Asha had a realization about why she and other members of minority groups were born with mysterious powers, leading to the creation of many spirit contract holders.
They were descendants who had inherited the noblest blood of the empire, almost equal to the Imperial Family.
From the perspective of the Imperial Family, the minorities not only possessed secrets that should never be revealed but also wielded extraordinary abilities, making them a potential threat. As a result, they were killed or persecuted to prevent them from endangering the Empire.
In addition, they had physical appearances and eye colors different from those of the empire’s citizens because they were not ordinary humans. This difference became another reason for discriminating against them as foreigners.
“God Etzheim originally ensured that all the flowers on this land could equally ascend to the throne. When a butterfly identifies the flower with the most potential and sweetness, it selects it to become the ruler. However, the rose dominated the selection process. I believe the birth of the black rose is also a punishment from God. Due to the corrupt Imperial Family’s abominable monopoly of the throne, only a rotten rose could emerge. They simply followed the natural procedure and order.”
Dart spoke resolutely now.
“I will change all of this. I will transform this empire into a place where everyone is equal. I will revolutionize the world so that the man chosen by the butterfly can become the true emperor, and any flower can ascend to the throne, not just the rose. I believe this is the last opportunity and legacy that my mother has bestowed upon me.”
Asha could not find the words to dissuade Dart, let alone stop him.
The Imperial Family had pushed him to the point of no return, leaving him with no choice but to take this drastic step…
She understood his resentment and anger, as well as his mother’s feeling of facing a miserable end.
Suddenly, she remembered the sight of Dart kneeling and crying in front of a statue of God in the chapel.
She wondered if he had been crying and praying in front of the God statue countless times.
His mother must have shed tears of blood over the fact that he could never become emperor.
And his arrows of anger and resentment had been aimed at Karaf, an innocent child, shaking his life to the core.
It triggered a chain reaction that reached even the minorities, and it killed Jackal’s parents and wiped out the Kelpie clan.
The tragedy that happened to Karaf, Dart, Jackal, and the minorities was so painful that Asha had difficulty breathing.
Seeing that, Dart lowered his silver eyelashes and spoke calmly.
“…… Dear Vanessa, with a generous and kind heart, please choose me as the next flower of the Empire. All you have to do is stand by my side and acknowledge me as Emperor. Now that I have bloomed, all I need is a reason, a pretext, such as ‘the butterfly’s choice,’ to do so. Please join me in changing this decaying empire and saving the minorities.”
He finished speaking and kneeled in front of Asha as if proposing.
Asha lowered her head and quietly asked.
“……Let me ask you one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Did you intend to send assassins to Karaf until now? Did you give orders to the minorities behind the scenes?”
Dart was silent for a moment, then spoke calmly without changing his expression.
“Yes. But I had no choice. Until now, minorities have only made sacrifices throughout their long history. To break this chain, a final sacrifice was necessary.”
“A final sacrifice… So, how many people have you sacrificed until now? Have you ever thought about how many people you have sacrificed?”
Asha raised her head and spoke fiercely.
“Do you think it’s natural for other people to sacrifice themselves for you to become emperor…?”
“Of course, I will spend my life repenting for those who have been sacrificed because of me. In exchange for their lives, I will make the empire a better place. Lady Vanessa, please make the right choice for the empire. I know that every time you saw me at the temple, you felt sympathy for me in your heart, just like my mother did. I also feel deep sympathy for you for having unfortunate experiences. We are people with similar destinies and pains, and we can comfort each other’s pain. That is reason enough for us to be together.”
Asha murmured bitterly.
“Did you say it was the right choice…? I understand your feelings, but I don’t think what you’re doing is right. I indeed felt sympathy for you, but sympathy is different from love. Your love is wrong, and it will only leave behind great sacrifices for the Empire.”
In response, Dart smirked slightly.
“I never thought of you as someone who relies on that romantic emotion called love. The Vanessa I saw was a righteous and rational person. So, I want to ask you.”
He asked seriously with a cold face.
“Do you really believe that making Karaf blossom is the right thing to do? Do you really believe that you can make him blossom despite his roots being completely rotten?”
Asha just glared at him without answering.
Dart approached her and leaned close to her face.
When Asha flinched and moved her body back, Dart’s eyelids lowered slightly and he whispered softly in her ear.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m different from the rotten rose. I don’t force myself on a butterfly’s body to make myself blossom like Karaf.”
As Asha looked at him, hearing vulgar words in a refined tone, she raised one hand and slapped his cheek hard.
The sound of chains clanking echoed sharply in the cave as the ‘smack’ sound reverberated.
Dart’s head twisted to the side, his cheeks red and swollen.
“The flower that has withered is you!”
Dart turned his head back and looked at her with a blank expression before saying.
“Maybe… Even if I live my whole life in patience and suffering, how can my heart be okay? If poison is the only way to protect me, I will gladly drink it. It doesn’t matter if my heart rots away. I will succeed in my revenge and die, even if I have to.”
Asha felt an indescribable sense of misery as she saw him blinded by revenge.
Dart took a step back and continued.
“Eventually, Karaf’s thorns will pierce you and the Empire. But as you can see, I am not a rose with thorns. Just like how a butterfly gives the opportunity for procreation instead of taking honey from a flower, I will give my honey to you.”
Asha frowned at what he was saying.
“If you choose me, I will help you achieve true love. I will not restrain you as Karaf did, but I will set you free to leave with that man from the Kelpie clan. The corrupt system that binds butterflies to only one flower must disappear. By that time, the minorities will surely have a better life in the Empire.”
His expression was firm.
When he mentioned Jackal, Asha’s eyes shook.
Dart spoke forcefully.
“Lady Vanessa must have also wanted peace and prosperity for the minorities all this time. If you make a contract with me, there will be no reason for minorities to be persecuted on this land anymore. Just by choosing me, you can save the lives of countless innocent people. But if you do not choose me, then the lives of those who have been sacrificed so far will be in vain.”
Asha looked at him with eyes filled with bloodshot anger.
Dart grabbed the back of Asha’s hand, and as blood flowed from his wounded hand, it stained Asha’s hand.
He spoke with a face full of madness.
“I don’t want to harm the butterfly with my own hands. I’ve been waiting for too long for this. So I can’t wait any longer for the next butterfly to appear. Time is not on our side, so please make a wise decision. I will wait.”
After finishing his speech, he closed his eyes reverently and kissed the back of Asha’s hand.
But Asha disliked it and removed her hand. However, he didn’t care and calmly locked the grate, disregarding her disgust, and left.
* * * * *
At that moment, a calm breeze was blowing through the palace.
Suddenly, an armed Duke of Lilac arrived at the palace, leading a group of knights.
They had come to attack the palace while the Emperor, Vanessa, and the Cactus Knights were away.
As the feared event occurred, the palace guards and servants moved vigorously to defend the palace.
“We must stop them before the Emperor and Lady Vanessa return!”
“Yes!”
While they were taking a defensive posture, the chamberlain jumped out and shouted.
“Duke of Lilac, what the hell are you doing!”
“Get out of the way, old man. I’ve come to give this decaying palace a new look.”
“This…this scoundrel……!”
The chamberlain’s face twisted with anger as he drew his sword from his waist.
Duke of Lilac sneered, watching him.
“You should appreciate the loyalty of the Lilac family. But does that old body of yours have the strength to wield a sword?”
However, at that moment, a voice interrupted them.
“…… What are you doing here, Duke of Lilac?”
Bloom Lilac frowned as he heard a sound and looked in the direction it came from.
A pink-haired man stood there, arms crossed and a single smile on his face as he gazed at him.
Sihan leisurely glanced up at the gray sky, full of dark clouds, and said.
“It’s a great day to start a rebellion, right?”
“Duke Sihan…….”
When the Duke of Lilac looked at him, Sihan walked towards him with his arms crossed.
Then, the Duke of Lilac spoke.
“Let’s team up and drive out the Rose Family. This is our chance!”
“What chance are you talking about?”
“Don’t you know? The Roses have been ruling the empire alone for a long time. It’s time for a new emperor to take over!”
“But why do we need to team up?”
“What?”
Sihan smiled.
“If we drive out the emperor, only one person can rise up to that position. Won’t you cut me off too when that happens?”
The Duke of Lilac was speechless and frozen.
“But, you know, I’m not a big fan of thieves.”
Sihan finished his sentence, looking at Bloom Lilac sharply as if he had never done that before.
He became cold in an instant like the last cold snap of a spring day.
