Episode 90. Time to Aim the Sharpened Sword
Laxus let out a laugh.
The imperial palace was vast and crowded, yet Laxus was alone within it.
A terrible loneliness consumed him.
Renisha wasn't the one Laxus chose.
Rather, Renisha chose Laxus, and her family created him.
On the other hand, what about Canary?
Laxus chose her and elevated her to that position.
Yet, both of them left, leaving Laxus behind.
In the end, no one remained by Laxus' side.
All that remained was the cold throne.
Laxus sat down on the ornate golden chair, his lips curled up in a crooked manner.
"Chief Chamberlain."
Do I really need to say this?
Laxus is the Emperor of this empire, no matter what anyone says.
That was a fact no one could deny.
Laxus brushed the corners of his mouth.
The sense of doubt stems from the disillusionment that this situation has been repeating itself, both in the past and now.
The former Emperor had also kept his sons in check.
He viewed them as rivals who could usurp his throne.
Throughout history, there have been many Princes who sought their father's throne.
Consequently, Princes inevitably clashed with the Emperor.
The former Emperor had also condoned what happened to Laxus.
Laxus's disappearance meant the disappearance of his rival.
Laxus smiled crookedly.
The chamberlain trotted in.
"Call the women."
"Huh?"
What kind of women are these now?
Duke Cloud was openly defending Canary.
This meant he had something to gain from her.
Shouldn't we discuss a solution to this situation right now?
If that doesn't work, then kneel before Renisha and beg.
It had been a foregone conclusion ever since the Prince was born and his rivalry with Canary began.
"Your Majesty, now... is the time..."
"Then what should I do?"
The chamberlain swallowed, wondering if he'd been meddlesome for nothing. All he needed to do was take the money.
"Should I go to Duke Cloud and kneel before him?"
Laxus grinned bitterly.
"No one welcomes me, so I'll have to find someone who will."
"Your Majesty..."
The chamberlain swallowed a sigh.
No matter how much he thought about it, his position seemed precarious.
"The imperial authority will plummet. Please, exercise restraint... I hear the envoys will be arriving tomorrow. They'll be celebrating the festival of the three Serpent gods and the birth of His Highness the Prince!"
To think he had to take care of Laxus in this hectic time?
The chamberlain bowed his head with all his heart.
Laxus pressed his forehead against his brow.
Now, even his servant was at his mercy.
"Chief Chamberlain."
Laxus slowly stood up,
dragging a sword the size of his forearm towards the chamberlain.
The chamberlain swallowed and took a step back.
Was I throwing my life away because I meddled? A small regret crossed his mind.
He should have been aware that Laxus was always out of his mind.
He earned it like a dog, and he really was going to throw it away like a dog.
Just as the chamberlain gritted his teeth and tried to close his eyes tightly,
“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”
Laxus let out a laugh.
The imperial palace was vast and crowded, yet Laxus was alone within it.
A terrible loneliness consumed him.
Renisha wasn't the one Laxus chose.
Rather, Renisha chose Laxus, and her family created him.
On the other hand, what about Canary?
Laxus chose her and elevated her to that position.
Yet, both of them left, leaving Laxus behind.
In the end, no one remained by Laxus' side.
All that remained was the cold throne.
Laxus sat down on the ornate golden chair, his lips curled up in a crooked manner.
"Chief Chamberlain."
Do I really need to say this?
Laxus is the Emperor of this empire, no matter what anyone says.
That was a fact no one could deny.
Laxus brushed the corners of his mouth.
The sense of doubt stems from the disillusionment that this situation has been repeating itself, both in the past and now.
The former Emperor had also kept his sons in check.
He viewed them as rivals who could usurp his throne.
Throughout history, there have been many Princes who sought their father's throne.
Consequently, Princes inevitably clashed with the Emperor.
The former Emperor had also condoned what happened to Laxus.
Laxus's disappearance meant the disappearance of his rival.
Laxus smiled crookedly.
The chamberlain trotted in.
"Call the women."
"Huh?"
What kind of women are these now?
Duke Cloud was openly defending Canary.
This meant he had something to gain from her.
Shouldn't we discuss a solution to this situation right now?
If that doesn't work, then kneel before Renisha and beg.
It had been a foregone conclusion ever since the Prince was born and his rivalry with Canary began.
"Your Majesty, now... is the time..."
"Then what should I do?"
The chamberlain swallowed, wondering if he'd been meddlesome for nothing. All he needed to do was take the money.
"Should I go to Duke Cloud and kneel before him?"
Laxus grinned bitterly.
"No one welcomes me, so I'll have to find someone who will."
"Your Majesty..."
The chamberlain swallowed a sigh.
No matter how much he thought about it, his position seemed precarious.
"The imperial authority will plummet. Please, exercise restraint... I hear the envoys will be arriving tomorrow. They'll be celebrating the festival of the three Serpent gods and the birth of His Highness the Prince!"
To think he had to take care of Laxus in this hectic time?
The chamberlain bowed his head with all his heart.
Laxus pressed his forehead against his brow.
Now, even his servant was at his mercy.
"Chief Chamberlain."
Laxus slowly stood up,
dragging a sword the size of his forearm towards the chamberlain.
The chamberlain swallowed and took a step back.
Was I throwing my life away because I meddled? A small regret crossed his mind.
He should have been aware that Laxus was always out of his mind.
He earned it like a dog, and he really was going to throw it away like a dog.
Just as the chamberlain gritted his teeth and tried to close his eyes tightly,
“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”
The chamberlain’s urgent voice pulled him back from the brink of death.
“What is it?”
Laxus turned his head and stared at the chamberlain.
“Lady Renisha has arrived!!”
The chamberlain’s gaze flicked to the chamberlain.
The agitated voice was laced with fear.
Laxus threw his sword in front of the trembling chamberlain.
He ran his hand through his hair and licked his lips.
“Let him in.”
The chamberlain, barely alive, crawled away.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor, Renisha meets the sun of the empire.”
“...Renisha.”
Laxus sank back onto the throne.
All the thoughts that had been stirring him subsided.
Laxus tilted his head lazily and stared at Renisha.
"So you've come this far?"
"I apologize for being rude because I have something to tell you. However, this is important, so please don't ignore me."
Laxus rested his temple on his hand.
Sitting hunched over, he stared at Renisha.
He held Renisha countless times in his mind.
The Renisha in his imagination was completely different from the real thing.
He imagined Renisha smiling sweetly and embracing him.
And Renisha is crawling at Laxus's feet.
Laxus's purple lips curved.
"Tell me, Renisha. What do you wish for?"
Renisha raised her head before his sinister gaze.
Laxus wouldn't let go of Duke Cloud's hand so easily. Isn't that why he's digging a tunnel instead of driving out Canary and Duke Cloud?
Then, shouldn't she break that rift?
Shouldn't she create an opportunity for Laxus to strike down both Cloud and Canary simultaneously?
"I've been harboring a question."
"What do you mean?"
"With all due respect, I've never been able to conceive during all the time I've served Your Majesty the Emperor."
Laxus slowly straightened.
The madness in his violet eyes quickly faded.
He had a rough idea of what Renisha was about to say.
“Canary is the Emperor’s woman. She would never dare act so carelessly. Besides, Marquis Danvers has been watching her the entire time. Are you saying he neglected her? Against my orders?”
“I don’t know.”
Renisha’s lips curled up.
The envoys would arrive tomorrow.
And the festival would begin the day after tomorrow.
Marquis Danvers had plenty of time to escape.
Laxus wouldn’t have acted in front of foreign envoys either. He could have slammed the Empire’s prestige into the ground and exposed their internal strife.
“But the important thing is that for so long, no one could have conceived. And it wasn’t just me. Other women couldn’t have children either. And Canary did. The timing was so perfect. It’s beyond doubt.”
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
Laxus asked coldly.
It felt like ice water had been poured into his brain.
Cold reason returned.
It was about revealing the truth that Laxus had long hidden.
Even Canary had betrayed him?
Even the woman he had chosen?
A deep murderous glint formed in Laxus's violet eyes.
"Let me ask you one more question, Your Majesty. Could Duke Cloud not have known about this situation?"
Renisha held out the hilt of her sword.
"Duke Cloud is a seasoned figure, having survived in politics for a long time. But he chose Canary. There must be a reason for that, right?"
Renisha planted a new seed of suspicion.
A feud had arisen between Laxus and Duke Cloud, so she needed to dig deeper.
So that the seeds of suspicion could be planted deep within.
Laxus's eyebrows rose.
"Could... Duke Cloud be behind this?"
“What is it?”
Laxus turned his head and stared at the chamberlain.
“Lady Renisha has arrived!!”
The chamberlain’s gaze flicked to the chamberlain.
The agitated voice was laced with fear.
Laxus threw his sword in front of the trembling chamberlain.
He ran his hand through his hair and licked his lips.
“Let him in.”
The chamberlain, barely alive, crawled away.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor, Renisha meets the sun of the empire.”
“...Renisha.”
Laxus sank back onto the throne.
All the thoughts that had been stirring him subsided.
Laxus tilted his head lazily and stared at Renisha.
"So you've come this far?"
"I apologize for being rude because I have something to tell you. However, this is important, so please don't ignore me."
Laxus rested his temple on his hand.
Sitting hunched over, he stared at Renisha.
He held Renisha countless times in his mind.
The Renisha in his imagination was completely different from the real thing.
He imagined Renisha smiling sweetly and embracing him.
And Renisha is crawling at Laxus's feet.
Laxus's purple lips curved.
"Tell me, Renisha. What do you wish for?"
Renisha raised her head before his sinister gaze.
Laxus wouldn't let go of Duke Cloud's hand so easily. Isn't that why he's digging a tunnel instead of driving out Canary and Duke Cloud?
Then, shouldn't she break that rift?
Shouldn't she create an opportunity for Laxus to strike down both Cloud and Canary simultaneously?
"I've been harboring a question."
"What do you mean?"
"With all due respect, I've never been able to conceive during all the time I've served Your Majesty the Emperor."
Laxus slowly straightened.
The madness in his violet eyes quickly faded.
He had a rough idea of what Renisha was about to say.
“Canary is the Emperor’s woman. She would never dare act so carelessly. Besides, Marquis Danvers has been watching her the entire time. Are you saying he neglected her? Against my orders?”
“I don’t know.”
Renisha’s lips curled up.
The envoys would arrive tomorrow.
And the festival would begin the day after tomorrow.
Marquis Danvers had plenty of time to escape.
Laxus wouldn’t have acted in front of foreign envoys either. He could have slammed the Empire’s prestige into the ground and exposed their internal strife.
“But the important thing is that for so long, no one could have conceived. And it wasn’t just me. Other women couldn’t have children either. And Canary did. The timing was so perfect. It’s beyond doubt.”
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
Laxus asked coldly.
It felt like ice water had been poured into his brain.
Cold reason returned.
It was about revealing the truth that Laxus had long hidden.
Even Canary had betrayed him?
Even the woman he had chosen?
A deep murderous glint formed in Laxus's violet eyes.
"Let me ask you one more question, Your Majesty. Could Duke Cloud not have known about this situation?"
Renisha held out the hilt of her sword.
"Duke Cloud is a seasoned figure, having survived in politics for a long time. But he chose Canary. There must be a reason for that, right?"
Renisha planted a new seed of suspicion.
A feud had arisen between Laxus and Duke Cloud, so she needed to dig deeper.
So that the seeds of suspicion could be planted deep within.
Laxus's eyebrows rose.
"Could... Duke Cloud be behind this?"
"If the Marquis of Danvers knew nothing, there must have been a reason. If a noble as seasoned as Duke Cloud was blindsided, then so be it."
"Can you take responsibility for these words?"
"I was only telling you what I knew."
Renisha smiled.
Before Gale could step forward, Renisha had laid the groundwork.
Laxus would swing his sharp sword, using Gale as a foundation.
Towards Duke Cloud and Canary.
"I cannot allow the blood of the royal family to be tarnished."
Renisha understood Laxus's anxiety to some extent.
He had feared that the previous Duke of Lottera would usurp Laxus's throne.
He was deeply obsessed with that position.
And now a Prince was born? It was only natural that his inferiority complex would surge.
"I think you need to be careful."
Renisha bowed deeply.
The Ebrina Hall, where the delegation was welcomed.
To celebrate the Three Serpent Gods Festival, Hientri opened this hall whenever the delegation came. They gathered all the nobles of Hientri and showed off their grandeur.
Duke Cloud always sat on Laxus's left.
But...
"You cannot enter."
"What? You're not ready yet? Why are you being so slow! The envoys will soon finish their audience and arrive at the banquet hall! You're making His Majesty wait!"
"That's not it..."
Just as the attendant was stamping his feet, Renisha appeared at just the right moment.
Renisha smiled softly.
“Duke Cloud.”
“Duchess. It’s been a while.”
Duke Cloud smiled crookedly.
He and Renisha were polar opposites.
The Lottera and Cloud families had been on bad terms for generations.
Moreover, Duke Cloud had been deeply involved in the destruction of Lottera.
Hadn’t he, along with Canary, instigated Laxus?
“Lottera is after the Emperor’s throne. The people trust Lottera more. The people hold Lottera in high esteem as a hero. What will happen if they point their swords at the imperial palace? Kill them. Abandon them and defend your position.”
Next to him, he whispered something like this in her ear.
“It’s been a long time, Duke.”
Renisha smiled.
So all Renisha had done was return the favor.
“Can’t I come in too?”
The servant shook his head.
The only ones who couldn’t enter were Duke Cloud, Canary, and her prince. An imperial decree was issued that even street urchins could be brought in, if not them.
The Emperor's orders were absolute.
"No, Lady Renisha. Please go in quickly."
Renisha turned her head and laughed again.
Duke Cloud gritted his teeth, dumbfounded.
"I'll go in first. The envoys are waiting."
Renisha leisurely disappeared through the narrow gap of the door.
Then the door closed, never to be opened again for Duke Cloud.
"What the heck! Don't you know who I am? I am Duke Cloud! Duke of this empire! You dare block my path! Do you know what that means? You must report this to His Majesty the Emperor immediately..."
"It's His Majesty's orders. He has instructed us not to invite His Excellency Duke Cloud inside. I am merely a servant and do not know His Majesty's intentions."
"I said open the door immediately!!!"
The music in the banquet hall began to play as Duke Cloud shouted, as if mocking him.
Duke Cloud ground his teeth.
No matter what he did, that heavy door wouldn't open.
So why waste time here?
If the Emperor had abandoned Duke Cloud, he too must prepare for it.
He must prepare to make that child Emperor.
Duke Cloud turned sharply.
What Duke Lottera could do, why couldn't he?
Laxus must understand the helplessness of being alone.
It would be nice for the Emperor to kneel before him.
Duke Cloud took a rough step forward.
"Can you take responsibility for these words?"
"I was only telling you what I knew."
Renisha smiled.
Before Gale could step forward, Renisha had laid the groundwork.
Laxus would swing his sharp sword, using Gale as a foundation.
Towards Duke Cloud and Canary.
"I cannot allow the blood of the royal family to be tarnished."
Renisha understood Laxus's anxiety to some extent.
He had feared that the previous Duke of Lottera would usurp Laxus's throne.
He was deeply obsessed with that position.
And now a Prince was born? It was only natural that his inferiority complex would surge.
"I think you need to be careful."
Renisha bowed deeply.
***
The Ebrina Hall, where the delegation was welcomed.
To celebrate the Three Serpent Gods Festival, Hientri opened this hall whenever the delegation came. They gathered all the nobles of Hientri and showed off their grandeur.
Duke Cloud always sat on Laxus's left.
But...
"You cannot enter."
"What? You're not ready yet? Why are you being so slow! The envoys will soon finish their audience and arrive at the banquet hall! You're making His Majesty wait!"
"That's not it..."
Just as the attendant was stamping his feet, Renisha appeared at just the right moment.
Renisha smiled softly.
“Duke Cloud.”
“Duchess. It’s been a while.”
Duke Cloud smiled crookedly.
He and Renisha were polar opposites.
The Lottera and Cloud families had been on bad terms for generations.
Moreover, Duke Cloud had been deeply involved in the destruction of Lottera.
Hadn’t he, along with Canary, instigated Laxus?
“Lottera is after the Emperor’s throne. The people trust Lottera more. The people hold Lottera in high esteem as a hero. What will happen if they point their swords at the imperial palace? Kill them. Abandon them and defend your position.”
Next to him, he whispered something like this in her ear.
“It’s been a long time, Duke.”
Renisha smiled.
So all Renisha had done was return the favor.
“Can’t I come in too?”
The servant shook his head.
The only ones who couldn’t enter were Duke Cloud, Canary, and her prince. An imperial decree was issued that even street urchins could be brought in, if not them.
The Emperor's orders were absolute.
"No, Lady Renisha. Please go in quickly."
Renisha turned her head and laughed again.
Duke Cloud gritted his teeth, dumbfounded.
"I'll go in first. The envoys are waiting."
Renisha leisurely disappeared through the narrow gap of the door.
Then the door closed, never to be opened again for Duke Cloud.
"What the heck! Don't you know who I am? I am Duke Cloud! Duke of this empire! You dare block my path! Do you know what that means? You must report this to His Majesty the Emperor immediately..."
"It's His Majesty's orders. He has instructed us not to invite His Excellency Duke Cloud inside. I am merely a servant and do not know His Majesty's intentions."
"I said open the door immediately!!!"
The music in the banquet hall began to play as Duke Cloud shouted, as if mocking him.
Duke Cloud ground his teeth.
No matter what he did, that heavy door wouldn't open.
So why waste time here?
If the Emperor had abandoned Duke Cloud, he too must prepare for it.
He must prepare to make that child Emperor.
Duke Cloud turned sharply.
What Duke Lottera could do, why couldn't he?
Laxus must understand the helplessness of being alone.
It would be nice for the Emperor to kneel before him.
Duke Cloud took a rough step forward.
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