Chapter 155
QXR“Shut up, damn viper.”ze9Q0XP
g8pPMwThe first prince, Claude, glared daggers at Cedric like a wild beast as he muttered under his breath.Y0Cz
DBE7UOGIf he had not been shackled at both hands and feet, it looked as though he would have lunged straight for his throat without hesitation.KWVF6
RRtx“As the sovereign of the empire, I order you. Release those shackles at once and kneel. This is your last chance to be forgiven.”9WQl2B
fKs“Well now, that last chance shows up quite often. Would this be the seventh last one, perhaps?”Urf
9WMKY“Don’t toy with words and just give thanks! Thanks to my change of heart, your chances have increased as well!”QKE8
dXBT8z“Then I’ll have to refuse again. No, thank you. Stay locked up here just as you are.”n23MCG
5qJbsGJAt Cedric’s mockery, Claude clenched his teeth until they creaked.9GN
YIZIt had already been more than half a year since he had been wearing shackles on his arms and legs, yet his anger showed no signs of fading.kYyZl5P
YA3wPvTSome might call it an unbreakable will, but in Cedric’s eyes it was not determination.xMH
Yoe‘It’s arrogance. The arrogance of believing that no one can touch him.’a7a
2XtDEven though the situation was lost and all hope extinguished, that gaze was still convinced that he alone was the absolute owner of the throne.vuSGdC
Y1XEvery time Cedric saw it, an unbearable fatigue washed over him. Talking to a wall would have been less frustrating than dealing with Claude.ABBst0b
XAFKJpGNot noticing, or not caring, what Cedric was thinking, Claude repeated the same refrain as always.0hbJE
r2Fer“Don’t forget. I gave you chances again and again. When they cut off your head and hang it on the wall, you’ll regret what you’re saying today.”HybHh2b
PxbCVRx“Brother, I ask you sincerely. Where does that confidence come from? Everything is already over. There isn’t the slightest chance that you’ll rise again.”qk15EUj
gohV“Chance? How ridiculous. I am the firstborn of His Majesty the former emperor and the legitimate heir of the empire. From the beginning there was no other option. What chances are you talking about?”KFGkavc
DwBvldpCedric pressed his fingers against his forehead to calm the sharp pain in his head.n3nDe
geeCHe wasn’t speaking out of simple bluster; Claude truly believed every word he said.QX78
BEfXX4“Then, according to you, if the current situation came to light, the vassals would immediately overthrow me and seat you on the throne?”PFtqU3P
6IKr“This is an empire with a thousand years of history. Even if some corrupt nobles support you out of ambition, do you think there won’t be a single vassal left who knows his duty?”WTtsb
TRjn“Wake up already. Marquis Bernhardt supports me now as well. Who exactly is this vassal who knows his duty supposed to be?”lXxO3mS
2cOH0I“W-what!? The marquis? For what reason…?”Ct2e
8t82aFor the first time, Claude’s certainty cracked, and his eyes flew wide open. He seemed unable to understand why he had been abandoned.DEaC
OJVmlng“What kind of scheme has this viper pulled now?”6XqN1Fi
hxUEZMd“A scheme? None. He simply got fed up with you. If you had shown even a shred of consideration toward the marquis, this wouldn’t have happened.”JYe
A06R“Stop beating around the bush and speak plainly!”hK8V7
8ahtXA“…You can’t even understand something that simple. That’s why you have not the slightest aptitude to sit on the throne.”v4kcdJ
A46TbMoHad the marquis really supported Claude out of genuine loyalty?olGBXmd
K4ntheqOf course not. He supported him because, compared to Cedric, he was dumber and easier to control.Edpimzh
HYqOsBut after ignoring his warnings during the suppression of the rebellion and nearly causing everyone’s death, it was only natural that he would reach his limit.LKrR
nI6‘If only he were stupid but easy to manipulate—but he can’t tell allies from enemies and starts swinging his sword like a madman. Even the marquis finally gave up.’bGa
9qUCedric decided not to continue speaking. If he went on, his irritation would only grow, and besides, he hadn’t come to trade insults.q1G
Hkv4zSZ“Let’s leave that aside. Let’s talk about the main issue. Do you intend to cooperate with me?”pHHm8x
hTmd“Cooperate? What the hell are you talking about?”YMHLDPI
KcFi“Duke Lucian is asking about your condition, whether you’re alive or dead. He says he’ll send a messenger. I just need you to come out and say a few words, to say that I’m treating you well.”p0qle1
79P0“Ridiculous. Do you think I’ll do something like that?”zcLs
XpwQohy“If you cooperate, I’ll remove the shackles. I could even assign you some women to attend to you, if you wish…”NSqgFZ
FeQDpOMBefore Cedric could finish the sentence, a “Puh!” sounded and a glob of spit flew through the air.oc3E
tFDCedric flinched, but barely managed to dodge it. Hearing Claude click his tongue in frustration, Cedric’s face twisted in rage.Ty1KnoT
YvpZ“…Very well. If you like the shackles so much, keep them. I won’t ask for your cooperation again.”94i5
WNe6A“And I won’t give you another chance at redemption either.”woDH
7ZhBang!OMFpBeE
JJz326dWith that raspy voice scraping his nerves to the very end, Cedric slammed the door shut and walked away.i0en
YRRKjIAt the same time, he swore over and over in his heart that one day he would stain that face with fear and tears.skZPwV
rR9qWk***zZ61y5h
kjnpLucian did not hesitate for even an instant when the agreed date arrived and dispatched the envoy.xJdM8E4
kBdFor such turbulent times, he was accompanied by only a handful of escort soldiers, but the risk of an attack was practically nonexistent.0yYL45
sraYOSThe entire empire was watching every step of the envoy’s journey.K6ddN
2G5elhT‘Is he insane? The moment the envoy reaches the capital, there will be no turning back.’4bP309
MUoS0Hy‘And why is the second prince so quiet? He should at least come up with some believable excuse!’e0Mw
Y8be‘It looks like neither of them has anything to lose… At this rate, a real war is going to break out.’dAIPd
iocNNThe nobles whose territories lay between the imperial capital and the north swallowed hard.ZFKsl97
hPKThese were no ordinary forces—it was none other than the imperial family and the king of the north.W2pn
Dq2iAxJIf war broke out, they would be the shrimp crushed between whales. In the worst case, even the fate of their houses could be decided.47Y
89Tckr9However, there was someone even more tense than all those nobles combined.Mnz1
vkDnjIu“Fuuu…”8hwd
pIXrFritz, Lucian’s envoy, let out a deep sigh as he rubbed his eyelids over and over.kG3sC
bQ0GlBHEach time his fingers passed, he felt the cold sweat that had pooled between the wrinkles. Seeing him like that, Marius, who was traveling as an escort, opened his mouth.dwB
7Ppg“Are you nervous?”EV7c89
kRKT“…I’ve made a pitiful display. An envoy should never show his emotions, no matter what happens.”Yyz
ryLxrc9“It can’t be helped. You’re on your way to shatter an empire with a thousand years of history. If you understand that weight, it’s natural to be tense.”rpcsB
NUr8RQFritz nodded silently.Dl7Jsrl
4mArWagering his own life was nothing new to him, but this time it wasn’t just his head at stake.ZJikeuM
rfXU9A few words spoken in the imperial palace would be enough to bring down the empire and plunge the entire continent into war.QkgNE
LqKThe weight of changing an entire era with his own tongue was too much even for Fritz.dXmidz
Y6PMT“Seen that way, it’s almost ridiculous. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to save my own life, and yet I’m worried about the whole world.”314Fhq
EKcEb8K“Don’t worry about that. You’ll come out of there without a single scratch. That’s why my disciples and I are going with you.”2SoY9E
m1U9Dl“Yes. It’s far too generous a deal for this old man.”dti
ihjVh9To protect Fritz, Lucian had mobilized none other than Marius, Colin, and Helen.v0k
xB0bConsidering the nearly three hundred years of persecution against mages, they were extraordinary talents.axKwAew
LBw5Losing even one of them would have been a tremendous blow, yet Lucian did not show the slightest hesitation.UAa7Bb
kQ4— No matter what happens, bring Fritz back alive. If you think you can’t save him, die in his place. That is your first order.iS2z9Y
l46vRecalling Lucian giving that order, Fritz’s chest trembled once more.PtGh
dTrhPerhaps it was also a way of imposing discipline on Marius, but Fritz knew those words were sincere.j4ct
a9X“I’ve received treatment that far exceeds my own abilities. Even if it costs me my life, I must live up to the duke’s expectations. Even feeling nervous is a luxury for me.”BiA4i5h
3GvLnwu“It’s the same for me. If I fail to save you, I won’t have any chance left. Just as His Excellency said, even if I have to die in your place, I’ll save you.”OhwNfCY
xmT79Ce“Hearing that is truly reassuring.”a0SDr
CpVmFritz replied with a smile, though a strange doubt arose within him.GA7jwGA
ZtfF99What had this mage done to earn Lucian’s anger?rJ70H
cdbE8cwHe had enough ability that minor flaws could be overlooked.pI6cCDP
X20Fritz could not imagine the reason, but one thing was clear—if Marius could not save him, no one else could.pzn
gmW8e***m2ns
yEyHgJFritz’s group left the north and soon entered the imperial sphere of influence.Efp9jS
yhHThe moment that happened, the imperial family immediately sent an order of knights to escort them to Tibron.LAib
c4jzI0LOfficially, it was to protect the imperial guests and demonstrate that there was no ill will toward Lucian; in practice, it was surveillance.pkm
gM6W‘Are they trying to prevent forces dissatisfied with the second prince from making contact with us?’au93
l4ry0Fritz understood the second prince’s concerns, but he could not help feeling a certain pity.Yznde7
VcfQjoThey were looking in the wrong direction when the real problem lay elsewhere.FEBtQo
wmX5tmDIn any case, Fritz had no intention of contacting anyone else either, so he accepted the escort without objection.UsjZ
SWYlArriving safely in Tibron, the group immediately met with the second prince, Cedric.7khw
WgiSeated in the regent’s chair beneath the throne, Cedric received Fritz with a smile, as if he had already forgotten that he had sent an imperial inspector to prison.hzGt7
gmDfyGC“Welcome to Tibron, the jewel of the empire, envoy. It must have been a long and exhausting journey.”js8
1GRw9“I appreciate the hospitality of the second prince. I am Fritz, envoy of Asagrim.”gkbTP
1mW0e1u“If you are the duke’s envoy, I assume you bring good news. There is no one in the empire who is unaware of his loyalty.”Hwi9h
RrlKefOAt Cedric’s words, heavy with irony, Fritz merely inclined his head calmly. At his age, he was not about to be unsettled by such a mild jab.duR
Xz2H“If that is what you expected, I fear you will be disappointed. What I bring are His Excellency the duke’s doubts.”9lUHB1
dsqqK“Doubts? The duke has doubts about the imperial family?”jAf
4XCtk“We have not been able to see the first prince, the legitimate heir to the throne, for quite some time. As a vassal, how could he not wonder about his lord’s whereabouts?”3LKMpt
goTODs“It’s nothing serious. My brother simply fell ill. The blow of our father’s death was too great.”Odq
54zl“To the point that he cannot even show his face?”swat
5OAn“That is correct. If he does not observe absolute rest, his condition could become irreversible.”FcVEXU
Id4kMT4Using a serious illness as an excuse to prevent a meeting.vOsg
j7Km36It was a classic method, but an effective one.5Qp
Jfg4Forcing a visit to someone who required absolute rest would be an unforgivable discourtesy.Z4P
hdMNormally, anyone would have withdrawn, even while understanding the other’s intention.SyzR
bQiBut Fritz had a weapon capable of shattering any such intention.D0UATp
LdE6ZchAfter letting out a deep sigh, Fritz took that weapon from his clothes and displayed it.epY8sE
R9Ku“If it is a serious illness, there is nothing to be done. In that case, I ask that you deliver this to the first prince.”ibExO
9uyQX“And what is that?”tNH
34q“A magical artifact that the former emperor gifted to the duke. It allows two-way communication, but only the emperor could initiate the connection.”pd4Cb
a18Y3“Then the duke understands that it is no longer of any use to him and has decided to return it to the imperial family.”hLf
Ra9TG“That is correct. It now belongs to the first prince, who will soon ascend the throne.”wqHYQZ
kJKCedric frowned slightly and gestured to the servant at his side.dVe
iDlaThe servant stepped forward, carefully took the red stone from Fritz’s hands, and handed it to Cedric.OoSF
SkRMCedric turned it between his fingers with an interested expression and clicked his tongue.TpZ529
aFxt34e“I have no idea how to use it. What a real shame. If the former emperor had properly explained how it works, it would have been very useful.”zeS
5SPOOFritz’s eyes flew wide open. Cedric was merely trying to justify in advance why he could not use the artifact, in order to avoid later questions.kBQfa1v
MfN1gjuHowever, that political calculation now turned into a knife aimed straight at him.k4zdxd
d16An4Seizing the perfect moment, Fritz carried out Lucian’s order.QAK
syjexn0“How strange. Aren’t imperial magical artifacts supposed to be usable even by a baby, as long as they are of direct imperial blood? If someone inherited the former emperor’s blood, the artifact should react immediately.”VWW5
S0wOiF“…What?”1Uk
1SSY“Then why does Your Highness request instructions on how to use it? And even though you have touched it yourself, why does the artifact show no reaction at all?”hhKz6
TSiPsCedric blinked in shock, as if he could not comprehend what he was hearing.sFk
Np3He seemed incapable of connecting Fritz’s doubts to the possibility of his own lineage, something he had never questioned even in his dreams.hkdT
6Dj9Staring straight at him, Fritz spoke the phrase that could bring down the entire empire.DLIUl
Gkz7k“Second prince… are you certain that you truly inherit the blood of the former emperor?”2mS
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Suk Flores
MortalEs que como no amar al duque