Chapter 206

 

* * *

 

“There’s no time!”

Despite the Duke’s shout, Samuel shook his head and didn’t accept the potion bottle or the identity certificate.

Samuel stood up from his seat and began to dress himself ceremonially.

Realizing it was preparation to go before the Emperor, the Duke of Baldwin blocked his way.

“Prince Samuel, you mustn’t go. His Majesty’s anger will…”

“Kill me. But that would be better.”

“Prince!”

When he shouted, Samuel paused for a moment and met the Duke’s gaze.

“The one who should receive my brother’s anger is me. Because I have been running away from that matter for a long time, innocent people have been sacrificed for a long time.”

“That’s not your fault. The rebellion was led by Earl Grimes and the former Empress. You really knew nothing… didn’t you?!”

“No, Duke. I knew. I should have known.”

Samuel closed his eyes and shook his head.

Just before the rebellion, when he went down to Earl Grimes’ territory. The atmosphere there had changed a lot from before.

The castle, which was always full of artists, was packed with knights and soldiers he had never seen before.

Samuel soon realized that the private soldiers his maternal grandfather had gathered were far more than the number restricted by law.

“It’s my fault for not immediately realizing that was preparation for rebellion.”

Even though it was almost like bringing the answer right in front of him.

“I wrote letters to my brother Owen every day talking about this issue. But I couldn’t even send them for fear of bringing dishonor to my maternal grandfather.”

“…”

“If I had sent those letters… it wouldn’t have come to this.”

He let out a small sigh.

“Also, it’s my fault that she… died.”

“Your Highness.”

“She was as timid as I was. But she was kind.”

The weak-hearted woman had been suffering from considerable fear since giving birth to a child with clear evidence of imperial blood.

“I couldn’t even reassure the woman I loved, and I couldn’t even protect her.”

He twisted his body and passed the Duke who was blocking his way.

“I was always just anxiously standing in place, afraid that something would go wrong. For me to…”

Samuel took out an old pair of leather gloves from a nearby drawer and put them on.

“For the first time, I’m making a decision. I’m going to my brother.”

“…”

“I will accept all his anger. So that no one else but me dies.”

Finally, when he put on his hat, the shouts of knights looking for him from outside the door were soon heard.

They seemed to treat him as a member of the imperial family until Samuel resisted.

“Duke, please go through the passage I told you about before. It would be troublesome if you, who will protect August, get caught here too.”

He tapped the Duke’s shoulder and immediately turned around.

 

* * *

 

On the day the Emperor’s youngest brother, who had been exiled to the border, returned to the capital for the first time in years.

The streets of the capital were deserted.

In Norris Park, a favorite resting place for nobles, not even a child selling flowers was out.

Most of the numerous stores on the street were also closed, and there were no passersby in front of them.

Banquets, parties, and art performances were also canceled.

Everyone had decided to quietly hold their breath in a place where the Emperor’s gaze did not reach.

“The atmosphere is like holding a funeral.”

The Emperor, who had grown tired of waiting for Samuel, went out to the city gate himself and frowned at the desolate streets.

“They are just trying to understand Your Majesty’s heart.”

The Emperor nodded his head, leaning against the backrest of the carriage seat at the attendant’s quietly delivered words.

“Well.”

On the contrary, if the streets had been full of life, it would have been even more unpleasant. As if they were holding a festival to celebrate Samuel’s return.

“By the way, where did Baldwin go? I haven’t seen him at all these days.”

“I heard he went to the ducal territory. Recently, he said he was checking the land suitable for cultivating medicinal herbs.”

“…Hmm.”

“Shall I call him in if you need him?”

“Leave him be, there’s no need to bother someone who is doing something useful on his own.”

Soon the carriage gently stopped in front of the city wall. As the Emperor got out, the knights immediately bowed.

“Where’s Samuel?”

“He is expected to arrive soon. Would you like to watch from the top of the city wall?”

At the knight’s suggestion, the Emperor climbed the high city wall. It was difficult to climb the stairs with an old body, but he wanted to watch Samuel’s procession approaching.

He soon stood on the highest fortress in the capital.

A strong wind was blowing, enough to make his body sway.

Even though it was a warm spring, the wind at high altitudes was still only sharp.

‘Samuel.’

The Emperor soon spotted a distant procession that looked like a dot and narrowed his eyes.

Although he had been constantly receiving news of his younger brother through the Records Keeper, it had been a really long time since he met him like this.

Feeling the weight of the sword at his waist anew, he grasped its hilt.

The procession that appeared was quickly getting closer.

Even so, the Emperor shouted, unable to bear the feeling.

“I will go outside the castle! Bring my horse!”

When the startled attendant only stared at him with wide eyes, the Emperor frowned and went down the stairs first.

 

* * *

 

As he rode his horse out of the castle gates, the Emperor repeated the same words over and over again.

‘I will kill him.’

He would take his life with his own hands, so Samuel wouldn’t be able to say it was unjust either.

No, rather, shouldn’t he be grateful?

Even after betraying him, he got to live a few more years and even see his descendants.

‘That child must be killed too. There’s no guarantee that the same thing won’t happen again.’

The Emperor kicked the horse’s back and advanced faster.

Soon the two groups met.

On a beautiful path where green grass and short flowers swayed gently.

“Samuel!”

The Emperor shouted, mixing in his old anger, got off the horse, and ran into the escorting crowd.

Originally, it would be right to wait until the knights bring the prisoner, but the Emperor couldn’t wait any longer.

He found a man among the armored knights.

Faded golden hair close to brown, kind eyes…

Samuel was just as he remembered.

Only the wrinkled face and noticeably grown body made him feel the passage of time.

“…”

The Emperor, who looked like he would kill him at any moment, hesitated for a moment.

Samuel, whose hands were tied, approached the Emperor.

The knights did not stop him and watched this.

Finally, the two brothers faced each other. Samuel immediately knelt before the Emperor.

“Your Majesty.”

“…”

The Emperor lowered his gaze and looked down at Samuel’s white neck.

Now he had to stab a sword there.

By doing so, everything would end. The shackles that had tormented him for a long time…

“…The child?”

The Emperor asked the knight who had brought Samuel, pushing away the temptation to kill him right away.

“We searched the mansion and the village, but it was nowhere to be found.”

Hearing his answer, the Emperor grabbed Samuel’s collar and pulled him.

“Where did you hide your child?”

“…There is none, anywhere.”

“Do you think I will fall for your lie again! Did I look that ridiculous to you!”

Every time his voice rose, the Emperor pulled his face toward him.

“I offered all the portraits of past imperial family members to that damn midwife. Do you know who those old fingers dared to point to?”

Samuel bit his lip.

What the midwife had pointed to was probably the former Queen. Her distinctive pink hair had manifested in August after several generations.

“And you still say no? That it’s nowhere?!”

“He will just live quietly. Your Majesty, that child…”

“Living quietly was your duty! Not your child’s!”

At the Emperor’s shout, Samuel pleaded desperately.

“I apologize. I have committed an unforgivable sin against you, Your Majesty, so please, can’t you end it with just my life? Please… brother.”

The moment he used the title from long ago, the Emperor lost his grip on him.

Looking alternately at Samuel, who had collapsed to the floor, and his own hand, the Emperor answered in a trembling voice.

“…Seeing you risking your life to save that child like this, it seems you must be plotting something.”

“That’s not it!”

“Shut up! What part of your words is not a lie? You must have entrusted that child to some noble family! To one day kill my son and put your son on the throne!”

Samuel couldn’t even say no right away and could barely breathe.

“I need to find out which lowly family conspired with you. And I will execute everyone with that name and hang them outside the castle walls! Along with your son’s! Has Magician Miguel arrived!”

At the Emperor’s call, the old magician who had been fidgeting in the distance appeared, holding a transparent orb.

“Your Majesty.”

“Magician Miguel. You must be happy to be able to do the experiment you want again, right?”

Magician Miguel’s orb would change color according to the inner thoughts of the one who placed their hand on it.

The Emperor had previously received his help to read the mind of the mute midwife.

“Have Samuel put his hand on the orb. That mouth seems to only tell me lies for the rest of his life.”

At the Emperor’s command, Miguel approached Samuel and held out the orb.

Soon an armed knight approached, grabbed Samuel’s hand, and forcibly placed it on the orb.

A dark blue color flowed from the orb.

“What does it mean?”

“…It means he is very sad.”

Soon the orb changed to a deep yellow color.

“This means surprise. Your Majesty will remember it too.”

“Ho-how!”

Samuel, who was actually very surprised, quickly removed his hand from the smooth orb.

“How dare you!”

Soon the Emperor ran over and stepped on the back of his hand, pressing it onto the orb.

“Do you think there’s a hole to escape through! Yes, is it true that you entrusted your child to a noble family?”

Samuel bit his lip. The color of the orb began to change again.

“It’s a deep purple, he seems to be greatly agitated.”

“Because what I said is correct, yes. Is the one who took that child a relative of your maternal grandfather? The remnants of Grimes!”

Now the Emperor was staring only at the orb, not Samuel, as he threw questions.

The orb was still purple, but gradually becoming hazy.

“Oh… it doesn’t seem to be that.”

“It can’t possibly be one of the powerful noble families in the capital.”

At the Emperor’s vaguely muttered words, the orb slowly began to change from purple to a deep black.

At this, not only the Emperor but also the attendants at the scene were all surprised and turned to look at Samuel.

They all remembered.

Even when the midwife brought from Kristonson pointed to the portrait of the previous generation with pink hair, the orb had turned black.

“…The one helping you is one of the nobles I keep close to me?”