SREA-Chapter 88

He dared to love Riella 

 

The next day, after questioning Loriell and recovering, Herhan returned to the barracks again.

 

Because there are still mountains bigger than Loriell left.

 

“I think it would be better if you didn’t see him today.”

 

Asion blocked Riella’s path to the barracks with an apologetic expression and did not open the door.

 

Riella nodded as if she understood.

 

“I know. But I would rather you deliver this to His Majesty.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“If you give it to His Majesty,….You’ll find out later.”

 

The silver chain that Riella had handed him rustled around Asion’s outstretched hand. The crystal hanging from the end of the chain was still a fiery red.

 

Riella looked up at the light that would soon fade away as she got further away.

 

“I’ll go back to the palace and wait for it.”

 

“Yes. I will send someone to let you know as soon as the investigation is complete.”

 

Riella, who seemed to have politely turned away, ran back in just three steps.

 

When she ran towards Asion again, Riella’s expression became more desperate than before.

 

“Sir, please take good care of His Majesty.…”

 

Asion smiled calmly at Riella, who was so worried that she couldn’t even continue speaking.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of His Majesty.”

 

* * *

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of His Majesty.”

 

He said loudly, but in truth, Asion was not confident.

 

Will his lord who almost killed Loriell be able to maintain his sanity in front of El?

 

“Ready?”

 

“I did as you said. I removed everything in the cell that could be used as a weapon.”

 

As if that wasn’t enough, Asion ordered that all the tables and chairs, except for the built-in ones, be taken out of the room.

 

Jess had been crossing his arms with a displeased expression since earlier. It seemed as if he didn’t like Asion’s behavior at all.

 

“Is it really necessary to do that? If Your Majesty wants to kill El, then let him do so.”

 

“Who said I did this because I didn’t want to kill him?”

 

Asion sighed with a troubled expression and recalled the conversation he had with El before.

 

“I can’t die.”

 

“What?”

 

“You may cut off any part of my body, or burn my flesh with fire. But please do it in a place that cannot be seen.”

 

Unlike Loriell, who denied the charges while swearing, El remained calm throughout and cooperated with the investigation.

 

EL only answered questions honestly and did not make a single excuse.

 

At one point, he became deeply thoughtful and then suddenly made a serious request.

 

It was a strange request that seemed somewhat desperate for a beg for life that sinners usually make.

 

“How ridiculous. Do you now realize that your life is precious?”

 

“It’s not because I care about my life.”

 

“Then. Is it because of your family?”

 

“That’s not it either.”

 

Even when talking about his family, his only weakness, El was not shaken at that moment.

 

‘Is there any other reason that is more important than that?’

 

Rather, the answer that El gave to the agitated Asion was completely unexpected.

 

“If I disappear like this, the Ambassador might be in danger. So I beg you. Even if you have to kill me, not right now.”

 

‘What on earth is going on? He said before that His Majesty’s powers were ineffective against him, but this time he said that he would show His Majesty his memories.…’ 

 

It was at that moment that Herhan entered the prison cell.

 

A day had passed since interrogating Loriell, but Herhan was still stiff with rage. If Riella hadn’t calmed him down yesterday, he wouldn’t have been able to move again.

 

Asion and Jess took a deep breath at the same time.

 

The days when they would laugh peacefully and pounce on and tease their lord felt like a distant memory, like a joke.

 

“Your Majesty, you have arrived. El Weiss is inside.”

 

There was no emotion on Herhan’s face.

 

So, Asion deliberately approached his lord with more excitement.

 

“I’ve beaten him so badly that he can barely move just as you had ordered me to do before.…”

 

But Herhan did not listen and just passed Asion by.

 

He opened the door to the isolation room right away and without hesitation, he grabbed El by the neck, lifted him up, and pushed him hard against the wall.

 

Black dust rose from the wall where El’s body was stuck. The thick-framed isolation room seemed to shake as a whole.

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

Jess stopped Asion, who had turned pale and was running towards him.

 

He had already told Herhan that he must not kill El. They must trust their lord.

 

“You called me first. Does that mean you want to die by my hand?”

 

Herhan’s voice was cold as if it were cutting through flesh.

 

El barely managed to lift his thick, swollen eyelids. His lips, caked with dark red blood, stood out in contrast to his paler-than-usual skin.

 

“I will die by Your Majesty’s hand one day.”

 

Herhan grinned like a beast at the slow but determined answer.

 

“But not now?”

 

El nodded.

 

“Ha!”

 

A fire burned brightly in Herhan’s chest.

 

The hot anger clogged his throat making it hard for him to breathe properly. But he couldn’t kill that man. It would put Riella in danger.

 

Herhan didn’t believe it. Like Loriell, he thought, El was making a final act of desperation to stay alive.

 

‘So you too, hurry up and reveal your true colors. Then I will twist your neck right away.’

 

Herhan looked at El as if he was going to kill him, waiting for the moment to put his promise into action.

 

“There are those who are trying to revive the Federation. They have been secretly visiting the temple to find descendants for quite some time now, and they have been growing their power.”

 

But what he revealed was more than that.

 

“They also know that there is a descendant of Ann alive right here in this imperial palace.”

 

Herhan’s wide eyes widened like a frozen lake cracking open.

 

His jaw, which had been clenched the entire time, dropped open.

 

“Are they the ones who sent you here?”

 

Herhan’s frosty eyes and El’s pitch-black eyes stared at each other.

 

Even though El’s entire body was in tatters, his eyes were intense.

 

“Find the descendants of Ann and bring them to me.”

 

“…..”

 

“That was the order I was given.”

 

Jess and Asion, who were listening to the conversation from a few steps behind, were also shocked.

 

This was the reason why El had been waiting for the right time to confess everything else while only directly telling the Emperor about his own background.

 

It was also revealed that the Federation, which was thought to have disappeared into history after the war, was attempting to revive itself, and that the Federation had been chasing the Emperor and Riella to the bitter end.

 

It was something he would never have told any other investigator.

 

It was then that Herhan’s grip on Iel loosened with a grunt.

 

As soon as Herhan released his fist, El collapsed to the floor, leaning against the wall. With his limbs damaged, he was unable to stand properly on his own.

 

As El sank to the ground, the dust that rose up smelled of blood.

 

Herhan turned around in confusion and then approached El again.

 

“Did you report to them that Riella is a descendant of Ann?”

 

El lifted his head with difficulty, letting out a hot groan.

 

He had no time to curse, saying that it was outrageous to dare to raise one’s head and look at the emperor.

 

Herhan let out a deep sigh that had been holding his breath as El slowly shook his head, then opened his eyes fiercely again.

 

“How much do they know now? Report without a single lie. Otherwise,…!”

 

The moment he bent down and grabbed El’s chin again, Herhan froze in place.

 

His head flashed as if he had been struck by lightning.

 

“….!”

 

When the vision darkens and then brightens again, what appears is the office of the Lake Palace.

 

It was El’s memory.

 

“See for yourself.”

 

At El’s words, Herhan regained his vision.

 

“You told me my power didn’t work on you.”

 

“I was under the protection of a barrier. But now there is no barrier.”

 

“And what happened to the barrier?”

 

“It was stolen. To the Ambassador.”

 

A vein appeared on Herhan’s forehead. The grip on El’s neck tightened.

 

‘How dare you put Riella in your mouth.’

 

Even though Herhan’s fingers were piercing through his skin and squeezing his vocal cords, El did not struggle, only gasping and convulsing occasionally.

 

Meanwhile, Herhan read all of El’s memories.

 

El Weiss’s father had died in a tragic accident during an operation to rebuild the Federation.

 

The Federation supported his family who had lost their leader, and raised El as a genius. The purpose was, of course, to take over the tasks that his father had not been able to complete.

 

After El entered the palace, their threats became more blatant.

 

Even though they threatened his family and insisted him to bring the descendant, El did not report Riella to them until the very end, even though he knew Riella’s true identity.

 

‘Why on earth?’

 

At that moment, Herhan had doubts.

 

El’s memories continued from the Lake Palace office that he had briefly seen at first.

 

“Okay. I wrote it as Sir El taught me. It was my first time writing an official document, so it was very difficult.…But I think I did it right this time. What do you think? Will I pass this time?”

 

In El’s memory, Riella opened her eyes wide.

 

The office was brightly lit. She was sitting at an ivory desk, looking at El with a serious, nervous expression before smiling. She looked just like sunshine.

 

“I liked it. Because Sir El was a strict teacher.”

 

Night. A gentle look that soothes a tired heart.

 

“Thank goodness! I was so scared that Sir El would be falsely accused and punished.”

 

The look of drooping eye corners and anxious heart.

 

“Sir El. You’re not doing anything dangerous, are you? Please don’t do that. I hope you’re not.”

 

The way she leaned in close and scolded him.

 

All that filled his mind was Riella, from beginning to end, all of it.

 

“I must go back. His Majesty needs me. His Majesty cannot live without me. Bring me back to His Majesty. Send me to His Majesty immediately.”

 

Finally, as he watched Riella desperately crying with the sharp piece of glass pressed against her neck, Herhan read all of El’s emotions as if they were his own.

 

The countless confusions, hesitations, and despair he felt in front of Riella.

 

At the very end of that complicated thread, there are some emotions that he can’t seem to let go of, so he swallows them deep in his heart.

 

A rage welled up in Herhan’s chest, almost as intense as the one in El’s heart.

 

As his mind went blank and all reason flew away, Herhan’s only remaining thoughts were contempt and anger at the man who had dared to set eyes on what belonged to him.

 

‘How dare you.’

 

Herhan clenched his fist so hard that the veins popped out and slammed it into El’s face.

 

Bugh–!

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

There was a sound of bones crunching. It was unclear whether it was El’s jaw being broken or Herhan’s fist being crushed.

 

He flew backward for a long way, and Herhan, who had punched with all his weight, fell forward.

 

Herhan fell down and got up, pushing himself off the floor.

 

As he tried to rush towards El again with his eyes wide open, Asion and Jess caught him from both sides.

 

“Your Majesty! Calm down. Your Majesty!”

 

“What happened? Is El lying? Did he reveal Miss Riella’s identity to the Federation? Huh?”

 

‘No. That bastard dared to love Riella.’

 

Herhan clenched his teeth until they bled because of El’s sincerity, which was too disgusting and repulsive to even put into words.

 

* * *