﹡ ⊹ ⊰ Chapter 231 ⊱ ⊹ ﹡
"What the hell is going on here?!" My grandfather shouted as he walked along the path that had been created by the Knights.
How terrifying that aura was.
Even the Knights couldn't make eye contact with my Grandfather and bowed their heads.
"You're here." Perez greeted me, seeing me following behind my Grandfather.
In this chaotic situation, Perez seemed relaxed.
And maybe a little strange.
At that time, a sharp voice intervened between Grandpa and Perez.
"This an Imperial affair! Outsiders should stay out of this!"
"Outsiders?" One of my Grandfather's eyebrows went up.
"Although you're right..." He paused, looking at Perez, and continued.
"Can you explain first what's going on, Prince?"
Well, if the Empress doesn't want to talk, he can simply ask Perez.
"His Majesty has collapsed, but he is safe now and recovering."
"That's a good thing. But why did this situation happen?"
"There was an order from His Majesty not to let anyone into the bedroom."
"But the Empress insisted on going inside."
"That's right."
After hearing Perez's explanation, my Grandfather looked back at the Empress and said.
"Why don't you go back to the Empress palace and wait for His Majesty to ask for you, Empress?"
"I have the right to check His Majesty's condition." The Empress answered without looking at my Grandfather at all.
"Of course, the Empress has that right." Grandfather nodded and added.
"Although it can only happen if His Majesty passed away." I could clearly see the Empress's shoulders flinch.
My Grandfather looked coldly at the Empress and said.
"I see what happened now."
It was a word mixed with ridicule.
"Doctor."
"Yes, Lord Lombardy." The palace doctor, who was trembling as he stood in between the Empress and Perez, quickly answered my Grandfather's call.
"How is His Majesty's condition?"
"His Majesty passed the critical stage and should only need a good rest."
"What about further prognosis?"
"...To be honest, His Majesty will have to focus on his treatment for a while. Because the situation almost became a big problem..."
"Thank God. Isn't it, Empress?"
But the Empress did not answer.
It was then.
With urgent footsteps, an Imperial Knight ran down the corridor and shouted.
"Ah, the Angenas family's troops are about to enter the Imperial Palace!"
They're crazy.
I unconsciously made an impression on the Empress.
With the Emperor down, the Angenas started to move. Their actions could be regarded as an act of treason.
It was in an instant, not a day passed on that they took the opportunity.
"Empress...!" My Grandfather stared at Ravini and tried to warn her of something, but the Empress ignored him instead and called the Imperial Knight standing next to her.
"Vice Commander, get rid of those who are in my way."
As the Angenas Knights arrived, they could not wait any longer.
However, the Imperial Knights couldn't easily pull out their swords even at the order of the Empress.
It was because he knew well that if he pulled the sword out right here, there's no turning back anymore.
"What are you doing?! Move!" A loud voice came out of the Empress' mouth.
"...Geez, damn it."
Eventually, the Commander of the First Knights Division drew his sword.
The cool metal sound resonates through the hallway. However, the silence that followed was so deafening that you could hear a pin drop.
While staring at each other, no one dares to move.
The one thing that broke the silence was the sound of the door bursting open.
It was the bedroom door of Emperor Jovanes.
Everyone's eyes turned in that direction.
"Hi-His Majesty..."
Seeing the situation outside, the attendant barely spoke with his eyes open.
"His Majesty said to come in."
***
"Are you conscious now?"
Hearing a familiar voice, Jovanes opened his eyes.
"Uh..." Jovanes groaned with terrible exhaustion as if his whole body had been crushed under a rock.
"Heok! Uhh...huff.."
He couldn't even breathe properly.
"Ugh...What the hell....haa.."
Jovanes forcefully opened his eyes and frowned in pain, confirming the figure in front of him.
"Second Prince.....Ugh! Uhh!" Jovanes squeezed his chest once again.
"Your Majesty, you need to take this...."
The palace doctor was surprised but managed to pour more medicine into Jovanes' mouth.
Perez asked the Emperor, who was slowly stabilizing.
"Do you remember what happened before you collapse, Your Majesty?"
"Before I collapse..." Jovanes breathed hard and pointed at the bottle that had fallen on the floor.
"That drink...There must be poison in it...."
"Doctor, check the remaining liquor.."
"Well, that's...if we don't know what poison is it, it will take time to figure it out."
When he was attacked by the Head of Sousseau, he immediately looked for Dr. Estira, who found out what poison it was.
"...Check whether it's the venom of a Tithi spider."
"Yes, yes, Your highness!"
Jovanes asked as he was looking at the doctor which was starting to move in a hurry.
"How come... it's that poison..."
"Not long ago, I was attacked by an assassin who used the venom of a Tithi spider."
Even in confusion, Jovanes knew what Perez meant.
"There is one thing I must confess to you, Your Majesty."
"...What is it?"
"The tea I gave you before the competition contained an antidote."
"...What?"
"It was just in case."
"I guess that's the reason why I'm alive." The Emperor no longer said anything but frowned upon the doctor.
After a while, the doctor exclaimed.
"It does contain the venom of the Tithi spider!"
At that moment, Jovanes' hand grabbed Perez's robe. It was strong, unsuitable for a man who just got poisoned and bedridden.
"In front of me right now, bring the Empress." His face distorted and his eyes shone in anger.
Perez did not hold or comfort the Emperor's hand.
"I have a suggestion." He said to Jovanes in a dry voice.
"Do you not want to see how the world will flow after the news of Your Majesty's death?"
***
".....His Majesty...?" The Empress asked back in a trembling voice. Her shaking eyes stared at the wide-open bedroom door.
It was the Emperor's bedroom that she was so eager to enter before, but now the Empress did not move from where she stood.
"Let's go in," Perez said, opening the way for the Empress.
"I—I...."
"His Majesty is calling you now, is he not?"
He donned in expressionless eyes, but he was smiling.
The Empress began to move slowly. The shoe-clad body reeled as if it were going to fall precariously at once, but no one tried to help her.
After that, my Grandfather followed inside.
Can I come in too?
As I hesitated for a moment thinking so, Perez beckoned me in a small voice.
"Let's go, Tia."
Oh, I see.
This is the moment you bet everything to prepare.
Perez's eyes were talking like 'I want you to be a witness to my victory.'
Then there was nothing more to hesitate about.
"Let's go," I replied and began to walk inside.
When I entered the spacious room, the first thing that came to me is the smell of medicine.
I could hear quite clearly as I approached the bed on the other side the breathing sounds like that of a wounded beast.
"I greet Your Majesty." My Grandfather greeted first.
The owner of the rough breathing was Emperor Jovanes. He was breathing hard against the bed wall, but the Emperor was alive.
Though he looks pale and blue-lipped, Jovanes is alive.
"Your Majesty." The Empress paused and couldn't get any closer on the bed anymore as if she was nailed on the ground.
"Haa...ha....!"
When the Emperor lifted one corner of his mouth, the sound of breathing in the room changed.
"I am...I am alive."
As if it was hard to say, Jovanes took another deep breath.
"You are pleased, aren't you, Empress?"
"I'm..."
Empress Ravini looked at the Emperor and Perez alternately.
She doesn't seem to know what to say. Her red lips only trembled.
"Second Prince."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Closer."
Perez leaned his head down near Jovanes and then went out of the bedroom.
Soon after, he brought in a person.
"Maid Otua." The Emperor called her coldly.
"You will be answering my questions without a single lie.
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on
February 28, 2022
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