Part 2 Chapter 78
The Duke quickly fixed his expression and smiled.
“How could I be so disrespectful? I would never dare to desire the throne. I have always been loyal to Your Majesty, and I will continue to—”
“The exile order will be announced in two weeks.”
The Emperor’s calm voice cut him off.
“All across the Empire.”
The Duke’s calm face finally cracked.
“By my authority as Emperor, everyone with the name of Bassenberg will lose their noble titles and be banished from the Empire. None of you will be allowed to stay here.”
The Emperor added in a quiet, steady tone, like a man who had nothing left to lose:
“Even if you kill me here, I will not take back that order.”
“W-wait… Your Majesty?”
The tense air made Elliot panic, and he quickly spoke up.
But the Emperor turned to him first, as if waiting.
“Convince your father to accept the throne from me. If you do that, you won’t need my permission anymore. You won’t need to negotiate with me. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”
“……”
Elliot glanced at the Duke beside him.
The Duke said nothing. He only stared at the empty table, his eyes fixed on it.
…The Emperor?
Elliot knew his father never truly wanted the Emperor’s crown.
“A-ahaha…”
Until this very moment, Elliot had never imagined the Emperor would say something like this.
What made him decide this?
“Is it because of the salvation medicine? Did that anger you?”
It was the biggest issue lately. The Emperor had struggled because the medicine was overpriced, and people couldn’t afford treatment.
Elliot thought they could talk about it, negotiate, and find a compromise.
“That problem can be solved if we adjust the supply or reach an agreement—”
“I don’t want to.”
The Emperor cut him off firmly.
“I’m tired.”
With that one sentence, everything became clear.
The Emperor had fought against Bassenberg all his life. He endured humiliation, sacrificed his pride, and gave up his strength just to keep the Empire from collapsing.
But now, he was exhausted.
Every time he managed to breathe, Bassenberg would tighten another leash around his neck. He couldn’t take it anymore.
So in the end, he declared defeat.
Rather than suffer as a toy until his dying day, he chose to give it all up.
“I know the Duke won’t just accept losing his title and being exiled.”
The Emperor spoke calmly.
“So the choice is clear.”
The Duke would have no option but to take the throne.
“Can you give me your answer now?”
But the Emperor already knew.
The Duke could not make any choice here and now.
***
Ryan.
His heart was probably made of 5% reason and 95% emotion.
He felt emotions twice as strongly as normal people. Twice the joy, twice the sadness.
And when he loved someone, that feeling was also doubled.
If his powers had awakened earlier, and if his father had shown him love instead of casting him away… Ryan might have grown up as a loyal weapon of the family.
But that didn’t happen.
Instead, he grew up with twice the anger, twice the hatred, and twice the desire for revenge.
He knew he was weak to emotions, so he carved twelve scars into his own arm to rip out any love for his father, and filled the space with revenge.
But that also meant—he felt loneliness and his longing for family twice as deeply.
When I appeared before him after his release, with nothing but revenge left in him… I became his weakness, his whole world.
A family he thought he’d lost forever suddenly stood by his side again. A sibling who shared his blood, abandoned by their father just like him.
‘Seriously… this is bad.’
These days, I keep repeating Ryan’s bad habits in my head.
Only after I died and came back did I realize how much I truly meant to him.
“Hey, Dad… cough.”
I coughed while speaking. My throat felt itchy.
Ryan, carrying me on the horse, turned around instantly, his face pale.
“What’s wrong? Why are you coughing? Are you hurt? Blood?”
“……”
He’s been like this ever since I was revived.
Ryan has lost his mind. Completely.
Even when Alex came back from death, Rivan worried Ryan might lose his sanity. And it turned out to be true.
I’m not a doctor, but I can see it clearly—Ryan is sick in his mind.
“No, it’s nothing. Just dust in my throat.”
“Oh.”
Ryan stomped on his shadow with his foot.
“Get inside. Use your power.”
“Okay, but…”
We were leaving for the capital after receiving news.
I still hadn’t calmed Ryan down.
“Can you at least take off all those knives?”
All the blades strapped to his harness probably weighed 10kg in total.
Ever since my death, he lost all mercy.
“…Fine. I won’t. I just brought them in case.”
“Is that the truth?”
I wasn’t worried about the enemies. They deserved whatever happened. I was worried about Ryan.
He had to live on after everything was done. And if he carried the memory of killing his own blood, it would scar him forever.
And yet…
“Leave it! Damn it, even if I die soon, I’m going to skin that bastard alive!”
I knew it.
Even if he killed them, Ryan would never feel better.
Instead, it would haunt him.
“Don’t you love me? I’m begging you—won’t you listen to me?”
“I’m doing this because I love you! That bastard touched the person I love the most!”
“I don’t want this. If you really care for me, please listen.”
“……”
Ryan stared at me for a long moment.
Finally, he sighed.
“…Fine. Damn it. For you, I’ll do anything.”
He pulled the weapons from his harness one by one and dropped them on the ground.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
I was shocked.
Even after days of begging, he never gave in.
“All right? Come here.”
Ryan spread his arms, face relaxed. I rushed forward and hugged him.
“Thank you, Dad…”
“Good.”
I felt relieved.
Until Rivan walked by and clicked his tongue.
“What do you think he packed in that big bag?”
“…What?”
The big bag tied to the black horse.
I quickly left Ryan’s arms and opened it.
“Kyaaah!”
It was full of knives and torture tools.
“W-what is this…?”
Click.
Ryan closed the bag, tapped his shadow, and said coldly:
“Get in.”
“Dad.”
“Now.”
“……”
His eyes were cold. No more room for compromise.
I wanted to cry.
I couldn’t handle those mad eyes anymore.
‘David, you bastard!!’
I wanted to rip his skin myself!
Why did he have to push things this far?
This was turning into a disaster.
And I had a bad feeling.
By now, David should have already reached the capital.
And somehow… I knew he was about to cause another mess.
***
When David reached the capital, his younger sister Brigitte contacted him.
[…So, Father is very, very upset right now.]
Passing down the throne or being exiled.
‘So that’s his game.’
He thought the Emperor was being bold, defying Bassenberg because he had some secret backing.
But no—it was simply a desperate declaration of defeat.
It was no bluff. It was a choice made with his life on the line.
‘Hmm.’
David had already checked Ryan’s side, and nothing was hidden. But hearing the Imperial stance, he was more certain.
Maybe he had stirred his little sister for no reason… but that didn’t matter.
[Bring Diana and Gabriel with you.]
David headed straight to the palace.
[There will be a clash no matter what, but Father is thinking about persuasion. Try to act calm.]
With a few guards, he walked boldly into the palace.
No one stopped him. They had expected him.
“Open it.”
He was ordered at the prison for nobles in the east wing. The doors opened easily.
Waiting inside was the Third Prince, Nike.
“You came quickly.”
Nike smirked and signaled to the guards.
They brought out Diana and Gabriel.
“Brother!”
Diana rushed into his arms, crying. She looked unhurt, but still clung to him.
Gabriel, looking bored, brushed back his blond hair and stood by his brother.
Nike tilted his chin, signaling them to leave.
That arrogant gesture made David’s eyes narrow.
“Your Highness is rather stiff-necked.”
“……”
“Shouldn’t you be bowing your head by now?”
“Funny. You’re the one acting stiff in front of royalty.”
Nike remembered what he once told David when interrogating Ryan, and laughed.
“Still holding a grudge, huh?”
“Of course.”
“Do you already think you’re the Emperor?”
“Maybe soon.”
“Go ask your father about that.”
David clenched his jaw.
He always hated Nike. Ever since that humiliating day.
This arrogant brat…
He wanted to rip that smug mouth and pretty face apart.
Why was he so bold in front of an ability-user?
“Do you think you have more than one life? Do you think I’ll let you live when I become Emperor?”
“Kill me after you become Emperor. I’ll be waiting.”
“If it were me, I’d want to die with honor as a prince. If you want that, just tell me.”
“Dead is dead. Whether I die as a slave or as a prince, what difference does it make? Throw my corpse to the pigs for all I care. Don’t waste your concern on me.”
Nike gestured again.
“If you have time to yap, go run crying to your father.”
“……”
David burned with rage.
But he couldn’t kill him yet—not until his father made the decision.
His father still wanted Valencia as a puppet.
So David turned away, swallowing his anger.
But then he stopped.
And looked back at Nike.
“My little sister, the one who begged for her life until the end… she’ll want to die with honor, unlike you. Please treat her well. Since she still holds the name Valencia as a royal, hold a proper funeral for her.”
Nike’s calm face turned pale in an instant.
His lips parted in shock. His blue eyes filled with bloodshot fury. His expression shattered.
David finally felt true delight at that reaction.
