The Emperor Who Was Chapter 25 : Chapter 25

Chapter . 25

Desmond could not believe the scene before his eyes.

The platinum-blond, gray-eyed Duke kneeling before the black-haired, blue-gray-eyed Prince and kissing his hand. A scene so picturesque that noble ladies exclaid in admiration.

That arrogant Duke Grimiati, who treated his maternal uncle Lauderdale, a fellow Duke, as less than human and never once treated Mother as Empress.

Since Erngarde of Roncer ca to Armatia until now, he had been Mother's enemy. It was he who made Mother serve as her lady-in-waiting to monitor her closely, and he had even attempted to assassinate Mother. His uncle ground his teeth saying there wasn't a single man in the Lauderdale family who hadn't been insulted by him back then.

So he was also Desmond's enemy.

But Grimiati had never engaged in open hostility towards Desmond. Rather, it was the opposite. He smiled when he saw Desmond. People said the Duke was kind to the youngest Prince at least. That even if he hated the mother, he didn't hate her child.

Only Desmond knew the aning of that smile. Even if everyone else misunderstood, he alone could not fail to know. Because the gentle smile directed at Desmond vanished completely the mont it turned to Leontes. Revealing how fake that smile was.

Compared to the gaze directed at Leontes, the smile directed at Desmond was a gaze looking at a clown. Just amused that sothing like this wandered around wearing a Prince's clothes pretending to be a Prince.

A gaze looking at a dwarf clown appearing in portraits together as a decoration highlighting the monarch's beauty and superiority, dressed in monarch's clothes by the monarch's side.

No matter how Desmond fought with Maximilian, whom he supported, Grimiati always smiled. With a face watching a clown's antics, as if saying 'not bad' or 'amusing'. His inner thoughts that even Maximilian, raised by his hands, couldn't understand, but Desmond understood.

However, even Desmond could not be certain what he thought of Leontes. That man's inner thoughts were slippery like a snake, slipping away just when one thought they had grasped them.

So when he cornered Leontes, he even felt a thrill that the inevitable had co. It wasn't because he was happy that the pitiful Leontes, so pitiful that he felt sorry to call him an enemy let alone a brother, was even getting kicked out of the Imperial Palace. Desmond didn't dislike Leontes that much as long as he knew his place, and could guarantee he was kinder to Leontes than Leontes's own brother.

'Now I know.'

The joy of finally grasping the deep inner thoughts, which were the hardest to know, of the enemy he must one day kill with his own hands.

As Mother, there was plenty of reason not to welco Grimiati getting his hands on Leontes, but Desmond thought it was okay to lend him for a while if it ant finding out more about the enemy's inner thoughts. Although Mother didn't understand and didn't agree with his words.

However, Leontes acted as if he had gone mad from drinking too much Lasilex. To think he, like a plant withering in the shade, had a secret tryst with a man and woman in an adulterous affair; even Grimiati would have been ridiculed for making such a brazen excuse, but seeing his actions afterward made one wonder if it was true.

Actually, even now, while fully understanding how he won, he also couldn't understand. It felt like being bewitched.

Mother was furious that Grimiati reached out to Leontes, and tried to isolate Leontes completely so no one would do so again. So she staged a scene that people would never forget.

-A Prince of Armatia wearing Roncer's clothes. It would make a shroud suitable for a funeral in itself.

And Mother's will was carried through. Although he heard Cecile's report, when Leontes really appeared wearing those clothes, Desmond doubted his eyes. Then he glanced at Grimiati. The Duke who didn't even notice he was looking at him.

Shaking Leontes's legitimacy, Mother even brought in the First Prince's faction to present the perfect image of the Armatia Imperial Family. Staging a scene contrasting with Leontes wearing Roncer's clothes. Imprinting the scene of the target's humiliation in people's minds was Mother's specialty.

-Father, have you been well?

Leontes, who acted elegantly and nonchalantly as if he didn't even notice what the problem was, while receiving people's angry gazes in such clothes.

At his attitude, so indifferent even when offering a Roncer bow to Mother, for a mont he almost fell for it.

Realizing that, he got angry and attacked imdiately. Even though he was Desmond, who had been most lenient to Leontes before.

-How can you bow differently to Mother than to Father? It is insolent, Brother!

It started from then. The event where Leontes captivated the audience.

But Desmond did nothing wrong. His attack was sharp and poignant as Mother and his uncle taught him. How hard had he tried to prove that Lauderdale could also raise an opponent to match Maximilian taught by Grimiati.

However, that attack rather beca Leontes's weapon. No, it wasn't just that attack. Cecile who attacked Leontes, his uncle who supported his cousin, and Desmond who defended Mother's honor, all of them beca Leontes's weapons.

Even Mother.

It was impossible. How could such a thing be possible? He still couldn't believe what happened right before his eyes. He only lost his mind whenever he looked back.

So Desmond lost his mind so much that he himself perford crazy acts following Leontes's tune and forgot Grimiati.

Indeed impossible. Is it even possible to forget the insult Grimiati inflicts on his very existence?

A mistake equivalent to losing the enemy by failing in reconnaissance. The first failure he committed since learning how to fight enemies.

But Leontes did not forget.

Thus, he made Grimiati kneel at his feet.

The one who insulted him kisses the hand of the one who defeated him.

His head spun.

Among n, one kisses the jewel of the ring worn on the hand, not the back of the hand, but the Duke's lips clearly touched Leontes's bare hand, without a single ring as he had borrowed even the clothes.

Grimiati rose elegantly, expressing respect to the Prince. The man who had never knelt to anyone except the Emperor and the dead Empress.

Not a trace of humiliation or sha could be found in that expression. He was too nonchalant even after voluntarily showing a sign of defeat that Leontes didn't even demand. How could that arrogant man do that?

Leontes did not look happy even after making Desmond's enemy kneel.

For the Duke, apologizing verbally saying he misunderstood and offering a gift would have sufficed. Even though he went as far as kneeling and kissing the back of his hand, surprising people, Leontes's face was cold like the winter sea, matching his eyes.

Without a trace of triumph or superiority.

Even after obtaining what Desmond desired most from the Duke, he didn't seem desperate at all. As if it wasn't even worth it.

So, anger surged in Desmond's chest. Because of that face of Leontes. Just like when he was angry at Grimiati's smile.

Clap clap clap clap!

Desmond applauded involuntarily.

"What an impressive scene!"

Like a clown acting funny and making people laugh just as the Duke mocked.

"Prince Desmond is absolutely right."

"It is the first ti seeing Duke Grimiati kiss a hand since Her Majesty the Empress passed away!"

"Because holding only one person in his heart, he did not kiss even noble ladies' hands."

"That lofty Duke shows such courtesy to Prince Leontes!"

"Honestly, it is sothing he did not do even for the First Prince."

As people got excited, Desmond smiled brightly.

"It is truly surprising that Brother Leontes treated Duke Grimiati so warmly and forgave him generously. Do you not think so, Brother Maximilian?"

Maximilian was originally the most honest among the brothers. Jealousy was blatantly revealed on that arrogant face, enough to refreshingly burst Desmond's anger, which he felt due to Grimiati or Leontes but had to suppress.

Why doesn't this most arrogant blood relative know sha?

Is that shalessness natural if born with two imperial bloodlines? Leontes being the only exception.

Because of all those questions, Desmond smiled even wider.

"Yes, he who laughs last wins."

Leontes, who said that, also smiled. With a face knowing why Desmond was acting like that.

"If you believe you won yourself, you can overco any defeat."

Leontes, erasing that chillingly cold expression, smiled with sparkling eyes.

"Since you are so happy about my success, I am thankful too. Of course, there are those here who doubt your sincerity. Saying you are just pretending, far from being happy about this. Is that not so?"

Desmond couldn't deny his words. If he did, he would beco a fledgling unqualified to join court intrigue and have to go back to his mom's skirt.

A smile hovered on Maximilian's lips. The First Prince's faction and the Bastard Prince's faction giggled.

"...Of course."

"Then, shouldn't you dispel such misunderstandings and illusions as well? Before switching your residence with mine, hold a grand banquet for . Then people will no longer doubt your sincerity."

"Hahahaha!"

It was Maximilian who laughed loudly.

"A very clever idea, Leontes. Impressive for you. If Desmond refuses, I will hold the banquet instead, hahaha!"

As expected of Maximilian, that laughter was sincere. Because the anger towards Desmond overca even the anger of losing to Leontes. He must have hated seeing his maternal uncle kneeling to his younger brother instead of him too, right? Even feeling jealous?

-When an enemy is defeated, use another enemy as a bridesmaid.

Mother had taught him.

"No need for that, Prince Maximilian."

At that mont, Mother opened her mouth.

"My son will be able to handle the consequences of what he brought upon himself, will he not?"

Saying that, Mother looked back at Desmond.

Desmond couldn't even protest about Mother answering for him in front of people. Taking away the choice was indeed a punishnt befitting Mother.

But Mother actually showed rcy. Her family spread rumors that Leontes was crazy, and people were full of expectations. When their expectations were overflowing with Lauderdale's disgrace instead of Leontes's madness, people laughed looking at Mother. Knowing the background of Lauderdale.

The more Mother dealt with it with dignity, the more aningful people's laughter beca. Because the one who really established dignity here was Leontes who made Grimiati kneel.

...I could endure... if it helps Mother establish dignity... as a son, such sha is bearable... as a son worse than Leontes.......

Desmond's cheeks flushed. As if barely waking up from intoxication of strong liquor.

"Of course, Mother."

But it was good liquor as much as it was strong. Enough not to regret that intoxication.

"I will hold a grand banquet for you, Brother, so look forward to it."

Following that, when he bowed to Leontes, who acted so pitiful but turned out to be as arrogant as Grimiati, people jumped with joy.

"Ah, it turned out really well!"

"A banquet where all three Princes attend, how long has it been!"

"Was there ever one? I don't rember!"

"Anyway, it is truly a joyous occasion for the country!"

At that mont, Empress Rhiannon spoke again.

"Prince Leontes, congratulating your rits, I wish to ask one thing."

"Please speak, Your Majesty."

Desmond knew what the question was even before hearing it.

"How did you co to obtain such an amazing revelation? You said you had a dream, but tell

in more detail."

Mother also looked only at Leontes without giving Desmond a single glance. If Cecile's report that he went crazy after drinking Lasilex was wrong, to hear the experint results directly from his mouth this ti.

Eyes like a mist-covered sea churned. As if a storm was about to hit.

However, the voice coming from that mouth was calm beyond asure.

"I experienced death."