Episode 54

Aiden arrived with the first light of the morning sun.

It was the first time I had ever welcomed him to my palace.

I had decided it was better to keep this knowledge limited until we fully understood the situation.

As we sat facing each other in the reception room, Aiden’s serious expression made it clear that the unbelievable news Tito had shared was, indeed, true.

“What is the situation at the Marquis’s estate?”

“The bodies have been collected, and the situation is somewhat under control now.”

“Did the Marquis really do such a thing?”

“For now, it appears so.”

“For now?”

“The Marquis did, indeed, kill the Marchioness and their son with his own sword. And it is true that he took his own life.”

Aiden’s calm voice only made the reality of it more horrifying.

“Was it really because of the Marchioness’s infidelity?”

“According to the witnesses, the Marquis himself claimed that to be the case, but…”

“But…?”

“It’s only speculation at this point, Your Majesty, but the Marquis may have been under some sort of control.”

“Control? What do you mean by that…?”

I cut myself off mid-sentence, suddenly covering my mouth.

I had thought it strange.

I didn’t know the Marquis of Senwood well, but he didn’t seem like the type of man who would brutally murder his own wife and son.

And the timing—it was just too coincidental.

Just yesterday, the beasts and I had discussed the possibility of the Marquis and Bonita’s deaths.

There was more than enough circumstantial evidence to believe that Bonita had killed the Emperor and tried to kill me, but we lacked definitive proof.

We couldn’t recklessly punish anyone, especially with the risk of internal division within the Royal Guard and backlash from the nobility.

So we decided to delay any action until after the Royal Guard had left Brincia.

The one who had opposed that decision the most was, of course, the one rumored to control people with his venomous tongue.

As the cryptic words Lian had left behind yesterday came back to me, a chill ran down my spine.

‘What I like most is that you never complain about anything not agreed upon beforehand.’

Could that “gift” he mentioned, one that didn’t require prior agreement, be…?

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

Aiden asked in alarm as he noticed the color drain from my face.

I was not alright.

Not at all.

The power of the Serpent I had read about in books seemed limited to things like securing treaties that were on the brink of being dissolved or turning an adversary’s heart to loyalty toward the Emperor. I had only been concerned that Lian might try to brainwash me into choosing him.

But now, this situation made me realize I had no idea how far his abilities could reach.

“Aiden, is the Serpent’s power really so terrible? Could it truly make someone kill or commit suicide?”

“The full extent of the Serpent’s power has never been fully understood, so I can’t say for certain.”

“So it’s possible, then.”

“Even if it is, I don’t think he would use his power recklessly. The Serpent’s abilities are said to come with life-threatening limitations.”

“Life-threatening limitations?”

“Just as the Dog goes mad when using his abilities, it’s said that the Serpent risks his life when exerting his full power.”

“Then it couldn’t have been Lian. He wouldn’t risk his life for something like this, would he? Right?”

Aiden hesitated for a moment before nodding, trying to reassure me.

“Yes, Your Majesty. It’s possible that the Marquis lost his sanity due to the betrayal and acted out of rage.”

Despite Aiden’s attempt to calm me, the uncertainty lingered. The possibility that Lian had somehow influenced this horrifying event, even at the cost of his life, still haunted me.

That realization was horrifying in its own right.

Even setting aside my relationship with the Senwood Marquisate, the implications were deeply disturbing.

No matter the reason, I couldn’t come to terms with this dreadful tragedy.

I pressed a hand to my forehead and leaned back against the armrest of the sofa.

Aiden looked at me with concern, sighed, and then spoke again.

“There were many witnesses to the Marquis’s final moments, so this will likely be concluded as an act of personal violence on his part. The nobles will be shaken, but with the power center of the noble faction gone, they won’t act rashly.”

The nobles, as well as the Royal Guardsmen from the Senwood Marquisate, would likely keep their heads down. The only family that could rival the three beasts—the head of the Senwood Marquisate, their heir, and even the Marchioness, who was of royal blood—were all dead.

Now, who would dare stand against the beasts?

If anyone suspected that the tragedy that befell the Marquisate was orchestrated by the Serpent, they would be too terrified to speak out.

Listening to Aiden’s words, I became certain.

There was no way that what had happened overnight was a mere coincidence or an unfortunate tragedy.

“Aiden, bring Lian to me.”

“Your Majesty…”

“I need to hear it from his own mouth.”

“He could lie.”

“Which is all the more reason I need to hear what he has to say.”

“Please promise me that you will let me stay by your side, Your Majesty.”

Aiden requested this with a serious expression, and I nodded.

I hoped it wasn’t true, truly hoped, but if the tragedy at the Senwood Marquisate was Lian’s doing, I didn’t trust myself to face him alone.

I paced anxiously in the reception room after Aiden left, leaving only a sigh behind.

Time passed, and the scene outside the window transformed into a bright autumn morning.

Lian entered the room, his smile brighter than the sunlight.

“Your Majesty, you called for me?”

“I have something to ask you. Lian, sit down.”

Lian seemed in high spirits.

He glanced briefly at Aiden standing behind me, but then, with a smile, he sat across from me.

I hesitated, unsure of how to begin, and Lian was the first to speak.

“Your Majesty, you seem troubled.”

“You seem pleased.”

“Everything has gone as you wished, so I am pleased as well.”

“As I wished…?”

“You wanted the Marquis and Marchioness dealt with quietly, didn’t you? It’s fortunate that it was resolved without the knights’ opposition.”

Lian’s bright smile frightened me today.

I knew he had issues with his character, but had he really believed that I would be pleased with the tragedy at the Senwood Marquisate?

Suppressing the rising despair, I asked the Serpent, who was so skilled at lying.

“Was this your doing?”

Lian glanced at Aiden behind me, his expression one of slight displeasure, but then he spoke as if making a concession.

“Since I’ve been informed about the white rat, I suppose I shouldn’t hide anything.”

His attitude suggested that since Aiden had revealed the betrayal within the White Shadow, Lian would reciprocate by not withholding the truth.

With a smile as bright as that of an angel delivering divine blessings, Lian asked, “Did you like this gift as well?”

It seemed I had been hoping, up until the last moment, that it wasn’t his doing.

Lian’s smile was more dazzling than ever, yet it made me want to cry.

My reaction must not have been what he expected because Lian tilted his head, puzzled, and asked again.

“You were troubled by the Marquis and Marchioness, weren’t you? I thought you would be pleased.”

“I told you explicitly, Lian, that I needed to discuss it with Lothania first and that you were not to act on your own.”

“Ah, so you’re upset because I disobeyed your command. I apologize, Your Majesty. But I thought this would be the simplest solution.”

Lian bowed his head in what seemed to be a sincere apology, but that wasn’t it.

I wasn’t angry, not at his disobedience.

This mad Serpent didn’t even realize what he had done wrong.

And now I was truly angry.

I was furious at the realization of just how mad he truly was.

“Simple? Lian, three people, including a member of the royal family, are dead. Even a child was killed without knowing why. Is this what you call a simple solution?”

“Killing the Emperor is treason, and traitors are executed along with their families. The boy was destined to die anyway.”

Lian’s violet eyes gleamed coldly, like lifeless jewels, as he spoke.

His words weren’t entirely wrong, which made me want to cry even more.

“No child should ever be killed by their own father. And Lothania will never have the chance to receive an apology from the one who killed her father.”

My voice trembled at the end of my sentence.

I couldn’t tell if it was because I was sad or because I was angry.

I didn’t know if this complex emotion was sympathy or relief.

As Lian said, the person who killed the Emperor was destined to die. Perhaps I should be grateful that the situation had been resolved without a long, drawn-out trial, without unrest among the nobles or resistance from the knights.

But as the Empress, responsible for protecting the Empire and the royal family, I didn’t know what attitude I should take.

All I felt was an overwhelming sense of despair.

The beautiful Serpent, cloaked in a façade of charm, tilted his head as he studied my expression, then spoke.

“I don’t think the Marchioness of Senwood would have apologized to you anyway, but I understand that you are not pleased with this gift. It’s unfortunate, considering I staked what remains of my life on this.”

“What do you mean, staked your life?”

“I have about three or four years left.”

“What… what do you mean, three or four years?”

“The time I have left.”

“…What?”

I felt like I was losing my mind, but Lian simply smiled so widely that his eyes nearly disappeared.