Episode 106. The Last of Someone So Dirty
Laxus sent out a secret letter announcing the selection of a concubine.
It stirred the hearts of the people.
The Prince of Canary was already practically deposed.
The Emperor acknowledged the child's bloodline and added him to the imperial register, but the child's label would remain with him for life.
And would the nobles, the people of the Empire, and even the temple itself stand by and watch him ascend to the throne? They would swarm like dogs, tearing him to pieces.
Ultimately, a new successor was needed. What if my daughter, my niece, my granddaughter gave birth to the Emperor's heir?
This greed shook the hearts of those who held Renisha's hand.
Of course, this presupposed that Laxus's reign would continue and a successor would be successfully handed over.
A second letter arrived for those who had hesitated.
This time, it was an invitation from Renisha.
Most of those who had received the invitation gathered in the basement.
The basement, a vast hall, was brightly lit.
No different from the ground.
“...Why do you think Lady Renisha has gathered us here today?”
“Of course.”
Marquis Danvers grinned.
“Isn’t it because there are people with vain thoughts?”
Marquis Danvers added sharply.
“There are always people who create problems when we can just trust and follow.”
“Ahem. What are you saying that makes you so upset, Marquis?”
Everyone blushed and turned their heads.
Marquis Danvers chuckled. They say your heart changes when you enter and leave the bathroom. Wasn’t that exactly the case right now?
Their loyalty, swaying like reeds, was pitiful.
Marquis Danvers crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
Those who had been trying to guess what was going on sighed in regret.
The fortress itself was like a sheet of thin ice.
Not only were Canary’s actions a problem, but the knights’ movements were also unusual.
The lords of the borderlands were also in turmoil.
Will they succeed in reform and become meritorious subjects, or fail and become traitors?
Or stay here and die a miserable death, or neither...
Because of that, they were living each day anxiously.
Marquis Danvers fiddled with the token in his hand.
One of the people who had shared the token that Renisha had given him had passed away.
It was truly a pity.
If Marquis Danvers was this lonely, how lonely must Renisha be?
Just as the whispering grew louder, it creaked.
The basement door opened.
Kassius and the two hooded figures entered.
The woman standing right behind Kassius, wearing a hood, revealed herself.
“...Who is it? I’ve never seen her before.”
The man who blurted out the words unconsciously covered his mouth, his own voice echoing in the silence.
Kassius spoke.
“She’s from the palace. She’s the one who serves Renisha.”
Luna glared at Cassius in displeasure, but there was nothing she could do.
Luna's shoulders slumped.
"And this way."
At Kassius's gesture, the others removed their hoods.
"The Emperor's personal doctor...!"
"Not Viscount Camel!"
It was common knowledge that the Emperor's personal doctor was practically confined to the palace.
Viscount Camel had never seen anything outside the palace since being entrusted with the Emperor's health.
Laxus was a suspicious man, and he didn't trust his own physician.
So, it was an inevitable decision.
Viscount Camel, who had been like that, appeared.
Everyone present was shocked.
"H-How do we interpret this..."
"Was there a serious problem with the Emperor's health?"
"Was that rumor true?"
Questions poured in.
Viscount Camel pushed his glasses up.
A stiff smile spread across his wrinkled face.
"I don't know what you were talking about, but I have come here at the summons of Lady Renisha. I have one thing to tell you."
Viscount Camel sighed.
“His Majesty the Emperor has become infertile due to snake venom.”
“Huh!!”
“What the...!”
“It’s been a long time, and even His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t know about it.”
The nobles licked their lips.
Their saliva dried, and their hearts pounded.
The Emperor, unable to conceive.
It was a statement that could turn the world upside down.
“How can we believe that? You’ve kept it a secret until now, and now...!”
“Because Lady Renisha didn’t want me to reveal it,”
Viscount Carmel said in a cold voice.
“I simply did what I had to do as her person.”
Viscount Carmel pulled the token he had been carefully guarding from his pocket.
“Someone will recognize this.”
Viscount Carmel’s eyes turned to the Marquis of Danvers.
The Marquis of Danvers abruptly stood up.
It was Renisha’s token. The Marquis of Danvers looked back and forth between the token and Viscount Carmel.
“...You can trust what he says. If you trust Lady Renisha.”
As if by magic, the noisy crowd fell silent.
“The Emperor is incapable of bearing children. Therefore, the Prince born now is not the Emperor’s child. And there will be no more children born in the future.”
The nobles swallowed.
Renisha hammered a nail into their hesitation.
She had clearly shown them that following Laxus meant no future.
“...I heard that Count Plans’ daughter has decided to join the harem this time...”
Someone sighed.
“There’s no reason for Lady Renisha to carry those greedy bastards.”
Danvers’s lips curled crookedly.
“I would like to receive an oath from you here on Renisha’s behalf.”
Kassius put down the parchment he was holding.
He rolled it across the table, and it unfolded to the other end.
“Write your names and stamp your seals.”
Once they wrote their names and stamped their seals, there would be no more hesitation. They would be on the same boat.
Kassius scoffed at those who hesitated to pick up their pens.
"You seem to be making a grave mistake. You're not the only ones who can let go of Renisha's hand. We can let go of yours, too. Those who don't sign today will be considered to have let go of ours. We will no longer be with you."
The scabbard hanging from Kassius's waist flashed inexplicably.
It looked menacing, as if it were about to decapitate those seated here.
Kassius simply crossed his arms and remained in his place.
Those who had been stroking the cool napes of their necks lazily pulled out their pens.
It seemed they were trying to stall for time.
'I can see your cleverness even now.'
It would be nice to abandon them all, but that wouldn't stabilize the empire.
Their presence was a necessary evil.
There were three concubines in the harem.
Young ladies from families personally selected by Laxus.
Two of them were Renisha's, and the other was the daughter of the border lord.
Today, in particular, was the day of his union with Leline, the daughter of the border lord.
Laxus moistened his mouth with the sweet honey-laced water.
It was so sweet it made his head ache. Laxus stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.
Leline, who had been shyly bowing her head, lifted it.
Her beautiful skin, untouched by the harsh sandstorm, was dotted with freckles.
She had dark green eyes and brown hair.
“Leline.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“What do you want to do in this castle?”
Laxus asked softly.
Leline rolled her eyes.
She had been warned repeatedly that Laxus was dangerous.
But the Laxus she now faced was a handsome and well-built man.
And he was the Emperor, so everything was perfect.
Leline blushed.
“I... want to assist Your Majesty the Emperor, and strengthen the imperial family.”
“And have children?”
“Yes, and have children.”
Laxus snickered.
She was the woman he had brought in for that purpose.
And this woman’s father had sworn allegiance to Laxus for that very reason.
Even knowing all this, why was he so resentful?
This woman didn't resemble Renisha in the slightest.
There wasn't even a hint of a hair on her cheek that connected her to Renisha.
Laxus smiled beautifully.
"Turn your back."
“Huh?”
“Don’t show your face. Don’t you understand?”
Leline, pale, slowly turned around.
Laxus grabbed Leline’s arm.
Canary curled up on the bed, hugging the child.
Except when Laxus came by, Canary always hugged the child.
The child will protect Canary.
This child is Canary’s only light!
Canary, who trusted and fooled around with Laxus, was gone.
Her heart pounded.
She started at the slightest noise and became extremely sensitive to the sound of doors closing and opening.
Canary had pushed Renisha away and become Empress, just as she had wished.
But her situation now was worse than before.
Renisha still resided in the imperial palace like a noble Empress, and Canary had become like an insignificant insect.
“Why me... why me...?”
Canary buried her face in the child’s arms.
The sleeping baby opened its innocent eyes.
This newborn probably didn't know anything.
Canary stroked the baby's cheek.
"Please save me, Prince... I'm scared and terrified... Please save this mother,"
Canary muttered.
"Bbaa!!"
The young, ignorant baby waved its hand.
Seeing this, tears welled up in her eyes again.
"What should I do..."
Canary trembled. A chill seeped into her once again.
"What should I do, baby..."
Her heart pounded.
Squeak.
Canary jerked its head at the sound of the window opening.
Only the curtains blew in the empty space.
Canary pressed closer to the wall, crouching like a wary wild animal, her mouth tightly shut.
It was then that Canary glared into the darkness.
"...Did you know you were going to die?"
"W-Who are you!!"
Laxus sent out a secret letter announcing the selection of a concubine.
It stirred the hearts of the people.
The Prince of Canary was already practically deposed.
The Emperor acknowledged the child's bloodline and added him to the imperial register, but the child's label would remain with him for life.
And would the nobles, the people of the Empire, and even the temple itself stand by and watch him ascend to the throne? They would swarm like dogs, tearing him to pieces.
Ultimately, a new successor was needed. What if my daughter, my niece, my granddaughter gave birth to the Emperor's heir?
This greed shook the hearts of those who held Renisha's hand.
Of course, this presupposed that Laxus's reign would continue and a successor would be successfully handed over.
A second letter arrived for those who had hesitated.
This time, it was an invitation from Renisha.
Most of those who had received the invitation gathered in the basement.
The basement, a vast hall, was brightly lit.
No different from the ground.
“...Why do you think Lady Renisha has gathered us here today?”
“Of course.”
Marquis Danvers grinned.
“Isn’t it because there are people with vain thoughts?”
Marquis Danvers added sharply.
“There are always people who create problems when we can just trust and follow.”
“Ahem. What are you saying that makes you so upset, Marquis?”
Everyone blushed and turned their heads.
Marquis Danvers chuckled. They say your heart changes when you enter and leave the bathroom. Wasn’t that exactly the case right now?
Their loyalty, swaying like reeds, was pitiful.
Marquis Danvers crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
Those who had been trying to guess what was going on sighed in regret.
The fortress itself was like a sheet of thin ice.
Not only were Canary’s actions a problem, but the knights’ movements were also unusual.
The lords of the borderlands were also in turmoil.
Will they succeed in reform and become meritorious subjects, or fail and become traitors?
Or stay here and die a miserable death, or neither...
Because of that, they were living each day anxiously.
Marquis Danvers fiddled with the token in his hand.
One of the people who had shared the token that Renisha had given him had passed away.
It was truly a pity.
If Marquis Danvers was this lonely, how lonely must Renisha be?
Just as the whispering grew louder, it creaked.
The basement door opened.
Kassius and the two hooded figures entered.
The woman standing right behind Kassius, wearing a hood, revealed herself.
“...Who is it? I’ve never seen her before.”
The man who blurted out the words unconsciously covered his mouth, his own voice echoing in the silence.
Kassius spoke.
“She’s from the palace. She’s the one who serves Renisha.”
Luna glared at Cassius in displeasure, but there was nothing she could do.
Luna's shoulders slumped.
"And this way."
At Kassius's gesture, the others removed their hoods.
"The Emperor's personal doctor...!"
"Not Viscount Camel!"
It was common knowledge that the Emperor's personal doctor was practically confined to the palace.
Viscount Camel had never seen anything outside the palace since being entrusted with the Emperor's health.
Laxus was a suspicious man, and he didn't trust his own physician.
So, it was an inevitable decision.
Viscount Camel, who had been like that, appeared.
Everyone present was shocked.
"H-How do we interpret this..."
"Was there a serious problem with the Emperor's health?"
"Was that rumor true?"
Questions poured in.
Viscount Camel pushed his glasses up.
A stiff smile spread across his wrinkled face.
"I don't know what you were talking about, but I have come here at the summons of Lady Renisha. I have one thing to tell you."
Viscount Camel sighed.
“His Majesty the Emperor has become infertile due to snake venom.”
“Huh!!”
“What the...!”
“It’s been a long time, and even His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t know about it.”
The nobles licked their lips.
Their saliva dried, and their hearts pounded.
The Emperor, unable to conceive.
It was a statement that could turn the world upside down.
“How can we believe that? You’ve kept it a secret until now, and now...!”
“Because Lady Renisha didn’t want me to reveal it,”
Viscount Carmel said in a cold voice.
“I simply did what I had to do as her person.”
Viscount Carmel pulled the token he had been carefully guarding from his pocket.
“Someone will recognize this.”
Viscount Carmel’s eyes turned to the Marquis of Danvers.
The Marquis of Danvers abruptly stood up.
It was Renisha’s token. The Marquis of Danvers looked back and forth between the token and Viscount Carmel.
“...You can trust what he says. If you trust Lady Renisha.”
As if by magic, the noisy crowd fell silent.
“The Emperor is incapable of bearing children. Therefore, the Prince born now is not the Emperor’s child. And there will be no more children born in the future.”
The nobles swallowed.
Renisha hammered a nail into their hesitation.
She had clearly shown them that following Laxus meant no future.
“...I heard that Count Plans’ daughter has decided to join the harem this time...”
Someone sighed.
“There’s no reason for Lady Renisha to carry those greedy bastards.”
Danvers’s lips curled crookedly.
“I would like to receive an oath from you here on Renisha’s behalf.”
Kassius put down the parchment he was holding.
He rolled it across the table, and it unfolded to the other end.
“Write your names and stamp your seals.”
Once they wrote their names and stamped their seals, there would be no more hesitation. They would be on the same boat.
Kassius scoffed at those who hesitated to pick up their pens.
"You seem to be making a grave mistake. You're not the only ones who can let go of Renisha's hand. We can let go of yours, too. Those who don't sign today will be considered to have let go of ours. We will no longer be with you."
The scabbard hanging from Kassius's waist flashed inexplicably.
It looked menacing, as if it were about to decapitate those seated here.
Kassius simply crossed his arms and remained in his place.
Those who had been stroking the cool napes of their necks lazily pulled out their pens.
It seemed they were trying to stall for time.
'I can see your cleverness even now.'
It would be nice to abandon them all, but that wouldn't stabilize the empire.
Their presence was a necessary evil.
***
There were three concubines in the harem.
Young ladies from families personally selected by Laxus.
Two of them were Renisha's, and the other was the daughter of the border lord.
Today, in particular, was the day of his union with Leline, the daughter of the border lord.
Laxus moistened his mouth with the sweet honey-laced water.
It was so sweet it made his head ache. Laxus stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.
Leline, who had been shyly bowing her head, lifted it.
Her beautiful skin, untouched by the harsh sandstorm, was dotted with freckles.
She had dark green eyes and brown hair.
“Leline.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“What do you want to do in this castle?”
Laxus asked softly.
Leline rolled her eyes.
She had been warned repeatedly that Laxus was dangerous.
But the Laxus she now faced was a handsome and well-built man.
And he was the Emperor, so everything was perfect.
Leline blushed.
“I... want to assist Your Majesty the Emperor, and strengthen the imperial family.”
“And have children?”
“Yes, and have children.”
Laxus snickered.
She was the woman he had brought in for that purpose.
And this woman’s father had sworn allegiance to Laxus for that very reason.
Even knowing all this, why was he so resentful?
This woman didn't resemble Renisha in the slightest.
There wasn't even a hint of a hair on her cheek that connected her to Renisha.
Laxus smiled beautifully.
"Turn your back."
“Huh?”
“Don’t show your face. Don’t you understand?”
Leline, pale, slowly turned around.
Laxus grabbed Leline’s arm.
***
Canary curled up on the bed, hugging the child.
Except when Laxus came by, Canary always hugged the child.
The child will protect Canary.
This child is Canary’s only light!
Canary, who trusted and fooled around with Laxus, was gone.
Her heart pounded.
She started at the slightest noise and became extremely sensitive to the sound of doors closing and opening.
Canary had pushed Renisha away and become Empress, just as she had wished.
But her situation now was worse than before.
Renisha still resided in the imperial palace like a noble Empress, and Canary had become like an insignificant insect.
“Why me... why me...?”
Canary buried her face in the child’s arms.
The sleeping baby opened its innocent eyes.
This newborn probably didn't know anything.
Canary stroked the baby's cheek.
"Please save me, Prince... I'm scared and terrified... Please save this mother,"
Canary muttered.
"Bbaa!!"
The young, ignorant baby waved its hand.
Seeing this, tears welled up in her eyes again.
"What should I do..."
Canary trembled. A chill seeped into her once again.
"What should I do, baby..."
Her heart pounded.
Squeak.
Canary jerked its head at the sound of the window opening.
Only the curtains blew in the empty space.
Canary pressed closer to the wall, crouching like a wary wild animal, her mouth tightly shut.
It was then that Canary glared into the darkness.
"...Did you know you were going to die?"
"W-Who are you!!"
Canary screamed.
Before she knew it, she was in front of her.
The moonlight revealed her true identity.
“You look like a wretched rat,”
Muttered Luna, the uninvited guest.
Luna’s gaze caught sight of the trembling Canary, clutching her child.
“You came to kill me! If you’re going to kill me, you’ll have to kill the child too! This baby is protecting me!!”
Canary cried, clutching the baby like a lifeline.
The baby’s cries erupted loudly.
The arm Canary was holding seemed to be in pain.
Luna clicked her tongue at the sight.
“It’s miserable to the end.”
Couldn’t she escape a newborn like that?
Luna reached out.
She hugged Canary tightly and thrust her dagger in.
“Ugh!”
Luna covered Canary’s mouth and slowly twisted the dagger.
Before she knew it, she was in front of her.
The moonlight revealed her true identity.
“You look like a wretched rat,”
Muttered Luna, the uninvited guest.
Luna’s gaze caught sight of the trembling Canary, clutching her child.
“You came to kill me! If you’re going to kill me, you’ll have to kill the child too! This baby is protecting me!!”
Canary cried, clutching the baby like a lifeline.
The baby’s cries erupted loudly.
The arm Canary was holding seemed to be in pain.
Luna clicked her tongue at the sight.
“It’s miserable to the end.”
Couldn’t she escape a newborn like that?
Luna reached out.
She hugged Canary tightly and thrust her dagger in.
“Ugh!”
Luna covered Canary’s mouth and slowly twisted the dagger.
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