“...”
Oh, it really hurts...
As soon as Elze opened her eyes, she felt sick. It couldn't be helped, because as soon as she came to, a throbbing pain washed over her body.
She thought it would be best if she just passed out again. But unfortunately, her mind became more and more lucid, and the pain increased proportionally.
Elze groaned and turned her head slightly to check her surroundings. The scenery that came into view was familiar. It was the Targayel mansion, Elze and Shan’s bedroom.
She tried to sit up, but her lower body ached and she gave up right away. Elze remember her whole body stiffening right before she fainted. It seemed like her muscles were startled at that time.
She didn’t even want to ring the bell to call the maids, so she just lay there blankly. After a while, the door opened and a maid came in. Her throat hurt to call out loud. Elze wiggled her body to show her that she was awake.
"Lady!"
As soon as the maid confirmed that Elze had woken up, she immediately reported the news outside. The place quickly became noisy, and several maids, including Marle, a man, and Elijah rushed in. Marle was so impatient that he introduced the attending doctor before even properly greeting Elze.
“Madam. This is Targayel’s personal doctor. I would like to briefly check on your condition.”
Elze nodded, knowing that Marle was worried. Then she realized that Targayel had a doctor. Shan and Elze were busy people, but their health was so good that they had no need to call a doctor.
The older man carefully examined Elze's right arm. He removed the bandage that had been wrapped around it and examined the wound.
Elze glanced at the wound from the corner of her eye, then quickly fixed her gaze on the ceiling again. The wound was bigger and more hideous than she had imagined. It seemed like it would hurt even more if she looked at it.
The attending doctor sprinkled something on the wound and bandaged it tightly again. Meanwhile, Elze held back her moans of pain to maintain her dignified position as a Countess.
Elze, who was trying to console herself with the fact that her wound had been stitched up while she was unconscious, was belatedly frustrated when she realized that her injured arm was her right one.
Although she wields a sword with both hands, she does most of her daily work with her right hand. But now that she has injured her right arm, she doesn't even want to think about how many inconveniences she will face in the future.
When the attending doctor finished his treatment and left, a gloomy silence fell over the bedroom for a moment. Especially Elijah, who had come in with Marle, all looked as if they were about to cry. However, knowing what was the priority, they kept their mouths shut and waited for their turn.
Elze got up with the help of her maids. She leaned against the back of the bed, resting her head on a soft cushion, and wet her mouth with water. Then she was finally able to utter the first words.
“Shan...?”
Marle answered cautiously.
“The Count has entered the palace. This is an emergency meeting called due to this situation.”
This time, Elze could easily tell that the situation meant that she was injured. Judging by Marle's dark face, the situation seemed very serious.
Well, not only was Elze injured, but Crown Princess Iarin almost died. If it weren't for Elze, she would have had one of her arms or legs cut off ridiculously.
It was treason to commit such a crime at a hunting competition hosted by the royal family. Many people must have already died in the palace. Elze frowned as she felt the wind of blood coming.
As she was listening to Marle's brief explanation of the situation, a servant quietly approached her and announced Shan's return.
“The Count has returned home.”
Marle bowed his head respectfully to the servant's message.
“I will bring the Count. In the meantime, please talk to Elijah and the others.”
While Marle went to fetch Shan, Elze dismissed the maids and left Elijah alone.
"Captain..."
Ivanna had a swollen face. She must have been crying for a long time, her voice was hoarse and her eyes were bright red.
“It hurts a lot, a lot...?”
“I’m just in so much pain that I almost die.”
Ivanna started to cry at the half-joking, half-serious remark, so Elze added hurriedly.
“It’s okay now.”
As Ivanna was about to cry, Tarkun, who was next to her, caught her. Rapine looked back at Ivanna and spoke in a somewhat stern voice.
“Ivanna. The captain is a patient who needs rest. It’s not a situation where we can comfort Ivanna.”
As soon as Rapine finished speaking, Ivanna immediately muttered, “I’m sorry,” and held back tears while sobbing.
Rapine sighed. He knew that Ivanna didn't mean it badly. He said with a tired face.
“Captain. I’ll tell you the detailed story once you’ve recovered a bit...”
Rapine paused for a moment, then spoke forcefully as if pressing hard.
“Don’t get hurt. The captain is our center. Without the captain, there is no Elijah.”
As Rapine said that, Elijah looked at Elze. The emotions felt in those eyes were touching. Elze nodded quietly.
“Erzenes...!”
As she was making eye contact with Elijah, she heard Shan’s voice. As soon as he got home, he came running and stuck to Elze’s bed in the clothes he had worn when he entered the palace. Elijah stepped outside as soon as they could.
In the bedroom, there were now only Shan and Elze.
Shan knelt down beside the bed to meet Elze's gaze. Elze tried to tell him that his expensive clothes were getting dirty but stopped herself.
“...”
Shan now had an expression on his face that said such things were not important at all.
The eyes that looked only at Elze touched her heart so much that it made her heart tingle. Shan just stared at Else for a long time.
“Elze...”
His voice was filled with agony. Elze groaned, but lifted her left hand and gently stroked his face. Shan sighed and opened her mouth.
“Never again...”
He said, gently taking Elze's left hand and lowering her onto the bed.
“Don't ever do that again.”
Shan's voice as he spoke was frightening. A deep darkness rippled in his eyes. They were filled to the brim and looked like a dam about to burst.
“Do not sacrifice yourself for others, and do not become a sacrifice.”
Perhaps to suppress his overflowing emotions, Shan tightly closed his eyes.
"Please..."
And he said in a very subdued tone.
“For my sake, you must live selfishly.”
Elze didn't wake up for two days.
During those two days, Shan was not hungry. He could not sleep. Life was dull and devoid of all emotions.
The only thing stirring in that emptiness was anger.
Shan felt like he had gone back to the time before he met Elze. When Elze was around, just thinking about her made his day happy. Just talking to her or just looking at her made his heart flutter.
But did all those things never exist from the beginning? It felt distant as if it had been a dream.
God gave him a brief moment of happiness to teach him despair, then took it away. Shan had to struggle between the hope that Elze would wake up and the despair that she might not wake up.
Today, he went to the palace after confirming that Elze had not opened her eyes. Shan, who had returned home right after the emergency meeting at the palace, felt his heart race when he saw Marle running out and calling him.
“Count!”
And Marle said what Shan had been longing for.
“The lady has woken up.”
After hearing Marle's words, he came to his senses and found himself in the bedroom. He couldn't even remember how he got up there.
Shan felt relieved when he saw Elze's blue eyes looking at him. After staring at her for a while, he finally called her name.
“Elze...”
Elze lifted her uninjured left hand and stroked his face. Her weak hand tore at his heart even more. Shan gritted his teeth.
“Never again... never do that again.”
A suppressed voice came out on its own.
“Do not sacrifice yourself for others, and do not become a sacrifice.”
He thought about it hundreds of times. What if it was Crown Princess Iarin, not Elze, who had been hurt?
Shan still vividly remembered the sight of Elze screaming. While holding onto Elze who was struggling for treatment, Shan begged that he would rather cut off his own arm so that she would not suffer.
He never wanted to see Elslsze suffer again. If the same thing happened again, then... Shan stopped thinking and whispered to Elze.
“For my sake, you must live selfishly.”
Elze blinked quietly. She spoke softly.
“I’m sorry. I worried you so much.”
“...”
Shan held Elze's hand tightly in silence. The warmth she felt in her hand and the swaying movements made her heart tingle.
Just... this was enough for now. The fact that Elze had opened her eyes.
“Shan.”
Elze, who had been quietly holding out her hand for a long time, said.
“What happened during that time? Tell me.”
“Let’s take a break and then talk about that.”
He didn't want to tell Elze, fearing that it might disturb her rest. But Elze was adamant. In the end, Shan told her a simple story.
“The Count of Epernon is accused of being the culprit. However, he was wrongly implicated, and it is suspected that the real culprit is someone else.”
“If he’s the real culprit...?”
To Elze, whose eyes were wide open in surprise, Shan briefly said his name.
“Enoch Seraph.”
Immediately after the hunting competition, a bloody storm blew through the palace.
The Baluar palace was attacked. Crown Prince Raymond declared that this was the assassination of the Crown Princess. Furious, he went on a rampage, vowing to track down the culprit and have him publicly executed.
But surprisingly, the culprit of the assassination of the Crown Princess was quickly caught. It was the Count of Epernon.
Strangely enough, all the evidence pointed to the Count of Epernon. The jug that the Crown Princess Iarin had poured contained a herb that gave off a scent that stimulated beasts. It was used in small quantities to attract animals and make hunting easier.
But it was in a water jug. The scent of the leaves was strong in the water, and when the water was spilled on the dress, Iarin was attacked.
The most recent purchaser of the blade of grass was the Count de Epernon.
Circumstances also gave Epernon ample reason to attack Targayel, as there had been an incident at the banquet caused by Cecilia.
The Count of Epernon naturally cried out in injustice. However, he was immediately detained in his home, and the Imperial Knights kept watch over the Epernon mansion 24 hours a day. This was a temporary measure until the verdict was handed down.
The only thing that ended up happening was that Duke Wade stopped him from being thrown into the palace dungeon, so he was only detained.
An emergency meeting was held at the palace to discuss the disposal of the Count of Epernon.
“This is treason.”
No one could refute what Crown Prince Raymond had said. If one had made a mistake here, they would have been charged with treason. While everyone was protecting themselves, Raymond continued to speak.
“I will bring the Count of Epernon to trial. As soon as the verdict is reached, I will strip him of his titles and sentence him to public execution for treason.”
The meeting ended with the decision to bring the Count of Epernon to trial. It was called a trial, but it was merely a formality. The Count of Epernon was already sentenced to death.
After the meeting, the nobles dispersed without saying a word. Normally, they would have gathered together to greet each other and have a quick chat, but today was not the time for that. Shan was also hurrying home. Someone called Shan from behind.
“Count Targayel!”
"Your Highness."
Another Duke of Baluar, the Duke of Wade. The old Duke had a neat and tidy appearance, with his white hair neatly slicked back.
“Can you give me a moment?”
They had no particular contact. Shan had a feeling that it was because of Epernon. Duke Wade first conveyed the news to Shan from above.
“It is truly unfortunate that your wife has become so ill.”
"...Thank you."
Duke Wade exchanged a few pleasantries and then got down to business. It was about the Count of Epernon.
“...I do not intend to take care of the Count of Epernon. I also believe that if he has committed a crime, he should be punished accordingly.”
Duke Wade added cautiously, studying Shan's face.
“But I don’t think it’s right to be punished for a crime he didn’t commit.”
Shan couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. Duke Wade winced at Shan's laughter. But Shan couldn't hold back his laughter.
If Duke Seraph and Shan were pro-royal forces, Duke Wade could be considered the leader of the anti-royal forces. And the Epernon family was a vassal of the Wade family.
If Epernon had gone wrong, it could have been the trigger for the annihilation of the anti-royal forces. Ultimately, Duke Wade's current actions were to take care of his own family. He was praised as a rare, clean, and upright nobleman, but it seems that was all just a rumor.
Duke Wade also seemed to have noticed what Shan was thinking. He tried to make excuses in a calm voice.
“I don’t know what the Count will think...”
"Your Highness."
But Shan cut him off and snapped coldly.
“That is a dangerous statement to make now.”
Duke Wade blushed in humiliation, but he did not give up and hung on.
“I know! That’s why I came to you separately to tell you.”
“Let’s just go for it.”
Shan turned around coldly. However, Shan had to stop walking when he heard Duke Wade shouting.
“Duke Seraph!”
Duke Wade continued speaking quickly behind Shan, who had stopped as if frozen in place.
“The Count must know that he was strange! I have also been keeping an eye on Lord Seraph for a long time.”
“...”
“I am called the leader of the anti-royal faction, but it is for the sake of the balance of the empire, not for the collapse of the imperial family.”
Shan slowly turned around again. Then he looked at Duke Wade and spoke softly.
“...What do you want to say?”
Duke Wade swallowed hard. For the first time, he spoke out loud what he had been thinking to himself.
“I believe that this incident was the work of the Duke of Seraph. He framed the Count of Epernon for it.”
Shan's eyes narrowed. Duke Wade tried to persuade him with all his might and sincerity.
“I can’t stand to see him being falsely accused. It would have been the same even if it weren’t for Epernon.”
“...”
“Count Targayel, give me strength.”
Shan called Duke Wade expressionlessly.
"Your Highness."
Duke Wade looked at him with anxious eyes. Shan continued slowly.
“Do you remember what Epernon did at this banquet?”
“...I remember.”
Epernon had acted in a way that was offensive to Targayel at the banquet, so he knew that Targayel was waiting for him. Still, with nowhere to turn for help, Duke Wade came to Shan.
There was no way Raymond would listen to the words of the anti-royal Duke Wade. In this situation, the only person who could persuade Raymond with the most persuasive power was Count Targayel.
Duke Wade waited anxiously for Shan to speak. After a moment of silence, Shan spoke.
“I will help you, Your Highness.”
“Count! You have thought very well!”
But Shan's words were not over yet.
“But there is a condition.”
“Wh, what is it?”
“Epernon’s life will be spared, but his title will be confiscated.”
“!!”
“I will make it so that the Epernon family will never again be called noble.”
Shan twisted his lips into a smile and asked the Duke a question.
“Will you still accept my conditions?”
Of course, Duke Wade had no choice. Feeling as if he were making a deal with the devil, Duke Wade answered.
“...Good.”
“Your Majesty, there is smoke in the room.”
She doesn't know how many times she's already ground the tobacco leaves. The room was so full of smoke that it was almost foggy. However, Hyeon didn't even flinch at Ra-sun's words.
"Your Majesty..."
Finally, after Ra-sun called again, Hyeon slowly put down her pipe. Ra-sun tried to say something, but then just lowered her gaze.
The hunting competition was the worst. Not only did she fail to contact Duke Seraph, but Erzenes, who Hyeon was fond of, was attacked by a hunting dog and suffered a deep wound on her arm.
And because of that incident, Baluar's country is now in turmoil. With so many misfortunes, Hyeon's mood couldn't help but be low. While Ra-sun was watching Hyeon's expression, Hyeon suddenly spoke.
“...Should I go and visit him?”
“Are you talking about Targayel?”
It was a pointless story, but Ra-sun understood it perfectly. Baluar was not in the mood to take care of the delegation of Ryeo right now. But Hyeon would be bored if she just stayed in the palace. Visiting the Targayel mansion was not a bad choice.
But Ra-sun was startled by Hyeon's subsequent words.
“Yes, isn’t it possible for Ilwooz’s divine power to heal as well?”
"Your Majesty!!"
It was a precious divine power that had to be used to find 'him'. However, Hyeon was now trying to use it carelessly, since she could only use it once. Even though Ras-un's face turned pale, Hyeon remained calm.
“Ra-sun.”
She opened her mouth calmly.
“That was when Erzenes was injured. I saw Duke Seraph. The confusion was the best opportunity to make contact.”
Hyeon frowned as she recalled the memory.
“But the look in his eyes...”
She stopped talking and fumbled with her hand to the side to pick up the pipe she had put down. Hyeon put the pipe in her mouth again and took a deep breath, but this time Ra-sun didn't say anything.
In fact, Ra-sun also saw it. The Duke's gaze as he stared at Erzenes... It was a gaze that could not be expressed in words. The moment he saw that gaze, Ra-sun thought that Shan Cirxus would be better than the Duke. The only thing he could be sure of was that the Duke Seraph was by no means a good man.
Hyeon exhaled smoke as if sighing. She spoke in a soft but firm voice.
“I don’t think that person is ‘him.’”
“...”
“Even if he really is ‘him,’ I can’t accept it.”
Ra-sun tried to persuade Hyeon carefully.
“However, Your Majesty, it is impossible for humans to fathom the will of God.”
"No!"
Ra-sun flinched. Hyeon's black eyes flashed. Hyeon, who was always generous and easygoing, rarely got angry like this. For her to express anger meant that she was very angry. Hyeon said firmly.
“If God were in his right mind, he wouldn’t have made someone like that ‘him.’”
Since Hyeon was like this, there was no need to talk about Duke Seraph anymore. Ra-sun hesitated and then suggested an alternative.
“Then wouldn’t it be right to put in a link with Ilwooz and look for another candidate who can be guessed to be ‘that person’?”
“There are no other candidates. Ilwooz also vaguely mentioned Duke Seraph. There is no evidence to support this.”
Ra-sun couldn't refute. However, Hyeon suddenly stood up from his seat and asked a sudden question to Ra-sun, who was still hesitating.
“Ra-sun, didn’t you see her wielding a sword?”
“I haven’t seen it.”
“Well... It was just a fleeting moment that passed by without me realizing it.”
Hyeon, who had been pacing around the room, suddenly stopped. After remaining silent for a while, Hyeon shook off her sleeve and gave an order.
“Let’s go to Targayel.”
"Your Majesty...!!"
The spiral called out to her in a trembling voice. Hyeon was finally going to use her divine power on Erzenes.
But unlike the fearful Ra-sun, Hywon raised her head arrogantly. She smiled confidently and said.
“I think the goddess Ines would rather use her power on her than on that Duke.”
"Lady!"
As soon as the maid confirmed that Elze had woken up, she immediately reported the news outside. The place quickly became noisy, and several maids, including Marle, a man, and Elijah rushed in. Marle was so impatient that he introduced the attending doctor before even properly greeting Elze.
“Madam. This is Targayel’s personal doctor. I would like to briefly check on your condition.”
Elze nodded, knowing that Marle was worried. Then she realized that Targayel had a doctor. Shan and Elze were busy people, but their health was so good that they had no need to call a doctor.
The older man carefully examined Elze's right arm. He removed the bandage that had been wrapped around it and examined the wound.
Elze glanced at the wound from the corner of her eye, then quickly fixed her gaze on the ceiling again. The wound was bigger and more hideous than she had imagined. It seemed like it would hurt even more if she looked at it.
The attending doctor sprinkled something on the wound and bandaged it tightly again. Meanwhile, Elze held back her moans of pain to maintain her dignified position as a Countess.
Elze, who was trying to console herself with the fact that her wound had been stitched up while she was unconscious, was belatedly frustrated when she realized that her injured arm was her right one.
Although she wields a sword with both hands, she does most of her daily work with her right hand. But now that she has injured her right arm, she doesn't even want to think about how many inconveniences she will face in the future.
When the attending doctor finished his treatment and left, a gloomy silence fell over the bedroom for a moment. Especially Elijah, who had come in with Marle, all looked as if they were about to cry. However, knowing what was the priority, they kept their mouths shut and waited for their turn.
Elze got up with the help of her maids. She leaned against the back of the bed, resting her head on a soft cushion, and wet her mouth with water. Then she was finally able to utter the first words.
“Shan...?”
Marle answered cautiously.
“The Count has entered the palace. This is an emergency meeting called due to this situation.”
This time, Elze could easily tell that the situation meant that she was injured. Judging by Marle's dark face, the situation seemed very serious.
Well, not only was Elze injured, but Crown Princess Iarin almost died. If it weren't for Elze, she would have had one of her arms or legs cut off ridiculously.
It was treason to commit such a crime at a hunting competition hosted by the royal family. Many people must have already died in the palace. Elze frowned as she felt the wind of blood coming.
As she was listening to Marle's brief explanation of the situation, a servant quietly approached her and announced Shan's return.
“The Count has returned home.”
Marle bowed his head respectfully to the servant's message.
“I will bring the Count. In the meantime, please talk to Elijah and the others.”
While Marle went to fetch Shan, Elze dismissed the maids and left Elijah alone.
"Captain..."
Ivanna had a swollen face. She must have been crying for a long time, her voice was hoarse and her eyes were bright red.
“It hurts a lot, a lot...?”
“I’m just in so much pain that I almost die.”
Ivanna started to cry at the half-joking, half-serious remark, so Elze added hurriedly.
“It’s okay now.”
As Ivanna was about to cry, Tarkun, who was next to her, caught her. Rapine looked back at Ivanna and spoke in a somewhat stern voice.
“Ivanna. The captain is a patient who needs rest. It’s not a situation where we can comfort Ivanna.”
As soon as Rapine finished speaking, Ivanna immediately muttered, “I’m sorry,” and held back tears while sobbing.
Rapine sighed. He knew that Ivanna didn't mean it badly. He said with a tired face.
“Captain. I’ll tell you the detailed story once you’ve recovered a bit...”
Rapine paused for a moment, then spoke forcefully as if pressing hard.
“Don’t get hurt. The captain is our center. Without the captain, there is no Elijah.”
As Rapine said that, Elijah looked at Elze. The emotions felt in those eyes were touching. Elze nodded quietly.
“Erzenes...!”
As she was making eye contact with Elijah, she heard Shan’s voice. As soon as he got home, he came running and stuck to Elze’s bed in the clothes he had worn when he entered the palace. Elijah stepped outside as soon as they could.
In the bedroom, there were now only Shan and Elze.
Shan knelt down beside the bed to meet Elze's gaze. Elze tried to tell him that his expensive clothes were getting dirty but stopped herself.
“...”
Shan now had an expression on his face that said such things were not important at all.
The eyes that looked only at Elze touched her heart so much that it made her heart tingle. Shan just stared at Else for a long time.
“Elze...”
His voice was filled with agony. Elze groaned, but lifted her left hand and gently stroked his face. Shan sighed and opened her mouth.
“Never again...”
He said, gently taking Elze's left hand and lowering her onto the bed.
“Don't ever do that again.”
Shan's voice as he spoke was frightening. A deep darkness rippled in his eyes. They were filled to the brim and looked like a dam about to burst.
“Do not sacrifice yourself for others, and do not become a sacrifice.”
Perhaps to suppress his overflowing emotions, Shan tightly closed his eyes.
"Please..."
And he said in a very subdued tone.
“For my sake, you must live selfishly.”
***
Elze didn't wake up for two days.
During those two days, Shan was not hungry. He could not sleep. Life was dull and devoid of all emotions.
The only thing stirring in that emptiness was anger.
Shan felt like he had gone back to the time before he met Elze. When Elze was around, just thinking about her made his day happy. Just talking to her or just looking at her made his heart flutter.
But did all those things never exist from the beginning? It felt distant as if it had been a dream.
God gave him a brief moment of happiness to teach him despair, then took it away. Shan had to struggle between the hope that Elze would wake up and the despair that she might not wake up.
Today, he went to the palace after confirming that Elze had not opened her eyes. Shan, who had returned home right after the emergency meeting at the palace, felt his heart race when he saw Marle running out and calling him.
“Count!”
And Marle said what Shan had been longing for.
“The lady has woken up.”
After hearing Marle's words, he came to his senses and found himself in the bedroom. He couldn't even remember how he got up there.
Shan felt relieved when he saw Elze's blue eyes looking at him. After staring at her for a while, he finally called her name.
“Elze...”
Elze lifted her uninjured left hand and stroked his face. Her weak hand tore at his heart even more. Shan gritted his teeth.
“Never again... never do that again.”
A suppressed voice came out on its own.
“Do not sacrifice yourself for others, and do not become a sacrifice.”
He thought about it hundreds of times. What if it was Crown Princess Iarin, not Elze, who had been hurt?
Shan still vividly remembered the sight of Elze screaming. While holding onto Elze who was struggling for treatment, Shan begged that he would rather cut off his own arm so that she would not suffer.
He never wanted to see Elslsze suffer again. If the same thing happened again, then... Shan stopped thinking and whispered to Elze.
“For my sake, you must live selfishly.”
Elze blinked quietly. She spoke softly.
“I’m sorry. I worried you so much.”
“...”
Shan held Elze's hand tightly in silence. The warmth she felt in her hand and the swaying movements made her heart tingle.
Just... this was enough for now. The fact that Elze had opened her eyes.
“Shan.”
Elze, who had been quietly holding out her hand for a long time, said.
“What happened during that time? Tell me.”
“Let’s take a break and then talk about that.”
He didn't want to tell Elze, fearing that it might disturb her rest. But Elze was adamant. In the end, Shan told her a simple story.
“The Count of Epernon is accused of being the culprit. However, he was wrongly implicated, and it is suspected that the real culprit is someone else.”
“If he’s the real culprit...?”
To Elze, whose eyes were wide open in surprise, Shan briefly said his name.
“Enoch Seraph.”
***
Immediately after the hunting competition, a bloody storm blew through the palace.
The Baluar palace was attacked. Crown Prince Raymond declared that this was the assassination of the Crown Princess. Furious, he went on a rampage, vowing to track down the culprit and have him publicly executed.
But surprisingly, the culprit of the assassination of the Crown Princess was quickly caught. It was the Count of Epernon.
Strangely enough, all the evidence pointed to the Count of Epernon. The jug that the Crown Princess Iarin had poured contained a herb that gave off a scent that stimulated beasts. It was used in small quantities to attract animals and make hunting easier.
But it was in a water jug. The scent of the leaves was strong in the water, and when the water was spilled on the dress, Iarin was attacked.
The most recent purchaser of the blade of grass was the Count de Epernon.
Circumstances also gave Epernon ample reason to attack Targayel, as there had been an incident at the banquet caused by Cecilia.
The Count of Epernon naturally cried out in injustice. However, he was immediately detained in his home, and the Imperial Knights kept watch over the Epernon mansion 24 hours a day. This was a temporary measure until the verdict was handed down.
The only thing that ended up happening was that Duke Wade stopped him from being thrown into the palace dungeon, so he was only detained.
An emergency meeting was held at the palace to discuss the disposal of the Count of Epernon.
“This is treason.”
No one could refute what Crown Prince Raymond had said. If one had made a mistake here, they would have been charged with treason. While everyone was protecting themselves, Raymond continued to speak.
“I will bring the Count of Epernon to trial. As soon as the verdict is reached, I will strip him of his titles and sentence him to public execution for treason.”
The meeting ended with the decision to bring the Count of Epernon to trial. It was called a trial, but it was merely a formality. The Count of Epernon was already sentenced to death.
After the meeting, the nobles dispersed without saying a word. Normally, they would have gathered together to greet each other and have a quick chat, but today was not the time for that. Shan was also hurrying home. Someone called Shan from behind.
“Count Targayel!”
"Your Highness."
Another Duke of Baluar, the Duke of Wade. The old Duke had a neat and tidy appearance, with his white hair neatly slicked back.
“Can you give me a moment?”
They had no particular contact. Shan had a feeling that it was because of Epernon. Duke Wade first conveyed the news to Shan from above.
“It is truly unfortunate that your wife has become so ill.”
"...Thank you."
Duke Wade exchanged a few pleasantries and then got down to business. It was about the Count of Epernon.
“...I do not intend to take care of the Count of Epernon. I also believe that if he has committed a crime, he should be punished accordingly.”
Duke Wade added cautiously, studying Shan's face.
“But I don’t think it’s right to be punished for a crime he didn’t commit.”
Shan couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. Duke Wade winced at Shan's laughter. But Shan couldn't hold back his laughter.
If Duke Seraph and Shan were pro-royal forces, Duke Wade could be considered the leader of the anti-royal forces. And the Epernon family was a vassal of the Wade family.
If Epernon had gone wrong, it could have been the trigger for the annihilation of the anti-royal forces. Ultimately, Duke Wade's current actions were to take care of his own family. He was praised as a rare, clean, and upright nobleman, but it seems that was all just a rumor.
Duke Wade also seemed to have noticed what Shan was thinking. He tried to make excuses in a calm voice.
“I don’t know what the Count will think...”
"Your Highness."
But Shan cut him off and snapped coldly.
“That is a dangerous statement to make now.”
Duke Wade blushed in humiliation, but he did not give up and hung on.
“I know! That’s why I came to you separately to tell you.”
“Let’s just go for it.”
Shan turned around coldly. However, Shan had to stop walking when he heard Duke Wade shouting.
“Duke Seraph!”
Duke Wade continued speaking quickly behind Shan, who had stopped as if frozen in place.
“The Count must know that he was strange! I have also been keeping an eye on Lord Seraph for a long time.”
“...”
“I am called the leader of the anti-royal faction, but it is for the sake of the balance of the empire, not for the collapse of the imperial family.”
Shan slowly turned around again. Then he looked at Duke Wade and spoke softly.
“...What do you want to say?”
Duke Wade swallowed hard. For the first time, he spoke out loud what he had been thinking to himself.
“I believe that this incident was the work of the Duke of Seraph. He framed the Count of Epernon for it.”
Shan's eyes narrowed. Duke Wade tried to persuade him with all his might and sincerity.
“I can’t stand to see him being falsely accused. It would have been the same even if it weren’t for Epernon.”
“...”
“Count Targayel, give me strength.”
Shan called Duke Wade expressionlessly.
"Your Highness."
Duke Wade looked at him with anxious eyes. Shan continued slowly.
“Do you remember what Epernon did at this banquet?”
“...I remember.”
Epernon had acted in a way that was offensive to Targayel at the banquet, so he knew that Targayel was waiting for him. Still, with nowhere to turn for help, Duke Wade came to Shan.
There was no way Raymond would listen to the words of the anti-royal Duke Wade. In this situation, the only person who could persuade Raymond with the most persuasive power was Count Targayel.
Duke Wade waited anxiously for Shan to speak. After a moment of silence, Shan spoke.
“I will help you, Your Highness.”
“Count! You have thought very well!”
But Shan's words were not over yet.
“But there is a condition.”
“Wh, what is it?”
“Epernon’s life will be spared, but his title will be confiscated.”
“!!”
“I will make it so that the Epernon family will never again be called noble.”
Shan twisted his lips into a smile and asked the Duke a question.
“Will you still accept my conditions?”
Of course, Duke Wade had no choice. Feeling as if he were making a deal with the devil, Duke Wade answered.
“...Good.”
***
“Your Majesty, there is smoke in the room.”
She doesn't know how many times she's already ground the tobacco leaves. The room was so full of smoke that it was almost foggy. However, Hyeon didn't even flinch at Ra-sun's words.
"Your Majesty..."
Finally, after Ra-sun called again, Hyeon slowly put down her pipe. Ra-sun tried to say something, but then just lowered her gaze.
The hunting competition was the worst. Not only did she fail to contact Duke Seraph, but Erzenes, who Hyeon was fond of, was attacked by a hunting dog and suffered a deep wound on her arm.
And because of that incident, Baluar's country is now in turmoil. With so many misfortunes, Hyeon's mood couldn't help but be low. While Ra-sun was watching Hyeon's expression, Hyeon suddenly spoke.
“...Should I go and visit him?”
“Are you talking about Targayel?”
It was a pointless story, but Ra-sun understood it perfectly. Baluar was not in the mood to take care of the delegation of Ryeo right now. But Hyeon would be bored if she just stayed in the palace. Visiting the Targayel mansion was not a bad choice.
But Ra-sun was startled by Hyeon's subsequent words.
“Yes, isn’t it possible for Ilwooz’s divine power to heal as well?”
"Your Majesty!!"
It was a precious divine power that had to be used to find 'him'. However, Hyeon was now trying to use it carelessly, since she could only use it once. Even though Ras-un's face turned pale, Hyeon remained calm.
“Ra-sun.”
She opened her mouth calmly.
“That was when Erzenes was injured. I saw Duke Seraph. The confusion was the best opportunity to make contact.”
Hyeon frowned as she recalled the memory.
“But the look in his eyes...”
She stopped talking and fumbled with her hand to the side to pick up the pipe she had put down. Hyeon put the pipe in her mouth again and took a deep breath, but this time Ra-sun didn't say anything.
In fact, Ra-sun also saw it. The Duke's gaze as he stared at Erzenes... It was a gaze that could not be expressed in words. The moment he saw that gaze, Ra-sun thought that Shan Cirxus would be better than the Duke. The only thing he could be sure of was that the Duke Seraph was by no means a good man.
Hyeon exhaled smoke as if sighing. She spoke in a soft but firm voice.
“I don’t think that person is ‘him.’”
“...”
“Even if he really is ‘him,’ I can’t accept it.”
Ra-sun tried to persuade Hyeon carefully.
“However, Your Majesty, it is impossible for humans to fathom the will of God.”
"No!"
Ra-sun flinched. Hyeon's black eyes flashed. Hyeon, who was always generous and easygoing, rarely got angry like this. For her to express anger meant that she was very angry. Hyeon said firmly.
“If God were in his right mind, he wouldn’t have made someone like that ‘him.’”
Since Hyeon was like this, there was no need to talk about Duke Seraph anymore. Ra-sun hesitated and then suggested an alternative.
“Then wouldn’t it be right to put in a link with Ilwooz and look for another candidate who can be guessed to be ‘that person’?”
“There are no other candidates. Ilwooz also vaguely mentioned Duke Seraph. There is no evidence to support this.”
Ra-sun couldn't refute. However, Hyeon suddenly stood up from his seat and asked a sudden question to Ra-sun, who was still hesitating.
“Ra-sun, didn’t you see her wielding a sword?”
“I haven’t seen it.”
“Well... It was just a fleeting moment that passed by without me realizing it.”
Hyeon, who had been pacing around the room, suddenly stopped. After remaining silent for a while, Hyeon shook off her sleeve and gave an order.
“Let’s go to Targayel.”
"Your Majesty...!!"
The spiral called out to her in a trembling voice. Hyeon was finally going to use her divine power on Erzenes.
But unlike the fearful Ra-sun, Hywon raised her head arrogantly. She smiled confidently and said.
“I think the goddess Ines would rather use her power on her than on that Duke.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment