Chapter 132
* * *
Three days earlier. At the time when Ashaella was attempting to buy time against Evan through conversation.
The absolute ruler of the Eastern Empire, the Hye-wang, was being helplessly carried away, hanging from Hadel’s side.
‘What humiliation is this…’
Having lost too much blood, it was difficult to maintain consciousness, but the feelings of absurdity and shame remained intense.
No, rather, being dragged along while dangling like this made her want to die from shame and embarrassment.
She wanted to tell him to just kill her, but her body was so weak she couldn’t even speak.
‘What a monster among monsters. I underestimated the Empire too much.’
It was too late for regrets now; nothing would change.
After pacifying the East, the Hye-wang had grown arrogant.
That’s why she had so easily fallen for Evan’s gentle persuasion to help with the Empire’s civil war.
In any case, who could have known that trying to profit from the Empire’s internal strife would backfire so terribly and stab her in the back?
‘Even Evan probably couldn’t withstand this man… It’s over, our grand plan. How futile. So utterly futile.’
She had done everything possible to break the Emperor’s sword. But she hadn’t even had the chance to deploy all her strategies.
From the beginning, she had been pushed back continuously. The moment when she had charged forward with bold cries was now too humiliating to even remember.
A disgraceful duel.
No, a disgraceful defeat.
It was nothing more or less than a messy, trivial fight.
What was it? What made this Emperor so powerful?
The Hye-wang continued to think and regret, but it was useless.
“Damn it! I should have dealt with this earlier…!”
The Emperor suddenly cursed and increased his speed. The sharp wind hitting her made her even more disoriented.
And the imperial city they instantly arrived at was already thick with the smell of blood.
“Asha!”
With the Emperor’s single cry, the Hye-wang was thrown somewhere onto the dirt ground.
Fearing that her neck would break if she fell like this, she struggled to control her body as the ground came ever closer.
And that was—
‘No! I can’t die like this…!’
That was the last memory of the Hye-wang, who had been called the Conqueror of the East.
“Asha! Wake up! No, no. Where are you hurt? Why, why…!”
Holding Ashaella’s collapsing body, Hadel momentarily forgot that she had prepared a sleeping drug as a last resort and became frantic.
Fortunately, after confirming she was still breathing, he turned toward Evan with blazing pink eyes.
Evan was already barely holding on after inhaling the sleeping drug Ashaella had released.
There was no way he could properly withstand Hadel’s enraged attack.
“How did you get here so quickly… ugh!”
His side was slashed.
“Impossible! This can’t be happening…!”
His thigh was cut.
“You half-breed… while you’ve enjoyed everything!”
His fingers were severed.
“Argh…! Why don’t you ask me anything? Lahadert! Aren’t you curious about anything?”
Evan felt wronged. He shouted while barely blocking Hadel’s sword, but all he received was cold indifference.
“What I care about is Asha’s condition, not the likes of you.”
A chill ran down Evan’s spine. Clear pink eyes filled his vision.
“I, I… For what purpose did I…!”
Evan’s red eyes widened, and an even redder stream of blood poured onto the ground.
‘Ah… Mother.’
As his consciousness faded, Evan recalled his mother who, until her last moment, had held his hand and urged him to survive.
A noblewoman who, despite her status, was never appointed as an official empress, and had to flee from Empress Nastia.
But in the end, a woman who was discovered by the Empress and brutally murdered.
Evan had survived thanks to his mother’s sacrifice. He had escaped from the Empress who sought to kill all imperial family members born with “red eyes.”
At first, he simply fled as far as possible from the imperial palace. As far away as possible from the Empress’s reach.
That’s how he had drifted to the East. There he built his strength, and fifteen years ago, he vowed revenge.
‘I swore to destroy all the corrupt blood of the Sieria imperial family…’
Evan’s vision turned black. No sounds reached his ears.
Perhaps relying on Duke Balkyrino had been a mistake?
But hadn’t the Duke killed the former Emperor, the seven wayward princes, and the princess?
Yes, that alone had been a successful revenge.
Perhaps he should have stopped his vengeance there.
“Cough…”
Red blood trickled from Evan’s mouth. His internal organs were already in shambles.
“Persistent, aren’t you.”
Hadel looked down at the dying Evan like an insect and swung his sword.
Toward the left side of Evan’s chest, where his heart still beat.
Like a shell crumbling, Evan’s body tilted to the ground as his eyes fixed on Ashaella.
The mysterious silver-haired woman. The beautiful woman. The woman the Emperor loved.
Yes, things had started to go wrong since that woman entered the palace. He should have dealt with her properly from the beginning.
If he had, then the Emperor would have remained as he was then, called a mad tyrant…
‘Hali, Noti. I’m sorry…’
With the memory of the twins who had given him his only solace, Evan’s consciousness flickered out.
Evan’s collapsed body was no longer of interest to Hadel.
He left the cleanup to Teiman and rushed straight to Ashaella.
Only after realizing she was temporarily asleep due to the sleeping drug did he remember the Hye-wang he had thrown aside upon arriving.
“Ah… damn. I’ve messed up.”
The Hye-wang’s condition was the worst possible. Already lifeless, it couldn’t get any worse.
“Sigh… what should I do? I was looking forward to spending every day with Asha.”
Facing the Hye-wang’s lifeless body, Hadel sighed deeply for a long time.
Only after hearing from the imperial physician that Ashaella shouldn’t be disturbed until she woke up did he mutter lightly with a deeply furrowed brow:
“I’ll be visiting the Eastern Empire for a bit, so keep an eye on things here.”
[If you’re going to kill the Hye-wang, be prepared to take over the entire East. Understood?]
[Yes. I understand, Asha.]
No matter what anyone said, for Hadel, Ashaella’s words were absolute law.
* * *
“Rest, you must continue to rest, Silver Lily.”
The imperial physician repeatedly urged me to rest while sweating profusely.
Even Yulia, attending to me, repeatedly emphasized rest, rest, nodding her head.
“Haha… I understand, really. I’ll be truly careful now.”
As I awkwardly smiled and agreed, Yulia sighed with a regretful expression.
“Sigh… His Majesty should know about this soon. I wonder when he’ll return.”
Fortunately, the imperial physician had not disclosed my pregnancy to anyone, as I had ordered.
Yulia, having just learned of it, was now deeply distressed.
“If only His Majesty had known, he wouldn’t have gone to the East…”
Watching Yulia heave a deep sigh, I felt a pang of guilt.
It seemed that Hadel had gone to the East because of what I had said.
Even so, why act so quickly? Couldn’t he have waited until I woke up and discussed it with me before taking action?
“Well, at least I’ve sent word that I’m awake, so he’ll return soon.”
They said it would take at least five days for a regular messenger to reach where Hadel was.
And Hadel would surely return within a week. He’d come as soon as he received the news.
So until Hadel returns from settling matters in the East, I should…
“What happened to all the criminals, including Balkyrino?”
I should finish the Empire’s affairs.
The tenacious ten-year struggle.
* * *
“Oh my, Silver Lily!”
The guard was startled to see me and hurried over.
He was one of the guards I had previously instructed through Teiman, and it seemed he was still performing his duties well.
“To grace such a humble place with your presence… You must still be unwell, are you sure you’re alright?”
Loyalty burned fiercely in the eyes of the guard as he carefully expressed his concern.
Hmm, there’s no need to show me such devotion anymore—there are no scraps left to fall.
Feeling awkward, I smiled uncomfortably and stated my business.
“I’m fine. I’d like to see the prisoners.”
“Gasp…! His Majesty has ordered that no one be allowed in the dungeon…”
The guard sweated profusely, his eyes darting around without finding a place to settle.
Even someone loyal to me couldn’t readily act against the Emperor’s wishes.
To ease his dilemma, I smiled faintly and said:
“I was the one who asked His Majesty to issue that order.”
This implied, ‘I am the exception, so hurry up and show me the way.’
And in truth, I was indeed exempt.
The guard quickly grasped my meaning, curved his eyes, and bowed.
“I’ll guide you right away, Silver Lily. This way, please.”
Creeak. The iron door opened wide with its distinctive sound.
Following the guard inside, Yulia and Rahu—who had been hiding behind me—came along.
“The criminals are currently confined in cells, but we don’t know what threats they might pose. Please be careful, Silver Lily.”
Heeding the guard’s caution, we proceeded deeper inside until we reached a three-way fork.
The guard raised his torch to illuminate the dark path and asked me:
“Which prisoner would you like to see?”
A rebellion that would be remembered throughout history had occurred—one that even drew in the East.
Naturally, there were numerous criminals associated with it.
But among them, the one I needed to see was clear. I answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“Balkyrino.”
The leader of those who had tried to destroy my family. With Evan dead, he was the only ringleader left.
They say the knights found him trapped under a pile of stones when the ceiling of the secret passage collapsed.
From his perspective, he must feel as though he’s lost everything overnight.
Now that all his dreams have been thwarted, what expression would Balkyrino be wearing?
“Understood. This way, Silver Lily.”
Following the guard’s lead, we descended one more level. A strange sound came from inside.
Screech, scree-screech.
Screeeeeeeeeech.
“What is that sound…?”
I frowned at the chilling noise, but soon I couldn’t hide my shock at the horrific sight before me.
“Ah!”
“It’s Nella.”
