CHAPTER 64…………………………………
“Ah…”
Then she loosened the cold, stiff expression on her face and smiled faintly.
“Still, it’s nice to see you again after so long.”
Despite her cold-looking features, her tone toward my mother was endlessly warm.
Somehow… she felt both like and unlike Grandfather.
“This child is…”
In the meantime, Grand Duke Owen’s gaze passed my mother and landed on me.
I instinctively tried to greet her but froze, remembering what my mother had said earlier.
Wait… should I say hello or not?
No, more importantly—why is she staring at me like that?
“…Sir Owen, what brings you here?”
While I was hesitating, Grandfather spoke again.
Strange.
Why does it feel like Grandfather is subtly trying to shield me?
“As you can see, I got dragged into a troublesome matter.”
Owen finally replied, nudging the culprit sprawled on the floor with the tip of her boot.
“I was just about to head back after the council meeting when I saw a dogfight breaking out in the courtyard. I thought I’d check it out, and somehow I ended up tagging along here.”
“Dogfight…”
Dad—Kyle—muttered from the corner where he had retreated.
“She really scares the hell out of me.”
Why though?
Did he sense a fellow predator or something?
“Anyway, from what I heard outside—”
Ignoring everything else, Grand Duke Owen glanced at Bertolt and continued.
“It seems this foolish and unbearably arrogant second prince has finally crossed the line.”
“Oh.”
I let out a small sound of admiration before quickly covering my mouth with both hands.
Her choice of words was so impressive I couldn’t help it.
“Can you even say something like that?” I wondered.
Well, ever since Bertolt had tried to assassinate the Empress, there wasn’t really a reason to hold back anymore.
“Anyway, if you need proof, here it is.”
Grand Duke Owen’s voice remained calm as ever.
“He had poison hidden in his mouth, so I replaced it with Verbium—the antidote His Majesty once bestowed upon me. I had to knock him out for a bit since he was resisting, but it should still be in effect.”
“I… see.”
“I’ve also sealed his magic, so you don’t have to worry about him escaping.”
“…Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it.”
Finishing her words, Grand Duke Owen tilted her chin slightly.
“My business here is done, so I’ll take my leave.”
Then she looked at me once more and said with a faint smile,
“I’ll visit again sometime.”
As she vanished like the wind, I blinked blankly, watching her disappear.
It felt like a storm had just passed through in the span of moments.
“Ahem. Anyway—so.”
After a brief silence, Dad—Kyle—stepped forward again as if nothing had happened.
“Now that we have both evidence and a witness, what excuse will you give this time?”
Bertolt said nothing. He only stayed silent, unmoving.
Then Father—Harzen—spoke up, his voice trembling with anger.
“Why did you go this far? Enough with the absurd excuses—please, just answer me!”
“…Ha, ha.”
Bertolt stared blankly into space, then suddenly let out a low, empty laugh.
At first, it was quiet.
Then it grew louder—echoing through the room.
“Hahahaha!”
“Why can’t you understand, Harzen?”
He turned to my father with half-crazed eyes and began to speak.
“I’ve already told you, haven’t I?”
A twisted smile crept across his lips.
“I didn’t want your world to grow any wider.”
“…”
“Ha… finally. That feels refreshing.”
He let out a long breath, as if relieved.
“Yes, Harzen. The reason our parents never loved you… the reason Father pushed you so hard… all of it was my doing.”
“…”
“I worked hard to make sure you never knew the truth, while turning away every ounce of affection meant for you.”
“Why…?”
My father’s voice trembled with confusion.
“Why would you do something like that…?”
I couldn’t begin to imagine how much pain he must be feeling right now.
To learn that the person he trusted most had been the source of all his suffering… who could stay sane after that?
“Without knowing any of it, I spent my life in misery… unable to form real connections with anyone—”
“I wanted you to look only at me.”
Before my father could finish, Bertolt cut him off, his gaze locking onto him.
His eyes, filled with madness, swept over us one by one.
“You couldn’t possibly imagine it.”
“…”
“The satisfaction, the ecstasy of becoming someone’s only salvation… their entire world… their god.”
“…”
“When I realized that what I had was limited—and that I wasn’t even its true master—the humiliation was unbearable.”
He gripped my father’s shoulders tightly and went on.
“But to become someone’s world… to be the absolute master of their life—what could be greater? Even being Emperor wouldn’t compare.”
“Why me, of all people?”
“Because you’re like me. And because you surpassed me.”
Bertolt’s hand slid down my father’s arm, gently wrapping around his wrist.
His touch was almost tender—like handling fragile porcelain.
“What joy could compare to owning a child who’s both my mirror and my better—whose entire world revolves around me alone?”
“…”
“Neither our brother, nor Father, nor Mother—no one could take you away from me. My perfect, irreplaceable child.”
His signature blue eyes softened as they gazed at Harzen.
“That’s what you are, Harzen.”
And then I understood everything.
Why the original story began when Father said he was happy.
Why it started the moment he finally built a family of his own.
Because Bertolt realized then—that Father had escaped his grasp.
Disgusting.
Bertolt hadn’t simply wanted Father to be miserable, as I’d first thought.
Nor had he ever truly cherished him.
He saw Father as his possession.
He had never treated him as a person to begin with.
What a vile, twisted man.
“If that meddler hadn’t interfered, you would’ve remained mine forever.”
Bertolt spoke as if chanting a spell, his gaze fixed solely on Father.
“I should’ve kept you from leaving. My arrogance—believing you’d come back on your own—brought things to this point.”
“…”
“How could I have guessed that she would make that insane decision—to live together with everyone? Hmm?”
His trembling hand reached out, as if to caress Father’s cheek.
“Your salvation should be me.”
Even when Father turned his face away—pushed his hand aside—
“Your heart must belong only to me. The only place you belong… is by my side.”
“…”
“You are my—!”
Before he could finish shouting,
Thud!
A dull impact rang out, and his body collapsed limply to the floor.
I slowly lifted my head—and saw my mother standing behind Bertolt, her hand still poised from the strike.
So…
Mom just chopped the back of his neck?
…He’s not dead, right?
While I was still in shock, she spat out her words with a face full of disgust.
“You perverted piece of trash!”
