IRAWOMLC Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Arden returned to his room with a vacant expression. Alone in the space, having dismissed everyone, he writhed in torment.

“Is that why? Was it because of that…?”

Did she run away from me?

She was carrying a child, but it couldn’t be his. He had even summoned his physician to confirm it. The maids, oblivious due to the queen’s irregular cycles, had made excuses.

It seemed that even the maids who handled the bedding were unaware, as if everything had been meticulously planned.

Arden went straight to Verotin’s mentor to inquire about the medicine, but the man proved that the medicine was not at fault. All who had taken his prescriptions lived without bearing children.

Even among concubines, no illegitimate children existed. This confirmed the medicine’s effectiveness. Verotin showed Arden the medicine the queen had been taking.

Hearing that her body was so frail it couldn’t function properly, Arden’s heart shattered.

“Who was I living with?”

Her serene expression and subtly different attitude. Had she wished for a divorce because… she had another man?

As that thought crossed his mind, his entire body burned with fury. An unbearable anger surged, making it impossible for him to remain still.

“The emperor? Or perhaps… the cardinal? No, it can’t be the cardinal; he hasn’t been here long enough…”

Arden’s head felt as if it would explode. The back of his head throbbed, and nausea churned in his stomach. Even after gulping down cold water repeatedly, the thirst remained unquenched.

He buried his face in his hands, letting out deep sighs over and over.

Could there really have been a man she met in the palace?

“Ha…”

A hollow laugh escaped his lips.

Had all his efforts been in vain? Thinking of Leticia pretending to be fine in front of him filled him with despair. What had he failed to provide her, for her to commit such an unfathomable act?

His body trembled with unbearable betrayal. He had given her everything she desired. When she wanted to eat meals together, he carved out time from his impossibly tight schedule to dine with her. When she expressed a desire for marital intimacy, he embraced her willingly.

Even though his trauma gripped his entire being, he had tried to do what he could. Was it not enough? Following Raymond’s advice, he even tried having conversations with her.

There was no progress, but he thought she had somewhat improved.

If there was anyone in the palace who understood her heart, he wanted to question them before ending their life.

What exactly had Leticia Leveter, the queen, desired?

Suddenly, Arden rose from his seat, flung the door open, and strode somewhere.

Stopping in front of Leticia’s room, he grasped the doorknob. Though the owner was absent, the guards were stationed outside. Since there was an uninvited guest, deception was necessary.

Click.

He entered the unoccupied room.

She truly wasn’t there. The indifferent gaze that once questioned his motives, her resigned face—those memories were so vivid, yet the room, now engulfed in darkness, held only shadows.

In this space devoid of warmth, Arden stood dazed, lowering his head deeply.

“She really didn’t take anything with her…”

The room still bore traces of her presence. His restless hands began searching as if expecting her to be hiding somewhere.

But Leticia was nowhere to be found.

Fearing that he might miss her in the shadows, he hastily lit a lantern, his frantic hands trembling.

The now-lit room only accentuated her absence. The disheveled state of the room, the clothes strewn across the floor, and yet, the neatly made bed without a single crease stood out starkly.

The chilly air wrapped around him, driving the reality home—Leticia Leveter was no longer here. She had run far away from him. In this suffocating place, he was utterly alone.

Had she fled from him into someone else’s arms?

Arden slowly scanned the messy room and let out a hollow laugh. Her taste was still vividly present, and her face came to mind as he observed the remnants of her presence.

He walked to the untouched bed and sat at its edge, taking a deep breath.

Where could she possibly have hidden?

Lying cautiously on the bed, her lingering scent filled his senses. He inhaled deeply, trying to capture what was now dissipating in the air. Regret welled up within him as he buried his face into the blanket.

Regret?

Arden gripped the blanket tightly and sat upright.

“That’s impossible.”

It must be anger—fury at the woman who had deceived and fled from him. Rising from the bed, he cast a cold, piercing gaze at the spot where she had once slept.

How peculiar. His heart burned fiercely, yet his head grew cold and calculating.

“Your Majesty, we couldn’t find her.”

❖ ❖ ❖

“…Am I supposed to believe she disappeared halfway?”

Cardius gazed at the knight with an unbroken smile, though his tone betrayed a hint of irritation. Taking a slow breath, he appeared to deliberate.

“How many were there in total?”

“Not many, Your Grace. Some died along the way, and we were ambushed unexpectedly, leaving us no time to respond. My apologies.”

“Apologies? Do you think an apology can compensate for such a grave failure? Lord Verok, do you know why I appointed you to that position?”

The smirk that stretched across Cardius’s face seemed inhuman. Verok, now resigned, knelt before him and spoke with a trembling voice.

“I will take responsibility. However, I beg of you—please spare my family.”

“Oh my, I’m not so heartless. I don’t have the time or inclination to concern myself with the families of the useless—provided, of course, you don’t become a nuisance to me.”

At Cardius’s words, Verok’s face lit with a brief moment of relief. He unsheathed his sword and closed his eyes.

“You know, don’t you? I’m not particularly fond of blood.”

Without moving a finger from his seat, Cardius tilted his chin slightly toward Verok. Recognizing the signal, Verok placed his sword on the ground. Pulling a dagger from his coat, he drove it into his chest without hesitation.

Cardius clapped at the sight of Verok’s unflinching resolve.

“Truly, wise as ever.”

Shortly after, the doors opened, and attendants entered to drag Verok’s lifeless body from the floor. Watching the blood staining the floor, Cardius frowned in distaste.

“This is why I dislike it. That red, more beautiful than my eyes, is just too tempting.”

I want it—for myself. Always.

What’s the point of taking blood when it can’t truly be possessed—when it hardens and changes?

Cardius leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs.

“Your Majesty, we’ll clean this up right away,” one of the attendants offered hastily as new carpets were brought in.

He raised a hand, stopping them. “Leave it. Clean it when it hardens. You’re interrupting my appreciation—leave me be.”

These people clearly couldn’t grasp beauty.

With a satisfied smile, he gazed at the pool of blood on the floor. His leisurely hand stroked his chin as he observed. After a long moment, he rose from his chair and left the throne room.

Wearing a contented expression, he strode toward the garden.

A vast expanse unfolded before him—far larger and grander than Brivant’s. Even after walking for some time, the array of flowers seemed endless. He took a deep breath, letting the floral scents fill his lungs.

“It’s not enough.”

The insatiable thirst within him frustrated him. Running a hand through his silvery hair, he lifted his head to gaze at the night sky.

“Yes… I must have it.”

He was sure he could seize it with just a bit more effort. The king didn’t love her—there was an apparent gap, one he believed he could slip through with ease.

When had that gap started to narrow?

Reflecting back, their relationship had indeed changed. Was it emotions? Could it have been mere physical intimacy?

If that were the case, wasn’t it too simple? If it were that easy, he would have tried it long ago.

To be unloved by someone who is already unloved—what a waste. He had spent much time pondering it.

Cardius ran a finger over his lips and smirked before setting off. His steps led him to a dome at the edge of the garden. As the guards stepped aside, he entered without hesitation.

The individuals confined within the dome flinched, trembling as if sensing his murderous intent. Yet he seemed indifferent to their fear, his gaze lingering on the beautiful elves.

What a pity—there’s still one more to complete this collection, he thought, recalling jet-black hair that shone even under the night sky and lively, molten-gold eyes. It would have been wonderful to keep her by his side, to see her every day.

His deliberation didn’t last long.

Among the dead and the living elves before him, he noticed that those still alive clung to their loved ones, holding hands or embracing tightly.

The sight gave him an idea.

“If they still love, then let them love. Keep them close.”

If Arden continued to love Leticia, she wouldn’t die. And if Leticia reciprocated Arden’s love, maintaining their bond might even preserve her beauty.

Cardius smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth as he turned toward an elf staring back at him.

“Killing them would be such a waste,” he remarked with a sly grin.

He decided to make a slight adjustment to his plan. It would now be more than satisfying.