Since the Second Prince Elius fell into a comatose state, about half a year has passed.
To conceal this fact, his loyal subordinates, Schneider and Epherna, worked diligently, but even their efforts had reached their limits.
The Second Prince was, quite literally, the heart of the Empire.
Though his name has recently become blurred, when he fell into his current state, many public officials had to make sacrifices.
As he was a strong candidate for the next emperor, his symbolism was of great importance.
“I’ve been away, and our younger sibling has devoured that symbolism entirely.”
“…”
Of course, this made it easier for Epherna to create a pretext for seizing the next power.
“You’re about to ascend to the highest position soon. Do you have any special feelings about it?”
“None whatsoever. I only think it will just mean more work, which is irritating.”
“Whether you’ll have more work is uncertain. It is only because Father is absent that we are struggling now; otherwise, the power of an emperor is absolute. Political struggles should not even be possible.”
The emperor’s desire was for the country to become one where anything he wished for would be achieved.
However, without an emperor, a strange structure emerged where subordinates began to scramble for opportunities.
“That problem will disappear once you become empress.”
“Father isn’t dead yet.”
“Father won’t last a year. Even the elderly nobles know this fact almost completely now.”
“…”
“Hurry up. Before Father and I run out of time, you need to absorb as much support as you can. Do whatever it takes. After all, once you become empress, everything will be over.”
“I’m already doing that, whether you say so or not.”
Elius seemed satisfied with that answer and nodded.
“And I’ve called you today to tell you something.”
“…?”
“Duke Tesran. Make him your ally.”
Epherna’s eyebrows furrowed deeply.
“Don’t you know very well that it’s impossible, Brother?”
“It is indeed impossible. But Duke Tesran is a cunning man with a lot of experience. If we fought on equal terms, there’s no doubt I would lose. If such a man is by our side, he will be a solid wall, more reliable than Duke Lemea or Duchess Katia.”
“What basis is there that Duke Tesran will become our ally?”
“He cannot sit on the emperor’s throne no matter what he does. The current Empire does not recognize any family other than the Grandeum family as its ruler. What do you think Duke Tesran’s goal is, knowing such an obvious fact?”
“…”
“To prove his own nobility. More precisely, to leave his bloodline in the imperial family. From the investigation of his past and actions, I’ve concluded that this is the only answer.”
Epherna’s forehead tightened with frustration.
She had guessed what Elius was trying to say.
“Form a marriage alliance with Duke Tesran. If you’re not a fool, you won’t be used by him for trivial matters. He’s a man with a small heart compared to his abilities.”
“I refuse.”
Elius’s eyes narrowed into slits.
A deep smile formed on his lips.
“Why? Is it because of Lord Astra?”
“Why ask when you already know? I have no intention of marrying anyone but Mister.”
“Will you have to live being tormented by the Duke for half your life?”
“It’s a small price to pay for my life. Besides, do you know how much I struggled to make Mister a hero? And that’s not all. I’d also have to break off the engagement with someone as widely known as Mister. How would that affect my reputation?”
“I didn’t realize you cared so much about your reputation.” “It was you, Brother, who said that reputation and justification are important in politics.”
“Hah, you’ve become quite audacious.”
Elius raised the white flag.
Though he had intended to test her from the start, he hadn’t expected such a stubborn refusal.
Without the ability to argue against the logic of reputation and justification, he had no more words to say.
“Let me ask one thing.”
“What is it?”
“When I woke up, what surprised me the most was that news of your engagement had spread throughout the Empire. It was far too fast.”
“They say a word without feet travels a thousand miles.”
“Well, it didn’t seem like it was just words without feet.”
“Do you think I deliberately exaggerated and spread rumors?”
“There’s a possibility.”
“…”
Epherna responded with silence.
She had no intention of denying it.
Rather, it was as she had hoped.
She would say that no one should dare to touch what was hers. If someone coveted him, she would respond without hesitation.
“I understand your obsession with Lord Astra, so handle it as you see fit. I would like to rest now.”
Elius stood up.
As he turned to head toward his chamber, Epherna asked him.
“Brother, don’t you have any desire to live?”
She had always wondered.
The reason why Elius had given up on life.
He had said he gave up because he couldn’t find a way to live.
But wasn’t it possible to find a way even if he searched the entire continent?
Elius chuckled.
Then, with his eyes completely empty of life,
he asked.
“Little sister, if you were in a situation with limited time like mine, what do you think would be the reason for calmly accepting death?”
*****
In the dining hall where a nursery should have been, there were indeed traces of Evergreen, as expected.
But the traces were quite faint and abstract.
“…It’s nothing more than a pattern.”
The owners of the restaurant had put it up for sale around a month ago.
For that reason, the place, devoid of any people, features a painting of a green deer symbolizing Evergreen on one side of the building.
While searching for other clues.
‘The floor sounds hollow.’
I realized the space beneath the floor was empty.
No need to deliberate.
Kwaaang-!!
I smashed through the floor and descended into the basement.
As I illuminated the dark space with magic, the scene revealed was.
A mysterious structure made of unknown blood and bones.
And.
“… This is horrible.”
A preserved human heart by magic.
Given its size, it appeared to be that of a child, which leads to one possible inference.
“Human sacrifice, then.”
Offering a child’s heart or a maiden’s blood to worship deities is common knowledge among fanatic cultists.
Many similar atrocities were committed even during wartime.
‘It’s a good thing I didn’t bring anyone else.’
Such a sight is not something to be shown to anyone.
It would be fortunate if no one goes mad and ruins the scene.
Even for someone like me, who is used to seeing human organs and corpses, this is unsettling.
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
At the sound of a delicate, high-pitched voice, I turned around.
A man wearing a white cloak was smiling broadly.
“Imagine how the gods must savor the offerings we have provided. Doesn’t pride well up in your heart as one of their creations?”
“You madman.”
Crash—!!
My reinforced body, strengthened with multiple layers, smashed through the floor and charged towards the man like a lightning bolt.
I seized his throat and activated my dragon eyes.
I dispelled all hidden spells in the air and spoke in a calm voice.
“You’ll answer the questions I ask from now on. If you don’t, you’ll die.”
“Haha!! Truly the descendant of dragons!! Though only half-blood, your magnificent power is undeniable!!”
“Shut up.”
What a peculiar fellow.
Despite gripping his throat tightly enough for him to only nod, his speech is unbroken.
Examining the man’s body with the power of the wall-eye, I realized.
“Have you absorbed the Demon King’s power?”
The deep smile on the man’s lips vanished.
The atmosphere that had surrounded us grew chillingly cold.
“How rude to invoke the name of one of the great divine kings.”
“I’ll overlook it this time. After all, you are a descendant of dragons who stood shoulder to shoulder with the great divine kings.”
Is this really the same person who was speaking with such delight just a moment ago?
It feels strange.
Even though he carries the aura of a Demon King, fundamentally, he is different from a human.
Rumble—!!
“……!!”
The entire underground space shook.
It wasn’t an earthquake.
It felt as if only this confined space was trembling…
“O descendant of dragons.”
The man spoke.
“Our leader knew you would come here.”
“It wasn’t learned through information or predictions.”
“He is the last legacy of the Mythical Era and the representative of the divine kings.”
“One who cannot be judged by human standards.”
The man’s eyes, hidden by his cloak and hair, glowed blue.
The light that illuminated the entire underground space distorted my vision.
“What is he doing?”
He hindered even the flow of mana through my body.
And as the man began to speak.
“It’s nothing special. Just remain trapped here for a week.”
A black wall of unknown origin transformed into a black sphere enclosing both the man and me.
‘It’s not just a simple wall.’
The purpose of the black wall was to distort space itself so that no other being could detect this place.
Though I am currently underground, I am not actually present here.
The coordinates may be the same, but the world I exist in is different.
As soon as I realized this with my eyes.
“I swear on all my faith and life. You will never leave this place for a week…”
Snap!!
I snapped the man’s neck.
