Chapter 401. Sovieshu’s Despair (2)

Translator: Aura / Editor: HB168

It was raining so hard that even with an umbrella, one would still get wet.

Few people ventured out into the rain, especially nobles, who would rather stay in their large mansions, warming themselves in front of the fireplace and drinking hot soup.

However, two nobles and one infant ventured out that day.

“To tell the truth, I don’t understand why you want to help the princess.”

“Emperor Sovieshu might kill the baby for revenge.”

It was Duke Elgy, Viscountess Verdi, and Glorym, wrapped in a blanket, asleep in the Viscountess’s arms.

“His Majesty would not be so cruel.”

“Well, it’s only an assumption on my part. But even if he doesn’t kill her, her parents are criminals, so the girl will become a slave. Wouldn’t that be a pity?”

Viscountess Verdi looked at him, disturbed.

It is said that the enemy of your enemy is your friend, but Duke Elgy, who betrayed Rashta, couldn’t be considered a friend of Viscountess Verdi’s.

While both had in common the fact that they had betrayed Rashta, Viscountess Verdi still distrusted Duke Elgy.

However, she had no choice but to accept Duke Elgy’s proposal to run away with Glorym, because at this time no one was paying too much attention to Rashta’s children. She had not changed her opinion of him, but she couldn’t ask anyone else for help.

It had been a few days since she accepted his help, so they were now some distance from the capital.

But the distrust didn’t go away.

‘Why would Duke Elgy go through all this trouble to help the princess?’

Duke Elgy, who noticed her distrust, smiled slightly.

“This will be the first and last time I help, after this, we won’t see each other again.”

“That doesn’t answer the question of why you offered to help us.”

Duke Elgy replied coldly.

“I didn’t force you to accept my help. If you don’t want it, you can refuse it and leave. I don’t need to convince you.”

His words were unpleasant, but it was true. Viscountess Verdi had to decide whether to take the risk or leave Glorym in Sovieshu’s hands.

It was her choice to come all this way at Duke Elgy’s suggestion. She did it to protect this lovely baby, whom she had cared for since her birth.

“Looks like you won’t back down.”

“Now is not the time to stand idly by.”

Viscountess Verdi, who spoke firmly, hugged the baby tighter as if ready to sacrifice herself to protect her.

Duke Elgy murmured as he watched the baby sleep peacefully in the heavy rain.

“The baby looks so much like Rashta that it worries me.”

Viscountess Verdi hastily covered Glorym’s head with the blanket.

That was also what worried her most.

The baby looked too much like Rashta. Anyone who knew Rashta’s face would see it reflected in Glorym.

Duke Elgy sighed and stepped out of the carriage. His attendant, who was waiting outside, quickly opened the umbrella and raised it over his head.

He took one last look at the Princess and Viscountess Verdi, and advised,

“Emperor Sovieshu might be after you, so you’d better hurry. It sure won’t be pleasant if he finds you.”

***

As Sovieshu looked at the letters from various nearby countries on his desk, he sighed and leaned back against the back of the chair.

It had been a few days since the position of Empress had become vacant, and already the nobles were advising that Sovieshu should accept a new Empress.

That was the extent of it for the moment, but Sovieshu knew that the various factions would become louder as time went on.

Sovieshu sighed again. He didn’t want anyone by his side at the moment. Not only because he’d gone through two divorces in quick succession, but also because of Rashta’s curse.

In the High Court, Rashta shouted that Sovieshu was a castrated man and that he had no seeds.

Few people believed her malicious words. Most thought it was Rashta’s last desperate move, while a few only considered it a possibility.

But if Sovieshu married a third time, it would be a different story. Everyone would attentively wait for the third Empress to become pregnant by Sovieshu. Just thinking about it was exhausting.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt a sharp pain in the side of his stomach. In the end, Sovieshu called the palace doctor.

“Are you all right, Your Majesty?”

“I feel a sharp pain around my stomach.”

The palace doctor said after he examined him,

‘Take this. You need to clear your mind, Your Majesty.”

The palace doctor handed him the medicine and left. Sovieshu came out of his office soon after.

He slowly wandered around the main palace as he tried to quiet his overwhelmed mind. But no matter where he went, the sadness was unbearable because he kept reminiscing about the old days.

It was very hard for Sovieshu to see Navier marry another man in front of his own eyes, but he had been able to bear it for the baby that was soon to be born.

However, now that the baby was gone, so was his peace of mind. He felt he was alone in the midst of a heavy blizzard.

‘Viscountess Verdi must have escaped safely.’

What was known on the outside was that Glorym was locked in the opposite tower from Rashta. Sovieshu was stunned for a moment as he remembered the girl he would never see again, then shook his head and walked away down the corridor.

Wandering around idly overwhelmed him even more, so he headed back to his office.

However, he found Marquis Karl standing in front of his office with a very uncomfortable expression. Standing next to him was a black-haired man whom Sovieshu had never seen before.

“What’s going on?”

When Sovieshu asked as he approached, Marquis Karl bowed politely and pointed at the black-haired man.

“Your Majesty, this is an envoy from the Western Empire. He has come with an urgent message.”

Sovieshu frowned.

“An envoy?”

“My name is Crow, Your Majesty. This is the first time I greet you.”

The black-haired man looked too ordinary to have come as an envoy. He didn’t even have an escort or servants.

But if he was not truly an official envoy, Marquis Karl would not have brought him here.

“What have you come for?”

Sovieshu asked a little anxiously. Since he had received letters and delegations from other countries one after another, it was not strange that an envoy from the Western Empire would come at this time.

‘So why do I feel so uncomfortable?’ If he was a mere envoy who would express the support of the Western Empire, he would not have come with an urgent message.

“Your Majesty, Empress Navier of the Western Empire has been attacked.”

His words struck him like lightning. Sovieshu was unable to say anything for a moment.

Attacked…? Attacked… Attacked.

“What do you mean attacked?”

When Sovieshu, who was slow to assimilate it, asked in fright, the black-haired envoy answered with difficulty.

“Exactly as I said. A man who held a grudge against Emperor Heinley deliberately threw himself at Empress Navier from the roof of the Imperial Palace.”

Marquis Karl looked at the envoy open-mouthed while Sovieshu reflexively shook his head.

‘It can’t be. No way.’

Then Evely came to his mind. Evely was an extremely rare and valuable mage, as she had healing powers.

‘If it’s Evely… wait, what condition is Navier in? Don’t tell me that…’

“Died?”

Sovieshu’s voice trembled like a sheep’s.

“No.”

The black-haired envoy was quick to answer.

“She’s alive. But she’s in a coma…”

Before the envoy could officially request the help of a mage Emperor Heinley knew about, Sovieshu stepped forward and said,

“There is a mage in our country who can use healing magic. Empress Navier supported her in the past. This mage can go to the Western Empire to help her.”

Sovieshu turned to Marquis Karl and issued the order.

“Marquis Karl. Find Evely and tell her about the situation on the way.”

Next, Sovieshu ordered Count Pirnu to prepare the fastest carriage and horses.

Within three hours, the delegation was ready to depart for the Western Empire. It included Evely, who would be in charge of Empress Navier’s treatment, knights in anticipation of possible attacks, officials to understand the context of the incident and a person who would return to the Eastern Empire with a report of the situation.

Due to the need for speed, only one carriage would make the journey. Everyone involved had a close relationship with Empress Navier, so they quickly finished their preparations and boarded the carriage.

“Navier…”

Sovieshu mentioned her name painfully as he looked out the window at the carriage in the distance.

“Navier, what happened to you…”

It all happened so fast that it was actually hard to take it in. Suddenly, Sovieshu felt a sharp pain in his chest, so he clenched his fist and leaned his head against the window frame.