Episode 87
A shiver ran down my spine just hearing about it. So, the Damiani soldiers had returned with a maid disguised as me, while Rurik and Ren, having foreseen the plan, had waited with the Emperor to capture the scene.
“And the maid? They didn’t realize it wasn’t me?”
“You’re supposed to be recuperating, so I used that as an excuse to get her out quickly. I dropped the maid off at the hotel and came straight back here,” Ren said with a wink. “I’ll tell the palace my return was delayed because I had to care for you after the kidnapping incident.”
“So you don’t know what happened after that?”
When I asked urgently, he sighed.
“His Highness Prince Rurik informed me that Duke Damiani took the blame. He claimed he acted on his own, without any connection to the Empress, and requested punishment.”
“No way,” I muttered, aghast.
Ren chuckled.
“I doubt a single person there took that at face value. But His Highness Rurik seemed satisfied with it. He’s softer than I thought.”
Soft? The moment I heard that, I could grasp the plan Helena had devised. ‘If I were her, I’d use this incident to my advantage.’ Helena is the heroine I created, and I’m confident I understand her better than anyone here. ‘As long as Helena is helping, Rurik won’t continue making weak choices.’ If the Emperor foolishly fails to strike down the Empress, it would only provide greater justification for Rurik. And Helena is willing to make any decision to avoid a future where countless people die and the empire collapses because of the magic sword. ‘Moreover, with Damiani taking responsibility for this, the Emperor has now pointlessly lost his right arm.’
In this novel I wrote, the biggest obstacle to Rurik’s usurpation of the throne was the Empress’s family, the Damianis. But now, only the hollow shell of the Empress remains by the Emperor’s side instead of the Damianis. Perhaps everything up to this point was part of Helena’s plan. ‘The Empress might think she narrowly escaped danger thanks to her brother’s sacrifice, but that’s absurd.’ Rurik’s revenge was just beginning. The Emperor, having even lost the Damianis, would be defeated by Rurik even more miserably than in the novel.
‘Now, all that’s left is…’ I looked up at Ren. The Imperial Tower Master, the genius of his age, Len Daphte. Yet, in the novel, he was also a character who pointlessly lost his life at Rurik’s hands. Seeing Ren in person made that plot point seem ridiculous, but… ‘The Tower Master’s Oath!’ It was clearly because of that, something I never even set up.
I carefully parted my lips.
“But Ren, you know…”
“Hmm?”
Mysterious purple eyes looked down at me.
“Can Ren lose to a Sword Master?”
Unfortunately, it seemed my guess was correct. Ren nodded slowly with a serious face.
“If that Sword Master is the Emperor of the Empire, then it’s possible.”
He added with a mischievous smile, oblivious to the cold sweat running down my back.
“That’s why the Tower Master’s Oath exists.”
So, the Tower Master’s Oath must be to protect the Emperor’s life.
“Oh, but the Emperor, who’s desperately looking for you even now, isn’t a Sword Master, right? Then I can’t lose to a Sword Master?”
But Rurik is a Sword Master, and once he becomes Emperor, he would be able to cut Ren down. ‘Right now they’re on the same side, so he won’t be hostile towards Ren, but what if Ren tries to defend the Imperial Palace when the rebellion starts?’ So if things go wrong between them, it’s over.
“Ahh…” I smiled awkwardly and gripped Ren’s hand tightly. Heat lingered between our pressed palms. ‘Ren is stuck in the Imperial Palace because of the unconscious Crown Prince Hart, right?’ Normally, it’s standard for the Tower Master to reside in the Tower. I’d noticed there had been many instances where Ren didn’t immediately answer the Emperor’s summons before. ‘Then I suppose I have to eliminate Ren’s reason for staying at the palace…’ In other words, Hart needs to exit the stage now. But because of the Tower Master’s Oath, can Ren do that for me? ‘Can Helena do it?’
I swallowed hard and changed the subject.
“But Ren, His Majesty the Emperor is looking for you? We finally meet, and you’re already going back?”
“Wow…” Ren let out a short sigh. “Even though Luke is holding me back, I have to go. What a shame.”
And before I could ask for details, he launched into an explanation.
“Actually, I got a call from the Imperial Palace a little while ago. His Majesty wishes to have the protective magic placed on the First Prince, Hart, removed.”
The Emperor? Why now? ‘What kind of windfall is this?’ If so, this was an opportunity not to be missed. If the Hart problem is resolved, Ren would have no reason to stay at the Imperial Palace.
“If it were anything else, I’d put it off, but this one drains my magic and has a strangely unsettling feel to it. So I think I should go back and check.”
But once that’s settled, Ren must not stay at the palace. I asked again to be sure.
“If the protective magic is removed and you’re no longer caring for Brother Hart, then Ren won’t need to stay at the palace, right?”
“Finally.” The enigmatic purple eyes sparkled with anticipation. “After that, first I need to take Master to the Magic Tower and discuss treatment options. If I can entrust Master’s treatment to the healing mages, I’ll return to wherever you are.”
“Promise?”
It felt a bit underhanded, but I needed this assurance for Ren’s safety. Ren paused for a moment, as if startled, then kissed the back of my hand with a much softer expression.
“I promise. This time, when I leave the Imperial Palace, I’ll throw away all my communication devices. Except the ones I use with you.”
Relieved, I pulled Ren into a tight hug.
“You promised, Ren. You have to do it.”
Ren was quiet, his face buried in the dark, warm embrace. After a while, a soft voice came.
“Okay, I’ll do that.”
The moment Len left and I was alone, I sprang out of bed. I took out the communication orb hidden deep in a drawer and quickly activated it.
—Your Highness? Are you alright?
Helena’s worried voice poured urgently through the glowing orb.
—I was worried, as it seemed you had embarked on a pointless journey.
“I’m fine, Helena. But there’s something I want to ask you.”
“Just a moment,” Helena said, then a little later, in a quieter voice:
—I’m alone now. Speak, Your Highness.
I chose my words carefully.
“Is your brother preparing to raise a rebellion? It’s fine if you don’t tell me the details. But could you start it while Ren isn’t around?”
Helena asked in return.
—You mean Tower Master Ren?
“I’m sure your brother can guess, Helena. The Tower Masters are bound by an oath to protect the Emperor.”
Then Helena replied as if she had realized something.
—Ah, Your Highness, you are right. Why didn’t I think of that? But based on the future I’ve seen, the Tower Master should be able to avoid the constraints of the oath while he is not at the Imperial Palace.
We understood each other well, as expected. Helena hastily added.
—Oh, and there might be a condition that the Tower Master must not know about it.
I went to the window and whispered softly.
“Right. However, Ren said that today an imperial command was issued to remove all protective magic on the First Prince.”
Helena made a sound as if swallowing her breath.
—Protective magic?
“Once that’s done, Ren won’t have to stay at the palace. I’ll make sure he finds a way out.”
Of course, Helena understood immediately.
—I understand what you mean.
“Helena.” I thought about what Helena had done, and had not done, for Rurik in the novel. “If the First Prince survives even after the protective magic is lifted, the Empress might find some pretext to keep Ren at the palace.”
This time the answer was delayed.
—You’re saying we should do everything possible to prevent that from happening? So that the Tower Master can leave the palace quickly.
“Please, Helena.”
Helena answered resolutely.
—I will do my best.
I took a deep breath and threw the disposable communication orb into the fireplace.
