Episode 140. Cedric is Dead
Cedric, he's dead?
He assumed his recent absence was simply because he'd gone to settle matters in Chicagor.
But he's dead.
The Emperor stared blankly into space, speechless. Perhaps it was the loss of a subordinate who had served him for decades? His expression had sunk considerably.
"Your Majesty... Are you alright?"
The minister, seeing the Emperor's expression sink, spoke with concern.
He'd thought Cedric was a subordinate the Emperor cherished. He'd assumed the shock would be considerable.
The Emperor didn't respond.
"Cedric's dead..."
He sighed, unable to conceal his complex emotions.
The empty look in his eyes faded. His eyes quickly gleamed with a strange gleam.
"Chicagor, you handled that matter well, didn't you?"
In fact, it wasn't Cedric that the Emperor was worried about.
He was trembling with fear that his crimes of conducting biological experiments in Chicagor would be discovered.
'Damn it! Neither Diana nor Cedric... Truly, not a single one of them is of any help.'
His plans kept going awry.
The Emperor had no pity for Cedric's death. He cared only for himself. Whether. Cedric had been loyal to him or not, he had not the slightest sympathy.
"Bringing armed private soldiers to the palace? Are you out of your mind, Count Wence?"
Count Wence's private soldiers and the Imperial Guard faced each other in front of the palace walls.
Eric led the private soldiers in front, while he rode behind.
"I said I would only capture those who harmed my father, that's what I said."
Eric pressed on, unyielding.
"No one can enter the palace armed. Why would someone who knows anything do this?"
Even a young Count could not have been ignorant of such basic common sense.
'It seems you haven't come here to start a rebellion, have you?'
The captain of the guard glared at Eric and his men with a sharp gaze.
It was clear at a glance that they lacked the ability or skill to lead a rebellion.
Eric looked resentfully at the captain of the palace guard, who refused to let him in. His trembling lips were so parched and dry that they looked pitiful. Eric bit his lip and cried out, pleading,
"My father is dead!!"
Eric's voice echoed mournfully in the pitch-black night sky past midnight.
He gasped, his breathing ragged.
To think his father's death would break his heart this much.
Truthfully, he'd thought he wouldn't mind Cedric's death.
He'd sworn he wouldn't shed a single tear or feel any sadness.
But that wasn't the case.
When Baku told Eric that his father's body had been found, Eric's heart sank. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to accept the unbelievable news, or perhaps it was for some other reason...
His heart pounded unusually fast.
Why?
His father's death wasn't his fault...
Why did he feel so anxious?
As if he were somehow connected to Cedric's death...
Why did a corner of his heart feel so uneasy?
Eric didn't want to understand the nature of this ominous feeling, and he didn't try to. He simply dismissed the inexplicable emotions that surged through him at the news of his father's death as sadness.
The only way he could express his feelings was to reveal his father's death.
"I pray for the soul of the deceased,"
The captain of the guard said briefly, then bowed his head.
"So... please, please let me in."
"I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but as you know, armed soldiers are not allowed in here. Count Wence, you should go back for today. Go and collect yourself."
Eric didn't give up despite the captain's unwillingness to let him in. He jumped down from his horse and slowly walked toward the captain.
As Eric approached, the surrounding imperial guards raised their sword handles, as if poised to attack at any moment.
The captain raised his right hand slightly, as if to say there was no need.
While Count Wence's private soldiers were armed, Eric himself was not.
Eric, trudging forward, looked extremely weak. As he walked toward the captain, Eric spoke in a trembling voice.
“The man who murdered my father is definitely in here. I need to catch him before he escapes, so please let me in.”
Duke Flice and Grand Duke Artaeum were at the ball. Eric assumed one of these two, who were enemies of Cedric, was the culprit.
“Are you saying the investigation into the culprit is complete? If so, a warrant will be issued soon. It’s not your job to catch the culprit, Count Wence.”
The captain of the guard stared at Eric’s face and answered sternly.
In fact, he could have allowed only Eric into the palace. But he didn’t.
‘...His eyes are already gone.’
This was because Eric’s condition looked quite unsettling up close.
His eyes, strangely unfocused, as if intoxicated, were enough to make him frown.
‘I can’t let him in like this. There’s a high chance he’ll cause a ruckus at the palace ball.’
The day he was falsely accused of killing Marquis Bled.
For a moment, her mind snapped to life.
'I'm crazy. I almost suspected the Grand Duke again.'
Her resolve to never do that again seemed to have faded, as her gaze had involuntarily drifted to the Grand Duke.
Rose shook her head, her eyes wavering, and linked arms with the Grand Duke. Then she gently pulled him away, whispering softly,
"I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't do that. But when I heard Cedric's death, I didn't realize it..."
When Rose immediately apologized, the Grand Duke's heart melted.
Rose's expression, overwhelmed with guilt, caught his eye. Seeing her, the Grand Duke unconsciously revealed his true feelings.
"There's no need to be so sorry. I tried to kill him... It's true."
Cedric, he's dead?
He assumed his recent absence was simply because he'd gone to settle matters in Chicagor.
But he's dead.
The Emperor stared blankly into space, speechless. Perhaps it was the loss of a subordinate who had served him for decades? His expression had sunk considerably.
"Your Majesty... Are you alright?"
The minister, seeing the Emperor's expression sink, spoke with concern.
He'd thought Cedric was a subordinate the Emperor cherished. He'd assumed the shock would be considerable.
The Emperor didn't respond.
"Cedric's dead..."
He sighed, unable to conceal his complex emotions.
The empty look in his eyes faded. His eyes quickly gleamed with a strange gleam.
"Chicagor, you handled that matter well, didn't you?"
In fact, it wasn't Cedric that the Emperor was worried about.
He was trembling with fear that his crimes of conducting biological experiments in Chicagor would be discovered.
'Damn it! Neither Diana nor Cedric... Truly, not a single one of them is of any help.'
His plans kept going awry.
The Emperor had no pity for Cedric's death. He cared only for himself. Whether. Cedric had been loyal to him or not, he had not the slightest sympathy.
***
"Bringing armed private soldiers to the palace? Are you out of your mind, Count Wence?"
Count Wence's private soldiers and the Imperial Guard faced each other in front of the palace walls.
Eric led the private soldiers in front, while he rode behind.
"I said I would only capture those who harmed my father, that's what I said."
Eric pressed on, unyielding.
"No one can enter the palace armed. Why would someone who knows anything do this?"
Even a young Count could not have been ignorant of such basic common sense.
'It seems you haven't come here to start a rebellion, have you?'
The captain of the guard glared at Eric and his men with a sharp gaze.
It was clear at a glance that they lacked the ability or skill to lead a rebellion.
Eric looked resentfully at the captain of the palace guard, who refused to let him in. His trembling lips were so parched and dry that they looked pitiful. Eric bit his lip and cried out, pleading,
"My father is dead!!"
Eric's voice echoed mournfully in the pitch-black night sky past midnight.
He gasped, his breathing ragged.
To think his father's death would break his heart this much.
Truthfully, he'd thought he wouldn't mind Cedric's death.
He'd sworn he wouldn't shed a single tear or feel any sadness.
But that wasn't the case.
When Baku told Eric that his father's body had been found, Eric's heart sank. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to accept the unbelievable news, or perhaps it was for some other reason...
His heart pounded unusually fast.
Why?
His father's death wasn't his fault...
Why did he feel so anxious?
As if he were somehow connected to Cedric's death...
Why did a corner of his heart feel so uneasy?
Eric didn't want to understand the nature of this ominous feeling, and he didn't try to. He simply dismissed the inexplicable emotions that surged through him at the news of his father's death as sadness.
The only way he could express his feelings was to reveal his father's death.
"I pray for the soul of the deceased,"
The captain of the guard said briefly, then bowed his head.
"So... please, please let me in."
"I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but as you know, armed soldiers are not allowed in here. Count Wence, you should go back for today. Go and collect yourself."
Eric didn't give up despite the captain's unwillingness to let him in. He jumped down from his horse and slowly walked toward the captain.
As Eric approached, the surrounding imperial guards raised their sword handles, as if poised to attack at any moment.
The captain raised his right hand slightly, as if to say there was no need.
While Count Wence's private soldiers were armed, Eric himself was not.
Eric, trudging forward, looked extremely weak. As he walked toward the captain, Eric spoke in a trembling voice.
“The man who murdered my father is definitely in here. I need to catch him before he escapes, so please let me in.”
Duke Flice and Grand Duke Artaeum were at the ball. Eric assumed one of these two, who were enemies of Cedric, was the culprit.
“Are you saying the investigation into the culprit is complete? If so, a warrant will be issued soon. It’s not your job to catch the culprit, Count Wence.”
The captain of the guard stared at Eric’s face and answered sternly.
In fact, he could have allowed only Eric into the palace. But he didn’t.
‘...His eyes are already gone.’
This was because Eric’s condition looked quite unsettling up close.
His eyes, strangely unfocused, as if intoxicated, were enough to make him frown.
‘I can’t let him in like this. There’s a high chance he’ll cause a ruckus at the palace ball.’
Just because he wasn’t armed didn’t mean he wasn’t a threat.
In the captain's eyes, Eric was in a state requiring vigilance.
"No... nothing has been revealed yet... but my father was definitely murdered."
"Are there any witnesses?"
"Are there any... witnesses? We're looking for them. However, we have solid evidence. My father's abdomen had a wound that looked like it had been stabbed with a sharp object."
Cedric's body lay abandoned in the cold grass.
Unlike his serene expression with his eyes closed, his body was utterly deformed, almost unbearable to look at. The passage of time since his death, coupled with the progress of decomposition, was a major factor.
Thinking of his dead father, Eric suddenly felt a pang of pain. He let out a small groan and placed his hand on his head. He felt dizzy. He could barely stand. What's more, his breathing began to race.
Eric stumbled, clutching his chest. The captain gently held Eric's hand and turned to his subordinate.
"Give Count Wence a carriage."
Judging by his condition, it seemed impossible to return on horseback.
“As the investigation progresses, the culprit will be caught quickly. So, don’t worry, and we’ll call it a day.”
Soon, a large carriage stopped in front of them.
Eric’s condition had deteriorated to the point where he couldn’t stand on his own. Count Wence’s men, breathing heavily, helped Eric, who was staggering, and with difficulty, placed him inside the carriage.
“Here!”
The coachman’s thunderous voice rang out. The clatter of hooves and the clatter of wheels mingled.
News of Eric’s rampage outside the castle gates reached the nobles in the ballroom.
“Cedric... is dead?”
Rose covered her mouth and opened her eyes wide.
She had been anxious since Cedric hadn’t been seen, but she never dreamed he was dead.
Surprised, Rose glanced at the Grand Duke with wavering eyes.
'Surely... the Grand Duke wouldn’t do that, would he?'
The Grand Duke's ultimate target was the Emperor.
Cedric and Duke Flice were also key figures to eliminate.
Cold sweat beaded on Rose's forehead as she gazed at the Grand Duke. Rose gulped and swallowed dryly.
For a moment, Rose's eyes met with the Grand Duke's.
"..."
"..."
The Grand Duke instantly caught Rose's gaze as she looked at him. It seemed Rose suspected him of being the culprit.
"No."
He denied it before Rose could say anything. Still, Rose seemed to have difficulty trusting the Grand Duke.
'The Grand Duke is kind to me, but...'
He wouldn't do that to anyone else, would he?
Besides, he had a rather violent temperament.
It was a reasonable suspicion that he might have killed Cedric for revenge.
"It wasn't me. I didn't do it."
The Grand Duke whispered again, as if asserting his innocence.
Then, a memory from long ago suddenly surfaced in Rose's mind.
"Madam... Do you think I murdered someone?"
In the captain's eyes, Eric was in a state requiring vigilance.
"No... nothing has been revealed yet... but my father was definitely murdered."
"Are there any witnesses?"
"Are there any... witnesses? We're looking for them. However, we have solid evidence. My father's abdomen had a wound that looked like it had been stabbed with a sharp object."
Cedric's body lay abandoned in the cold grass.
Unlike his serene expression with his eyes closed, his body was utterly deformed, almost unbearable to look at. The passage of time since his death, coupled with the progress of decomposition, was a major factor.
Thinking of his dead father, Eric suddenly felt a pang of pain. He let out a small groan and placed his hand on his head. He felt dizzy. He could barely stand. What's more, his breathing began to race.
Eric stumbled, clutching his chest. The captain gently held Eric's hand and turned to his subordinate.
"Give Count Wence a carriage."
Judging by his condition, it seemed impossible to return on horseback.
“As the investigation progresses, the culprit will be caught quickly. So, don’t worry, and we’ll call it a day.”
Soon, a large carriage stopped in front of them.
Eric’s condition had deteriorated to the point where he couldn’t stand on his own. Count Wence’s men, breathing heavily, helped Eric, who was staggering, and with difficulty, placed him inside the carriage.
“Here!”
The coachman’s thunderous voice rang out. The clatter of hooves and the clatter of wheels mingled.
News of Eric’s rampage outside the castle gates reached the nobles in the ballroom.
“Cedric... is dead?”
Rose covered her mouth and opened her eyes wide.
She had been anxious since Cedric hadn’t been seen, but she never dreamed he was dead.
Surprised, Rose glanced at the Grand Duke with wavering eyes.
'Surely... the Grand Duke wouldn’t do that, would he?'
The Grand Duke's ultimate target was the Emperor.
Cedric and Duke Flice were also key figures to eliminate.
Cold sweat beaded on Rose's forehead as she gazed at the Grand Duke. Rose gulped and swallowed dryly.
For a moment, Rose's eyes met with the Grand Duke's.
"..."
"..."
The Grand Duke instantly caught Rose's gaze as she looked at him. It seemed Rose suspected him of being the culprit.
"No."
He denied it before Rose could say anything. Still, Rose seemed to have difficulty trusting the Grand Duke.
'The Grand Duke is kind to me, but...'
He wouldn't do that to anyone else, would he?
Besides, he had a rather violent temperament.
It was a reasonable suspicion that he might have killed Cedric for revenge.
"It wasn't me. I didn't do it."
The Grand Duke whispered again, as if asserting his innocence.
Then, a memory from long ago suddenly surfaced in Rose's mind.
"Madam... Do you think I murdered someone?"
The memory of the day she met the Grand Duke for the second time.
The day he was falsely accused of killing Marquis Bled.
For a moment, her mind snapped to life.
'I'm crazy. I almost suspected the Grand Duke again.'
Her resolve to never do that again seemed to have faded, as her gaze had involuntarily drifted to the Grand Duke.
Rose shook her head, her eyes wavering, and linked arms with the Grand Duke. Then she gently pulled him away, whispering softly,
"I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't do that. But when I heard Cedric's death, I didn't realize it..."
When Rose immediately apologized, the Grand Duke's heart melted.
Rose's expression, overwhelmed with guilt, caught his eye. Seeing her, the Grand Duke unconsciously revealed his true feelings.
"There's no need to be so sorry. I tried to kill him... It's true."
"!"
Rose's eyes widened like a rabbit's. The Grand Duke ruffled Rose's hair, who looked at him with a puzzled expression, as if to appease her.
"Just kidding."
He chuckled, then brushed it off as if he hadn't meant it.
"I won't do anything you don't like."
Of course, that meant keeping his actions hidden from her.
Getting blood on his hands for revenge was an unavoidable fate.
This was the world the Grand Duke lived in.
To avoid being punished, he had to deal with them thoroughly.
Countless people had been spared by unnecessary favors, only to be stabbed in the back and lose their lives.
Furthermore, now Rose was more precious than his own life. Therefore, he had to deal with them even more thoroughly to prevent any further repercussions.
This wasn't peaceful Korea, but a ruthless world ruled by the law of the jungle.
The Grand Duke, concealing his true feelings, gently caressed Rose's cheek.
His eyes, fixed on Rose, narrowed mysteriously.
Rose's eyes widened like a rabbit's. The Grand Duke ruffled Rose's hair, who looked at him with a puzzled expression, as if to appease her.
"Just kidding."
He chuckled, then brushed it off as if he hadn't meant it.
"I won't do anything you don't like."
Of course, that meant keeping his actions hidden from her.
Getting blood on his hands for revenge was an unavoidable fate.
This was the world the Grand Duke lived in.
To avoid being punished, he had to deal with them thoroughly.
Countless people had been spared by unnecessary favors, only to be stabbed in the back and lose their lives.
Furthermore, now Rose was more precious than his own life. Therefore, he had to deal with them even more thoroughly to prevent any further repercussions.
This wasn't peaceful Korea, but a ruthless world ruled by the law of the jungle.
The Grand Duke, concealing his true feelings, gently caressed Rose's cheek.
His eyes, fixed on Rose, narrowed mysteriously.
"Your word is law to me."
"Ah..."
Rose's face flushed. For a moment, the words of this man, who claimed to only care about herself, sounded embarrassing.
Normally, she couldn't even express her affection. Today, she was quick to express her embarrassment.
Rose avoided the Grand Duke's gaze and coughed in vain.
"...I wasn't telling you not to kill."
It would have been shocking to hear this conversation, but the noisy ballroom quickly drowned out their voices.
"If I don't kill, I might be killed. I have no intention of being foolish."
Staying still would have made her look down on.
This was the same in Korea and in this world.
"Your Highness, seek your own revenge. I... seek my own revenge."
The value of life wasn't the same for everyone.
There are many ways to live, and many ways to solve problems.
Rose didn't support the Archduke's method, but she didn't particularly oppose it either.
It was the Grand Duke's choice, and he was simply trying to redress the injustices he had suffered to protect what was precious.
Rose didn't criticize the Grand Duke.
She wasn't a saint. She had a keen sense that remaining silent after suffering was even more foolish.
Julius's proposal was quietly buried by Cedric's tumultuous death.
A few days later, the Grand Duke of Artaeum was questioned as one of the suspects in Cedric's murder.
"Where were you and what were you doing on the day Cedric died, Your Highness the Grand Duke of Artaeum?"
In the dark interrogation room, the Grand Duke was interrogated pointlessly, a large desk between them.
"Ah..."
Rose's face flushed. For a moment, the words of this man, who claimed to only care about herself, sounded embarrassing.
Normally, she couldn't even express her affection. Today, she was quick to express her embarrassment.
Rose avoided the Grand Duke's gaze and coughed in vain.
"...I wasn't telling you not to kill."
It would have been shocking to hear this conversation, but the noisy ballroom quickly drowned out their voices.
"If I don't kill, I might be killed. I have no intention of being foolish."
Staying still would have made her look down on.
This was the same in Korea and in this world.
"Your Highness, seek your own revenge. I... seek my own revenge."
The value of life wasn't the same for everyone.
There are many ways to live, and many ways to solve problems.
Rose didn't support the Archduke's method, but she didn't particularly oppose it either.
It was the Grand Duke's choice, and he was simply trying to redress the injustices he had suffered to protect what was precious.
Rose didn't criticize the Grand Duke.
She wasn't a saint. She had a keen sense that remaining silent after suffering was even more foolish.
Julius's proposal was quietly buried by Cedric's tumultuous death.
A few days later, the Grand Duke of Artaeum was questioned as one of the suspects in Cedric's murder.
"Where were you and what were you doing on the day Cedric died, Your Highness the Grand Duke of Artaeum?"
In the dark interrogation room, the Grand Duke was interrogated pointlessly, a large desk between them.
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