Chapter 99

The perfect, almost arrogantly perfect image of the Crown Prince that had been seen until now had faded. Instead, the anxiety and impatience that had taken its place looked very unfamiliar to Duke Dinever. He was no longer the sole Crown Prince of the Empire, but a man who had lost his woman.

“If it’s because of Vivian, please don’t do it. It’s extremely dangerous for Your Highness to head to Palterno right now.”

“The fact that Marquis Cloak is in Palterno makes it even more necessary for me to go.”

Louis’s resolve was firm. Duke Dinever sent a look to Rayden, who was sitting next to Louis, to try and dissuade him. However, Rayden only shook his head quietly.

“If Your Highness…”

If the Crown Prince, who risked danger to save Vivian, were to come to harm, Duke Dinever didn’t even want to imagine it. Of course, he wasn’t without anger that his daughter was in a perilous situation, and that the reason was the Emperor and the Crown Prince. However, Duke Dinever was not only Vivian’s father but also had the duty to protect the Empire and the royal family as a Duke of the Tapeullon Empire.

He would definitely save his daughter. But the plan did not include the Crown Prince putting himself in danger. The Duke moved his lips to persuade him again.

“I no longer intend to try to become an Emperor like my father or to surpass him. I will become an Emperor in my own way. To do that, I must go to Palterno.”

The Duke had to close his open mouth. Although he was a noble of the Emperor’s faction, he didn’t support everything the Emperor did. The strong monarch’s back was sometimes dark and sometimes cruel. 

Watching Luideos Lindez Tapeullon, who resembled Emperor Henry, the Duke felt a bitter aftertaste. Seeing the Crown Prince declare he would walk a different path from his father, the Duke’s firmly set lips softened.

“In that case, I will accompany you.”

“D-Duke.”

Rayden was startled and looked at Louis. Louis, also surprised by the Duke’s words, glanced at Rayden briefly before turning to the Duke.

“What about Ian… If both you and his sister are absent, he will be very anxious…”

“I didn’t know you were so concerned about my son, Your Highness. He will be fine. He will leave for the estate with his nanny early tomorrow morning and wait there.”

The Duke, who had risen from his seat, went to the large desk, picked up a few sheets of paper, and handed them to Louis.

“Before heading to Palterno, there are a few things you should know.”

As Louis quickly scanned the documents handed to him, he looked up at the standing Duke.

“You knew about this?”

“I only had a vague idea why Marquis Cloak fell out with His Majesty the Emperor, and I neither wanted to know the exact reason nor had any reason to. But if Vivian is involved, the story changes.”

The documents given by the Duke contained a simple and concise account of the brief story between the Emperor and Marquis Cloak.

“Related to Concubine Violet…”

“Yes. The reason Marquis Cloak was able to accumulate his current wealth was because he was under the Emperor’s protection. It was Marquis Cloak who backed Concubine Violet, who was being ostracized. Therefore, it was inevitable that Marquis Cloak and His Majesty would become close.”

This was news to Louis. Listening to the Duke’s explanation, Louis returned his gaze to the papers and began to read them carefully again.

After the concubine fell ill, the relationship between Marquis Cloak and the Emperor visibly deteriorated, and shortly after the concubine’s death, their relationship collapsed.

In a way, it was natural. Supporting the despicable and self-serving Marquis Cloak was an embarrassment to the Emperor. It was something he did solely for Concubine Violet.

After Concubine Violet’s death, Marquis Cloak became a fallen star, and it was unlikely that the greedy Cloak would remain idle.

“In that case, is there a possibility that Aitor’s biological father’s death is related to this?”

“I once accidentally encountered a mage at the Imperial Palace. A mage in the Imperial family… I still vividly remember because it was so curious.”

The Duke, as if recalling an old memory, continued speaking while gazing into the air.

“He was quite an impressive person. The person who was with that mage was Marquis Cloak.”

The Duke’s words ended there. However, the thoughts that came to the minds of the three were the same.

They needed to find Marquis Cloak immediately.

The three exchanged glances and nodded with resolute expressions.

“Tomorrow, we will meet at the eastern side of the Emperor’s forest an hour earlier than scheduled.”

Louis, who stood up, wrapped himself in the cloak he had worn and spoke to the Duke.

“Five days. We have only five days to move without the Emperor’s knowledge. Within that time, I will find Cloak, uncover the truth, meet Aitor and Vivian, and resolve this matter.”

Louis, who had pulled his hat down deeply, headed for the office door. In the usually dark office of the Duke, it was difficult to recognize Louis’s face.

“Your Highness.”

As Rayden was about to grab the doorknob, Duke Dinever called out to Louis.

“If the Emperor is related to Aitor’s adoptive father’s death, what will you do? That friend will not forgive His Majesty, nor you, Your Highness.”

Louis slowly turned his body toward the Duke. Because of the deeply pressed hat, the Duke couldn’t see his expression.

“I will get an apology from His Majesty.”

Duke Dinever’s eyes widened slightly. 

Would the man with the strongest imperial power in the history of the Empire admit his past mistakes and bow his head?

The Duke wondered if the Crown Prince was attempting the most difficult task since his birth.

“I will make him sincerely apologize to Aitor. Whether Aitor accepts that apology or not is up to him. If Aitor… if he resents me, I will accept that resentment with all my being.”

At the sound of Louis’s voice, which was restrained and suppressed with sadness, Duke Dinever bowed his head.

“I will see you tomorrow, Your Highness.”

The two left the Duke’s office as quickly as they had come.

And the next day, unlike yesterday, on a night with a waning moon hanging forlornly, three people dressed in black and wearing cloaks with hoods pulled down deeply began to ride their horses swiftly across the eastern capital toward the gate to Palterno.

* * *

Having reached the gate to Palterno without rest, the three people found a quiet inn to rest until the gate opened.

After tying their horses in the stable, the three entered the inn, unintentionally drawing the attention of the people. As the three large men entered the small inn, it suddenly seemed full.

Taking a seat in a secluded corner, Rayden ordered something simple to eat.

The innkeeper, who brought food to the silent three, glanced at them with curious eyes.

“Are you folks heading to Palterno?”

Rayden, who had his arms crossed, raised his eyebrows as if asking why that mattered, prompting the innkeeper to wave his hands apologetically.

“I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that, given the situation these days, we haven’t had many guests… If I offended you, I apologize.”

After placing the food and drinks, the innkeeper quickly retreated. Watching the innkeeper hurriedly enter the kitchen, other patrons, who had been glancing at the three with curiosity, turned their heads away.

Despite the steaming, appetizing food in front of them, none of the three touched it, only sipping their drinks.

“Please eat. We still have a long way to go. To conserve strength, you must eat well and rest when you can.”

At the Duke’s words, Louis nodded and picked up a spoon. As the Duke watched Louis slowly put food into his mouth, he focused on Louis’s injured arm.

“Is your arm alright? I heard it was quite a severe injury.”

“It’s fine.”

At the concise answer, suspicion lingered in Duke Dinever’s eyes. It had only been five days since he woke up. In times when a healing mage was hard to find, it was unlikely his wound had healed so easily.

“Don’t overdo it. If Vivian finds out later, you’ll be in for a lot of nagging.”

At the Duke’s words, Louis’s slightly exposed lips relaxed. After that, the three ate in silence. Even after the simple meal ended, with time left before the gate opened, the three sat with cups of tea in front of them, each lost in thought.

“As soon as we arrive in Palterno, we will contact our people to assess the situation. Rayden will pursue Cloak, and Duke Tereon, you and I will search for Aitor.”

At Louis’s small voice, while he silently looked out at the quiet street, Rayden and Duke Tereon Dinever nodded.

Just then, the inn door burst open noisily, and drunken people entered.

The rowdy group, laughing boisterously and spitting as they talked, pointed at the three large men seated in one corner and shouted at the innkeeper.

“Hey! We want to sit there!”

The innkeeper, looking troubled, bowed his head to the man who seemed to be the leader of the group.

“If you sit elsewhere, I’ll serve you some special drinks today! So please, sit somewhere else…”

“What? Looks like you want to stop doing business here?”

“N-no, that’s not…”

As the commotion grew, Rayden stood up from his seat.

“I’ll be right back.”

When Rayden stood up and approached them, the group causing the disturbance hesitated and stepped back, intimidated by his larger presence.

When Rayden said something, the leader of the group, whose face turned red and purple, stood on his tiptoes to grab Rayden’s collar.

Rayden grabbed the leader’s wrists with one hand and dragged him out of the inn. As the leader was dragged away, the rest of the group, who had been blinking in confusion, followed Rayden out.

In the now-quiet inn, only the innkeeper, Louis, and the Duke remained, frozen with their jaws dropped.

“Thank you.”

Louis, who had been looking out, turned his head to the Duke. Due to the deeply pressed hat, his expression was not visible.

“Do you remember what I asked you before?”

Louis let out a small laugh and took off his deeply pressed hat.

“How could I forget? You, who are stiff even with His Majesty, bowed your head and asked me.”

“Thank you for keeping that promise. I wanted to say this.”

“I don’t know if I deserve your thanks. Because of me, Vivian has been put in constant danger. She has gone through things she didn’t have to because of me.”

A smile mixed with sadness and pain lingered on Louis’s lips. As Louis threw his gaze back out the window, the cheap candlelight of the inn flickered across his face.

“Do you love Vivian?”

The flimsy glass window of the inn shook precariously in the capricious spring wind. Through that window, Louis’s face was reflected.

“I need to give that answer to Vivian first. So, I can’t answer you today.”

The Duke, seemingly satisfied with Louis’s answer, bowed his head in a smile and nodded.