Chapter 137
***
"The Duke is very funny."
Raha spoke up.
"What if you put Winston's sigil on the letter as a warning?"
“We were just preparing for every eventuality. Princess."
"What if I didn't recognize it."
"I know you would."
A laugh that sounded like a sigh escaped Raha. Duke Esther asked slowly.
"How did you interpret everything in the letter? It was deliberately unkind."
"I know."
The truth was, she struggled with the interpretation. If Laha had been any dumber, she would have gone to Duke Esther and asked.
No, if she was that stupid, she would have gone to....... Or she wouldn't have found the letter hidden by Duke Esther.
Duke Esther looked at Raha's waving blue hair and asked.
"How exactly did you guess the date? I thought you might have mistaken it for the night of the national wedding."
"Then you would have written early in the day, for there is no reason to write ‘night’."
Raha sighed at the offhand remark.
She could feel the poison seeping beneath her skin, slowly paralyzing her muscles, and her words came out stiff. But she couldn’t deny that it was easier this way.
"I don't see why anyone would want young lady Jamela to get involved."
"Yes."
It wasn't an emotional issue, because there was nothing to be gained by involving Jamela. If anything, Karzen could use Jamela's friendship with Raha to hold her hostage.
Raha had no intention of pretending to be Duke Winston, nor could she afford to.
She glanced up at the darkening sky once more.
-National wedding, Queen, night, Holy Land, stars.
On the night before the National Wedding, a great ceremony would be held, and the Holy Land would participate, and the Queen of Hildes would help.
She was surprised to see the Holy Land team up with Duke Esther, but....... But it made sense, so there's that.
However, Raha was also concerned about one thing. Everything else was interpreted successfully.
"What does the star mean? I thought you wrote it at the end, but it's not supposed to be visible."
"Yes. As long as it goes off without a hitch, you can forget about the star."
"Okay."
Raha asked no more, her gaze fixed on the paladins, who were moving in unison.
"I didn't realize Duke Esther was so connected to the Holy land."
"It's an old oath."
"An oath. Did you feel compelled to keep it?"
"Esther has always been taught to put public affairs above private."
"I don't blame you, Duke."
"...."
"I'm just sorry that I'm the Duke's official business."
Duke Esther had no answer.
Neither did Raha, nor did she expect an answer.
"By definition, Esther is connected to the Holy Land. We also have a deep relationship with wise men. The first Duke Esther was even carved with wise men on the clock tower street...”
"That sculpture is not of Esther."
"....?"
Raha looked back at Duke Esther. Duke Esther had said something strange, but his expression was unchanged from his usual one.
Raha looked away as well.
The air was filled with shouts, pungent odors, and the smell of blood. They had been riding for some time when a paladin came galloping up. Duke Esther yanked on the reins, bringing the horse to a halt.
"What's going on?"
"We failed to secure the Second Prince's recruits, and we're in pursuit."
Raha's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"Even though you sent someone there first?"
"Yes. I checked, and he snuck off to the Second Empress's residence a few hours ago, claiming he wasn't feeling well."
"My, my, my, how my step mother is so clever."
Raha sneered.
Why would she choose to plot treason during the national wedding?
This was the day when all royalty could legitimately ascend to the palace.
Of course, to Raha, the other royalty meant nothing.
After all, they were mere mana, unable to inherit the Eye of the heir. No harm could come to Raha.
Only the second prince was different. He was useful. He was the second Empress's biological son, and they had failed to secure him.
"That's a problem."
***
"What's all the fuss about?"
The former Emperor suddenly felt an uneasy feeling as the Star Palace was under siege. He was the Emperor of the Delo Empire, though he had only now lost one leg and was completely retired.
"What kind of lowly bastard dares to oppress me?"
The knights of the Star Palace had already finished arming themselves. There was a somber atmosphere emanating from them.
Unlike the frightened servants, he was not afraid at all. He had nothing to fear.
He was the man who had inherited the Eye of the heir.
No one dared to hurt him, not even Raha Delharsa.....
"Raha Delharsa?"
"..."
"Is that the wench, the damned thing that did this!"
"Your Majesty. Please calm down. You can't be sure, and besides, why would the princess do that? She's very fragile, you know that."
Once the second Empress had soothed him, the Emperor could barely catch his breath.
"The royal lord of Hildes?"
"...."
"He may have manipulated Raha to fulfill his ambitions."
The Emperor's knights, drawn from the ranks of the Ancestral Guard, were impregnable. No matter how many troops the traitors outside had raised, they would have to spill that much blood to break into the Star Palace and take the Emperor prisoner.
That was, if the gates of the Star Palace were completely closed.
***
Raha looked at the high walls of the Star Palace. If not a fortress, it was certainly more protective than the other palaces.
If they didn't open the gates from the inside, they'd be able to hold out for a long time.
She stared at the walls of the Star Palace with her usual cold, unconcerned eyes.
Soon she smirked.
"You're betraying me too fully, Mother."
"...."
Raha looked at the Second Empress before her.
She was perfect, as always. Skin that defied age. Flawless makeup.
An elegant dress befitting her position as the Emperor's consort. Pearls on her heels and gloves that matched the color of her dress. Nothing was out of place.
Even at this late hour.
"Bring back the second prince. Raha."
"You're talking about that again."
Raha was stunned by the Second Empress's plea.
The other day, when she had come to the Princess’s palace unannounced, how bizarre had it been?
Even then, the Second Empress had only one request.
"Spare my son, Raha."
On the one hand, Raha admired the Second Empress. In fact, even if it hadn't been Raha, Karzen would have killed the Emperor any day. He never said it out loud, but he was a cruel man by nature, and not one to let things that bothered him live long.
If he and Jamela had children, he would have had the Second empress and all the other plain-eyed imperials put to death within a few years.
"There's no way Karzen could have been so insane as to tell mother all of his plans. You have good instincts, after being by the side of my father for so long."
Raha said cynically, then shifted her gaze.
The gates of the star palace were already open.
It was a closed side door that she hadn't even realized existed, but it didn't matter. It didn't matter if the gate was closed or open, as long as the knights could get in.
Raha corrected her impression of the Second Empress.
She was nothing more than a poor, trembling noblewoman. Her hair was a little disheveled from sneaking out of the palace. Her once beautiful eyes were bloodshot with uncertainty and fear about her choice.
"Since you opened the door, I'll spare you mother, and I'll guarantee your old age, but not the second prince."
The Second Prince was of no use to her now, but keeping him alive in the future was a different matter. On the one hand.......
On the other hand, she thought it was very sincere. Even in the past, the Second Empress would easily lose it whenever the Second Prince was mentioned.
What a lovely child.
Looking at Raha’s cold face, the Second Empress's shoulders shook. She clung to her legs.
“There is one more thing I can tell you. Please listen to it and save my son.”
****
"What the hell do you mean the door is open!"
"Your Majesty, you must avoid it!"
"How dare some bastard betray......!"
The former Emperor roared. The knight picked up the emperor and began to swiftly make his way down the escape route.
Of course, the physical impact was of little use to the former emperor. But there was nothing good about being a prisoner.
"Go to the patronage of the insignia. It is the safest place for me now."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
There had never been a treason of this magnitude in the history of the Delo Empire. It was only natural. He had the Eyes of the heir.
The former Emperor gritted his teeth.
Not only had he been dethroned, but he was now being hunted down by rebels. It was unbearable. Why had it come to this? In the first place, all Karzen had to do was take on the heir's eyes.
Raha Delharsa, that bitch.......
She should never have been princess in the first place.
Royal lineage, but stunning beauty. That was the one thing all the Princesses of the Delharsa family had in common.
Being Emperor of Delo was a position where one did not need to think of the Empress's family, much less whisper love.
Monarchs of one nation were arrogant.
The Emperor of the Delo Empire was something else entirely. He was uniquely perfect.
The eye of the gods. The highest position on the continent. If you know how difficult it is for the arrogant to fall in love, you can easily see that the chances of the Emperor of Delo falling in love with someone are as slim as the odds of the heavens and the earth overlapping.
Therefore, the former Emperor never loved the late Empress. He was only fond of her at first, so he led her into an illusion.
She thought of herself as an empress who shared her heart with the monarch. It was ridiculous.
***
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