CHAPTER 14
There were many titles used to refer to the House of Peresia.
The House of the Hero. The Dragon-Blessed Lineage. The Immortal Blood-Iron Family.
But none were more famous than this one:
The Unrivaled War Hero who conquered five kingdoms and transformed the Kingdom of Sorento into the mighty Croisen Empire.
The founding father of the empire, the one most credited for its creation, was none other than the first Duke of Peresia—Karon Peresia.
Yet, no matter how high he rose, a certain label always clung to him:
A lowborn man, without even a surname, known only by his given name—Karon.
Drafted into war as a mere commoner, Karon defied death time and time again. With skill far surpassing the elite knights of the kingdom, he carved his name into legend.
He was always first to charge into battle. Even when Sorento’s forces faltered, Karon never hesitated—he found the enemy’s weakness, struck relentlessly, and beheaded their commanders without mercy.
To the commoners, he was a symbol of hope—a warrior who proved that even one of them could become a force of destiny.
At first, the nobles disliked him. A lowborn man gaining honor on the battlefield didn’t sit well with them. They criticized him subtly, then more openly, sneering and tormenting him.
But then—Karon returned from battle with the severed head of an enemy knight-commander and threw it at their feet.
From that day forward, no one dared to mock him again.
Yet, the jealousy and resentment didn’t vanish—they simply hid behind false smiles.
[In recognition of your service in war, I grant you the title of knight.]
So began Karon’s meteoric rise. Bestowed a knighthood on the battlefield, he soon rose to command entire armies—his victories countless, his blade merciless, his blood cold.
He was the only man ever to return alive from the Dragon’s Ravine—an abyss of death that had swallowed countless others whole.
It was said he bore the blessing of dragons themselves.
His feats were so numerous, his accomplishments so vast, that ten books couldn’t contain them all.
To the people of that era, Karon was the sun—untouchable, blazing, and impossible to rival.
When he finally beheaded the defiant King of the Bailey Kingdom—one of the last to resist—no one could deny that the greatest share of credit for the empire’s birth belonged to him.
Thus, when the Kingdom of Sorento was declared the Croisen Empire, Karon was named Duke Peresia, first among the empire’s founding heroes.
[The Duke of Peresia has returned!]
Waaahhh—!
Even after the empire’s formation, the first emperor did not cease his conquest of neighboring lands.
Though he had named Karon a duke, he continued sending him to the front lines. And each time, Karon brought victory.
[Congratulations on yet another triumph, my lord!]
[Duke Peresia! Hero of the Croisen Empire!]
Whenever he returned with the drums of victory, the streets would flood with people, shouting his name and showering him with flowers.
[They say Duke Peresia won again?]
[Yes, this time he crushed the Kozel Kingdom. People thought their blacksmiths were too formidable, but…]
[Then if those blacksmiths join our empire, we’ll grow even stronger.]
[True, though… it’s still unsettling that he’s a commoner. But I guess you can’t deny his skills.]
[Maybe that stubborn commoner blood is why he won’t die. No matter how hard the war hits him, he just keeps getting back up.]
Two people gossiping in a crowd—one leaned in and whispered.
[Did you hear? Do you know why His Majesty keeps sending Duke Peresia to war?]
[Isn’t it just because he wins every time…?]
[I thought so too. But my husband heard something—there’s a different reason.]
[What is it?]
[It’s a secret… Come closer.]
As the whisper reached their ear, the listener’s eyes grew wide with shock. Their hands flew up to cover their mouth.
[What?! His Majesty did what?!]
Crash!
[Your Majesty!]
The tall man with blazing red hair swept everything off his desk in a rage.
He was breathing heavily, glass crunching under his boots as he stomped through the wreckage of shattered bottles.
[Your Majesty, what’s wrong?!]
[Stay out!!]
Following news of Peresia’s latest victory, the Emperor of Croisen had ordered everyone out of his office.
His temper was flaring. The chief attendant hurriedly cleared the room.
Minutes later, the sound of destruction still echoed from within, but no one dared enter.
[Steward.]
[Yes, Your Majesty.]
[Bring me Marquis Ricardel.]
[…As you command.]
Ricardel again…
The Emperor had been meeting with him frequently lately, and rumors were already circulating about their closeness.
The steward reluctantly dispatched a messenger. Soon after, the marquis’s carriage arrived at the palace gates.
As Ricardel stepped out with his usual sly smile, the steward couldn’t hide his frown.
[So Duke Peresia has returned?]
[Yes. The crowds are so thick that his entry is delayed.]
[Of course. That rabble shares his blood—they’d worship him regardless.]
[Indeed, Your Majesty. It must be that sense of kinship.]
Sigh…
The Emperor slowly calmed as he and Ricardel spoke. Kicking aside broken debris, he flopped onto the couch.
[Sit, Marquis.]
[Thank you, Your Majesty.]
[He came back alive again… Even though I sent him to the Kozel Kingdom, where weapons were strongest.]
[My deepest apologies, sire.]
[Did you predict this, Marquis?]
[No, Your Majesty.]
[And now he’s returned with Kozel’s master blacksmiths as prisoners. His prestige will soar.]
[…Yes.]
The Emperor leaned back and crossed his legs.
[You know what the people are calling him now? The “Sun of the Empire.” Ridiculous.]
[They dare say that?]
[They dare ignore me—the Emperor—and call him their sun? A commoner?!]
Crash!
[Please, Your Majesty—compose yourself!]
The Emperor kicked the tea table. Scalding tea spilled across the floor.
Ricardel wiped sweat from his brow.
No… this wasn’t going to blow over. The Emperor’s inferiority complex toward Peresia was clearly deepening.
[Your Majesty. They’re just ignorant commoners. Pay them no mind.]
Panting […] Ricardel.
[Yes, Your Majesty.]
[As you said… the Duke crushed Kozel and returned with skilled blacksmiths. He’s now more revered than ever. I want a way to stop that.]
[Well…]
[Find a way!! If it weren’t for you, I never would’ve sent him there in the first place!!]
[…As you command.]
[This is your last chance. Get out.]
[Yes, sire.]
As Ricardel exited, the steward was waiting.
[Leaving so soon, Marquis?]
[His Majesty is… in a foul mood. Stay close.]
[Yes, understood.]
Watching the Marquis walk away, the steward turned to another servant.
[Prepare staff to clean the office.]
[Yes, Steward.]
They couldn’t hear what had been said inside… but it had clearly been bad.
Odd, the Emperor was usually in high spirits after Ricardel’s visits.
The steward smirked.
Maybe the tide was turning.
Hopefully, His Majesty would soon grow tired of Ricardel altogether.
At that moment, the Emperor stood at the window, teeth clenched as he watched Duke Peresia and his knights march proudly into the palace—petals scattered over their heads by the cheering masses.
Damn it… Why do you keep surviving the very wars I send to kill you in, Peresia?
Bella gently closed the sapphire case and ran her fingers across its cold surface.
She’d read plenty about Duke Peresia.
In any book on imperial history, he was unavoidable.
The hero who helped build the Croisen Empire—
“But in the end… he was executed for treason.”
By the hand of the very emperor he had served.
After days of agonizing thought, Ricardel finally came up with a plan.
He rushed to the Emperor, who was thrilled—and wasted no time putting it into motion.
The result?
All the blacksmiths Duke Peresia had captured… were dead.
It was staged to look like suicide.
In truth, Ricardel had secretly poisoned them.
And the blame?
It fell squarely on Duke Peresia.
Charged with negligence for allowing critical empire assets to die, the Duke was confined to his estate.
Whispers flooded the palace halls—fueled by those who had always resented him.
[He killed them on purpose.]
[Those blacksmiths were key to our empire’s future. Why would he let them die?]
[He met some woman in Kozel, didn’t he?]
[Maybe he got so enchanted that he just… let it happen.]
[What if he’s sided with Kozel? That’s treason!]
The Emperor then sent a personal letter, quietly.
[The palace is in chaos because of your situation—
Rest assured, once things settle, I will call you back.
In the meantime, rest and recover in the region of Uren.]
Still trusting the Emperor, Duke Peresia packed light and left with only a handful of his men.
But along the way, imperial knights ambushed and arrested him.
[You disobeyed the Emperor’s order to remain confined, and tried to flee to the port in Uren. Clearly, you killed the blacksmiths!]
To make matters worse, a palace map was found in a servant’s belongings.
[This is a classified map of the palace! He planned to smuggle it out! Duke Peresia is a traitor!]
Thus ended the life of a hero—discarded after dedicating everything to the empire.
Of all the rumors that had swirled through the palace, only one had been true:
He had met a woman in Kozel.
“No one ever realized… that Duke Peresia had left behind a child in Kozel.”
Bella gently placed Oksana’s ring into her keepsake box.
