52 – The Empress Realizes
Herpina, the Empress of Mersen.
She was currently in the Crown Prince’s palace.
After elegantly sipping her tea, the Empress opened her mouth.
“It seems this is the first time I’ve disappointed my mother.”
To say such words to her recently awakened son, the current Empress was quite irritated.
Yet, in front of her cold expression, as if she had long abandoned emotions, Servis felt extremely confused.
“I apologize, Your Majesty.”
Being transported here after fainting was proof that she had lost to that warrior.
But was that warrior’s skill really that formidable…?
As she looked at the smirking service, the empress slowly set down her teacup.
“Why did you do such a foolish thing?”
A smile formed on her face without her realizing it.
Service knew exactly what that expression meant.
An obsession disguised as love.
Or anger towards a world that had broken her wings.
Even before becoming the empress, her mother had always been like this.
-Serbis, practice your swordsmanship until midnight today.
-Don’t show any laughter to those beneath you for no reason, even if you’ve said it many times before.
As her son, Serbis had to be flawless at all times.
And today.
She couldn’t remember what had happened exactly.
But she was certain that she had experienced her first defeat in her life.
But why couldn’t she remember anything at all?
Was she too careless…?
“Starting from today, resume your swordsmanship training.”
…Swordsmanship training.
He was someone who had already wandered through numerous battlefields on the outskirts of the empire.
To him, who had established countless achievements in the field of warfare, it was a command to start the monotonous training he had only done in his childhood.
“Oh my my, there is no need for training anymore….”
He was now eighteen years old.
Even saying such words to his birth mother required a considerable amount of courage, which was a great shame for a prince.
Perhaps it was a suffocating feeling that he would never be able to escape, even if he became the emperor.
Today, as well, he couldn’t help but contort his face, feeling that way. It was a very natural thing to do.
“Is it appropriate for Eos, who has become a cripple, to say that dirt got in his eyes?”
“W-What…!”
Severely shocked by the unexpected remark, Service lost his words.
“Even though the lower class has already been controlled by the queen mother, in the end, words will leak out. Humans are such creatures.”
“….”
“So, before rumors spread that the prince has shamefully lost, create an image of ‘striving to become stronger even after such a defeat.’ Let everyone see it. Have you understood your mother’s words?”
As the empress spoke, she gently stroked Service’s head, but he couldn’t help but shudder at his birth mother’s touch.
“I am merely a tool for mother….”
He had thought that way since he was young.
All mothers in the world, as he believed, were beings who pushed their children to the limit in order to make them grow and satisfy their own sense of justice.
He had definitely thought that way.
That infinite desire was unquestionably maternal love, he believed.
But as I grew older, I realized that not everyone was like that. Only my own mother was. “I understand,” I said. But even if I understood, what could I do? Could I resist my angry mother’s words? If I could, I would have done it a long time ago. But I had already learned through multiple experiences that such actions would only bring greater trials. So now, no matter what the Empress commanded, I had no choice but to follow. “Well then, let’s start right away,” the Empress said with a bright smile as she left the Prince’s Palace. After the Empress left, for a moment, Cervis felt a lingering gaze that made her uncomfortable. Swish- But when she looked up, there was nothing on the ceiling. “Sigh….” What in the world had happened? It was as if her memories had been completely erased. Ever since her duel with Astia began, she couldn’t remember anything. In fact, anyone would have known. The duel with Astia was more like a deliberate feud than an actual duel.
I don’t know how much I’ve been burning up since witnessing the engagement ceremony of the fallen prince.
It was to the point where, for the first time in my life, I got drunk and smashed almost all the furniture in the bedroom with my bare hands.
Elaine Bart.
That beautiful woman, she was the fiancée of that trash-like Eos guy.
Servis didn’t know.
How on earth did Elaine, in such a short period of time, firmly establish herself in his heart?
Actually, even at this moment, he had no desire to know the reason, only the desire to possess her.
And he could sense it.
Without needing to investigate or think, he knew it was undoubtedly a strategic marriage.
But a strategic marriage was clearly a transaction where they both give and receive something from each other.
That’s why, in his mind, he couldn’t understand the marriage.
It was inconceivable why the highly respected Count Bart would want to marry his daughter to the infamous fallen prince.
Of course, the count’s intentions were not important.
What was most important was that Servis, who had never paid attention to women before, now ardently desired only one woman, Elaine.
Servis had always thought.
After driving out the savages who invaded the western border according to Mohu’s plan, he would snatch Elaine away from Eos.
Of course, the method had already been decided.
If he killed the emperor and pinned the blame on Eos, Count Bart would have no choice but to declare the engagement off in order to preserve his own life.
And to pin the blame, ultimately there should be no witnesses.
The most obstructive ones were Astia, the constant guard, and Glenetino, the noisy court jester.
Grentino was nothing special, but he had heard that the knights of the escort were quite strong.
So.
From Noble mtl dot com
It was necessary to inflict serious injuries in advance, to ensure that he could no longer stay by Eos’s side.
That’s why he had a duel.
Until the savage attack that kept getting delayed, he planned to separate Eos’s escort and prevent Grentino from staying in the royal palace.
But what?
He was the one who was hurt by Eos?
By that cripple of a prince?
Just how and how much did he get beaten up, that his face, which had already fully healed, still hurt?
Of course, the place that hurt more than the pain felt on his face was his shattered pride, marked by open contempt in Muhu’s eyes.
“Damn it….”
Yes, it was undoubtedly because he let his guard down.
If he hadn’t let his guard down, he wouldn’t have suffered so much from that insignificant brat.
Servis stood up from his seat.
He was now determined to face Eos again.
“If I do it properly this time, there’s no way I’ll lose.”
But.
“Why me?”
The cripple prince, whom he met face-to-face in the royal palace, said that.
“I will never back down if we fight again!”
Astia and Glentino laughed out loud, causing her face to suddenly flush with anger and unconsciously shout those words.
“So what?”
“….”
But a duel was something that couldn’t be done if the other party didn’t respond. Cerbis couldn’t find the right words to say.
“I told you. If you’re so free, then give up your position as the crown prince. Should I tell His Majesty on your behalf?”
In the end, Cerbis had no choice but to head to the training ground alone.
“I will make sure you respond to the duel!”
There were countless ways that came to mind.
Using all her connections, status, and everything she had to torment him until he came to fight her.
Killing the emperor would be the only way to undo the humiliating defeat.
As soon as she stepped into the training ground for practice, Cerbis thought of the empress’s face.
And silently vowed to herself.
After killing the emperor and becoming the ruler, she would eliminate even her own mother, who would constantly oppress her.
***
As soon as she returned to the empress’s palace, Herpina received a report from her servant.
“Elaine Bart has gone to the Marquis’s estate? Tell Father, and on the way back, kidnap him without anyone noticing.”
After the servant left.
The empress, who was left alone, organized her thoughts.
It was strange.
It was definitely not an ordinary day, no matter how you thought about it.
His own son, someone else’s.
Even in a duel with the Imperial Knight Commander at the mere age of eighteen, he was unbeatable.
A prosecutor who would not be lacking even if he was called the strongest.
That was none other than Prince Cervis of Merzen.
But to be affected by mere dirt thrown by a beggar?
The Empress recalled what she had heard from the knights.
– Suddenly, a sandstorm arose when His Highness the Prince was throwing dirt.
– Although there were occasional strong winds, it was the first time it was so thick. It was so hard to see.
A smile appeared on the Empress’s face.
Anger and joy.
Those emotions were intricately mixed, giving off a strange feeling.
“I see.”
The Empress finally realized.
“I don’t know how he did it, but he succeeded in deciphering it. He must have regained the abilities of an elf.”
If that’s the case, it makes sense.
In a moment of carelessness, he neutralized Cervis by summoning a spirit and stirring up a sandstorm.
“No wonder.”
The fact that Elain was living in the Prince’s Palace and yet no incidents were happening also served as strong evidence to support him.
*Squeak-*
Of course, there were still points that I couldn’t fully comprehend.
“If only Service had the will, he could have easily blown away the sandstorm in an instant….”
There seemed to be a special measure in place to prevent Prince Eos from using mana.
And the place where he obtained it was undoubtedly,
“The Liven Guard.”
Assuming that Eos had recovered his abilities and gained even stronger ones, it disrupted the flow of blocked thoughts.
“….Then everything makes sense.”
What about the blazing Matapju?
“He’s either dead or defected.”
King Barbados, the barbarian king, was likely in the same situation.
“Yet he was putting on such a show. The son of Wiblea. Truly remarkable, isn’t it?”
Herpina burst into genuine laughter.
She felt relieved to have finally encountered a worthy opponent.
“Eos, that arrogant brat. Let’s see who wins, shall we?”
Muttering to herself, the empress began to slowly drink the now cold tea.
In her mind, the image of Elaine was vividly present.
If only she could use that child as a hostage, she could do anything.
Coincidentally, the fact that Goddess Aurora had left the palace gave her the opportunity to set things right.
***
I took the Matapju’s ship to the Viscount’s residence to greet Elaine upon her return.
Aldor.
He had a good name, Helios, but for some reason he kept crying out, “The Ship that Sails the Sky,” instead of using it.
Of course, right after saying that.
Recently, he had been getting into arguments again with Duke Pelios, who practically lived on the ship, so I subtly hinted that I would call him Helios from now on, as he seemed pitiful.
And a little while later.
Elaine, summoned onto the ship, looked at me with a moved expression on her face.