Chapter 206

“Do you still feel the same way about that?”

“What do you mean?”

Emperor Devrica and Crown Prince Aseraian were enjoying some rare time alone together. Seated across from each other in the greenhouse, they sipped warm tea and chatted about this and that.

“I mean the position of Commander-in-Chief. Do you still want the Grand Duke to take it?”

Not long ago, Emperor Devrica had offered Grand Duke Persia command of the Empire’s military. The position was still vacant because the Emperor continued to press the Grand Duke to accept it.

It was quite a proposal.

The Principality of Persia had once been part of the Empire, and the two still maintained close ties as allies. However, Persia was an independent nation now.

Giving control of the Empire’s military to the ruler of another country made no sense. Was he actually thinking of bringing the Principality back under the Empire?

It was fortunate that the Grand Duke had taken the offer lightly and simply brushed it aside. If he had taken offense, things could’ve turned out very differently.

This could easily destroy our alliance and even lead to war.

After all, the Emperor’s offer was practically the same as asking the Grand Duke to place himself under the Empire once again. Yet despite the Grand Duke’s indifference and refusal, Emperor Devrica was still waiting for him to accept the position.

“Aseraian.”

“Yes?”

“Do you remember how your mother died?”

“......”

The sudden question made Crown Prince Aseraian pause. He quietly picked up his teacup, seemingly to hide the expression on his face.

“She was murdered by the man she trusted most.”

“...Yes.”

The public had been told that her death was an accident, but a few people knew the truth. Aseraian was one of them. His mother had been killed by the guard she had trusted and relied on for so long.

“You see, there has been an unseen force at work in the Empire for a long time.”

“...An unseen force?”

This was the first he had heard of it.

“I first heard about it from your grandfather. After I became Emperor, I began to sense it myself from time to time.”

The relaxed, playful expression that usually graced Emperor Devrica’s face was gone.

Seeing his expression, Aseraian grew serious as well. Was there another force at work behind the Empire?

“Countless people have been caught up in it. Even now.”

“What exactly is this force...?”

“About Marquess Merial...”

“......”

Emperor Devrica smiled faintly at Aseraian’s hesitation, as if he already understood.

“What did you find?”

...He knew? He knew I was investigating Marquess Merial?

“There were people like that when I was Crown Prince, too.”

“...Huh?”

“People who suddenly began wielding strange powers they had never shown before. As if they had no limits...”

A bitter smile briefly crossed Emperor Devrica’s lips. The despair and helplessness he had felt back then seemed to return all at once.

“I couldn’t find anything.”

What was the power they followed? Who was behind them?

And what did they want?

He knew there had to be something behind it all, but he had nothing to prove it. The uncertainty was maddening.

“We never even figured out who was following that power.”

People they trusted betrayed them time and time again. The former Empress’s death had been one such betrayal.

“I still have no idea how far that power reaches...”

“......”

“But there’s one thing.”

A deep smile spread across Emperor Devrica’s lips once more.

“For three hundred years, there’s been one place that power has never touched.”

“That place is...”

“That’s right.”

The Principality of Persia.

For three hundred years, it had remained closed off, allowing no one to enter or leave. Throughout all that time, there was one person who had stayed there, guarding it without ever leaving his post.

“He’s the only person I can trust.”

“......”

“The safety of the Imperial Family and the Empire rests on this position.”

The Commander-in-Chief... Who else could he entrust it to?

“......”

Seeing the conviction in Emperor Devrica’s eyes, Crown Prince Aseraian could no longer object.

.

.

.

Chapter 57: To the Western Region

Clang!

The tightly shut iron gate opened, and a man sauntered inside. It was Crown Prince Aseraian who stepped into the dimly lit room.

“Hmm.”

A man sat before him, bound tightly to a chair. This was the interrogation room beneath the Imperial Palace.

“I never thought I’d see you here, Jeral.”

“......”

The man in his late thirties slowly raised his head.

Jeral Horvan. Captain of the Imperial Guard... or rather, the former captain.

Yesterday evening, Crown Prince Aseraian received a message from Ceres. He had given her the code for his personal communication orb, but this was the first time she had ever contacted him. When her message finally came through, Aseraian answered with a bit of anticipation.

“I caught the guy who kidnapped the children. Come take him.”

“...The kidnapper?”

“The kidnapper is that b*stard who commands the Imperial Guard. I figured you’d want to take him away quietly.”

“......“

Around fifty children had been held captive in one place. The person watching over them was none other than the Captain of the Imperial Guard. It was almost impossible to believe until he saw it with his own eyes.

Jeral Horvan. What kind of family did he come from? His family had been knights for generations, with both his father and grandfather having served as Captains of the Guard.

Jeral himself had earned the position at a young age, recognized for his exceptional skill and loyalty to the Imperial Family.

Someone like him... tried to kill the children?

“Who ordered you to do this?”

“......”

“...I doubt you’re going to tell me that easily.”

Aseraian’s smile widened, while Jeral lowered his head even further. It seemed like he had no intention of answering.

Jeral might have looked calm on the outside, but inside, he was panicking.

Why... Why isn’t it working?!

The moment everything had been exposed and he was captured, Jeral immediately activated the curse magic embedded in his body. He was told that once activated, the curse would melt his body away and kill him...

He had triggered it without hesitation. He knew it would be horribly painful, but he would rather endure that brief pain than be captured, tortured for days, and eventually killed. Either way, he was going to die.

But then...

[Meow.]

A cat suddenly appeared in front of him. Its snow-white fur was marked with striking red stripes. It suddenly lunged at him with its mouth wide open.

Since he was already subdued by the owner of the Tamer Relic, he could do nothing to stop it.

[Blegh! This curse tastes awful, meow.]

Gasp! Did that cat just talk?!

[Meow!]

...Am I imagining this?

He squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again. The cat was sitting off to the side, calmly licking its front paw as though nothing had happened.

What was that? Had he seen an illusion?

Strangely enough, the curse had failed to activate after the cat appeared. He was told that all he had to do was recite the activation phrase in his mind, and the curse would take effect immediately.

He repeated the phrase dozens of times in his head and even tried saying it aloud, but nothing happened. In the end, he was dragged to the dungeon, and now he was facing Crown Prince Aseraian.

“I heard you created the Black Forest. Were the murders that have taken place all this time connected to you as well?”

“......”

“Hmm. I suppose you don’t want to answer this one either.”

Aseraian chuckled and stepped closer to Jeral. He moved close enough for Jeral to hear his breathing, then looked him straight in the eye.

“We have plenty of time. Let’s take our time and talk.”

“......”

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you.”

His smile deepened.

“...Not until I’ve found out everything.”

Jeral shuddered.

He already knew how frightening Crown Prince Aseraian could be. The Prince always greeted people with a smile, but when he decided to be cruel, he showed no mercy.

At the cold look in Aseraian’s eyes, a chill ran through Jeral from head to toe. He squeezed his eyes shut.