The Unemployed Prince Covets My Nephew - Chapter 41
Theo looked at Axel’s face and smiled brightly, looking very happy. Eventually, Axel couldn’t help but smile back.
Theo returned to his seat next to Hailey and put his precious grape-flavored candy in his mouth.
Watching both Hailey and Axel with candy in their mouths, Theo clasped his hands together.
‘I’m so happy!’
Sharing his favorite thing with his favorite people felt like a dream.
“Your Highness. Princess Consort.”
After their leisurely boat ride, the three returned to their starting point.
As soon as they disembarked, the king’s attendant, who had been waiting, approached Axel and Hailey with a stern face.
“What’s the matter?”
Axel spoke coldly. The attendant hesitated for a moment, looking at Hailey before speaking.
Hailey had a bad feeling. She quickly covered Theo’s ears with her hands.
“Is it news about Marianne?”
“…Yes. We just received word that she was found dead in her cell.”
Hailey hadn’t seen Marianne since the trial.
If the baron couple were humans who had seen the end of their greed, Marianne was a bit different. Marianne’s coldness was something Hailey could never understand, even if she were reborn.
‘In the end, you never had Theo.’
Theo never called his biological mother ‘Mom,’ and now he never would.
“Someone requested a visit, but since she was a first-class criminal, the visit was not allowed, so they asked to deliver a letter. The guard, thinking a letter would be fine, delivered it. But shortly after delivering the letter, feeling something was off, he checked and found her dead.”
“Were there any signs of burning inside the cell?”
“…The letter that was delivered was found burnt. The palace mages suspect dark magic, but nothing is certain. It happened so quickly.”
Axel, seemingly having an idea, didn’t ask further.
Marianne had taken off her guard uniform, tied it like a rope to the old bed bars, and hanged herself. Beside her was the burnt letter, its contents unreadable.
“They’ve cut off all his limbs. How is the Duke of Brahe doing?”
“The Duke of Brahe is under house arrest at his mansion, but with the death of the baron’s daughter, there’s no one left to testify against him, so he’s likely to be released soon.”
“Damn it.”
Axel lost his composure and punched the wall with a bang at Khalid’s words, startling Hailey.
It was unknown if Marianne had anything to testify about the Duke of Brahe. She was the only surviving related person and was under special surveillance, essentially being ‘protected’ in prison.
But now that she was dead, it was no longer possible to accuse the Duke of Brahe of treason.
Of course, that wasn’t all. Hailey cautiously asked.
“Did she say anything about Theo’s biological father until the end?”
“No. She kept her mouth shut until the end.”
“Who was the last person who requested a visit?”
“They said it was a friend from her days at the academy. The person was wearing a cloak, so their face wasn’t clear, but it was a man, and his manner of speaking was a bit strange.”
“He’s not from Zenovia. Must be a Vasan.”
“Shall I send someone to track him?”
“It’s too late. They’re experts at erasing traces. This matter ends here. What is His Majesty doing?”
“If there’s no response from Vasa by today, it looks like he will officially announce the severing of ties with Vasa tomorrow.”
Axel didn’t expect to catch the tail so easily in one go.
Still, they had gained a definite reason to sever ties with Vasa, and while it wasn’t enough to convict the Duke of Brahe, it played a significant role in weakening his power.
Once the house arrest was lifted, the Duke of Brahe would flee to his duchy, and the noble faction’s power would weaken.
The remaining tasks were for the king and Princess Anais. Axel had no more business here.
“Wrap it up. Tell Eligos to prepare to leave.”
Realistically, it was impossible for the Eligos Knights to continue their legacy without Axel in the royal family.
The king agreed, so he allowed Axel to take the knights as his private soldiers outside the royal family. In a way, it was the only asset the prince was taking from the royal family.
“When should we set sail?”
“As soon as possible.”
From the beginning, Axel only planned to stay until the baron couple’s end. He didn’t have high hopes of catching the Duke of Brahe.
Axel looked at Hailey.
“I’ve sent people to find Theo’s biological father, so don’t worry too much. We can get an answer in Winchester. Is there any reason you need to stay here longer?”
“No. I have no more attachments here.”
“Then let’s go. To Winchester.”
One year in Winchester.
Finally, the hourglass for the three was turned over.
* * *
Axel didn’t delay at all. He signed the final document relinquishing his status as a prince and transferred all authority to Anais.
Hence, Hailey and Theo automatically lost their statuses as princess consort and royal grandson.
It was a short-term contract position anyway, and they had no desire for it, so there were no regrets.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We plan to depart at dawn after midnight.”
“So soon?”
The king’s voice carried a hint of regret at Khalid’s reply.
As the King of Zenovia, he couldn’t leave the capital until transferring power to Anais.
If Axel inherited the Grand Duchy of Winchester, he wouldn’t be able to leave Winchester either. All previous Winchesters had done so, and Axel would be no exception.
It might be the last time they see each other for a very long time.
“Even if you leave so quickly, that old man won’t welcome you with open arms.”
“What’s the point of staying here? I might as well leave early. Staying here doesn’t help Anais at all.”
Hailey, with words like ‘That’s not what you meant!’ rising to her throat, wanted to give Axel a good smack on the back.
Only Axel seemed unaware of the king’s lonely eyes filled with regret. Hailey shook her head internally.
For a moment, there had been the sound of a child’s laughter, running around, and unexpected incidents happening. With those three key figures leaving at the same time, the remaining people’s loneliness would be indescribable.
The Queen and Anais also looked sad and lonely.
“I have something to tell you. Please dismiss the people.”
At Axel’s words, the king dismissed all attendants except for Khalid.
“There is something I haven’t told you about the death of Sir Henrick Brahe. Khalid.”
Henrick Brahe, the eldest son of Duke Brahe and the head of the Eligos Knight Order, had been Axel’s squire and close friend along with Khalid.
He had wanted to walk a different path from his father, and despite the intense opposition, he had joined the Eligos Knight Order instead of the Royal Knight Order, training and sparring with commoners, and rising to the position of head purely based on his skills.
He was Axel’s strongest supporter, along with Khalid.
He had fought in every battle with Axel but was killed in the last battle. The case was closed as the perpetrator committed suicide at the scene. That was more than half a year ago.
Khalid adjusted his glasses and carefully spoke to the king.
“We found a body in Vasa, presumed to be that of Viscount Lore.”
“Are you sure?”
“The body was burned, making identification difficult.”
“Then why do you assume it is Viscount Lore?”
“I heard that the viscount’s newborn granddaughter went missing. Although the viscount’s family is keeping silent about what happened, there was a newborn’s body found alongside the viscount’s. We are confident it is Viscount Lore and his granddaughter, but it is not something to announce publicly.”
“So what does this have to do with the late Sir Brahe?”
At the mention of a burned newborn’s body, Anais closed her eyes tightly, and the queen let out a long sigh.
Khalid stepped back, and Axel stepped forward.
“Henrick Brahe was also found burned at the time.”
“You’re telling me this now?!”
“If I had told you then, the case would have escalated.”
It was Axel who had ordered the Eligos Knight Order to keep it a secret.
“What about the body handed over to Duke Brahe?”
“It was war. There were plenty of bodies. We reported that the body was severely damaged and handed over a body with a similar build. We buried Sir Brahe’s real body honorably.”
“Do you realize how blasphemous it is to switch bodies? Do you know how much of a sin that is?”
“I don’t believe in gods. I’ll take any punishment.”