Chapter 48: Omen

I almost spat out my tea.

I let my guard down for a second, and he came right in. ‘Because it’s you I’m talking to?’ What’s with this all of a sudden…

I couldn’t keep up with the suddenly heavy turn the conversation took, and as I froze, the Crown Prince continued.

“My position as Crown Prince is something I’m stuck with due to circumstances, but those who know, know. The age gap between His Majesty and me is only eight years. By the time His Majesty is ready to retire, I’ll be at an age where I need to prepare for my own retirement.”

An eight-year difference.

Crown Prince Elpidius Deserth is twenty years old, and Emperor, at twenty-eight, is eight years older.

Occasionally, envoys from other kingdoms who haven’t properly researched their information would tilt their heads and ask those around them if they were truly father and son,

But of course not.

The Crown Prince is the Emperor’s nephew.

‘No, but why are you telling me this…’

I’m not suited for this kind of heavy personal stuff.

There was no way he couldn’t see the troubled look on my face, but that damned Crown Prince continued without a care.

“If the day comes when I ascend the throne, it will mean something has happened to His Majesty. I don’t wish for that.”

“…….”

“And more than anything, seeing His Majesty at work made me realize something for sure. I can’t do it like him.”

There was an unreadable mix of emotions in the Crown Prince’s eyes as he said that.

The only thing I could be sure of was that it wasn’t a negative emotion.

‘…….’

Considering the Emperor killed all his brothers and even their children to prevent future troubles, it’s not only understandable that his nephew exists, but also strange that the nephew doesn’t hate his uncle. But there was a reason.

There was one brother who didn’t die by the Emperor’s hand.

The only brother who was already dead when the 9th Prince, who became Emperor, drew his sword: the 1st Prince.

I don’t know much, but the saying that ‘if the 1st Prince were alive, the 9th Prince wouldn’t have drawn his sword’ suggests they were very close.

Aside from that, there were many rumors about the 1st Prince.

A royal who wasn’t like a royal, but more like a pushover. The only family member who was kind to the 9th Prince when he was down on his luck.

It was even said that after getting married and having a child, he would visit the 9th Prince every day and take care of his child together. So it’s no wonder the current Emperor is good to the Crown Prince and Princess, who are the 1st Prince’s children and his own niece and nephew.

He must have grown attached. He probably felt like they were his own children or siblings.

So he actually acknowledged them as ‘Crown Prince’ and ‘Princess’.

“So, I’m entrusting His Majesty to you.”

“Yes… Yes?”

I lifted my head in surprise.

The Crown Prince’s eyes, which I dared to meet, were filled with an inexplicable trust.

‘I’ve wanted to say this since earlier… what’s with this baseless trust? Isn’t suspicion a virtue for royals?’

And the person he’s entrusting to me is none other than the Emperor. The very same Emperor who personally drew his sword and swept through battlefields, conquering territories during the Eight Years’ War!

Seriously, this is absurd.

“Brother, why are you saying such things that will burden the Count!”

“Your Highness the Princess….”

“You don’t need to say it, Count will do well even without you saying so!”

Absolutely not. So don’t look at me with those ‘Didn’t I do well?’ eyes.

Crown Prince, why are you nodding!

“I’ve been rude.”

“Ah, no, you haven’t.”

I made a decision. I need to escape somehow. If this continues, only more burdensome topics will come up.

I can’t just disappear without a word, so it’s best to make an excuse and step away for a bit before returning. That should at least change the atmosphere.

Coincidentally, I had drunk too much tea and needed to use the restroom, so I could use that as an excuse to leave.

I carefully opened my mouth, watching the Crown Prince and Princess.

“Excuse me, may I use the restroom for a moment?”

“Now that you mention it, you did drink a lot of tea. Go ahead,”

I bowed to the Crown Prince and Princess, who waved their hands, and hurried out of the garden where tea time was taking place.

‘I’m alive! I thought I was going to suffocate to death.’

The thought of going back there makes me feel hopeless, but at least I got out!

I decided to take care of my business first and then walk back slowly, and started walking down the Imperial Palace corridor with a light step.

And just as I was walking so confidently,

‘…Where am I?’

I got lost.

Don’t think it’s pathetic that I, who frequently visits the Imperial Palace, got lost.

I always met the Emperor directly and returned home without straying to other paths.

So there’s no way I’d know other routes.

‘It’ll be a problem if I make the royals wait too long….’

My life will be in danger.

If they think I stood them up, that would be a huge problem.

Feeling flustered, I hurriedly looked around.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before I spotted a servant standing in the corner of a hallway.

“Hey!”

“…!”

Ah, I was so glad to see him that I ended up shouting.

He looked at me with wide eyes, startled, and I gave him a slight smile out of apology, but for some reason, he flinched.

…Well, it must be my imagination.

I approached him with long strides, keeping my smile so he wouldn’t run away.

His expression, filled with anxiety, made me a little uneasy, probably because of my reputation, but I was more urgent now.

I feel like I’m going to burst. I might actually piss myself.

I won’t bother specifying what ‘it’ is.

“Excuse me—”

“Aaaaaaah!”

…Where’s the bathroom, you crazy bastard.

I stared at the guy who suddenly pulled out a knife and rushed at me, more with bewilderment than surprise.

***

“He’s gone.”

“So it seems.”

He must have run away. The conversation must have been quite a burden for him.

‘Honestly, it was a bit sudden.’

But I had no choice because opportunities to have conversations like this don’t come easily.

Crown Prince Elpidius brought the teacup to his lips, a faint smile playing on them.

I feel sorry for burdening him, but I have no intention of retracting my words.

Unlike the peaceful surface, sinister movements were busily taking place beneath the water, and their blades were clearly aimed at his uncle, the Emperor.

Movements that have continued since the moment his uncle became Emperor.

[We will help you ascend to the highest seat.]

[At this rate, you might never sit on the Emperor’s throne for your entire life.]

[The nobles’ opposition is growing stronger.]

[Please, punish the tyrant.]

Even while the Eight Years’ War was in full swing, they steadily came to him.

It’s not like he was swayed by those absurd words, but he couldn’t guarantee how long he could maintain this resolve.

They might come to him with weaknesses he wasn’t even aware of and try to shake him.

A weakness is a weakness for a reason. If that moment comes, he might….

‘…….’

It’s been ten years since the ruler changed. Even if they didn’t have the余裕 during the war to plot behind the scenes, they’ve had enough time to find one or two weaknesses if they were determined.

Until now, the Crown Prince has been the Emperor’s strong defense.

To overthrow the Emperor, they not only need a plausible justification but also a ‘royal’ to sit on the empty throne. Ultimately, their actions will end up as mere rebellion unless the Crown Prince agrees.

They could replace him with the Princess, but the Crown Prince has more sway in convincing others, and she wouldn’t agree to it anyway.

The dissenters’ ‘actions’ had no choice but to be continuously postponed.

But there’s a limit to this. No, the limit was reached a long time ago.

It’s been two years since their actions began to shift from ‘persuasion’ to ‘threats disguised as persuasion’.

As a Crown Prince who might have his weaknesses exploited and be forced into unwanted actions at any moment, he needed to hurry and prepare countermeasures.

That’s why he was paying attention to Deon Hart, the hero whom the Emperor especially trusted.

‘It’s a relief I didn’t say those words.’

If he had heard those words, a person who couldn’t handle the pressure of just these words would have surely fled the Imperial Palace. He probably would have tried to avoid me for the rest of his life.

‘If there’s anything that hinders assisting the Emperor,’

Even if it’s a member of the royal family.

‘…Kill them.’

He handed cookies to the Princess with a gentle smile.

The Princess met his eyes and then, as if understanding, bent her eyes into crescents and nodded. The way he nodded back looked like a kind older brother to anyone watching.

As always, the Crown Prince’s day was flowing peacefully.

***

Just a few minutes ago, an operative from the Ireon Kingdom was celebrating alone.

While the Emperor was away dealing with a visitor, he had successfully snuck into the office and copied key documents to smuggle out.

In the ‘Empire’, no less! An operative from a small kingdom! He had succeeded in such an incredible feat!

Of course, it wasn’t easy.

Forgetting about the Emperor’s office, even targeting the Chancellor’s office had tight security.

It was even more difficult because the deadline for preliminary investigation was set to one week, considering the possibility that the tyrannical Emperor would start a war without weighing the pros and cons against the Ireon Kingdom’s shameless demands.

‘I’m going back to my motherland, you bastards!’

He had achieved his purpose here, so all he had to do was return, but things in the world don’t go so easily, it seems.

“Hey!”

“…!”

A loud voice clearly calling out to this side.

Could they have noticed?

Having a guilty conscience, the operative flinched greatly, belatedly realizing his mistake.

A servant flinching so much at just being called. Anyone would find that suspicious.

‘What should I do?’

He still had the important documents in his pocket. If he gets caught like this, there’s no way out.

Should I run? But that’s the same as shouting, ‘I’m suspicious.’

‘No, calm down. The person might be surprisingly oblivious.’

First, check who it is… Nope, I need to run.

He desperately tried to compose his rapidly paling face.

Red eyes, white hair. Bad luck. Of all people, it had to be ‘Deon Hart’.

A figure known for being bloodthirsty. There’s historical basis for the idea that madmen have good instincts, and the one before his eyes would be the same. Moreover, he had spent eight years on the battlefield, so his animalistic senses would be unmatched.

But he tried to hold onto a sliver of hope….

‘That… is he smiling?’

A smile that clearly indicated he had grasped his identity.

The operative bit his inner cheek, the leisurely smile suggesting that no matter what he did, he was in his palm.

He must never engage him. The moment he does, he’ll surely become that guy’s plaything.

‘I can’t just run away either.’

Deon Hart is one of the few people who is authorized to carry weapons in the Emperor’s presence. He must have a weapon on him right now.

Known for being skilled not only at wielding a dagger but also at throwing it and hitting targets, there’s no way he would let a guy running away with his back turned go.

A dagger would probably come flying the moment he showed his back.

As if noticing his complicated thoughts, Deon Hart approached with a smile.

Does that mean he won’t give him any more time to think?

The operative’s mind raced to derive the best possible outcome.

Pretending to be a servant would mean playing into that guy’s hands, and running away would be the same.

If so, the only remaining option is to ‘attack him’.

‘Of course, I won’t be a match for him, so the goal is to make him panic.’

The complacent thought that there’s no way a clumsy operative who looks surprised would dare attack him. He has to exploit that thought.

Even if it’s a sudden attack, even he would panic. If so, there will be a brief opening. He’ll use that opening to escape.

Once the plan was set, there was no need to hesitate.

‘I’ll listen to what he has to say first, and if the first word sounds off, I’ll attack immediately.’

People tend to lower their guard when they are talking.

Having thought that far, the operative lifted his head and faced Deon Hart.

A subtle tension flowed, and then Deon Hart slowly opened his mouth.

“Excuse me—”

“Aaaaaaah!”

There was no need to listen to the end.

The operative, who had already pulled out his knife, charged without delay.

‘How dare you in this place.’

Rather than listening to such words until the end, it’s much more advantageous to aim for the gap when he’s off guard while talking.