It was a heavy footstep that showed the traces of time, but hidden within it was a day without a trace.
"Marquis."
Eratosthene remained calm even though she saw Reniar waiting for him.
However, the steps towards the bridge pier became a little more leisurely.
"You haven't left the palace yet."
"I figured you'd come this way. We've been in and out of the palace for decades, so we're both familiar with shortcuts to avoiding awkward encounters.
The Marquis smiled, but there was a thorn in his words.
"Well, why should Your Excellency waste your precious time on this worthless old man?"
Leniar swallowed a laugh as if he found Eratosthene's dry answer absurd.
This old monk who addressed him with the utmost respect was once the most influential scholar in the empire.
He was also a person whose judgment was evaluated as determining the rise and fall of the country.
Although his power has now been scattered, many talented people, regardless of social status, were attracted by his reputation and integrity and claimed to be his disciples.
The politeness shown by a noble person who had never been mean was rather disgusting.
"I won't beat around the bush, Eratosthene. Why did you come back?"
"Well."
The Marquis became anxious at Eratosthenes' calm expression.
"Now that you've come this far, you don't seem like the type of person to seek past glory."
"I understand your concerns, Marquis. You worry that perhaps this old man may have developed an unfounded desire to benefit from his blood relatives now that it is too late."
Blood relatives.
The Marquis stiffened as he realized that he was referring to First Prince Cesare.
Eratosthene, this man, the father of the Empress, is the nominal maternal grandfather of the First Prince, Cesare.
Although they were not related by blood, once they ascended the throne, they were like that.
They were close enough that they didn't hesitate to call each other blood relatives.
Unlike Marquis, who is truly blood-related to him but cannot show it on the outside.
"Eratosthene. Is it really now that you have become greedy and have protected His Highness the First Prince in front of His Majesty? Don't you think it is too late for that?"
"Please rest assured that I have no intention of competing for Your Excellency's affections with your grandson."
Eratosthene pointed out indifferently.
A faint breath escaped from the corner of his mouth.
Reniar frowned. It felt as if he was mocking his own impatience.
"It wasn't because you longed for a strong ancestral bond that you chose that child in the first place. If that was the case, you should have stayed by the side of His Highness the Grand Duke Castulo, the legitimate son."
"..."
"I understand the Marquis' choice. His Highness the Grand Duke cannot aim for the throne, so you could not risk your power and the fate of your family for someone who would ultimately fail."
For a moment, Leniar's gaze wavered.
Perhaps because of the sting of the reverse scale, the embarrassment that he couldn't hide showed through the cracks in the iron wall.
It was just as Eratosthene said.
As the Emperor's legitimate heir, Jason inherited all the education and resources but was not able to match the illegitimate son, Cesare.
On the other hand, the grandson who was born with a strange personality and could not be proudly shown to anyone was surprisingly different.
They say that a monarch is sent down from heaven.
"It doesn't matter. Even if the blood flowing through my body is evil, no one can deny that it is pure blood."
No danger, no hardship could break the boy's spirit.
Even his birth, which was taboo as it was said to have been born from an affair between the current Emperor and the former Empress, was considered taboo.
Reniar will never forget the moment when he shuddered at that arrogant answer that went beyond even morality and norms.
'If it's this kid, he'll definitely reach the top someday.'
But someday, time passes and the child grows up.
"Marquis, we were mistaken. The First Prince will stain this land with blood! We must stop him before everything becomes irreversible!"
"Reniar, it is time to choose. Will you remain among these rotting corpses? Will you follow the bloody glory I will build?"
When all the old men who tried to kill him were poisoned.
In front of the corpses of his aides that had turned purple, Reniar finally realized.
The first Prince was never meant to be bound by the shackles of secret blood relations.
And he can only stand by his side as a loyal subject.
"Reniar, you have chosen a master who is closer to the throne for power, so you must also take responsibility for that. Do not overstep your duty as a subject."
"It was for Katzen. Since His Highness the Grand Duke was unable to do it, only His Highness the First Prince could lead this empire to unwavering, unrivaled prosperity, and that is why I chose him."
As a public servant of the Empire, Reniar, who was proud of his devotion to his country, spoke as if he was being commanded.
"So, you're not saying that you had no intention of using him to protect your power and family line?"
We all know that's a lie, the dry eyes said.
"..."
Leniar was left speechless when Eratosthene saw the contradiction.
To hide his embarrassment, he unconsciously touched the eagle pattern on the ring under his sleeve.
The shadow of the First Prince overlapped with Eratosthene, who pierced through the opponent's mind without hesitation.
That old man, who doesn't share a single drop of blood with him, resembles the First Prince more than he does.
"..."
Reniar quietly swallowed the bitter and fatal sense of defeat rising in his throat.
Eratosthene's indifferent face, which was watching the scene with interest, showed subtle fatigue and cynicism.
"So, I won't take any questions. Just watch. After all, that's the extent of your freedom."
Eratosthenes took the first step.
Reniar never managed to catch the old monk who passed him by.
Whoosh, a wind blew across the calm lake.
A single fallen leaf fluttered down and landed lightly on the water.
Dangerous waves spread across the surface of the calm lake.
***
Valdina, Strait of El Amuz.
In the square, the flag of the Valdina royal family waved high.
A gray stone floor. Knights lined the edges.
The gleaming armor and sharply pointed spears added to the tension hovering in the square.
Under the pouring sunlight, a sloppily gathered crowd filled the square.
"Is it today? The day he gets released?"
A secret whisper spread through the crowd.
Their faces were a mixture of cynicism and interest.
Some are mere onlookers.
Some people stared straight ahead with fierce eyes as if looking for a target on which to vent their pent-up anger.
Beneath the stage, where the crowd's eyes were focused, was Raju.
"..."
The knights roughly dragged him up.
Clang. Clang.
Every time he moved his body, the iron chains around his ankles made a heavy noise.
Raju raised his head.
Although his face was stained with sweat and dust and he was kneeling with his hands tied, there was no trace of the misery of a sinner in him.
Rather, his posture was confident with his back straight, and there was even a smile on his lips.
He glanced at the crowd and shook his head derisively.
'Go ahead and say whatever you want. As long as Katzen is behind me, you won't be able to touch me even once.'
"Hey, did you see that!"
"I should have cut off his head!"
A heavy sigh erupted from the crowd that had fallen for Raju's provocation.
At the very front of the crowd was the Claudio family.
As the victim's family, they were in a position where they could see the criminal up close, but he could not find any anger towards the criminal on their faces.
Catherine looked at Raju with sad eyes.
Her sincerity seeped through their tangled gazes.
'I'll follow you and wait in Katzen.'
Raju smiled softly for the first time as he read Catherine's silent lip movements.
He nodded slightly as if to tell her not to worry.
Catherine fought to hold back her tears. She was overcome with emotion and regret.
How anxious she must have been that something might go wrong and Raju would be executed in Valdina.
As soon as today passed, they would be able to meet their family in Katzen.
'Uncle. Leave this place to me.'
Samon also met Raju's eyes and nodded quietly.
Just a few days ago, he was talking business with him in a secret letter.
In the letter, Raju revealed the location and amount of slush funds he had been hiding and presented specific plans for continuing Samon's smuggling business.
Given the circumstances. It was impossible to immediately access the slush funds to avoid public attention.
But in a desperate situation where Samon had lost his leg and even his sponsor Raju was captured, Raju's letter was like a shower that washed away his frustration.
Some may say Samon is a heartless, heartless son.
'My father abandoned me first, so why should I take revenge on someone like that?'
His father was the first to turn his back on him.
If his father were still alive and he had at least had a half-sibling through his hard work, would he have had a chance?
Remembering his father's true nature, which he had seen for a long time, Samon had already finished all the calculations.
So, Samon didn't care at all about his father's dog's death or that the culprit was Raju.
Meanwhile, Raju's eyes were diligently wandering through the crowd.
'Where are you, Birna?'
When he started his journey back home, he wouldn't be able to see his daughter for a while...
He soon spotted a pink hair in the crowd.
With a longing heart, Raju tried to make eye contact with his daughter one last time but failed because Birna swept up in the crowd, and kept her head down the whole time.
"It's coming! It's coming!"
At that moment, a blue carriage appeared at the entrance to the square.
The large, magnificent carriages decorated with ornate decorations were quite different from those of Valdina, which pursued a restrained simplicity.
It was so ornate that one could tell at a glance that it was Katzen's, and it was too grand to be used to burn a sinner.
It was unclear whether the intention was to show off the power of the continent's strongest nation or to secretly mock the Valdinians.
The carriage stopped and the door bearing the Katzen Imperial emblem opened.
A messenger of Kazen, wearing an antique robe and the Order of the Red. He ascended the stage.
Raju looked at him with joy, but the messenger seemed too busy with his own important mission to find him.
Chook-!
The messenger unrolled the scroll.
The cloak fluttered in the unseasonably dry wind blowing through the square. The black robe looked somehow heavy and solemn.
"I convey His Majesty the Emperor's command. Roberto Raju..."
Raju's smile grew wider. He nodded and listened to the messenger's words.
A triumphant glint appeared in his eyes when his name came out of the messenger's mouth.
He raised his head and stared at the villa in the distance.
There was also laughter directed at the royal family of Valdina, especially the Princess, who was not even present.
Yes, what are you going to do?
No matter how much Valdina flies and crawls, they cannot surpass the majesty of the great empire overnight.
Raju wanted to laugh out loud.
He felt intoxicated as if he had lifted the cheeks of the Valdina royal family.
He tried to hold it back, but the corners of his mouth trembled as laughter welled up around him, threatening to burst out.
That was when.
A thunderous word fell from the messenger's mouth.
"You will not be repatriated to the Empire."
What?
Raju's eyes grew as big as lanterns.
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