Chapter 15 – The Fall of the Imperial Family (Part 4)

“What, how are you…!”

“Why, brother? Were you hoping I would be dead?”

With a pale face that didn’t match his sharp eyes, Inferno entered the banquet hall. Monterno trembled as if he had seen a ghost. He had been told by Phailus’s men that the job was done, yet here Inferno stood alive. Inferno’s gaze was cold, as if he knew exactly what Monterno had intended.

Monterno felt an unprecedented sense of intimidation from his younger brother and widened his eyes.

‘No matter what you do, I am the Crown Prince of this empire.’

“What shall we do? It seems the Second Prince is not dead, as you claimed, Your Highness.”

Tartenon’s icy words echoed in the banquet hall. The nobles all held their breath, watching the situation unfold. However, those standing at the back whispered among themselves.

“The one who was supposed to be dead is alive.”

“Then, who tried to kill the Second Prince…?”

A voice rang out loudly. Monterno looked around to find the noble who had spoken, but the person remained silent.

Bellaruse couldn’t hide her wide eyes. Her pupils shook violently as she met Inferno’s gaze, and she gasped as if she might faint.

“Bellaruse Zeraon.”

Inferno merely called her name, but Bellaruse couldn’t hide her trembling hands. Instead of feeling relieved that the person she thought dead was alive, her expression darkened.

“Oh my, Lady Zeraon doesn’t seem pleased that my brother is alive?”

Selena’s timely intervention drew everyone’s attention to Bellaruse. The nobles all saw her bewildered expression.

“Why don’t you say again that the Grand Duchess ordered you?”

“What do you mean the Grand Duchess ordered it…? What are you talking about?”

Inferno tilted his head in confusion. His suspicious eyes landed on Monterno, who slightly averted his gaze. He realized his mistake, but it was too late to undo what had already happened. The nobles had seen Monterno’s evasive glance.

“I’m curious why the woman who tried to kill me is still alive.”

Inferno stepped forward, looking at Monterno, the Emperor, and Bellaruse one by one. He felt a mix of futility and emptiness for having bowed to such people all this time.

Even the guilt he felt towards Bellaruse vanished. What could he say to someone who tried to pin her crimes on others to escape her own guilt? Inferno justified himself by pushing Bellaruse into a corner, conveniently ignoring his own sins.

Blood flowed from his reopened wound. As blood seeped through the bandages, the nobles hurriedly offered Inferno a chair. Once seated, he spoke again.

“I heard that I was supposedly dead and that the Grand Duchess had ordered it.”

“Yes. You were unconscious, but such events transpired.”

“The Grand Duchess I know is not the type to do such things. She would rather humiliate someone openly than resort to sneaky tactics.”

“What do you know!”

The Emperor’s roar was directed at Inferno.

“Father.”

Inferno had always called the Emperor ‘Your Majesty’ with a mix of fear and reverence. When he addressed him as ‘Father,’ the Emperor’s eyes wavered.

“I was nearly killed by one of my brother’s knights. A knight who directly serves him.”

“What nonsense are you talking about? That can’t be true.”

“A surviving knight from my palace will come to testify soon. I also ordered them to bring the body of the one who died. So admit it, brother.”

Inferno’s use of ‘brother’ instead of ‘Your Highness the Crown Prince’ caused Monterno to shout.

“I did not order this!”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

Inferno mimicked the Emperor’s words and struggled to stand.

“Sir Phailus would not follow anyone’s orders except yours, brother. Not even the Emperor’s. The fact that he tried to kill me clearly proves that you gave the order. What were you trying to achieve by killing me?”

Reubellina looked at Inferno with astonished eyes. It was the first time she had seen him speak so calmly and logically. The nobles were also taken aback by this new side of Inferno, who had always been seen as irresponsible.

“I have always lived under my brother’s violence. I’ve lowered myself and acted as if I wasn’t an imperial. But if the result of that is death, then I no longer need to live that way, do I?”

Inferno’s voice, filled with regret, drew the nobles’ attention back to Monterno. It was unthinkable for a noble, let alone a crown prince, to beat his younger brother. Inferno, sensing the nobles’ shifting gaze, rolled up his sleeve.

“These bruises were all caused by my brother. Today it’s just me, but tomorrow it could be other vassals.”

The same thought crossed the minds of all the nobles. If he treated his blood brother this way, how would he treat his subordinates? The realization that the Crown Prince’s previous demeanor was a facade caused a commotion among the nobles.

Inferno continued, seizing the moment.

“I believe my brother should not inherit the throne.”

“I agree, Your Majesty.”

Tartenon stepped forward appropriately. He couldn’t forgive the imperial family for framing him and Reubellina. Each word from Tartenon carried weight.

“Your Majesty may not have known, but the Crown Prince attempted to kill the Second Prince. I intervened to prevent his death.”

Tartenon gave the Emperor a moment to respond before continuing.

“I am confident that if a treacherous Crown Prince becomes the Emperor of the Freynant Empire, it will lead to the empire’s downfall. Therefore, a decision must be made.”

The gathering, initially intended to accuse Tartenon and Reubellina, had now shifted to questioning the Crown Prince’s qualifications. The revelation that he had not only attempted to kill a fellow imperial but also repeatedly abused his brother was damning.

‘You will not escape.’

Even if he did escape, Tartenon will not let him be.

Tartenon vowed. If Monterno managed to leave this place unscathed, he would ensure his death. He couldn’t forgive Monterno for endangering both the North and Reubellina. The same applied to Bellaruse.

A deep-seated rage flickered in Tartenon’s blue eyes, cold and intense, beyond measure.

The Emperor closed his eyes tightly and then opened them. At that moment, Monterno, sensing the danger, grabbed the Emperor’s wrist. He judged that it was better to take the people in the banquet hall hostage and become Emperor than to be captured and imprisoned in the palace.

“Gasp…!”

“Everyone, don’t move!”

The nobles screamed in shock as Monterno drew a dagger from his waist and held it to the Emperor’s neck.

Tartenon, too, was caught off guard. He had never imagined Monterno would take the Emperor hostage. No imperial would stoop so low. An imperial, even when guilty, should hold their head high and remain defiant.

Such behavior would have garnered support from nobles loyal to the Crown Prince. However, Monterno’s actions alienated even the remaining nobles. They desired a dignified heir, not someone who resorted to such disgraceful tactics.

‘Perhaps this is for the best.’

Tartenon moved towards the Emperor and Monterno. However, Monterno acted faster.

“I said, don’t move!”

A red line appeared on the Emperor’s neck. Tartenon halted, and Monterno sneered.

“Clear the way immediately. My knights!”

At Monterno’s loud command, knights entered from outside. They were the Crown Prince’s personal guards, but there were only six of them.

Tartenon, sensing the presence of people outside, realized that fifteen more knights had yet to enter the banquet hall.

“Who dares block the Crown Prince’s path?”

The knights entered en masse. Until that moment, the Emperor hadn’t fully grasped the situation. When he realized that Monterno’s actions weren’t spontaneous but premeditated, the Emperor shouted.

“You scoundrel! What is the meaning of this?”

“Father. Please step aside.”

“What… what did you say?”

“Stop blocking my path and open the way, Father.”

Monterno’s cold voice reached the Emperor’s ears. It was unbelievable. The son he had chosen as his successor, the future Emperor, had betrayed him. The Emperor couldn’t hide his rage. Trembling with humiliation, his demeanor was pitiful to behold.

Betrayed by the son he trusted, and the other son, wounded, not stepping forward to save him. Given the circumstances, it was clear that the Emperor had conspired with Monterno to kill the Second Prince. Inferno stepping forward was out of the question.

The Emperor desperately looked around, but no one stepped forward. Even Tartenon remained still. As the Grand Duke of the North and a Sword Master, Tartenon could have easily resolved the situation, but he didn’t move. He just kept his eyes on the Emperor and Monterno, making the Emperor think he was biding his time.

Reubellina also made no effort to persuade Tartenon.

‘Considering all we’ve endured.’

It would have been strange for her to intervene. Reubellina avoided eye contact with the panicked Emperor and scanned the surroundings. She was still worried about her missing father. It was clear that the Emperor and the Crown Prince had conspired.

‘I hope Teryn handles it well.’

Reubellina had entrusted her father’s protection to Teryn. Protecting her father was more likely to yield better results than staying by Tartenon’s side. Though the lack of news made her anxious, she had to trust him.

“Your Majesty!”

“What are you doing, Crown Prince!”

‘Even in death, they call him Crown Prince.’

Judging by his actions, it seemed the Crown Prince’s arrogance wouldn’t last much longer.

Seeing the nobles shouting, Reubellina sneered. It was unlikely he would survive after trying to bargain with the Emperor’s life. Monterno knew this too, which is why he tried to avoid a prolonged confrontation.

“Clear the way!”

At Monterno’s shout, Tartenon stepped aside. The Emperor’s eyes, filled with betrayal, turned to him. Ignoring the gaze, Tartenon focused on protecting Reubellina.