After Putting the Slayer of the Night to Sleep, I Ran Away - Chapter 112

“I’ll talk to Isla.”

“?”

“Tell her the Duke wants to meet her.”

“Really?”

“Yes. But that’s it. The choice of whether or not to meet the Duke is solely Isla’s.”

Having said that, Leo turned away, his expression radiating displeasure.

He’s someone I wouldn’t mind chewing up and spitting out, but why does he look so weak today?

It wasn’t just Marcus that displeased me.

Last night, my father’s decision after waking up thanks to Isla was also quite unsatisfactory.

Why not summarily execute the Empress who plotted treason?

I opposed my father’s request to entrust their treatment to me, saying it was absurd, but even Isla stepped in to stop me.

‘Tsk. Everyone’s gone soft…’

Leo glanced at Crow, who was flying in the sky.

He would follow his father and Isla’s opinions, but he had no intention of neglecting the Empress’s surveillance.

If she ever revealed her dark intentions again.

Then, even if the two of them tried to stop him, it would be useless.

Leo hurried his steps, hiding his cold intentions.

Friedrich looked down at his kneeling brother with a heavy heart.

They had been very close brothers since childhood.

Even after their father, the late king, passed away, and Alexander, the crown prince, stepped down and left due to pressure from the nobles.

Friedrich always worried about him, and Alexander always cheered him on.

But now…

“Why did you do it?”

“…I have no excuse for you.”

“You were the one who felt burdened by sitting on the throne, brother. I can’t believe you’ve changed your mind now.”

Friedrich sighed and guessed his intentions.

“Is it because Edward is your son? Did you want to give your son the throne you refused?”

At his words, Alexander’s eyes wavered for the first time.

“You… did you know?”

Because they were brothers, he could sense it.

That Friedrich already knew the truth.

“Yes.”

“Since when?”

“I knew from the beginning. Even before Edward was born.”

Alexander couldn’t hide his confusion at the unexpected confession.

“You knew and kept silent? Why?”

“He’s your son, brother. He’s not a stranger, he’s your blood. There was no need to bring it up, and I had no intention of doing so.”

Friedrich looked back on the past with a bitter face.

“The Empress couldn’t accept her separation from you. I felt sorry for her. I, too, saddened Dorothea with my marriage to the Empress… We were all victims of a sudden accident.”

“…”

“I spent more time with Edward than with my own son, Leo. Even if you and Tatiana hadn’t done such a thing, I would have raised Edward well and passed this position on to him.”

Alexander couldn’t hide his despair.

In the end, he didn’t trust his younger brother and committed an unforgivable sin with the wrong choice.

He would rather die like this.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Friedrich…”

A voice filled with grief squeezed out of his lips.

Friedrich didn’t loosen his hardened expression even at his sincere apology.

“Leave.”

“…Okay.”

Friedrich’s voice, which he thought would be the end, continued once more.

“Take the Empress with you.”

“What…?”

“The perceptive nobles have already figured out the whole story in today’s meeting room. They won’t leave the Empress, who participated in the rebellion, alone.”

Friedrich’s words were realistic.

Somehow they got through today, but it was clearly an attempt to assassinate the Emperor and slander the First Prince.

If the nobles rose up even tomorrow, the Empress would not be able to avoid severe punishment.

Friedrich held up a letter on the desk.

“This is an order to depose the Empress.”

Then, after putting down the letter, he picked up the Emperor’s seal and slammed it down.

Alexander’s eyes shook violently at the unwavering attitude, as if he had planned to do this in advance.

“Are you serious…?”

“It would be best not to think about returning to the Empire for a while.”

“…You’re serious.”

“Leave when it gets dark. And…”

Friedrich, who briefly showed a sad expression, gave his final request.

“I should tell you that Edward already knows.”

“…What do you mean?”

“That child knows. That you and the Empress will be leaving the Empire tonight.”

At his words, Alexander’s eyes widened.

“I gave Edward the choice first. Whether to stay here as my son, or to leave with the two of you.”

“…Did he say he would stay?”

“Yes.”

“Even knowing I’m his biological father?”

“Yes.”

“…I see.”

Alexander smiled faintly and nodded.

He thought it was good.

He thought it was a good choice.

He was proud of Edward, and he felt sorry for Friedrich.

But he felt that he didn’t deserve to have these feelings.

Alexander sensed that it was time to leave.

That perhaps this was the last time he would face his affectionate younger brother.

He slowly rose to his feet, his eyes red.

“All my life… I was a terrible brother to you.”

With those words, Alexander turned around.

Because he didn’t deserve to say thank you or sorry, other than saying he was just a terrible brother.

Friedrich stared at his brother’s back, which would be the last.

Even after the gradually receding back disappeared beyond the door, he didn’t move from his seat for a while.

Isla pushed a warm cup of tea and dessert in front of Leo, who returned late.

When he smiled gratefully and picked up the tea, she sat across from him and asked curiously.

“So? How did it go?”

“Honestly, I thought they’d refuse to leave and dig in.”

Leo continued, as if surprised.

“They had at least a minimum of conscience. I don’t know what your uncle said, but they left the palace without much resistance.”

“I see… What about Father? He must be very upset, even if he doesn’t say it…”

“He doesn’t show it, but he must be upset. Tsk, a widower at that age.”

“How can you say that about Father?”

“It’s the truth.”

He shrugged nonchalantly and added after thinking for a moment.

“On the other hand, he also looked relieved.”

“Relieved?”

“It wasn’t a marriage of love in the first place. He married your uncle’s lover, so maybe he felt like he was living in debt all his life.”

“…Maybe.”

Isla nodded slowly.

Even if she thought about it, the burden Friedrich must have felt would have been enormous.

“The intention and cause of this incident were clearly bad, but as a result, I think everything turned out well.”

“Turned out well?”

“Father is freed from the burden of the past, and Alexander and Aunt are fulfilling the love they couldn’t achieve, even if it’s now.”

She was newly impressed by Friedrich’s decision.

He could have purged those who tried to kill him.

Instead, he boldly cut off the tightly entangled knot.

She smiled brightly at Leo, who had an displeased expression.

“Thanks to that, we can return to the Grand Duke’s castle without any unexpected events, right?”

“…That’s true.”

That one thing is a satisfying ending.

Leo felt the scattered dissatisfaction fade a little and took a sip of black tea.

Then, with a truly reluctant expression, he opened his mouth.

“About your father.”

“…What about Father?”

“He’s been coming to the mansion every day since the celebration.”

“Here…?”

Isla blinked her blue eyes and asked blankly.

“I didn’t know…?”

“Of course you wouldn’t know. You have no idea how busy we were distracting you every time the Duke came.”

“Ah… Why…”

“Why?”

Leo asked her back as if she didn’t know the reason.

“Isn’t it absurd? That affection that didn’t exist arises as soon as he finds out you’re his daughter.”

“…”

“I did it out of spite. To make him feel at least a little of what you felt. I don’t want to keep talking about it, but…”

He scratched the back of his head and let out a long breath as if he really didn’t like it.

“We’re leaving soon anyway. The choice of whether or not to meet your father is up to you.”

“…He wants to meet me?”

“Yes. Today, at the news that we would be leaving the Imperial Palace soon, he was so distraught that he chased after me.”

Isla didn’t feel like his words were true.

That her father had come here for days to see her.

That her father had chased after him in a hurry at the news that she was leaving.

Isla couldn’t believe it at all.

Support