It was the first time that Duke Seraph's face had been so disfigured. Even when he had tried to kill himself by stabbing himself in the stomach, his calm expression was now distorted into a pitiful expression.
“Shan Cirxus, you...!”
His voice was seething with anger. The Duke of Seraph was furious at the fact that what he had thought was the most perfect death had been ruined.
But his anger was easily extinguished. Shan's fist struck the Duke Seraph. With a loud impact, the Seraph Duke's eyes widened. Soon, his body sagged. He had fainted. Shan sighed and muttered.
“...You really are annoying people to the end.”
He picked up the drooping Duke Seraph and handed him over to the Targayel knight who had approached him. Then he headed straight for Elze.
“Elze.”
Shan hugged Elze affectionately. He asked her a question, pretending to cover her eyes with his hand.
“Do you want to see more? It seems like things have been sorted out..."
Elze knew very well why Shan was acting like this. Now all that was left was to go all the way. And Shan didn't want to show Elze his bloody appearance. Elze decided to follow along as if she didn't know when Shan subtly urged her to leave.
"All right."
But even though she said so coolly, Elze did not leave right away. She couldn't take her eyes off Duke Seraph. His drooping, sullen appearance was unfamiliar.
The end of someone who always looked down on everyone with an arrogant face is so shabby...
Elze looked at Duke Seraph in a strange mood. A long, bitter relationship was being cut off right here and now.
He was born of evil.
Despite all the evil he did, he never felt a single bit of guilt. He did not see people as people, but only as a means to achieve his own goals. He tormented Targayel by pulling at his ankles like a swamp with no end in sight.
And now, Duke Seraph will face death to pay for his crimes. They will never see him again.
So, this was the end of Enoch Seraph.
“...”
She hopes he can atone for his sins at the last moment.
Elze offered the best prayer she could in her heart. It was her first and last prayer for Duke Seraph.
After that, there was no residue left in her heart. Elze turned around cleanly. She only added a word as she passed Shan.
“Come back early.”
Shan closed his eyes and smiled at Elze's request. He answered coolly.
“Of course, that goes without saying.”
After receiving Shan's promise, Elze escaped from the prison without any hesitation.
"Captain!"
The Elijahs who had been waiting outside immediately greeted Elze. As soon as Elze said she was going to meet Duke Seraph, they all followed her out. They were worried that something might happen. Thanks to that, Elze was able to have strong guards.
“Are you okay, Captain?”
“Nothing happened?”
“He didn’t say anything perverted?”
Elze smiled silently at Elijah, who was pouring out their words one by one. After Elijah had been pestering her for a while, asking if she was okay, Elze finally managed to say a word.
“I finished it.”
She spoke with an indescribable emotion as if shaking off a very old dust.
“Everything...”
A long wind blew from somewhere. The night breeze that blew across her cheek was cool. However, it wasn't as cold as before. There was a faint warmth mixed in the wind.
The long winter was finally over, and spring seemed to be coming.
A life where you can't even die at will.
The death that Enoch Seraph had longed for was to die before Erzenes' eyes. That was the perfect end he had prepared for.
However, Seraph failed to commit suicide. Shan Cirxus, who had read Seraph's mind, shattered his plan.
The love and obsession he had for Erzenes were the same as Seraph's. So he understood his heart better than anyone else, and he immediately figured out why he was doing this. That Seraph wanted to take a place in Erzenes' memories.
And of course, Cirxus was unwilling to give him even the smallest space to fit into Erzenes's fold.
He thought he was a very selfish guy, but then he realized that if he were in Cirxus' position, he would have done the same thing.
“...”
So anyway, all that's left now is torture.
Seraph smiled bitterly and slowly opened his eyes. The place where he was imprisoned was an unknown underground space. He was just thrown there, naked, without any chains.
As Seraph moved his body, he felt a presence from afar. The person who seemed to be a guard confirmed that Seraph had come to his senses and immediately disappeared somewhere. It seemed like he was going to report.
Seraph sat blankly, waiting for his end.
“Are you awake?”
And soon after, Shan Cirxus came sauntering in. Seraph looked around carefully.
Behind Cirxus stood Liv Cullens, a vassal of Targayel and renowned for his martial prowess.
He was famous for his brilliant achievements together with Cirxus during the Hundred Years' War. However, he was also notorious for his eccentric and reckless personality. He was often called 'Torai of Targayel' among the people.
“Shan Cirxus, you...!”
His voice was seething with anger. The Duke of Seraph was furious at the fact that what he had thought was the most perfect death had been ruined.
But his anger was easily extinguished. Shan's fist struck the Duke Seraph. With a loud impact, the Seraph Duke's eyes widened. Soon, his body sagged. He had fainted. Shan sighed and muttered.
“...You really are annoying people to the end.”
He picked up the drooping Duke Seraph and handed him over to the Targayel knight who had approached him. Then he headed straight for Elze.
“Elze.”
Shan hugged Elze affectionately. He asked her a question, pretending to cover her eyes with his hand.
“Do you want to see more? It seems like things have been sorted out..."
Elze knew very well why Shan was acting like this. Now all that was left was to go all the way. And Shan didn't want to show Elze his bloody appearance. Elze decided to follow along as if she didn't know when Shan subtly urged her to leave.
"All right."
But even though she said so coolly, Elze did not leave right away. She couldn't take her eyes off Duke Seraph. His drooping, sullen appearance was unfamiliar.
The end of someone who always looked down on everyone with an arrogant face is so shabby...
Elze looked at Duke Seraph in a strange mood. A long, bitter relationship was being cut off right here and now.
He was born of evil.
Despite all the evil he did, he never felt a single bit of guilt. He did not see people as people, but only as a means to achieve his own goals. He tormented Targayel by pulling at his ankles like a swamp with no end in sight.
And now, Duke Seraph will face death to pay for his crimes. They will never see him again.
So, this was the end of Enoch Seraph.
“...”
She hopes he can atone for his sins at the last moment.
Elze offered the best prayer she could in her heart. It was her first and last prayer for Duke Seraph.
After that, there was no residue left in her heart. Elze turned around cleanly. She only added a word as she passed Shan.
“Come back early.”
Shan closed his eyes and smiled at Elze's request. He answered coolly.
“Of course, that goes without saying.”
After receiving Shan's promise, Elze escaped from the prison without any hesitation.
"Captain!"
The Elijahs who had been waiting outside immediately greeted Elze. As soon as Elze said she was going to meet Duke Seraph, they all followed her out. They were worried that something might happen. Thanks to that, Elze was able to have strong guards.
“Are you okay, Captain?”
“Nothing happened?”
“He didn’t say anything perverted?”
Elze smiled silently at Elijah, who was pouring out their words one by one. After Elijah had been pestering her for a while, asking if she was okay, Elze finally managed to say a word.
“I finished it.”
She spoke with an indescribable emotion as if shaking off a very old dust.
“Everything...”
A long wind blew from somewhere. The night breeze that blew across her cheek was cool. However, it wasn't as cold as before. There was a faint warmth mixed in the wind.
The long winter was finally over, and spring seemed to be coming.
***
A life where you can't even die at will.
The death that Enoch Seraph had longed for was to die before Erzenes' eyes. That was the perfect end he had prepared for.
However, Seraph failed to commit suicide. Shan Cirxus, who had read Seraph's mind, shattered his plan.
The love and obsession he had for Erzenes were the same as Seraph's. So he understood his heart better than anyone else, and he immediately figured out why he was doing this. That Seraph wanted to take a place in Erzenes' memories.
And of course, Cirxus was unwilling to give him even the smallest space to fit into Erzenes's fold.
He thought he was a very selfish guy, but then he realized that if he were in Cirxus' position, he would have done the same thing.
“...”
So anyway, all that's left now is torture.
Seraph smiled bitterly and slowly opened his eyes. The place where he was imprisoned was an unknown underground space. He was just thrown there, naked, without any chains.
As Seraph moved his body, he felt a presence from afar. The person who seemed to be a guard confirmed that Seraph had come to his senses and immediately disappeared somewhere. It seemed like he was going to report.
Seraph sat blankly, waiting for his end.
“Are you awake?”
And soon after, Shan Cirxus came sauntering in. Seraph looked around carefully.
Behind Cirxus stood Liv Cullens, a vassal of Targayel and renowned for his martial prowess.
He was famous for his brilliant achievements together with Cirxus during the Hundred Years' War. However, he was also notorious for his eccentric and reckless personality. He was often called 'Torai of Targayel' among the people.
He always heard that Liv was a troublemaker, but it seems the rumors were exaggerated. Liv Cullens, who was standing in front of Seraph now, didn't feel that way at all. He stood with his mouth shut, his expression serious, and his posture straight as if he were a new knight, waiting for Shan's order. And then Shan opened his mouth.
“We finally get to have some quality time together, Enoch Seraph.”
Shan looked down at Seraph and smiled proudly for a moment. Seraph looked at Shan with a face that seemed to have given up on everything.
Shan had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Shan said, waving his hand.
“Shall we have a real men’s conversation?”
Liv, who had been waiting, quickly handed Shan a dagger. It was a dagger with a sharp blade like an awl.
The dagger that Shan had been keeping all this time, looking forward to the day when he would use it, was the dagger that Elze had used in the hunting competition.
At that time, Elze was attacked by hunting dogs due to Seraph's scheme. Elze swung the dagger she had brought for self-defense and protected Crown Princess Iarin. However, she ended up suffering a serious wound on one of her arms.
The memory of watching Elze suffer was still vivid to Shan. He remembered every single detail of how much she was in pain and how much she screamed. At the very least, he had to make Seraph feel the pain Elze had suffered that day.
Shan smiled slowly as he recalled the memory. Seraph shivered briefly at Shan’s smile. It wasn’t a conscious action. His body reacted unconsciously to the sincere murderous intent. However, perhaps it was because he thought he was going to die anyway. Seraph still couldn’t close his mouth.
“I have a favor to ask.”
"Ask?"
Despite Shan's response of "What are you talking about in your current situation?", Seraph spoke firmly.
“Erzenes was the most beautiful blue I have ever seen.”
His eyes, thinking of Elze, became dimly blurred. Seraph whispered in an ecstatic voice.
“Please don’t defile her.”
And as soon as Seraph finished speaking, Shan elegantly swung the dagger. Red blood rose up along with the silver line drawn. Blood spurted at Shan with a sticky sound. But Shan did not dodge. He smiled while being hit by the red blood.
"Shut up."
Blood dripped from the dagger. The falling drops made a small, clear sound, "tap, tap."
“Where did you get Elze’s name in that dirty mouth?”
Seraph couldn't answer. The unfamiliar sensation was shocking. He was used to giving pain, not receiving it.
After panting and struggling for a while, Seraph was finally able to open his mouth. But the words that came out of his mouth were not a plea for his life. He said Elze's name again.
“Poor Erzenes...”
Shan kicked him mercilessly. Seraph's body flew like a piece of paper. He was slammed into the wall and coughed loudly. Red blood gushed out with a painful sound.
But even with blood streaming down his lips, Seraph chuckled. He looked up at Shan and spoke with difficulty.
“This is... your nature... Shan Xirxus...”
The words continued faintly, though they were interrupted. Seraph spat out blood once more and spoke in a voice trembling with pain.
“She should know that you are like this...”
“She knows.”
Seraph hesitated at the unhesitating answer. Shan smiled and spoke again.
“She knows more than that?”
If it had been just a little while ago, Shan might have felt uneasy at Seraph's words. But not anymore. Shan was certain of Elze's love.
Shan walked towards the fallen Seraph. He took a step forward and threw the dagger he was holding into the air. The dagger spun around and drew a circle in the darkness before landing squarely in Shan’s hand again.
Shan sat with his legs bent. He met Seraph’s eyes and placed the dagger lightly on his shoulder. Then he slowly lowered it. The sharp tip of the dagger tore through his skin and slowly dug into his muscles.
Seraph's body shook as if in a fit of pain beyond imagination. But Shan's hands showed no sympathy. He spoke slowly as he dug the dagger deep into him.
“And yet she loves me. She doesn’t care what kind of being I am..."
Shan confirmed that the dagger had penetrated his shoulder and immediately pulled it back out.
“!!”
Seraph gasped. Shan asked him leisurely as he struggled without even being able to make a sound.
“Isn’t that okay?”
It took a long time for Seraph to finally shake off the pain. He muttered listlessly with a breathless laugh.
“I envy you... You who were chosen by her..."
It was a pale, tired face. Seraph spoke to Shan with a bewildered expression.
“When are you going to kill me...?”
It seemed that he had not yet fully experienced the pain. He had not given up his last bit of pride. Shan shook his dagger lightly in front of the still-stiff Seraph and asked briefly.
“Oh, already?”
This wasn't right. He had to do something more brutal, to the point of breaking him down. Shan had to make him tremble and beg for him to die.
Shan reflected on his generous behavior and gently stroked the dagger blade with his fingertips.
“We still have plenty of time left.”
Shan grinned, rubbing hia dagger along the cool silver.
“The night is long.”
“...!”
Fear rose over Seraph's eyes. And after that, Seraph could not say anything. Not even the words to beg for his life.
The only sound he could make was a scream.
Enoch Seraph died at the hands of Shan.
Shan told Elze directly. That he had killed him. It was the first time Shan had said that he had killed someone.
Of course, Elze doesn't know what he does behind her back, but Shan always tries to be gentlemanly in front of Elze. Even if he did something bad, he tries to hide it and never says that he did it.
It felt very strange for Shan to tell Elze that he had killed Seraph. And Shan surprised Elze once more.
“This is...”
Elze was surprised when she opened the box Shan gave her. Inside was Master Harbin's dagger. The daggers were shiny and polished to a new, clean finish.
After losing it while swinging it at the dogs that attacked her and Iarin during the hunting competition, she completely forgot about it. She didn't know Shan had it.
“You kept it?”
Shan shrugged his shoulders and said to the surprised Elze.
“It was yours, so of course I kept it. However...”
Shan whispered quietly with shining eyes.
“I was just waiting for the right time to give it back.”
Elze, who was fiddling with the box containing the dagger, suddenly stopped.
It was Seraph who attacked Elze during the hunting competition. Is it a coincidence that Shan returned the dagger right after Seraph died? It definitely wasn't.
“...”
Elze raised her head and looked at Shan. Shan smiled faintly as if he had no idea what was going on. Elze somehow seemed to know what was meant by his smile.
But she decided not to ask. Sometimes, some things are more beautiful when they are buried than when they are revealed. Elze added though she muttered something.
“Sometimes I think, you really seem like a dangerous person.”
Then Shan hugged Elze from behind and answered playfully.
“Do you understand now?”
“I’ve known about it for a long time, but it feels new to me.”
At Elze's words, Shan said with force in his hand.
“It’s because it’s related to you.”
Somehow, Elze felt like she could smell a faint bloody scent from Shan. But Elze didn't show it. She just quietly placed her hand on Shan's arm as he hugged her Even though she knew all these facts, it was Elze who accepted Shan.
After Seraph died, everything was quickly sorted out.
Raymond's attempted escape provided an opportunity to quickly eliminate the forces opposing Targayel. Most of the nobles involved in the escape were stripped of their titles, and several fell flat on their faces to Targayel and swore fealty.
They heard through a passing rumor that Raymond was tortured for days on end until he confessed everything he knew and didn't know, and then he faced death. The Geth family also met their end in a similar way to Raymond.
When the internal affairs of the empire were almost settled, Ilwooz came to see Elze. He wanted to talk about returning to the sacred city of Inesian for a while.
“Are you back to Inesian?”
“I have some things to take care of... I think I should go out...”
Ilwooz smiled as if nothing had happened. However, contrary to his calm smile, the situation was a bit more serious.
On the day of the revolution, Ilwooz achieved considerable success. However, because Ilwooz sided with Targayel that day, the situation on the continent was in turmoil.
The fact that the Ines Church, which had always maintained neutrality, had taken the side of a certain empire had made many countries uneasy. As a result, all sorts of letters were sent to the Inesians from each country, and the church's work was paralyzed. As the Pope of the Ines Church, Ilwooz had a duty to resolve the current situation.
In fact, there was one more thing he had to do. It was to deal with the priests and bishops who had lied in Ines' name. They were to be taken to Inesian for a holy trial. Whether they would be excommunicated from the church or given some other punishment would all be decided at the trial. Ilwooz left a short congratulatory message to Elze.
“I’ll be back soon after solving the problem...Until then, please stay healthy...”
Ilwooz used the teleportation gin in the basement of the palace to return to Inesian.
A few days after Ilwooz left, Astin and Heyla finally arrived in the Empire.
“Astin! Hey!”
Elze greeted them happily, even though she hadn't seen them in a long time. Astin, in particular, looked like he was about to cry at the sight of his sister after so long.
Since Astin and Heyla came straight to Targayel Manor, Duke Wade also came to Targayel to meet Heyla.
Shan, Elze, Astin, Heyla, and Duke Wade. The five of them sat together in the mansion's drawing room and caught up on stories that had piled up.
While they were having a pleasant conversation, Shan and Duke Wade secretly exchanged glances. Duke Wade had already been informed of the story about Astin and the Crown Prince. As they were talking, Elze opened her mouth at an appropriate time.
“But Astin.”
Elze spoke seriously, lowering her voice.
“I have something to tell you...”
Then Astin smiled slightly and asked back.
“Perhaps about the throne?”
Elze was really surprised. She didn't seem to show it to Astin, so how could he have noticed? In front of the surprised Elze, Duke Wade played with his beard and coughed in vain.
Elze immediately realized what had happened. As soon as Duke Wade heard the story about the crown from Shan, he would have contacted Heyla. And Heyla would have passed the story on to Astin.
Was it fortunate that he had time to prepare himself mentally rather than hearing it suddenly? She couldn't tell. In any case, Astin had probably already decided on his choice.
Everyone looked at Astin with nervous faces. Amidst the gazes gathered around him, Astin cleared his throat and began speaking in a polite tone.
“Actually, I spoke with Heyla before coming here.”
Astin hesitated slightly and then spoke again.
“A story about the Crown Prince...”
At Aquis University, Astin devoted himself to his studies. However, it was not as difficult and stressful as before. This was because Heyla was with him.
Unlike Astin, Heyla was active and proactive in everything she did. She didn't hide her feelings for Astin and pushed forward aggressively.
At first, Astin was taken aback by Heyla's expression of affection. However, Astin gradually opened his heart to her as she aggressively attacked him.
The timid Astin and the bold Heyla's personalities fit well together. The two of them fit together like halves of each other, and they learned each other's strengths little by little. Astin became confident like Heyla, and Heyla became cautious like Astin.
Astin and Hayley developed a sweet love and eventually got engaged.
According to the customs of Baluar, it was common for a wife to speak politely to her husband, and for a husband to speak rudely to his wife. However, Astin and Heyla still spoke politely to each other. It was Astin who first suggested this because he wanted to be careful with Heyla.
The decision brought satisfaction to both Astin and Heyla. They were able to respect each other by using polite language, and even when their opinions clashed, they resolved it gently without becoming emotional. Astin’s careful consideration impressed Heyla, and she fell for Astin even more.
One day, while the two were happily studying at Aquis University,
A secret message came from Duke Wade. He said that Targayel was preparing for revolution and wanted to crown Astin as Emperor.
If Astin became Emperor, Heila would naturally become Empress.
Duke Wade thought Heyla would need some time to think, so he gave her a little heads-up. And Heyla quickly told Astin.
“...This is the situation. What does Astin think?”
Astin was so shocked by Heyla's words that came out of the blue that he was unable to say anything for a long time. Heyla calmly expressed her opinion to Astin.
“I don’t care either way.”
“...”
“If it’s burdensome for Astin, then refuse. I'm not the kind of person who would say anything if you did that... I'm the kind of person who would enthusiastically support Astin’s decision, no matter what.”
Heyla's opinion was firm. If Astin did it, she would do it, and if he didn't, she wouldn't. Heyla had no desire to become Empress. She was content enough with the current situation where she could be with Astin.
In fact, there were many paths Astin could have taken even if he had not become Emperor. Astin’s genius was famous in the academic world. Many places were already eagerly waiting for Astin’s graduation. Even Aquis University coveted Astin and secretly offered him a professorship.
Heyla believed that whatever Astin chose, he would do well, so she planned to actively support his decision.
After hearing Heyla's story, Astin did not give a definite answer right away. However, he thought about it seriously for several days. After worrying so much that he lost sleep over it, his eyes darkened, Astin finally answered Heyla.
“I want to accept it.”
“!!”
Heyla was shocked as if she had expected Astin to reject it.
“Astin, just in case...”
Heyla spoke carefully to Astin.
“There is no need to force yourself to accept it.”
From what Heyla had seen, Astin owed a great debt of gratitude to Targayel. She worried that perhaps Astin's difficult decision was due to his sense of duty and burden to his family and clan.
But Astin had already made up his mind. Astin said to Heyla shyly.
“Heyla, I want to be someone who can protect Heyla.”
“Astin...?”
“Just like Heyla protected me before.”
Heyla was dumbfounded by Astin's words. Astin continued speaking, bashfully, like a teenage boy confessing his love.
“But right now, there’s nothing I can do. All I can do is borrow the power of my family...”
Astin smiled faintly and asked Heyla a question.
“I want to be a better person for Heyla, but is that too much to ask?”
“...”
When the dumbfounded Heyla couldn't answer, Astin blushed slightly and muttered an excuse.
“And since I majored in public administration... I also have a desire to create a country better than the Baluar Empire...”
Even while Astin was talking, Heyla didn't say anything. Astin blinked and looked at Heyla. After a long time, Heyla opened her mouth in a wet voice.
“Astin...”
“Oh my god, Hey!”
Tears flowed down Heyla's eyes. Astin, who was flustered and didn't know what to do, hugged Heyla and tried to comfort her. Heyla cried and hugged Astin. She cried and said, sobbing.
“Astin, that was the best confession of love I’ve ever heard... Why do you always touch people so deeply...”
As soon as he heard that, Astin's face turned red. Although he was embarrassed, Astin hugged Heyla tightly and made a confident pledge.
“For Heyla’s sake, I will become a great Emperor.”
A soft voice embraced Heila warmly.
“Please stay by my side from now on, Heyla.”
“We finally get to have some quality time together, Enoch Seraph.”
Shan looked down at Seraph and smiled proudly for a moment. Seraph looked at Shan with a face that seemed to have given up on everything.
Shan had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Shan said, waving his hand.
“Shall we have a real men’s conversation?”
Liv, who had been waiting, quickly handed Shan a dagger. It was a dagger with a sharp blade like an awl.
The dagger that Shan had been keeping all this time, looking forward to the day when he would use it, was the dagger that Elze had used in the hunting competition.
At that time, Elze was attacked by hunting dogs due to Seraph's scheme. Elze swung the dagger she had brought for self-defense and protected Crown Princess Iarin. However, she ended up suffering a serious wound on one of her arms.
The memory of watching Elze suffer was still vivid to Shan. He remembered every single detail of how much she was in pain and how much she screamed. At the very least, he had to make Seraph feel the pain Elze had suffered that day.
Shan smiled slowly as he recalled the memory. Seraph shivered briefly at Shan’s smile. It wasn’t a conscious action. His body reacted unconsciously to the sincere murderous intent. However, perhaps it was because he thought he was going to die anyway. Seraph still couldn’t close his mouth.
“I have a favor to ask.”
"Ask?"
Despite Shan's response of "What are you talking about in your current situation?", Seraph spoke firmly.
“Erzenes was the most beautiful blue I have ever seen.”
His eyes, thinking of Elze, became dimly blurred. Seraph whispered in an ecstatic voice.
“Please don’t defile her.”
And as soon as Seraph finished speaking, Shan elegantly swung the dagger. Red blood rose up along with the silver line drawn. Blood spurted at Shan with a sticky sound. But Shan did not dodge. He smiled while being hit by the red blood.
"Shut up."
Blood dripped from the dagger. The falling drops made a small, clear sound, "tap, tap."
“Where did you get Elze’s name in that dirty mouth?”
Seraph couldn't answer. The unfamiliar sensation was shocking. He was used to giving pain, not receiving it.
After panting and struggling for a while, Seraph was finally able to open his mouth. But the words that came out of his mouth were not a plea for his life. He said Elze's name again.
“Poor Erzenes...”
Shan kicked him mercilessly. Seraph's body flew like a piece of paper. He was slammed into the wall and coughed loudly. Red blood gushed out with a painful sound.
But even with blood streaming down his lips, Seraph chuckled. He looked up at Shan and spoke with difficulty.
“This is... your nature... Shan Xirxus...”
The words continued faintly, though they were interrupted. Seraph spat out blood once more and spoke in a voice trembling with pain.
“She should know that you are like this...”
“She knows.”
Seraph hesitated at the unhesitating answer. Shan smiled and spoke again.
“She knows more than that?”
If it had been just a little while ago, Shan might have felt uneasy at Seraph's words. But not anymore. Shan was certain of Elze's love.
Shan walked towards the fallen Seraph. He took a step forward and threw the dagger he was holding into the air. The dagger spun around and drew a circle in the darkness before landing squarely in Shan’s hand again.
Shan sat with his legs bent. He met Seraph’s eyes and placed the dagger lightly on his shoulder. Then he slowly lowered it. The sharp tip of the dagger tore through his skin and slowly dug into his muscles.
Seraph's body shook as if in a fit of pain beyond imagination. But Shan's hands showed no sympathy. He spoke slowly as he dug the dagger deep into him.
“And yet she loves me. She doesn’t care what kind of being I am..."
Shan confirmed that the dagger had penetrated his shoulder and immediately pulled it back out.
“!!”
Seraph gasped. Shan asked him leisurely as he struggled without even being able to make a sound.
“Isn’t that okay?”
It took a long time for Seraph to finally shake off the pain. He muttered listlessly with a breathless laugh.
“I envy you... You who were chosen by her..."
It was a pale, tired face. Seraph spoke to Shan with a bewildered expression.
“When are you going to kill me...?”
It seemed that he had not yet fully experienced the pain. He had not given up his last bit of pride. Shan shook his dagger lightly in front of the still-stiff Seraph and asked briefly.
“Oh, already?”
This wasn't right. He had to do something more brutal, to the point of breaking him down. Shan had to make him tremble and beg for him to die.
Shan reflected on his generous behavior and gently stroked the dagger blade with his fingertips.
“We still have plenty of time left.”
Shan grinned, rubbing hia dagger along the cool silver.
“The night is long.”
“...!”
Fear rose over Seraph's eyes. And after that, Seraph could not say anything. Not even the words to beg for his life.
The only sound he could make was a scream.
***
Enoch Seraph died at the hands of Shan.
Shan told Elze directly. That he had killed him. It was the first time Shan had said that he had killed someone.
Of course, Elze doesn't know what he does behind her back, but Shan always tries to be gentlemanly in front of Elze. Even if he did something bad, he tries to hide it and never says that he did it.
It felt very strange for Shan to tell Elze that he had killed Seraph. And Shan surprised Elze once more.
“This is...”
Elze was surprised when she opened the box Shan gave her. Inside was Master Harbin's dagger. The daggers were shiny and polished to a new, clean finish.
After losing it while swinging it at the dogs that attacked her and Iarin during the hunting competition, she completely forgot about it. She didn't know Shan had it.
“You kept it?”
Shan shrugged his shoulders and said to the surprised Elze.
“It was yours, so of course I kept it. However...”
Shan whispered quietly with shining eyes.
“I was just waiting for the right time to give it back.”
Elze, who was fiddling with the box containing the dagger, suddenly stopped.
It was Seraph who attacked Elze during the hunting competition. Is it a coincidence that Shan returned the dagger right after Seraph died? It definitely wasn't.
“...”
Elze raised her head and looked at Shan. Shan smiled faintly as if he had no idea what was going on. Elze somehow seemed to know what was meant by his smile.
But she decided not to ask. Sometimes, some things are more beautiful when they are buried than when they are revealed. Elze added though she muttered something.
“Sometimes I think, you really seem like a dangerous person.”
Then Shan hugged Elze from behind and answered playfully.
“Do you understand now?”
“I’ve known about it for a long time, but it feels new to me.”
At Elze's words, Shan said with force in his hand.
“It’s because it’s related to you.”
Somehow, Elze felt like she could smell a faint bloody scent from Shan. But Elze didn't show it. She just quietly placed her hand on Shan's arm as he hugged her Even though she knew all these facts, it was Elze who accepted Shan.
***
After Seraph died, everything was quickly sorted out.
Raymond's attempted escape provided an opportunity to quickly eliminate the forces opposing Targayel. Most of the nobles involved in the escape were stripped of their titles, and several fell flat on their faces to Targayel and swore fealty.
They heard through a passing rumor that Raymond was tortured for days on end until he confessed everything he knew and didn't know, and then he faced death. The Geth family also met their end in a similar way to Raymond.
When the internal affairs of the empire were almost settled, Ilwooz came to see Elze. He wanted to talk about returning to the sacred city of Inesian for a while.
“Are you back to Inesian?”
“I have some things to take care of... I think I should go out...”
Ilwooz smiled as if nothing had happened. However, contrary to his calm smile, the situation was a bit more serious.
On the day of the revolution, Ilwooz achieved considerable success. However, because Ilwooz sided with Targayel that day, the situation on the continent was in turmoil.
The fact that the Ines Church, which had always maintained neutrality, had taken the side of a certain empire had made many countries uneasy. As a result, all sorts of letters were sent to the Inesians from each country, and the church's work was paralyzed. As the Pope of the Ines Church, Ilwooz had a duty to resolve the current situation.
In fact, there was one more thing he had to do. It was to deal with the priests and bishops who had lied in Ines' name. They were to be taken to Inesian for a holy trial. Whether they would be excommunicated from the church or given some other punishment would all be decided at the trial. Ilwooz left a short congratulatory message to Elze.
“I’ll be back soon after solving the problem...Until then, please stay healthy...”
Ilwooz used the teleportation gin in the basement of the palace to return to Inesian.
A few days after Ilwooz left, Astin and Heyla finally arrived in the Empire.
“Astin! Hey!”
Elze greeted them happily, even though she hadn't seen them in a long time. Astin, in particular, looked like he was about to cry at the sight of his sister after so long.
Since Astin and Heyla came straight to Targayel Manor, Duke Wade also came to Targayel to meet Heyla.
Shan, Elze, Astin, Heyla, and Duke Wade. The five of them sat together in the mansion's drawing room and caught up on stories that had piled up.
While they were having a pleasant conversation, Shan and Duke Wade secretly exchanged glances. Duke Wade had already been informed of the story about Astin and the Crown Prince. As they were talking, Elze opened her mouth at an appropriate time.
“But Astin.”
Elze spoke seriously, lowering her voice.
“I have something to tell you...”
Then Astin smiled slightly and asked back.
“Perhaps about the throne?”
Elze was really surprised. She didn't seem to show it to Astin, so how could he have noticed? In front of the surprised Elze, Duke Wade played with his beard and coughed in vain.
Elze immediately realized what had happened. As soon as Duke Wade heard the story about the crown from Shan, he would have contacted Heyla. And Heyla would have passed the story on to Astin.
Was it fortunate that he had time to prepare himself mentally rather than hearing it suddenly? She couldn't tell. In any case, Astin had probably already decided on his choice.
Everyone looked at Astin with nervous faces. Amidst the gazes gathered around him, Astin cleared his throat and began speaking in a polite tone.
“Actually, I spoke with Heyla before coming here.”
Astin hesitated slightly and then spoke again.
“A story about the Crown Prince...”
***
At Aquis University, Astin devoted himself to his studies. However, it was not as difficult and stressful as before. This was because Heyla was with him.
Unlike Astin, Heyla was active and proactive in everything she did. She didn't hide her feelings for Astin and pushed forward aggressively.
At first, Astin was taken aback by Heyla's expression of affection. However, Astin gradually opened his heart to her as she aggressively attacked him.
The timid Astin and the bold Heyla's personalities fit well together. The two of them fit together like halves of each other, and they learned each other's strengths little by little. Astin became confident like Heyla, and Heyla became cautious like Astin.
Astin and Hayley developed a sweet love and eventually got engaged.
According to the customs of Baluar, it was common for a wife to speak politely to her husband, and for a husband to speak rudely to his wife. However, Astin and Heyla still spoke politely to each other. It was Astin who first suggested this because he wanted to be careful with Heyla.
The decision brought satisfaction to both Astin and Heyla. They were able to respect each other by using polite language, and even when their opinions clashed, they resolved it gently without becoming emotional. Astin’s careful consideration impressed Heyla, and she fell for Astin even more.
One day, while the two were happily studying at Aquis University,
A secret message came from Duke Wade. He said that Targayel was preparing for revolution and wanted to crown Astin as Emperor.
If Astin became Emperor, Heila would naturally become Empress.
Duke Wade thought Heyla would need some time to think, so he gave her a little heads-up. And Heyla quickly told Astin.
“...This is the situation. What does Astin think?”
Astin was so shocked by Heyla's words that came out of the blue that he was unable to say anything for a long time. Heyla calmly expressed her opinion to Astin.
“I don’t care either way.”
“...”
“If it’s burdensome for Astin, then refuse. I'm not the kind of person who would say anything if you did that... I'm the kind of person who would enthusiastically support Astin’s decision, no matter what.”
Heyla's opinion was firm. If Astin did it, she would do it, and if he didn't, she wouldn't. Heyla had no desire to become Empress. She was content enough with the current situation where she could be with Astin.
In fact, there were many paths Astin could have taken even if he had not become Emperor. Astin’s genius was famous in the academic world. Many places were already eagerly waiting for Astin’s graduation. Even Aquis University coveted Astin and secretly offered him a professorship.
Heyla believed that whatever Astin chose, he would do well, so she planned to actively support his decision.
After hearing Heyla's story, Astin did not give a definite answer right away. However, he thought about it seriously for several days. After worrying so much that he lost sleep over it, his eyes darkened, Astin finally answered Heyla.
“I want to accept it.”
“!!”
Heyla was shocked as if she had expected Astin to reject it.
“Astin, just in case...”
Heyla spoke carefully to Astin.
“There is no need to force yourself to accept it.”
From what Heyla had seen, Astin owed a great debt of gratitude to Targayel. She worried that perhaps Astin's difficult decision was due to his sense of duty and burden to his family and clan.
But Astin had already made up his mind. Astin said to Heyla shyly.
“Heyla, I want to be someone who can protect Heyla.”
“Astin...?”
“Just like Heyla protected me before.”
Heyla was dumbfounded by Astin's words. Astin continued speaking, bashfully, like a teenage boy confessing his love.
“But right now, there’s nothing I can do. All I can do is borrow the power of my family...”
Astin smiled faintly and asked Heyla a question.
“I want to be a better person for Heyla, but is that too much to ask?”
“...”
When the dumbfounded Heyla couldn't answer, Astin blushed slightly and muttered an excuse.
“And since I majored in public administration... I also have a desire to create a country better than the Baluar Empire...”
Even while Astin was talking, Heyla didn't say anything. Astin blinked and looked at Heyla. After a long time, Heyla opened her mouth in a wet voice.
“Astin...”
“Oh my god, Hey!”
Tears flowed down Heyla's eyes. Astin, who was flustered and didn't know what to do, hugged Heyla and tried to comfort her. Heyla cried and hugged Astin. She cried and said, sobbing.
“Astin, that was the best confession of love I’ve ever heard... Why do you always touch people so deeply...”
As soon as he heard that, Astin's face turned red. Although he was embarrassed, Astin hugged Heyla tightly and made a confident pledge.
“For Heyla’s sake, I will become a great Emperor.”
A soft voice embraced Heila warmly.
“Please stay by my side from now on, Heyla.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment