CH 32

“Ha…”

That tree with fresh green leaves was planted by his mother.

After his mother’s death, this once withered tree grew taller and taller, covered with green leaves.

“What the hell… why?”

Raymond realized who had saved the dying tree.

Ellie. He guessed it because, as a child, he once saw Ellie rescue a dying plant.

Besides, Ellie was the only one who could save this tree, which nobody cared about.

“Ray, what is this tree? Why is your name engraved on it?”

“This is the tree my mother planted when I was born to pray for my health. My mother always takes care of him with special trepidation, saying that if the tree is damaged, I could also get sick.”

“Woah… So I have to follow this too.”

A scene from the past passed before his eyes.

“After all, you are the person I love so much. Even though I know that you don’t love me.”

He remembered how calmly she spoke of her unrequited love.

For all that long time, she never once demanded affection from him.

The reason was that she didn’t want to burden him again.

And he pretended not to know.

He knew everything and pretended not to know anything.

Even so, he thought she would always look stright to him.

“Ha!”

He couldn’t breathe, as if someone had stepped on his chest.

Raymond knelt in front of the tree.

The heartbreaking pain didn’t go away. Feelings that had been denied swept over him, exploding back.

“Lie down.”

Ellie’s voice, so clear, but when he turned his head, she was no longer there.

He was wrong in thinking that she would always be there. By his stupidity, he realized this only after she left.

And that he loves Ellie too.

“Let me go.”

“I can’t, Ellie.”

Clenching his fists, Raymond sat up. He couldn’t live without her.

“You can curse and hate me, but I will bring you back at all costs.”

In the middle of the night, the gates of the Imperial Palace opened.

Raymond rode out without his retinue.

He rode without stops, and soon found himself in front of Duke Croft’s estate.

The guards at the gate were awakened by screams.

“Hey!”

Raymond took off his hat and spoke to the surprised soldier.

“Tell that I came for Lady Croft.”

The lights of the ducal estate went on when they were suddenly visited by the emperor. Soon the gate opened.

Raymond immediately rushed to the mansion, saw the Duke, and dismounted.

“Hail His Majesty the Emperor, Empire Sun.”

“Duke Croft. I’m sorry that I’m so early.”

Raymond was talking to the Duke, but his gaze was looking for someone else.

Torches lit the whole place, but Ellie was nowhere to be seen.

She clearly heard my name, but deliberately stayed inside?

Raymond looked at the Duke with a frozen face.

For some reason, it seemed to the emperor that he had experienced this situation before.

He remembered the day the Duke had blocked his entrance to the palace.

And he remembered the words spoken by the Duke.

Even if it was too late, he had to grab hold of Ellie.

Raymond turned slowly to face the Duke, who now couldn’t be knocked out of his post.

“Duke, I need to tell something Ellie,” Raymond said seriously. At that moment it was a request of a man, not an emperor.

The Duke’s eyes trembled slightly at the appearance of the emperor.

But the surprise didn’t last long. This is because the Duke has accumulated a lot of frustration and resentment towards the emperor.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. But this won’t happen.”

“Duke. Please. I have to meet her. I realized my feelings too late…”

“…What feelings are we talking about?”

“I got so used to her that I realized this only after she left… I love her.”

It was a sincere declaration of love. There was no lie on Raymond’s face.

The Duke looked into his tortured black eyes and laughed heartily.

“Duke?”

“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. However, as Your Majesty himself pointed out, it’s already too late. Because Ellie isn’t at the estate.”

“What does it mean?”

“She’s gone. Ellie left the empire.”

“…I heard that she was going on a trip. Yes, it must be so. So when will she be back? No, where did she go?”

If you hurry, you can still catch up with it. Raymond turned his back on his foreboding and renewed his hope.

However, as if fate itself wanted to laugh at him:

“She’s not coming back. Ellie didn’t go on a journey, but left this country forever.”

“What does it mean…”

“What I just said. Ha. Ellie left to never see His Majesty.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know.”

“Duke!”

However, the Duke repeated without the slightest hesitation:

“Your Majesty, I don’t know. Please don’t look for my daughter. It will be better for both Your Majesty and her.”

“And for her?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. If you rush to look for it now, what can you do?”

“What does it mean…”

The Duke rudely interrupted the Emperor’s words and spoke in a decisive tone:

“Today your bastard has become a prince. Will you order your beloved woman to be a stepmother to an illegitimate child?”

“The appointment can be revoked at any time.”

Kick out the already appointed crown prince?

It would be ridiculous. But Raymond could no longer make rational judgments.

“The people of the Empire already know whose Edmund is the son.”

Watching Raymond, who had nothing to say, the Duke decided to push harder.

“Your Majesty knows better than anyone else that there are no parents or brothers in the game for the throne. And if, let’s say, Ellie had a child from His Majesty, we would all be drowned in a sea of ​​blood.”

The Duke looked at Raymond coldly.

It was Raymond who shed his blood and took the place of the emperor.

“Sire. Her way of keeping everyone safe is to get away from His Majesty.”

“…I have nothing else to do here.”

Raymond came out with a hard face.