Episode 50
The morning after the commemorative ceremony, Len visited and told me about the title award ceremony.
“It seems His Highness the Second Prince has, as expected, only accepted the new demon sword without using it.”
I half-lay on the bed and sighed.
To be honest, I was itching to ask about Moghold, but using the excuse that I’d forgotten about him seemed flimsy, given how close Louise appeared to have been with the former Tower Lord.
“Then what should we do? Should I go to Brother and persuade him to try the new sword?”
Len shook his head at my suggestion.
“It would be better for me to go to His Majesty the Emperor and advise him once more to retrieve the demon sword.”
Come to think of it, even if belatedly, the Emperor also wanted the demon sword back.
‘Whether he’s finally started worrying about Rurick or just wants to use him longer, I don’t know.’
Aside from those two reasons, I couldn’t think of any other reason why the Emperor would need to forge a new sword.
“Lu, you wait here safely. Understood?”
“Mmm…”
While my plan to stay in bed and miss the commemorative ceremony was successful, it would all be for nothing if Rurick didn’t give up the demon sword.
After Len smoothed my hair and left, I got up from bed.
‘I need to check the diary.’
No new entry had appeared the night before.
And Phoebe had been by my side since early morning, so I hadn’t been able to check the diary until now.
But when I hurriedly opened it, instead of the much-desired information about Moghold, a diary entry with completely different content appeared.
Somehow, I cannot bring myself to write a reply to my brother.
Just reading the first line made my heart sink.
This was only the second time Rurick had been mentioned in the diary.
The first mention of ‘brother’, from about a month ago, was just a single line:
A letter arrived from my brother.
That was all.
And now, about a month later, she says she can’t write a reply?
Does that mean Rurick had been waiting for a reply for an entire month?
He pushed me off to an academy I never wanted, citing ‘royal privileges’, so why is he asking how I am now? Lady jenais ignores me, Sister Cyril torments me, my only friend is Erni… My life is always the same.
Somehow, my chest ached.
I had seen Rurick’s letters among the mountain of correspondence piled in that drawer, but of course, I had never seen Louise’s replies.
I hadn’t realized her attitude was this cold.
‘Considering Rurick would remain on the battlefield for the next three years, it’s impossible that their relationship improved during the four years Louise was at the academy…’
So did Rurick go on a rampage because this distant younger sister, whom he still cared for, died?
Moreover, I cannot tolerate him telling me to come and go just because he is staying at the imperial palace for a while. If he is so curious about academy life, he can enroll himself, even now.
Goodness, Louise…
The fact that Rurick couldn’t attend the academy because he was busy leading the war was truly treatment unbefitting a Prince.
It was never a path Rurick chose for himself…
‘Louise had no idea Rurick would be sent back to the battlefield.’
The diary continued, filled with resentment towards Rurick.
I couldn’t bring myself to read the rest in detail and closed it.
‘Louise had seriously misunderstood Rurick…’
I lay back down on the bed, but my heart felt heavy, as if a rock was placed on my chest.
Around the same time, the Crown Prince went to pay his respects to the Empress and heard some unexpected words.
“Somehow, I think we should send that child Louise a good tonic.”
Hart twitched his eyebrow.
“A tonic? With the Tower Lord by her side, I’m sure he’s taking good care of her.”
“But she’s so frail she couldn’t even attend the commemorative ceremony, that’s why I’m saying this! If that child had been there, sitting like a speechless flower, we could have definitely inflated the rumors about her looking for a groom.”
“Judging by how the Crown Prince of Flavi danced without rest, it seems the rumors are already spreading. I intend to step in and draw attention so people don’t pay them mind.”
Hart chuckled.
“You’re planning to send her to Babenberg eventually, so don’t worry too much about her. You’re getting old, Mother.”
“Crown Prince!”
The Empress flared up angrily.
“Don’t you understand? Now is not the time to be so complacent. It seems His Majesty has become intoxicated with the consecutive victories!”
“Intoxicated with victories?”
Hart muttered in puzzlement but soon realized what the Empress meant.
“Don’t tell me He has truly come to believe that all those victories are solely that bastard Rurick’s doing?”
His father’s voice, who had hastily decided to forge a new sword to save Rurick’s life, echoed belatedly in his ears: ‘If you dare interfere with my decision, show me even half the results he has.’
While he was never even given a chance, his father was attributing the demon sword’s achievements to that bastard Rurick to insult him.
‘If that bastard achieves victory with the new sword as well…’
Hart felt a new wave of anxiety.
The Emperor’s trust that the bastard would gain with further victories using the new sword, and the new territory he would acquire by winning with the old demon sword.
‘Which of the two holds greater value?’
The Empress didn’t answer, seeming displeased, but Hart’s red eyes shone with an unusual light.
“I see now. It was foolish of me to envy that bastard’s shiny new sword.”
The Empress spoke, as if trying to soothe her son belatedly.
“That is precisely the part not worth worrying about. It seems the Second Prince isn’t even paying attention to the new sword.”
“Whether that bastard uses the old sword or the new one, if His Majesty attributes the victories to his credit, that’s the end of it, isn’t it?”
Hart bit his lower lip hard, then released it and said,
“In that case, it would be better to induce him to use the new sword. At least then there’s a chance he might fail.”
“Crown Prince.”
The Empress tried to dissuade him quietly.
After all, Hart was the legitimate Crown Prince, and no one could threaten his position.
No matter how exceptional the Second Prince Rurick’s abilities were, he was destined to remain in a supporting role for his elder brother.
‘So even if his pride is hurt, he should consider the practical benefits.’
In the Empress’s view, Whitney’s value was that high.
The price of Rurick continuing to use the demon sword—his life—was more important than even her own son’s self-esteem.
But Hart was already excited.
“The victories until now weren’t due to that bastard’s skill, but the demon sword’s ability!”
Empress Dorotheo clicked her tongue inwardly.
“I will crush him without needing any demon sword or the like!”
When he was young, she found it admirable how her son would honestly declare his resolve before her.
But informing him too late about the fatal side effects of that demon sword, which had only been given to his half-brother, had ultimately become poison.
Until he learned that cruel reality, Hart had already striven for too long to defeat Rurick.
‘Such a utterly useless inferiority complex.’
The Empress could only sigh as she watched her son’s retreating back, turning away in displeasure.
Two days had passed since the Foundation Day celebration, but Rurick paid no attention to his newly bestowed title or territory.
Ostia was relatively close and might be worth visiting, but he didn’t have the mental space for it.
He only found himself glaring at the new demon sword propped by the doorway from time to time.
‘Surely, he doesn’t intend to take back the treasured sword by giving me such a preposterous fake…’
Every time he saw that sword, a strange anger welled up, and he would grip ‘Belih’s hilt tightly.
‘What should I do if His Majesty uses the demon sword as a pretext to urge me to war?’
The voice that rang in his head whenever it could spoke again.
—Offer victory to the starving sword!
Had he gone mad, desperate not to have the sword taken away?
“I hate it. We don’t need any more victories.”
He recalled Louise clinging to him, sniffling.
That child was still often sickly, and they were only just beginning to open their hearts and become close again.
No sword could be more precious than Louise.
But if he achieved another victory…
‘Perhaps I could request a delay of her marriage until a suitor Louise truly desires appears.’
Just as Rurick was thinking this and pressing his forehead, a sound interrupted him.
—Knock knock.
A knocking sound was heard, and his adjutant, Jesus, appeared.
“His Highness the Crown Prince… has sent word of his visit.”
Rurick asked, doubting his ears.
“His Highness…?”
For the Crown Prince to seek out Rurick at his separate palace was clearly an unusual event.
Jesus replied, looking troubled.
“This is problematic. His Highness the Crown Prince stated that he wishes to see the Commander wield the new demon sword and has requested a spar.”
Does he have a death wish?
Rurick thought indifferently
