Pala, who was left alone with the Demon King Yastan in the drawing-room, fell to her knees.
"Please, I'm begging you."
"Haha. What is it?"
The Demon King, who saw that, narrowed his eyes and looked down at Pala.
"Please don't say anything to Liwol. I'm begging you."
"So what is it? The fact that I was the one who gave you your power? Or the fact that you were the cult leader's concubine?"
Pala pressed her head to the ground and prostrated herself.
"I'll do anything, anything. So please, just not to Liwol... I'll die without him now. He's the only person I have left. So please, please..."
Pala's fingertips trembled as she begged in a desperate voice.
"Hahaha! How funny. Humans are really funny."
The Demon King, who saw that, laughed heartily.
"Don't all humans know? The foolish emotion of love has a ti limit. Love fades away soday."
The Demon King, who had plopped down on the sofa, shone his eyes as if interested.
"Isn't it common for human couples who were inseparable to point fingers at each other and fight, spitting out vulgar words they can't even say, after ti passes?"
Pala, who was prostrated on the floor, shook her head vigorously.
"It's okay. It's okay even if this feeling is that kind of feeling. It's okay even if Liwol points his finger at , even if he curses . So, so please..."
"It's really a contradiction, Pala. It's okay to be pointed at and cursed, but why can't he know the truth? It's a difficult situation for too. That friend nad Liwol will know that we saved you."
Pala lifted her tear-stained face and looked up at the Demon King.
"It's okay as long as he doesn't leave . As long as Liwol is by my side, as long as he doesn't look at with contemptuous eyes, it's all okay."
As Pala smiled brightly, the Demon King almost got goosebumps on his arms at the madness of love he was facing after a long ti.
"K-khahaha! Hahaha!"
The Demon King threw his head back and laughed out loud.
"Ha, haha... okay. Let's do that. But Pala."
Pala let out a sigh of relief and bowed her head again.
"Then I think you'll have to listen to my requests well from now on. You definitely said you would do anything. Right?"
"Of course. I will do anything."
A satisfied smile blood on the Demon King's lips.
'I should bestow a title on Liwol, not just a pardon.'
***
A woman staring blankly at the ruined imperial palace. She was the court prophet, Heloise Anet.
Her divination had not been good before the incident, so she had left the capital and had luckily escaped harm.
'This has already...'
The prophecy she had seen in her dream over twenty years ago had beco a reality. The emperor, who should not have died yet, had died, and sothing that should not have happened yet had happened.
The ruined imperial palace and all the nobles who had held a eting there were dead. And since there was no duke to support the imperial family, Arant was now no different from an empty house.
'If this continues, Arant will be destroyed.'
The empire's sun had set, and its place was empty. Since the pillars that had supported it had all crumbled, Arant would be destroyed.
'You coveted what you should not have coveted.'
Since one of the warnings she had given the emperor had not been kept, everything had been brought forward.
Sitata. She had clearly warned him not to touch that place, but while she was away, the nobles had stirred it up. And this disaster had imdiately followed.
Heloise knew that the big star that had risen in Sitata was enough to cover the sun.
'That's why I told you not to covet that place...'
Heloise clenched her fist.
***
The entire empire was now talking about the trendous incident caused by the eldest son of the Rodrigo Count's family. But since there was a magic called polymorph among the magics, the rumor was not gaining much traction.
"Hah. Right. I know that many people saw it! But are you saying that the magic called teor is an ordinary magic? Even the head of the Mage Tower probably can't do that!"
"No! Then who did such a thing!"
"A dragon! Isn't it a dragon? Huh? The rumor that Sitata is under the protection of a dragon has been circulating for a long ti. So isn't it that the dragon was trying to warn them not to touch Sitata!"
A heated debate ensued.
"Then let's ask. A student attending the advanced class of the academy drops a teor? Not a fireball? Do you think that makes sense?"
At that, the man who had been about to retort kept his mouth shut.
"See. It doesn't make sense, does it? No matter how much you think about it, it doesn't make sense! Right?"
"Ahem... then let's think of it as a real dragon, as you say. Then why isn't the Rodrigo Count's family in Sitata trying to beco the emperor?"
"That's right. Isn't it possible with that much power and that much strength? And according to another circulating rumor, they say the Count's family dealt with the ducal family."
At that, the man who had been shouting loudly quickly put his index finger to his mouth and made a 'shh' sound.
"Shh! What if soone hears? Didn't we just talk about why the other nobles died? It's because they all died after saying that!"
"Ahem..."
"Now, listen carefully. Your words also have a point. Why isn't a person who has so much money, is under the protection of a dragon, and governs Sitata so well trying to beco the emperor?"
At that, the people nodded their heads and held their breath.
"Who knows what's in his mind."
"Eit! This person?"
Another man got angry at the sound of the air being let out.
"Sss! But this is what I think."
At that, the people listened again.
"Anyway, isn't Sitata no different from an empty house right now? They say the people living in the border areas and the guards there are in a pre-war atmosphere."
"No way?"
"Right. When the neighboring countries invade, the Count's family will step up and?"
At that, the people made an 'ooh' sound and nodded their heads.
"Right. Isn't that what it is? Anyway, even if the Rodrigo Count's family cos up to the imperial palace and seizes the imperial authority now, who would welco them? Huh? It's not the O'Neil ducal family."
"That's true."
"But if they protect the empire from the threat of the neighboring countries and seize the imperial authority? They'll have a justification, their prestige will be saved, and people won't be able to say anything, right?"
It was a pretty good logic and plausible.
"So shouldn't we also put a foot in Sitata now?"
"By what ans?"
"Well, let's think about that gradually."
***
Lucas was also in a difficult situation.
"What do you an by that?"
"Do you know what people are saying now? They say you dropped a teor on the imperial palace and annihilated all the nobles!"
At the words of his father, Count Cibie, Lucas smirked and answered.
"Haha. I did have such an imagination, but I didn't know my imagination would beco a reality."
"Lucas! This is a serious problem. By any chance... did you really do that..."
"Hahaha!"
Lucas laughed exaggeratedly.
"I wish I had. As you know, Father, teor is not such an easy magic. How could I have dropped a teor on the imperial palace?"
At that, Cibie also laughed awkwardly and nodded his head.
"Hoho. R-right?"
"Yes. That's right. No, but it's strange. Who would have done such a thing in my appearance?"
"Hah... I'm also wondering about that now. Who on earth would have done such a thing in your appearance? Hearing the rumors, it seems to have beco public knowledge that it wasn't your doing, but it's still a problem."
Cibie pressed his temples.
"So you're saying that all the central nobles are dead now?"
Cibie groaned and nodded his head.
"Hmm... it's a strange thing, but it's refreshing."
"No, Lucas! How can you say it's refreshing when people have died? What do you an by that?"
Cibie shouted in surprise at Lucas's words.
"Haha. Isn't that so? It's unfortunate that people died, but weren't they the ones who were rude to you, Father? They say the past should be forgotten, but humans don't change easily."
At Lucas's nonchalant answer, Cibie let out a small 'hah'.
'No, when did he beco like this...'
He was a small son in his arms, but the appearance of Lucas, who had grown up so much, was unfamiliar.
"But the next is the problem. There will surely be other rumors."
"Hah."
And he was even trying to have a different discussion with him, as if he were used to it.
"And the neighboring countries will surely be aiming for Arant. Since Arant is the largest empire located in the middle of the central continent."
"Hah..."
It wasn't that he was trying to have a different discussion, but he was pointing out the exact core.
"Esna and Morain are already in decline due to a long civil war, so they are not a big worry. The biggest worry is actually Raskan."
At this point, his son, Lucas, began to look different. No, to the extent that he looked different, he even wanted to hear the valuable opinion of his son sitting in front of him.
"R-right... then what do you think? What kind of preparations should we make?"
"Hmm..."
Lucas pondered for a mont at Cibie's question.
"But Raskan will not be able to co in easily. No matter how much Arant has beco an empty house, it is still too strong for them to covet."
Cibie swallowed dryly.
"The places Raskan can ask for help are Esna and Morain, but as I said before, their situation is not good. And since Arant is standing firm in the middle, a pincer attack will also be difficult."
Lucas was spitting out words as if he had studied tactics for a long ti. At this rate, he would be no less than qualified to take on an important position in the empire.
"The closest place to them is Barmaras, but they will never help. Since it is not a very large island, and trade is more important."
"Right."
"Then it would be best for us to do nothing."
"Nothing, you say?"
Lucas slowly nodded his head.
"Now, any action will be a thorn in the side of others. There is a risk of being criticized for even a single item bought and sold. So it is most important not to do anything different from usual."
"Hmm... right. You're right."
"Father, you should also maintain an attitude of not knowing anything if anyone asks about this matter."
Cibie was surprised several tis today.
'To think a child who is not even twenty yet is so smart!'
It was to the extent that he wondered if he was his own son.
"But I really don't know anything."
"Yes. You are doing well."
Lucas smiled faintly.
'I really don't know anything...'
At that, Cibie also responded with an awkward smile.
[End of Chapter]
Reviews
All reviews (0)