Brus faithfully followed Tenek’s words. He was also a cunning man who could calculate in his own way. He knew that if the Emperor died from illness or became unconscious, Tenek would use the gap in Princess Erdene’s absence to seize the Golden Castle.
However, he was blinded by the few gold pieces in front of him and the empty promises, and he did not realize that he was walking down the last path of his life.
“Delsh was his junior who had been raised since his apprenticeship. When the Emperor gradually weakened and frequently complained of headaches and stomachaches, Delsh asked him what was wrong.”
Roelica nodded.
“The Emperor was like iron.”
Thelma’s eyes trembled violently. She took a breath and continued.
“Brus tried to seduce Delsh by giving him good alcohol, and he got drunk and told him everything. He also promised to give money to Delsh. And on the day the Emperor collapsed, he took Delsh to the place.”
“What?”
“I think he did it on purpose so that Delsh wouldn’t tell anyone about what he had said while drunk last night.”
“So he made him an accomplice.”
Thelma nodded. Her face was pale enough to be seen clearly even in the darkness.
Anger and murderous intent spread out in all directions, flashing around her like a faint flame.
Delsh, who had unintentionally become involved in the Emperor’s death by Brus, lay prostrate as if dead.
On the other hand, he was also afraid that Princess Erdene would find out the truth and come running to kill him.
When Teneck and Bruss were living in fear, thinking that they would never succeed...
“... His Majesty the Emperor has passed away. The Empress would know better what happened after that.”
Roelica looked away silently. Of course, she knew better. It was a tragedy no one could have imagined.
The Emperor had been unconscious and sick for a while, but no one had imagined that he would die.
However, things had happened, and Princess Erdene, who was supposed to succeed to the throne, had been dragging out the war with Vinothin for some reason and had not returned.
At that time, Roelica's father, Atelgadis, had met the Emperor and said this.
[Your Majesty, when on earth would Her Highness the Princess return, would you leave the throne in the Golden Castle empty? If meanwhile, those with evil intentions came to attack the throne, how on earth would you stop them? The Empress said she would act as regent in place of His Majesty the Emperor who had passed away. But think about it, Your Majesty. Rumors of His Majesty's death must have already spread throughout the inland. The Princess has been dragging her feet for months on end, hanging on to a single Vinothin. What if Kensilom or Vetor join hands and force their way into the masterless Golden Castle?]
It was not persuasion, but intimidation.
In fact, Atelgadis had boldly brought his own private soldiers with him when he met the Empress, and it was with Tenek’s tacit approval.
Did the Empress know that her son was behind Atelgadis? Did she know that the one who killed her husband, the Emperor, was none other than her own son?
‘It would have been better if she didn’t know.’
Thought Roelica.
The Empress fell ill from the shock and soon followed the Emperor.
It was three days after Tenek placed the Emperor’s crown on his head.
Erdene did not return to the Golden Castle for several months after that.
She had no time to mourn the death of her father or even her mother. It was the same after she returned.
She had to leave as if she had been kicked out without even seeing her parents’ coffin, and Roelica knew the reason.
“It was Tenek who made the war with Vinothin so sluggish for so long.”
At Roelica’s words, Thelma’s breathing became ragged. Her head throbbed for a moment and her eyes darkened.
“Couldn’t you have guessed, Captain Thelma?”
Thelma clenched her molars and let out a deep breath before opening her eyes again. Her pupils were shining brightly.
“...No, I guessed. Her Highness thought so too. Someone... Someone must have been leaking information about our military to Vinothin.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then...”
Thelma clenched her teeth and clenched her fists harder. Her nails dug into her flesh, but she didn’t feel any pain.
“The Emperor, His Majesty...He joined hands with Vinothin a long time ago. Amazing...”
Amazing. Thelma's lips trembled.
Her whole body trembled as if she wanted to run to Tenek and tear out his throat right away.
Then Roelica spoke.
“Do you think Tenek reached out to Vinothin himself? Would that cowardly King of Vinothin open the door to someone like Tenek?”
Thelma’s wheezing breath suddenly stopped.
He stared at Roelica quietly. Not even realizing that her mind had gone blank, she felt only a sense of distance.
Roelica’s face frowned.
As if looking at a pitiful and awkward beast, she frowned and laughed at Thelma.
“Who do you think acted as a bridge between Tenek and Vinothin, Captain Thelma? Don’t you know that?”
Thelma let out a short breath.
“...The king of Vetor?”
Roelica’s face frowned even more. Her sad, pitiful smile grew thicker.
She shook her head slowly, but Thelma knew that it wasn’t denying her words. It was a gesture of compassion.
“Yes. Of course. You really didn’t know anything. Listen carefully, Captain Thelma. The one who incited Tenek to take the throne is the King of Vetor. Who else but the one leading the Inland Alliance could have dared to do such a thing to the Empire? He incited Tenek and promised Hirschsten an annual supply of abundant food in exchange for stopping the war. Princess Erdene is the token of the secret deal between Tenek and the King of Vetor....”
There was a crack! Roelica almost screamed, but bit her lip to keep herself from doing so. Savina, who had been guarding outside, hurriedly came in but stopped when she saw the scene before her eyes.
Thelma was on one knee, her fist planted on the floor of the Empress’s Palace.
The hard, smooth marble did not budge. Blood flowed from Thelma's lips.
"Sir Thelma, what are you doing! The Empress is pregnant..."
"Savina, I'm fine. Go out."
Savina glared at Thelma's back with her eyes wide open and went out again.
Roelica stared down at Thelma, who was convulsing as if struck by lightning.
Blood dripped from under Thelma's chin as she raised her head.
"...Why?"
"..."
"Why didn't the Empress tell Her Highness that?"
A croak escaped Thelma's mouth.
It was hard to breathe. She clutched her chest and couldn't hold back the sobs that were welling up in her stomach.
Roelica, who was staring at him, said,
"If you want to blame me, do whatever you want. At that time, I was afraid of everything and couldn't think of anything. I never wanted to be an Empress, and I never dared imagine that I would ever be in this position. I felt like I was locked in a prison.”
Thelma cried.
“Then what about the Princess? How would the Princess have felt?”
“It must have been painful, of course. And there will be one more torment left. Whether the Princess knows or not, or how much she knows, that the King of Vetor was deeply involved in this, she will never forgive him. If he had not incited him, would Tenek have dared to slowly poison His Majesty the late emperor? He is greedy, but he is also mean and cowardly. He would never have done it. The King of Vetor is behind Tenek, and only the Princess knows what she will do with him.”
“I will never let him go. I will tear him to pieces and feed him to the dogs.”
Blood dripped from Thelma’s palm.
Roelica stared at the bloodstain spreading on the floor, then looked up at her again.
“The King of Vetor will soon visit the Empire. It’s the first year that the Empire and the Inland Alliance have signed a non-aggression pact, so he won’t just send grain that has been collected. I don’t know if Princess Erdene will accompany him or not. As far as I know, the King of Vetor and Tenek are having a meeting. Tenek will probably pressure the King of Vetor and demand more.”
However, he was blinded by the few gold pieces in front of him and the empty promises, and he did not realize that he was walking down the last path of his life.
“Delsh was his junior who had been raised since his apprenticeship. When the Emperor gradually weakened and frequently complained of headaches and stomachaches, Delsh asked him what was wrong.”
Roelica nodded.
“The Emperor was like iron.”
Thelma’s eyes trembled violently. She took a breath and continued.
“Brus tried to seduce Delsh by giving him good alcohol, and he got drunk and told him everything. He also promised to give money to Delsh. And on the day the Emperor collapsed, he took Delsh to the place.”
“What?”
“I think he did it on purpose so that Delsh wouldn’t tell anyone about what he had said while drunk last night.”
“So he made him an accomplice.”
Thelma nodded. Her face was pale enough to be seen clearly even in the darkness.
Anger and murderous intent spread out in all directions, flashing around her like a faint flame.
Delsh, who had unintentionally become involved in the Emperor’s death by Brus, lay prostrate as if dead.
On the other hand, he was also afraid that Princess Erdene would find out the truth and come running to kill him.
When Teneck and Bruss were living in fear, thinking that they would never succeed...
“... His Majesty the Emperor has passed away. The Empress would know better what happened after that.”
Roelica looked away silently. Of course, she knew better. It was a tragedy no one could have imagined.
The Emperor had been unconscious and sick for a while, but no one had imagined that he would die.
However, things had happened, and Princess Erdene, who was supposed to succeed to the throne, had been dragging out the war with Vinothin for some reason and had not returned.
At that time, Roelica's father, Atelgadis, had met the Emperor and said this.
[Your Majesty, when on earth would Her Highness the Princess return, would you leave the throne in the Golden Castle empty? If meanwhile, those with evil intentions came to attack the throne, how on earth would you stop them? The Empress said she would act as regent in place of His Majesty the Emperor who had passed away. But think about it, Your Majesty. Rumors of His Majesty's death must have already spread throughout the inland. The Princess has been dragging her feet for months on end, hanging on to a single Vinothin. What if Kensilom or Vetor join hands and force their way into the masterless Golden Castle?]
It was not persuasion, but intimidation.
In fact, Atelgadis had boldly brought his own private soldiers with him when he met the Empress, and it was with Tenek’s tacit approval.
Did the Empress know that her son was behind Atelgadis? Did she know that the one who killed her husband, the Emperor, was none other than her own son?
‘It would have been better if she didn’t know.’
Thought Roelica.
The Empress fell ill from the shock and soon followed the Emperor.
It was three days after Tenek placed the Emperor’s crown on his head.
Erdene did not return to the Golden Castle for several months after that.
She had no time to mourn the death of her father or even her mother. It was the same after she returned.
She had to leave as if she had been kicked out without even seeing her parents’ coffin, and Roelica knew the reason.
“It was Tenek who made the war with Vinothin so sluggish for so long.”
At Roelica’s words, Thelma’s breathing became ragged. Her head throbbed for a moment and her eyes darkened.
“Couldn’t you have guessed, Captain Thelma?”
Thelma clenched her molars and let out a deep breath before opening her eyes again. Her pupils were shining brightly.
“...No, I guessed. Her Highness thought so too. Someone... Someone must have been leaking information about our military to Vinothin.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then...”
Thelma clenched her teeth and clenched her fists harder. Her nails dug into her flesh, but she didn’t feel any pain.
“The Emperor, His Majesty...He joined hands with Vinothin a long time ago. Amazing...”
Amazing. Thelma's lips trembled.
Her whole body trembled as if she wanted to run to Tenek and tear out his throat right away.
Then Roelica spoke.
“Do you think Tenek reached out to Vinothin himself? Would that cowardly King of Vinothin open the door to someone like Tenek?”
Thelma’s wheezing breath suddenly stopped.
He stared at Roelica quietly. Not even realizing that her mind had gone blank, she felt only a sense of distance.
Roelica’s face frowned.
As if looking at a pitiful and awkward beast, she frowned and laughed at Thelma.
“Who do you think acted as a bridge between Tenek and Vinothin, Captain Thelma? Don’t you know that?”
Thelma let out a short breath.
“...The king of Vetor?”
Roelica’s face frowned even more. Her sad, pitiful smile grew thicker.
She shook her head slowly, but Thelma knew that it wasn’t denying her words. It was a gesture of compassion.
“Yes. Of course. You really didn’t know anything. Listen carefully, Captain Thelma. The one who incited Tenek to take the throne is the King of Vetor. Who else but the one leading the Inland Alliance could have dared to do such a thing to the Empire? He incited Tenek and promised Hirschsten an annual supply of abundant food in exchange for stopping the war. Princess Erdene is the token of the secret deal between Tenek and the King of Vetor....”
There was a crack! Roelica almost screamed, but bit her lip to keep herself from doing so. Savina, who had been guarding outside, hurriedly came in but stopped when she saw the scene before her eyes.
Thelma was on one knee, her fist planted on the floor of the Empress’s Palace.
The hard, smooth marble did not budge. Blood flowed from Thelma's lips.
"Sir Thelma, what are you doing! The Empress is pregnant..."
"Savina, I'm fine. Go out."
Savina glared at Thelma's back with her eyes wide open and went out again.
Roelica stared down at Thelma, who was convulsing as if struck by lightning.
Blood dripped from under Thelma's chin as she raised her head.
"...Why?"
"..."
"Why didn't the Empress tell Her Highness that?"
A croak escaped Thelma's mouth.
It was hard to breathe. She clutched her chest and couldn't hold back the sobs that were welling up in her stomach.
Roelica, who was staring at him, said,
"If you want to blame me, do whatever you want. At that time, I was afraid of everything and couldn't think of anything. I never wanted to be an Empress, and I never dared imagine that I would ever be in this position. I felt like I was locked in a prison.”
Thelma cried.
“Then what about the Princess? How would the Princess have felt?”
“It must have been painful, of course. And there will be one more torment left. Whether the Princess knows or not, or how much she knows, that the King of Vetor was deeply involved in this, she will never forgive him. If he had not incited him, would Tenek have dared to slowly poison His Majesty the late emperor? He is greedy, but he is also mean and cowardly. He would never have done it. The King of Vetor is behind Tenek, and only the Princess knows what she will do with him.”
“I will never let him go. I will tear him to pieces and feed him to the dogs.”
Blood dripped from Thelma’s palm.
Roelica stared at the bloodstain spreading on the floor, then looked up at her again.
“The King of Vetor will soon visit the Empire. It’s the first year that the Empire and the Inland Alliance have signed a non-aggression pact, so he won’t just send grain that has been collected. I don’t know if Princess Erdene will accompany him or not. As far as I know, the King of Vetor and Tenek are having a meeting. Tenek will probably pressure the King of Vetor and demand more.”
It seemed as if Thelma couldn’t hear Roelica’s voice anymore.
The only thought in her head was how to kill Arkan.
It didn’t matter whether Erdene would come with him or not.
If she knew the whole truth, Erdene wouldn’t let him live. Even after knowing, she still couldn’t let him go.
Roelica said.
“Whether we strike the King of Vetor or not, we should proceed after consulting with the Princess. It’s not like it used to be. How many people would be willing to gather for the Princess? Twenty? Fifty? Even Captain Thelma knows that that’s not enough.”
The only thought in her head was how to kill Arkan.
It didn’t matter whether Erdene would come with him or not.
If she knew the whole truth, Erdene wouldn’t let him live. Even after knowing, she still couldn’t let him go.
Roelica said.
“Whether we strike the King of Vetor or not, we should proceed after consulting with the Princess. It’s not like it used to be. How many people would be willing to gather for the Princess? Twenty? Fifty? Even Captain Thelma knows that that’s not enough.”
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