The door that Aaron had left closed. Amelia, who heard the sound, wiped her still-wet face dry with her hand. The face that had been distorted from crying the whole time was expressionless, as if nothing had happened. It was a gap that felt somewhat scary.
“Just as you wish, I will make sure that you never see the Emperor smiling after getting married.”
After a long silence, Aaron said that Amelia's hatred was ultimately triggered by his proposal, so he would make sure that Amelia would not see his wedding as she wished.
“I will bring forward the date when your child will be recognized as Crown Prince to one year old.”
“He said there was no evidence.”
There was no reason for Ivan to accept the sudden announcement of the Crown Prince.
“Of course it would be like that now.”
Aaron also agreed that there was no evidence. There was no way to prove that Ian was Ivan's child. Unless Amelia and Ivan both admitted the truth, there would be no 'complete' truth to their relationship.
“I sent someone to the real Ricky’s hometown.”
"...Hometown?"
“They said it was Rector. If he’s alive, he must know something.”
But there was a chance Ricky was alive, and Aaron was tracking him.
“And in fact, it wouldn’t matter if he were dead and there was no evidence.”
Ian's presence was a weakness for both Amelia and Ivan. Aaron was already well aware of that fact.
“...”
Amelia got up from her seat and found a notepad hidden near the bay window. She wrote down the date, her appointment with Aaron, and the conversation she had with him, just as Ivan had told her.
Within half a year. The pen could not leave the letters of time that had suddenly become shorter as if it had come to an end.
“Rodan.”
"Yes."
When Rodan saw Ivan calling him, he thought of a lion that had eaten its fill. That was because Ivan looked satisfied.
“What happened to the last time I asked you to look for a mansion within the capital?”
Rodan paused for a moment at Ivan's question, for he had completely forgotten which mansion they were talking about.
“Where Amelia will reside.”
Then Ivan reminded him of the order he had given him. Rodan couldn't answer right away. He had been looking for a decent mansion when something happened at the welcoming party for the delegation, and everything had come to a halt.
“I didn’t look for it because something bad happened.”
Rodan answered honestly. Didn't their relationship go from bad to worse because of the fake trust? To be honest, Rodan had thought it was fortunate that Ivan didn't try to kill Amelia right away. Even though they were holding hands again now, it was only temporary. He didn't think Ivan would keep her by his side because she had a history of betraying him.
“Find it.”
So Ivan's order was unexpected by Rodan.
"Your Majesty."
“She promised to be my government.”
Rodan called Ivan to dissuade him, but Ivan did not listen. This time, Amelia had truly understood her situation and decided not to be greedy.
“Isn’t it excessive to let someone die when you can save them?”
And he said that it was too cruel to simply kill the woman who would have slept with him, given birth to his children, and brought him victory. It was an unbelievably kind remark, coming from Ivan.
“People won’t leave you alone.”
Rodan spoke cautiously. If the truth were revealed, Amelia would be a swindler who made fun of the world and would be left on the streets. No matter how much Ivan gave Amelia land, a house, and people, Amelia would not be free to even leave the house.
“...”
Perhaps, she will only receive one more shameful punishment, being called a prostitute who lured the Emperor with her wretched body. She will live with all sorts of dishonorable things, and when Ivan's interest cools down, she will be abandoned miserably. After that, it will be impossible to tell whether she is alive or dead.
Is such a rags-like life even a life?
Rodan thought absolutely not.
“Still, look for it.”
But Ivan was stubborn. He was a self-centered person by nature. He had to get whatever he wanted.
“What about the new Imperial Knights reinforcements and patrols?”
He even changed the subject so that Rodan could not say anything else. Rodan eventually accepted his intention. In the first place, he was the one serving the Emperor, and there was no way to break Ivan's stubbornness.
“We have prepared a plan to ban the expansion of private soldiers and a plan to establish an imperial academy.”
He just hopes that everything goes more easily and comfortably than he expected.
Under the gloomy and distorted sky, the gate of the ruined castle opened. A black carriage without a single family crest began to roll inside, rattling. Long ago, it was a land that had been abandoned, with the stigma of being cursed after a plague broke out and all who lived there died.
“Are you here, master?”
As the man with his hat pulled down got out of the carriage, the butler who had been staying inside appeared. He was a person with a rare presence, like air, who seemed to be there but not there.
"Yes."
The Duke of Russell took off his hat and answered curtly.
“How have you been?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
It was known as a cursed land, and its name was even erased from the map. However, it was not true, but a lie that the Russell family had made up long ago to drive people out. The Russell family had secretly used the land and castle after purchasing it through a third party.
“How are the objects being regulated?”
“For now, it’s the same as before. The exception objects are being used for experiments as well.”
The Duke of Russell nodded and entered the old mansion. This castle had been used as a place for Priestesses to hide, give birth, and take care of their bodies for generations. However, the castle was not emptied of all its people simply for that purpose.
“Watch your step, Your Excellency.”
The butler, who had opened the hidden door, began to descend into the basement holding a lamp. The Duke of Russell followed him leisurely. After a very long time, the secret space gradually came into view.
“...”
The basement, which had been down for a while, was damp and dark, but there were people living there. There was a musty smell mixed with the smell of blood. But what was most unusual was that most of the people living underground had black hair. And there was not a single glimmer of hope on their faces.
It was only natural. This was not a place where people lived. It was just a breeding ground for producing male children who would become Amelia's opponents.
“What about the experiment?”
“I’m sorry, but none of them were successful.”
And it was also a place where human experiments were conducted to see if there was a way to live forever and prevent aging, in order to overcome the limitations of humanity. Those who did not have Amelia's blood and did not have black hair and black eyes were used for this.
“It happened. How can something impossible until now be accomplished in one go this time?”
“...”
“It might not be necessary...”
The Duke of Russell paused. At first, and until recently, it was to study how one Amelia could live a long life. So, in fact, after he became the Emperor, he thought that such studies and experiments were meaningless.
But if you think about it, eternal life was even more necessary for him who had become the Emperor. He didn't want to become the Emperor just to live for a few years and then die, and then pass it on to his children.
“No. Continue the experiment until meaningful results are obtained.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
The Duke of Russell commanded arrogantly, as if he were a god, holding the lives of those under his feet in his hands. The butler bowed and agreed to obey his orders.
“There’s nothing more to see, so let’s go up now.”
The Duke of Russell nodded readily to the butler's advice. The butler, holding the lamp, began to climb the stairs again. The Duke of Russell followed the light and climbed the stairs.
Just as they were coming up to the surface, a scream of pain burst out from beyond the unlocked door. With their masters gone, it was time for the cruel experiments to resume.
“I'm sorry.”
The butler quickly apologized and closed the door leading to the basement.
“I guess I’ll have to stay here today.”
“If you are resting, I will prepare a meal and bring it to you.”
Thanks to the advance notice that the Duke of Russell would be coming, the bedroom where he would stay was cleaned up, and food was prepared. The butler, who had made all the preparations, quickly began to move.
The Duke of Russell watched the back of his diligent butler, then moved to his own bedroom. As if to complement his decision to stay in the castle instead of the nearby village, the sound of rain falling recklessly began to beat against the exterior walls of the building.
As befitting the reputation of a cursed land, a painful groan leaked out from somewhere and lingered throughout the castle. Duke Russell closed his eyes and leaned back deeply on the sofa, as if appreciating the scream disguised as the sound of rain.
“Just as you wish, I will make sure that you never see the Emperor smiling after getting married.”
After a long silence, Aaron said that Amelia's hatred was ultimately triggered by his proposal, so he would make sure that Amelia would not see his wedding as she wished.
“I will bring forward the date when your child will be recognized as Crown Prince to one year old.”
“He said there was no evidence.”
There was no reason for Ivan to accept the sudden announcement of the Crown Prince.
“Of course it would be like that now.”
Aaron also agreed that there was no evidence. There was no way to prove that Ian was Ivan's child. Unless Amelia and Ivan both admitted the truth, there would be no 'complete' truth to their relationship.
“I sent someone to the real Ricky’s hometown.”
"...Hometown?"
“They said it was Rector. If he’s alive, he must know something.”
But there was a chance Ricky was alive, and Aaron was tracking him.
“And in fact, it wouldn’t matter if he were dead and there was no evidence.”
Ian's presence was a weakness for both Amelia and Ivan. Aaron was already well aware of that fact.
“...”
Amelia got up from her seat and found a notepad hidden near the bay window. She wrote down the date, her appointment with Aaron, and the conversation she had with him, just as Ivan had told her.
Within half a year. The pen could not leave the letters of time that had suddenly become shorter as if it had come to an end.
***
“Rodan.”
"Yes."
When Rodan saw Ivan calling him, he thought of a lion that had eaten its fill. That was because Ivan looked satisfied.
“What happened to the last time I asked you to look for a mansion within the capital?”
Rodan paused for a moment at Ivan's question, for he had completely forgotten which mansion they were talking about.
“Where Amelia will reside.”
Then Ivan reminded him of the order he had given him. Rodan couldn't answer right away. He had been looking for a decent mansion when something happened at the welcoming party for the delegation, and everything had come to a halt.
“I didn’t look for it because something bad happened.”
Rodan answered honestly. Didn't their relationship go from bad to worse because of the fake trust? To be honest, Rodan had thought it was fortunate that Ivan didn't try to kill Amelia right away. Even though they were holding hands again now, it was only temporary. He didn't think Ivan would keep her by his side because she had a history of betraying him.
“Find it.”
So Ivan's order was unexpected by Rodan.
"Your Majesty."
“She promised to be my government.”
Rodan called Ivan to dissuade him, but Ivan did not listen. This time, Amelia had truly understood her situation and decided not to be greedy.
“Isn’t it excessive to let someone die when you can save them?”
And he said that it was too cruel to simply kill the woman who would have slept with him, given birth to his children, and brought him victory. It was an unbelievably kind remark, coming from Ivan.
“People won’t leave you alone.”
Rodan spoke cautiously. If the truth were revealed, Amelia would be a swindler who made fun of the world and would be left on the streets. No matter how much Ivan gave Amelia land, a house, and people, Amelia would not be free to even leave the house.
“...”
Perhaps, she will only receive one more shameful punishment, being called a prostitute who lured the Emperor with her wretched body. She will live with all sorts of dishonorable things, and when Ivan's interest cools down, she will be abandoned miserably. After that, it will be impossible to tell whether she is alive or dead.
Is such a rags-like life even a life?
Rodan thought absolutely not.
“Still, look for it.”
But Ivan was stubborn. He was a self-centered person by nature. He had to get whatever he wanted.
“What about the new Imperial Knights reinforcements and patrols?”
He even changed the subject so that Rodan could not say anything else. Rodan eventually accepted his intention. In the first place, he was the one serving the Emperor, and there was no way to break Ivan's stubbornness.
“We have prepared a plan to ban the expansion of private soldiers and a plan to establish an imperial academy.”
He just hopes that everything goes more easily and comfortably than he expected.
***
Under the gloomy and distorted sky, the gate of the ruined castle opened. A black carriage without a single family crest began to roll inside, rattling. Long ago, it was a land that had been abandoned, with the stigma of being cursed after a plague broke out and all who lived there died.
“Are you here, master?”
As the man with his hat pulled down got out of the carriage, the butler who had been staying inside appeared. He was a person with a rare presence, like air, who seemed to be there but not there.
"Yes."
The Duke of Russell took off his hat and answered curtly.
“How have you been?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
It was known as a cursed land, and its name was even erased from the map. However, it was not true, but a lie that the Russell family had made up long ago to drive people out. The Russell family had secretly used the land and castle after purchasing it through a third party.
“How are the objects being regulated?”
“For now, it’s the same as before. The exception objects are being used for experiments as well.”
The Duke of Russell nodded and entered the old mansion. This castle had been used as a place for Priestesses to hide, give birth, and take care of their bodies for generations. However, the castle was not emptied of all its people simply for that purpose.
“Watch your step, Your Excellency.”
The butler, who had opened the hidden door, began to descend into the basement holding a lamp. The Duke of Russell followed him leisurely. After a very long time, the secret space gradually came into view.
“...”
The basement, which had been down for a while, was damp and dark, but there were people living there. There was a musty smell mixed with the smell of blood. But what was most unusual was that most of the people living underground had black hair. And there was not a single glimmer of hope on their faces.
It was only natural. This was not a place where people lived. It was just a breeding ground for producing male children who would become Amelia's opponents.
“What about the experiment?”
“I’m sorry, but none of them were successful.”
And it was also a place where human experiments were conducted to see if there was a way to live forever and prevent aging, in order to overcome the limitations of humanity. Those who did not have Amelia's blood and did not have black hair and black eyes were used for this.
“It happened. How can something impossible until now be accomplished in one go this time?”
“...”
“It might not be necessary...”
The Duke of Russell paused. At first, and until recently, it was to study how one Amelia could live a long life. So, in fact, after he became the Emperor, he thought that such studies and experiments were meaningless.
But if you think about it, eternal life was even more necessary for him who had become the Emperor. He didn't want to become the Emperor just to live for a few years and then die, and then pass it on to his children.
“No. Continue the experiment until meaningful results are obtained.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
The Duke of Russell commanded arrogantly, as if he were a god, holding the lives of those under his feet in his hands. The butler bowed and agreed to obey his orders.
“There’s nothing more to see, so let’s go up now.”
The Duke of Russell nodded readily to the butler's advice. The butler, holding the lamp, began to climb the stairs again. The Duke of Russell followed the light and climbed the stairs.
Just as they were coming up to the surface, a scream of pain burst out from beyond the unlocked door. With their masters gone, it was time for the cruel experiments to resume.
“I'm sorry.”
The butler quickly apologized and closed the door leading to the basement.
“I guess I’ll have to stay here today.”
“If you are resting, I will prepare a meal and bring it to you.”
Thanks to the advance notice that the Duke of Russell would be coming, the bedroom where he would stay was cleaned up, and food was prepared. The butler, who had made all the preparations, quickly began to move.
The Duke of Russell watched the back of his diligent butler, then moved to his own bedroom. As if to complement his decision to stay in the castle instead of the nearby village, the sound of rain falling recklessly began to beat against the exterior walls of the building.
As befitting the reputation of a cursed land, a painful groan leaked out from somewhere and lingered throughout the castle. Duke Russell closed his eyes and leaned back deeply on the sofa, as if appreciating the scream disguised as the sound of rain.
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