Chapter 5.5 - The Story She Doesn’t Know
Chapter 5.5 – The Story She Doesn’t Know
It happens sometimes. Born of the same father, yet one walks tall thanks to him, while the other is crushed under the same name.
Crown Prince Icarus and Rubellian were exactly such a case.
The Crown Prince was someone who possessed everything from birth simply for being the Emperor’s son, while Rubellian was someone who had to lose everything from birth for the same reason of being the Emperor’s son.
In that sense, the two could never have any intersection, and it was a relationship that would inevitably break the moment one person’s true nature was revealed, hidden under the plausible facade of brotherhood.
And this was actually destined from the very moment the two first met.
“Hello? I’m Icarus. You must be Rubellian.”
“I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Father says that you and I are brothers. But why isn’t your mother in the palace?”
“My mother is dead.”
“Why?”
“His Majesty killed her.”
“Father did? But Father wouldn’t do such a thing. Father is the person I respect most. If he really did that—”
“…”
“It must be because your mother did something wrong.”
‘Ah, what a disgusting dream this is.’
In the bedroom where bright moonlight seeped through, aweek after being attacked at the imperial hunting grounds.
Rubellian, who had spent his days watching Eve’s strange blend of nursing and playing house, awoke to a nightmare he hadn’t seen in ages.
He wiped his sweat-soaked forehead and sighed. How long had it been since he’d had this dream? As he pondered this, he chuckled at the creature wriggling beside him.
Platinum hair that shone brilliantly in the white moonlight was scattered carelessly. The sight of her crawling into his embrace, burying her face and curling up like a cat while sleeping was quite adorable.
Rubellian stared intently at Eve for a moment, then hung a smile on his lips. He felt so good that the nightmare from before vanished without a trace.
“Mmm… Rubellian…”
Even calling his name in her dreams sounded lovely. As he watched Eve with a smile, she tossed and turned before mumbling again.
“Rubellian… not there, not there.”
“…?”
“…Ah, no. Mmm.”
…What kind of dream is she having?
Somehow getting a strong feeling that it probably wasn’t particularly wholesome content, Rubellian decided it would be better to leave unknown territories as unknown territories.
After watching Eve continue to make strange sounds for a while, Rubellian pulled the blanket back over her after she had kicked it all off.
After spending quite some time dealing with her fierce sleeping habits – so violent that he wondered if her frail constitution might be due to kicking off blankets in the middle of the night – he thought it would be good to change out of his sweat-soaked shirt and got up from the bed.
He grabbed something from the wardrobe and tossed it onto a chair. As he unbuttoned his shirt one by one and took off the sweat-soaked garment, the traces of the attack from a few days ago came clearly into his view.
And in that moment, the nightmare—once erased from his mind by Eve’s presence—returned, devouring him like a cruel illusion.
In the dream, he was six years old. That day when he first set foot in the imperial palace holding Duke Florence’s hand, the Crown Prince, who had been looking curious in the garden, came over and spoke to him.
That was probably when he vaguely learned of his birth. Most adults, including Mrs. Jena, had hidden it from him, but nevertheless, the whispers around him were enough to make him realize it.
And to such a child, the Crown Prince had said this.
That his mother had done something wrong.
To Rubellian, who had endured terribly great pain alone, too much for a young child to bear, the Crown Prince with that innocent remark on that day foretold that their relationship would forever be ‘parallel lines.’
Actually, it wasn’t the Crown Prince’s fault.
There was no one in this world who would refuse the position of the Emperor’s mistress. Especially if it was ‘a commoner woman who seduced a duke with her pretty face and secured the duchess position.’ Whether it was true or not, all the nobles who bowed their heads to the Emperor’s power thought so.
What discernment could a mere six-year-old Crown Prince have had? He simply said so because he had been indoctrinated that way since childhood.
However, his mother had not loved the Emperor. She had married because she truly loved her husband. This was the ‘truth’ that Mrs. Jena, whose eyes still moisten whenever Charlina’s story comes up, had spoken with her honor and life as guarantee.
“The late madam was the most virtuous person among all the people I have ever met.”
Then why couldn’t the late Duke take revenge on the Emperor?
Having thought this far, Rubellian chuckled. Well, why indeed.
He threw the damp shirt onto the chair and put on a new one, then walked to the bed. After covering Eve, who had already kicked off all the blankets again, with the blanket and getting into bed, Eve sought warmth and came into his embrace.
He didn’t know why such a nightmare had suddenly visited him. Was it because of the wound on his body, or because of the terrible wariness that arose from that wound?
Trying to shake off the terrible emotions he felt the moment he was shot, he kissed her white forehead.
* * *
“It has been decided that the perpetrator of this attack will be tried by the imperial court.”
Rubellian wasn’t particularly surprised by what he heard as soon as he set foot in the imperial palace for the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet. He had wondered what they would say after specifically calling him, but it didn’t deviate even an inch from his expectations.
The yellow light of flickering candles seeped into the Crown Prince’s face. In contrast, as white moonlight flowing through the curtains poured over Rubellian’s face, a bitter smile flowed across his impassively sunken, sculpture-like features.
“I see.”
At the brief answer, the Crown Prince looked up. He sat leaning back in his chair with an inscrutable expression.
An uncomfortable current flowed in the room that fell silent after Rubellian’s response, and after some time had passed, the Crown Prince, after silently observing Rubellian’s cold, stiff face, he slowly opened his mouth.
“Rubellian.”
At his call, the red eyes that had been staring into space turned toward the Crown Prince.
“I know you suffered because of this attack. However, you must understand well that it’s something that happened in the imperial palace, and we cannot carelessly hand it over to the ducal house.”
“I understand.”
“Good, that’s enough if you understand. I truly think of you as a brother. I hope this attack doesn’t affect the relationship between House Florence and the imperial family.”
“Brother, you said?”
Rubellian chuckled. There was a time when he took those words at face value. Days when he harbored some expectation at the word ‘brother.’
Of course, the Crown Prince was an excellent royal, and his character and reputation weren’t bad either.
However, just because someone is a good person to most people doesn’t mean they’re a good person to him as well. The Crown Prince was merciful to everyone, but he was someone who would draw his sword the moment anyone opposed him.
The moment he recalled this, Rubellian’s eyes turned razor-sharp.
“That Your Highness thinks of me as a brother… How interesting.”
Rubellian, who had been muttering quietly, slowly raised his head. His eerie red eyes seemed ready to pierce right through the Crown Prince.
“So is that why you said that to me?”
“Rubellian.”
“Your Highness, I have no intention of forgetting what you said to me. That all of this happened because House Florence brought it upon themselves.”
“…”
“So are you planning to say the same about this attack? If I oppose the imperial court trying this attack, will you punish House Florence again and say it’s House Florence’s fault?”
The Crown Prince’s face contorted for a moment, but that expression quickly returned to normal.
“I understand your resentment and anger. However, Rubellian, I am the Crown Prince, and Father is His Majesty the Emperor. You must know what it means to reign over someone as a sovereign.”
At the Crown Prince’s words, Rubellian curled his lips without emotion.
“I truly think of you as a brother. Even if you were to betray me, I could overlook it and let it pass.”
“Overlook it – when has Your Highness ever overlooked anything?”
“I understand that House Florence has many grievances against the imperial family. That’s why I promised that when I become Emperor, I will provide sufficient compensation to House Florence.”
“You mean that promise to abandon House Colica and take House Florence’s hand?”
Rubellian chuckled. At first hearing, it was an infinitely affectionate and sincere apology, but Rubellian knew better than anyone what it meant.
For an Emperor, maternal relatives are the greatest obstacle. Considering that the current Emperor is also sweating because of House Colica, it was easy to see that the Crown Prince’s intentions weren’t so pure.
When Rubellian sneered, the Crown Prince’s face hardened. Having seen only others’ submission his entire life, he found the very fact that someone was trying to climb above him quite unpleasant.
Of course, the Crown Prince cherished Rubellian. At least he thought so himself. However, not to the extent of tolerating someone reigning above him.
Finally, the Crown Prince slowly spoke.
“What have I ever done wrong to you?”
“Nothing.”
This was true. The Crown Prince had never done anything ‘directly’ wrong to Rubellian, but as long as the Crown Prince sided with the Emperor, the Crown Prince inevitably had to stand at the tip of Rubellian’s sword.
“This attack is regrettable. I will await the imperial trial. Though I can guess the conclusion.”
“Rubellian.”
“However, Your Highness, you should know that with this incident, you have made quite a significant mistake.”
The Crown Prince glared at Rubellian, not expecting him to speak so blatantly.
Rubellian leisurely brushed off even that glare before smiling bitterly.
‘That’s why he and I can never be together for life.’
The Crown Prince must have already grasped Rubellian’s intentions as well. In fact, both of them were like beasts circling and probing each other while hiding certain intentions within.
It was when Rubellian, having finished his thoughts, was getting up from his seat, the Crown Prince, who had been watching him try to leave the room without permission while biting his lips, spoke leisurely.
“The Duchess has been making contact with the temple lately.”
When Eve’s name came from the Crown Prince’s mouth, Rubellian faltered.
“It would be good to refrain from useless acts. If you want your wife to remain safe.”
At the Crown Prince’s warning, Rubellian’s face hardened coldly.
‘No. Now that my wife’s name has come from your mouth, I will stake my life to protect her, and no matter what happens, I will eliminate you.’
He left the room without answering. The Crown Prince’s rage at his rude behavior, striking the desk, disappeared behind the closed door.
Click—
“Your Grace the Duke.”
The two knights guarding the door bowed to him, but Rubellian quickly passed them and walked away.
“Now I need to make some moves.”
There is no such thing as good or evil in this world—only differing positions and perspectives.
Even if good and evil existed, even if the person standing opposite him was good, he was ready to willingly become the ‘villain’ to protect the person he loved.
Rubellian smiled coldly. First—
‘Starting with the most irritating house.’
