Episode 138. Love or a Slow, Long Obsession
“Have you loved Her Majesty, Empress, until now...?”
Drake took a slow breath, gathering his strength.
“It must have been a slow, long obsession. Now, I’m so used to it that I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t love.”
Drake reached out and squeezed Locard’s hand. The grip was so strong that Locard felt overwhelmed, even for a dying man.
Drake nodded to the box by his bedside.
“I’ve procured some medicine. Take it to His Highness Orl. If you neglect it any longer, his life will truly be in danger.”
“His Highness Orl’s condition is due to his constitution, so there’s no medicine...'
“No...”
“...Marquis?”
Drake didn’t move. He shook his head and died.
Ryuel, watching from behind Locard, let out a sob, as if scratching his throat.
"You’re going to the end to care for the woman who abandoned me. My wise and foolish friend."
Locard packed the box in his bosom as he heard Ryuel shouting for him to go outside and prepare for the funeral.
He felt a slight chill as he watched the servants rush in and carry Drake's remains.
Ryuel had been right when he said Orl would win.
If Orl, with the Empress's strong support, had recovered as planned, Grayon would have no chance.
The Empress returned to the palace unnoticed, just as she had when she had left.
However, she was no longer the Leora Tagar of before. Her eyes had lost their light, and she seemed to have aged twenty years in the intervening years. Miriam, the maid who had never left the Empress's side, had not entered the palace, as the severe travel poisoning had aggravated the injuries she had received from Locard.
The Empress's maids whispered about what had happened to the Empress, but no one knew the truth.
The Empress did not even respond to Orl's call when he heard the news of her return. Finally, Viscount Rene arrived with Kalin Ancart.
“This is a golden opportunity, Your Majesty.”
Viscount Rene wanted the Empress to tell him in detail what had happened since the Smilean envoy left the palace. He wanted to use that story to frame Locard.
The Viscount explained diligently.
Locard should be charged with Smilean espionage for his smuggling, and sentenced to the maximum penalty. Then, there would be no need for further competition.
However, the Empress had only one question:
“How is Orl?”
“His condition has worsened and become more prolonged. It seems that he is deeply worried by Your Majesty’s absence.”
Rene emphasized, trying to get the Empress to open her mouth.
“If His Highness Orl’s condition persists like this, the House of Peers may raise concerns about His Highness’s eligibility as Crown Prince. Before that happens, you must...”
“You must go back now.”
The Empress cut Rene off.
Rene rolled his eyes, taken aback by the Empress’s completely different appearance.
Kalin seized the moment and stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, you don’t have to tell me. Just say that Prince Kydel attempted to kidnap Your Majesty to Smilean. He will most likely return to the southern port of Eron, where we will release someone to arrest him.”
Rene’s eyes widened as if to say, “How could that be possible!” The Empress, too, gazed blankly at Kalin. Rene asked Kalin,
“What reason do you give for the kidnapping? It defies common sense. Don’t underestimate Prince Kydel.”
“He will commit suicide during interrogation. What greater proof of guilt could there be?”
They were suggesting framing Locard Kydel and then killing him.
“Huh...”
Rene stared at Kalin with sparkling eyes, his gaze betraying the world’s greatest genius.
Kalin pretended to lower his gaze.
The Empress said,
“You go. Kalin, you stay.”
“...!”
The Empress's words sent a shiver down Kalin's spine. At that moment, Kalin had become the strategist who swayed the Crown Prince's position and now held exclusive access to the Empress.
On the one hand, it was a natural reward. The Empress had secretly traveled south with the help of Ankart's mercenaries. She was practically possessing the Empress's weakness.
As Kalin hid her joy, and Rene, who had lost his position to a young woman, left, concealing his decaying expression, the Empress said softly,
"Come closer, Kalin."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Kalin approached the Empress and bowed his head.
"What do you love, Kalin Ankart?"
Love? Kalin flinched at the unexpected question. But there was a clear hint. Perhaps it was an opportunity.
'Shall I tell His Highness that I love him?'
“Have you loved Her Majesty, Empress, until now...?”
Drake took a slow breath, gathering his strength.
“It must have been a slow, long obsession. Now, I’m so used to it that I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t love.”
Drake reached out and squeezed Locard’s hand. The grip was so strong that Locard felt overwhelmed, even for a dying man.
Drake nodded to the box by his bedside.
“I’ve procured some medicine. Take it to His Highness Orl. If you neglect it any longer, his life will truly be in danger.”
“His Highness Orl’s condition is due to his constitution, so there’s no medicine...'
“No...”
“...Marquis?”
Drake didn’t move. He shook his head and died.
Ryuel, watching from behind Locard, let out a sob, as if scratching his throat.
"You’re going to the end to care for the woman who abandoned me. My wise and foolish friend."
Locard packed the box in his bosom as he heard Ryuel shouting for him to go outside and prepare for the funeral.
He felt a slight chill as he watched the servants rush in and carry Drake's remains.
Ryuel had been right when he said Orl would win.
If Orl, with the Empress's strong support, had recovered as planned, Grayon would have no chance.
***
The Empress returned to the palace unnoticed, just as she had when she had left.
However, she was no longer the Leora Tagar of before. Her eyes had lost their light, and she seemed to have aged twenty years in the intervening years. Miriam, the maid who had never left the Empress's side, had not entered the palace, as the severe travel poisoning had aggravated the injuries she had received from Locard.
The Empress's maids whispered about what had happened to the Empress, but no one knew the truth.
The Empress did not even respond to Orl's call when he heard the news of her return. Finally, Viscount Rene arrived with Kalin Ancart.
“This is a golden opportunity, Your Majesty.”
Viscount Rene wanted the Empress to tell him in detail what had happened since the Smilean envoy left the palace. He wanted to use that story to frame Locard.
The Viscount explained diligently.
Locard should be charged with Smilean espionage for his smuggling, and sentenced to the maximum penalty. Then, there would be no need for further competition.
However, the Empress had only one question:
“How is Orl?”
“His condition has worsened and become more prolonged. It seems that he is deeply worried by Your Majesty’s absence.”
Rene emphasized, trying to get the Empress to open her mouth.
“If His Highness Orl’s condition persists like this, the House of Peers may raise concerns about His Highness’s eligibility as Crown Prince. Before that happens, you must...”
“You must go back now.”
The Empress cut Rene off.
Rene rolled his eyes, taken aback by the Empress’s completely different appearance.
Kalin seized the moment and stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, you don’t have to tell me. Just say that Prince Kydel attempted to kidnap Your Majesty to Smilean. He will most likely return to the southern port of Eron, where we will release someone to arrest him.”
Rene’s eyes widened as if to say, “How could that be possible!” The Empress, too, gazed blankly at Kalin. Rene asked Kalin,
“What reason do you give for the kidnapping? It defies common sense. Don’t underestimate Prince Kydel.”
“He will commit suicide during interrogation. What greater proof of guilt could there be?”
They were suggesting framing Locard Kydel and then killing him.
“Huh...”
Rene stared at Kalin with sparkling eyes, his gaze betraying the world’s greatest genius.
Kalin pretended to lower his gaze.
The Empress said,
“You go. Kalin, you stay.”
“...!”
The Empress's words sent a shiver down Kalin's spine. At that moment, Kalin had become the strategist who swayed the Crown Prince's position and now held exclusive access to the Empress.
On the one hand, it was a natural reward. The Empress had secretly traveled south with the help of Ankart's mercenaries. She was practically possessing the Empress's weakness.
As Kalin hid her joy, and Rene, who had lost his position to a young woman, left, concealing his decaying expression, the Empress said softly,
"Come closer, Kalin."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Kalin approached the Empress and bowed his head.
"What do you love, Kalin Ankart?"
Love? Kalin flinched at the unexpected question. But there was a clear hint. Perhaps it was an opportunity.
'Shall I tell His Highness that I love him?'
'Shall I tell you now that I will succeed you as Empress in the future?'
“Ugh...! Ugh!”
All of Kalin’s thoughts stopped as her vision darkened.
The Empress thrust the dagger she had inserted under Kalin’s ribs once more with force.
As blood flowed from Kalin’s open mouth, the Empress shoved her body away in shock.
Kalin’s thin body made only a thud as it hit the floor.
“Why...?”
The Empress suddenly came to her senses at the sound of the voice leaking out of Kalin’s throat along with the blood.
The Empress answered with trembling hands.
“It’s because of you. You...! Prince Locard is coming back with medicine for my son, and I cannot let you get in the way, Kalin.”
A strange wrinkle formed on Kalin’s forehead. She could not understand why she was lying on this cold marble floor, nor the meaning of the dagger stuck in her side.
She was so intelligent that she had no trouble reading and memorizing anything until now, but at this moment, she couldn't understand anything.
"Medicine...?"
"Yes. The only love of my life has procured medicine for my only child. He's that kind of person... He would never betray me."
***
The Empress had a private meeting with Kalin, and Viscount Rene, kicked out of the room, felt a pang of pain in his bones. He was furious, but perhaps it was inevitable that the fearless woman would threaten his position.
How could he win if she thrust her body at the Prince? A dozen years of loyalty felt truly futile.
However, his thoughts were broken by a maid running in, panting.
"Viscount, Her Majesty the Empress has summoned you urgently."
"You will lead the way."
Viscount Rene was delighted that the Empress had summoned him so quickly.
Kalin's plan was nothing short of a coup, but if he had presented it well, he could have achieved complete victory. Rene couldn't let that achievement be taken away by a young woman. He had to take the lead.
As soon as Rene reached the Empress's chambers, the maid immediately opened the door.
"Huh...!"
Rene, who had entered the room, stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth agape.
Kalin lay in a pool of blood. That was where the Empress had once pressed her forehead against Miliora's.
The Empress whispered, utterly weary,
"Victor Rene, please remove that."
***
"Prince Kydel has taken a ship to Smilean."
Even as I reported to His Highness Grayon, I couldn't believe what I was saying.
More than surprise or bewilderment, I felt a surge of betrayal.
'How could you disappear like this after treating me so well!'
'You're my husband! Even if it's fake, how could a man with a family do something like this!'
But no matter how angry I was, my true feelings quickly surfaced.
I was scared to death, wondering if he had been kidnapped, if he would ever return safely.
A lump welled up in my throat, and I thought crying would relieve my pain, but His Highness Grayon was glaring at me, so I couldn't.
'No, Lorisha. The Prince asked me to look after His Highness Grayon.'
Right now, I was Prince Kydel's representative, the one who had to protect His Highness Grayon. I wasn't supposed to cry.
"It's a rumor spreading from the upper echelons, so Your Highness must already know. They'll use this as an excuse to attack the Prince, Your Highness Grayon."
"Damn it. Isn't it enough to charge him with treason!"
I gritted my teeth.
Even if I were Viscount Rene, I'd do the same. First, charge him with treason, arrest him, and then come up with a reason or something.
But as long as I was alive, I couldn't stand by and watch.
'Damn it, that man is my husband!'
"Your Highness, I'll be away for a while."
"Where are you going?"
His Highness Grayon's eyes widened, but he was no longer afraid.
"I must go to Smilean."
"Are you crazy? You'll make me say this, Lady Kydel? You must protect me. Where are you going?"
"If they accuse Prince Kydel of treason, only the Prince of Smilean can clear him. I must go and get him."
"Ha! Locard is the one who stole his bride, haven't you forgotten?"
I was perplexed, but there was no other way.
"I guess I could try to seduce him."
"Oh, really?"
His Highness Grayon quipped, but I answered firmly.
"Yes, Your Highness. He was interested in me."
"Ha..."
His Highness Grayon muttered something through my teeth, and it sounded exactly like this.
'Even men are secretly swayed. Damn it.'
How could he say something like that in this situation? I must have misheard.
I couldn't help but confess, seeing His Highness Grayon staring at me like I was some kind of animal.
"T-That... That Ryuel's name is Peylan, Ryu Eld Smailan. Ryu El."
"He was a Prince!"
"And he offered me a trip to Smilean. They don't look down on illegitimate children in Smilean."
I couldn't help but confess, seeing His Highness Grayon staring at me like I was some kind of animal.
"T-That... That Ryuel's name is Peylan, Ryu Eld Smailan. Ryu El."
"He was a Prince!"
"And he offered me a trip to Smilean. They don't look down on illegitimate children in Smilean."
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