Chapter 27
(27) I Will Protect Your Majesty (19)
“Why? Did you want to get kicked out?”
Cecily hastily shook her head.
“N-no. Not at all. I… I’ll work hard. Really, I’ll do my best.”
“Good. From now on, I’d prefer if you didn’t go to the Rose Palace and focused on your duties here.”
“I will. I’ll give it my all.”
After Cecily left, Eleanor called for Caron.
Caron, who had been silently standing beside Eleanor the entire time, revealed himself.
“I didn’t think you’d let that woman live.”
“As I said before, I don’t enjoy killing people.”
“But you implanted a bomb in my head.”
“Because if I didn’t, you might have killed me—or someone else.”
“Will you save everyone like that?”
“No. If I believe someone deserves to die, I’ll kill them. I don’t enjoy killing, but when I must, I do it well. Want to see?”
Caron tilted his head slightly. The gesture made him seem like a young man his age, and Eleanor chuckled briefly.
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, you did well this time. The poison wasn’t hidden with Cecily, but with the second consort. It would’ve been easier to plant it with Cecily. Any reason why?”
“Reason…”
Caron seemed unprepared for the question and remained silent for a while. Eleanor didn’t rush him and patiently waited.
“Because I pitied her.”
“Pitied her?”
“She was only following orders.”
That was the answer Eleanor had wanted to hear, and she felt relieved.
“I see.”
“Did I make the right choice?”
“Only you can answer that.”
“How would I know?”
“If you feel good about it now.”
“My feelings…”
Caron frowned and thought deeply.
“I’m not sure.”
“You’ll figure it out someday. Oh, want a meat pie?”
“Yes.”
Eleanor called for Cecily and asked her to bring meat pies. Not long after, Cecily returned with several freshly baked pies. Eleanor watched as Caron ate them with his usual enthusiasm and thought of Heraith.
‘He seemed really angry. Is he okay now? He looked like he was injured too.’
Among the scent of demonic blood, she’d smelled human blood as well. She didn’t know if it was Heraith’s or someone else’s. She glanced at her shoulder—the one he had touched.
No one else had likely noticed, but his hand had been trembling slightly.
Despite his threatening presence, he had been exhausted, exhausted enough to collapse at any moment.
‘No wonder. Demon beasts that just emerged from a rift would be stronger than the ones roaming around. Fighting to protect others would’ve been even harder. And still… he came straight to resolve everything as soon as he returned to the palace.’
She pitied Heraith.
He was someone who couldn’t trust anyone and had to handle everything alone.
Someone who never showed that truth.
Someone who came across as a mad emperor.
Pitiful.
‘But the emperor wouldn’t want pity like this.’
After finishing her pie, Eleanor watched Caron, curled up in a corner and nodding off.
Since he couldn’t stay hidden all the time, he dropped his invisibility when alone with Eleanor. But the moment he heard the slightest sound, he’d awaken and vanish again.
“Caron.”
She called softly, and as expected, he immediately disappeared.
To the presence that could barely be sensed without focus, Eleanor whispered,
“I’ll be going out for a bit. Rest while I’m gone.”
Caron seemed puzzled by her kindness but nodded.
“Okay.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me to be safe?”
“…Please return safely.”
“Mm, I’ll be back soon.”
‘I’ll be back.’
Caron had never heard or said such words before, so he blinked as he watched Eleanor’s retreating figure.
‘I’ll be back.’
‘She’ll return soon, right?’
He didn’t fully understand what it meant to exchange such words.
But those simple phrases—”Please return safely” and “I’ll be back”—with no command or pressure behind them, etched themselves deeply into Caron’s heart.
***
Heraith was in the treatment room.
The ones lying down were knights, not Heraith. Nine in total.
Most had been treated, but one knight whose arm had been severed by a demonic tentacle would take much more time and effort to heal.
The dark energy had seeped into the severed part, causing it to rot and fester with maggots.
“I’m sorry, my lord.”
The knight apologized, even though he had done nothing wrong. Heraith responded gently:
“Shut up.”
“Yes, sir.”
A white light spread from Heraith’s palm and enveloped the wound. The maggots burned away, the pus stopped flowing, and the mangled flesh began to mend.
Sweat dripped from Heraith’s brow from the intense exertion.
He lifted the severed arm and attached it to the wound, using more power.
Blood vessels burst in his eyes, pooling blood at the corners.
“I’m sorry, my lord.”
The knight apologized again. Heraith again spoke kindly.
“I told you to shut up.”
“Yes, sir.”
The arm wasn’t fully healed, but it had reattached well enough for recovery.
“If you’re going to live as a cripple, go ahead and swing a sword with that arm now.”
“I won’t use this arm at all until it’s fully healed.”
“Good.”
[TL: An interesting information is that it’s actually possible to reattach severed body parts in real life, but of course the smaller the part severed the better, for example a severed finger has higher recovery chance than a whole arm.]
Oscar, watching with a scowl, quickly handed over a handkerchief.
Wiping the blood from his eyes, Heraith asked,
“The damage?”
“Seven civilians who couldn’t escape when the rift opened, five more suffocated from demon poison, one child trampled while fleeing, twelve soldiers, and a noble lady who tripped on her dress and got attacked.”
“Which family?”
“The Neigli Viscount family.”
“Any casualties from foreign nations?”
“A few injured while fleeing, but no deaths.”
“Good. And the Neigli family?”
“A message of condolences has already been sent in Your Majesty’s name.”
Oscar looked worriedly at Heraith.
“Are you alright? You appear to be injured too.”
“It’s nothing. What about the consorts?”
“After Your Majesty scolded them, things have quieted down. The Rose Palace has been shut down, with only one maid and one servant remaining. One knight stands guard. Consort Yi has not resisted.”
Heraith had sustained injuries too.
A torn side from demon claws.
A bite on the nape.
Both were serious, but manageable.
“And the Empress Dowager?”
“She’s quiet for now. We’ve posted guards under the guise of protection. She won’t be able to sneak anyone out.”
Troops were also stationed on all roads into the capital. No suspicious individuals would be able to enter or leave.
A full sweep of the capital had been ordered to find any traces connected to the rift. By tomorrow, there should be answers.
“Your Majesty. I am handling the aftermath. Please rest for today.”
Heraith wanted to go out and take command personally, but lacked the strength. He gave the faintest nod and left the treatment room, heading for the imperial residence.
The maids had prepared a bath, anticipating his arrival, but instead, Heraith collapsed onto the sofa, running his blood-soaked hair back with his hand.
In his mind, the moment the rift had opened replayed again and again—
the faces of those torn apart like they’d been pierced by hundreds of needles.
The screams of survivors.
The wails of those searching for lost loved ones after the battle.
“D*** it.”
He muttered a curse under his breath. Just then a knock came—not from the door, but the terrace.
“Come in.”
As soon as Heraith gave permission, the window opened and Eyo jumped in.
He knelt beside Heraith and examined his condition.
“You’re hurt. Please let me see.”
Heraith began to lift his shirt, but then…
“Your Majesty. Lady Eleanor Snow requests an audience.”
A servant announced from outside.
Heraith and Eyo exchanged glances. At Heraith’s signal, Eyo returned to the terrace, shut the window, and went silent.
“Let her in.”
Soon, the door opened. Eleanor walked in slowly, carrying a small bag, and stopped next to the sofa.
Heraith didn’t even look at her.
“As you can see, I’m tired.”
And yet, he wondered about his own behavior. He could have just turned her away from the start. So why did he let her in?
