A demon revealed itself in a secluded corner of the imperial palace gardens of the Lutinas Empire.
Its once long and flowing hair was now neatly trimmed short, and its previously glowing red eyes had faded to a pale gray.
The uniform, signifying a high-ranking aide in the Empress’s palace, was elaborate. However, the figure’s face had a strangely indistinct presence—memorable, yet easily forgettable.
“You have arrived, Mr. Bertan.”
The head maid of the Empress’s palace was waiting at the spot where Bertan appeared.
“Where is my Prince Arthur?”
“He is in his room. After Her Majesty the Empress visited, he suffered a seizure, so the physician administered a sedative.”
At the maid’s words, Bertan clicked his tongue, looking deeply disappointed.
“Tsk. I specifically told them not to use such a strong sedative.”
“Prince Arthur began harming himself. We had no choice. If Her Majesty the Empress had seen it, she certainly would not have stayed silent.”
“I see.”
Bertan’s voice carried deep concern, but the faint smirk at the corner of his lips betrayed an unhidden amusement.
“My poor, poor Arthur.”
Eager to see his face, Bertan licked his lower lip slowly and moved forward.
The walk from the Withered Rose Garden to Arthur’s chambers was not long.
As if avoiding the gaze of the gods, every window along the corridor leading to Arthur’s room was covered with black cloth.
This path could only be navigated by candlelight, yet Bertan walked effortlessly through the darkness, needing no light at all.
“Hmm, hmm~”
He hummed a tune, imagining how Arthur would despair upon hearing the latest news from the Continental Academy.
How devastated would he be?
How tormented?
The thought alone brought him joy.
My poor, pitiful Arthur.
Bertan envisioned Arthur’s distorted face over and over again.
How should he comfort him?
What could he say to make his despair ripen into something even more delicious?
Standing before Arthur’s door, Bertan checked his appearance once more before knocking.
“Prince Arthur, it is Bertan.”
“…Hurry, hurry and come in!”
From inside the room, Arthur’s anxious voice could be heard. Bertan’s smile deepened.
“I heard you had a seizure. Are you feeling alright?”
“Bertan! What happened? The Academy graduation exam—did they fail? Were there any casualties?”
Arthur lunged forward, grabbing Bertan by the collar.
His sunken eyes, darkened by deepening circles, and his cracked lips, stained with dried blood, revealed his deteriorating state. His frail wrists bore fresh wounds.
Arthur looked even worse than before he had left for the Kingdom of Pavan.
“Ah, Prince Arthur. Moving so suddenly while under sedatives will make you dizzy. Please, lie down, and I will report everything to you properly.”
“Just tell me! Hurry!”
Seeing Arthur’s frantic state, Bertan could easily guess how much chaos the Empress must have caused.
After Bertan left for Pavan, he had deliberately withheld all information from the Empress, cutting off any news that could reach her.
It was obvious that she had taken out her frustration on Arthur, tormenting him mercilessly.
“Unfortunately, the abilities of Cherrya Emblem and Enoch Gray were far beyond what was previously known.”
“…What?”
“You are aware that the two of them are fixated on a certain commoner, correct?”
“Ah, yes. That news has already caused an uproar in Lutinas. But what about it?”
“During the graduation exam, I planned for Cherrya Emblem to fail in protecting that commoner, leading to their death before countless witnesses.”
Bertan had put a great deal of effort into this plan.
He had created someone capable of mesmerizing Kane, appearing exactly as he wished. He had subtly led Kane into acting alone, luring both Enoch Gray and Cherrya Emblem into the trap.
And just as everything was set—when they were all supposed to witness Kane’s tragic death—
“No way… It failed…?”
At Bertan’s bitter tone, Arthur’s face turned deathly pale.
His trembling hands slowly released Bertan’s collar as he staggered backward.
“H-How? Bertan, how could you fail? With your power?”
His dazed eyes wandered aimlessly through the air, unable to process the reality before him.
At some point, he had begun raking his nails down his own arms in distress.
“M-My mother… How am I supposed to tell her this? She will be so… disappointed.”
As he bit down on his already wounded lips, fresh blood seeped from the cracks.
Seeing him in such a state, Bertan wiped the blood from Arthur’s lips with his fingers and continued speaking.
“I apologize. If it had been only Cherrya Emblem, I could have handled it somehow, but I did not expect Enoch Gray to join forces with her. Aren’t they supposed to be enemies? I thought their pride would cause them to self-destruct even in a crisis…”
Bertan recalled the sight of the two working together.
If those two, fueled by the tainted power of that wretched god, combined their strength…
They would undoubtedly interfere with his feast.
“They seemed to be getting along quite well.”
“…No, no! This can’t happen! Emblem and Gray must not work together!”
Arthur shook his head in despair.
“You should have just killed Cherrya Emblem! If she had died, at least my mother wouldn’t be disappointed…!”
“No, my dear Arthur. If Cherrya Emblem were to die, Her Majesty the Empress would never achieve the true victory she desires.”
“W-Why not?”
“What Her Majesty truly seeks is revenge against everyone who humiliated her in her youth. She wants them to experience the same disgrace and agony she once suffered… oh, but with deep, lingering regret.”
“Then just kill them all! The Emperor, Emblem, Gray—every last one of them! Bring their heads before my mother! You’re a demon, Bertan! You can kill these insignificant humans easily, can’t you?!”
Arthur, consumed by fear, screamed, his sanity slipping away.
Bertan, watching him with amusement, whispered in a soothing tone, as if calming a child.
“Death is too cheap a meal. It disappears in just one bite.”
“Her Majesty must savor their despair for a long, long time. To be the true victor, she must keep them alive—to let them drown in misery.”
“But… but what about me?”
“Yes, I understand. If you ascend the throne and reign above them, your mother’s long-held wish will finally come true.”
“But you doubt yourself, don’t you? You don’t believe you can surpass your brilliant older brother, do you?”
“No matter how many times you try to kill him… he keeps surviving. Isn’t it disgusting?”
“H-hngh… hhic…!”
“But what can you do, my dear Arthur? This is the wish of my beloved contractor.”
For a brief moment, Bertan’s gray eyes flickered crimson.
“To grant Mother’s every desire.”
“………..”
“That is why contracts must be made carefully, Prince Arthur. You see, I can only fulfill Her Majesty’s true wishes now.”
Bertan gazed at Arthur’s growing despair as if savoring a delicious meal.
Never before had he prepared such a carefully crafted feast.
The scent of despair was already so enticing that it was difficult to restrain himself.
But just a little longer.
Just a little longer.
Playing along with these pathetic humans and their power games was worth it—just to fully drown his contractor’s last shred of hope in the most exquisite despair.
And for that, Bertan could tolerate the existence of Emblem and Gray for a little while longer.
: ( I feel bad for Arthur like Yikes