Chapter 120: |
In the capital, everyone who could escape had already fled.
It seemed that the Duke of Cardian had cleverly sent messengers to evacuate first to the nobles that Michael might catch and threaten.
He even gave instructions to avoid the North as their escape route. Michael would pursue them, so if their paths crossed, they would be in big danger.
The majority of the capital’s aristocrats followed the instructions and were able to flee safely.
All that remained were people who were strongly associated with Michael and were unable to leave the capital, as well as chaff, which was useless even if they signed an oath of fealty. Furthermore, Michael’s damage was great because Leonis and the Knights of the Red Lion utterly eliminated the knight of the monster, who was regarded as the elite among the elite.
“…What is the Emperor doing?”
Michael, who sat on the emperor’s throne, inquired. The emperor was now imprisoned in the First Prince’s palace after falling asleep shortly after being mildly cut by the poisoned dagger.
There were secret passages throughout the imperial palace, and it had to be locked up because he couldn’t inspect all of the rooms. He had no guarantee that the Emperor would not discover the secret path he had discovered.
At the very least, he could be certain that there were no hidden routes in the chamber.
“Right?”
There was a reason for keeping the emperor alive even after killing the princes and the princess. He wanted to provide a justification for the nobles to submit to him.
There was a limit to the extent to which rumours could go, regardless of how many false rumours the Cardians created and spread.
The Emperor was in his hands.
He could make any cause as long as he had the emperor; therefore, it was as if he were a tremendous cause.
“Have you already prepared it?”
The aides bent their heads in response to Michael’s question. With a haughty expression, he descended from his seat.
“Bring it. I must go see the emperor.”
✦ ✦ ✦
In just a few days, the emperor had a skin-to-bone appearance. It may have been harsh treatment for the old man, the man who sat in the best seats and ate and drank as much as he wanted.
However, Michael, who secretly hated the emperor, was also satisfied.
At the sight of Michael, who opened the door and entered with the escort knights, Emperor Orkan gave a bloodshot look.
“…… Are you here to kill me?”
“You still have your eyes open. Bring it.”
At Michael’s order, a guard carrying yellow sacks entered the room. Its bumpy shape seemed to contain a ball.
Orkan looked at Michael with eyes full of vigilance. Michael nodded lightly, and the soldier untied the mouth of the bag and poured it into the room.
Rolling, three heads rolled down.
“Argh!”
The emperor was so scared that he climbed into bed. The three damaged heads were awful, even at first glance. Everyone’s face was warped, and bugs crawled all over them.
Two heads of men and one head of a woman.
He could have noticed if he looked closely, but the emperor was afraid and didn’t recognise their faces.
“You insane man! What did you bring!”
“You don’t know what they are? Why don’t you look at it more closely? It could be someone you know.”
When he heard those words, the emperor’s heart sank. He thought at first that it couldn’t be true.
He knew that Phil had died. Strangely, The Emperor was unaware of Phil’s death.
He did so even though he was caught up in various troublesome things to cover him from end to end. He thought he was going to die violently one day because of what he had done, but he would end up like this.
But Giel……
‘But he was a tough guy!’
The emperor looked at the rotting hair in a daze, then got off the bed as if possessed. Then he stumbled over and kneeled in front of his head.
“Gi-Giel……”
Kneeling was unintentional. As soon as he recognised that it was Giel, he lost his strength. Next to it was Amelia’s head, but the girl’s hair was fine. His daughter’s hair overflowed beside him.
“Giel! No, no. It won’t be!”
Even though he tried hard to deny it, Orkhan couldn’t bring himself to accept it. They were rotting and stinking, and even worms were crawling in it.
It was dreadful. That this is how his son had turned out. His last hope had been destroyed, and fear had taken over.
“Am I going to turn out to be the same way? Couldn’t I find some way to escape this place?
Orkhan glanced at Michael with shaky hands. Michael’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at Orkhan.
Even though he was an old and helpless man, anger or hatred was still present in his heart. Fear was greater for Orkan than anger.
“Why are you doing this? How deeply I cared for you! It was I who went out of my way to make sure you had everything in the world!”
“Yes, you were. You had……I am thankful to Your Majesty for the kindness shown to me. I am extremely intelligent, in contrast to Your Majesty’s biological son Phil, who is an idiot.”
Orkhan flinched involuntarily when Phil was mentioned. It was because he remembered that Michael had been the one who had killed Phil.
“I have no intention of mistreating you as long as Your Majesty acts in accordance with my wishes. As much as there is a problem with my background… … I will treat you with the utmost courtesy.”
Orkhan thought Michael was lying when he said this. However, because he desperately needed to get away from this place, he made the decision not to disobey Michael’s wishes.
“Oh, no! I will!”
“Then, please sign this document.”
An attendant came in and placed a sheet of paper and a quill on the ground. Orkhan raised his eyes and quickly read the document.
It was about proclaiming the Duke of Cardian a traitor.
‘Did the Duke of Cardian survive?’
Such a thought occurred to the emperor at first glimpse, but it was now immaterial. Rather, both of his sons died, and he was deeply troubled by the fact that the monster was still alive.
The Emperor gladly signed the document. Then the attendant handed over another document. The content acknowledged Michael’s regency.
Orkhan’s hand holding the pen trembled.
“…… If I sign here, will you let me go?”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
Michael grinned and explained with a straight face that he had something to show the emperor. Orkhan didn’t believe it, but he took his pen.
He was the only person who could have possibly understood how pointless it was to stroke his ego. Michael was only taught about 70 per cent of what he knew by the First Empress; the rest was up to him. Orkhan taught Michael how to trample on his opponents and bring them under his control.
After Orkan had finished signing the document, an attendant approached and swiftly took it. With a smile on his face, Michael also exited the room. The escort knight and others left as well.
Clack.
After the door was closed, the only people left in the room were Orkan and the three severed heads. Orkan, who had run out of steam, sat himself down on the ground there.
After stretching his legs out of his seat and feeling his head brush the tips of his toes, he wriggled his way back into bed with a yell of “Hiiik!”.
If not here, it seemed like it could be anywhere.
✦ ✦ ✦
There were many people who saw the Divine Beast, but Zeppel’s works were the ones that spread the rumours about it. The truth was that Leonis and his party were travelling with a tiger cub that had bright wings strapped to its back, but the rumours spread like wildfire anyway.
Of course, the reality was quite different from the rumours.
“That’s the Divine Beast!”
― Why are you the only one sharing the bathroom with the saintess every time!
The Divine Beast charged forward and bit Leonis on the arm, but Leonis was able to protect himself by wrapping a mana shield around him. Without that, even a small tooth could have created a hole this size in his forearm.
“It is a natural right for me to share a bathroom with my woman.”
― That’s funny, I can see through all of your sinister intentions! Leave her alone while bathing! You evil bastard!
Celia sprawled out on the couch while she watched Leonis argue with the Divine Beast. It was difficult to separate them and call them out, but it was even more terrible to view that scene.
Leonis seemed annoyed by the divine being who kept crawling into bed with her and sleeping there with her.
Last night, he grabbed the divine beast by the scruff of its neck and flung him out of the room. It was a divine beast with wings, so it wasn’t hurt, but it seemed very angry.
Even though they squabbled, they didn’t really hurt each other, but the trouble was still there.
‘To intervene in that fight… … My combat power is not enough.’
Even though Celia was proud of her physical strength and power, it was a divine beast born as a powerful being by God and Leonis, the best swordsman on the continent.
It was evident that she would wind up looking like an inflated prawn if she got in between them. But bringing someone who can stop them is like showing that kind of stuff……
Celia’s body, which was holding the cushion while thinking of Zeppel or Nile, slowly leaned to the side. She was fatigued from Leonis enticing her in the bathroom, which she hadn’t done the night before.
The Divine Beast, which smashed Leonis with its wings and flew towards Celia, halted when it saw Celia, who had fallen asleep despite their dispute.
―Saintess! More than a cushion, you’re really… Are you sleeping?
“I’m tired of being bothered by you.”
―That’s hilarious! Saintess had me in her arms and was sleeping soundly! It must be because of you that she is tired!
While the Divine Beast scolded him, it sat on the back of the sofa and glanced at the sleeping Celia in order not to wake her up. Leonis came over and hugged Celia.
―If you do that, you’ll wake her up!
“……I don’t wake up when I hug you.”
For some reason, Celia was always like that. She would wake up briefly in the early days of their marriage, but now she would sleep peacefully even when he hugged her.
‘It must mean she believes in me.’
Leonis grinned and went back to the bed, laying Celia down for a long time. She looked quite comfortable with the blanket over her. The Divine Beast flew in and sat down next to Celia.
“I’m going to have to attend the meeting from now on, so protect Celia.”
―Hmph! I was thinking of doing that even without you telling me!
Glancing at the Divine Beast, who turned its head in a pout, Leonis stepped away from the bed
Zeppel told him last night that Michael had announced that he had become the crown prince. They said there would be a major announcement this morning, so there must be something to say.
‘He is going to do something again.’
He had a hunch that the end was near.
