Chapter 39

There was a reason for asking the three.

It was because all three were present when the previous Empress decided to save Aire. Aire was saved according to the previous Empress’ words, but one of the three persuaded the previous Empress… that was Isilis’ reasonable suspicion.

After learning about him for the first time, the previous empress hugged her and actually said that she would kill him. However, her mind suddenly changed.

“Then, of course, someone’s breath must have worked. They are also very powerful.”

Unlike the current Empress, Isilis, the previous Empress was a very benevolent Empress to nobles.

She laughed it off even when someone challenged her authority. Even though she did not know what she might have done afterwards, the Empress gave endless affection to the nobles as long as they did not cross the line.

With that kind of Empress behind them, the nobles exploited the people of the Empire.

So, what Isilis did as soon as she ascended the throne was to cut down the nobles who had plundered the Empire. Twenty nobles died at her hands. The nobles could not rebel against her, and the situation continues to this day.

Isilis was walking a completely different path from the previous Empress, who had given a moderate policy to the nobles.

“It seems that those who have laid flat are now coming to their senses one by one. I’ve been letting them off the hook for too much.”

Allure, who was listening to her muttering, was taken aback. The reign of terror of the Empress the other day passed through his mind.

“What are you going to do…”

“Call them one by one and listen to the story.”

“The Margrave will take time to get to the Capital.”

“Send a wizard and bring him right away.”

“All right.”

“Chief Wizard Allure.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You do it yourself.”

“I will.”

Seeing Allure leaving the place as soon as he bowed his head at her words, Isilis was lost in thoughts.

‘…There is someone among the wizards.’

To be able to use black magic so skillfully meant that someone had provided the information… it was clear that they had spent a long time researching ‘that’ Ignardo’s buried magic. As she moved in her deepening thoughts, she cast a movement spell.

Soon, a man stood in front of her.

“Berthas.”

It was Berthas Hillenton.

The place where Berthas stopped was his lodging given on the same floor as Isilis. After lingering in the room for a while, he called Hector.

“Why did you call?”

“Sir Hector. What about our home country?”

“Hillenton?”

“Yes.”

He was taken aback by Usman’s words earlier.

“No news yet?”

“There must be something.”

“What?”

“Usman Khalifa… I have a feeling he might have done something.”

“What did he do?”

“I don’t know that yet.”

As Berthas tapped the table, Hector carefully looked into his face.

“What are you worried about?”

“I have a lot of worries.”

“What is it?”

“What will I do with my child? What to do with my woman? Finally, what to do with Hillenton?”

“No, why is Hillenton last?”

“Of course, isn’t it? My family comes first.”

“Family? Did you say family now?”

“Right.”

Hector shook his head as if he heard something absurd.

“Your Excellency.”

“What.”

“You said that the woman would not marry Your Excellency.”

“She did.”

“You don’t know if she will give up the child.”

“That’s right.”

“So, who will listen to you when you talk about family alone?”

Berthas’ eyebrows twitched at Hector’s sharp words. That was right. Isilis did not even treat him as the father of her child. Fortunately, he was given the opportunity… the chance to become Isilis’, no, the Empress of the Larchen Empire’s consort.

“Sword master…”

“What do you mean?”

“No.”

“That’s not true, is it? The Empress’ consort?”

“Why not?”

“Are you crazy…!”

His head turned at Hector’s response. Seeing him huffing and expressing his anger, Berthas had a curious thought.

Why was he reacting like that?

“Why?”

“The Empress’ consort?! It’s not enough to attack and be the Emperor of Hillenton, but now Larchen’s consort? Are you crazy? The Empress’ consort! What is that… You made me see a new path, so you must take responsibility!”

“Me?”

“That’s right. Your Excellency!”

Berthas nodded his head as he calmed the agitated Hector.

“Is that so?”

“That’s it! Let’s stop talking nonsense and quickly get what we need and return to our home country.”

“Return?”

“Isn’t it obvious! You have to come back and overthrow it.”

“Not yet.”

“What?”

“There must be a cause. It is too risky to move without a cause.”

It wasn’t something he hadn’t thought of. In his mind, he had thought of leading an army to attack Hillenton’s imperial palace several times though he always got stuck. Would the people of the Empire really admit it? What to do if they don’t admit it.

Although the current imperial family did not gain much support from the people of the empire, they knew how to wield public opinion.

Swayed by that public opinion, Berthas drank the water from the spring of oath.

He now wanted the complete destruction of his uncle, the Hillenton family. Not just ending it, but death, as he desperately wanted his uncle to lose everything and die at the end. Berthas wanted their notoriety to continue to be recorded in history.

“What are you going to do?”

“I will have to monitor the situation. For now, contact someone in the home country.”

“Yes.”

When he was told to contact the aide from Hillenton with information, Hector nodded quickly. Now that he had heard that His Excellency seemed to have come to his senses and that he was talking nonsense about being Larchen’s consort, he was terrified.

“You’re not going out?”

“…Going, I’m going!”

Hector disappeared from the door, leaving behind a voice asking if Berthas wanted to be alone in this nice room.

“It’s a nice room. It really is.”

It was a nice room.

A bed decorated with gold and a wall decorated with colorful paintings. In addition, a piece of furniture made of ebony wood, with fresh flowers placed on it. The fresh flowers in his quarters were changed every day.

Berthas asked after seeing the handmaids come and go and always decorating it with fresh flowers.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Not now, but this room was Her Majesty’s favorite place.”

“Favorite?”

“Sometimes, she enjoys contemplation here. Look at that picture.”

It was a picture depicting a wizard fighting a knight.

“That painting was dedicated by a painter who fell in love with Her Majesty’s force in the first war when she ascended the throne. If you look closely at the picture, the wizard is Her Majesty.”

Only then did the picture come into focus.

Red hair and blue eyes… The face of the woman in the robe was not clear, but it seemed to have deliberately been blurred as it was illegal to accurately portray the Empress’s face. After hearing the story, it became his pastime to look at the painting whenever he had free time.

“This is a picture I really like. Are you like that, too?”

He felt no presence. It was clear that Isilis had entered his chamber using magic, as he did not feel anything.

“How…”

“It’s movement magic because there is no one in the Imperial Palace who can freely use high-level magic other than me.”

Isilis’ face seemed a little relaxed as she smiled.

“I thought you were busy.”

“I’m busy.”

“But, you came to see me.”

“Why did I do that?”

Berthas also laughed at her words, implying that she did not come to see him with some intention but only because she wanted to see him… Yes, that was it. It was clear to her that if she would open up to him little by little, he would one day be next to her.

“So, how do you feel when you see the picture?”

“The wizard is a great person.”

“Do you think so?”

“Of course. You took my heart, and you took my child as well. Wouldn’t she be a great person to have taken the Swordmaster’s heart and child?”

Isilis’ expression hardened at his words.

“Do you…resent me?”

“May or may not be.”

He was relieved a little by Isilis’ behavior, which seemed to be looking at him. He would be lying if he wasn’t upset. Still, Berthas understood. It must have been an inevitable choice for the Empress though that didn’t mean his sadness was gone.

“I couldn’t help it.”

“I understand. So let’s not discuss it anymore.”

“That I gave birth to a child?”

“No. Let’s not discuss raising the child silently and alone, taking the father away from the child.”

“….”

Watching Isilis lose her words, he carefully pulled her body before whispering as he hugged her tightly as she was dragged without any resistance.

“So, Isilis… give me your heart.”

“I…”

“Choose me.”

“….”

It wasn’t a request to be chosen as her consort, but her mind… her whole heart.

Berthas felt like he could do anything as long as he could get an assurance that it would be given to him. Even if there was nothing given to him, just the heart was fine. After all, material things were meaningless.

He lightly kissed Isilis’ forehead as she said nothing.

“That’s fine. I don’t need anything else.”

“Is that really enough?”

“For now. I’ll be greedy for something bigger someday.”

Isilis, who was gazing up at him, was beautiful that he put his lips to her forehead once more. The warmth that touched him was hot.

‘Wait. It’s hot?’

“You… You have a fever.”

“Fever?”

“Didn’t you know?”

“I can’t tell…”

“You must have a hard time these days.”

As he uttered it with certainty, Berthas looked into her confused eyes and smiled mischievously.

“How about taking a break?”

“I came here to rest.”

“I unintentionally put a burden on you.”

“No, it’s not like that.”

Then, he hugged Isilis and laid her on his bed. The ornate decorations clashed with a jingling sound.

“The clothes are so…”

“Cumbersome, but it can’t be helped. They say that if you are an Empress, you have to have to this extent.”

“Nonsense. Authority does not come from clothes. Even if you don’t wear clothes like this, aren’t you the Empress who leads Larchen?”

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