“Fine. I didn’t come here to boast, so I’ll keep my mouth shut. There was no need for long-winded talk in the first place.”

The Marquis ran his fingertip over the rusted t*rture instruments before picking up the sharpest chisel.

“I came to stamp out the embers. Once I cut off the Rekton family line with my own hands, Leytan will truly be the only one with imperial blood.”

Just as the chisel was about to strike Hesion, Leytan appeared, opening the heavy wooden door.

The Marquis hastily concealed the tool while Hesion offered a low sneer.

In the dark t*rture chamber, his laughter echoed coldly.

The Marquis patted Leytan’s shoulder as he departed, and Leytan approached the laughing prisoner.

“I didn’t expect you to maintain your humor in such a bleak situation.”

“Are you upset that you couldn’t take away my laughter as well, Your Majesty?”

Hesion tilted his head to look up at him.

As he laughed until the wound at the corner of his mouth split open, Leytan’s expression hardened.

He sighed, visibly containing his anger, and surveyed the chamber.

The place itself, with its mixture of blood and putrid stench, made one’s brow furrow involuntarily.

Leytan covered his nose with a handkerchief and looked down at his prisoner.

“I heard that Vieta gave you some advice.”

At the word ‘advice,’ Hesion frowned.

The woman who loved Leytan enough to k*ll her family had given him advice?

Nonsense.

That woman—he had heard from guards that she tried to poison Esta out of blind jealousy.

Had she truly advised him, he wouldn’t be in this cesspool of a t*rture chamber, nor would his family lie massacred.

Hesion sneered and muttered lowly.

“……Don’t talk b*llshit.”

“Are you perhaps trying to protect her?”

“What protection—”

Before Hesion could finish his sentence, Leytan’s fist flew at him.

With both arms tied and unable to maintain balance, Hesion fell to the floor without resistance.

“I heard everything. That Vieta gave you advice the day she visited your family’s garden.”

Leytan picked up a whip from the table while shaking his stinging hand.

“I heard she even told you about the spy planted in your household and advised you to flee to the Kingdom.”

Hesion recalled what Vieta had said to him.

Who would have thought her solitary rambling about butterflies and question about leaving the country would be transformed into advice?

If that had been genuine, he should rightfully be in the Kingdom now, not in the underground prison of Amlmu.

He laughed scornfully until his face split.

He thought perhaps he could take one last revenge on Vieta, who had put his parents in danger.

‘Let’s see how it feels to die at the hands of the one you love.’

He also included revenge against Leytan, who had taken Esta from him.

Hesion stared at him with a bright smile.

“Ah, now I remember. I did receive very precious advice. Along with a kiss so regrettable that I forgot the advice.”

At his answer, Leytan gritted his teeth and swung the whip without hesitation.

All the marks left on Hesion’s upper body were made by Leytan.

※※※

Having finished his reminiscence, Hesion picked up his pen again and numbered his list.

[1. Remove the spy in the Rekton household.

2. Bring down the Marquis first.
3. Become Emperor.]

He neatly folded the last piece of paper, put it in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed it.

※※※

After that day, Hesion’s routine was simple.

While constantly monitoring the presence of the spy in the Rekton household, he burned all the letters sent by nobles who were allies of the Marquis.

Since his father lacked ruthlessness, it was his turn to step up.

The letters he burned were all either invitations to their families or expressions of desire to visit the Rekton household.

Nobles who hadn’t received replies from the Grand Duke for days eventually gave up on their own, and although there were occasionally persistent nobles who demanded meetings, those letters were also burned.

As he was holding onto the misguided past, Duke Lukbiche visited the grand ducal residence.

Hesion felt renewed amazement seeing the Duke, who had met a miserable end due to his daughter’s betrayal, walking in on his own feet.

The moment he faced the Duke beside his father, he recalled the hatred he had forgotten over time.

‘Vieta Lukbiche.’

Her black hair and blue eyes closely resembled the Duke’s.

“It’s been a long time, Ross.”

“I pay my respects to Your Grace the Grand Duke.”

After shaking hands with the Grand Duke, Duke Lukbiche lowered his gaze and met Hesion’s eyes.

Meeting eyes that resembled a sunlit lake, Hesion felt as if he were facing someone else who had the same lake-like eyes.

When they had reunited in prison, everything about Vieta had been unsightly, but her eyes alone had shone clearly.

Before the Duke could speak, Hesion greeted him first.

“I pay my respects to you, Duke.”

Seeing this, Duke Lukbiche showed a brief smile before ascending the stairs with the Grand Duke.

As he watched the Duke’s retreating figure, Hesion recalled one fact he had overlooked and his expression hardened.

The fact that the death of the Duke, who had opposed the succession of the illegitimate Leytan to the imperial throne more than anyone else, had originated from Vieta.

To prevent Leytan from becoming Emperor, the Lukbiche ducal family should not have fallen.

Even if he removed the traitors in the Rekton household, it would have no effect on the Duke’s death.

He now realized that he should have dealt with the root of evil first.

Thinking that Vieta, that woman, would eventually go mad with love and help Leytan bring about his death, Hesion furrowed his brow and let out a deep sigh.

“The tasks truly never end.”

※※※

As soon as the Duke entered the Grand Duke’s office and took a seat, he brought up the topic of Hesion.

“It seems like just yesterday when he was crying in Your Grace’s arms. He’s already grown up.”

The Grand Duke smiled at the Duke’s words.

“These days he tries to appear dignified, but to my eyes, he still looks like a baby.”

They laughed meaninglessly and asked after each other’s well-being.

“Well then, please convey my regards to your wife. Tell her I’ll attend the upcoming formal dinner.”

“Thank you for your consideration toward my wife as well, Your Grace.”

As their casual greetings were coming to an end, a servant entered, placed tea and madeleines, and disappeared.

Looking at the lightly brewed tea, the Duke hesitated briefly before speaking.

“Have you heard the news that His Majesty the Emperor has been coughing up blood?”

At Ross’s words, the Grand Duke put down the teacup he had picked up.

“……I don’t know why such rumors are circulating. My brother is in good health.”

After finishing his words, the Grand Duke showed a harmless smile as if to prove that his words were true.

The Duke, who had been silently observing, marveled at how the Grand Duke’s lies had increased.

If he hadn’t planted someone in the imperial palace in advance, it would have been a smile convincing enough to be completely deceived.

He recalled the report that the amount of blood the Emperor was coughing up had been increasing recently.

Then, pretending to be fooled by the Grand Duke’s act, he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.

“Haha. It seems it was my needless worry. The Emperor’s disease is quite rare, isn’t it? Without any cure. Perhaps that’s why such rumors are circulating.”

“If anyone spreads such rumors in the future, please correct them on my behalf. His Majesty is still in good health.”

“Don’t worry. However, besides that matter, there are other rumors about the imperial family circulating, which puts me in a difficult position.”

The Grand Duke sighed deeply as if he had anticipated what the Duke was about to say.

“Is it about Prince Leytan?”

At the Grand Duke’s question, the Duke pounced like a fish seeing bait.

He actively adjusted his posture and looked at the Grand Duke with gravity.

“Though he is called a prince, he hasn’t even been registered in the imperial family’s registry yet. This is a matter that concerns the rise and fall of the Empire. If His Majesty were to depart suddenly, the Empire would become good prey for neighboring countries.”

“You need not worry about such matters. If Leytan’s position remains stable, the Empire will not waver.”

“Frankly speaking, Prince Leytan’s bloodline is unclear, isn’t it?”

“Ross.”

The Grand Duke firmly called Duke Lukbiche’s name as if telling him to stop.

“He is an illegitimate child. Moreover, his mother, Miss Cynthia, was previously a mistress to nobles.”

“I don’t wish to discuss this any further. Didn’t His Majesty the Emperor eventually acknowledge Leytan as a prince? He will soon be registered in the family registry. Please stop doubting his bloodline now.”

Ross felt frustrated by the Grand Duke’s straightforward attitude.

‘Is he being leisurely? Or does he truly have no ambition? I can’t figure out his true intentions at all.’