CHAPTER 131……………………………………..
Bitter End (10)
“You’re saying that not only did she order the physician to poison His Majesty, but she also occasionally snuck into His Majesty’s bedroom late at night?”
The poison in Hildegarde’s expression replaced the calm demeanor she had been pretending.
“When did I ever! No, that’s not true!”
“I know as much about Her Majesty the Empress as Your Majesty has investigated me. Miss Adele said she actually saw Her Majesty secretly enter the Emperor’s chamber and personally put poison into the tea kettle.”
“That’s a lie! They’ve colluded with the Duke behind my back to frame me!”
“For what reason? Would they really go to such trouble just to remove Your Majesty from the throne? But knowing our Lord, I doubt he cares even a bit about Your Majesty, your position, or your power.”
“…….”
“Even if Lord had made some kind of secret deal with Miss Adele or the physician, there would be a reason, right? The Lord I know lacks nothing, and he detests foul scents and troublesome matters. I can’t imagine him going out of his way to create such a nuisance.”
Hildegarde, unsure how to react, ground her teeth and slapped Anje’s cheek again. Her grip was so strong that his head nearly snapped sideways this time.
Twisting his lips, Anje felt the metallic taste of blood spreading in his mouth as if his flesh had been torn.
“You hate me so much you want to kill me, don’t you? Empress, now is your chance. Kill me. Opportunities don’t come often.”
If he was going to die anyway, Anje wanted to avoid being used as a pawn. Hildegarde hadn’t killed him earlier because she intended to use him as bait to strike a deal with the Duke.
But whether or not the deal went through, Hildegarde would eventually kill him—and involve the Duke in the process.
He couldn’t allow that to happen.
Tilting his chin provocatively toward Hildegarde, Anje continued,
“There won’t be a next time.”
Choosing death over becoming a burden to the Duke was part of it, but in another sense, it was the truth. Though he couldn’t know the exact moment, soon the “White Tiger’s misfortune” written in his natal chart would disappear.
Then….
Anje’s meaningful gaze rose toward Hildegarde’s head. The calendar of fate, turning from red to black, carried one clear meaning:
‘Death.’
Yet strangely, no matter how closely he looked, Hildegarde’s chart still wasn’t finished.
‘If she had only endured hardship in her early years, she would surely have enjoyed wealth and glory…’
Did she realize her own greed had ruined everything?
No—Hildegarde, who blamed everyone else for her misfortune, would not accept the truth even if Anje told her.
“Do you think I’m a fool?”
Rising from her chair, Hildegarde looked down at Anje, a triumphant smile of victory playing on her lips.
“I’ll kill you in front of the Duke. Seeing the woman he loves die painfully right before his eyes might make him reflect a little on how he feels.”
Imagining the horrific scene, Anje squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again. He was no longer afraid of death. After living through this life three times, there was no room for excuses.
“Your Majesty… Miss Hildegarde. You’re mistaken.”
He prayed inwardly: that the Duke had no feelings whatsoever for him; that even if he died before the Duke, it would stir no more emotion than the death of a passing ant.
“Hmph!”
Snorting in contempt, Hildegarde turned and left the room without a backward glance. Anje faltered at the unspoken message that no more conversation would take place—but he couldn’t give up now.
“Hildegarde! Look for another way. You still have…”
Bang! The door slammed shut, cutting off Anje’s powerless voice.
“No one heard him.**
“Still haven’t found Anje?”
Fixing his gaze on the spire visible beyond the dense trees surrounding the council building, Duke Seyde asked. Grey lowered his head at the question. Usually so full of pride, seeing Grey bow was rare enough that under normal circumstances, the Duke would have felt triumphant.
But now was not normal. Anje had disappeared, and every servant sent to retrieve the Empress returned as a corpse.
Yet force couldn’t be used.
The knights guarding the Empress’s palace were notorious for strictly upholding rules, even within the Imperial Palace. Most were high-ranking nobles’ children, already sworn in loyalty to the Empress before being assigned. In any circumstance, it was their duty to protect the Empress with their lives.
“Hmm…”
Frowning, the Duke groaned.
If mishandled, this could spark internal strife. Even the council could only debate without finding a viable solution.
To hear that Anje had disappeared was like a thunderclap.
He should have kept a closer eye on him when he boasted about taking care of himself. Instead, he ignored the warnings and went to the council without concern.
Regret came too late—his long insomnia and irregular meals only worsened his stomachache, offering no help but haunting his mind.
“So, have we identified the culprit?”
“There’s no trace except for the broken door… I’m sorry.”
Grey lowered his head further. Duke Seyde’s irritation flared.
“You bragged so much, and even the Black Wolf can’t help, huh.”
“…….”
Grey was a cheeky fellow who ignored rank or title, but this time, with Anje’s safety at stake, he had nothing to say. Seeing this, the Duke’s anger boiled, and he slammed his fist onto the desk.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, which swung open before permission could be granted. The Duke’s expression, already uneasy, turned icy.
“Your Grace!”
It was Marquis Crow, rushing in, unusually flustered, and grabbed Duke Seyde’s hand without greeting.
An old man who had only ever quarreled with him now grabbed his hand first!
The Duke and Grey’s expressions twisted as if witnessing something impossible. But what came next was even more astonishing.
Kneeling before the Duke, the Marquis held both of the Duke’s hands to his forehead.
“My granddaughter! Save Anje. The Empress… Hildegarde took Anje. She clearly intends to kill him. You know… you, Your Grace, know how cruel and wicked she is, don’t you?”
The Marquis, usually relentless in pursuing his goals, prostrated himself completely. This time, Duke Seyde had no choice but to cling to him. Age and pride were secondary.
“This is all my fault. I let Hildegarde act without knowing what she would do, and now this has happened. But the important thing now is to rescue Anje.”
After questioning his raven operatives, he learned that Anje had been kidnapped and taken away.
The news was shocking.
Anje was now literally his only remaining blood relative. He had been ready to give up, but knowing Anje was his granddaughter changed everything.
Many had posed as his granddaughter like Hildegarde, but Anje was the opposite. Her bold, cold stare whenever they met…
At first, Crow Marquis was annoyed, but gradually intrigued. After realizing she was indeed his granddaughter, he felt a guilt he had never known before.
‘Guilt?!’
Crow Marquis despised feelings like love or guilt—they were useless, hindering both business and life.
Yet each time Anje glared at him with contempt, his guilt only grew. Determined, he resolved to bring her back.
He occasionally wondered if Anje’s cunning attempts to provoke him were to curry favor—but she had never shown him the slightest kindness.
Anje clearly hated and despised him.
