Even as a young boy, Ryan thought the man before him was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. Looking back now, the man was still just a boy himself.
“Play with !”
At Ryan's cheerful request, the man stayed silent for a mont, then ruffled Ryan’s hair and muttered, “This damn brat….”
It was the first ti anyone had spoken to Ryan in such a vulgar manner, and he found it shocking.
The man fixed his gaze on Ryan, calling him by na.
“Forget everything you’ve seen here. Never co to this palace again. That’s the only way you’ll survive.”
That was the last mory he had of the encounter.
Having a mory return so suddenly is impossible.
It’s more likely that the man sohow revived Ryan’s mory.
If this man truly lived in the imperial palace, it ant he possessed valuable abilities. And if he lived in the abandoned palace...
It had to be Emperor Kies’s doing.
It was clear why the emperor would want to use him.
“…So you have a brainwashing ability.”
To control others was an imnsely desirable power.
However, how Emperor Kies managed to control such a willful individual was puzzling. The man’s face was etched with hatred.
'That's why he wanted to dispose of him.'
The recent talk about dealing with the group of mages was likely an excuse.
Passing down the Saizen Palace, where the man lived, was a ans to destroy all evidence.
Naturally, this man wouldn’t have been left unscathed...
Yet here he was, standing before him. Not only alive, but he was confidently walking through the imperial palace.
‘What happened to the Emperor?’
It was a kill-or-be-killed society. Ryan realized he hadn’t seen the Emperor in days, and a cold sweat trickled down his back.
“This is much more straightforward than talking.”
Darcy responded with an expressionless face. Ryan gritted his teeth and asked grimly.
“Did you kill my father?”
“Why would I kill soone who is still useful? He’s the one who will announce
as the prince before the chancellor and the nobles.”
Kies, who raised a monster, was ultimately devoured by it. Although Ryan didn’t consider him a father, he was vexed that he hadn’t properly dealt with the man before him.
Ryan took great pride in his lineage.
“Do you think it’s right to use your devilish powers to brainwash the Emperor and beco a prince?”
“You’re mistaken. Being acknowledged as a prince didn’t involve any brainwashing. Besides, aren’t you more closely aligned with the devil?”
Darcy sat at the table, crossed his legs, and propped his chin on his hand, gazing at Ryan.
With a calm deanor, he turned the gun aside.
Bang!
Darcy's shot brushed right past Letty's ear. His aim was flawless.
“Hnng…”
Letty gritted her teeth, clutching her ear.
“Letty!”
Ryan rushed to Letty with a bewildered expression. It was typical of Ryan to be fiercely protective of his people.
“What’s your condition?”
“I-I’m fine.”
As Ryan’s attention drifted, Darcy struck the back of his head with the gun.
“Where else can you find soone who doesn’t kill a spy? And I didn’t even reveal this disgrace to the Emperor. Even an angel would weep.”
Ryan rubbed the back of his head, glaring at Darcy. His gaze soon fell upon the object Darcy was holding. The power it unleashed at a speed his eyes couldn’t follow was astounding.
“What is that?”
“It’s sothing that can take your life in an instant.”
As if to prove his point, Darcy fired at the wall again. The sturdy marble pillar shattered and collapsed.
Ryan coughed incessantly in the thick dust, gripped by fear. The weapon was as powerful as magic and rendered his sword useless.
‘Is it magic?’
While the palace restricted the use of magic, this man might have broken that taboo.
The situation had completely turned. Ryan stood frozen in place.
Darcy saw the defeat in Ryan’s eyes. This coward had tried to seize everything, yet he cowered at just this.
“Is your supposed love for Marceau so great that you felt the need to have her every move monitored?”
Ryan furrowed his brow at the sudden ntion of Marceau but answered defiantly.
“If you look at Marceau Etvar’s actions, it’s warranted.”
“Like father, like son. You have quite the talent for rationalization.”
Darcy’s voice was icy.
“I’ll leave it at a warning today. Don’t even think of putting soone on Marceau again.”
From the beginning, Darcy’s actions toward Marceau had been consistent.
His gaze and actions showed he was on Marceau's side, protecting her. The extent of his feelings was unknown, but he clearly cherished her.
'How on earth did they et?'
Were they drawn to each other by a similar essence?
“How can you take the side of a woman like that?”
Ryan had reached his conclusion but still couldn’t understand.
“It’s not worth wasting ti on.”
Darcy dismissed his words imdiately.
“For the record, I’m not foolish enough to fall for soone just because of their looks.”
Ryan’s face flushed red.
Everyone knew he had fallen for Reshuan the first day he saw her and began courting her.
But now, it was different. Her appearance was just one of the many elents that made up Reshuan. He loved everything about her.
“I—”
“I’m tired of hearing it, so just leave. We’re done here, and I need to eat with Marceau.”
Missing an important appointnt over sothing like this would be inconvenient.
Darcy frowned, toying with the gun in his hand.
Ryan flinched.
“If you don’t want to move her, call for a servant.”
“…No, it’s my fault, so I’ll assist her myself.”
“What a heartwarming sight.”
Darcy watched with crossed arms as Ryan helped Letty, who was holding her ear.
“Don’t even think about showing up in front of Marceau.”
Ryan gritted his teeth. It was all his fault that his subordinate was hurt.
“Punish
instead. I ordered it, so why should my subordinate suffer?”
“Why would I do that? I quite enjoy seeing you like this. I’ve always found your arrogance, thinking you’ll beco the Crown Prince, quite irritating.”
Darcy laughed, folding his fingers.
“I’ve been by Marceau’s side for a year. Doesn’t it seem fitting that your punishnt should last as long? Poor Marceau certainly can’t bring herself to punish you properly.”
…He thinks she’s weak? The world must be turning upside down.
It was absurd, but the rose-tinted glasses this man wore wouldn’t co off easily.
“I’m doing it on her behalf. Torture is a hassle, but it’s quite effective.”
There was even a hint of affection in his voice.
Ryan scoffed.
And this man is supposed to be a prince?
His mannerisms are like those of a street thug.
As Ryan stared incredulously, Darcy’s voice rang out again, level and even.
“We’ve talked enough for one day, brother. Should I load the gun so you and your subordinate can die together? The head seems like the best spot.”
This man had no sense of decorum. He only focused on achieving his goals.
‘…How did Father manage to control such a monster?’
Ryan was reminded of how terrifying Kies must have been to control Darcy.
If soone like him beca a prince, the future of the royal family was at risk. If Kies were alive, he needed to see him imdiately. They had to discuss strategies and assess how much Darcy’s brainwashing had affected him.
Sotis you need to retreat to advance.
Ryan acknowledged his humiliating situation and realized how short-sighted he had been.
He didn’t know Darcy, but Darcy knew him all too well.
Today, he had no choice but to lose.
Ryan opened the door, supporting Letty. She leaned against him, groaning. Blood trickled from her injured ear.
‘I need to get her treated quickly.’
She was soone who had volunteered to join the Etvar household for his sake.
With no ti to lose, Ryan hurried his steps but halted abruptly. He had co face to face with soone he hadn’t wanted to see in the hallway.
It was the unwelco sight of Marceau Etvar leaning against the corridor wall.
“…”
Ryan and Marceau’s gazes locked.
Even Letty, whom he was supporting, t her eyes.
I thought I must be seeing things.
But it was unmistakably Letty. The sa Letty who prepared desserts for
and apologized for overstepping her bounds.
…Letty, who should be working at the Etvar estate right now.
I blinked in disbelief and managed to speak.
“Letty?”
At my question, the woman being supported by Ryan flinched. She clearly recognized .
I noticed the red blood trickling from her ear.
“…Letty, why are you here? What happened to your ear? Are you hurt? And…”
I stared at the blood dripping from her ear, trying to make sense of it all, when my eyes t Ryan’s.
The realization of who he was made my voice turn cold in an instant.
“Why are you with the Prince?”
A sense of unease washed over . Strange scenarios flashed through my mind.
I shook my head quietly. I hadn’t yet heard Letty’s explanation. Assuming the worst without knowing the truth would only harm .
But I needed to know the truth.
I quietly urged Letty for a response.
“Letty.”
She remained silent. It was unlike her.
Her bowed head hid whatever expression she wore.
'The male lead has done it again.'
There must have been so deal between Ryan and Letty. I had to start doubting her from the mont she was first employed.
They really planted soone to spy on .
Every move I made must have been reported to him. I felt utterly disgusted.
Would it have been better if I denied it? If I could have at least pretended not to know and turned a blind eye?
I chuckled bitterly at her inability to answer . It seed her tiny bit of conscience had caught up with her at the last mont.
I saw Darcy erge from the room behind Ryan. He quickly rushed toward .
“Marceau, this is—”
Honestly, I wanted to deny the reality. Letty had always taken care of . There was no way she was working for Ryan.
“Letty, explain it yourself.”
But the pieces were beginning to fall into place.
“What I’m seeing right now.”
Ryan knew far too much about .
“And whether this, too, is part of so sche to protect .”
My voice was dry and brittle.
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