CH 39

The Emperor didn’t have just one son. Even if it wasn’t Phil, there were two more sons. However, they all possessed dubious powers to succeed to the throne.

The news that the Emperor had called Phil had already reached the Third Empress. She insisted on knowing what he had done wrong, but Phil was adamant that he didn’t know. The Third Empress shifted her posture and spoke softly to him.

“Even if His Majesty does not say anything, you should lie flat and claim you did something wrong.”

“What exactly do you mean when you say I did something wrong when I didn’t? Mother is worried for no reason.”

When he begged, ‘Please, Mother, please help me!’ as he fell down on top of her foot. Phil’s voice sounded annoyed as he stated that, and the third empress became enraged.

‘You look stupid!’

“…All right. At least look at His Majesty’s mood and be careful. His Majesty doesn’t seem to have called you for a pleasant occasion.”

Phil was irritated after speaking with his mother and leaving the second prince’s palace. It’s not a good thing, but what’s the point of being diligent?

“Your Highness…. His Majesty may become enraged if you keep him waiting.”

When one of the servants he hadn’t seen before spoke to him, Phil frowned.

“Are you saying I slowed down on purpose? I’m just late because I have something on my mind!”

“I understand. However, I am only telling you that Your Highness will be subjected to unjustifiable things.”

Phil groaned, clicked his tongue, and sped up his steps. He was angry, but as the servant pointed out, it was because the Emperor seemed to be more irritated if he was late.

The Prince was the same, but the Emperor was a being who shouldn’t be made to wait even more. He believed that no one was worthy of becoming Emperor except himself, but now he had to see the Emperor.

Phil hurried his steps.

✦ ✦ ✦

“….Your Majesty, the Second Prince has arrived.”

The Emperor motioned for the official to leave after hearing the servant’s words. His ferocious expression had already become grumpy.

“Tell him to come in!”

The servant curled his shoulder in response to the Emperor’s shout at him. He swung his body around to face the door.

“Please come in.”

The guard opened the huge door to the office, and the second prince, who appeared a little nervous, entered. When the Emperor saw him, he threw down the paperweight.

“Argh!”

Phil scoffed that he knew how to use a sword quite well, but in reality his skills were mediocre. The paperweight thrown by the Emperor tore his forehead, and blood flowed out.

“Ah, Father!”

“You idiot! You stupid brat! Where did you hear me say not to touch the young lady of Montague?”

The guards hurriedly closed the office door in response to Emperor Orcan’s ensuing yell. Then the heavy door slammed shut with a thump.

Phil knelt on his knees and crawled, not even thinking about pressing the spot where his blood was flowing.

“What…. do you mean…. I didn’t even grab Lady Montague’s wrist.”

“I know that you have a heart for that woman! Didn’t I say she belonged to Cardian?”

Leonis, in Orkan’s opinion, was a person who was extremely picky when it came to choosing a girl. If Phil had touched Celia and he had changed his mind, it would have been difficult. Even though Celia had yet to have a child, she should not be kicked out from the Duke of Cardian’s family.

“She only needs to have a child! All we have to do now is wait for another vessel to be cursed! If you need a girl, there are plenty of them out there!”

Phil already had dozens of wives and concubines. Phil had nothing to say because his concubine count exceeded that of Emperor Orkan, but Phil also lacked common sense.

“If you give him another bitch… Agh!”

A silver pen holder flew in this time. It was better than before because the part that had been hit was his shoulder, but it was still painful.

“Do you think I would have done this to you if it’s that easy to get another bitch? Montague, you’ve even turned that fat bastard against you!”

Phil sensed that Montague had completely changed. He still considered Montague to be his vassal, but in reality, Arthur Montague was just stuck in the capital to find Lily.

He would change camps or retreat and remain confined to the estate once the matter had been resolved in some way. Whether or not his own wife is against it.

‘When did he get the information?’

He only sent one invitation.

It was an invitation to visit the Imperial Palace, but only the lower aristocrats were invited, and the higher-ranking aristocrats held different positions.

Orkan took a deep, wheezing breath as he observed Phil’s silence. As he beckoned to the servant, the servant held out an envelope from which the envelope had been ripped.

Phil unwrapped the letter from the envelope while still on his knees. The elegant handwriting letter contained only a few short words.

[…..In response to your Majesty’s order, we traveled all the way to the capital to attend the ball. The Second Prince’s intense interest in my wife has pushed me to the brink of madness.

We don’t think we will be able to attend the ball because I don’t dare see blood in the Imperial Palace.

Please forgive this disloyal servant, and please understand that she has no choice but to refuse to comply with the Second Prince’s invitation because she must deal with me, who has gone insane.]

Below that, there was Leonis’ signature.

‘This bastard?’

Phil was furious, but when he realized the Emperor was staring at him, he lowered his gaze. He looked into the Emperor’s eyes and said,

“I did invite the Duchess, but….I was just trying to comfort her because I wondered how exhausted she must have been as the wife of the monster, the Duke of Cardian.”

“Do you think this is like a finance minister’s daughter who committed suicide after entering the palace because she couldn’t refuse your invitation? Or like the Countess? Didn’t that bitch hide a knife at the party to kill you and attack you?”

“That’s…. It was just that their mental health wasn’t in good shape. If a woman had entered a man’s house…. Don’t you think so?”

When he heard that, the Emperor leapt from his majestic throne. Seeing Orkan striding down the stairs, Phil flinched as if he wanted to run away.

“All right. Since you came to my room, did you allow me to kick you like this?”

The Emperor’s kick landed in Phil’s face as he stared at him with his eyes wide open.

Although he was the son of the Emperor, he had two more sons, both of whom were bad bastards. Prince Phil has been getting on his nerves for a long time because he makes decisions only on the basis of his bloodline when he lacks power and is incompetent.

If it was just one or two people, the man could have done it, but to touch Cardian was to belittle him. Because he had previously warned Phil.

“Keug! Ugh, Agh! Your-Your Majesty! Ugh!”

“Do you know how difficult it was for the Minister of Finance to take revenge on you and open up your corruption! Your mother begged me to let you go… You don’t know her sacrifice!”

Michael, in Orkan’s opinion, was the only one who could succeed him. It was because of Michael’s cunning and boldness in his palace.

He had also put Phil as a candidate at one point, but due to this incident, he had been pushed out. He couldn’t make an emperor out of a man who thought Cardian’s curse was ridiculous.

“Huuk, huuk! Ugh….”

The Emperor kicked Phil until he let out his rage, then backed off. Phil was only groaning intermittently and had blood on his shoes and hem.

“Bring him to a doctor and have him treated! This is something you’ll have to deal with. If the Duke and Duchess of Cardian don’t attend the Imperial Ball, your neck will be the next thing to snap!”

Phil raised his head and opened his mouth with a bloody face. His face had also been kicked, and it creaked whenever he moved his chin.

“I un….der…stand. Your….. Majesty.”

Phil rolled his eyes to avoid looking at the Emperor Orkan’s cold expression. The Emperor beckoned him to move backward out of indignation, and when he did, his servants rushed out and carried him away.

The huge door to the Oval Office swung open, and Phil, who was half-mounded, was carried out. The servants who were waiting outside seemed terrified.

The Emperor sat down again and turned to face the approaching servants. They brought a towel, and wiped Orkan’s face and hands clean. As well as new clothes and shoes.

“You stupid bastard. Why is that bastard man my child and sucking my blood….”

He gave himself to the hands of his servants and clicked his tongue.

✦ ✦ ✦

She hated him, but a son was a son. When she saw her son’s bloodied face, the Third Empress, who was waiting at the palace of the second prince, screamed.

“Phil!”

When the doctor received the news, they rushed into the scene, and the servants placed Phil on the bed and removed his clothes. The third empress wept and stomped her feet in frustration.

“Who made my handsome son’s face like this!”

The servants exchanged stares without saying anything. The Third Empress did not expect an answer either. There was only one person who could make Phil, the Second Prince, like this.

The Emperor.

‘You’re way too much! After all, no one but Phil will inherit the throne…’

Michael, the first prince, possessed no divine powers, and Giel, the Third Prince, was merely a violent child. Amelia, the Fifth Princess, wasn’t even worth mentioning. She was like a bitch who lived with a concubine since her mother died.

“Mo-Mo……ther….”

“Yes, my son! Mother is here!”

The Third Empress took her son’s hand with a tearful expression on her face. Her gaze was caught on his hands, which was bruised black and blue. After being beaten by Phil, the Minister of Finance’s daughter was also taken out of the palace with a ruined face, but tears did not flow.

“Ca….Cardian, No…. That…. bastard…..”

The Third Empress’ expression changed and she looked at the servant when Phil said it with his bloody lips.

“What does that mean?”

If the Emperor used such violence, he had no choice but to put up with it; however, if the Duke of Cardian was involved, things were different.

When the Third Empress realized what it meant, she turned to face the servant, who shifted his gaze to face her.

“The Second Prince has sent an invitation to the Duchess of Cardian…That seems to have brought His Majesty’s wrath.”