"It is said that the Frostwind Corpse Flower is sothing that only the tribe’s shamans can relate to, perhaps because of the legend of Kuhaln and the stories about the fairies of the Balturan people. It is even forbidden to ntion it, so not many people know about it."
"He led the troops and forced them to do it...."
"It’s called a deal, a deal. Anyway, it’s said that if you talk about it or try to get it, the frost fairy will co looking for you."
"The frost fairy should have co to see you, my brother, who tornted them."
"Carl, there’s sothing about this that doesn’t feel right to just dismiss it as a story ant to scare you."
Nero spoke to Carl very seriously.
"The sorcerers warned countless tis. Not because of the danger of the Frostwind Corpse Flower itself, but because of their fear of the Frost Fairies. What if the prince of the empire were to be captured by the fairies? Their fears were not false."
"Did you still go after hearing that?"
"For my beloved younger brother."
"It’s not because it looks fun, is it?"
"My brother is dying, so I don’t act just for fun. ...Of course, that was part of it too."
Nero said with a playful smile.
But he ant it. Nero doesn’t play with people, especially not with his brother’s life.
"Anyway, the sorcerers were with us until we found and retrieved the flower. To them, fairies are objects of real fear, but also objects of worship. Don’t forget that."
"Okay, I’ll be careful."
"Yes, you must eat all the reindeer testicles."
"...."
Carl got up after harshly shaking off Nero, who was clinging to him, saying he was bored.
"Go date a girl you can introduce to your mother. Don’t cling to your younger brother."
"Hey, look at that an guy. I’ll tell you the story about Tumari later."
"Yes."
Carl stopped as he was leaving the room and looked back at Nero.
Nero, who had been acting playfully, twitched his eyes at the sight of Carl looking back, and then quietly faced Carl with sunken eyes.
"Brother, I know you haven’t forgotten what I said."
"...Okay."
"You’re too big to remain a fool, to run away and hide like that, brother."
Nero’s fingertips trembled involuntarily as he looked down at Carl.
It felt like a mirage, like everything they were laughing and chatting about as brothers just a mont ago had disappeared.
"Brother, do you know?"
"What."
"In order to survive, sotis you have to risk your life."
"...."
To Carl’s words, Nero did not dare to respond.
He had never experienced any real threat to his life since he was born.
"Don’t think you can run away forever."
Carl opened the door, stood in front of the slightly open door, and quietly looked at Nero.
Nero, who resembled his father with a dignified appearance and golden eyes like the sun, and Carl, who resembled his mother with a delicate appearance and green-green eyes.
Brothers who are similar yet different, different yet similar, far yet close, and close yet distant, looked at each other.
"Only he who has everything can have everything without taking even the smallest risk."
Crunch.
After saying that, Carl left the room without any hesitation.
"...."
Nero silently looked at the place where Carl had left.
A suffocating silence fell over the room.
Nero knew too.
He had to choose.
Even though he had beco a master, Nero’s foundation was that of the third prince of the empire.
Although Aric was the undisputed first in line to the throne, everyone else was no different.
Although Adrian was the second prince, he ca from a relatively weak baronial family and had nothing, so he was busy playing around day after day.
Carl was the fourth prince and ca from a humble family, but with his outstanding talents, he spread his wings and ascended to the position of Archduke, leading the war to victory.
And Nero had an abundance of talent, having beco a master at the age of only 20, and still enjoyed the support of many military figures, and was supported by the Count Beria family, who had amassed great wealth through salt mines.
Nero must choose.
Simply backing down was not enough.
"...Fuck."
But Nero couldn’t bring himself to do anything.
He couldn’t say openly that he would support Aric, he couldn’t say that he would support Adrian, whose intentions he couldn’t read, and he couldn’t support Carl, who had already decided to support Aric.
Because the mont soone supports soone, you never know what might happen to his mother.
The complex political landscape, a seemingly clear but secretly twisted succession structure.
In this situation, if Nero showed a clear attitude, if he made soone an ally, he might make soone an enemy without knowing it.
"Mother...."
If he were alone, it would be fine. But what about his mother?
Nero closed his eyes and sank deeply into the sofa.
Even with his eyes closed, the lights swirling around the room made his vision dizzy and colorful.
Nero covered his eyes with his hands as he recalled the image of Carl screaming after losing his mother in the light shining through his eyelids.
He couldn’t forget the mory of that day, so he couldn’t move.
In the end, he had no choice.
Just like an idiot, he just stepped back, turned away, and ran away.
Carl’s cries over the loss of his mother.
Carl’s words that he couldn’t run away forever.
Nero really wanted to run away.
He wanted to leave this hellish palace.
But that may not be the case.
As long as Madius lives, his mother Adne cannot leave the palace.
The next day, Carl left the imperial palace and Himln straight away.
His actions surprised everyone, not only because he was leaving for the north outside the empire at this critical ti, but also because he temporarily disbanded the Laurel Unit and left with only a few of his close associates.
The imperial soldiers belonging to the Laurel Brigade were confused by the sudden leave and also anxious about the news that Carl was heading north without his soldiers.
"...You’re not the one we need to worry about."
"That’s true."
But the worry and anxiety were short-lived.
If it was Carl, he would do well anyti, anywhere, so they didn’t have to worry about re soldiers.
"...."
Soone quietly watched Carl’s back as he left the palace.
There was an unknown vortex swirling in his golden, sun-like eyes.
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