Chapter 77
“Hamilton.”
At that small call, all of his attention turned toward her.
Every single cell in his body reacted to her voice. The face he had waited for so long.
He thought he might have forgotten.
But he hadn’t. Sophia’s ruby-red eyes and her ebony-like captivating hair.
Even her gentle smile.
He had drawn that face in his mind countless times. He saw it when he closed his eyes, and even when he opened them, her face continued to linger before him.
And the face he finally confronted was…
‘…Different from my memories.’
It felt unfamiliar.
Though it was a meeting he had waited and waited for, Hamilton could not understand himself for feeling only unfamiliarity toward Sophia.
What was the problem?
No, perhaps nothing was actually wrong.
Her face had been beautified by the passing years, just as memories often were.
Yet even that made Hamilton happy.
‘A new Sophia.’
To him, Sophia was always Sophia.
“Sophia.”
A sharp metallic taste rose up his throat. Judging by the bitter flavor, it seemed to be blood.
Though she differed from the image he had always imagined, Sophia was still beautiful and elegant.
Hamilton examined her face closely, piece by piece.
Unlike their difficult childhood, she now carried herself like a noble lady who had lived in luxury.
A smile slowly crept onto Hamilton’s face as he looked at her.
It pleased him to see a face that seemed never to have suffered.
But Sophia could not meet Hamilton’s staring gaze.
The rotten-fish stench coming from him and the black blotches visible between the bandages—too dreadful to look at directly.
He looked like a patient afflicted with a plague. This was not the Hamilton Sophia remembered.
In her memories, Hamilton had been a handsome boy.
Had the years they spent apart turned him into this?
Sophia, absurdly, blamed the passage of time.
She knew Hamilton’s feelings. And yet she still wished for peace of mind for herself.
The guilt she would have to bear if she acknowledged and accepted everything was too heavy.
So Sophia chose to beautify those memories—or sometimes forget them entirely.
“Hamilton, it’s been a long time.”
Sophia greeted him in a gentle voice.
“…I missed you.”
Hamilton didn’t even try to take back the honest words that slipped out unconsciously.
That greeting felt like a dream, and he could only stare at her as if enchanted.
“I’m truly grateful that you tried so hard to help me.”
“For you, I could do anything.”
Hamilton’s words poured out with sincere emotion.
A truth without even the slightest lie.
Sophia deliberately ignored it and tried to remind herself why she had secretly come down to this filthy underground prison.
She stepped closer toward the cell where he stood.
“Really? Then can you grant me one more favor?”
Sophia’s secretive voice echoed eerily through the underground prison.
“Of course.”
Hamilton answered immediately.
Most of his body was already covered by the curse of dark magic, leaving him unable to do much of anything anymore—but he was willing to burn his own body away if it meant fulfilling her request.
If he could just see Sophia happy, he would do anything.
His reaction made Sophia smile without realizing it.
‘Reliable.’
Despite his miserable appearance, his firm tone—telling her to trust him—felt dependable.
Enough to grant her request.
She hesitated for a moment.
Drip— drip—
Only the sound of water falling from a moisture-filled window could be heard.
After some time passed, Sophia slowly opened her mouth.
This place she had worked so long to reach.
The place she endured through years of being ignored, criticized, and starving.
The place she climbed to so she could proudly show herself to the one she loved.
And the place she arrived at even after abandoning a long friendship that had looked only at her.
“Die for me.”
It was the final request she could make to the friend who had protected her.
It was utter chaos.
It had been a long time since things were this noisy.
Seizar and Duke Yusupov clutched their heads.
Van and Floe silently leaned to one side, avoiding the champagne droplets flying through the air.
“Lloyd! Try popping the champagne over here!”
“Okay! Sounds good! Here it goes!”
“Hey, hey! Don’t spray it this way! The Young Lady might get hit!”
But pop—the champagne burst and flew straight toward Asha.
“Kyahahahaha! Wow! It’s refreshing!”
Contrary to Abigail’s worries, Asha laughed brightly after getting drenched in champagne. Meanwhile, Dian, who had been quietly standing beside her, used his sleeve to wipe Asha’s soaked cheeks.
“Lloyd! Do it one more time!”
“Alright! This time with stronger alcohol!”
“Jamie, don’t just stand there—come over here!”
“Hey! Everyone be careful!”
Because the battle had been so difficult, the banquet hall prepared for their safe return celebration was becoming a complete mess.
Asha even hopped around like an excited foal.
“Who thought giving them champagne was a good idea?”
Duke Yusupov ground his teeth with murderous intent.
At that, Seizar shook his head.
“No one gave it to them. They just… asked for the champagne in the ducal estate, saying they wanted to hold their own celebration.”
Before Seizar even finished speaking, Lloyd fired champagne like a slingshot.
And unfortunately… it flew straight into Seizar’s face.
“……”
“……”
“……”
A suffocating silence fell.
Lloyd, the knights behind him, and Asha all froze and inhaled sharply.
Sensing the ominous atmosphere, Lloyd awkwardly laughed and muttered, “Oh dear… how did that go over there…,” but Seizar’s stiff expression did not soften.
Seeing this, Van—who had been quietly leaning against the wall—gently pulled the absentmindedly standing Asha toward his side.
Thanks to Van, Asha escaped Seizar’s range of anger, but before she could even sigh in relief—
Thud!
Jamie struck the back of Lloyd’s head hard.
“H-hey, you crazy bastard. W-who do you think you just sprayed champagne at?”
“Yeah, you lunatic.”
“Get a grip already. Aren’t you ashamed in front of Peter?”
Thud— thud—
The knights, having confirmed Seizar’s expression, began punching Lloyd in earnest to save him from Seizar’s wrath.
Surrounded by the muscular knights, Lloyd began getting beaten.
“Aaagh!”
His scream of pain echoed, but Seizar remained with arms crossed, watching with an unchanged expression.
It was the tearful friendship of the Yusupov Knights.
After the chaotic party finally settled down, the Duke—having some free time before dinner preparations—sat in his office at Seizar’s request.
Seizar’s face earlier had been unusually serious when he said he had something to discuss, so the Duke expected an important matter.
Not long after, Seizar entered the office.
“Father.”
“Yes, you’ve worked hard. But what is it?”
Though he had successfully returned from the difficult battle, his expression suggested trouble.
As expected, Seizar spoke.
“The Emperor tried to kill me.”
“…What?”
Duke Yusupov could hardly believe it. The Emperor had tried to kill Seizar.
In the end, a line that should never have been crossed had been crossed.
Liam Yusupov’s face hardened. This was absurd. How dare he target the House of Yusupov.
“He clearly attempted to harm the Yusupov ducal family. Prince Divalian witnessed the scene himself, and although he suffered burns, we also brought back the assassin who tried to kill me.”
“…Well done. So he truly intended to bring down the Yusupov family.”
“The Prince immediately realized the Emperor was behind it… Father, will you remain still after this?”
At Seizar’s words, Liam’s once-famous cold light-green eyes gleamed sharply.
As if he would. The Emperor had dared to attempt killing his son to stab the loyal Yusupov family in the back.
“…Seizar. From today onward, the House of Yusupov will no longer silently watch the Imperial Family’s atrocities. Let me make this clear. We must overturn the Emperor of this Empire.”
“…I think the same.”
At the same time, a certain person came to both Seizar and Liam’s minds.
A man who possessed the strongest claim to the throne after the Emperor, and who held deep resentment toward the Imperial Family and the Rominaf Marquessate.
Now they finally had firm conviction to support that man.
Though quiet and blunt, the Prince was certainly far better than the current Emperor. Moreover, he possessed the insight to distinguish right from wrong and good from evil.
“Bring the Prince.”
“Yes.”
From this moment on, the Emperor would have to await the opening act of the counterattack that was about to begin.
