Allure, surprised at the sight, cast a spell on the assassin. The assassin was engulfed in flames by the fire magic.

Berthas, who quickly drew his sword upon seeing Hector, blew an aura into the necklace around his neck. In an instant, it transformed into a sword that fitted perfectly in his hand, and he swung it toward Hector.

In the final moment, trying to slow himself down as Hector let go of his sword, Berthas was already too late.

“Sir!”

Hector, stabbed near the heart, collapsed on the spot. Without a chance to turn to him, soldiers surrounding him were felt in the vicinity.

At the forefront, Hector’s father stood, leading the soldiers.

“Usurper, Berthas HIllenton! Kneel willingly!”

Berthas, seeing his figure, sneered.

“Well, my life was never meant to be easy.”

His entire life had been obtained with a sword handle.

Hector’s betrayal wasn’t something he had desired. He had simply succumbed to his father’s ambition. Unable to oppose his father, it seemed like he had leaped onto Berthas’s sword with the thought of facing death at his hands.

‘He can’t betray his father. So he chose to die instead.’

If he couldn’t betray his father, it seemed that his last choice was to sacrifice his life to his master’s blade.

Berthas briefly glanced at the dying Hector, who was bleeding beside him. Hector’s father didn’t even look at Hector. The death of a child, unrecognized even by his parents, was indeed a sorrowful thing.

“What a fool.”

How many times had he said not to let his heart be so weak? Berthas forcefully suppressed the unspoken words trying to burst out. Feeling the same, Dahan tightened his grip on the sword. Even Allure joined in, attempting to move with a hand gesture.

* * *

The night before Berthas left, Isillis couldn’t sleep with an anxious heart. It was a similar anxiety to when she lost her child.

Troubled, she used the communication stone to contact Faylos.

“What’s going on?”

“Fayl.”

Without saying anything, he stared at her. Sensing the unease in her face, Faylos pressed her and asked.

“What’s wrong?”

Struggling to open her mouth, she finally spoke briefly to Faylos.

“What are you worrying about? Just follow him.”

“Follow him?”

“Who can say anything about you going to protect the one to become your spouse? Who would say anything about that? Just go with him.”

She felt embarrassed by Faylos’s words. Seeing her reddened face, he told her.

“Set up a proxy, and go.”

“Do you want to do it?”

Thinking that she could trust him more than anyone else, Faylos shook his head.

“No. That position turns people into monsters.”

“Do I look like a monster to you?”

“Not just you, but your father as well. The imperial family of Larchen are all monsters.”

Understanding the hidden meaning in his quiet words, she whispered to him.

“Then, I should temporarily entrust the position to Duke Verus.”

“What makes you trust him?”

“I don’t trust him.”

“Then?”

“I trust the family that I held hostage in my hands.”

At Isillis’s words, Faylos sighed.

“You’re truly a scary empress, Isillis.”

“I’ll take it as a compliment.”

The first thing she did after learning that Duke Verus had assisted in hiding her father was to seize the Duke’s family. Despite her somewhat harsh actions, Duke Verus accepted it without any reaction or words.

“You were looking for an excuse to forgive him anyway, right?”

“That’s right.”

“If so, this opportunity should do.”

“You’re really not coming?”

“Isillis.”

As he called out her name with earnestness, Isillis looked straight into his eyes. Despite being faintly visible through the communication stone, his eyes were shining.

“I want to distance myself from the imperial palace if possible now. I often wandered around the imperial palace, and Mother seemed to have different thoughts because of it.”

“Hmm…”

“If you know that fact, you’ll handle Mother without asking me. Under the pretext of caring for me.”

“That might be true.”

Sighing at her straightforward response, Faylos spoke again.

“That’s why I no longer want to get closer to the imperial palace.”

“I understand.”

“Come to the port occasionally and give me updates.”

“Why bother? Even if I don’t give updates, you’ll know everything.”

“Still.”

Smiling as Faylos bid her farewell, Isillis also smiled. Watching his figure departing, Isillis closed her eyes for a moment and opened them.

The Empress’ position was always lonely.

‘But now, I can say I’m fortunate to walk this lonely path with Berthas.’

Setting aside momentary distractions, Isillis summoned Duke Verus. Despite the late hour, the Duke rushed to her. Isillis smiled at the sight. She liked that he responded to her call without expressing any doubt, even though he had been confined to his residence.

Regardless of her anger at Tartos, she didn’t hold him accountable for it at Duke Verus’s request.

However, she expressed her disappointment to Duke Verus. His lack of reaction made her feel sorry for him, and she recalled her mother’s words that an Emperor should always be fair and just to her subjects.

She intended to call Duke Verus, but due to a lingering sense of bitterness, she kept postponing it. Tonight, if Faylos hadn’t pushed her forward, she probably wouldn’t have sought out Duke Verus.

The old man knelt before her.

“I came because I was called.”

“I have called you because there is something I would like to ask of you.”

“It is not right for the Empress to ask a favor from a subject. If you command, I will follow.”

“Have you been resentful lately?”

“No, Your Majesty.”

Isillis laughed and spoke again to Duke Verus, whose expression couldn’t be discerned as he had his head down.

“I would like you to protect my child, the princess, for a while.”

“What?”

Duke Verus, surprised by her words, quickly raised his head. Seeing his surprised face, Isillis smiled kindly and spoke again.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“May I… Is it acceptable for me to do that?”

“What can’t be accepted? Aren’t you my loyal subject?”

“Your Majesty!”

As soon as Isillis finished speaking, she gestured towards the Duke, who was bowing his head on the floor. Lifted by her light magic, Duke Verus continued to bow deeply.

“You have entrusted me with a heavy responsibility. May I really do this?”

“Of course. I entrust the princess to you because I trust you. Take good care of her until I return.”

“I will protect the successor to the country according to Your Majesty’s command.”

“I’m glad that you say that.”

With a pleased smile directed at him, Duke Verus raised his head and asked.

“Well… then, your Majesty, When exactly…”

“Tomorrow immediately.”

Hearing her words, Duke Verus, who continued to bow, lifted his head in a manner expressing difficulty, saying something about why she didn’t say this earlier and how it made things difficult for him.

While sensing Duke Verus rushing outside, gathering knights and wizards, Isillis gestured again. She summoned the commander of the First Wizard Battalion.

“You called, Your Majesty.”

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