Chapter 40
“You really look terrible.”
The hand picking up the broken pieces of glass from the floor trembled.
Ignoring the blood flowing from young Valentin’s small hand, Elia only looked down at him.
“Even if all that blood drains out of your body, what would it change? Your outer shell proves your roots.”
Elia’s shadow slowly moved toward little Valentin and eventually swallowed him whole.
“Shall I tell you a secret?”
Elia bent her knees to meet Valentin’s eyes. Her gaze turned cold.
Her calm voice filled his ears.
“…Never become emperor.”
Valentin wanted to shout at her retreating back. He wanted to laugh and say he had never wanted that position in the first place.
But damn it—his throat felt blocked. He couldn’t make a sound.
When he realized he couldn’t move anything by his own will, Valentin suddenly opened his eyes.
“……”
What kind of ridiculous dream was that?
He lifted an arm to cover his eyes and swallowed a dry laugh.
Instead of feeling better as time passed, his mood only grew worse. He felt sensitive and on edge.
Turning his head toward the soft breathing beside him—
“…How can someone sleep in a position like that?”
Under the pale blue light of dawn, a bundle of black hair rose and fell with each breath.
Nathan’s long arms and legs were twisted into an awkward knot, as if he didn’t know what to do with them.
Valentin felt the tension in him loosen.
He threw the lingering dream to the back of his mind and focused on watching Nathan.
It was fun to observe the storm of emotions in those golden eyes when he was awake—but seeing him asleep like this, unaware of the world, wasn’t bad either.
Most of all, Valentin liked that he was quietly lying beside him.
He poked Nathan’s nose with a finger.
“Mm…”
Nathan frowned and turned his head the other way. It was cute.
After running away from him so much before, who knew what had gotten into him yesterday—Nathan had come to Valentin’s room first.
‘I don’t know what he’s plotting, but he’s cute, so maybe I’ll let it slide.’
With that foolish thought, Valentin played with Nathan for a while before getting up at dawn.
If he moved his body and worked up a sweat, useless emotions would usually drain away too.
After lightly brushing Nathan’s cheek, Valentin left the room. The training grounds, which he reached earlier than usual, were empty.
He exhaled and swung his sword. The familiar movements flowed as naturally as breathing.
He moved fiercely yet gracefully, focusing all his attention on the tip of his blade.
As he thrust and slashed repeatedly, he cut downward toward the rising sun—then slowly lowered his sword.
“You’re up early.”
“If Your Grace rises early, shouldn’t I also start my day sooner?”
Valentin relaxed and tilted his head. Levi, who had been standing far away, hurried over.
“The donations received by the Berenice Foundation will be used for unmarried mothers and their children. Shall we deliver the same amount as before?”
“Proceed as usual.”
As Valentin wiped the sweat from his body with a towel, he lifted one corner of his mouth.
“So today’s the day.”
No wonder.
His mood had been foul since the dream, yet he smiled brightly as he said it. Levi bit the inside of his lip.
After hesitating, Levi turned to leave, but Valentin spoke first.
“Bring it.”
“Pardon?”
Levi couldn’t turn his back on his master while speaking, so he faced him awkwardly.
“At least I should acknowledge the effort. Empress Cordelia’s gift.”
Unlike other nobles who likely sent decent but random items, Cordelia must have carefully selected her gift over a long time.
Out of all the gifts he received, hers probably contained the most effort.
With a voice filled with expectation and mockery, Valentin urged Levi.
Levi, who had been ready to secretly throw away Cordelia’s gift among the pile, reluctantly brought the box to the office.
“It’s nothing special.”
After removing the luxurious wrapping, Valentin let out a disappointed sigh.
In his long fingers was a mask.
The mask covered the eyes and jaw completely, decorated with rare jewels and strange patterns.
Levi, who had already confirmed there were no hidden devices or poison in it, let out a sigh of relief.
“It’s rather ordinary this time.”
Valentin snorted.
“What are you talking about, Levi? Don’t you know the Empress by now? This is her tearful consideration—telling me to cover this terrible face.”
He tapped the raised nose of the mask with his finger, sneering.
“Not realizing that hiding my face would be a national loss.”
Levi groaned softly as he looked at the angelic smile that didn’t match the word “terrible” at all.
Considering Empress Cordelia’s past actions, the mask surely carried some negative meaning.
At least it wasn’t something that threatened his life.
Valentin seemed to think the same. Calling it boring, he ordered it to be put away.
He thought it would be a truly dull day.
Valentin felt something was off.
From the moment he stepped into Count Laminem’s estate for the meeting, he knew something was wrong.
“Y-Your Grace! The Count is currently out. We received notice from Berenice Castle that the meeting was postponed…”
Since when?
Watching the count’s aide blush at his irritated smile, Valentin quickly assessed the situation.
The only person capable of doing something like this was Levi, who handled most of Berenice’s affairs.
Guessing his intention, Valentin didn’t push further.
“Such pointless trouble.”
On a day like this, it would be better to work his body hard and stay busy.
‘Has he grown sentimental with age?’
As he imagined Levi’s wrinkles deepening day by day and stepped down from his horse—
“Your Grace!! There’s big trouble!”
Levi came running without a trace of his usual dignified composure. The servants stared in confusion. What could have happened?
Only Valentin remained calm, waiting for Levi to speak.
“Th-there’s a fight among the knights.”
Valentin tilted his head at Levi, who was wiping sweat from his forehead.
So what?
Levi shuddered, as if he had heard that unspoken thought.
“Devon is the knight commander. He’ll handle it.”
If there was trouble, the commander would deal with it, and they could discuss punishment afterward.
But Levi placed a hand on his chest and spoke more urgently.
“Sir Devon, the knight commander, is fighting.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m ashamed to say this, but it’s serious. Instead of stopping it, they’ve divided into sides and are cheering. It’s a spectacle.”
“Have they all gone mad?”
Valentin frowned.
“What caused it?”
“Well… it’s too embarrassing to even say…”
Seeing Levi hesitate unlike himself, Valentin waved a hand dismissively and asked the most important thing.
“Where’s Nathan?”
“Pardon?”
“Which side is Nathan on?”
It was hard to imagine that gentle boy taking sides in a fight.
He was probably in the middle, darting his eyes around, trying to stop everyone.
Imagining that harmless and cute sight made Valentin smile.
But only for a moment.
“N-Nathan is one of the ones who started the fight.”
Valentin stopped walking.
“…That gentle boy?”
Nathan was fighting Devon?
Valentin doubted his ears.
Logically, it made no sense.
A fight between Devon and Nathan?
Perhaps strict discipline or punishment—but an actual fight? Impossible.
Standing still for a moment, Valentin suddenly narrowed his eyes.
Levi flinched as if struck in a vital spot and began coughing awkwardly.
“…Levi.”
“Yes.”
The sweet yet chilling voice sent a shiver down his spine.
He never expected to feel his life threatened at this age.
Though a little sorrowful, Levi felt strangely calm, knowing he had already crossed the point of no return.
“Let’s go see for ourselves.”
Fortunately, Valentin said nothing more.
He simply quickened his steps.
By the time the sun had set and darkness covered the sky, the area around the training grounds was eerily silent—nothing like a place where a fight had broken out.
Only the sound of Valentin and Levi’s footsteps could be heard.
There were no lights except the faint moon.
“This can’t be right…”
Levi looked flustered at the empty scene.
And the moment Valentin stepped into the training grounds—
Dozens of blades revealed themselves.
