I Refuse This Life, Your Highness! - Chapter 95

The purpose of the Rubes Merchant Guild’s visit wasn’t to sell goods but to restock their supplies, using Iser as a waypoint. When they paused to inspect and organize their cargo one last time before entering the town, Sir Leon and I quietly slipped away from the group and entered the forest path.

“Can you walk? Shall I carry you?”

I shook my head vigorously and followed Sir Leon. He tried to slow his pace for me, but I urged him not to, pushing myself to keep up. Gasping for breath, I eventually reached the designated spot where a horse and a cargo wagon were waiting.

“Just a bit more effort, Your Grace. I’ll get us moving as quickly as possible. There should be water and food inside.”

Sir Leon lifted the tarp covering the wagon, revealing two water containers and a sack tightly sealed at the opening. He handed me one of the water containers, and as soon as the water touched my parched throat, I felt like I could breathe again. The sack contained chocolate-covered nuts, candies, and biscuits.

My mouth watered at the sight of the sweets. Sir Leon picked up a shiny, round chocolate, examined it briefly, and handed it to me. I accepted it cautiously and ate it while he took one for himself. Glancing into the sack, he said,

“Everything seems fine. Eat slowly as we go—it’ll be a bumpy ride.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll wait until we return to the castle. Then I’ll have some meat.”

I chuckled at his light joke. Knowing we couldn’t waste any more time, I climbed into the wagon. As Sir Leon secured the tarp and tied it down from outside, the interior dimmed. The floor was covered with padding and cushions. I lay down on them, and despite their hardness and discomfort, I felt like my body was melting into the makeshift bedding.

The wagon jolted into motion with the sound of Sir Leon snapping the reins. He’d warned me about the bumps, but it was worse than I’d expected. The Rubes Merchant Guild’s carriage had been uncomfortable, but at least it was designed for passengers. This wagon rocked violently with every uneven patch of the forest path. I considered eating another piece of chocolate but refrained, fearing nausea. The forest trail’s uneven terrain only added to the turbulence.

The plan was to leave the forest, head to the eastern side of the ducal castle, and enter through the delivery gate used by suppliers. I’d been told it wasn’t far. Exhausted from two sleepless days, I drifted off despite the wagon’s relentless shaking.

I didn’t know how long we traveled, but I sensed a change in the shadows cast on the tarp above me. We had left the forest. That meant the ducal castle was near. The wagon sped along, and from the shifting shadows and sounds, I realized we’d crossed the canal bridge unique to the castle’s eastern side and passed through the gates.

Sitting up, I fixed my disheveled hair and straightened my clothes. The wagon pulled into a darkened area, likely the covered space near a warehouse. When the wagon came to a full stop, I moved to lift the tarp, but before I could, light poured in, and a strong arm reached out for me.

I found myself in the Grand Duke’s arms. For the first time in days, I felt as though my entire body might melt from relief. His familiar scent and warm presence enveloped me. I clung to him, savoring the moment, until I suddenly remembered my bedraggled state and hurriedly pulled away. I’d only had brief chances to freshen up over the past two days.

Taking a step back, I looked up at him. The Grand Duke tilted his head slightly, smiling as if to ask why I was retreating.

“Your Grace, I’m filthy right now.”

“Where? You look magnificent to me.”

“Really…”

“We have company.”

I had been about to offer an awkward smile when Sir Leon’s voice startled me. I had completely forgotten about his presence.

“The urn?”

Trying to hide my embarrassment, I quickly retrieved the box from the wagon and stepped forward.

“Here it is.”

“Thank you, Yuraine. Truly. And you too, Leon.”

“Well, truthfully, Your Grace could have gone alone. It wasn’t particularly dangerous. They’d hidden it in an exceptionally secure spot.”

“It was still risky. Come inside, both of you. You should rest for a while.”

We quietly entered the castle, and I went to bathe first. Resili and Bohen tended to me as if I’d never left, behaving as though I had simply been unwell for the past few days. It was a convenient explanation for my absence.

Knowing I would need to get up again soon, I didn’t bother going to bed. Instead, I reclined on the sofa and sipped tea when the Grand Duke appeared, carrying a box. The box was large, similar in size to the one he had brought before, containing arctic wolf fur.

“What’s that?”

“A congratulatory gift from the Emperor.”

“A congratulatory gift?”

“He heard you’re pregnant.”

I couldn’t help but snort. The Emperor likely didn’t believe it. He probably assumed I had found some way to counteract consuming the blood. Even I had almost forgotten the Grand Duke had made such a claim. The Emperor clearly did not think of me as a Lamia carrying a child.

Or perhaps he knew and chose to act otherwise…

“Should we open it?”

“No…”

“A wise decision.”

The Grand Duke handed the box to a servant, who visibly struggled with its unexpected weight.

“Take it outside and burn it. Dispose of the ashes beyond the castle walls.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

I wasn’t even curious about the contents. There was no need to pretend to use it out of deference to the Emperor anymore.

“Shall we, Your Grace?”

The Grand Duke had come to fetch me. Time was pressing, as countless lords and officials were still under the Emperor’s sway. I was already grateful for the brief time I’d had to wash and rest.

By the time I arrived at the drawing room, everyone but the Grand Duke and I was already gathered. Reia, it seemed, had returned safely to the ducal castle and was seated quietly in a secluded corner, away from the others.

Reia…

I glanced at the Grand Duke’s face. I no longer thought he would ever love her, but there was another issue. Why was Reya being kept at the ducal castle like this?

Reya’s ability was time reversal. Could it be that they were considering turning back time again if something went wrong? After everything that had happened? I shook my head lightly and sat next to the Grand Duke.

In the center of the table was the box, still wrapped in Sir Leon’s cloak. Lyol was staring at it with a somber expression.

“Lamia remains, when burned, turn into something that looks like raw gemstones. No one really knows why. But then, how much is truly known about Lamias, anyway?” Lyol shrugged as he spoke.

“And, I’ve heard that when another Lamia touches the remains, they ‘speak.’ Your Grace, did you hear anything?”

Of course. From the start, I had been sent specifically to experience the First Prince’s memories. But was this really what the First Prince had intended as his last wish? Or had he simply wanted another Lamia, like me, to understand the anguish of his mother?

“I did. …My condolences.”

The grove where Lyol had hidden was not far from where the First Prince had died. He had even admitted it himself—he’d seen her die. Lyol glanced at me briefly before lowering his gaze to his hands.

“As soon as he was gone, I ran out. But by then, the flames had already consumed my mother’s body. Sometimes, I wish I could go back to that moment. But it’s foolish, really. There isn’t even a burn mark left on my hands now. Even if I went back, nothing would change.”

…Could Lyol know about Reya’s time-reversal magic? With his connections and information network, it wouldn’t be surprising. Reya, however, appeared indifferent, unaffected by the topic.

Lyol pulled back the cloak covering the box and opened the lid. He stared at the urn inside for a long time before closing it again.

“This is indeed my mother’s urn. Thank you.”

“…Back then.”

As I spoke, his gaze shifted to me.

“Was there anyone who helped you recover the body?”

“No. I didn’t call anyone. The smoke must have been visible from a distance, but no one came. I stayed until the body was completely burned, leaving only the gemstones.”

“That must have taken hours.”

It would take several hours for a human body to burn completely. The thought of a child enduring that smell and smoke for hours was a nightmare in itself.

“I probably did the most thinking in my life during that time.”

Lyol shrugged as if it were nothing.

“More importantly, how are things progressing?”

He was blatantly changing the subject. The Grand Duke gave Count Kiara a nod, and the count began to report immediately.

“There hasn’t been any movement of troops yet. However, it seems that the lords who favor war have been increasing their private military training and recruiting mercenaries.”

“Hmm, I’ve also heard that the prices of food, iron, and lumber are rising across the empire. Naturally, overall prices are increasing as well,” Lyol added, demonstrating his keen understanding of economic trends. The impending wave of war felt like it was slowly but surely approaching.

Even if we managed to sever the Emperor’s control over everyone at once, the imperial knights remained a significant obstacle. Bloodshed seemed unavoidable.

The conversation shifted to discussions of predicted troop movements, anticipated casualties, and strategies. While I couldn’t fully grasp all the details of their analyses, I listened carefully, determined not to forget anything.

Since no lord had made any definitive moves yet, the discussion didn’t last long. Inevitably, the topic returned to the First Prince’s remains.

“So, Lyol, are you saying… if you bring the remains to the Emperor, the power will return to the remains, not to you?” the Grand Duke asked.

“For me to inherit the power, I would have to kill the Emperor with my own hands. And believe me, I’d like to.”

“…That would be impossible.”

The Emperor was a trained warrior. There was no way Lyol, who only knew basic self-defense, could easily kill him. I was about to nod and move on when Reya suddenly interjected.

“I’ve always been curious, why can’t His Highness wield a sword? Isn’t that a basic skill for royalty?”

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