The Emperor's deputy and his closest bodyguard disembarked from their vehicles and rode back to the carriages in front of Lake Te Deum. The rest of the guard on horseback would soon follow.
Grand Duke Winston looked down at the lake just before the sunset. The mansion floating in the middle of the island looked even more mysterious, surrounded by thick winter fog. The journey was shorter than he had expected, so he felt quite exhilarated.
“The gasoline-powered car is very convenient. It takes only five hours to travel a distance that would take a whole day by horse-drawn carriage.”
The boatman Heinrich spread a carpet inside the covered boat and brought the Emperor's representative inside. Instead of the usual small boat, he had prepared a large boat large enough to accommodate several men. Winston was slightly annoyed at the inconvenience of having to go through the trouble of boarding the boat without making a pier, but he boarded the boat without saying a word. The cold early winter chill made his breath come out of his mouth.
“I thought it would be a bit milder in the south, but it’s no different from the north in the evening. But I can tell that the air is cleaner.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I believe that even if you stay here for a few days, Your Majesty’s noble body will feel refreshed.”
The boatman laughed heartily. The inside of his mouth, where there were few teeth, looked like a pitch-black cave. Winston felt disgusted, but he decided to endure it for a moment, considering that he had called him 'Your Majesty'.
The ship arrived at the dock shortly. The pure white chapel and spire, and the majestic mansion like a castle, gave off a somewhat gloomy and gloomy air. Unlike the capital in the north, the power plant had not yet been built, so the area was dark and quiet.
But as soon as the Grand Duke and his guards climbed the steps to the main gate, the gas lights began to turn on one by one. As the door opened, they were greeted by a chandelier and a large fountain, brightly lit as if welcoming them. Among the butlers and maids, who were lined up tightly and bowed, Michael knelt on one knee to greet the Grand Duke and his party.
“His Royal Highness Grand Duke Winston, brother of the late Rainier Rutland Otto Karlstein Harzen VIII, Emperor of Trieste and King of Kotor, Montevia, Highland, and Ohridsen, and his Imperial Vicar.”
Winston's eyes were filled with satisfaction at the traditional greeting of the absolute monarchy. He was already feeling proud as if he had become an Emperor, but he remembered the real reason he had come to Te Deum and tried to maintain a solemn expression.
“Thank you for being so welcoming, even though I visited unexpectedly.”
The illegitimate son of the family seemed to be humble at first glance. However, he was someone you could never trust. In another sense, he was as untrustworthy as the legitimate son.
Michael led the party to the banquet hall where a grand banquet was prepared. Several boats began to sail across the usually quiet lake. The guards who arrived on horseback were arriving one after another and crossing the lake.
Winston walked alone, looking around the inside of the mansion. The inside of the mansion was different from its old-fashioned appearance. For a country estate used as a vacation home, the structure was extremely refined and magnificent, and its size was also quite large. However, the atmosphere was by no means comfortable. Even in the magnificent splendor, there was a strange feeling that seemed as if a ghost would jump out.
The Grand Duke unconsciously tensed up and stroked his beard. Where could the family’s precious treasure be hidden? No, more than that... Where could the secretary containing the doctrine of immortality be sleeping?
There were three guards, their faces hidden by their hats pulled down low, and a total of nearly a hundred guards. It was an excessive number of people for an Emperor, not even a proper Emperor, to visit his vassal's remote territory for a few days.
The twenty men who accompanied the Grand Duke to the banquet and guarded him were not ordinary soldiers but were dressed in the uniforms of officers or sergeants and were even armed. No matter how you looked at it, it was far from a simple visit.
Michael sat diagonally to the left of the Grand Duke, who occupied the highest seat and listened to his formal greetings and trivial stories. Even so, he could not help but laugh bitterly at the way he was made to sit on the left instead of the right because he was an illegitimate child. But what did it matter? Soon, the Grand Duke would be neither the Emperor's representative nor a member of the royal family.
Even under the strict guard of the guards, the banquet was in full swing. The Grand Duke looked around with bloodshot eyes due to the alcohol. Then he lowered his voice.
“The Duke’s execution will take place next week. But...”
He had been drinking a little and was feeling a little relaxed. He forgot Kyle's warning to keep his guard up and keep quiet, and began to wag his tongue wildly.
“Hey, Sir. Before I came here, I heard a very interesting story. It was about a great anecdote that has been passed down through this family for generations.”
“What kind of anecdote are you talking about, Your Highness?”
“It is the secret of immortality.”
A commotion appeared in Michael's eyes. The Grand Duke smirked. He was no match for his opponent. He was far below Kyle who thoroughly hid and controlled his feelings, making people explode.
“Your Highness, you are telling an interesting joke. What do you mean...?”
He tried to catch up a beat later, but it was a futile effort.
“I see, there is something like that... Well, then let’s hear what it is. Since you already know everything, stop talking nonsense and tell me.”
Michael looked around. The first to show signs of something strange were the cavalrymen sitting near the entrance. They seemed slow and sluggish, and some of them even staggered. The cavalrymen standing guard were no different. Even if they didn’t eat or drink, they would have at least drank water.
“It seems the Duke informed you.”
He turned around, trying to control his expression. Louis Dunst was standing beyond the entrance to the hall, nodding. It was a sign that she wasn't far away.
“Yes, Your Highness. The Blackwells have a Catechism of the Black Mass of Caelum that describes how to attain eternal life. It is called Eternity.”
“So, where is it now? Huh?”
Winston's eyes opened wide. His body was thumping the desk with his fist, his body throbbing with excitement.
“Before that, I have a question for you. Are there any changes to your plans to revise the family registration law when you become Emperor? To formally elevate the five-year-old Prince Derek to the position of eldest son?”
“Of course. We have to grant legitimacy to the eldest son. Not just Derek, but Edgar and Bridget too.”
“Is it true that Prince Derek’s sacrifice is necessary to obtain an immortal body?”
“What...?”
“This means that Prince Derek’s life must be paid in return.”
The smile disappeared from the Grand Duke's face. Confusion and anger quickly took their place.
“What the hell is this crazy guy talking about...!”
Winston jumped up from his seat and grabbed Michael by the collar, seemingly thinking he was being teased.
“I’m not joking. The basic condition for the Eternity ritual is to offer the blood of Your Highness’ first child as a sacrifice. You could think of it as a kind of alchemy. Are you afraid of that?”
A sneer appeared on Michael's lips. Beyond the Grand Duke's shoulder, who was blazing with anger, he saw the guards staggering and falling one by one. Fortunately, the poison was doing its job well.
“Even without Derek, you still have your second son, Edgar. You can always have another child. Is it worth giving up the immortality you so desperately dream of?”
“What the heck has this bastard been talking about since a while ago...!”
“Just a few centuries ago, the Emperor of Azerbaijan burned his own son alive to cure his incurable disease. He did so according to an oracle that he could only be cured by offering the ashes and blood of his most beloved blood relative. Do you dream of immortality when you lack the courage to do so...?”
The purple eyes were distorted with madness and hideousness. Winston trembled and suddenly released the hand that was holding his collar. It was because he suddenly felt dizzy and had no strength left in his body.
The cavalrymen were falling one by one. The guards guarding the outside of the hall were also trembling and crawling on the floor. They were all bleeding dark red blood from their mouths.
“You bastard... What the hell are you...”
The Grand Duke's eyes widened as if they were going to burst. It couldn't be. He had brought cutlery in advance in case someone messed with his food, and he ended up poisoned? As if he had read her mind, Michael sneered in triumph.
“There were still seeds of a poisonous plant that only grows on Cullinan Island. Fortunately, there were enough to paralyze this large number of people. It was an ingredient that did not react with silver, and those who were born and raised on the island, like me, were immune...”
“What the heck! This piece of trash... How dare you! A dirty bastard... Keuk!”
Winston tried to grab Michael by the collar again and quickly ran out of the hall. Fortunately, his lower body was still moving properly, perhaps because he had been working on alcohol rather than cooking.
“There... a ship! A ship...! Huh...!”
Winston ran madly to the dock, clutching his neck and chest, pushing his way through the falling cavalrymen. The bitter winter air beat down on his face and exposed his hands and feet, but he didn't even feel the cold. All he had was the thought of having to survive somehow.
His tenacity was so great that he almost fell several times, but he never stopped walking. The last screams of the Duke's men were heard behind him as they began to deal with his guards. When he finally arrived at the dock, the boatman who had brought him was mooring the small boat.
Grand Duke Winston looked down at the lake just before the sunset. The mansion floating in the middle of the island looked even more mysterious, surrounded by thick winter fog. The journey was shorter than he had expected, so he felt quite exhilarated.
“The gasoline-powered car is very convenient. It takes only five hours to travel a distance that would take a whole day by horse-drawn carriage.”
The boatman Heinrich spread a carpet inside the covered boat and brought the Emperor's representative inside. Instead of the usual small boat, he had prepared a large boat large enough to accommodate several men. Winston was slightly annoyed at the inconvenience of having to go through the trouble of boarding the boat without making a pier, but he boarded the boat without saying a word. The cold early winter chill made his breath come out of his mouth.
“I thought it would be a bit milder in the south, but it’s no different from the north in the evening. But I can tell that the air is cleaner.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I believe that even if you stay here for a few days, Your Majesty’s noble body will feel refreshed.”
The boatman laughed heartily. The inside of his mouth, where there were few teeth, looked like a pitch-black cave. Winston felt disgusted, but he decided to endure it for a moment, considering that he had called him 'Your Majesty'.
The ship arrived at the dock shortly. The pure white chapel and spire, and the majestic mansion like a castle, gave off a somewhat gloomy and gloomy air. Unlike the capital in the north, the power plant had not yet been built, so the area was dark and quiet.
But as soon as the Grand Duke and his guards climbed the steps to the main gate, the gas lights began to turn on one by one. As the door opened, they were greeted by a chandelier and a large fountain, brightly lit as if welcoming them. Among the butlers and maids, who were lined up tightly and bowed, Michael knelt on one knee to greet the Grand Duke and his party.
“His Royal Highness Grand Duke Winston, brother of the late Rainier Rutland Otto Karlstein Harzen VIII, Emperor of Trieste and King of Kotor, Montevia, Highland, and Ohridsen, and his Imperial Vicar.”
Winston's eyes were filled with satisfaction at the traditional greeting of the absolute monarchy. He was already feeling proud as if he had become an Emperor, but he remembered the real reason he had come to Te Deum and tried to maintain a solemn expression.
“Thank you for being so welcoming, even though I visited unexpectedly.”
The illegitimate son of the family seemed to be humble at first glance. However, he was someone you could never trust. In another sense, he was as untrustworthy as the legitimate son.
Michael led the party to the banquet hall where a grand banquet was prepared. Several boats began to sail across the usually quiet lake. The guards who arrived on horseback were arriving one after another and crossing the lake.
Winston walked alone, looking around the inside of the mansion. The inside of the mansion was different from its old-fashioned appearance. For a country estate used as a vacation home, the structure was extremely refined and magnificent, and its size was also quite large. However, the atmosphere was by no means comfortable. Even in the magnificent splendor, there was a strange feeling that seemed as if a ghost would jump out.
The Grand Duke unconsciously tensed up and stroked his beard. Where could the family’s precious treasure be hidden? No, more than that... Where could the secretary containing the doctrine of immortality be sleeping?
***
There were three guards, their faces hidden by their hats pulled down low, and a total of nearly a hundred guards. It was an excessive number of people for an Emperor, not even a proper Emperor, to visit his vassal's remote territory for a few days.
The twenty men who accompanied the Grand Duke to the banquet and guarded him were not ordinary soldiers but were dressed in the uniforms of officers or sergeants and were even armed. No matter how you looked at it, it was far from a simple visit.
Michael sat diagonally to the left of the Grand Duke, who occupied the highest seat and listened to his formal greetings and trivial stories. Even so, he could not help but laugh bitterly at the way he was made to sit on the left instead of the right because he was an illegitimate child. But what did it matter? Soon, the Grand Duke would be neither the Emperor's representative nor a member of the royal family.
Even under the strict guard of the guards, the banquet was in full swing. The Grand Duke looked around with bloodshot eyes due to the alcohol. Then he lowered his voice.
“The Duke’s execution will take place next week. But...”
He had been drinking a little and was feeling a little relaxed. He forgot Kyle's warning to keep his guard up and keep quiet, and began to wag his tongue wildly.
“Hey, Sir. Before I came here, I heard a very interesting story. It was about a great anecdote that has been passed down through this family for generations.”
“What kind of anecdote are you talking about, Your Highness?”
“It is the secret of immortality.”
A commotion appeared in Michael's eyes. The Grand Duke smirked. He was no match for his opponent. He was far below Kyle who thoroughly hid and controlled his feelings, making people explode.
“Your Highness, you are telling an interesting joke. What do you mean...?”
He tried to catch up a beat later, but it was a futile effort.
“I see, there is something like that... Well, then let’s hear what it is. Since you already know everything, stop talking nonsense and tell me.”
Michael looked around. The first to show signs of something strange were the cavalrymen sitting near the entrance. They seemed slow and sluggish, and some of them even staggered. The cavalrymen standing guard were no different. Even if they didn’t eat or drink, they would have at least drank water.
“It seems the Duke informed you.”
He turned around, trying to control his expression. Louis Dunst was standing beyond the entrance to the hall, nodding. It was a sign that she wasn't far away.
“Yes, Your Highness. The Blackwells have a Catechism of the Black Mass of Caelum that describes how to attain eternal life. It is called Eternity.”
“So, where is it now? Huh?”
Winston's eyes opened wide. His body was thumping the desk with his fist, his body throbbing with excitement.
“Before that, I have a question for you. Are there any changes to your plans to revise the family registration law when you become Emperor? To formally elevate the five-year-old Prince Derek to the position of eldest son?”
“Of course. We have to grant legitimacy to the eldest son. Not just Derek, but Edgar and Bridget too.”
“Is it true that Prince Derek’s sacrifice is necessary to obtain an immortal body?”
“What...?”
“This means that Prince Derek’s life must be paid in return.”
The smile disappeared from the Grand Duke's face. Confusion and anger quickly took their place.
“What the hell is this crazy guy talking about...!”
Winston jumped up from his seat and grabbed Michael by the collar, seemingly thinking he was being teased.
“I’m not joking. The basic condition for the Eternity ritual is to offer the blood of Your Highness’ first child as a sacrifice. You could think of it as a kind of alchemy. Are you afraid of that?”
A sneer appeared on Michael's lips. Beyond the Grand Duke's shoulder, who was blazing with anger, he saw the guards staggering and falling one by one. Fortunately, the poison was doing its job well.
“Even without Derek, you still have your second son, Edgar. You can always have another child. Is it worth giving up the immortality you so desperately dream of?”
“What the heck has this bastard been talking about since a while ago...!”
“Just a few centuries ago, the Emperor of Azerbaijan burned his own son alive to cure his incurable disease. He did so according to an oracle that he could only be cured by offering the ashes and blood of his most beloved blood relative. Do you dream of immortality when you lack the courage to do so...?”
The purple eyes were distorted with madness and hideousness. Winston trembled and suddenly released the hand that was holding his collar. It was because he suddenly felt dizzy and had no strength left in his body.
The cavalrymen were falling one by one. The guards guarding the outside of the hall were also trembling and crawling on the floor. They were all bleeding dark red blood from their mouths.
“You bastard... What the hell are you...”
The Grand Duke's eyes widened as if they were going to burst. It couldn't be. He had brought cutlery in advance in case someone messed with his food, and he ended up poisoned? As if he had read her mind, Michael sneered in triumph.
“There were still seeds of a poisonous plant that only grows on Cullinan Island. Fortunately, there were enough to paralyze this large number of people. It was an ingredient that did not react with silver, and those who were born and raised on the island, like me, were immune...”
“What the heck! This piece of trash... How dare you! A dirty bastard... Keuk!”
Winston tried to grab Michael by the collar again and quickly ran out of the hall. Fortunately, his lower body was still moving properly, perhaps because he had been working on alcohol rather than cooking.
“There... a ship! A ship...! Huh...!”
Winston ran madly to the dock, clutching his neck and chest, pushing his way through the falling cavalrymen. The bitter winter air beat down on his face and exposed his hands and feet, but he didn't even feel the cold. All he had was the thought of having to survive somehow.
His tenacity was so great that he almost fell several times, but he never stopped walking. The last screams of the Duke's men were heard behind him as they began to deal with his guards. When he finally arrived at the dock, the boatman who had brought him was mooring the small boat.
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