Caesar, accompanied by two knights, headed to the dungeon located on the third basement level.
It was a place where very evil prisoners were imprisoned, and there were several doors to open to get in.
Snap, snap, snap.
He tried to slow his steps as much as possible, but he couldn't help but break the silence that had settled in the hallway.
Cutting through the cold air, Caesar arrived at the innermost part of the dungeon.
The knight opened the iron gate with the key he was holding, and the Crown Prince gestured to enter alone. The knights stepped aside, and he entered, closing the door behind him.
A man with blue hair was sitting on the floor, behind an iron fence made of adamantine.
On the table in the solitary cell was a sword proving that he was the Duke of Beluga.
“Commander of the Knights.”
Caesar called out to the man, who must have already known he was there, but stubbornly kept his eyes closed and head down.
"...Your Highness."
Dietrich answered in a hoarse voice.
"Ha..."
Caesar pretended to feel sorry and washed his face dry. Dietrich, seeing the Crown Prince like that, raised his head for a moment and then lowered it deeply.
“Did you know that Father is sick in bed?”
The Emperor, at Caesar's request, feigned illness and confined himself to his bedchamber. He secretly rejoiced at having more time to spend with the Empress.
“Even if I had ten mouths, I would have nothing to say.”
Dietrich seemed genuinely remorseful.
The fact that he was so captivated by Titiana that he responded to the Emperor's call shows how great his loyalty was.
'But that's all there is to it.'
Caesar assessed the situation calmly.
Even if the Knight Commander killed the Magic Tower Master, there was not even a shred of intention to let him live.
"Do you know how much damage the Magic Tower caused? Do you know how many people died because of it?"
“It’s... it’s all my fault...”
Dietrich finally got his head in his mouth.
"The royal family trusted Beluga. For generations, they treated Beluga with the utmost respect, demonstrating our faith. But was it not enough?"
“No, Your Highness. Absolutely not!”
“But why did you do that? Why on earth did you do that!”
As the Crown Prince shouted in anger, Dietrich banged his head on the stone floor.
“If the Knight Commander truly cared about His Majesty and the country, you should have killed the Magic Tower Lord!”
Caesar deliberately omitted Titian's presence, fearing it might provoke his opponent.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. It’s all my fault.”
Caesar, who was looking at Dietrich with tears streaming down his face, took out a dagger from his bosom and threw it into the prison cell.
“It is the only way for the Knight Commander to atone.”
Dietrich, who was crying with blood streaming from his forehead, turned his gaze towards the sound of the crash.
It was an expected result.
Even if Dietrich were to be spared, his options were limited.
He could neither return to Titiana and continue to be disloyal to the Emperor, nor could he betray the Emperor and follow Titiana's orders.
Dietrich rose from his seat and bowed deeply to the Crown Prince.
“Thank you for your mercy.”
He could have been publicly executed, but Dietrich was treated with leniency, which allowed him to preserve Beluga's honor.
“...It was His Majesty’s will. He was also heartbroken by the ‘fall’ of Beluga, who had been loyal to the imperial family.”
Caesar deliberately emphasized certain words, and as expected, Dietrich flinched.
“I don’t want to show my ugly side to His Majesty.”
“Yes.”
Caesar hesitated for a moment, then lightly placed his hand on Dietrich's broad shoulder.
“Dietrich.”
Looking into his shaking blue eyes, he whispered in an even more subdued voice.
“Farewell, my dear friend.”
Leaving behind the Commander of the Knights, who was once again bursting into tears, Caesar left the cell. He closed the iron door, counted to one hundred, and went back inside. By the time he finally arrived, everything was over.
Things went surprisingly smoothly.
When Caesar came back out, a man with red hair was waiting for him.
“Are you finished?”
“Yes, neatly.”
Caesar showed the holy relic he was holding in his hand.
“May I receive it, Your Highness?”
“Of course.”
Shish took up the sword with both hands.
“I brought you here in case you need additional manpower.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“Then I have something to check, so I’ll leave first.”
After giving a light bow, Shish left the dungeon, and Caesar, who remained behind, gave orders.
“Clean up the prison.”
One of the knights brought by Shish was holding a large sack in his hand.
The Crown Prince even saw the knights leave the dungeon carrying heavy sacks.
As of today, the Knight Commander is no longer a person.
“Now there are only two left.”
As he headed to the Crown Prince's palace, he became curious about who would be next.
Is it the magic tower that has become the prime minister's target, or is it the prime minister who is shocked?
Caesar pressed his lips together as if he were trying to draw a curve.
“Your Highness, are you here?”
Upon arriving at the Crown Prince's palace, he was greeted by the chief chamberlain, who was temporarily assigned to serve the Crown Prince, who was performing duties on behalf of the Emperor.
“You don’t look well. What’s wrong?”
“His Majesty has ordered that His Excellency the Knight Commander be kept alive.”
"This."
Caesar, with a look of genuine regret, deliberately hesitated. He moved his lips a few times, then pretended to speak with difficulty, trailing off.
“He... already...”
"Ah."
The usually expressionless face of the chamberlain clouded over, as if he had been greatly shocked.
“Understood. I will convey this to His Majesty.”
“Yes. Please, Father.”
Caesar sighed.
“...Yes, please convey it.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The servant, who had been so close to the royal family for generations, must have felt a great sense of loss at the Crown Prince. He left the Crown Prince's palace with a heavy heart, as if he had guessed.
Left alone in the room, the Crown Prince covered his mouth with his hand. His lips felt as if they were being torn all the way to his ears.
“Next, I want you to kill the Tower Master and take the prime minister with you.”
He thought of the prime minister who seemed to be very tired these days.
That day, the day he asked Retri if he liked the prime minister.
Caesar saw red hair disappearing behind the green leaves. Retri had turned her back, so she couldn't see it.
The prime minister paused for a moment, and it was clear that he had only heard the part about “I like you” among the stories told by his cute and lovable junior.
“He thought she confessed to me...”
It seemed as if his clever mind had hardened, and he could not bring himself to check the truth of those words. Caesar went to the Rose Palace as if nothing had happened and did his work.
Naturally, he had no intention of telling this fact to his junior.
Also to the Prime Minister.
Rather, if he could take advantage of this, he would do his best.
So when the Prime Minister came to him and told him 'that story', Caesar neither told him the truth nor tried to stop him.
“Hello, Lady Hatley.”
“Yes, hello.”
I had to sit in the reception room and laugh out loud when I received an unexpected guest.
The guest was none other than the youngest Princess, Freesia Crassilia.
“I came to see you because I don’t think we’ve had a proper conversation since the opening ceremony of the National Foundation Day.”
“It is an honor to have you come, Your Highness.”
What's the glory? I just hate having to wear such a ridiculous formality and smile uncomfortably.
Actually, I was walking in the garden and saw a Princess with gorgeous silver hair, and I wanted to run away.
But that wasn't possible because my senior had filled the Rose Palace with nothing but dazzling dresses. It was difficult to even walk, let alone run.
It seems like Lily has thrown away all the comfortable clothes that Shish gave me.
It seems like my stay as a senior's guest has been filled with nothing but hardships.
I didn't see as much of Shish as I expected.
“It’s so nice to be welcomed by Lady Hayley.”
The youngest Princess smiled broadly, her eyes forming crescent moons.
What on earth do you have to do with me to make you laugh like that?
I don't think anything bad will happen since the red alert isn't going off, but I think the alerts are acting strange these days, so I should be on my guard.
For a while, Freesia just kept talking about how beautiful the gardens of the Rose Palace were and how they would have a tea party later.
“Is it hard to get by these days because the palace is so noisy?”
“No, not at all.”
“I know that my eldest sister is also busy and cannot take good care of Lady Hayley.”
Even though I said I was fine, the youngest Princess pretended not to hear and just said what she wanted to say.
"How about you come and stay at my palace for a while? I may be lacking, but I want to be of some help to Lady Hayley."
I'd rather spend time with the Second Princess than with you.
A person who makes Bilau sick must be something special.
"Thank you, Your Highness, but your offer is excessive. How could I, the daughter of a mere Marquis—"
“-Then shall I stay at the Rose Palace?”
This woman?
“I’m planning on going back to my parents’ house soon, so I don’t think you need to worry about it, Your Highness.”
"Yes!"
Judging by the color beginning to come to Freesia's face, she must have wanted to kick me out of the palace.
“That’s great. I was really worried about Lady Hayley.”
"The atmosphere at the palace is a bit chaotic, but I only stay at the Rose Palace, so Your Highness, you won't have to worry. And only a few people even know I'm here."
Despite Lily's diligent efforts to spread the word, very few people knew that I was staying at the palace.
Shish must have tried hard to block it.
We are currently in the palace, fearing Titiana's retaliation, but let's get out as quickly as possible.
I clenched my fists quietly, steeling my resolve, and Freesia stretched her upper body towards me.
“So you have to leave as quickly as possible. Before my brother does something crazy.”
It was a place where very evil prisoners were imprisoned, and there were several doors to open to get in.
Snap, snap, snap.
He tried to slow his steps as much as possible, but he couldn't help but break the silence that had settled in the hallway.
Cutting through the cold air, Caesar arrived at the innermost part of the dungeon.
The knight opened the iron gate with the key he was holding, and the Crown Prince gestured to enter alone. The knights stepped aside, and he entered, closing the door behind him.
A man with blue hair was sitting on the floor, behind an iron fence made of adamantine.
On the table in the solitary cell was a sword proving that he was the Duke of Beluga.
“Commander of the Knights.”
Caesar called out to the man, who must have already known he was there, but stubbornly kept his eyes closed and head down.
"...Your Highness."
Dietrich answered in a hoarse voice.
"Ha..."
Caesar pretended to feel sorry and washed his face dry. Dietrich, seeing the Crown Prince like that, raised his head for a moment and then lowered it deeply.
“Did you know that Father is sick in bed?”
The Emperor, at Caesar's request, feigned illness and confined himself to his bedchamber. He secretly rejoiced at having more time to spend with the Empress.
“Even if I had ten mouths, I would have nothing to say.”
Dietrich seemed genuinely remorseful.
The fact that he was so captivated by Titiana that he responded to the Emperor's call shows how great his loyalty was.
'But that's all there is to it.'
Caesar assessed the situation calmly.
Even if the Knight Commander killed the Magic Tower Master, there was not even a shred of intention to let him live.
"Do you know how much damage the Magic Tower caused? Do you know how many people died because of it?"
“It’s... it’s all my fault...”
Dietrich finally got his head in his mouth.
"The royal family trusted Beluga. For generations, they treated Beluga with the utmost respect, demonstrating our faith. But was it not enough?"
“No, Your Highness. Absolutely not!”
“But why did you do that? Why on earth did you do that!”
As the Crown Prince shouted in anger, Dietrich banged his head on the stone floor.
“If the Knight Commander truly cared about His Majesty and the country, you should have killed the Magic Tower Lord!”
Caesar deliberately omitted Titian's presence, fearing it might provoke his opponent.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. It’s all my fault.”
Caesar, who was looking at Dietrich with tears streaming down his face, took out a dagger from his bosom and threw it into the prison cell.
“It is the only way for the Knight Commander to atone.”
Dietrich, who was crying with blood streaming from his forehead, turned his gaze towards the sound of the crash.
It was an expected result.
Even if Dietrich were to be spared, his options were limited.
He could neither return to Titiana and continue to be disloyal to the Emperor, nor could he betray the Emperor and follow Titiana's orders.
Dietrich rose from his seat and bowed deeply to the Crown Prince.
“Thank you for your mercy.”
He could have been publicly executed, but Dietrich was treated with leniency, which allowed him to preserve Beluga's honor.
“...It was His Majesty’s will. He was also heartbroken by the ‘fall’ of Beluga, who had been loyal to the imperial family.”
Caesar deliberately emphasized certain words, and as expected, Dietrich flinched.
“I don’t want to show my ugly side to His Majesty.”
“Yes.”
Caesar hesitated for a moment, then lightly placed his hand on Dietrich's broad shoulder.
“Dietrich.”
Looking into his shaking blue eyes, he whispered in an even more subdued voice.
“Farewell, my dear friend.”
Leaving behind the Commander of the Knights, who was once again bursting into tears, Caesar left the cell. He closed the iron door, counted to one hundred, and went back inside. By the time he finally arrived, everything was over.
Things went surprisingly smoothly.
When Caesar came back out, a man with red hair was waiting for him.
“Are you finished?”
“Yes, neatly.”
Caesar showed the holy relic he was holding in his hand.
“May I receive it, Your Highness?”
“Of course.”
Shish took up the sword with both hands.
“I brought you here in case you need additional manpower.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“Then I have something to check, so I’ll leave first.”
After giving a light bow, Shish left the dungeon, and Caesar, who remained behind, gave orders.
“Clean up the prison.”
One of the knights brought by Shish was holding a large sack in his hand.
The Crown Prince even saw the knights leave the dungeon carrying heavy sacks.
As of today, the Knight Commander is no longer a person.
“Now there are only two left.”
As he headed to the Crown Prince's palace, he became curious about who would be next.
Is it the magic tower that has become the prime minister's target, or is it the prime minister who is shocked?
Caesar pressed his lips together as if he were trying to draw a curve.
“Your Highness, are you here?”
Upon arriving at the Crown Prince's palace, he was greeted by the chief chamberlain, who was temporarily assigned to serve the Crown Prince, who was performing duties on behalf of the Emperor.
“You don’t look well. What’s wrong?”
“His Majesty has ordered that His Excellency the Knight Commander be kept alive.”
"This."
Caesar, with a look of genuine regret, deliberately hesitated. He moved his lips a few times, then pretended to speak with difficulty, trailing off.
“He... already...”
"Ah."
The usually expressionless face of the chamberlain clouded over, as if he had been greatly shocked.
“Understood. I will convey this to His Majesty.”
“Yes. Please, Father.”
Caesar sighed.
“...Yes, please convey it.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The servant, who had been so close to the royal family for generations, must have felt a great sense of loss at the Crown Prince. He left the Crown Prince's palace with a heavy heart, as if he had guessed.
Left alone in the room, the Crown Prince covered his mouth with his hand. His lips felt as if they were being torn all the way to his ears.
“Next, I want you to kill the Tower Master and take the prime minister with you.”
He thought of the prime minister who seemed to be very tired these days.
That day, the day he asked Retri if he liked the prime minister.
Caesar saw red hair disappearing behind the green leaves. Retri had turned her back, so she couldn't see it.
The prime minister paused for a moment, and it was clear that he had only heard the part about “I like you” among the stories told by his cute and lovable junior.
“He thought she confessed to me...”
It seemed as if his clever mind had hardened, and he could not bring himself to check the truth of those words. Caesar went to the Rose Palace as if nothing had happened and did his work.
Naturally, he had no intention of telling this fact to his junior.
Also to the Prime Minister.
Rather, if he could take advantage of this, he would do his best.
So when the Prime Minister came to him and told him 'that story', Caesar neither told him the truth nor tried to stop him.
***
“Hello, Lady Hatley.”
“Yes, hello.”
I had to sit in the reception room and laugh out loud when I received an unexpected guest.
The guest was none other than the youngest Princess, Freesia Crassilia.
“I came to see you because I don’t think we’ve had a proper conversation since the opening ceremony of the National Foundation Day.”
“It is an honor to have you come, Your Highness.”
What's the glory? I just hate having to wear such a ridiculous formality and smile uncomfortably.
Actually, I was walking in the garden and saw a Princess with gorgeous silver hair, and I wanted to run away.
But that wasn't possible because my senior had filled the Rose Palace with nothing but dazzling dresses. It was difficult to even walk, let alone run.
It seems like Lily has thrown away all the comfortable clothes that Shish gave me.
It seems like my stay as a senior's guest has been filled with nothing but hardships.
I didn't see as much of Shish as I expected.
“It’s so nice to be welcomed by Lady Hayley.”
The youngest Princess smiled broadly, her eyes forming crescent moons.
What on earth do you have to do with me to make you laugh like that?
I don't think anything bad will happen since the red alert isn't going off, but I think the alerts are acting strange these days, so I should be on my guard.
For a while, Freesia just kept talking about how beautiful the gardens of the Rose Palace were and how they would have a tea party later.
“Is it hard to get by these days because the palace is so noisy?”
“No, not at all.”
“I know that my eldest sister is also busy and cannot take good care of Lady Hayley.”
Even though I said I was fine, the youngest Princess pretended not to hear and just said what she wanted to say.
"How about you come and stay at my palace for a while? I may be lacking, but I want to be of some help to Lady Hayley."
I'd rather spend time with the Second Princess than with you.
A person who makes Bilau sick must be something special.
"Thank you, Your Highness, but your offer is excessive. How could I, the daughter of a mere Marquis—"
“-Then shall I stay at the Rose Palace?”
This woman?
“I’m planning on going back to my parents’ house soon, so I don’t think you need to worry about it, Your Highness.”
"Yes!"
Judging by the color beginning to come to Freesia's face, she must have wanted to kick me out of the palace.
“That’s great. I was really worried about Lady Hayley.”
"The atmosphere at the palace is a bit chaotic, but I only stay at the Rose Palace, so Your Highness, you won't have to worry. And only a few people even know I'm here."
Despite Lily's diligent efforts to spread the word, very few people knew that I was staying at the palace.
Shish must have tried hard to block it.
We are currently in the palace, fearing Titiana's retaliation, but let's get out as quickly as possible.
I clenched my fists quietly, steeling my resolve, and Freesia stretched her upper body towards me.
“So you have to leave as quickly as possible. Before my brother does something crazy.”
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