The Last Supper
The Dark Princess, Violetta, was a special existence in many ways. She was the youngest daughter of the Emperor—the highest authority among humans—and at the same time, she was a member of the dragon race, the apex of all living beings. Naturally, this had instilled in her an arrogant personality. After all, no one could dare look down on her.
But there was one person even this princess could not ignore.
“Father?”
“……”
The Emperor, her father. Marzeta von Alex. In front of him, she was a relatively obedient daughter. It wasn’t simply because he was her father. The Emperor was completely on her side. He granted almost every request she made. Unlike her half-brothers, he looked at her as a father, not as an emperor. He also pitied the curse that had taken root deep in her heart.
Every time he saw his daughter suffering from the curse, he wanted to give her anything she desired.
[I want to see Mother.]
Even so, the princess had few material desires.
[If that’s not possible, then I want a friend. Someone who can look into my eyes and remain perfectly fine, just like you, Father.]
She wanted nothing more than the interest and affection of those around her. But that was a request the Emperor could not fulfill. Moreover, Violetta’s loneliness could not be filled by the Emperor’s love alone.
[…It’s so boring and dull.]
Even when he gave her beautiful clothes that could draw everyone’s attention or an armful of adorable dolls in place of friends, the princess was never satisfied. Nothing changed. She was still alone. She could not even step outside the imperial palace. An unnamed illness followed her relentlessly.
The Emperor had tried every possible method to save her, but they all ended in failure. His body, now frail with age, could no longer do anything about his daughter’s curse.
‘This is all my fault.’
He had saved humanity, yet he could not protect his own daughter. The man once called the hero of mankind now felt utterly insignificant. Everything seemed to be his mistake.
[Ah, Father…? How long do I have to keep hurting like this…?]
Every time he saw his daughter writhing in pain from the curse, guilt crushed his entire being. He had thought he had finally brought peace to the world, yet what awaited the Emperor was a hellish remaining life. He had believed it would continue like that forever. After all, the curse placed upon Violetta originated from this damned bloodline.
However—.
“…Father! Are you even listening to me?”
“Ah, my daughter.”
A few days ago, something unbelievable had happened. The newly appointed bodyguard knight had burned away most of Violetta’s terrible curse.
“Don’t tell me you stayed up all night again?”
The princess, who had become comparatively healthier recently, asked with a lively expression. There was no longer any trace of agony on Violetta’s face. Only interest in things she had never been able to enjoy before.
“I’m fine. What were you saying just now?”
“I want to set a date for the engagement ceremony. Ideally, I’d like to get married right away, but that probably won’t be easy.”
She now spoke her desires with confidence, pointing at the young knight standing beside her.
“P-Princess?”
Armand couldn’t help but be flustered. Out of nowhere, she wanted to set an engagement date? Still, it wasn’t exactly a wild idea. If he officially became the princess’s fiancé, even the Second Prince would find it difficult to touch him recklessly. He would no longer be a mere imperial knight, after all. Of course, he wouldn’t be completely free from assassination threats. Even so, it wasn’t a bad plan.
“It’s fine. I already spoke to Father about it yesterday.”
“No, that’s not the issue here!”
The only problem was that the consent of the person in question had been completely omitted.
“Then what is the problem? I made this decision while thinking of you and showing consideration, you know?”
“I’m grateful for your consideration, but shouldn’t you at least ask for my opinion?”
“Ah, right. When would you like it?”
“No, it’s not about the date right now—”
Suddenly, the audience chamber grew noisy. Violetta and Armand bickered back and forth in what could hardly be called an argument. There was no real emotion or anger involved in their exchange.
‘How lovely. They really are the perfect pair.’
The Emperor watched the scene silently for a moment, a warm smile deepening the wrinkles at the corners of his mouth.
“You want to hold an engagement ceremony? That’s wonderful news.”
“So you agree too, Father?”
“Well, it is about time she found a partner.”
“Your Majesty…?!”
An engagement ceremony—. The Emperor murmured as if lending weight to Violetta’s words and rose from his throne. He moved toward the banquet table prepared in front.
“Sit down, all of you.”
The massive table was still completely empty.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Hehe, then I’ll sit between Father and Armand.”
The princess hummed a little tune as she took her seat. Just thinking about an engagement ceremony made her excited. Armand was the first man who had ever caught Violetta’s heart. He had cured her curse and even protected her from monsters.
‘Plus, he’s so handsome.’
He was no different from the prince on a white horse in fairy tales.
‘What dress should I wear? I’d love to hold the ceremony outdoors if possible—.’
Humming happily, she was lost in blissful daydreams when—.
“My daughter, I’m truly sorry, but it will be difficult to hold any events in the imperial palace for the time being.”
An unexpected statement suddenly slipped from the lips of the father who had always wanted to give her anything.
“Eh? W-why…?”
Violetta’s face went blank at those words.
‘Phew, thank goodness.’
Armand secretly breathed a sigh of relief, careful not to show it.
“What’s the reason? You said yesterday that you’d consider it positively!”
The postponement of the engagement was good news. Though calling it good news felt a bit ambiguous. The closer their relationship grew, the higher the chance of assassination became. Still, he had no desire to be tied down by something like an engagement. The closer he got to the princess, the more guilt piled up in his heart.
“Your Majesty, has something happened in the palace?”
However, this wasn’t something they could simply gloss over. There had to be a proper reason for delaying the engagement ceremony.
“Unfortunately, the situation has changed. Let’s eat first and talk afterward.”
“Tch, how annoying……”
“Princess, I can hear you.”
“Why do you look so happy about this?”
“Hm? I don’t know what you mean?”
The princess glared sharply at Armand and scolded him. But Armand, now used to it, brushed it off casually. They bickered constantly yet somehow suited each other perfectly.
‘I’m glad she found a good partner. Once this matter is resolved, I can finally breathe easy.’
To the Emperor’s eyes, they simply looked like a fresh, young couple.
—Tap tap!
When the Emperor tapped the table with his fingertips, the doors to the audience chamber swung wide open.
“We will prepare it right away, Your Majesty.”
A long procession of servants and maids followed. Trays filled with all kinds of delicacies covered the table. It was literally a banquet prepared for just the three of them.
Yet the atmosphere felt strangely off.
‘Why aren’t they leaving? Even the royal guards are staying…?’
The servants and maids who had prepared the food stood in neat lines beside the Emperor, the princess, and Armand. The royal guards stood watch around them with hands resting on their sword hilts.
“If you need anything, please tell me. I will serve you.”
A freckled maid approached Armand kindly.
‘Is this just extremely attentive service? Do they even feed the imperial family by hand?’
Armand nodded with a dazed expression.
“Eat comfortably. We can talk afterward; there’s no rush.”
—Clink.
As the Emperor began his meal, he pointed at the food. Armand indicated the steak in front of him. The maid beside him transferred the meat to a plate. He thought she would hand it over right away, but—.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“Hm?”
—Slice, slice, slice.
The maid suddenly picked up a fork and knife and began cutting the meat. That much was understandable. It was a banquet hosted by the Emperor, after all. Even if she fed him directly, it wouldn’t have been strange.
But after cutting the meat into bite-sized pieces, the maid astonishingly….
“Hah.”
Brought it to her own mouth instead of Armand’s. As if it were the most natural thing in the world.
‘What… what is this?’
How long had she been chewing the perfectly cooked meat? After swallowing it with a gulp, the maid suddenly—.
“…Hah?”
Collapsed to the floor with a thud. She couldn’t even let out a proper dying scream.
In short, it was poisoning.
“Quickly, the antidote…!”
The once harmonious banquet descended into chaos. Someone had collapsed from poison and was carried out on a stretcher. And it wasn’t just the seat where Armand sat.
“Over here too! Bring a stretcher immediately!”
“Replace them. Next one forward.”
“Strange… We checked multiple times……”
The servants who had tasted the food in place of the Emperor, the princess, and Armand collapsed one after another.
‘What on earth is going on?’
A normal meal was impossible.
“Ugh…!?”
Even the replacement servant was carried away on a stretcher. Dozens of dishes were spread across the table, yet every single one contained poison. No—the entire feast had been laced with it.
—Thud!
When the third taster foamed at the mouth and was carried off, the Emperor spoke with a hardened expression.
“That’s enough. We’ll end the meal here.”
Nothing had been eaten, yet the Emperor hastily concluded the dinner. His eyes, watching the servants who had collapsed in his place, were filled with guilt.
“I’m truly sorry about this. It was a banquet prepared especially for an honored guest.”
At the Emperor’s gesture, the servants hurriedly cleared the food and withdrew.
“I’ll prepare something separately for you later, like yesterday.”
“Hoho, I’m fine. I don’t have much of an appetite these days.”
“That won’t do. The older you get, the more you need to eat properly.”
The princess reacted as if this were a familiar occurrence, not particularly bothered. She pulled out a pouch of jerky from her bosom as if she had expected this. Jerky for an elderly man— It was consideration very much in line with the princess’s character.
But there was something more important right now.
“Your Majesty, I will summon the investigators immediately. This is not something we can simply overlook.”
“There’s no need. It would be pointless.”
“…But—!”
“Do you know where the investigators are dispatched from?”
“Obviously from the Information Bureau… Ah?”
“Hm, from your reaction, it seems you already have a rough idea of the situation.”
The Information Bureau was now under the Second Prince’s control. It was no longer an agency serving the Emperor. The fabricated statements were proof of that. This poisoning attempt was most likely another one of the Second Prince’s atrocities.
“Are you aware of this and choosing to remain silent, Your Majesty?”
“I am already a frail old man. The titles of humanity’s hero or champion are all things of the past.”
“But you are still the Emperor of the Empire.”
“When death approaches, power becomes meaningless. Who would want to stay under a tiger whose fangs have fallen out?”
“……”
He roughly understood the situation now. The imperial family had long since become a complete mess. It was on the verge of collapsing with the slightest breeze.
“This is all my fault. I was so focused on the war against the demon race that I neglected to properly raise my sons.”
The Emperor forced a smile as he looked at the princess. His eyes were filled with deep regret and sorrow.
“Father has done nothing wrong. Those sons of yours are all scum. If you had treated them well, they would have only grown more arrogant.”
“Hohoho, why are they all so eager to devour each other—? What is this power even worth……”
The Emperor murmured as he briefly removed the crown resting atop his pure white hair. Whether it was his imagination or not, the Emperor’s face looked much more at ease without the crown.
“Why don’t you just throw it away and live with me? Oh, and Armand too, of course.”
“That cannot be. Since I built this empire, it is my duty to pass it on to the right leader for the sake of the people.”
“But there isn’t a single one worthy of it. The first one is a lecherous fool, and the second is as cunning as a snake.”
“You’re right. It wasn’t without reason that I favored you so much.”
The Emperor let out a self-mocking laugh and stood up.
“In the end, I only have you, Violetta.”
He stood between Armand and the princess, taking his daughter’s hand. The only blood relative the Emperor could truly rely on was the princess.
But if this daughter were to awaken as the Worst Evil Magic Dragon in the future, how would the Emperor react?
‘Now that I think about it, the original story barely mentioned the Emperor at all…….’
The sudden thought made him reflect on the original plot. But nothing particularly came to mind. It had been too long since he read it.
While he was lost in thought, the Emperor spoke.
“Sir Armand, I have a mission for you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor handed Violetta’s hand toward him as he gave the order.
“Please take good care of my daughter from now on.”
It was exactly like a father-in-law handing over his bride to her groom.
“…Pardon?”
“There’s no need to be so surprised. I’m not telling you to marry her immediately. Could you take my daughter outside the palace for three days as her bodyguard knight and prospective fiancé?”
“Only three days?”
“Yes. Don’t you think that would make for a pleasant outing?”
“May I ask for the detailed reason?”
“The family situation has become quite serious. As the head of the family, I can no longer stand by and watch.”
“It’s because of the Second Prince, isn’t it?”
“Indeed. I can understand him targeting me, the Emperor. But I cannot overlook him targeting his own siblings any longer. To go after his little sister the moment her illness improves?”
The Emperor’s wrinkled face flushed with anger. For a moment, a heavy killing intent filled the audience chamber. No matter how old he was, a hero was still a hero.
“Is the reason he’s targeting the princess also related to the imperial succession?”
“That’s right. He wants to eliminate even the smallest variables.”
“As expected……”
“But it’s pointless. I intend to pass the throne to Violetta.”
“Your Majesty?”
“…Ah, Father?”
Having firmly declared his stance on the succession, the Emperor forcibly placed his daughter’s hand in Armand’s and continued.
“Stay outside while I clean up the household. Once everything is settled, I will send for you.”
“But I understand the princess’s curse attracts monsters. Sending her outside……”
“Armand, what is your duty?”
“Ah—.”
“Monsters that aren’t even demons can simply be cut down. Isn’t that right?”
The Emperor answered calmly, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. It was the most straightforward response possible. Lately, he had been so focused on the princess’s assassination attempts that he had momentarily forgotten his duty as a knight.
“You’re right. Then where should we take shelter?”
“Go to the Order for a while.”
“…The Order, Your Majesty?”
Armand couldn’t help but freeze. That was because the main setting in the early parts of the original story was the academy affiliated with the Order. Which meant there was a chance he might encounter the original protagonist—who would later inflict a great wound on the magic dragon.
And that wasn’t all.
“Yes. My sword is there, after all.”
This might be a way to find another method to deal with the princess.