Episode 7

The Grand Duke’s pale pink eyes gleamed.

“A place? Are you saying that Akes has been taken in by someone?”

“Yes, and he’s living quite comfortably.”

“…Comfortably? But that boy had every bone in his body broken. Those bones must have caused severe internal damage. Even the most skilled sorcerer would need at least several months to heal that.”

The Grand Duke of Baharman frowned in disbelief.

Dante shook his head.

“There are methods other than sorcery. Methods even more perfect than sorcery.”

“That could only be the healing magic of the King of Water Spirits… Surely not?”

The Grand Duke’s eyes widened in sudden realization.

Dante nodded slightly, confirming the unspoken thought.

“…Ha. For five years, they’ve pretended each other didn’t exist, but since they’re both aligned with the imperial faction, they can’t just let each other die, is that it?”

A hollow laugh escaped the Grand Duke’s lips, but his eyes momentarily flashed with murderous intent.

It looked as though he might order their deaths at any moment, so Dante quickly spoke up.

“Your Grace, please calm yourself. You cannot turn the spiritist into an enemy. She is protected by the King of Water Spirits. If we attempt to eliminate her carelessly, we may be the ones eliminated instead.”

“…Then what do you propose we do?”

The Grand Duke’s face twisted in irritation.

Dante responded promptly.

“We must bring the spiritist to our side.”

“Bring her to our side?”

“Yes, Your Grace. She is a commoner, so she must crave status and power. Fortunately, we have Lord Lloyd. Offer her the title of Grand Duchess, and she will be easily persuaded.”

The Grand Duke sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“Dante, do you think I haven’t thought of that? If only that fool Lloyd had cooperated, the spiritist would already be my daughter-in-law, and Akes would be dead by now!”

“….”

“As you know, Lloyd is a philanderer. Forcing them together could offend the spiritist even more. And that would be the best-case scenario. What if the King of Water Spirits were to become enraged over her mistreatment?”

“….”

Dante fell silent. Everything the Grand Duke said was true.

With another sigh, the Grand Duke continued.

“Besides, the spiritist healed Akes. She has already chosen the Serenia family.”

“I don’t think that’s the case.”

“Not the case?”

The Grand Duke paused and turned to Dante, his eyes narrowing.

Dante nodded again.

“The spiritist probably doesn’t know that boy is the Archduke of Serenia. She likely saved him out of pure compassion, thinking he was just a dying child. The Archduke must have used a sorcery tool to transport himself to her doorstep.”

“True. It would be hard to identify someone you knew as a 25-year-old man if they suddenly appeared as a 10-year-old boy.”

Especially since they had not been in contact for five years.

Nodding in agreement, the Grand Duke suddenly stopped.

“But Dante, how do you know Akes ended up at the spiritist’s house?”

The Grand Duke’s sharp gaze pierced Dante.

Akes’s mental age was that of a 10-year-old. Even if he knew that going to the spiritist could save him, it was unlikely he knew exactly where she was.

Caught off guard by the sharp question, Dante hesitated for a moment but then replied smoothly.

“…I calculated the sorcery fluctuations from the back alley where the Archduke was abandoned and determined that he headed toward Count Haila’s territory. The rest was mere conjecture. It’s often said that living beings can tap into extraordinary powers when faced with death.”

“Indeed.”

The Grand Duke accepted the explanation, nodding thoughtfully without pressing further.

Relieved, Dante continued.

“Your Grace, we must not turn the spiritist into an enemy. If making her a Grand Duchess isn’t possible, we must find another means to secure her loyalty.”

He paused briefly before adding in a low voice,

“…After all, you are destined to ascend to the throne one day, Your Grace.”

At these words, the Grand Duke’s lips curled into a smile.

“Yes, even the Emperor cherishes the spiritist. Though she seems less fond of him.”

The Grand Duke chuckled.

The public’s support for a spiritist—especially one contracted with the Spirit King—was immense.

How could one hope to achieve great ambitions while making such an individual an enemy?

“I understand your concerns. But we can’t let the Archduke of Serenia live. Sir Taylen, Sir Miroel.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The two knights who had been summoned responded swiftly.

The Grand Duke gave them their orders.

“Place a request with the assassination guild immediately. The target is a black-haired, red-eyed boy, around 10 years old. The grade is A. Make sure no one knows. Kill him quietly.”

“We understand and will carry out your command.”

The two knights bowed their heads and left the office.

The Grand Duke turned back to Dante, laughing heartily.

“Thanks to you, I feel much better. If there’s anything you want, just say the word.”

“I am honored, but Your Grace, all I desire is your victory.”

“You smooth-talking devil.”

The Grand Duke laughed even harder, wiping away the tears that had gathered in the corners of his eyes.

“I’ll decide your reward myself. You may leave for now.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Dante stepped out, bowing his head as he exited.

Click, the door shut behind him.

For a moment, he stood still, then slowly raised a trembling hand to his head.

Thankfully, his fingertips only felt his hair—clean, with no trace of blood or wounds.

“…I can’t die like that again.”

He shuddered as he muttered to himself.

The overwhelming waves crashing down, the deafening roar of the collapsing cave—

It all felt so vivid, as though it had happened moments ago.

The sense of helplessness in the face of nature’s fury—he never wanted to feel that again.

‘But it’s too late to turn to the side of the Archduke of Serenia.’

Dante had already revealed himself by placing a curse on the Archduke.

Akes de Serenia never forgave anyone who showed their teeth at him. Even if Dante swore eternal loyalty and promised to become his most devoted ally, he would only be used, then discarded without mercy once he was no longer useful.

That’s the kind of man Akes was.

Thus, there was only one course of action left for Dante.

He had to kill the Archduke of Serenia and bring the spiritist to his side.

‘For that to happen, Grand Duke Bahar must win.’

With his resolve strengthened, Dante adjusted his robe and resumed walking.

He had already twisted one of the signs leading to his death; now it was time to lay down the next groundwork.

* * *

“Ainra, how have you been?”

The warm voice coming through the crystal ball instantly brightened my mood, chasing away the gloomy expression I had been wearing.

Soft, golden hair and sky-blue eyes, as clear as the open sky.

The person reflected in the crystal ball was none other than my precious, beloved favorite—Harnen.

With just one word from him, the strange heaviness in my chest began to melt away.

“I’ve been doing well! What about you, Harnen? Have you been taking care of yourself and eating properly?”

Harnen’s eyes crinkled gently as he smiled.

“Ainra, you always worry about whether I’m eating properly.”

“Th-that’s because…”

I trailed off, awkwardly scratching my temple with a sheepish grin.

Blame it on the K-culture gene that’s still embedded in my brain…

Harnen laughed as he watched me.

“I’m eating well, but please keep worrying about me. I feel happy every time you do.”

His words suddenly reminded me of Harnen’s past, as described in ‘The Tyrant Emperor’.

Tears welled up in my heart.

‘He lost both his parents when he was young, and on top of that, his surroundings were filled with power-hungry sycophants waiting to exploit him. All he ever did was his best, but everyone branded him a tyrant. In the end, even the subordinate and friend he trusted betrayed him…’

No wonder he’s so happy over something as simple as me asking if he’s eating well!