Episode 35
If he hadn’t known, it might have been excusable, but once he knew, it was difficult to pretend otherwise. Hart, not fully grasping his father’s intentions, gave a fragmented reply.
“It might be better to make the inexperienced Grand Duke pay a high price while he’s still interested.”
“My thoughts are similar, but…”
The Emperor didn’t finish his sentence and brought up another topic.
“I’m thinking it might be time to slowly bestow another sword upon the boy and retrieve ‘Belih’.”
“Huh?”
Hart flinched and lowered his voice.
“Father, ‘Belih’ would not be pleased to be taken from its host.”
“It also contradicts what you promised Mother.”
Hart barely swallowed the last part, but the Emperor’s voice continued.
“After placing ‘Belih’ in Rurik’s hands, we have achieved territorial expansion multiple times. Wanting more than this is greed.”
The Emperor stated decisively and then added.
“Breaking the limitation that it can only be used for short-term missions, Rurik has already used ‘Belih’ for over ten years. This recent victory has been a great strength to me…”
Hart, unable to hold back any longer, spat out sharply.
“So, you intend to break your promise to Mother and save that child’s life?”
The Emperor glared at his firstborn.
“If you dare interfere with my decision, produce even half the achievements he has.”
The demon sword ‘Velih’ had been considered an imperial treasure for centuries. But the fact that this object, once merely hung on a wall for boasting, gained life through a host was something Empress Dorotheo had accidentally discovered over a decade ago.
‘It bestows victory and luck upon its wielder, but in return, it devours their life.’
After the Second Imperial Consort’s mysterious and sudden death, Empress Dorotheus coaxed and persuaded the Emperor to use ‘Velih’. The Emperor ignored her words multiple times, more out of distrust for the Empress than love for his second son, but once Rurik, holding the sword, began achieving successive victories, there was no reason not to believe the legend or superstition.
‘And now you intend to attribute all those achievements solely to him?’
Hart bit his lip hard. The consecutive victories and territorial expansions could never be solely his one-year-younger brother’s功劳 (gōng – merit/credit). It was solely due to the Brentani Imperial Family’s heirloom treasure and the virtue of his own mother who discovered the fact.
‘In that case, shouldn’t it naturally belong to me in the future?’
Of course, since Rurik was his own flesh and blood, it might not be easy for the Emperor to discard him. But what if a greater reward followed?
‘For instance, something like the granary region of Whitney’s.’
Instead of directly opposing his father, Hart bowed his head as if ashamed.
“…My apologies.”
The Emperor tutted.
“If you understand, you are dismissed. I will order the Magic Tower Lord to forge a new sword.”
Hart, clenching his teeth tightly, bowed once more. The reason he kept that hulking Sword Master, not much younger than himself, alive as a ‘brother’ was precisely because he was the demon sword’s ‘host’.
‘And my Crown Princess had to give birth to only daughters, one after another.’
Hart still had no son. If Rurik were to establish himself as Brentani’s ‘son’ now, he would not stand idly by.
Early the next morning, I discovered a new diary entry.
Today was the fourth ‘Basic Arithmetic’ lecture, and I learned something truly absurd.
The diary that began like that flowed in a literally absurd manner.
There was a student named ‘Ren Daphte’ in the Basic Arithmetic class from the start, but he was definitely not the glamorous Magic Tower Lord I saw at the banquet hall last time.
Since it was clearly a different person to anyone who looked, everyone thought they were just namesakes, but the professor seemed to think differently.
The professor told ‘Ren Daphte’ that he was qualified to lecture in his place, gave him a truly difficult formula, and told him to solve it.
But ‘Ren Daphte’ couldn’t do it, and the professor said this:
“Tell him that if he shows up now, I’ll let him avoid failing for the second time.”
The moment ‘Ren Daphte’—no, the man we thought was ‘Ren Daphte’—asked, “Did you hear that, sir?” to someone, a bang sound came from the fireplace.
That young Magic Tower Lord was so brazen, he said this to the professor:
“Ah, can’t you just let it slide?”
‘Looks like it won’t work, Ren…’
I held my forehead and read the next line.
In conclusion, from today onward, we are in the danger of taking classes with the real ‘Ren Daphte’.
In my view, he is not only substantially dangerous but also a perilous competitor who can score high just by attending.
‘This girl Louise was serious about her grades…’
Worst of all, the seat he trudged over and plopped down into was next to me.
Of all classes, Erni isn’t in this one…
I thought about saying, “Um, I’m the Imperial Family’s outcast, so everyone avoids me,” but he was just too scary…
Pfft.
The troubles of the youngest Princess, who had somehow become the Magic Tower Lord’s seatmate, went on and on. But I had long since learned how useful that Magic Tower Lord was, and how sincere he was towards me. Closing the diary, I took out the two small magic artifacts Ren had given me.
‘He said not to use the summoning bead anytime…’
Taking out the blue bead and placing it on my palm, a brilliant light emanated. After waiting for a while, a sleepy voice came through.
—If anyone else woke me at this hour, I’d want to kill them.
Having just read a scary diary entry, I flinched, but Ren laughed softly.
—But being woken by your voice is fine. Did you sleep well, Rue?
Relieved, I spoke.
“Yes, how about you, Ren?”
—I just miss you…
I subtly opened the diary, comparing the Ren of the past with the present one. That alone was funny enough to make me smile faintly, and he was pleased.
—Are you laughing, Rue? It’s because you miss me too, right?
‘How can I choose one out of three…’
While internally wailing, I barely remembered the reason I contacted Ren.
“Mhmm, I miss you.”
Of course, Ren wasn’t fooled.
“And what else?”
I grinned and confessed the real purpose of my call.
“I want to know about the demon sword my brother has. The one they say the first Magic Tower Lord presented to the Imperial Family.”
A week later, I entered my fourth month of pregnancy. According to the physician, I was entering a stable period, but it seemed he had hidden something from me.
“Ugh…”
Who knew the morning sickness would get worse? I took out Ren’s potion for the second time already this early morning. Phoebe, who was preparing accessories, stopped and lamented.
“What are we going to do, Your Highness? It’s a relief it’s not showing outwardly yet…”
“A huge relief.”
After taking a spoonful of the potion, Phoebe quickly rubbed my back.
“Phew…”
Just as I was catching my breath for a moment, a knock was heard.
—Knock knock.
While Phoebe swiftly put away the medicine box, I sat on the vanity stool. Not waiting for a response, a voice came from outside the door.
“Louise, it’s your brother.”
Phoebe swiftly ran towards the door. Rurik soon entered the room, saw me, and sighed.
“Are you really alright?”
“Of course, Brother.”
I gave him a frail smile, and Phoebe quietly began fixing my hair. Rurik spoke with a furrowed brow.
“Your complexion isn’t great. His Majesty also knows you’ve been suffering from a severe illness due to travel fatigue…”
Today was the start of the Thanksgiving Festival. He seemed displeased that I was overexerting myself by moving around, but I had something to do at the banquet hall.
“I told you before. I can’t be seen as a useless and even frail youngest daughter. The Thanksgiving Festival is only once a year.”
Then Rurik suddenly said.
“In that case, I will escort you by your side today.”
When I widened my eyes in surprise, he added as if making an excuse.
“If you were to collapse like at the monastery, it would be a disaster, wouldn’t it?”
