“Hey! Right now, throw that Charles into prison! For the crime of disrespecting the Emperor.”
In an instant, the Emperor's shout slowly echoed in Charles's ears.
Whoosh-.
A rather strong wind blew through the window of the conference room. Leaves fell in a flurry.
Charles watched the scene and thought.
A human who has lost their blue hue and withered like fallen leaves.
The conversation the two had shared in the past floated above the Emperor's face.
“Charles, should we just run away? Honestly, I’m afraid of becoming the Emperor.”
“You are wise and just. So I am certain. You will be a good Emperor.”
Charles looked at the Emperor with pain and asked.
“What on earth has changed you so much?”
“What?”
Unable to contain his anger, the Emperor rose from his throne.
Charles unleashed the pent-up frustration he had been holding back.
“You told me that a human's dignity comes from a good will.”
“Shut your mouth!”
“And so, humans must ponder what good will is and what justice is. I have lived my life deeply engraving your words in my heart.”
“Do you dare defy the Emperor’s command?”
“But where is the brother who told me that?”
“……”
“Isn’t there only a tyrant left here, pouring vast sums into the government palace while ignoring the suffering of the imperial citizens due to the monsters?”
A heavy silence fell over the conference room at Charles's sharp outcry.
“How dare you!”
The Emperor, his rage exploding, seized the sword from the guard beside him and strode toward Charles.
“……!”
In the icy atmosphere, no one dared to step forward.
Clang-.
The Emperor, with a gaze filled with madness, aimed the sword at Charles's neck.
“I will execute you here for the crime of disrespecting the Emperor.”
Charles knelt, gripping the blade tightly with his hand, and spat out,
“Kill me.”
“Do you think I can’t kill you if I wanted to?”
Charles and the Emperor were like two wild beasts locked in a fierce struggle, refusing to back down an inch.
“They are all dead. My eldest brother, my second brother, four out of seven brothers are dead.”
“……”
The Emperor's gaze, fixed on the sword, wavered slightly.
“What difference would it make if I died too? So……”
Charles grabbed the sword aimed at him and stood up, shouting with fierce momentum.
“Kill me! I mean it!”
In the sight of Charles, who seemed to roar like a beast or cry out in despair, the conference room felt a solemnity.
“Then die!”
The eyes of Charles and the Emperor locked fiercely.
Drip. Drip.
Red blood flowed down the blade aimed at Charles's neck. Charles's white jacket slowly stained with blood.
Clang-.
Startled by the sight, the Emperor threw the sword he was holding to the ground.
In the Emperor's eyes, once filled with murderous intent, a deep fear had settled.
Turning away as if to avoid Charles, the Emperor spoke.
“……I will send a magician to Ervin, so do not come to the palace again.”
“Just keep your promise. Then I will never set foot in the palace again.”
Charles wrapped his hand around the wound on his neck and bowed silently.
The Emperor still stood with his back turned.
Charles turned away from that figure and walked toward the door.
As Duke Havel signaled, the ministers standing behind parted the way with frightened faces.
With each step, sorrow.
With each step, misery.
With each step, longing for the third prince who dreamed of a blue future.
Charles's steps grew heavy.
Whoosh-.
Once again, leaves fell helplessly in the wind blowing through the window.
Charles watched the scene and whispered softly.
“Goodbye, brother.”
* * *
In the late afternoon, Iana waited for Charles by the lake near the capital with the Ervin knights.
She sat on the grass with Vera, having lunch, while Lou joyfully ran around them.
But what could have happened?
Charles had not shown up long past the promised time.
“Why isn’t he coming?”
Iana kept glancing around.
A moment later, a senior knight approached Iana and spoke.
“It seems His Grace the Duke is running quite late; we should probably depart first.”
“Okay, I understand.”
Though she said she understood, disappointment was evident on Iana's face.
As the senior knight returned to the group of knights, Vera sleepily asked,
“Lady, why are you waiting for His Grace the Duke?”
“Uh? I’m not waiting for His Grace; I just want to go to Ervin quickly... And I’m not a lady anymore!”
Iana felt a bit embarrassed at Vera's pointed question and changed the subject.
At that moment, Vera pointed behind Iana.
“Uh? There’s His Grace the Duke coming!”
“Where? Where?”
Iana quickly turned around and scanned the area. But Charles's party was nowhere to be seen.
“Are you still waiting for His Grace?”
At Vera's teasing remark, Iana's face turned red.
“Vera, are you trying to tease me?”
Vera stood up, dusting off her hands.
“Well then, Lady, I’ll take my leave here. By now, my family must be ready to depart.”
Vera wanted to see her off and followed the knights who had come to support Iana.
Iana also stood up, holding Lou, and bid farewell.
“Thank you for everything, Vera, and take care…”
“Uh?”
Vera pointed behind Iana again.
“Look, I think His Grace the Duke is coming.”
Iana squinted at Vera, giving her a glare.
“Do you think I’m a fool? I won’t be fooled twice.”
Just then.
Thud thud thud.
The sound of hooves shaking the ground echoed.
When Iana turned around, a procession of knights bearing the emblem of Ervin was galloping toward the lakeside.
“He really is coming!”
A bright smile spread across Iana's face.
She wanted to convey countless words to Charles.
The process of finally achieving her divorce and how she had followed his advice in the meantime.
He was the one who believed in her and watched over her.
Filled with joy, Iana waved at the approaching knights.
Before long, Charles and the escort knights came close and stopped.
However, the faces of the Ervin knights, who rarely showed their emotions, were dark.
‘What happened at the palace?’
Charles was dressed simply in black pants and a high-collared black shirt.
He jumped off his horse and approached her, saying,
“I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”
Unlike the knights' expressions, Charles appeared unchanged.
But upon closer inspection, he had a bandage wrapped around his neck, as if he had been injured.
Iana gasped and asked loudly,
“Your Grace, are you hurt?”
“I just got a little cut. By the way, I have good news.”
Charles lightly replied, holding Lou in his arms as if it were nothing.
“Don’t tell me?”
“The Emperor has decided to send a magician to Ervin.”
“Really?”
Iana exclaimed in a voice so loud it cracked, quickly covering her mouth with both hands.
Her loud voice drew the attention of those around them to the two.
“Is that good?”
Charles asked, looking at her with a pleased expression, and Iana nodded with her mouth covered.
At that moment, the senior knight approached with a serious expression.
“Your Grace, it seems you haven’t eaten yet?”
“Oh, is that so? Then please eat first.”
Iana bowed and was about to leave when Charles suddenly spoke up.
“Would you like to join me for a meal?”
“I already ate earlier, but…”
Charles playfully asked,
“Can’t you eat again?”
“Well, I could.”
Iana shyly nodded.
A little later, the two sat side by side by the lakeside, sharing bread filled with pickled meat.
“……So, I left room for an alliance with the Dietrian family.”
Iana calmly explained the process of her divorce. As she spoke, her gaze kept drifting to the bandaged neck of Charles.
“You handled it well.”
Charles smiled with satisfaction. But somehow, his expression felt heavy.
“I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited to share this with you.”
As Iana observed Charles's expression, her sincerity slipped out without her realizing it.
At that moment, Charles asked slowly,
“Were you waiting for me?”
“Uh? Ah, well, I was waiting, but not like that…”
Iana stammered, feeling embarrassed.
“It’s nice to know someone is waiting for you.”
After finishing his words, Charles took a bite of the bread.
That sight felt strangely overwhelming. It was both pitiful and poignant.
* * *
The knights, ready to depart, began to mount their horses one by one.
Iana also got into the carriage, holding Lou.
At that moment, Vera rushed over as if something terrible had happened and hurriedly climbed into the carriage.
“Lady! Lady! Oh, but now that you’re divorced, I shouldn’t call you Lady, right?”
“I don’t think you’re trying to talk about my title right now?”
“Oh right! I happened to overhear the knights talking in the bushes. I was so shocked…”
“What were they saying?”
Iana asked with a tense expression, and Vera whispered in a hushed tone.
“His Majesty the Emperor is trying to kill His Grace the Duke.”