Reckton, a small town that you might not even know is on the map. It really has no special features, and it is located close to the cursed land, so it is a town where outsiders are rare.
“Another outsider has come? What brings you here?”
However, there have been quite a few exceptional situations recently.
“I’m looking for Ricky again.”
He thought it had quieted down after a few men came looking for Ricky, but recently, there have been people looking for Ricky again.
“What on earth is that guy doing out there that so many people are looking for him?”
Even those who were looking for Ricky didn't seem to be looking for him for a pleasant reason. The old woman who was watching the strangers wandering around the village clicked her tongue. He had once been an apprentice priest, so she couldn't understand what kind of grudge they had.
“If he takes after his father, he would be exceptionally good at causing accidents.”
“Only Elin became pitiful.”
“That’s right. She didn’t have any luck, no husband, no children, and she just suffered.”
The daughter also clicked her tongue and felt pity for Ricky's mother, who had already died.
“By the way, are they going into the forest?”
“It seems so.”
“You go and stop him. What if he shows up as a corpse?”
The old woman pushed her daughter's back while she was drying the laundry. It was a bothersome task, but the daughter agreed with her mother's decision and went out of the house.
In the river that leads from the cursed forest, corpses often float down. Usually, they are headless and have their eyes gouged out. As someone who lives nearby, she has already seen this many times. She does not want to see it anymore.
"Hey."
The sturdy men turned at the sound of the woman's voice.
“Are you going into that forest?”
“I heard the last sighting was near this forest.”
One of them nodded in response. If the woman hadn't stopped him, he would have walked straight into the forest.
“That’s true, but do you really have to go in?”
“I have to find him...”
“Ricky would already be dead. That’s a forest connected to the cursed land, and it’s a place where corpses come out even if no one goes in.”
The woman frowned as if she really wanted to dissuade him.
“I only follow my master’s orders.”
The men who heard those words had slightly tense faces, but they didn't seem to be backing down from their decision. They were about to see another corpse. The woman shook her head and turned away from them.
"Let's go."
The knights bravely entered the forest entrance, turning their backs on the woman who had tried to dissuade them with good intentions. Perhaps because there were few people, the grass was growing tall and haphazardly from the entrance. However, there was also an advantage. It was easy to track where someone had pushed through the grass or stepped on it.
“I wish he had been found dead sooner.”
One of the knights muttered, "Then there would be no fuss about dragging him away, and no need to go deep into the forest." No one nodded, but a silent sympathy lingered among them.
“Can’t you hear a sound from over there?”
“I can hear the sound of water, so it looks like a river. It could be the path taken by a large animal.”
It was a time when they were walking without letting their guard down until they reached the middle of the forest. A path leading to the river appeared like a hole that had been opened. The knights walked anxiously, but remembering the task they had undertaken.
“...”
Even the scenery of the river felt gloomy and made his hair stand on end. The knight at the very front looked around and paused.
There were four corpses lined up, their bodies torn and torn apart by beasts.
Amelia's gaze moved out the terrace window. It was soon the time when the Duke of Russell had promised to come.
“Take Ian to Mrs. Howard.”
At Amelia's command, Louis obediently got up from her seat and held Ian in her arms. Although she spent much more time with Ian than with Ivan, her posture was more immature. It was only natural, since she had never had a child and had no interest in Ian.
“...”
As she continued to stand by the window and look outside, she saw the Duke of Russell striding towards the West Palace. Amelia took a deep breath for a moment, pretended to be calm, and sat down to wait for him to come to her.
“Your Ladyship, the Duke of Russell has here.”
“Tell him to come in.”
Soon, the Duke of Russell came in. He was as usual, but his face was all the more unpleasant.
“I meet the Priestess.”
“Could you please step aside for a moment and make some tea for me?”
The servants moved in unison as Amelia requested. Soon, only Amelia and the Duke of Russell remained.
“Are you getting interested now?”
Amelia spoke first. The Duke of Russell, who was holding his teacup, smiled.
“When did you have a secret love affair behind that wall?”
“...”
“If I had known you were keeping this secret, I would have been interested in you earlier.”
And he answered while sipping tea, even acting as if it was all Amelia's fault that his reaction was negative.
“He said that there would be no use in revealing it since there was no evidence.”
“That is true.”
The Duke of Russell readily agreed.
“Besides, that apprentice priest is dead, so there is no one we can use as a witness. Those we sent to find him all came back as corpses.”
There was nothing to pressure Ivan. There was nothing to present as evidence. There was no way to prove that Ian was Ivan's bloodline, unless it was magic.
Amelia could testify, but as long as Ivan denied it, it was just a one-sided claim. Besides, if her honor was tarnished, Amelia could no longer be used. Of course, she was someone who would have to be discarded someday, but not yet.
“Doesn’t the Emperor know that you have no divine powers?”
“If he knew, he would have already revealed it to the world.”
“That's right.”
The most important thing was that Ivan hadn't found out about it, so it was still worth using.
“But isn’t that Ricky guy important? Even if he were alive, he wouldn’t have enough evidence to be called as a witness.”
At Amelia's words, the Duke of Russell made a humming sound.
“As Aaron promised, please let Ian ascend to the throne as Crown Prince when he turns one year old.”
“Did Aaron dare make such a promise?”
The Duke of Russell frowned slightly. It was natural. He couldn't like the fact that the two people who should have been in his grasp were both moving about in whatever direction they wanted.
“Then I will kill the Emperor on that day, on that spot.”
But the very next moment, his face became as relaxed as usual. He only liked what Amelia had just said.
“The Emperor will certainly speak at the Council of Nobles about expanding the Imperial Knights. He is someone who has always sought to expand the Imperial influence.”
Amelia responded naturally. As if she had a special relationship with Ivan, and could listen to what he said. And use it to harm him.
“And that will prove to you that I really had a special relationship with the Emperor. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know.”
The Duke of Russell raised his eyebrows as if he was surprised that she knew that. It must have been because he thought that since she was acting like a crazy person in love, there was a possibility that she was lying.
“Accept his offer.”
The Duke of Russell had no answer to Amelia's words. It was a matter of strengthening Ivan's power. There was no way he would like it.
“And make sure that all the increased knights are composed of commoners.”
“...”
“Increasing the number of knights is for the peace and stability of the country anyway, so how great would it be if the benefit could reach the common people?”
Amelia straightened her back after saying that. Just like Ivan had taught her once, holding her waist and tracing her spine with his fingers. And as if to prove her confidence and truthfulness, she met his gaze clearly.
“Fill the Knights with your private soldiers. To aid my cause and your future.”
Amelia quietly raised the corners of her lips and smiled. It was completely different from her previous attitude of being overly desperate, fearful, or helpless. The Duke of Russell looked at Amelia with a look of surprise.
“I will kill the Emperor on the spot and reveal that Ian is the Emperor’s bloodline. Let the common knights protect me when the Emperor, who was hiding in the temple, claims that I was raped and that I was deaf to the voice of the gods.”
Wouldn't it be better if the person who claimed it was false were dead and couldn't open his mouth? Amelia's claim was absurd, but at the same time, it sounded attractive. At least to the Duke of Russell.
“Then Ian, who inherited the Emperor’s blood, will become the legitimate heir to the imperial family.”
“Are you planning to make your child the Emperor?”
“No. I know I’m not fit to rule the country.”
Amelia answered immediately. Ian was neither in a position nor old enough to rule the country, so she would have to act on his behalf, and she had no desire for the power of the Emperor.
“I am happy enough to get revenge on that man before he abandons me, and to help my child find the truth about his lineage.”
“...”
“I will hand over to you and leave. Just make sure Ian and I leave this country safely.”
The Duke of Russell smiled broadly at Amelia's suggestion. It seemed that he was quite pleased with the idea.
“Another outsider has come? What brings you here?”
However, there have been quite a few exceptional situations recently.
“I’m looking for Ricky again.”
He thought it had quieted down after a few men came looking for Ricky, but recently, there have been people looking for Ricky again.
“What on earth is that guy doing out there that so many people are looking for him?”
Even those who were looking for Ricky didn't seem to be looking for him for a pleasant reason. The old woman who was watching the strangers wandering around the village clicked her tongue. He had once been an apprentice priest, so she couldn't understand what kind of grudge they had.
“If he takes after his father, he would be exceptionally good at causing accidents.”
“Only Elin became pitiful.”
“That’s right. She didn’t have any luck, no husband, no children, and she just suffered.”
The daughter also clicked her tongue and felt pity for Ricky's mother, who had already died.
“By the way, are they going into the forest?”
“It seems so.”
“You go and stop him. What if he shows up as a corpse?”
The old woman pushed her daughter's back while she was drying the laundry. It was a bothersome task, but the daughter agreed with her mother's decision and went out of the house.
In the river that leads from the cursed forest, corpses often float down. Usually, they are headless and have their eyes gouged out. As someone who lives nearby, she has already seen this many times. She does not want to see it anymore.
"Hey."
The sturdy men turned at the sound of the woman's voice.
“Are you going into that forest?”
“I heard the last sighting was near this forest.”
One of them nodded in response. If the woman hadn't stopped him, he would have walked straight into the forest.
“That’s true, but do you really have to go in?”
“I have to find him...”
“Ricky would already be dead. That’s a forest connected to the cursed land, and it’s a place where corpses come out even if no one goes in.”
The woman frowned as if she really wanted to dissuade him.
“I only follow my master’s orders.”
The men who heard those words had slightly tense faces, but they didn't seem to be backing down from their decision. They were about to see another corpse. The woman shook her head and turned away from them.
"Let's go."
The knights bravely entered the forest entrance, turning their backs on the woman who had tried to dissuade them with good intentions. Perhaps because there were few people, the grass was growing tall and haphazardly from the entrance. However, there was also an advantage. It was easy to track where someone had pushed through the grass or stepped on it.
“I wish he had been found dead sooner.”
One of the knights muttered, "Then there would be no fuss about dragging him away, and no need to go deep into the forest." No one nodded, but a silent sympathy lingered among them.
“Can’t you hear a sound from over there?”
“I can hear the sound of water, so it looks like a river. It could be the path taken by a large animal.”
It was a time when they were walking without letting their guard down until they reached the middle of the forest. A path leading to the river appeared like a hole that had been opened. The knights walked anxiously, but remembering the task they had undertaken.
“...”
Even the scenery of the river felt gloomy and made his hair stand on end. The knight at the very front looked around and paused.
There were four corpses lined up, their bodies torn and torn apart by beasts.
***
Amelia's gaze moved out the terrace window. It was soon the time when the Duke of Russell had promised to come.
“Take Ian to Mrs. Howard.”
At Amelia's command, Louis obediently got up from her seat and held Ian in her arms. Although she spent much more time with Ian than with Ivan, her posture was more immature. It was only natural, since she had never had a child and had no interest in Ian.
“...”
As she continued to stand by the window and look outside, she saw the Duke of Russell striding towards the West Palace. Amelia took a deep breath for a moment, pretended to be calm, and sat down to wait for him to come to her.
“Your Ladyship, the Duke of Russell has here.”
“Tell him to come in.”
Soon, the Duke of Russell came in. He was as usual, but his face was all the more unpleasant.
“I meet the Priestess.”
“Could you please step aside for a moment and make some tea for me?”
The servants moved in unison as Amelia requested. Soon, only Amelia and the Duke of Russell remained.
“Are you getting interested now?”
Amelia spoke first. The Duke of Russell, who was holding his teacup, smiled.
“When did you have a secret love affair behind that wall?”
“...”
“If I had known you were keeping this secret, I would have been interested in you earlier.”
And he answered while sipping tea, even acting as if it was all Amelia's fault that his reaction was negative.
“He said that there would be no use in revealing it since there was no evidence.”
“That is true.”
The Duke of Russell readily agreed.
“Besides, that apprentice priest is dead, so there is no one we can use as a witness. Those we sent to find him all came back as corpses.”
There was nothing to pressure Ivan. There was nothing to present as evidence. There was no way to prove that Ian was Ivan's bloodline, unless it was magic.
Amelia could testify, but as long as Ivan denied it, it was just a one-sided claim. Besides, if her honor was tarnished, Amelia could no longer be used. Of course, she was someone who would have to be discarded someday, but not yet.
“Doesn’t the Emperor know that you have no divine powers?”
“If he knew, he would have already revealed it to the world.”
“That's right.”
The most important thing was that Ivan hadn't found out about it, so it was still worth using.
“But isn’t that Ricky guy important? Even if he were alive, he wouldn’t have enough evidence to be called as a witness.”
At Amelia's words, the Duke of Russell made a humming sound.
“As Aaron promised, please let Ian ascend to the throne as Crown Prince when he turns one year old.”
“Did Aaron dare make such a promise?”
The Duke of Russell frowned slightly. It was natural. He couldn't like the fact that the two people who should have been in his grasp were both moving about in whatever direction they wanted.
“Then I will kill the Emperor on that day, on that spot.”
But the very next moment, his face became as relaxed as usual. He only liked what Amelia had just said.
“The Emperor will certainly speak at the Council of Nobles about expanding the Imperial Knights. He is someone who has always sought to expand the Imperial influence.”
Amelia responded naturally. As if she had a special relationship with Ivan, and could listen to what he said. And use it to harm him.
“And that will prove to you that I really had a special relationship with the Emperor. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know.”
The Duke of Russell raised his eyebrows as if he was surprised that she knew that. It must have been because he thought that since she was acting like a crazy person in love, there was a possibility that she was lying.
“Accept his offer.”
The Duke of Russell had no answer to Amelia's words. It was a matter of strengthening Ivan's power. There was no way he would like it.
“And make sure that all the increased knights are composed of commoners.”
“...”
“Increasing the number of knights is for the peace and stability of the country anyway, so how great would it be if the benefit could reach the common people?”
Amelia straightened her back after saying that. Just like Ivan had taught her once, holding her waist and tracing her spine with his fingers. And as if to prove her confidence and truthfulness, she met his gaze clearly.
“Fill the Knights with your private soldiers. To aid my cause and your future.”
Amelia quietly raised the corners of her lips and smiled. It was completely different from her previous attitude of being overly desperate, fearful, or helpless. The Duke of Russell looked at Amelia with a look of surprise.
“I will kill the Emperor on the spot and reveal that Ian is the Emperor’s bloodline. Let the common knights protect me when the Emperor, who was hiding in the temple, claims that I was raped and that I was deaf to the voice of the gods.”
Wouldn't it be better if the person who claimed it was false were dead and couldn't open his mouth? Amelia's claim was absurd, but at the same time, it sounded attractive. At least to the Duke of Russell.
“Then Ian, who inherited the Emperor’s blood, will become the legitimate heir to the imperial family.”
“Are you planning to make your child the Emperor?”
“No. I know I’m not fit to rule the country.”
Amelia answered immediately. Ian was neither in a position nor old enough to rule the country, so she would have to act on his behalf, and she had no desire for the power of the Emperor.
“I am happy enough to get revenge on that man before he abandons me, and to help my child find the truth about his lineage.”
“...”
“I will hand over to you and leave. Just make sure Ian and I leave this country safely.”
The Duke of Russell smiled broadly at Amelia's suggestion. It seemed that he was quite pleased with the idea.
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