkin were turning in another direction.

“Well. Looks like the destination wasn't this way. Two loyalists going somewhere side by side?”

The expression on the Grand Duke's face, who had kindly pointed out the facts, turned cold for an instant.

“By the way, I sent it to negotiate the percentage of the mineral tax. I'm sure I would have hit the nail on the head. Instead of adjusting the mineral tax rate, we will take responsibility for the damage of the war.”

“Even if the vein extends across the Vikander Territory, don’t you know that all of those mines ultimately belong to the Empire?”

Not Vikander's property, but the Empire's. Leopold raised his voice.

“Not yet...”

Suddenly, someone intervened from behind. He was the Duke of Kiwal of Heferti. He raised his monocle and continued.

“His Majesty the King of Heferti also asked me to express my gratitude.”

“...What?"

There is no need to be thankful. While Leopold hesitated, the Duke of Kiwal raised his voice one more tone.

“A significant amount of the cost of maintaining the facility came from the Grand Duchy. Of course, we thought His Majesty had sent it along with us....”

The Duke of Kiwal deliberately trailed off his words. His gaze alternately turned to the Emperor, the Prince, and the Grand Duke. Soon, a suppressed voice came out of the Grand Duke's mouth.

“...But I heard that my vassals who stayed in the system were imprisoned and tortured to adjust the tax rate on my behalf.”

“Say it right away, Grand Duke. Aren’t your vassals left behind not simply to adjust the mineral tax rate, but to extort the imperial palace’s treasures?”

“Extortion?”

Leopold, who was taking out a secret document from his pocket, paused. Olivia, who was standing silently next to Edwin, smiled brightly and waved the document in her hand.

A document certifying the ownership of a mine that has been completely transferred, rather than a notarization recorded in a confidential document.

“If you want a pun, yes, I will also show you the document in which Olivia Madeleine transferred her ownership to Olivia, who in turn made her co-ownership with His Royal Highness Grand Duke Edwin Lowell Vikander.”

Secret documents lost their value in an instant. The Prince's face, who thought what he was holding was gold, distorted.

Olivia grinned.

“But if you still feel sorry for the White Crystal Mine and insist that it belongs to the imperial palace, I can invite you to the mine at least once.”

“Oliv...”

“As the new owner of the White Crystal Mine, I also used a new barrier spell.”

Olivia grinned.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, you probably know about the painful barrier magic, which is like dying from a lightning strike, right?”

Leopold bit his lip. There was no way to deny that the woman who didn't even bat an eye was Olivia. He couldn't tell whether it was her lips that were sore, her breasts, or her cheek, where she had been beaten with his handkerchief a few days ago.

“Olivia... !”

The voice that was chewing on teeth was mixed with a plea. But Olivia didn't answer anymore.

Maria scoffed and glared at the ridiculous behavior. And she said to herself

“I don’t know what kind of power that piece of paper has to hold onto a person’s floating kite.”

She hated it so much that it was acting like the love of the century. There was a time when she was a fool who leaned on that love.

Ah, give her goosebumps. 

Maria wrapped her arms around herself and her eyes lit up.

***

The tenuous justifications were shattered. The Prince, who had been in high spirits, was suddenly out of breath like a tired dog.

In the face of a meeting that had no practical purpose or justification, the Grand Duke let out a light sigh.

“Even if there is no more justification, the Empire will still point its sword at Vikander.”

The nobles and even the envoys said nothing about this self-evident fact. The Grand Duke looked at everyone as if scanning them all, then slowly raised his eyebrows.

“Then, since we have already talked about the White Crystal mine, I would like to ask a question to the envoys of the allies who have made a firm decision.”

It was a moment when red eyes sparkled as if provoking.

“Do other countries also hold the military commander-in-chief solely responsible for defeat?”

Responsibility for defeat. In front of him, both the envoys and the nobles of the empire held their breath.

“...Just like ten years ago, the imperial family took my mother and the White Crystal Mine under the pretext of my father’s disappearance.”

***

Haaa.

A cynical voice rang out from within the Emperor's throat.

He should have recognized them from the moment they showed up without any knights except for the two injured. 

The Emperor swallowed his sleep. The dark sunken eyes glared at the Grand Duke with sharp edges as if they were going to tear and kill him.

“Haa.. Did the Grand Duke come here to drive distance between the allies and the empire?"

However, the once-turbulent atmosphere of the delegation did not change easily. It's scary to get involved in a civil war but to be responsible for the war.

At that moment, the Prince shouted sharply.

“Even though we have been through so many wars, has the Grand Duke ever taken responsibility for a defeat?”

“Of course not.”

“Look... !”

“Because I have never been defeated.”

All kinds of emotions were mixed up in that simple answer. That's what Olivia heard.

He couldn't lose. Because the sharp tip of the spear aimed at his uvula was ready to stab Vikander at any time.

The tables have turned. The Allied delegations were whispering with suspicion and suspicion.

“...Really. Has the Vikander Territory compensated for the death of the previous Grand Duke?”

“It was ten years ago, but they said the Princess of a ruined country brought something with her.”

“It can’t be possible that what His Highness the Crown Prince was holding earlier... ?”

"For a moment! Is everyone listening to that nonsense?”

Leopold shouted bitterly at the envoys. Suspicious eyes looked at Leopold, the Emperor, and the nobles of the empire.

“Vikander’s predecessor, the Grand Duke, was nothing but a warmonger who rushed in recklessly and ended up losing the war!”

Leopold, who was on the defensive, did anything he could to belittle the previous Grand Duke. As if that wasn't enough, he mentioned the previous Grand Duchess, a Princess of a ruined country.

“Your Majesty took pity on the scraps of documents from an abandoned mine that his mother brought and took care of Vikander. You forgot all your blessings and went on a rampage like this!”

It didn't work for Olivia, but as an envoy who was supposed to remain neutral, it seemed a little shaken. The envoy's eyes did not fall on the Emperor as the Prince shouted loudly.

Finally, the Emperor slowly opened his lips.

“...If there was anyone who waited the most for the previous Grand Duke to return alive, it would probably have been me, after the previous Grand Duchess.”

It seemed like he was trying to get out of trouble by citing the previous Grand Duke's responsibility as he did when adjusting the mineral tax rate.

That doesn't work.

The Grand Duke stared at the Emperor with eyes that could not understand the meaning. Although those eyes resemble those of his predecessor, Vikander, he is already dead.

Everything is decided by the living. Like his relationship with the previous Grand Duke, which he is rewriting now.

“He was my loyal knight, a proud Lord who guarded the border, and at the same time, one of the few people I could tell my concerns to.”

“..."

“Such a knight was caught up in the heat of war and made a hasty decision, causing enormous damage to the Empire. As a result, Vikander's knights, the empire's knights, and my knights... !”

The Emperor deliberately held back his violent breathing. The space was full of silence.

“...I was driven to the point of death. As Emperor, I had to determine who was responsible. Unfortunately, at that time, the previous Grand Duke escaped to his death, so I had no choice but to demand compensation from the Grand Duke Vikander.”

When the Emperor closed his eyes, the things that happened back then were good. The Princess of a ruined country who brought back the White Crystal mine documents on her own, with that haughty face.

So the Emperor accepted it. It won't be too late for the Princess to take the jewel mine and the treasured sword later when they become his. That was a mistake.

“It was my goodwill and condolences to abandon all the jewel mines and treasured swords and accept only abandoned mines with cut-off mineral veins!”

An emotion that was difficult to control swept through the conference hall. Swallowing his rough breath, the Emperor became intoxicated with his own emotions.

“But how dare you criticize someone who left for a place for which you cannot even take responsibility, and instead try to blame me and the empire!”

“... Can your Majesty take responsibility for those words?

Haa.
 
The Emperor let out a sharp breath. And then he sneered at the red eyes looking up at hi.

“I saw how far this arrogant attitude went. The Grand Duke really likes to take responsibility.”

“....”

“Even though I know that the Grand Duke’s mother died in this imperial palace because of that responsibility.”

Despite the remarks that crossed the line, the Grand Duke did not even raise an eyebrow. However, the Emperor could see his tightly closed lips trembling slightly. It was a shake of emotion.

He won. He just had to be a little more provocative.

So the Emperor slightly narrowed his eyes and answered.

“...Yes."

Because there is nothing to testify. The Princess's portrait was burned, and he had to become a Saint and remain an Emperor who would be praised by future generations.

“As the sun of the empire. How can I go back on something I once said in front of the envoys of my allies and the nobles of the empire?”

“....”

“The Grand Duke is like that. Is there even a testimony that you can say so confidently?”

The Emperor, full of his confidence, spoke out. And he was confident of victory in silence. But for a moment, the Grand Duke's lips seemed to be smiling. The Emperor thought his eyes were wrong.

“...Here."

It was then. The Emperor, who was frowning at the intermittent cough, blinked his eyes. The screeching voice sounded vaguely familiar.

“There is a gift.”

Two bloated knights and a Princess wizard who looks like they wouldn't mind killing each other. Behind the two, someone who had no presence slowly walked out.

Chin, chin. 

The sound of the staff supporting the floor touched the Emperor's heart. And when everyone's eyes turned to him, he took off the robe he was wearing.

At the same time, his white hair sparkled intensely in the chandelier lighting. The sound of him swallowing his breath came from everywhere.

“To say that I desperately wanted to come back alive, you did not even find my body and treated me as a warrior, Your Majesty."

The hair was pure white, but the moment those red eyes sparkled. The Emperor realized. His face had drained of blood and turned white.
 
That’s him...

“But what does it matter?”

This is the previous Grand Duke, whom he ordered to be killed.

“Rejoice greatly! Your Majesty."

The Emperor unconsciously gripped the armrests of his throne tightly. The face of the guy who was telling him to be happy was the same as when he went on a campaign ten years ago.

“Because of the earnest hearts that hope to return alive.”

It felt like someone was tying the Emperor's breathing.

“Your Majesty’s loyal...”

He tried to squeeze his eyes shut. However, he could not even avoid the gaze of the previous Grand Duke, who was approaching him as if someone had fixed his face.

And when it finally came close.

“I am a dignified Lord and one of the few people you can share your concerns with.”

OMG. 

The Emperor froze in fear, forgetting his dignity. An extremely eerie chill surrounded his entire body, and goosebumps appeared on his skin.

Inside the narrow, curved eyes, is the mark of Vikander that no one can deny. Gloriously red eyes.

“Didn’t you come back from the brink of death?”

That's a blood demon trying to destroy him. Because that was it.



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Comments

  1. I can't find the previous 2 chapters?

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    Replies
    1. I guess we have to wait until tomorrow, I also hope the previous 2 chp will appear without having to wait any longer T_T

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    2. The previous 2 chapters are already uploaded... I read them yesterday. Click on the tag "Do your best and regret" and you will see them all. Happy reading! :)

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    3. sorry for your inconvenience

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