(8) Like an Ominous Spell (8)
“Speak your mind.”
“Until now, even when Your Majesty stayed in the imperial palace for extended periods, it was never more than one or two months at a time.”
“You seem quite well-informed for someone from the distant North.”
“How could a vassal governing a fief on Your Majesty’s behalf be unaware of Your Majesty’s whereabouts?”
Heraith let out a faint chuckle. Eleanor seemed to have prepared an answer for every question and attack, as if rehearsed.
“So? Is my staying in the palace now a problem?”
“Did this man fail in an attempt to assassinate Your Majesty?”
“Yes. Pathetically so.”
“Your Majesty is never able to sleep peacefully in the palace, always returning to the battlefield. But this time, you’re unable to leave because the empress’s seat is vacant.”
“That’s right. If there’s no empress and no emperor, the palace would descend into chaos.”
“And that chaos would severely affect the people as well.”
Heraith frowned and looked at Eleanor.
“Just how generous of an emperor do you take me for, if you think I’d be bound here for such a reason?”
Eleanor turned to meet his gaze and smiled, more beautifully than Heraith had expected.
“I believe you are more generous than any emperor who has ever ruled Tevant.”
Even in this dim chamber, Eleanor’s pale violet eyes shone vividly. Though her words might sound like flattery, her eyes never wavered.
For some reason, Heraith found it hard to look away. It felt like the moment he did, the radiant light brightening even this dark place would shatter into pieces.
So, he kept his gaze locked with hers and twisted his lips into a crooked grin.
“You lie so confidently.”
Eleanor offered no excuse and instead calmly turned her eyes toward the tortured man.
“Which is why Your Majesty has always appointed an empress without delay. You took an empress as soon as you ascended the throne. When the first passed, you named the second right away. As if you had been prepared. The third was no different. There was always someone ready for the role—except for the fourth.”
Her voice was calm, but Heraith found himself increasingly amused.
This woman is far too intriguing.
Eleanor had seen right through him. Normally, having your thoughts read would be discomforting, but Heraith found the conversation increasingly enjoyable.
What exactly is she trying to achieve by dragging this out? Has she guessed what I’ve been wrestling with?
“Is that a problem?”
“Yes, it is. You’ve delayed the marriage to decide if I am someone you can trust. The position remains vacant, and so, Your Majesty cannot leave the capital.”
“And the enemies rejoice. It’s a golden opportunity to target me.”
“Do you think that’s all they’re after? Even they must know that any attempt would fail, just like this man here.”
Heraith knew Eleanor had arrived at the same conclusion as he had, but he asked anyway, testing her.
“Then what do you think this opportunity is?”
“The New Year’s Festival is fast approaching. Nobles and commoners alike are gathering in the capital to celebrate.”
Heraith stared at her profile in silence before speaking.
“Something will happen during the festival.”
“Isn’t the timing just perfect?”
As Eleanor turned to look at him, their noses came dangerously close. But neither flinched or backed away.
“If Your Majesty, even while present in the capital, is so busy rooting out assassins that you cannot protect the people, then your competence will be questioned. Not by all, perhaps, but that would be enough.”
“They’ll seize the moment to cast doubt and push that narrative. Just like when they painted me as a mad emperor.”
Eleanor’s expression didn’t change, even as Heraith’s eyes narrowed.
“They’ll bring up past examples. The first emperor personally fought on the front lines, and during one of his campaigns, a disaster struck the capital and nearly destroyed it. That story will lend power to their claims.”
“If the emperor leaves the palace, the capital—and thus the entire nation—is at risk.”
“Which means Your Majesty will have no choice but to remain in the palace.”
“At least until they shut their mouths.”
“Then what of those still targeting Your Majesty?”
“They have time now. They’ll throw everything they’ve planned at me. My bedchamber won’t know a moment of peace.”
“The people won’t know that. They’ll just think Your Majesty is slowly losing your mind.”
“The people have tolerated all my madness so far.”
“Yes, because they know your sword is aimed at monsters and Rascals. Even if your mind isn’t entirely whole, as long as your actions protect the nation, the people have stood by you.”
“But what if I remain in the palace all this time… and still swing my sword?”
“That would be a perfect excuse to depose Your Majesty. The enemies wouldn’t miss such a golden opportunity.”
The faint, hollow smile that had always lingered around Eleanor’s lips finally seemed to take on life, deepening with meaning.
“What do you think, Your Majesty? Won’t something happen right in the middle of the New Year’s Festival—that bright and joyous occasion?”
A smile formed on Heraith’s lips as well. He hadn’t even realized he was smiling until a moment later.
This conversation, which confirmed that his life now teetered like a candle in the wind, somehow… was enjoyable.
“Do you have any guess as to what might happen?”
“There hasn’t been a major rift in quite some time.”
Rifts were portals created when Rascals tore space and time by sacrificing humans, allowing monsters into this world. The larger the rift, the more human sacrifices were needed.
“They’ve been saving up sacrifices for this?”
“And they killed the third empress.”
“That was a setup for what’s to come? Hmph, you might be right. Or perhaps you’re just spinning lies to lure me out to the chaos of the festival.”
Of course, Eleanor’s words probably weren’t lies. With the empress gone and staying in the palace, Heraith himself had reached a similar conclusion about why the third empress had been killed.
Still, Eleanor’s sharp insight was unsettling. She hadn’t been in the palace long, yet she’d already figured it out.
Eleanor tilted her head slightly and asked,
“Do you think I’d aim for Your Majesty’s back in the middle of a crowd?”
“Even if not you, there will be plenty of others there who will. They won’t miss such a perfect stage.”
“Then Your Majesty should remain in the safety of the palace. I’ll go to the festival and eliminate the threats.”
“Hide away in my chambers like a frightened child?”
Eleanor smiled.
“Is that how it sounded to you?”
“It certainly did. The Snow family’s daughter is rather fearless, isn’t she? Speaking so boldly even before a mad emperor.”
“I only trust in Your Majesty’s judgment.”
“You mean, I should recognize that you have no murderous intent toward me?”
Again, Eleanor simply smiled.
Heraith crossed his arms and tapped his forearm with a finger while staring at the dying assassin.
Is she saying she can handle monsters pouring out of a major rift all by herself?
It didn’t seem like a bluff. Nor did she appear to be lying.
But then again, how many times had he been betrayed by those he believed to be ‘his people’?
Eleanor wasn’t even one of his people.
Then suddenly, he realized something.
“You didn’t come to drag me to the festival. You came to tell me in advance that whatever you do there… it will be to protect me.”
Heraith turned his head toward Eleanor, but she didn’t look back. She continued to gaze at the assassin as she calmly answered,
“Yes, Your Majesty. I hope nothing happens. But if something does—and if I’m the one who stops it…”
Finally, Eleanor turned to face him.
“Please believe that Snow has never once abandoned its loyalty.”
Once again, Heraith found himself unable to look away from her eyes. That pale violet glow wrapped around him like a spell, as if trying to bury him in its depths.
“You…”
The voice that escaped his lips didn’t feel like his own.
“You care more about your family than yourself.”
“Because they are my family.”
“Family…”
Heraith’s lips twisted.
“You have people who would risk their lives to protect you.”
I envy you.
He swallowed the words before they could escape. He was taken aback by the weakness he’d almost shown.
That tender longing for warm familial love, he had cast it away before he ever came of age.
No… perhaps he’d thrown it away because he grew up too quickly. And once he had, he never looked back. Because the moment he did, his enemies would exploit that vulnerable spot without hesitation.
Now, Heraith felt deeply uncomfortable being with Eleanor.
This conversation drew out feelings that were unlike him. Like some sort of dangerous magic.
“And, Your Majesty…if I become empress, I will protect you with my life.”
Like a sweet curse that could not be undone.
“Because you would be my family.”
Just like now.
