Episode 53
The Empire had always been inherited by sons, and even if they wished to pass it to a daughter, there was no suitable candidate in the current imperial family.
Zenith had already promised to enter the clergy, Cyril was simple-minded, and Louise was frail.
“That bastard attacked the Crown Prince! He hurt my son with that dangerous sword!” the Empress shrieked.
The Emperor’s voice responding to her was cool. “Rurick has lived holding that demonic sword for over a decade. Moreover, you’ve already heard, haven’t you? That Hart went to find Rurick himself, insisting on a spar.”
Although the guards and adjutants all gave the same testimony, the Empress continued to argue stubbornly.
“Even so, what reason would Hart have to lay a hand on that bastard’s sword first? He already knew how dangerous that sword was!”
In truth, the Empress knew better than anyone.
Hart had coveted the demonic sword since childhood and had even taken it from Rurick without his parents’ knowledge, using it for several days.
Fortunately, nothing happened that time, but the couple, chilled to the bone, severely scolded him and took precautions to ensure it wouldn’t happen again.
The Empress raised her voice, pretending not to remember all those facts, but the Emperor only shook his head.
“Have you forgotten how tightly the Crown Prince was clutching that sword, now just a hilt? If the Tower Master hadn’t been passing through that corridor just then, we would have almost lost our firstborn.”
“Haven’t we already lost him? Is merely clinging to life considered surviving? The Crown Prince has a family too! A wife and children!”
The Empress was already treating her living son as dead, and the Emperor secretly felt the same.
“…The Tower Master is striving to treat him.”
“Well said. That illustrious Tower Master was right there!” the Empress flared up. “That man who swore an oath, staking his life to serve the Emperor, failed to protect the Crown Prince right before his eyes! Perhaps he conspired in advance with the half-siblings!”
The Emperor shook his head repeatedly.
“The Tower Master’s oath, backed by his own life, can only have one subject. I, the subject of that oath, was not there. Everyone present was my child, so he did his best.”
The demonic sword’s magic had erupted outwards, cracking the outer walls of the detached palace, and nearly half of Rurick’s room had collapsed.
Amidst it all, the Tower Master had gathered the scattered magical, defending so it would explode within the sword, and cast a protective spell—which should rightfully have been cast on himself—on the youngest Princess, saving her life.
Although he healed quickly, the Tower Master himself had been injured in the process.
“It seems true he holds the youngest somewhat specially, but he wouldn’t have disclosed matters about the demonic sword. He must stay alive first to remain by her side, mustn’t he?”
The Emperor ended the conversation with those words and left.
The Empress wept, her appearance disheveled unlike usual, but the Crown Prince, lying dazed on the bed, merely repeated the same phrase.
“The hungry… sword…… victory……”
The Empress’s composure crumbled, and she clawed at her chest.
“That damned sword has possessed my son!”
Hart was the perfect incarnation of the Emperor, meticulously crafted by her.
She couldn’t accept that it had collapsed so easily in a single accident.
“Cough cough! Cough cough!”
I pretended to cough my lungs out in front of the physician and Rurick.
I felt terribly sorry for Rurick, but now that the biggest problem had been removed, albeit somewhat noisily, I could delay no longer.
Physician Zita put down his stethoscope with a worried face.
“I heard you overexerted yourself quite a bit these past few days? I’m afraid I see signs of pneumonia.”
Rurick, I’m sorry…
He would feel infinitely responsible for the deterioration of my health after the recent incident, but I had no time left.
‘My stomach has started to swell subtly, you see.’
Of course, thanks to my slender build and bulky dresses, it fortunately wasn’t noticeable yet, and with the demonic sword shattered, the worry of Rurick running wild had also disappeared.
‘But him not running wild doesn’t mean he’ll turn a blind eye to my premarital pregnancy.’
I didn’t want to ruin the sibling relationship that was好不容易 recovering, and again at that.
“I believe His Majesty is unlikely to pressure the Second Prince over this matter.”
That was the shared opinion of Ernst and Callisteon.
‘They’re well-versed in politics, so their judgment must be correct.’
In that case, I must not miss this opportunity and leave.
Rurick frowned, but knowing the reason for my stubbornness was himself, he couldn’t get angry.
“Pneumonia? Then what should be done?”
Zita spoke cautiously.
“Since it’s quite contagious… it’s standard practice for pneumonia cases within the imperial castle to go to a quiet countryside for convalescence. In fact, going somewhere with clean air and water to live quietly is beneficial for the patient too.”
Rurick immediately asked again.
“Convalescence? Is it absolutely necessary?”
Zita bowed his head slightly.
“…If it becomes known to those around you, everyone will unanimously recommend it. As you know, the Tower’s medicine only alleviates symptoms, it’s not a fundamental cure. It will take time for the pneumonia to heal, and winter is approaching, isn’t it? Perhaps leaving for a warm southern territory would be best…”
I cut in before Rurick could answer.
“Cough! If it’s okay with you, Brother, I want to go. The restoration work is too noisy, making it hard to sleep too…”
Ren had said he deliberately omitted noise-blocking spells during the restoration work so I could use this excuse.
Just as Rurick’s expression seemed to darken, he hurriedly proposed a countermeasure.
“Fine. Let’s go together.”
Are you crazy, Brother?
‘After all the trouble I’ve gone through to leave you here…’
If you have the leisure for that, you should go see your newly acquired territory instead.
“Absolutely not, Brother.”
Because of this incident, Rurick was indebted to me.
‘I prevented what could have been a rampage that might have killed everyone nearby, just like in the novel.’
Of course, since I wrote the novel, I bear responsibility too, but Rurick doesn’t know that.
“Why don’t you understand? Cough cough!”
So I lowered my voice and made my demand assertively.
“This is the opportunity. While our elder brother is incapacitated, you must prove that you are the more worthy son.”
Perhaps because I lowered my voice, Zita tactfully excused himself and withdrew.
Even amidst this, Rurick didn’t forget to order him to keep quiet about the illness for now.
“But Louise…”
Now alone with Rurick, I lowered my voice even further, moving my lips as if whispering.
“Prove who is the true Crown Prince material.”
The reaction was more lukewarm than I expected.
“I’m not so sure, I don’t particularly…”
In the novel, after freeing himself from the sword’s influence, Rurick, burning with vengeance, dethroned the Emperor and ascended the throne himself.
‘Is he really completely free from the sword’s magical?’
I sighed inwardly and whispered.
“Aren’t you resentful? You alone bore that dangerous demonic sword your whole life! Cough! If they hadn’t noticed your changing eye color and been cautious beforehand, if the situation had worsened, what would you have done then?”
Rurick let out a small sigh and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Stop talking, it’s making you cough. I understand what you’re saying.”
No, Rurick didn’t understand.
Was it because the rampage episode wasn’t complete?
‘Can he not take the revenge route?’
Perhaps he simply considers all this an unfortunate accident.
I desperately grabbed his hand.
“No, Brother. Look at the attitudes of His and Her Majesty. Can you truly believe neither of them anticipated this accident? They knew the danger, and yet, cough cough…!”
Pretending to cough, I caught my breath for a moment and gripped Rurick’s hand tighter.
“You deserve compensation. It works out well, since His Majesty needs a sound son now, doesn’t it? Something like Ren staking his life to heal the Crown Prince will never happen. Cough!”
But it seems Rurick doesn’t hate Hart, despite his foolish and petty actions.
“Ru, surely you aren’t suggesting the Tower Master shouldn’t heal His Highness…”
Well, in the novel too, Hart’s death was an accident due to rampage, not something Rurick deliberately planned.
Ironically, it was Hart who held the inferiority complex towards the other.
“Of course not. Do I seem like such a bad child to you, Brother?”
Right. If Len could heal Hart, I would willingly play the villain and hinder him.
‘But Ren cannot heal him.’
If Hart is in a state of being dominated by the sword, like Rurick was, then probably only Helena can heal him.
And if the only person who knows that is me, the original author, then I will never tell anyone.
“…Very well, I spoke out of turn.”
After Rurick apologized with a faint sigh, I drove the point home.
“Wait just four more days. If there’s no sign of improvement by then, I will leave. Cough.”
