In fact, a few days ago, the Marquis received a gift that filled his house. There was no na of the sender, but there was one peculiar item: high-quality salt in a magnificent box. Such a vulgar act of trying to win favor with money could only co from a war profiteer.
The Marquis poured the salt on the floor and returned the rest, but others would have gladly accepted it. At this rate, the war profiteer might step into the King’s Heart. However, he had no power to stop it. He believed that there was only the emperor as an enemy—only to realize that Truyde was actually right behind him, thrusting a knife behind his back.
It was too late to defend himself. Moreover, since he had sided with Truyde, the Marquis had few options left when confronting the King’s Heart. The real enemy, the Emperor, would soon arrive. To confront him, the King’s Heart had to unite as one. To do that, he had to bow his head to Truyde and submit, or engage in a power struggle with him, even at the risk of his own life.
“I understand your regrettable feelings, Marquis. However, it is already too late. To bring Duncan back to this position, you would have to give up all your assets. Can you afford it? Now is the ti to focus on the more important enemy than Duncan.”
Truyde urged as if soothing a child. Thanks to that, the Marquis’ eyes beca even colder, but he did not smile.
“I just heard so very interesting news. Would you like to listen?”
Still receiving no response from the Marquis, Norhox, who was watching from his side, showed interest in Truyde’s words.
“I’m curious about what the news is.”
Truyde deliberately smiled even more as he revealed the news to the Marquis.
“The emperor and the 1st Battalion Commander are separated from the army and moving separately.”
As he brought up the story, it seed like laughter would burst out again. However, no one could understand why it was such pleasant news. Truyde looked around at everyone and added a brief explanation.
“It seems that the emperor plans to join the main army near the capital.”
“The main army? Hmph, if the emperor’s army marches into the capital, his popularity will only rise. All the bad rumors that have spread will disappear.”
When Norhox expressed his dissatisfaction by frowning, Truyde nodded his head.
“That’s right. So, this emperor’s move can be an opportunity for us.”
“An opportunity? Ah, is it an opportunity to eliminate the emperor who’s moving separately?”
When Norhox’s eyes sharpened, Truyde nodded his head.
“Yes, an opportunity to eliminate him. Even if we fail to find him, it can also be an opportunity to stop the emperor’s main army.”
Everyone was curious about how they would stop the emperor’s main army, but Truyde turned his gaze to his n who were nearby.
“Divide the soldiers into several groups and send them to the vicinity of the dock near the capital. Disguise yourselves and create as much commotion as you want there.”
The intention behind the disguise was obvious. Soone had to be frad. When his n asked who the targets were, an imdiate answer ca.
“His Majesty and the 1st Battalion Commander.”
Truyde then revealed this and laughed.
“Make noise to spread rumors in the palace until the emperor’s army arrives. Secretly find the real one. Once found, eliminate the fake ones under the pretext of killing the fakes.”
Truyde’s face still had a smile that didn’t disappear after a long ti, indicating his anticipation for the events to co.
The ti on the ship passed without any special problems, but it felt long and boring to everyone. Now, after two days, they could reach the capital by getting off the ship and traveling by carriage for just one day. However, despite the lack of apparent problems, except for Karas, the group had been uneasy throughout.
The reason was the group of thugs they inevitably encountered within the confined space of the ship. Although they had only directly encountered the fake 1st Battalion Commander pretending to be drunk and intentionally entering Abel’s room on the first morning, everyone could sense it.
When Abel occasionally ca out of his room and walked around, there were eyes watching him from all directions, despite his attempts to conceal his face by pulling his hood low. A low chuckle always followed those gazes.
Even if Abel’s group didn’t take it sensitively, it was evident that the troublemakers were targeting Abel as their prey. However, they seed reluctant to cause trouble within the narrow confines of the ship. The only thing they did was intentionally bump into Abel’s shoulder and laugh when he passed by.
However, with two days left, the group of thugs started openly staring at Abel. The sticky gaze towards Abel, as if they were planning to do sothing before getting off the ship. As a result, lmond and the butler stuck even closer to Abel, practically becoming one body with him. This inadvertently irritated soone on board, though Abel remained oblivious.
“Those damn bastards are definitely up to sothing.”
lmond once again spat out curses at the thugs, as he had been doing for several days. And as always, the butler responded in the sa manner.
“They have the audacity to look at our young master with such filthy eyes.”
The enraged butler clenched his fist and added.
“Moreover, because of their persistent surveillance, even the mood of the Commander-in-Chief, who shares the sa room with our young master, has beco uncomfortable!”
lmond vigorously nodded his head.
“Exactly! How uncomfortable must he be to give us such a cold look every ti we co here and then leave. It’s all because of those bastards.”
It was natural. There was no reason for anyone other than those thugs to receive such a glance from Karas. Karas was not only soone who shared a private room with the injured Abel, but also a thoughtful person who willingly engaged in conversations to understand the sentints of his own people.
In the hearts of lmond and the butler, Karas had already established himself as a wise and great emperor. Moreover, he was a wonderful person who sincerely worried about Abel’s appearance becoming a threat to the country. Abel, who had been quietly listening, asked seriously.
“Still, since there are people who know about Duke Truyde’s matters, shouldn’t we seize the opportunity to investigate? So, um...”
Abel cautiously continued his conversation, alternating his gaze between lmond and the butler.
“If they want, we can pretend to be caught...”
“No!”
“It’s not allowed!”
As expected, both of them imdiately rejected the idea. Abel sighed lightly as if he had expected this response, and looked down at the floor. However, despite his dejected appearance, lmond struck the nail once again.
“Don’t even dream of using yourself as bait for sothing. You haven’t fully recovered yet. It’s too much for a weak body like yours.”
The butler nodded in agreent, adding that just traveling this far was already a miracle. When Abel raised his head with a faint smile, acknowledging their concerns, lmond finally breathed a sigh of relief and changed the subject.
“Leave the thugs to the Commander-in-Chief. He will take care of them. By the way, Abel, you’re the only one suffering because of those thugs. You were practically confined to your room because of them, and now you have to endure the Commander-in-Chief’s uncomfortable feelings.”
Abel imdiately raised his head in response to lmond’s consolation.
“It’s not that uncomfortable.”
Of course, lmond and the butler thought Abel was just being polite. Even though he was a respected emperor, his sharp temper couldn’t be ignored. However, Abel’s following words felt sincere.
“At first, it was a bit awkward and scary since he doesn’t speak much, but I got used to it and it’s not bad. Plus, he listens to really well. It’s beco tolerable, having been crushed every ti we go to sleep. Of course, I still can’t believe how huge the Commander-in-Chief’s thing is.”
Abel narrowed his eyes, recalling Karas’ solid and sturdy presence that he felt every morning. Sohow, it felt like it was getting bigger each day, making him suspect that Karas had actually put a wooden bat in his pants as a protective asure.
In the past, lmond might have been filled with impure thoughts, but now all he did was nod with a proud smile.
The emperor even has a royal-sized manhood!
He couldn’t help but feel proud. Beside him, the butler covered his mouth with his hand and chuckled at the sa thought. However, Abel, who misinterpreted their laughter, quickly spoke.
“Oh, but it seems like it’s not just a bat or a dagger—it feels real. Sotis it wriggles, and it’s hot, um.”
lmond was about to laugh even harder with pride but then paused with a question.
Wriggles? Hot?
However, before he could say anything, Abel continued.
“Anyway, there still seems to be /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ a sowhat threatening atmosphere. It’s still intimidating when our eyes et. But still... I don’t know.”
Abel looked into the empty space for a mont and muttered absentmindedly.
“He doesn’t seem to dislike .”
In fact, he felt more than that. Especially when they talked before going to bed. Now, it had beco natural for him to sit on the bed every evening and reminisce about his childhood. And Karas, listening quietly with closed eyes, would eventually fall asleep.
At that mont, Abel felt like he had let down his guard, as if he were defenseless in front of soone he trusted. Of course, it could just be his imagination, but every ti he looked at Karas’ sleeping face, his heart would weigh down involuntarily.
He had experienced this feeling before—when he beca soone special to soone.
That’s why, lately, Abel kept seeing the face of the little prince in Karas’ sleeping face. The weak child who knew nothing but rejected anyone who approached him for fear of being hurt was completely different from Karas. At the thought of the little prince, Abel’s smile turned lancholic.
“Doesn’t it feel good that he doesn’t dislike you?”
“Well, that too... but when I see the Commander-in-Chief, soone else cos to mind.”
“Who?”
“The prince.”
lmond and the butler held their breath and froze, but Abel didn’t notice as he stared into the empty space.
“It’s strange. There’s no way the Commander-in-Chief is the prince. Their eyes are different, too.”
He paused, then gave an awkward smile as he turned to the two of them.
“I think the grown-up prince would probably be a warr person.”
“......”
Seeing lmond, who was still unable to speak, Abel quickly waved his hand.
“Oh, I didn’t say that because I wanted to see the prince. I really didn’t.”
“......”
“Mr. lmond?”
“Then...”
At Abel’s call, lmond finally opened his mouth. His throat felt dry as a midsumr drought, but words sohow escaped.
“If the prince is like the Commander-in-Chief... would you be disappointed?”
“Hehe... as if that would happen.”
“If he is soone so cold and so intimidating that you’d be afraid of him?”
The butler looked anxiously at lmond from the side, but lmond didn’t stop now that he had started.
“What if he is soone who opens his heart even more slowly than the young prince who bit you and made you bleed? Even if that’s the case... you wouldn’t et him? Even if you were soone he needed even more than back then?”
lmond’s gaze finally halted on Abel’s pale face. Despite the realization dawning within him, Abel continued, his breath ragged and voice heavy.
“How did the prince... how did he grow up?”
“W-well, he grew up well. Haha. You don’t have to worry. Don’t take my words to heart. Just idle talk.”
“I’ve wronged the prince.”
Abel whispered, cutting off lmond’s words. lmond’s heart sank with a thud as soon as he heard those words. Until now, he had believed that Abel’s thoughts about the prince were rely out of pity and a sense of responsibility as a Regas.
But a mistake?
“What mistake?”
lmond asked reluctantly, a sinking feeling in his gut. Abel stared straight at him.
“I may have planted wrong thoughts in the prince’s mind just before I died.”
“...”
“Not to trust people.”
“...”
“So, if there is a problem with His Majesty... it is all my fault.”
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