The sound of Herald’s footsteps echoed heavily. As he entered with a disheveled appearance, the attendants all hushed, concealing their presence.
The moment he stepped into the center of his palace’s hall and entered his bedroom, he angrily yanked out the light fixture near the door. Even then, his frustration didn’t seem to ease as he breathed heavily.
‘Norden pointed out Retina?’ The Heralds’s mind was filled with the words spoken by the Emperor. The Emperor tried to convince him that there was no better move for both nations’ relations.
“Did that girl truly say she won’t choose the prince of Raglaras? As you well know, the madness of Rudenheim is an illness that harms those closest. Can you guarantee that she will stay by your side even after seeing your true self? Even if the emotion called love has faded away, do you think you won’t regret it?”
The Emperor embraced the Empress’s shoulders. Between them, there was no love. It was merely a meeting of a man who desired a woman fitting for the role of Empress, yet ambitious enough to sacrifice her soul to the devil to fulfill his desires.
As the years together grew longer, their skills in portraying the image of a good couple improved. Herald, who had realized the lack of affection between his parents since childhood, looked at them with cold eyes.
Despite the Emperor and Empress marrying at a vigorous age, there was only one reason for having just one Crown Prince. It was obvious.
“Well, even if they claim deep love and pledge to love each other for a lifetime, let’s assume we ignored Prince Norden’s opinion and went ahead with the marriage with that girl. Then, what benefits does Rudenheim gain from the Crown Prince’s marriage? What compensation will be given to Raglas because of it?”
Herald couldn’t provide a clear answer to the Emperor’s question. There were no solid reasons to give up Retina or alternative concessions to Raglaras’s prince. The only certainty was that he was the one who shared his heart with her.
“The Crown Prince, who has studied the principles of ruling, should not be swayed by trivial emotions. Herald Rudenheim, before being a person, you are the Emperor responsible for the citizens of the Empire. Always keep that in mind. Even a mere noble sacrifices for the family, but can someone become a worthy Emperor by doing the same?”
There was a seemingly reasonable reason to keep Retina by his side. However, he didn’t want to reveal Retina’s uniqueness, which helped calm his madness, to the Emperor just for such a reason. He didn’t want Retina to become an experimental subject for researchers studying the madness of emperors once she became the possession of the Emperor.
“Who can protect others when they cannot protect the one they love.”
He realized he had been too complacent. With the confirmation of the imperial succession and the increasing number of nobles seeking friendship rather than opposition, he failed to find the meaning of building his position. The Emperor’s power was a force that would naturally become his. Until now, he didn’t consider opposing the Emperor before ascending the throne, as he underestimated the need to strengthen his own allies.
Now, he regrets not having strengthened his influence sooner. He finds it difficult to endure his own pathetic request during the martial arts competition, where he had to stop the competition and request a wish from the Emperor.
“Teton!!”
With the bandages on his shoulders unraveled, Herald shouted loudly enough for the sound to reach outside.
“Bring the sword.”
Responding to the Crown Prince’s call, Teton appeared, stepping firmly on the shattered glass fragments from the window. His eyes, reddened and swollen, peered through the fingers covering his face.
“Did you not overexert yourself in the match? Take a break.”
“Bring it quickly.”
Teton, showing signs of fatigue from the recent match, faced the Crown Prince, who seemed on the verge of losing his composure. Herald’s voice, containing suppressed anger, trembled. The Crown Prince’s condition didn’t seem good, and Herald hoped he wouldn’t have a seizure.
“Your shoulder doesn’t look good after clashing with the sword. I will call for a physician.”
Teton held a faint hope for Herald’s remaining sanity. Herald, pressing on his temple where a headache throbbed, tried to compose himself.
Currently, with the absence of the Deneuve brothers and his own exhaustion, the situation was precarious. In the Imperial Palace, where there were few who could restrain the Crown Prince, a bout of madness might not cease until blood was shed.
Unable to overcome the Crown Prince’s frenzied strength with ordinary force and hesitant to inflict harm on the Crown Prince’s body, Herald couldn’t be a match for him. So, unless there was even a slight opening, he was bound to be mercilessly attacked by the Crown Prince, who sought to kill at the slightest opportunity.
“I’ve had enough of physicians. If you don’t want to bring my sword, then bring yours at least.”
“If you make a mess of the bedroom, you’ll have to stay in another room for a while. Are you okay with that inconvenience?”
“Using that as an excuse, I could stay at the Duke’s residence for a week. Should I destroy it to the point where it’s practically irreparable?”
“Are you in your right mind?”
‘Are you in your right mind?’ Teton’s words echoed as Herald let out a sigh, panting heavily.
“Perhaps I’m not in my right mind. I might go mad trying to control the urge to lock Retina in my bedroom so that she can’t go anywhere.”
Gritting his teeth, Herald groaned and, in frustration, threw whatever he could get his hands on. Expensive items tumbled on the floor, and in his rage, he kicked at the furniture. Broken glass shards scattered, and one cut into his skin, drawing blood.
What could the Empress have said to the Emperor? Teton couldn’t contain his concern as he watched Herald’s explosive reaction. Herald’s display of anger, coupled with self-destructive behavior, made Teton furrow his brow. It was the first time the Crown Prince had shown such rage since the incident within the knight order.
Back then, he controlled himself from causing a scene, but he couldn’t restrain his anger and handed over his sword. Teton didn’t carry his cherished sword, the one he reserved for situations like this; instead, he had a standard-issue sword for these unexpected circumstances.
“Please, refrain from causing harm to your own body. Facing inquiries from Empress is not the solution.”
With those words, Teton firmly closed the door, securing it with the scabbard in the handle to prevent anyone from entering or leaving.
“Sigh….”
He had hoped to find some peace for at least this day. However, as he massaged his body, sore from the kicks and blows received during the sparring, he let out a deep sigh.
* * *
“Did you come?”
“Reti!! It’s Retina…”
On the day the swordsmanship competition ended, a tearful family reunion took place. As the competition approached its conclusion, Retina, who had not been able to come to the mansion to meet her brothers, awkwardly accepted the embrace of her brother Haint, who was as big as a bear.
“I missed you. I really wanted to win this year, but because of that terrible sound, ugh. Isn’t using mental attacks in a swordsmanship competition against the rules?”
“A powerful mind is one of the basic skills a knight should have, didn’t they say that? I understand it’s unfair, but it’s not a rule violation, I’ve said that several times.”
“But still, how could someone say such things there!”
Haint turned abruptly, shedding fake tears, and looked at Sat. It wasn’t the first time Sat openly showed his annoyance.
“Huh? What happened at the competition?”
Only Retina showed interest in Haint, who couldn’t detach himself from me. Seeing her brother, who seemed a bit more exhausted than before the competition, Retina felt a slight sense of pity.
“Herald, well, he… he said he likes Reti! No matter how much he wants to win, what if he tells such a naughty lie.”
“Well, he’s not wrong.”
“Absolutely not! What? It’s right?”
“Yeah.”
Haint’s world, which was entirely filled with Retina, collapsed. Haint, like someone deeply shocked, walked back to his room with heavy steps. His usually straight shoulders now slouched gloomily.
“It must be tough for you too, so go in and rest. You said you couldn’t sleep properly these days.”
“That’s right. I got a few days off, so I should take advantage of that.”
Haint left the room, and Sat and Retina exchanged affectionate words. Knowing that Haint would quickly recover with a good night’s sleep and a meal, Retina chose not to follow him and left him alone.
“Retina.”
After the revelation of her relationship with the Crown Prince, Sat, who had been avoiding her a bit, called her over.
“Can we talk for a moment?”
He led Retina to his room. The neatly organized space, even without the help of servants, resembled an office more than a bedroom.
Seating Retina at a table in the middle of the room, Sat handed her a small booklet. Though not widely read, the newspaper was known for stirring up the social circles with occasional scandalous gossip.
“Here’s a tabloid I discovered before it could spread. It was about you causing a stir in society. Is your target really Prince Norden Raglas?”
The article contained unbelievable content.
