Epilogue (Part 5)

“I’ll kill all the vipers in the palace.”

Philip held his breath at Cloud’s words. The vipers Cloud referred to meant the princes and princesses, his half-siblings.

“First, I found and killed Zaran.”

“Prince Zaran? You found him?”

“Zaran’s death hasn’t been announced yet.”

Cloud clenched his fist. With a family supporting him and followers, if Cloud disappeared, Zaran had a high chance of becoming Crown Prince.

“Your Highness, do you plan to kill them all?”

“I plan to spare Seria, my loyal hound, and Ophelia if she pledges loyalty to me; otherwise, I’ll kill everyone else.”

“It could be dangerous.”

“The danger is for the knights fighting on the battlefield now.”

Philip sat opposite Cloud.

For Philip, who had experienced countless horrors in the war and was utterly exhausted, Cloud’s words were sweet comfort like a piece of candy.

“Before my mother passed away, my father took a woman with golden hair and eyes, as beautiful as Lady Loengrin, as a concubine. And the day after the first night, he killed her.”

Philip clenched his fist. It was a fact he knew.

“No matter how I think about it, my father seems to have killed the woman who entered as a concubine. But it’s not the first time. It’s already the fifth death. All the dead concubines were adopted by the Fedeurus family and sent to my father. Isn’t it too disgusting? All the nobles and knights in this Empire are risking their lives to protect the country… I can’t stand it because it’s too disgusting.”

Philip held his forehead.

He had remained silent about the countless deaths of knights and soldiers who were someone’s father, friend, lover, and husband during the war.

“Do you plan to ignore and remain still about the lives that can be saved in the future? Duke, if you wait for the Emperor’s death, it’s futile.”

“Your Highness.”

“Even at this moment of waiting, the lives that can be saved are continuously dying. I’ll save precious lives somehow. No, I want to save them! If I had made up my mind earlier, my mother wouldn’t have died. It’s because I hesitated that it came to this.”

For a brief moment, Philip felt a deep sorrow from Cloud’s words that made him want to cry.

“In the future, history might point fingers at me as a tyrant who usurped the throne.”

Bang!

“I won’t hesitate any longer.”

Cloud slammed his palm on the table as he spoke.

“I don’t care what history says about me! Even if history calls me a tyrant and gives me a vicious nickname, if it’s to protect the present of the Sirius Empire, I’m ready to become a tyrant. Whether to join me or not is up to you, Duke. By the way, Grand Duke Florence and his wife have decided to join me.”

Breaking the tense atmosphere, the tent door opened, and Anthus entered.

“Your Highness, Lady Monica has arrived.”

Cloud, smiling at the mention of Monica, stood up and looked down at Philip as he spoke.

“A knight’s spirit alone can’t save the Empire from crisis. In the face of the Empire’s disappearance, what is truly needed? Isn’t it the name Sirius to which you pledged your loyalty?”

Cloud’s words continued.

“I’ll become Emperor. And I’ll end this tiresome war. I won’t hesitate any longer.”

Philip also knew the answer. In the current situation, Cloud was the correct answer.

“Understood. Please give me a day to organize my thoughts.”

With those words, Cloud opened the tent door and left, saying,

“Thank you always, Duke Rockbellion.”

Anthus approached Philip, whose face was twisted with anguish, and spoke.

“If it were me, I would. It seems like a good deal to save the Empire and owe a debt to the future Emperor, Father.”

“You speak lightly.”

“I’m thinking of helping Crown Prince Cloud.”

Philip raised his eyebrows and looked at Anthus.

“Did you know that Emperor Rezeph plans to take Lady Loengrin as a concubine?”

“Yes, I knew. He said he would take Lady Loengrin as a concubine after breaking off the engagement with the Fedeurus family in a few years.”

“Then let me ask you one question. Was Lady Loengrin originally my fiancée?”

“Yes, that’s right. Emperor Rezeph stepped in before you got engaged.”

“Then I must restore things to their rightful place, Father.”

“What do you mean, Yan?”

“I mean to reclaim the position of Lady Loengrin’s original fiancé.”

Philip was so surprised by Anthus’s words that his mouth hung open.

“Surely, Anthus…”

“I should go see the Young Lady since I’m injured.”

Anthus gave Philip a sweet smile without saying anything more.

“I’m telling you so you won’t worry, but I got injured on purpose. It’s the only way I can see Lady Loengrin’s face even once.”

Leaving Philip, who couldn’t close his mouth, Anthus looked at his injured wrist and smiled leisurely. Then he headed toward the treatment tent where Yuliana was.

“Lady Loengrin.”

“Hello, Young Master Rockbellion. You’re injured again.”

“I got hurt while practicing swordsmanship.”

Yuliana summoned Undine to heal the back of Anthus’s hand.

“Goodbye.”

Normally, Anthus would get up and leave after saying goodbye, but today he didn’t stand from his chair.

“What’s the matter?”

“I won’t be here for a while.”

“Alright.”

“Take care, Lady Loengrin.”

“Be careful and always take care, Young Master Rockbellion.”

Anthus smiled. Yuliana also smiled back at him.

He would help Cloud kill all the vipers in the palace. To do that, he had to leave the battlefield for a while. He would miss Yuliana, but he planned to endure by remembering the smile she just gave him.

The Grand Duke and Duchess of Florence, Duke Rockbellion, and others supported and followed Cloud. They were all tired of Rezeph’s tyranny. Cloud purged all the princes, princesses, and concubines in the palace.

Naturally, there were many sacrifices. But Cloud did not stop. He knew that stopping would render the sacrifices meaningless.

He had to make only cold judgments. Under Cloud’s command, Rezeph’s palace fell in an instant.

Rezeph’s life was taken by Anthus as he wished. No one criticized Cloud for killing all his kin and taking the throne. Instead, people rejoiced at Rezeph’s death. They laughed happily for the first time in a long time, hopeful for the new Emperor.

Cloud postponed the coronation ceremony and began to take care of state affairs. Advisors eagerly helped Cloud. Seeing Cloud handle the mountain of paperwork, Anthus asked,

“Do you plan to leave the Fedeurus family alone?”

“Useful witnesses are dead, and the Fedeurus family cut ties to save themselves.”

Cloud sighed heavily.

“I underestimated the Fedeurus family.”

“I wanted to sweep them away with Emperor Rezeph, but it’s a pity.”

Anthus planned to eliminate the Fedeurus family. That would naturally lead to Yuliana’s engagement being broken.

But a variable arose, and he failed. The Fedeurus family shifted all their corruption and wrongdoing to others to escape.

Anthus’s pride was hurt when his plan went awry. But Yuliana’s broken engagement was more important than pride.

“Soon, the Fedeurus family will send a document to break off the engagement with the Loengrin family. They should.”

“As I said before, I can’t guarantee that.”

“I remember. If they don’t break it off, I’ll do my best to bring down the Fedeurus family.”

Even as time passed, there was no news of Yuliana’s broken engagement.

Cloud couldn’t hide his discomfort either. Anthus, feeling distressed, spat blood.

On the day of Cloud’s delayed coronation, after seeing Yuliana escorted by Beonar, Anthus couldn’t sleep properly. It felt like a huge nail was being driven into his chest. He wanted to see Yuliana’s face smiling at him again. He couldn’t give up.

“I’ve decided to inherit the title of Duke.”

“Congratulations.”

“I’ve come to you with one request, Your Majesty.”

“Speak.”

“Please send Lady Loengrin to the place I’ve requested without delay. I would also like to go with her.”

Cloud stopped his busy hands at Anthus’s words.

“Going on an expedition? That won’t undo the engagement between the Fedeurus family and the Loengrin family. I’m curious about your thoughts.”

Cloud continued, raising his eyebrows playfully.

“It’s to protect her.”

<The blood of a spirit summoner with the blood of a saint is an elixir!>

Anthus tightly closed his eyes at Rezeph’s nightmarish words that resurfaced. The more he learned about the truths he didn’t want to know, the more miserable he felt.

Rezeph’s goal was Yuliana’s blood. To drink it.

“And to completely bring down the Fedeurus family, I need time.”

The Fedeurus family highly valued Yuliana’s blood. They must be thoroughly destroyed.

“Lady Yuliana must go on an expedition with me so she can’t even approach the Fedeurus estate.”

Cloud nodded, listening intently to Anthus.

“Do you think that will lead to a breakup, Yan?”

“There will be a breakup.”

“You seem sure of it.”

“I don’t play losing chess. Just as I helped you because I saw a definite checkmate, Your Majesty.”

“Yan, are you saying you wouldn’t have helped if you thought I would lose?”

“Why ask something so obvious?”

Cloud shook his head.

“If you send her to the place I want, I’ll present the Fedeurus family to you as a gift, Your Majesty.”

“Didn’t you say you’d destroy them?”

“The moment they fall, the Fedeurus family will become completely loyal to the Emperor.”

“You must have a good plan.”

“Of course.”

“Alright, Yan. I’ll issue an imperial order for Lady Yuliana to go on an expedition as you wish.”

Anthus unfolded a neatly folded paper from his pocket and handed it to Cloud.

“Recently, there have been many goblins and orc groups appearing in that village. I’ll go on an expedition with her to exterminate the monsters.”

Cloud raised the corners of his mouth.

“Can I look forward to it, Yan?”

“They say the more you expect, the more disappointed you are, but I’ll make you as excited as you expect, Your Majesty.”

“But I’m a little worried.”

Cloud looked at Anthus with concern.

“Because of what’s happening, Lady Yuliana might get hurt.”

“You can’t grow without getting hurt.”

To eliminate Rezeph, great sacrifices were made, and he was injured.

Anthus spoke to Cloud with one corner of his mouth lifted. He would shower Yuliana with love and embrace her, leaving no room for her to be hurt.

He had no intention of letting her go. Without showing his dirty side, he would surround her with beautiful things and make her always smile.