C174
"... Terence, please take care of the rest."
After seeing Terence, the emperor only said those words with difficulty and then fell asleep again due to the medicinal effect.
"There is no danger to his life," said the palace physician in charge of treating the emperor.
"But I believe he will need assistance to carry on."
"Can he handle state affairs?"
"It's difficult at the moment. He will have to stay in bed for a while, and his mental state will not be appropriate."
Terence looked at his father, who slept with a pale face and deep wrinkles between his brows.
He felt strange. He felt sorry for his father's misfortune, but he also felt a strange sense of despair.
The most powerful person in this country can no longer move properly without the help of others.
Is this the man who abandoned the woman he loved and even his newborn son to seize power?
Terence shook his head once to rid himself of his thoughts. There was no time to get lost in sentimentality.
Since the emperor had again lost consciousness without being able to give any specific orders, Terence, to whom the emperor had entrusted everything, had to lead Asteroth.
Terence left the emperor's chambers, looked at the officials waiting for him, and said,
"The Emperor and Empress suffered a disaster when part of the Great Temple building collapsed. So let's announce it."
In other words, the intention was to hide the fact that a monster had invaded the temple.
"We cannot allow the people's faith in the temple to collapse during this time before the monstrous wave."
Moreover, anyone would experience great fear upon discovering that the emperor and empress, who were the most protected in the empire, had been attacked by monsters.
Perhaps everyone anticipated the social chaos that would result from this, but no one complained about Terence's intentions.
"The funeral of His Majesty will take place as soon as Mikhail returns, who is far from the capital."
Two days later, the Empress's funeral was held in a solemn atmosphere.
Because the emperor was still in bed and the atmosphere inside and outside the country was not good, the ceremony was relatively simple.
Terence watched with indifferent eyes the process of burying the Empress's coffin in the ground.
"Mother, mother..."
Unlike Mikhail, who sobbed and held the coffin, Terence had no special feelings.
There was no joy that the enemy who had been trying to kill him for a long time was dead, nor was there anger because the chance for revenge had been taken away forever.
The only thing he could think of was that he was extremely tired and wanted to see Ethel.
"Your Highness, how about taking a break?"
That night, Jack said as he watched Terence process paperwork at his desk in the early hours of the night.
"You haven't slept since that day. So I'm worried your body will be harmed."
"Enough."
"Your Highness..."
"I'm fine. Just go and rest a bit."
Faced with Terence's insistence, Jack left the office unable to offer a second recommendation.
Terence, alone, opened a drawer and took out the letter he had already read hundreds of times.
"While I do what I have to do, Terence, please do what you have to do. I'll definitely come back to you after finishing my work. I love you."
Although not explicitly stated, what Ethel wanted from him by writing this letter was clear.
Wait. Until she returns.
Ethel hoped that Terence would stay here.
Not only she, but also others, including Jack, unanimously hoped that Terence would remain in the imperial palace and assume the role of emperor.
"I know it in my head."
That's the duty one must have as a prince and successor to the emperor.
But his heart simply couldn't come to an agreement.
Since Ethel left, Terence had to muster all his patience to refrain from running to her at any moment.
Why was he working without sleeping at all? It was simple.
It was clear that if he lay in bed and couldn't fall asleep, he would run out of the palace without realizing it.
Others seemed to think that Terence was very devoted to the empire, but he was simply mechanically carrying out his work, trying to suppress his impulses.
"Ethel..."
Terence traced the words Ethel had written, one by one.
Then his desire to see her grew even stronger.
A few hours ago, the Imperial Knights sent to locate the wyvern sent a letter.
It was to apologize for not hitting the target.
It was an unexpected situation.
How can a horse chase a monster flying in the sky?
Even if Terence had resisted Jack's efforts and pursued it, it would have been difficult to catch up to the wyvern.
Currently, the only information about the wyvern was the report from a witness that it flew westward.
Even that stopped when the wyvern left the capital and headed to a remote area.
Terence felt choked by the idea that maybe he would never see Ethel again.
"Could I have misjudged it?"
Although he knew very well that it was the prince's role and Ethel's will for him to remain in the imperial palace, he regretted the decision he had made to the point of wanting to die.
"... Ethel, answer me."
Terence suddenly murmured.
Is this really what you wanted?
"Is it really for your own good to endure so much pain?"
Leaving the letter on the desk, he stared silently at the dark landscape outside the window.
Ethel's silent face emerged from the darkness.
Finally, his face changed to that of the emperor. A person who chose power over the one he loved.
"..."
His father's cruel face forced Terence to make a decision.
The next morning.
As soon as Terence heard from the palace physician that the emperor had regained consciousness, he headed to the emperor's bed.
"Father."
While calling softly to his father, the emperor lifted his heavy eyelids and looked at his son.
"... Terence."
"I have something to tell you."
The emperor did not immediately respond, as if he had read something in his son's face even with his dim eyes.
"I am leaving today. I am going to find Ethel."
"What?"
The emperor's eyes widened.
He also knew roughly that Liena had taken Ethel because he had news from Terence.
"No! I saw that woman in the temple. Do you know how dangerous the monster she commands is?"
"It is powerful enough to instantly neutralize the Imperial Knights guarding the annex. I will go even though I know it."
"Who will take care of this country without you?"
"Isn't Mikhail here? He has been trying to become emperor all his life, so he will take care of the rest."
"Are you insane? Are you going to leave state affairs at a time when it's not enough to keep Mikhail under control?"
The Emperor barely raised his trembling hand and grabbed Terence's sleeve.
"Come to your senses, Terence! Haven't you done well so far? Soon the throne will be yours. You could have this empire in your hands, but will you jump into the fire to die just for a woman?"
"That's right."
"Bastard! How can you... in front of your father...?"
The emperor, who was about to express his anger, suddenly changed his tone and brought up the story of what had happened in the main hall.
"That woman, Liena, asked me. Is Viscountess Lucibiu still staying in the annex?"
It was the first time Terence heard this story.
"As soon as the Empress saw that woman, she became furious and said that she had ruined Mikhail. I ordered the knights to catch her and put her back in prison."
"..."
"It was in an instant. The knights who tried to capture her and the empress lost their lives to a black monster that suddenly appeared. I almost died because of it too. But Liena stopped the monster."
The fear of that time still lived in the emperor's eyes as he recalled the past.
"I just want to meet and talk to Viscountess Lucibiu, and I have no intention of harming anyone else. She said. It didn't seem like a lie."
"What do you mean?"
"There was no trace of hatred on her face when she asked about Viscountess Lucibiu. The viscountess is probably, no, definitely safe."
"So, what you're saying is that there's no need to pursue her to save her."
"That's right. Just assume that you and Viscountess Lucibiu were never meant to exist. If there's a meeting, there's a parting, and in retrospect, it's no big deal."
"Father, was that the same for my mother?"
At that moment, the emperor's face twisted.
"Why bring that up here?"
"My father ignored my mother to gain power. I will make a different decision than my father."
Terence spoke calmly, without any sign of criticism.
"My mother never lost hope that my father would return to us someday. Until her health worsened and she passed away."
To begin with, she did not have a healthy constitution.
Moreover, because she was kidnapped while pregnant for a long period of time, she had to remain in bed most of the time after giving birth to Terence.
The emperor occasionally went to see his former lover and brought her medicines or foods that were said to be good for her health, but he never invited her to his side.
The emperor closed his eyes and let out a sigh.
"Yes, it was my fault. But that's different now. It's not just about power, it's about your life."
"It's the same issue for me. Give up the woman I love or not give up the woman I love?"
No matter what he heard from his father, Terence spoke with an unyielding attitude.
"I will not make Ethel as unhappy as my mother."
For some reason, the emperor stared at his son's face for a moment.
Then suddenly, he regained his senses and shouted.
"I cannot allow it! If you leave, I will not hand over a single knight to you. Anyone who aids you will be punished."
"Even if I have to do it alone, I will go."
"Terence, please!"
"I hope you recover your health. Father."
Terence turned his back and walked away from the Emperor's bed.
"Wait a moment, wait."
It was then. The emperor, who had shouted his son's name several times, suddenly changed his tone.
"If that's what you mean, take this."
He opened the drawer of the nightstand next to his bed and took something out.
As Terence turned around, a familiar object came into view.
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