Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Backlight
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The back bathed in backlight was frighteningly dark.
Simply standing by the window, Iura Plenus's silhouette overwhelmed anyone who beheld it.
He was an emperor.
Born a king with noble bloodline, solid standing, and resolute temperament.
The ill-fated king overshadowed by the shadow of a mad tyrant.
Yet he was a perfected king, revealing a sharp presence like an awl tucked in his pocket.
Every word from such a man's mouth was law and decree.
That held true even for Marquis Rubel, renowned for his eloquence.
"Did you bribe the Southern Knights?"
At Iura's frost-laced question, Marquis Rubel replied in abject gloom.
"It was presumptuous of me."
"And luring wraiths from the graves to drag them all the way to Do-um Palace?"
"......That was my doing as well."
The marquis had no choice but to admit it.
Iura asking so directly meant he had already secured all other evidence and testimonies—rash excuses would only make things worse.
At the marquis's confession, Iura spoke in an icy voice.
"I have no intention of meddling in your family affairs.
But this went too far."
The marquis could not bring himself to speak.
Of course, he had excuses aplenty.
From the start, he had only planned as much as he could handle.
For example, bribing the Southern Duke's toothless tigers' knights while evading their eyes, or drawing a few wraiths into Do-um Palace to punish the Southerners on guard duty.
Even if things went awry, the marquis could tidy it up on his own.
But Do-um Palace's collapse had snowballed the incident beyond control.
Even the wraiths swarming in army-sized hordes had been unexpected for him.
Moreover, considering Rubid Plenus was the one who brought down Do-um Palace, this interrogation felt unjust.
*My own inept little brother caused this mess, and now they're pinning it on me.*
The marquis felt inwardly wronged but wisely kept his mouth shut and bowed his head.
"I apologize."
"I will settle this matter with the Southern Duke myself."
"Surely not......"
"Withdraw from the palace and go into confinement."
At Iura's command, the marquis's eyes flew wide.
Withdrawing now was tantamount to stepping down from the front lines.
*Step down? Who had been propping up that wastrel prince all this time?
Who had coaxed and coddled the wretch he himself ignored until he at least resembled a person?*
Betrayal mingled with visions of what would follow, flooding the marquis's mind.
If he retreated now, his watchful rivals would pounce on his vulnerabilities.
Especially regarding Lena Rubel.
The fact that Lena paraded about using the Rubel name without it directly tying back to Marquis Rubel wasn't because people were fools.
The monster's words rang true.
The powerless could only grovel and submit.
Cardo Rubel the monster, and the even greater monster Iura Plenus backing him.
Before those monsters, nobles held their tongues, but behind closed doors, they gossiped Cardo Rubel and Lena Rubel's connection to dust.
If the marquis lost his influence, those rumors would flood like a bursting dam.
And rumors, once fully ripened, inevitably touched truth.
Bitter bile rose in the cornered marquis's throat.
But he swallowed it back down and clamped his mouth tighter.
Iura was not one to entertain arguments.
So excuses and pleas would have to wait for elsewhere.
Having so decided, the marquis replied humbly.
"I shall obey your command."
Regret filled the marquis's voice at that moment.
Of course, it was an act.
Rage blazed like wildfire in his heart.
. . .
Upon receiving the confinement order, the marquis left the Northern Duke's office and hurried away.
But his footsteps led not to the palace gates, but to Prince Rubid's chambers.
"Announce that I have come."
The marquis sent word through the knight at the door.
But the reply from inside was devastating.
"His Highness is busy now—come back later."
*Busy? This lout whose only pursuits are play and gluttony?*
The marquis was dumbfounded but forcibly maintained his dignity.
"......Understood. I'll return when his schedule frees up."
He could have met Rubid regardless of schedule before.
No—when important matters arose, it was his role to stand by and assist.
To be turned away like this.
*Me, who served you so loyally, who tended to you when you were treated like a beast.*
Iura's dismissal was at least comprehensible.
But Rubid's change of heart clawed wretchedly at the marquis's insides.
So he ground his teeth and walked on, only to halt abruptly.
On second thought, it was odd.
Iura aside, Rubid had no reason to refuse him.
The prince wouldn't heed his brother's words, and normally, he'd bluster on oblivious to how things stood.
*'What's this about?'*
Yet Prince Rubid Plenus had shut him out at the gate.
Suddenly, yesterday's events flashed in the marquis's mind.
At the victory banquet yesterday, Rubid had danced with Lena.
It was incomprehensible.
Prince Rubid dancing amiably with Lena.
Just a month ago, they had been dousing each other with champagne in mutual insult.
It was infamous enough that yesterday's sight had stunned the marquis and many nobles alike.
*'Did something happen while they were in the tomb?'*
No need to suspect otherwise.
Nothing else explained it.
*'Then what of his betrothal to the Eastern Duke?'*
Yesterday, Lena Rubel—proxy of the Southern Duke—had danced with the emperor, passed by the Eastern Duke, and taken Prince Rubid's hand.
Only afterward did she dance with the Eastern Duke.
The marquis was at a loss how to interpret it.
Lena Rubel, betrothed to the Eastern Duke, now had the Northern Prince in her grasp too?
Taming him enough to relegate the Eastern Duke to the sidelines?
The Northern Prince willingly dancing, knowing she was the Eastern Duke's fiancée?
Men like Rubid Plenus and Rig-nan Aiterner, who despised each other fiercely, playing nice over one woman?
The marquis shook his head, feeling a throbbing headache.
Young men and women—it could be anything, and imagining possibilities had no end.
So the marquis focused solely on objective facts.
Lena had forged amicable ties with Rig-nan Aiterner and now Rubid Plenus too.
And Rubid had cast aside the marquis who had served him for years.
Lena could not have been without influence on the prince's change of heart.
*'A daughter over a son after all.'*
The marquis lamented amid his predicament.
It stung anew that the noose tightening around his neck was a card he had once held.
At the same time, he reminded himself he could turn crisis into opportunity.
There was one way to resolve this mess.
So the marquis steeled his resolve once more.
He would bring Lena back into the family.
***
"Are you alright with that?"
A gentle voice reached him from the prince's sullen profile.
"Sending the marquis off like that."
The whisper came from Clavis, who lounged on the armrest of a perfectly fine sofa—as if it were someone else's.
Clavis perched on the armrest of Rubid's sofa, maintaining a distance where their bodies nearly touched, twirling the prince's long hair around his finger.
Rubid, unaware of what Clavis was doing behind him, answered offhandedly.
"Mind your own business."
"Our Rubid speaks so prettily."
"Cut the crap—what did you come for?"
Only then noticing his hair being tugged, Rubid irritably swatted Clavis's hand away.
Clavis leaned his full length against the sofa's backrest and muttered.
"Thought I'd chat with Rubid after so long."
"If you have something to say, spit it out quick—don't beat around the bush."
Rubid pressed as Clavis flirted foxily.
At the prince's consistent attitude, Clavis grinned deeply.
And said,
"You nearly died, you know?"
Rubid had urged him to speak quickly, but when Clavis lunged in, he feigned surprise.
Clavis referred to two days ago, when Rubid had sassed the emperor.
Rubid's face hardened at the uncomfortable topic.
But he couldn't tell him to shut up or be quiet.
He knew Clavis had held Nihil back then.
Compared to Iura, who had kicked and stomped him outright only to ignore him wordlessly after, Clavis had saved his skin—and he owed him greatly for it.
Thus Rubid meekly endured, and Clavis patted his shoulder while whispering.
"Can't pull that in front of the emperor.
I helped once, but I can't guarantee a second time.
Rubid's smart—he knows what I mean, right?"
"......If he's nitpicking with baseless gripes, you just stay quiet?"
Clavis burst into laughter at Rubid's retort.
He laughed as if hearing the funniest tale, then said with crescent eyes,
"What are you talking about? Why would nitpickers need a reason?
You nitpicked without one too, didn't you?
At Lady Lena."
Rubid fell silent, at a loss for words.
Clavis had expected a outburst, so this was unexpected.
Thus he asked curiously,
"Speaking of which, what's the deal with Lady Lena?"
"What do you mean?"
"You danced together yesterday.
Didn't look like she was dragging you around like before."
"You saw it—why ask? She asked, so I humored her a bit."
Rubid snapped irritably for no reason, and Clavis's eyes narrowed at the obvious reaction.
No one could miss the signs when he telegraphed them so blatantly.
*'Something happened in the tomb, looks like.'*
No wonder the prince ditched the marquis.
Tossing aside a years-long retainer in one go—not anyone else, but taming this immature prince.
Clavis marveled more at Lena Rubel's allure than her ability.
Then, on a whim, he tested Rubid lightly.
"You two looked good together."
"Don't be ridiculous."
Rubid scoffed immediately.
Pity—this pup still didn't grasp how captivating Lena was.
Clavis clucked his tongue in regret when Rubid suddenly asked as if struck by thought.
"Do you know what Hiems Grasha looked like?"
"Hiems Grasha?"
When Clavis echoed, Rubid nodded with uncharacteristically serious eyes.
It was a look expectant of something.
"Why suddenly ask that?"
"Tell me if you know or not.
Just that."
"Of course not.
You know the kingdom-era records all burned."
A lie, of course.
Both that he didn't know, and that all kingdom records had burned.
But Rubid bought it readily.
Anyone but Rubid would have.
It was the empire's official stance and common knowledge that Grasha Kingdom records had all perished in fire.
So Clavis played innocent and asked back.
"What did Hiems Grasha look like?"
"Just like you."
Clavis feigned shock at Rubid's words.
Rubid looked somewhat dubious, but dropped the topic.
So Clavis chuckled inwardly.
It was about time.
As the tomb's secrets unraveled, the children would crave truth.
He needed to reveal it slowly now, but entrusting this cute blond prince felt unreliable.
Teach him truth, and he'd yap at the emperor like before—ruining everything.
This one wasn't suited for plotting.
Clavis pondered, then smiled sweetly.
A fitting candidate had popped into his head.
***
Even after being rebuffed by the prince, Marquis Rubel remained in the palace.
His final stop before withdrawing was the church within the imperial palace.
"To His Highness the Prince?"
Enji feigned surprise at his father's sudden urging.
The marquis elaborated calmly.
"Yes, he'll be weary after great deeds—go keep him company."
As a stopgap, the marquis decided to send Enji to the prince.
Prince Rubid was wild but had a childlike innocence.
He was also rather indulgent toward Enji, so the marquis figured his son could soothe him.
But the plan hit an unforeseen snag.
"F-Father."
His usually compliant son was objecting.
"If His Highness refuses an audience, it won't help if I go."
"What are you saying?"
"I know too.
What you did."
Enji confessed as if resolved.
It was courage born from deeming the Do-um Palace horrors he witnessed unforgivable.
Rubel halted and stared at Enji.
What met Enji's eyes was his father's gaze, chillier than imagined.
This was Enji's mistake.
He should have specified exactly what he knew.
Had he, the marquis wouldn't now agonize over throttling him here or not.
Rubel glared at Enji, gauging what 'what he did' entailed, and Enji flinched unwittingly at his father's killing intent—first he'd ever seen.
Just then, a knock echoed in the reception room.
"Priest Enji."
"Y-Yes! Priest."
To Enji, it was salvation; he sprang up and answered.
The door opened, a priest entered, and the marquis shot him a fierce glare for interrupting despite knowing he was in conference with Enji.
Rage boiled at even this insignificant priest of lowly noble birth daring disregard him now.
But the words that followed made the marquis realize his misjudgment.
"His Eminence the Cardinal seeks you."