Chapter 67
The atmosphere in the Imperial Chamber was overwhelmingly silent.
“….”
“….”
Neither Lexion nor the Emperor spoke a word., instead…
The Emperor was chewing on his lips as if he had committed a sin, staring blankly at the ground, while Lexion simply stared at him with an expressionless face.
It was a bizarre situation. This was the Emperor’s Imperial Chamber, the Imperial Palace. However, if not for the elaborate decorations of jewels adorning the chamber and the Emperor’s attire… to anyone’s eyes, the one who appeared as the Emperor would be none other than Lexion.
“So, Your Majesty…”
It was Lexion who broke the silence first.
“It seems that Your Majesty wishes for me to handle all of this on my own.”
The Emperor flinched.
“So that if I succeed, I will remain Your Majesty’s man and become the Duke of Rosenvester, but if I fail, I will only be a despicable bastard who dared to covet and seize the family?”
“….”
“Isn’t that right?”
“Y-Your… Majesty…”
The Emperor’s face turned pale blue, as if he was terrified.
…Perhaps it was only natural. The Emperor didn’t have the wit or the power to handle such a situation. His quick-witted uncle, who had sided with Belles, had begun to turn the palace people to his side.
As a young Emperor, he had no way to handle this.
So, he might not have even thought about such a thing. The fact that even the little power he had could be taken away from him.
Lexion thought to himself.
“You just heard what I read. The contents of this letter…”
The letter was sent by the Rosenvester family.
To be precise, it was not only from the Rosenvester family but from numerous nobles who had allied with them.
Belles had already built up his power, that was already known. It was a predetermined course of action, and it couldn’t be stopped.
There was a very simple and clear way to overcome this crisis. It was for the Emperor to grant military authority to Lexion, and Lexion would dispose of them all for treason.
…But the young Emperor was terrified.
“If such a large force turns their backs, civil war could break out…”
“….”
“And then, taking advantage of that, I might be killed. Maybe even this whole thing was orchestrated for that purpose…”
The contents of the letter were simple.
Lexion Rosenvester, the illegitimate child of the Rosenvester Duke.
They couldn’t accept such a despicable human who dared to seize the family, and now, he had gone to extremes, using the mentally fragile Emperor to seize power and then branding those who opposed them as traitors, regardless of their status, and killing them. So, the Emperor must accurately understand the situation… and if such a situation repeats, they will no longer turn a blind eye.
…In the end, it matched Seriniel’s thoughts quite nicely.
“I’m not saying I’ll abandon you…”
The Emperor said, his voice fading away.
…He may not even have known what decision he should make right now.
Or, perhaps he was afraid to make it even if he knew.
Lexion, who had sent people to their deaths without a second thought, now felt his mind crumbling at the thought that his own safety might be at risk.
“I also… need time to think…”
“That’s when you don’t know what will change when you’ve thought it all through.”
Lexion still responded with his expressionless face.
“The Emperor might change, and the Empire might change.”
“….”
“Now is not the time to think, it’s the time to make a decision. That’s all I can tell you.”
“But… you, Lexion. …”
The Emperor said with a fading voice.
“Even then… won’t you be by my side?”
“….”
“Lord Lexion…”
The Emperor’s voice was a desperate plea.
Lexion looked at the pitiful Emperor without a word, then spoke with a steady voice.
“Well, I don’t know about that. That’s uncertain.”
“W-What…?”
“I have something to protect.”
Lexion continued to speak.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but if I disagree with your intentions, I will protect what is mine in my own way. That was my only purpose from the beginning, so I won’t resent you.”
When it came to protecting Seriniel, Lexion didn’t trust anyone. The Emperor was no exception.
So, there was no disappointment.
Of course, they might have to take a slightly longer route, but…
It was unavoidable.
Lexion looked at the Emperor for a moment, his lips sealed. The Emperor was still trembling with fear, like a candle in the wind.
And so, just like when he was very young…
“Do you remember Duke Klan? What kind of person he was.”
Duke Klan, The Emperor’s distant uncle. The one Belles intended to nominate.
Also, very similar to Belles.
“If I were Duke Klan or Belles Verdellete, I would have buttered up Your Majesty with kind and sweet words and taken control as I pleased. Especially at times like now.”
For them, this moment would be very opportune. Especially when facing an Emperor as vulnerable as this.
“But I am not them, and I won’t say things they wouldn’t dare.”
At those words, the Emperor’s collapsing gaze turned to Lexion.
“If there’s something you want to protect, never back down and fight until the end.”
“….”
“As fiercely as your heart desires. Even if your teeth are knocked out, you must bite harder, even if your fingers break, you must continue to wield the sword. If your teeth are knocked out, stand on your nails; if your fingers break, hold the sword in your mouth.”
“D..Duke…”
“If it’s someone you want to protect, your life, or the throne to you as it is to Your Majesty, you must do so.”
That was the end of it.
Lexion looked at the Emperor with a brief, wordless glance, then bowed and left the Imperial Chamber without any further hesitation.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Lexion returned to the Rosenvester family in the late afternoon.
“….”
Lexion’s mind was incredibly complicated as he walked. In fact, it had been since he left the palace and boarded the carriage.
As Lexion, he hadn’t completely overlooked this situation. After all, now that Belles had no justification left, there would only be one remaining option. Attacking Lexion and instilling fear in the Emperor, then seizing all power.
But there was something a little odd about it.
Why did the previously quiet nobles suddenly rise up?
To be honest, it wasn’t entirely impossible. But could the timing fit so perfectly?
Moreover, the majority of the nobles, including the Rosenvester family, had maintained a fairly favorable attitude towards the Emperor…
[“They want to kill me like this…?”]
…There was a momentary thought that crossed Lexion’s mind.
“Royden…”
Lexion murmured softly, and blue veins bulged on his forehead.
…It couldn’t be true.
He couldn’t have survived with such injuries.
Even thinking so, he couldn’t shake off the ominous feeling.
[But then you’ll never know.]
Also…
[“The place where that filthy concubine is buried!”]
Royden’s voice echoed in his mind, his voice full of despair, soaked in blood.
“Your Grace.”
“….”
“Duke Lexion.”
And at the voice that came from before him, Lexion finally snapped out of it. Then he looked at Seriniel approaching him.
