The Emperor Who Was Chapter 39 : Chapter 39

Chapter . 39

Who knows what changes a young soul wounded by the pain of poison might undergo.

When he learned of his mother’s conspiracy, the feeling he had then, hesitating to intervene even knowing it would be disadvantageous to him, crept up again.

‘But I was also curious.’

Unlike the other brothers, gentle and naive… the only kind child who couldn't possibly be thought of as the sa blood. Living as he was, he would only continue to be unfortunate just as before.

What would happen if that child drank Lasilex? Wouldn't that be the only aningful change that could happen to him?

If he cannot handle it, it is better to die now. While he is even one year younger, pure, and above all, innocent.

‘Anyway, even if I try to help, Maximilian won't stay still just like back then.’

Making excuses like that.

And the change that occurred in Prince Leontes was unexpected.

There were cases where drinking Lasilex caused madness. If by any chance there was a real prophet among them, but at the ti they were dismissed as a madman spouting nonsense…….

The Sword Master, who dealt with the mysteries of power whether divine power or magic power, thought that the change in his unfortunate half-brother could be true. Just as he exerted power others could not, Leontes might also be able to see what others could not. He just bought the support of the Traneha religion by calling it a revelation rather than a prophecy.

‘In that case, unlike the other two brothers, those who have manifested power in any form should band together.’

However…….

“How dare you betray , Leontes?”

First, he had to detach the arrogant idiot who grabbed Leontes by the collar without rhy or reason.

“Now, don’t just get excited again. If an accident happens here, will the Emperor’s faction stay still? I don’t want to get swept up because of the First Prince.”

Alexander tried to remove the First Prince’s hand grabbing Leontes by the collar, but he nimbly dodged and stepped back.

If it were anyone else, it would have been out of fear of the Sword Master’s brute strength, but Maximilian hated even touching brothers other than Leontes. It must be because Grimiati raised him.

“Don’t interfere in matters between brothers; take your brother and disappear, bastard.”

Cutting off blood ties with his half-brothers at once with sharp words.

‘Leech bastard…….’

Outwardly he seems stupid and arrogant, but this was Maximilian’s unique way of inducing people to strive for his recognition. Even Desmond wasn't free from it.

“Aha, the First Prince’s jealousy has skyrocketed because only the Second Prince received His Majesty’s praise.”

“You are the First Prince in na, but is it okay to openly grab your second brother by the collar? What elegant behavior indeed.”

When Alexander spoke sarcastically, Desmond quickly supported him. Leontes was quietly smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes. Ignoring the two, Maximilian asked him.

“I have created the situation exactly as you said. Yet what on earth are you dissatisfied with?”

“Actually, I am curious too, Brother. I stepped into this matter following Brother’s lead, risking the Mother Empress’s wrath. But if you act like this now, it puts

in a difficult position.”

“Co to think of it, didn’t Prince Desmond defy Her Majesty the Empress, and the First Prince shake off the Duke’s hand to do this? That is sothing even I, who lack such powerful backing, cannot help but acknowledge.”

However, even the generous eldest brother couldn’t just let this pass. Although it was comndable that the kindest and quietest guy showed his teeth after drinking poison…….

‘But to stab

in the back for that?’

Before he could step in, Maximilian shouted.

“What on earth is the reason for your change of heart now!”

“First betrayal, and now change of heart; you are being unreasonable.”

Contrasting with Maximilian, his calm voice, inexplicably lowered at so point, felt as fresh as clear water yet possessed a quiet depth.

“I have a dead mother, but I have no brother.”

‘…To say such things with that voice…….’

“What?”

Maximilian shouted, approaching as if to grab his collar again, but Leontes did not back down.

“How can a brother who didn’t even treat his young brother as a brother be a brother?”

It wasn’t anger. Nor was it sorrow. The blue-gray eyes staring blankly at Maximilian, like the dawn light dwelling in a deep lake, were truthful.

Infinitely clear but deeper than they appear, water where the most people drown.

“There is no reason to follow soone who isn’t even a brother, and therefore, there is no betrayal.”

‘If you say that, Maxim will be hurt.’

Alexander recalled an incident from when Desmond was young. That child t Leontes by chance and didn’t even know he was his brother. Then, after learning the truth, he misunderstood and tornted Leontes.

Leontes ran away crying, and soon after, Maximilian appeared and slapped Desmond. In front of many people.

-If Prince Maximilian tornted Prince Desmond, Prince Desmond also tornted Prince Leontes, and if Prince Desmond is young, Prince Maximilian is also young.

Grimiati said with a faint smile at the protest of the Empress’s faction. Since the Duke smiled best at the Empress’s faction. To the point where Alexander felt hurt.

The protest was only made by Duke Lauderdale, and Rhiannon imdiately exiled all witnesses, silencing the rumor itself in that gossip-heavy court.

‘Does Leontes know about that incident?’

But whether he knew or not, it was also true that Maximilian tornted Leontes. For Leontes, the tornt from his biological brother would have weighed heavier on his heart than the actions of his half-brother.

“What did you say? If I didn’t see you as a brother, I wouldn’t have paid any attention to you!”

Maximilian shouted in anger.

“Is holding a young brother accountable for Mother’s death and hating him considered paying attention as a brother? I don’t need such a brother, so don’t consider

a brother from now on.”

Maximilian and Leontes, biological brothers worse than strangers.

Just like Alexander and Desmond.

‘If I were him, how would I act?’

Of course, Alexander never tornted his biological brother like Maximilian did. Whether that biological brother agrees or not.

When that thought crossed his mind, Maximilian’s eyes, which had turned red with anger, flashed.

“You want to cut ties with ?”

A sense of crisis lingered in the Sword Master’s sixth sense. Just as he thought he would block him if necessary.

“Try if you can.”

Maximilian laughed.

“Blood is thicker than water. Even the Sword Master’s blade cannot cut a single stream of water as thin as a thread, so how can you cut blood?”

Snickering, he added.

“Did you think I haven’t tried first?”

Then, striding up to Leontes, he said.

“If it’s that kind of desire, I’ve experienced it too, so I’ll understand. I’ll wait until you also realize that blood ties cannot be cut so easily. After that, obey my words quietly. Then I’ll treat you well too.”

Then he reached out, and instead of grabbing his collar this ti, he placed his hand on his shoulder and said.

“Since you showed results like just now, I acknowledge you too. Before that, don’t expect

to treat you well unconditionally just because you’re my brother.”

In his mind, Maximilian was already the Emperor.

When he reached out his hand, Alexander also flinched, wondering if he would grab his collar again. But Leontes, who hadn’t budged, opened his mouth.

“In other words, Brother also acknowledges that I have achieved results worthy of being Brother’s subordinate or brother.”

“Isn’t that why I said so?”

“Then, Brother, when on earth will you show results worthy of being my monarch, or brother?”

The mont a smile appeared on Alexander’s lips, Leontes pushed Maximilian’s frozen hand off his shoulder and moved his steps.

“Leontes! Do you trust the Father Emperor? Do you think the Father Emperor really looked favorably on you? Do you think he was sincere?”

Alexander thought now was the ti to intervene. Although the fight between biological brothers was entertaining to watch, he couldn’t let Maximilian’s pointless quarrel interfere with important business.

However, Leontes’s gaze stopped Alexander. A gaze as fast as a Sword Master’s reflexes nailed him, who was about to move, to the spot, and then he shook his head firmly the next mont.

So Alexander stopped there, and Leontes turned his head back to his biological brother.

“The desire to be acknowledged by the Father Emperor is better than the desire to be acknowledged by Brother.”

Maximilian was speechless. Alexander was the sa. That piercing point; regardless of what they think of the Father Emperor, there isn’t anyone among them without the desire to be acknowledged by their father.

The person who said those words turned his head to Alexander with an innocent face. As if saying, it’s your turn now, say it if you have sothing to say.

‘This one has an Emperor’s temperant too; they really are biological brothers.’

Alexander first pushed his body between Maximilian and Leontes. Maximilian scread.

“Move, Marquess!”

“Be careful. You might touch my body if you’re not careful.”

Even so, Alexander looked only at Leontes.

“Is there a reason to join hands with the Father Emperor now?”

“Then when did I say I would join hands with you all? I rely stated a fact applicable to all of us, that only the Father Emperor can make

do sothing I do not wish to do. It has nothing to do with

if you misunderstand that obvious fact as you please.”

“That is a valid point, but there is still sothing I don’t quite understand. What on earth is the reason for trusting the Father Emperor more than us?”

Maximilian and Desmond tornted Leontes, but Alexander didn’t. If not for the check, he would have long since embraced that pitiful and cute little kid, whom he felt more affection for than his biological brother, under his wing.

Above all, the Father Emperor’s neglect was no lesser sin than Rhiannon’s abuse. Rhiannon was a stepmother after all. He couldn't imagine that Leontes, who shrewdly weighed right and wrong like now, wouldn't know that.

“Marquess Steiner might think so.”

Leontes nodded readily.

“But for , there is no reason to trust Duke Grimiati and Her Majesty Empress Rhiannon instead of the Father Emperor either.”

“Why would I! I have dealt with Brother defying the Mother Empress’s opposition!”

Then the youngest, Desmond, who had been suppressed by his older brothers’ montum, shouted roughly as if to make up for being ignored all this while.

“Ah, that’s right. Her Majesty the Empress helped you very well with your matter this ti too. You have a good mother, Desmond.”

Leontes spoke lightly and moved his body again. This ti Desmond blocked him.

“Do you think fulfilling the conditions Brother set is easy? We’re in a situation where doing whatever we can use isn’t enough!”

“You can do that, but I can’t?”

Leontes asked back.

“I never told you to follow my conditions. Rather, everyone here led

down a path I did not wish for. In that case, I am rely preparing asures to protect myself on my own.”

“Why don’t you believe that I will protect you? Do you think you’d be alive until now if not for ? Even if you cling to the Father Emperor, he’s a person who won’t care whether you die or not, just like until now!”

Maximilian roared. Alexander thought he was mistaken.

Rhiannon knew clearly that if she killed a motherless child, Grimiati would use it as a pretext to attack her.

Also that the more witnesses there were to the Father Emperor acting heartlessly toward his young son, and the First Prince toward his young brother, the easier it was for her to abuse him behind the scenes.

But if the arrogant First Prince thought so, there was no reason to correct his misunderstanding.

“What should we do for you to join hands with us?”