Chapter 139
***
This was not the face that Karzen and the nobles of Delo remembered as the face of the royal lord the entire time.
It didn't make sense. The man was clearly dressed in his clothing, and his physical build was similar. His eyes were the same, fierce as a beast.
Karzen's gaze traveled downward, stopping at the hilt of the man's sword. A blue ornamental tassel that was quite the topic of conversation among the nobility. Karzen was well aware of it, of course. As soon as he saw it, he recognized the gemstone from the bracelet Raha often wore.
So, that face is.......
A faint memory gradually became clearer, like a brush stroke. He heard someone with an unusually good memory mutter, "it’s the Princess’s doll back then......." in a low voice.
"No way."
Karzen laughed slowly. How far had Raha Delharsa gone in mocking him?
"Was that bedroom doll the royal lord?"
***
"Get out of the way."
"Your Majesty. I apologize."
"I said get out of the way."
"......This place is off-limits to everyone without a direct order from the Emperor."
As soon as the former Emperor exited the Star Palace, he headed for the patronage hall where the insignia was located. But he was unable to enter. The knights guarding it blocked his way. There was an uproar in the main palace right now! Or maybe they knew and were guarding it more strictly.
The former Emperor glared at him coldly.
"Ahhh!"
The knight in front of the former emperor instantly vomited blood and collapsed in a blink of an eye. The blood battle broke out, but it was the knights guarding the patronage that had died.
"Half of you take cover. Have them join the guards, and the rest of you change into their clothes."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The former Emperor strode into the court for the first time in a long time.
It had been years. The last time he remembered coming in was just before he was crowned.
A beautiful light show.
The divine glow that welcomed the eye of the heir was so beautiful that it moved even the stoic man.......
It was strange. It was not as he remembered. The clusters of light did not come to him.
They were just pulsing in the air.
"What the......."
A preconceived sense of unease disturbed his breathing.
"Go inside. Hurry!"
The knight carrying the former emperor walked quickly. It was dark all around them. The clusters of light were flying around uncontrollably, failing to provide any illumination at all. The knights rode across the field in a daze. But the former Emperor was different; he had the eyes of the heavens, and he knew the moment he entered this place.
Something was falling apart that should never have fallen apart.
"Ahhhh!"
When we had barely reached the insignia, the knight carrying the former emperor screamed. The faint sound of a choked breath. The knight collapsed, spitting up blood.
"Ah, Your Majesty......."
The Emperor's eyes widened.
It was a beam of light that pierced the knight's chest. It pierced the knight's heart with the precision of a machine, but it didn't tear a single hem of his clothing. It merely shivered and scattered into the air. It was like a drunken man staggering about. It was very grotesque.
A similar choking sound came from near the entrance. The former Emperor bit his lip tightly. They all belonged to the Knights protecting him.
The moment he entered the manor, he could clearly sense it, as his five senses were extremely developed.
He pulled his sword from the knight's waist. Using it as a crutch, he barely made it to the insignia. He half-walked, half-crawled.
There was no time for humiliation. Hadn't he come as a patron in the first place?
The insignia was an excellent hostage for the former Emperor. An artifact that could most effectively imprint his position and the history of the Delo Empire on the minds of these unruly rebels.
Whoever the rebels were that stepped out of the dinghy, they wouldn't dare stand in the way of the wise men.
He would.
He did.......
The former Emperor's face slowly contorted as if he had just witnessed a nightmare.
The insignia was completely cracked and slowly crumbling.
It was a horrifying collapse that he had never even imagined.
***
"Princess!"
Raha turned at the call. Oliver stopped in front of her, breathing heavily. It was obvious he had run without stopping. The boy began to blurt out his purpose as soon as he arrived.
"Just a second....... Just blink your eyes for a second, and lean down a little bit."
He didn't elaborate, but it didn't matter. Raha obeyed and leaned down. The vision came into focus. Raha blinked. Oliver, standing right in front of her, pulled something out of his pocket. He held it over Raha's right eye. .......
Almost simultaneously, Oliver was grabbed by the paladins and subdued. Raha commanded, her expression unchanged.
"Let him go. He's my doctor."
"Yes. Princess."
The paladins immediately released Oliver. Oliver twitched his fingers in panic.
He was impressed by the immediate obedience, but also by the paladins' nervousness.
It was then that he realized that the Holy Land had staked everything on Raha.
Looking down into Oliver's hardened eyes, Raha smiled softly.
"Do you want me to blink again? Oliver."
"Yes...... Ah. Yes. Princess."
Several drops of cold liquid alternately fell into Raha's eyes. Raha furrowed her brow and blinked.
"Cold."
"You just need to add this myrrh every day for a week from today, and the magic will be completely gone."
"For a week?"
"....yes.”
Raha laughed, then wiped the corner of her eye with the handkerchief Oliver held out to her.
"Oliver. Has Shed been without sleep for days like you?"
"He's still......, he's strong, so he'll be fine."
"Yeah, he is, but."
Raha looked up. A paladin was approaching.
"Princess. The former Emperor has killed most of the guards."
"He wasn't hurt?"
"He was barely hurt."
"You mean he was hurt?"
"He did suffer some minor injuries."
Raha's hands clenched for a moment.
"You go, Oliver."
Oliver nodded hastily. Raha looked at the boy and asked.
"Oliver."
"Yes, princess?"
"How can you make such myrrh?"
The question she'd been wondering all along, but hadn't had time to ask. Oliver's hand stiffened.
"This is the realm of magic, of course you're a genius, I know best, but it's a different category."
Oliver hesitated and didn't answer. Raha smirked.
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
"Maybe later....... I'll tell you later."
"Do whatever you want."
Raha patted Oliver on the head and stood up.
"Where are the wise men?"
"They're blocked from entering the palace gates."
"I see. We still don't know for sure if this is going to work or not, so you'd better stay that way, because if it doesn't, the fewer people involved, the better."
Raha said and exhaled.
"Oliver. You can be involved with me and still live, for you are a disciple of the wise men."
"..."
"Though you won't be able to continue practicing medicine. I'm sorry about that."
"......Princess."
"Just do what I tell you to do."
Oliver's eyes darted around, and he nodded slowly.
Raha's gaze did not linger on Oliver for long; she had now succeeded in gaining control of the entire palace. But the longer she stalled, the better. They had to find the former Emperor somehow, with the least amount of people possible.
The army outside still belonged to Karzen.
"Princess, we've located the former emperor’s hiding place!"
The paladin's breathless report sounded like thunder. After straightening the shawl on her shoulders, Raha began to walk.
***
"This should not be ......."
The former emperor’s hands were cold as he touched the surface of the insignia.
The beams of light scattered frantically every minute, but the sound was extremely muted. In the lying silence of the place, footsteps could be heard walking in, unassailed.
"Father."
"Why did you not protect ...... this?"
"I didn't make it that way."
Raha Delharsa shifted her gaze as she walked to stand near the former Emperor.
“Karzen’s wizard made it that way."
"None but those with the Eye of the heir know the insignia is falling. You should have protected it!"
"Why should I?"
"Because ......what? Raha delharsa. What the hell....... are you truly mad?"
"Didn't you know?"
"Raha delharsa."
"You and Karzen are the ones who drove me crazy."
Raha's steps were light and graceful as she approached the tombstone. The former Emperor was filled with nothing but rage, wanting to tear her apart, but the knights were dead, and no one but the Eye of the heir could enter the patronage of this place.
No, perhaps the wise men could enter.
They, too, were involved in the founding.
But that's it.
Raha knew, and so did the Emperor.
That the wise men would never be part of this rebellion. Raha had Oliver summon the wise men in secret, to record what would eventually be the last of the imperial reigns. No other intention.
If that were the case, the wise men would not have come.
"Knowing nothing of the subject."
The former Emperor chuckled.
"It's bad enough that you stole the Eye of the heir, what worse offense do you intend to bring upon this great imperial family?"
His voice was full of anger. A raspy voice. Raha didn't even laugh.
"Ha. Enough with the lies."
The words that had sent Raha to hell every time, ever since she'd first taken over the Eye of the heir at age eleven.
"My mother told me all about it. That father did something pathetic and stupid and got blood on me."
"...."
"That he's ashamed of his mistakes and wants to spend the rest of his life blaming me."
***
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