The Emperor Who Was Chapter 118 : Chapter 118

Chapter . 118

Duke Lauderdale’s voice trembled.

“It was not enough that he suffered a trendous shock from the enormous fact that he had failed to protect the cousin to whom he had sworn loyalty, the prince, and that His Highness had nearly died. On top of that, he then had to witness what happened next, the very thing he had always desired and dread of. It would not be an exaggeration to say that even if he had fallen into hell and then soared up to the heavens, it would be the sa. I will say this in advance: just because he dread of sothing that ran contrary to Her Majesty’s or His Highness’s wishes does not an he failed to obey them. On the contrary, because he recognized that very point himself, he usually tried never to reveal it. If Her Majesty ordered him to fight the marquess, he fought, and if His Highness ordered him to fight the illegitimate faction, he did. If they ordered him to ignore the marquess, he did, and if they ordered him to insult the marquess, he did, and without a single act of disobedience, he worked harder than anyone else. As his father, I can swear to it. His cousins—no, even Her Majesty and His Highness themselves—will acknowledge it. If that were not so, they would never have made him His Highness’s right hand.”

In a silence so complete, only Duke Lauderdale’s voice rang out.

“However, in that mont, all of those restraints were finally undone, and the taboo he had been forced to keep was shattered. Of course, that was not true, but it was only how it felt to the boy. The miracle he had always longed for had happened, and so the boy never doubted that, at last, true brothers loved one another, and that he and his cousin brother would beco close again, like they used to be! Even if such a thing did not truly happen, he had wished for it for so long that his immature, foolish eyes saw only what he wanted to see. Do you understand? Do you understand, I ask you. It was only that. It was nothing else. How could you not understand that? If you cannot understand, are you even human?”

How much more did he have to explain? The more he spoke, the more everything was rely an obvious fact. And yet, no matter how much he said, even with all the words in the world, it was far too insufficient to explain his son’s state of mind.

“So the boy threw himself at the marquess. They had been crossing blades until just a mont ago, but now he was embracing him. The marquess did not push him away. That is not a lie. I saw it. Alex—no, the marquess, I an, the swordmaster could not have failed to push him away. He could not only have pushed him away, he could have avoided him, and yet he did not! Those two cousins who grew up like brothers embraced like that for the first ti since they embraced as children before being separated, after how many long years had passed……. Only after so much ti had passed did they embrace. I, their father and maternal uncle, the entirety of House Lauderdale—no, everyone here is a witness. Otherwise, there would be no reason for

to say that those two embraced. I would be more than able to deny it with my own mouth, as the very person in question! Even if the marquess had embraced him first, my son would have pushed him away to give his loyalty to Her Majesty and His Highness! Until this incident! Because until then, that was only natural!”

Before Lauderdale’s eyes, the scene of his son’s death rose again. But he no longer had to postpone it……. Among all the mories that kept surging up, he had refused with all his strength to recall that one scene, but now there was no longer any need.

“My son shouted. Did you see it, Your Highness the First Prince? Duke Grimiati?”

Edward had truly shouted like that. That young face was overflowing with ecstasy.

-You cannot sow discord between these two brothers any longer! These two love each other! If, as the duke said, Alex becos Prince Desmond’s loyal retainer, then there will not be any opportunity left for Prince Maximilian! Prince Desmond’s loyal retainer will kill Prince Maximilian’s loyal retainer!

And Edward’s Alex did not deny a single word, not one, of what the cousin who was embracing him said. He only swung his sword.

In a single stroke, my son’s head was severed. Beneath Edward’s brightly smiling face, blood poured from the cut surface.

“…It was I who taught that child to live only as Prince Desmond’s loyal retainer. Because that was what I wanted. And what the child wanted was simply a life where the three of them were happily together. Because he was a foolish child! Father, Elder Brother Alex’s younger sibling has been born! I have one more younger sibling after Cecil, too! And I have beco a hyung after being an oppa! He was a child who said it so brightly. His heart, after that, remained in that ti. Even as his head and body grew, it was as if his heart refused to leave that ti behind. No matter how much he tried, he could not escape it in the end.”

Lauderdale’s breath began to co fast. But he could not end the story yet. After he finished the story he did not want to tell so desperately, it would finally be ti to say what he wanted to say so desperately.

“So, what I truly want to say is…….”

He waited for what had risen up to his throat to go down, then continued.

“Do you know why His Highness the prince had to hear this story? Do you know why I wished to tell the story of my son’s death to soone who was not even there?”

There were three princes here, but no one doubted whom Duke Lauderdale was indicating. Ever since he began his story, he had been looking only at Prince Leontes. Those eyes that understood this whole story, which even a father could not believe!

“Because if His Highness Leontes had been there, it would not have gone that far. With that strange talent of his, with that astonishing power that let him succeed from such a despised position to where he stands now, like the lone victor who won among all these losers, he would have made sure it did not go that far, sohow, so that my son would not die by my nephew’s hand!”

Duke Lauderdale burst out in bitter rage.

“If, as the enemies whisper, the gambler Empress t a bolder rival and was defeated, then with that wonderful talent of his, could he not have prevented even my son’s death! Am I wrong!”

He knew it in his head. Prince Leontes had no reason to help them. He and his son had co to kill the prince. He had not ant to say as much as that.

He had only wanted to denounce Alexander’s atrocity in front of everyone, and Leontes, who was closer to Alexander than even Edward, closer than even Desmond, had only been a convenient target for venting his rage.

But as those eyes listened quietly to all his rambling, and yet understood each and every word without omission or adjustnt, within the fathomless depth of those eyes, he returned to being a father. A father who complained to anyone who would listen.

Because he said that hearing the words of one who had lost a child was the way he ruled. Even resentnt that he could never direct at the Empress—his sister, the one who gave orders, and his son’s aunt—he would hear it.

Why had the one who ruled the land where his son died not been able to rule his son and him……. He could not possibly say it like that.

Because then he might lose his wife and daughter after his son.

‘Look, no one can refute it. Everyone, everyone here, those who saw the scene and those who did not, all agree with my words. Are you listening, Edward? Your father was right……. Margaret will acknowledge it too…….’

Prince Leontes returned safely to the Imperial Palace. No, to call it rely a safe return was an understatent. New subordinates who had sworn loyalty to the prince followed behind him.

“I heard Michelon perford a great service in saving His Highness?”

“I hear he also played a major role in the Battle of Montova. They say he cannot possibly not be a swordmaster. They say he will soon receive a title.”

“I heard a rumor that Michelon is not His Highness’s milk-brother, but another half-brother. They say Her Majesty summoned him into the Imperial Palace through His Highness.”

Michelon had already drawn attention for his extraordinary appearance and dignified bearing. As the most trusted retainer of the emperor’s most beloved prince, there was a strong expectation that he would soon receive a title even without earning rit, but now he had even saved the prince and earned great rit in battle. Everyone was busy placing bets on what title he would receive.

“Oh, Count Juliano della Montova, it has been a long ti. You hardly ca to the Imperial Palace after your wife’s death.”

“There was a lot of talk when he was suddenly cast out of the Empress’s faction even with this incident alone, but I hear he earned rit in the Battle of Montova and has won His Highness’s trust.”

“Well, the House of Montova is such an old and distinguished family. Their house nearly fell because of the sches of upstarts, and they even entered a political marriage that was no different from a marriage across class lines, and yet they still used such coercion and tyranny. If it were not House Lauderdale, who could endure the Empress’s faction?”

“Exactly. No matter how much a vassal’s bloodline might be better than mine, how could they manipulate a long-standing contract like that and try to drive out a deeply rooted noble house from the region? If it is not vulgar jealousy, what is it?”

“I could not shake the bitter feeling that such a noble house was falling, but seeing him return so proudly to the Imperial Palace with His Highness’s trust like this truly looks wonderful. It is not an easy thing to serve soone worthy of loyalty.”

The young count who heard such words wore a solemn expression, yet his face shone with irrepressible joy.

“Who is that? He looks familiar.”

“Is that not Jero de Lagardie! The Wolf of Petrafis, the of those incredible rumors! I recognized him the mont I saw him!”

“Now I rember as well. Jero was also acquainted with , and it was truly regrettable that he vanished like that!”

“At the ti, we thought he was dead, but it turns out he was caught up in the mages’ conspiracy? I am looking forward to hearing the story directly from the mouth of the protagonist of that miracle, the Wolf of Petrafis returning to being a human.”

“How can we so easily speak of conspiracies within the Imperial Palace. Still, it is truly nice to see two old friends together again after so long.”

“Juliano and Jero. Each displayed their abilities as an excellent knight and an excellent official, and though they were both of the Empress’s faction, they fell together, and we even thought one of them was dead. Now the two friends have overco all the trials of fate and returned to the Imperial Palace side by side, and even I feel my heart swelling as I watch.”

Jero de Lagardie looked the happiest among Prince Leontes’s entourage, like a triumphal march.

As if to show it off, he wore a splendid half-cape lined with wolf fur over his shoulders, and on his hat, instead of the peacock or ostrich feathers nobles usually wore, he had attached a hawk’s tail feather.

Though he was the only civil official among the prince’s attendants and was impeccably refined and elegant, he also strongly carried a wild air. Different from those who were more handso and better built, he drew the noblewon’s gazes all to himself, and fully aware of it, he was lavishly scattering aningful glances throughout the entire court.

“It is a aningful occasion. And do they not say that both friends revere His Highness Leontes as their benefactor?”

“I hear even the relentless Knights of Saint Romola were deeply moved by His Highness, and it is a sha I could not see that scene. As you know, the knights of purity are not ordinary humans. If it concerns the temple’s affairs, they have neither blood nor tears, and if it concerns affairs outside the temple, they have neither above nor below. And yet they showed His Highness such reverence, so it is truly remarkable.”

“Even so, as everyone can agree, there is sothing about this incident that is terribly regrettable.”

At those words, everyone turned their heads toward the speaker.