Chapter 93
It was almost admirable how she had managed to conceal a bomb. Her twisted heart and greed intense enough to sacrifice herself were all the more revolting.
Was all this really necessary?
As Carl had said, once she had risen to the position of a dragon knight’s wife, she could have escaped the poor and base life she had hated without pursuing greater ambitions.
The conclusion of overreaching greed, desiring more than what one was born to, was ultimately self-destruction. And such a futile self-destruction at that.
A strange emptiness invaded a corner of her heart at the sight of Revenant’s disappearance without a trace. It was far from any cheap sympathy for her.
“Are you alright?”
Carl, having regained his senses, reached out to Sian. She nodded and took his hand.
“She had prepared thoroughly.”
Red flames that had transformed more than half of the maze garden into desolation were threatening to consume what remained. Here and there, others who had weathered the explosion’s impact like Sian were getting up and surveying their surroundings.
Several soldiers who had been nearby to secure Revenant were rolling on the ground, thrown by the explosion. However, no one seemed seriously injured.
“Who blocked the explosion?”
Given the scale of the blast, there was almost no damage. Carl frowned and looked around, confirming that even the soldiers closest to the Revenant had survived.
“Your Majesty!”
“Father!”
Before they could find an answer, a great commotion of dismay arose behind Carl and Sian. Turning around, they saw the Emperor collapsed on the ground, supported by Hendrick and soldiers.
Nothing emanated from the Emperor who had been radiating red energy like a ghost. The Dragon King’s vengeful magic and will, said to have been revived because the Revenant had greedily handled too many bones in one place, had completely vanished.
“Attend to His Majesty.”
Hendrick ordered. The soldiers suddenly became busy, tending to slightly injured comrades while caring for the Emperor.
“…Looks like the Dragon King took Revenant with her.”
Sian murmured softly. Carl let out a short laugh. Hendrick approached Carl and Sian while watching soldiers bring a stretcher to carry the Emperor. Deep wrinkles marked his serious brow.
“Is the dragon hunter dead?”
He asked, staring at the explosion-marked ground as if in disbelief. Carl nodded.
“…It seems so.”
“What a futile end for someone who acted so viciously.”
Sian smiled bitterly.
Sian, Carl, and Hendrick fell silent, staring at the traces of the desperately struggling Revenant. A complex and cold silence descended. The sky, clear during the fierce battle, was now darkening with interwoven crimson, navy, and purple hues.
“Lady Siaaaan!”
“Lady Sian!”
With loud shouts, mercenaries dressed as servants came running from the palace lobby.
“What’s all this about? Are you alright?”
“Why do you look like this!”
Sian’s mercenaries, nowhere to be found when even trivial help had been desperately needed, now made a late fuss, shouting in surprise at the disheveled state of Sian and Carl.
Sian frowned and grabbed Max, who stood at the front, by the collar.
“Where were you all until now?”
Both Carl and Sian, who remained, had been so helpless against Revenant’s attacks because they were dragon masters. If they had appeared earlier, they could have helped. Sian bared her teeth and openly vented her dissatisfaction at their late timing.
“Oh my, don’t even ask. The servants were in chaos too. While everyone was evacuating, some unknown soldiers stopped us from moving an inch.”
“It was quite noisy inside too – what exactly happened?”
Just as Sian was about to criticize them further with “What kind of excuse is that,” Hendrick stepped forward.
“Uncle raised a rebellion. It seems the dragon hunter created chaos outside to capture Carl while trying to capture me inside.”
“What about Uncle?”
Carl frowned.
“He’s been detained for now. Inside too, both soldiers and Uncle used weapons made from the Dragon King’s bones, so there was nothing we could do…”
Hendrick trailed off, turning to look at the palace lobby where the Emperor had been carried.
“Suddenly Father appeared in robust form and the situation reversed in an instant.”
Remembering the Emperor moving with the Dragon King’s consciousness, Carl pressed his lips together gravely.
“Father wanted to execute Uncle immediately too, but I stopped him. It seemed better to formally try and execute him afterward. That way, we can properly clear both your false charges and the black dragon’s stigma.”
Carl and Sian looked at each other at Hendrick’s words. Suddenly, Carl let out a small laugh.
“…It’s over.”
As Carl spoke with strange emotion, a heavy whooshing sound came from the sky. Sian looked up.
Against the fading evening sky, black, silver, and purple trajectories wavered beautifully. The three dragons who had protected everyone were flying, embroidering the sky with magic like guardians.
Carl heaved a long sigh.
“…The moon will be bright tonight.”
Along with the sun that hadn’t yet completely crossed the horizon, the full moon was already revealing itself in the sky.
