Chapter 64
Hendrick twisted his lips into something resembling a meaningless smile.
“From a dragon’s perspective, does it seem Carl has fallen hard for her?”
‘Long-lived dragons aren’t as sensitive as humans, Master. How could I possibly know what Idelin’s master feels?’
“Even I, a fellow human, can’t tell.”
Hendrick gave a small, hollow laugh.
“They’ve only known each other for a few months at most, yet already engaged.”
Moreover, Carl’s declaration that he would take responsibility if any problems arose was, no matter how one looked at it, an incredibly irresponsible and rash statement.
‘Isn’t it human nature to sometimes promise a future based on just a single meeting?’
“Well, that’s true.”
Hendrick shrugged uncertainly.
“I wouldn’t know, never having experienced such a fateful encounter myself. …Though she is pretty.”
Nathan laughed lightly.
‘Although it would be very foolish to measure the world’s value by color alone, perhaps that’s how the world’s laws were written?’
Nathan’s following words were something Hendrick could neither fathom nor understand.
“What do you mean by that?”
‘Yggdrasil and Pegadrasil, good and evil, silver and black—perhaps these opposing concepts that were once in conflict were destined to be attracted to each other from the beginning.’
Just as Hendrick furrowed his brow in confusion at Nathan’s incomprehensible words, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door.
“Your Highness, Imperial Knight Commander John Chris reporting.”
Soon, an urgent knocking as hurried as the footsteps shook the door.
“Enter. What is it?”
As soon as Hendrick gave permission, a man in the Knight Order’s formal uniform entered. John Chris briefly saluted, pressing his fist to his chest.
“Brita, the dragon belonging to Dragon Knight Sir Antonio Carter, has had its nest attacked.”
* * *
Carl furrowed his brow severely.
“Was it perhaps a black dragon that attacked the nest?”
“…How did you know?”
Max, who had changed professions to become the Prince’s attendant, opened his eyes wide.
“I saw the preview.”
Carl clicked his tongue and answered dismissively.
“The preview?”
“Something like that exists.”
At Carl’s vague response, Max just stared at him blankly, still wearing a puzzled expression. Though Carl could clearly see Max’s curiosity, he had no intention of explaining further.
…So this is why they laid the groundwork about the black dragon with Sian. The scheme was obvious. But he didn’t feel like sneering at it.
The attack on Brita was probably a lie. Except for the Dragon King, whose residence was already established in the Imperial Palace’s underground, no one but the master knew the location of a dragon’s nest.
Therefore, it was impossible to verify whether Brita’s nest had actually been attacked, since nobody knew where it was anyway. Since dragons wouldn’t lie, they had no choice but to accept it if that’s what was claimed.
Revenant was clearly planning to use this to inflate rumors about the black dragon. The frustrating part was that even though he knew it was obviously false, there was no way to prove it.
Brita was attacked by a black dragon. Just as Yggdrasil was still celebrated after more than a thousand years, the black dragon remained a symbol of terror.
As Sian had said, people tend to get excited about sensational stories regardless of the facts. The rumor would undoubtedly sweep across the entire empire in no time.
“…I need to see my brother.”
After contemplating, Carl abruptly stood up. He was about to grab his coat himself.
“Should I call for Lady Sian? She went for a walk, saying she needed to think.”
Max, who had brought the rumor that had already spread throughout the palace, showed signs of confusion himself. As Carl put his arm through his coat sleeve, he suddenly frowned.
“…No. I’ll go alone for now.”
“Yes, as you wish.”
Though Max responded to Carl’s words, his expression clearly showed the question ‘That’s unusual?’
Since coming to the Imperial Palace, the two had been virtually inseparable, using their engagement as a convenient excuse.
On the surface, they claimed it was necessary for devising strategies to clear the Prince’s false accusations, but anyone who wasn’t a fool knew that was just an excuse.
“When Lady Sian returns, I’ll tell her you went to see His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Carl just nodded at Max’s words. Then he left the room without any guards.
As Carl walked down the familiar corridor, he was lost in thought.
The black dragon. If he had died, it would be different, but since he had returned alive after receiving proof of innocence at the shrine, Revenant must have decided there was no longer any point in trying to frame Idelin.
So they were planning to create a second suspect. He would have done the same in their position. If the situation remained at an impasse, the investigation would become more aggressive, and with Sian, who knew Revenant’s true identity, now involved, it was only a matter of time before they were caught.
He understood that much, but why specifically a black dragon?
Carl unconsciously bared his teeth. He couldn’t figure out what the dragon hunter’s purpose was.
Certainly, the original assassination of Dragon King Elena and manipulation of the Crown Prince to attack Ivarid had a clear purpose: namely, creating discord between the Crown Prince and Prince.
Once they crossed swords even once, it would be difficult to return to how things were before.
He understood up to the point of framing him for the Dragon King’s assassination to create conflict with the Crown Prince. If the conflict between the Crown Prince and Prince intensified and disrupted order within the Imperial family, Marquis Daniel, the bedridden Emperor’s brother, could certainly benefit from the chaos.
However, with the emergence of a black dragon as a second suspect, none of them—the Marquis, Dragon Knight, or dragon hunter, all presumed to be working together—stood to gain anything.
The conflict between the Crown Prince and Prince would fizzle out to nothing. Rather, they might end up cooperating to resolve the black dragon situation, potentially strengthening the internal bonds of the Imperial family that had shown signs of division.
Yet they were taking the risk of suddenly promoting the existence of a non-existent black dragon.
Had they decided it would be difficult to divide the Crown Prince and Prince? Were they doing this to escape their crimes?
Thinking about it that way made some sense. Though it would be disappointing for the Marquis, who had hoped to benefit by collaborating with the dragon hunters that the Imperial family despised.
By the time his thoughts reached this point, Carl had already arrived at Hendrick’s office. He couldn’t believe he’d already reached here after being lost in thought for what seemed like just a moment.
“Inform His Highness that Carlston Klaus of Ivarid requests an audience.”
Carl addressed the guard at the office door. The guard clasped his hands together and bowed politely.
“My apologies, but His Highness is currently in a meeting with Dragon Knight Sir Antonio Carter.”
Carl’s eye twitched at the guard’s words.
…What scheme is that man plotting with my brother now?
