Chapter 192
Chapter 192
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 192
Chapter Title: Blood That Dyes the Truth
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Knock knock.
Dillaina, who had been deep in conversation, suddenly paused. Duke Haiman did the same. He set down his cold teacup and nodded to the guard knight. This was an important meeting, and he had ordered no one to disturb them.
They gripped the swords at their waists and walked to the door.
“What is it?”
“This is Chielonia from the Administrative Office. I’ve come to deliver the order passed by the Grand Council to Lady Dillaina.”
“Order?”
Dillaina murmured unconsciously as she rose to her feet. Wasn’t the Prime Minister’s Grand Council for handling the palace cleanup? Yet an order directed at her? She couldn’t guess what it might be, and unease filled her. Arsen watched his mother’s expression intently before whispering.
“It would be best to move to another room to hear it.”
This was a meeting where she had just aligned with Duke Haiman to plan their future. If an unfavorable order from the palace suddenly came down on Dillaina, it could cause problems.
Dillaina nodded and asked forgiveness from Haiman and Melania.
“Pardon me for a moment.”
“Not at all. Think nothing of it.”
Arsen also flashed a smile and followed his mother.
Chielonia, an official from the Administrative Office who mainly delivered the Emperor’s commands. She bowed at the waist, holding a golden letter. With the Emperor frozen and lying still, this must have been issued by the Prime Minister acting on his authority.
An order using the Emperor’s authority, not the Prime Minister’s. Dillaina steadied her breathing as best she could and took the lead.
“Follow me. I’ll receive it in the side chamber.”
Creak.
Upon arriving in the side chamber, Dillaina turned gracefully and looked at Chielonia. As if to say, let’s hear what this order from the Grand Council is.
“It is an order partially restricting parental rights over True Highness.”
“……!”
As Chielonia carefully conveyed it, the corners of Dillaina’s mouth hardened sharply. Her haughty chin dropped, and the knuckles of her hand clutching her dress skirt turned white. Her flustered feelings were plain to see, but Chielonia impassively continued reading the letter.
-The consort Dillaina was aware that the main culprits disturbing the imperial family were Prince Marib and Prince Gail. It was thus possible for her to judge this as a crisis for the imperial family, and in such a situation, handing over True Prince’s person for any reason was clearly a blunder.
“……!”
-Accordingly, at the request of True Prince himself and the Grand Council attendees, part of the parental rights granted to Dillaina are hereby temporarily restricted indefinitely. The matters are as follows: rights regarding protection and status. Property management. Proxy command rights, etc. Nine major clauses in total. Any other rights affecting True Prince’s person are immediately restricted.
Rustle.
Having finished reading the letter, Chielonia bowed at the waist. She suddenly noticed Arsen staring fixedly at her, and he seemed to be smiling, making it awkward to meet his gaze.
Dillaina, her hands trembling uncontrollably, finally couldn’t hold back and shouted.
“This can’t be!”
“Please compose yourself, Lady Dillaina.”
“Jin is, Jin is my son! Who, who has the authority to take my parental rights from me? This, this can’t happen! Summon the Grand Council at once! Order a reconvening!”
“I apologize, but you cannot object.”
“Where is the Prime Minister right now?!”
Someone who knows His Majesty is frozen issued this decision?!
Dillaina felt her reason flying away amid the rage surging to the top of her head. He was her son, born in pain. Her son, whom she had held close since the moment he was born!
“Hic…….”
Dillaina finally collapsed to the floor, covering her face. If possible, she wanted to turn back time. To before she let go of Jin’s hand, before she met Marib in the rear garden, or even further back to the days when the Emperor was healthy.
Swish.
Arsen shot Chielonia a look telling her to leave, then embraced his mother. Though still a child, his demeanor somehow seemed remarkably mature. Chielonia gathered the letter and quietly exited the door.
“Mother.”
Even at Arsen’s call, Dillaina just kept sobbing. Arsen’s voice was tender as he held her tight. The expression reflected in the window was chillingly cold, however. Dillaina, with her head bowed, couldn’t notice.
“Mother did nothing wrong. Who could have known Jin would do this? We thought of him as family, but it seems he didn’t.”
As Arsen’s comfort reached her ears, Dillaina felt her head spin for a moment. Was it dizziness from the sudden flood of tears? Her vision blurred, but Arsen’s voice grew ever clearer, etching into her mind. Each note seemed soaked in blood, stirring her entire body.
“Arsen, I, I…….”
“I know, Mother. I know. Saving me was the way to save Jin, wasn’t it? That foolish brother, not understanding your heart.”
“What should we do? It seems Jin has completely fallen for Lord Ian. We can’t turn back in an instant. Jin, Jin…….”
“You need to pull yourself together now, Mother. We must win to save Jin. You know that once I solidify my position, Jin will be safe too, right?”
At the warmly melting comfort, Dillaina just kept nodding. Arsen patted his mother and subtly smiled.
“And many witnessed that moment. It was bound to come out eventually, bound to happen this way. Don’t be too disheartened. Even if Jin abandons us, we won’t abandon Jin. Someday, your sincerity will reach him.”
Dillaina wiped her tears and hugged Arsen tightly.
With no Emperor and no Jin, all that remained was Arsen. Only Arsen could bring the peace Dillaina desired.
“Compose your tears. We need to finish with Lord Haiman. The gates will open soon, and every moment then will be a crisis, an opportunity, and a result.”
Dillaina dabbed her tears with a handkerchief and caught her breath. She wanted to rush out and refute the Grand Council’s decision, to see Jin, but she had to endure.
“Now, what should we do? What did Haiman say?”
The plans she had discussed with the duke all night now felt idiotic. She couldn’t recall them. Was it the shock of Jin leaving her, or the persistent dizziness? Arsen steadied his mother’s trembling body and reminded her.
“Lord Haiman said that when the gates open, he’ll plant people among the imperial citizens.”
“Ah, yes.”
Truth exists completely in itself, but it is easily dyed by lies. This was the perfect situation to package Ian as an opportunist mixed in with Marib and Gail’s rebellion. With even Jin’s parental rights taken, the rumors would gain even more traction.
“First, we ride the public opinion and watch the situation.”
Dillaina seemed unaware her teeth were chattering. Watching impassively, Arsen quietly added.
“But Mother. The duke’s proposal isn’t bad, but I’m not sure.”
“What, what do you mean?”
While Dillaina and Haiman talked, Arsen hadn’t uttered a single word. He had just sat straight and observed. The duke hadn’t bothered asking his opinion either. He was a child, after all, and it seemed all decisions lay with Dillaina.
“Lord Haiman’s plan works best while the gates are closed. Since no one knows what’s happening inside, you poke at the most provocative imaginable part. But judging by the cleanup progress and Lord Ian’s resolve, the gates will open soon, won’t they?”
Then those who entered the palace would see and hear for themselves, gaining room to judge the situation. Rather, like how the Magic Department’s prestige rose in the palace, it could foster positive perceptions among the imperial citizens too.
“No matter how much they shout everywhere that Lord Ian seduced Jin, most won’t care. He contributed to the palace cleanup—it could even be seen as a natural price.”
“Then?”
Dillaina asked blankly. The dizziness was easing bit by bit. Arsen’s voice trickled even more sweetly into her ears.
“We cross the line.”
“The line? Us?”
“No, Lord Ian.”
Far outside the window, the Variel Empire flag fluttered majestically. Taking it in, Arsen swallowed a laugh and murmured.
“What if Lord Ian kills one of them—Marib or Gail?”
It would be perfect before the trial.
Dillaina furrowed her brow as if not understanding, then let out a small gasp and whispered.
“Kill them?”
“Mother. Mind your words. I mean, what if ‘Lord Ian’ does?”
Then there’d be plenty to gossip about. Died from interrogation close to torture, actually the prince was innocent but killed to cover it up, the princes fell to Ian’s schemes and died, and so on.
“Besides, Lord Ian wasn’t close to both Marib and Gail usually? Perfect for igniting the spark.”
Lies meant to dye the truth don’t wash away easily if mixed with blood. It’s a very intense pigment, backed by someone’s dying breath.
Dillaina fell silent, gazing at her son’s face sparkling in the sunlight.
“And nothing acknowledges power more than handing execution rights over Marib and Gail to Lord Ian. We kill them before he does.”
“Arsen.”
“Yes, Mother.”
How on earth did he come up with such a thought?
She couldn’t bring herself to ask. For words to kill his brothers to come so easily from a ten-year-old’s mouth. It was all tragedy born of circumstance.
Dillaina hugged Arsen and vowed.
“Let’s end it. Hurry and end it, and save Jin.”
“Of course, Mother.”
Answering thus, Arsen smiled even more brightly. Warm sunlight poured down, but his blue eyes flashed coldly.
* * *
“Lord Ian. Mana Sealing Stones came from Prince Marib’s chambers. One 3-gram and one 5-gram, two in total. They match the records registered with the Administrative Office. We’ve also gathered the letters exchanged with the merchant group. There’s quite a lot, so analysis will take some time.”
“How much?”
“They’re linked to caravans trading back and forth with Variel, so we’ve tentatively narrowed it to about fifty names. We’re still tracking the source of the amber raw stones.”
Ian nodded in satisfaction and approved it. The office door had been wide open for hours without sign of closing. With people endlessly coming and going, Ian sorted the mountain of documents while facing the draft.
“I’ve seen that look somewhere before.”
Unlike the hectic Ian, Berik lay on a sofa nearby, watching. Romandro, scribbling so fast his arm vanished, suddenly yelled.
“I’m dying here, help out!”
“Ah, I remember! Whenever a famous traveling band comes, everyone lines up for autographs. Just like that. Heh heh.”
“You bastard!”
“I can’t read, you know. I was just moving stuff and lay down.”
“Stuff my ass, you think that paper pile is ‘stuff’ for you?”
Berik stuck out his tongue with a ‘beh’ and flopped back down. Then, from far down the hall, a voice seeking confirmation from Ian rang out.
“Lord Ian! Gate opening today at five p.m., right?”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
Five p.m. It was just past ten a.m., so there was time. Ian pointed his pen at the sprawled Berik and ordered.
“Stop lying there and get up, Berik.”
“Me? Why?”
“Gates open at five, so go out first beforehand. Say hi to Vivianna and deliver this. She’ll say let’s go to the press, so escort her properly and keep trouble away.”
Ian tossed a short note, and Berik caught it effortlessly with one hand. He couldn’t read, so no clue what it said.
“What’s this?”
“No need to know. Go to Vivianna first.”
“Hmm, okay okay. Was getting bored anyway, perfect.”
Romandro, overhearing from the side, frowned distrustfully.
“You know the way?”
“Of course! I may not know much, but I know my house!”
“Still, I’ll attach a guard.”
Berik drew a circle with his finger and grinned. Through the gap in his fingers, Romandro glimpsed what Ian wrote on the note and rubbed his eyes, thinking he’d seen wrong.