“All the knights who came to the front gate are said to have been caught.”
Kaiden was at a strategic base within the palace.
“It must have been a smoke screen.”
“Yes, Your Majesty was right.”
Kaiden also expected that the rebels who entered the main gate were smoke screens.
“As expected, no one must have a proper strategy because of the long break from the war.”
Kaiden laughed at them. The rebels’ strategy was too insignificant. It was natural, of course. Because in the Abelard Empire, Kaiden was on the battlefield every time.
Prince Ashes had just established himself in and out of society at the Imperial Palace. The Marquis of Logias helped with it. Gallas, now King of Tenesi, was cut of the same cloth. If he had a military confrontation with Renold Tenesi, Gallas would have died without becoming King.
“The military must have been divided into half. Half north, half south.”
“Yes, exactly. Your Majesty.”
“I’m looking at the south.”
The aide was uncomfortable with the armor, so he wiggled his body to avoid showing it.
“The south will be wiped out anyway, so let’s leave it and head north.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Thus, Kaiden advanced toward the northern waterway. He was going to use the knights of Ianathas Peran as consumer goods.
He had no reason to spare the knights of those disloyal to him even once. That was why the knights in the west, east, and south were filled with knights of his vassals.
“Giddy up!”
Kaiden rode his horse, moving quickly, feeling the gun clash on his back. Because he also predicted where Ruskun would go.
Kaiden hoped the rebels would have moved all the way south. Then the power coming north won’t be threatening because the north was close to the residence of Duke Ruskun.
“…”
Recalling the air defense he had checked, Kaiden began running, reassuring himself that Evelina would be safe.
~~~~
“If there’s an emergency, please leave me and run away.”
“…what?”
Upon arriving at the air-raid shelter, Ruskun Weimar spoke to Evelina sincerely.
“I am not very useful as a warrior. I have dealt with swords, but not with guns. My eyesight is also bad.”
“…but…”
“If I’m caught, throw me away and run away.”
“I hate that.”
“I hate it more when Your Majesty gets hurt. Then the Emperor will torment me again.”
Evelina was a little worried about how Kaiden would bully him. When she remembered that he was also a person who was ruthless when he was cold, she became a little afraid.
“They won’t come this way.”
“That’s right. Some knights are protecting the duchy.”
So they hid in an underground shelter.
~~~~
“The knights in the south are said to have been annihilated!”
“What?”
“All of a sudden, smoke came from the waterway…! They’re all dead!”
The Marquis of Logias realized it as soon as he heard it.
“Don’t tell me that Benoviden’s research…”
“…I think so.”
Kaiden was experimenting with a particular poison. If the poison was released in water and the temperature was lowered to a certain level, its gas caused death.
If the poison
There was enough water in the southern waterway, and recently there was less water in the village.
“We must gather all our remaining strength and march north!”
“In the north, there are knights of Marquis Peran.”
“I’ll take the lead in that. The knights of the Marquis of Peran will listen to me.”
Marquis Logias wasn’t oblivious to the loyalty that Ianathas Peran showed him. He was sure that was what Ianathas was doing now.
The Marquis of Logias knew well that his real daughter had used Ianathas and abandoned him. He didn’t intend to give his real daughter, Selena, to Ianathas in the first place.
“Is it okay?”
Prince Ashes asked curiously, approaching Marquis Logias, who finished the operation with the knights.
“Yes, Your Highness, you just have to trust me. And when this is over, Selena…”
“Yes, I’ll make her Empress, Marquis.”
The Marquis of Logias laughed with a face full of ambition at Ashes’ affirmation.
Because no noble girls were left in Tenesi, he had nothing to lose. After this, he could put his daughter, who was more precious than his life, in the position of Empress and make the lord he followed into an Emperor.
That wicked Emperor Kaiden.
‘It’s because of Lina that I’m keeping you alive.’
‘Sa, save me!’
‘In my mind, I want to break all the bones in your body and then slit your neck. Do you know that?’
When he remembered Kaiden’s insult on the day of the revolution, he clenched his fist.
“And the Duke of Ruskun moved with a woman.”
“Oh, there was that, indeed.”
Marquis Logias said, recalling that the woman was Evelina.
“Capture her alive.”
“Who is it?”
“She’s my foster daughter. And she’s the purification catalyst for the waterways.”
“Oh, that?”
Prince Ashes replied with a smile.
“If that’s the case, I’ll go.”
King Gallas said so and turned around.
“Please, Your Majesty.”
At Ashes’ words, everyone began to move like that.
~~~~
– Boom!
– Boom!
Evelina entered the air-raid shelter with Ruskun Weimar and waited calmly. The loud noise outside made her cringe.
“Maybe it’s because it’s an air-raid shelter, but it’s well prepared.”
Evelina said so, looking at the lights and various emergency supplies around her.
The shelter was cozier than she thought. It felt like an ordinary drawing room, but there were no luxuries. Considering that it was underground, the humidity was not severe, and the air was moderately dry, perhaps because of ventilation somewhere. She saw emergency food and daily necessities piled up there.
“Yes, water can also be purified and used.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I have enough water to drink, if not enough to wash.”
“How many days can we last?”
“We can last up to a month. On a four-person basis.”
Because there were only two people here.
“Then we’ll last two months together.”
“It’s three people, so it’ll be less enduring.”
“Oh, yes.”
Evelina smiled as she stroked her stomach.
“Did you name the kid?”
“Not yet. Kaiden seemed to have no idea. He might think of it when it’s born.”
“It’s not that. He is probably thoughtless.”
“Kaiden?”
“Yes.”
Ruskun Weimar said out of nowhere, but he didn’t think he had to be careful. He didn’t know she would tell on him because of Evelina’s personality. Above all, she seemed to be a person who was picky about what could be said and what shouldn’t be said to Kaiden.
Even if he said it in such a rude way, she would not look into his feelings. As he gathered his thoughts, words became easier.
“Does he know it’s his child?”
“Yes, Kaiden knows.”
“Then he’ll completely forget that he has to name the child because he’s happy.”
“It’s been more than two weeks since Kaiden found out.”
“Then it’s not enough time to wake up.”
Evelina laughed involuntarily at Ruskun Weimar’s acrimonious criticism.
“No. Kaiden is a quick-witted and wise man.”
“He’s quick-witted and wise, but he’s indifferent to anyone other than Your Majesty the Empress.”
“Oh, is that so…? Come to think of it… I think that’s right…”
Ruskun Weimar continued as Evelina sat comfortably on the sofa.
“Now that we’re talking about it. Was it when Kaiden was 14? He suddenly said he had someone to marry.”
“What?”
“He asked me this and that. I asked her what she liked.”
“No way, the flowers and the music box he brought then…”
“Music box… He seemed a little crazy. Giving away his mother’s keepsake.”
“Oh, my god…”
When Evelina opened her eyes wide as if she was surprised, he found someone who listened to his story after a long time and started talking excitedly.
“He told me that. ‘I’m going to marry the person who gives me back that music box.’”
“He said the same thing to me.”
“I knew it.”
Evelina felt somehow fortunate that Kaiden had at least one close friend in his childhood.
“The ring.”
“Oh, this?”
“Yes, that wedding ring. It was also made by following what Your Majesty the Empress said.”
For a moment, Evelina remembered the past.
‘I like diamond rings. But I’d rather have it with a red jewel-like your eyes.’
‘Yes, I understand.’
At that time, she didn’t know how much money a mercenary made, so she said so. She thought so, but if Kaiden didn’t become Emperor and remained a mercenary. Still, he would have bought her the same ring.
“The room. And peony and roses.”
“That’s right. Kaiden is really… I think he remembers everything.”
Evelina laughed because her heart warmed for a moment.
“I hope Kaiden doesn’t get hurt…”
“It’ll be all right. And even if he gets hurt, he’ll get up soon.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I know when he’s been stabbed and when he’s shot. But he never died.”
Evelina touched her stomach, trying to feel reassured.
“Oh, my…”
“What’s wrong?”
“The child suddenly kicked.”
When Ruskun Weimar looked embarrassed, Evelina said.
“Do you want to touch it?”
“Well, can I do that?”
“Yes, you’re going to be my father.”
Weimar reached out to Evelina’s warm voice. His hands trembled so much that Evelina reminded him of the first time Kaiden stroked her stomach.
“Please let me know if you come up with a pretty name.”
“Even so, Kaiden will say he doesn’t like it. If you say, it came out of my head.”
“If I say yes, won’t he listen to me?”
“That is… true.”
Weimar touched and the child kicked her in the stomach again.
“Eut…”
“This guy. Don’t kick too hard.”
Evelina laughed involuntarily when he panicked and said that instead.
It was that moment.
– Gy,gy,gy,gy,gy,gywang!
Shelling fell on the door of the air-raid shelter.
“Ahh!”
“Here you are.”
King Gallas, who came to capture Evelina, began to take over the interior with knights.
