Chapter 7

* * *

Three days ago.

“Aaaaaah!”

A painful scream echoed through Aktoum’s dungeon.

Duchess Deborah stopped walking and frowned.

The lady with beautiful blonde hair and elegant olive-colored eyes had a sullen expression on her face.

“Is it true that Prince Rixius is inside?”

The age-old pinned gatekeeper who was guarding the prison grinned, revealing his yellow teeth.

“Yes, Madam Deborah. He is a man who does not open his mouth, so much so that the Crown Prince is interrogating him himself.”

Then there were shrieks and cries, and a voice of frantic pleading was heard.

Of course, it didn’t belong to Rixus.

“…And I’ll kill him before he even gets any information.”

It had a nuance full of displeasure rather than worry.

Deborah Douglas.

She was the most glamorous butterfly in Aktoum’s social circle, the hostess of the Duke of Douglas. He was also one of the ‘Nine Nobles’ who supported conquest in Aktoum.

Therefore, Rixus, who opposed war and promoted peace with Spinel at the opposite point of the Nine Nobles, had always been disapproved. Even if they didn’t make it obvious.

Deborah stared at the door where a scream leaked. Then, the man standing behind her muttered in an annoyed tone.

“I don’t know why the Crown Prince grew up to be such a vicious young man. Tsk, tsk.”

This man with a brown beard and a shiny face was the prime minister, Bernard. He was crazy about eating the budget of Aktoum, a man who was crazier than anyone else when it came to money. Also, one of the Nine Nobles.

And the last man who accompanied them.

The name of the man with flower-like beauty, blue eyes and soft blond hair was… Marquis Kalen.

He was also one of the Nine Nobles, but he wasn’t that special except for his beautiful face. With a weak stomach, he looked pale and on the verge of collapsing from working overtime.

Deborah said coldly.

“Marquis Kalen, if you vomit here, I will leave you.”

“…Yes, Madam Deborah……”

It was when the young man covered his mouth with a handkerchief and answered softly.

The terrible screams suddenly stopped.

“?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to the iron door of the tightly closed prison.

Did he kill him?

It was when everyone was thinking the same thing.

Creaaak.

The iron door cried horribly, and a black silhouette appeared from the inside.

The blue-violet eyes were terrifying under the wet black hair. 

An atmosphere that crushed people and a large body like a beast. 

The terrifying smell of blood made everyone in the dungeon nauseous.

Rixus looked like a demon that had climbed from the bottom of Hell.

For a moment, everyone shut their mouths without making a sound.

Deborah looked horrified at the drops of blood dripping from Rixus’ black gloves.

‘If I had known that he would grow into such a monster, I should have killed him when he was young.’

Of course, it wasn’t that she didn’t try.

Because 80% of the pain and frustration that Rixus experienced as a child was given by her.

Immediately after the emperor and empress’ storm accident, the nobles who had been crouching under the emperor who practiced strong pacifism gathered together to become the current Nine Nobles.

They regarded the young prince who could succeed the throne as a thorn in their eyes rather than the emperor who was half-dead.

So Deborah, who was also one of the Nine Nobles at the time, tried to get rid of Rixus in various ways.

Nevertheless, the boy did not die and survived. He had grown up to be a creepy man who looked like he had iron armor over his heart, threatening them.

She knew that it was her fault that Rixus had become that cold-blooded.

Nevertheless… 

‘Every time I see that unknown gleam in his eyes, I get goosebumps.’

At that moment, the sound of footsteps approached, breaking the suffocating atmosphere.

Then a calm, soft voice was heard.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, you’re here.”

This man, who gently reversed the mood, was a very handsome man with black hair and black eyes.

Unlike Rixus, who looked cold, he had a kind and gentle gaze.

His name was Johann Marquis.

He was a conquistador, a man who became the focal point of the Nine Nobles.[TL/N: Conquistadors (in the real-life Age of Discovery) sailed – colonizing and exploiting territory and opening trade routes.]

Although he used the family name ‘Marquis’ instead of ‘Aktoum’ under the imperial law as he was born out of wedlock, under the current circumstances, he was second in line to the throne.(TL/N: It might seem strange, but yes, his family name is really Marquis.)

Johann looked young enough to be seen as the same age as Rixus, but he was actually the emperor’s younger brother and Rixus’ uncle.

When the emperor became unconscious, he was also the one who acted as the emperor’s representative instead of the young Rixus.

From the beginning, the Nine Nobles tried to push Johann on the throne as he had political connections with them.

So, even when Rixus grew up to 15 years old and demanded his throne, they drove the public opinion dirty and brutally pressured Rixus.

“If the Crown Prince succeeds the Emperor, the people will think that His Majesty has passed away. Do you want that?”

In order for Rixus to regain his imperial power, he would have to become the bastard who killed his father.

“If the people believe that the Emperor is dead, what is the difference from a living corpse?”

‘Try cutting off the breaths of your father who is lying in the hospital bed.’

“Your Highness, please decide.”

They pretended to give him the right to decide, but in reality, Rixius had no choice.

There was already a widespread public opinion among the people doubting whether the emperor was alive or not. In this situation, if he forcefully asked for the emperor’s power, it was nothing more than making his father a corpse on his own.

However, it was impossible for an uncle to act as a substitute for the grown-up crown prince.

In the end, as a compromise, an unprecedented ‘Half-Half Emperor Rights’ situation arose.

Rixus pushed Johann up so far, but there was a fatal flaw.

The fact that he didn’t seem to be interested in the throne at all.

The ‘conquests’ he advocated was merely a political belief, and he did not seem to have any ambition to seize power by forcefully implementing it.

Johann even rebuked Deborah when he found out that she had harassed Rixus. He was only concerned with the prosperity of Aktoum, and was even kind to his nephew.

Johann smiled kindly and said,

“I am only grateful that His Highness the Crown Prince does my work for me. I should have done the interrogation… but I wasted my time praying.”

A part of Deborah’s outfit was crumpled every time Johann did this.

‘That stupid man! Don’t you have any belly?’

If he had been ambitious, he would have gotten married and have children sooner.

‘He just stuck in his bedroom all day and prayed…’

Johann hadn’t married and spent most of his time praying, just like a priest.

Maybe he didn’t seem to age because he didn’t have stress or greed. In fact, he was 36 years old and appeared to be in his mid-20s.

Young ladies who said he was good-looking were lined up, but when he prayed with an angelic face, they felt somewhat sublime and even immoral for having sexual desire for him.

Of course, there were young ladies who were more excited about that point.

Still, he made no effort to get married, have children, and look like an attractive heir to the throne… 

Then, don’t waste it! That leadership and the occasional intimidation seemed very fitting for the emperor.

It was when Deborah was looking at Johann with dissatisfaction.

A cold voice came out to be heard.

“I am probably more accustomed to cutting off a man’s limb than Archduke Marquis.”

At Rixus’s emotionless expression and tone, Deborah frowned as if it was terrible.

On the other hand, Johann accepted it calmly and gently.

“I heard that he was a worshiper of demons. Your Highness the Crown Prince, he would not have opened his mouth at all.”

Rixus said indifferently.

“They poured out one after another.”

In an instant, Deborah, Prime Minister Bernard, and Marquis Kalen’s spine shuddered.

It was because they remembered how cruel he had been to open his mouth, and that terrifying and desperate scream.

Rixus walked out of the dungeon first, leaving them behind.

Deborah and Bernard, who had stiffened, sighed at the same time, then Marquis Kalen let out a sigh of his own.

“Did you just see it? We’re overwhelmed just dealing with the Crown Prince… and now, the Queen of Spinel?”

Deborah continued with an unpleasant face, as if she had seen a cockroach.

“Two troublesome beings! If they ever give birth to a child, the blood of the Aktoum royal family will be mixed with the inferior blood of Spinel, horrifying!”

Bernard added, stroking his beard as if he was intimidated.

“I agree. To marry a spinel undermines national dignity. It’s like a cross between a monkey and a human.”

Since three days ago, when Rixus brought his ‘Holy Marriage Agreement’ with Spinel, Aktoum had been turned upside down.

Among them, the busiest were the Nine Nobles.

If peace was promoted through a holy marriage, it would be even more difficult to conquer Spinel.

Deborah begged Johann discreetly.

“Archduke Marquis, please tell me. If this marriage takes place, there will be no chance for Aktoum to become a rich empire by conquering and unifying Spinel. Shouldn’t this marriage be prevented?”

Johann answered with a cool look, but with certainty.

“Marriage is solely his choice. Permission rests with the high priesthood, so it’s not for us to add our opinions.”

That was a very stern answer. To the point where she had no words to respond.

Johann left the dungeon with only those words.

Deborah, with a tired expression on her face, opened her fan made with peacock feathers and cooled her feverish face.

“How can he not be so greedy?”

Then Marquis Kalen intervened carefully.

“Actually, as Archduke Marquis said, there is no way we can do anything about it. Marriage is decided by the high priest…”

Deborah reacted sharply to the lovely man with light blond hair.

“Shut up, Marquis Kalen, because I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

“…Yes… Madam”

Marquis Kalen’s ears reddened as he felt embarrassed.

Deborah said firmly.

“Why isn’t there any way? It’s enough to kick her out before she get used to Aktoum’s social circle!”

The corners of her lips twisted.

“If a horde of mice rushes to it, the aged cheese will become rags…?”

Elegant olive-colored eyes flashed.

“Wait and see. This Deborah will drive the Queen out!”

* * *

“Why is there a card?”

Arriving in Aktoum and being assigned a room in the Crown Prince’s Palace, I first found a card lying on the table.

It was a card with a luxurious gold seal.

Seeing it lying with a red rose…

‘It’s an invitation. Aktoum was said to give an invitation with a rose.’

I slowly opened the card.

A celebration banquet already…?

However, the signature written under the invitation was very impressive.