TOPWL 269

“Isn’t it a trap?”

“It’s not that I haven’t thought about it, but his requests for a meeting are too persistent for that. He seems to have something he’s curious about regarding me. And I feel the same.”

Why did Hiore kill Azil? If he wanted to kill him, he should’ve done it in secret. Why did he commit the murder as if he were announcing it and say he conspired with Reginald?

“I think it’s best to meet him today.”

“Then I’ll go with you.”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“How could I not have time to go with you? I can’t feel at ease if I send you alone.”

He was with guards, there wasn’t any danger even without Khalid. Yudit thought Khalid was being a bit overprotective, but it was true that he felt reassured when they were together. Yudit stood up from his seat and pretended not to notice.

Khalid even supported Yudit as he walked down the hallway. Feeling a bit embarrassed because the guards were watching, Yudit spoke up.

“I’m not that much of a patient…”

“It’s only been a few days since you gave birth. I’m holding back my urge to lock you in bed for a month just ​Read on​to let you eat and play, so let me do at least this much.”

It seemed he acted this way because he’d watched Yudit suffer during childbirth. Yudit thought it’d get better soon, and he headed to the prison with Khalid’s support.

“Is this… Prince Hiore’s place?”

Yudit spoke with a slightly uncomfortable expression. He didn’t think it’d feel like a dungeon since it was a place to imprison royalty, but it was more luxurious than he’d expected. He felt like he could live for several years just by selling the door’s lion ornaments and gold decorations.

The soldier who informed Hiore of Yudit’s arrival came out and spoke with a troubled look.

“He says he won’t meet you unless you enter alone.”

Hiore’s childish behavior made Khalid frown.

“He requested a meeting so many times, yet he won’t meet now?”

“I’m sorry, sir.”

The soldier bowed his head.

“Is Prince Hiore locked in a cell?”

“No, sir. He moves freely within the room.”

“Then we refuse. There’s no reason for us to meet him either.”

“I’m truly sorry, but he also told me to tell you… that you’ll regret it if you don’t come in…”

The soldier spoke in a small voice.

“How interesting.”

He even smiled, which was rare, but no one thought Khalid was actually enjoying himself. Eventually, Yudit stepped forward.

“Tell him it’s impossible without guards.”

The soldier bowed and went inside. The sound of someone throwing an object rang out, and then the door opened. The soldier’s expression had become even more gloomy.

“He says two guards are allowed…”

“I’ll go in as a guard then.”

The soldier looked troubled by Khalid’s insistence. Yudit thought for a moment and then spoke.

“I’ll go in with only the guards.”

“Yudit.”

“Given Hiore’s personality, he’ll give me really important information if he’s going this far. It’s better not to offend him if possible.”

Khalid thought Yudit’s judgment was right. He reluctantly nodded. Yudit went inside with the guards behind him.

He thought it’d feel dark, but the inside was brighter than he’d expected. There were candles and even a chandelier, it was at least three times brighter than the hallway. However, only the candlelight was bright and shiny. There was a wooden desk and chair, a bed, a few books, and a dying fireplace. Hiore placed his arm on the chair’s back, looked at Yudit, and spoke.

“You finally came.”

Hiore was thin. He wasn’t unattractively thin because he had a big frame, but his cheekbones and skeletal structure were revealed because he’d lost weight. This made him look even thinner. Yudit swallowed dryly. He’d entered bravely to talk to him, but he still felt afraid when he was with Hiore.

“Well, it’d be polite to serve tea, but I ran out of such things long ago.”

“…It’s fine.”

“You wouldn’t have drunk it anyway because you’d worry about poison. No, maybe you could’ve drunk it because you have immunity?”

“…”

While Yudit chose an answer, Hiore stood up from his seat and approached him. The guards [stolen content]stepped forward at the same time to protect Yudit. Hiore whistled briefly.

“You’re just like a princess. I can’t believe someone like this became emperor. The eEmpire will be a sight to behold from now on.”

“You requested a meeting many times.”

Yudit didn’t listen to Hiore’s sarcastic words anymore and brought up the matter.

“That’s right. I called you because I have something to give you.”

Hiore brought a chair close to Yudit and placed his arm on the chair’s back again. Then he stared at Yudit. He acted as if he were looking for something. Yudit wondered what Hiore wanted, and then Hiore suddenly raised his hand. Yudit flinched due to the habit ingrained in his body, but he also put his hand on his sword’s hilt.

“Ah, I won’t hit you. I won’t hit you.”

Hiore laughed, but he was satisfied even as he said that.

“I’ll give you the gift, so isn’t there anything you’re curious about?”

Hiore smirked, there was something Yudit was curious about. There were many things he wanted to ask. Yudit chose his words and suddenly asked.

“Why did you kill Azil?”

“Yes, right. I thought you’d ask that first.”

Hiore yawned as if he’d expected it.

“Actually, my mother’s target was you, Yudit.”

It wasn’t very surprising. There were dozens of people who’d come to the battlefield to kill him. It was a miracle that he’d given birth to the child safely in that chaos.

“If you’re a rat, you should stay on the floor like a rat, but you kept scurrying around and winning. Of course, it was annoying. My mother’s someone who thinks Reginald must be the best.”

“…”

“But why did I kill Azil instead of you?”

“…I don’t know.”

“That bastard pitied me.”

Yudit’s expression said he couldn’t understand.

“I said he pitied me! A mere child of a lowly concubine, a prince who only gained his position by acting like a tongue inside a mouth, dared to pity me.”

“Do you mean… when you tried to kill him?”

There was a time when Hiore’d tried to kill Azil. It was when Yudit taught children at a school. However, Hiore was driven away before he could reach Azil. He’d attacked a barbarian village to vent his anger and was dragged before Yudit in a near-death state. Yudit thought it’d be uncomfortable to kill him like that, so he’d saved him by hiring a doctor. A few days later, Hiore disappeared and left a note that said, ‘I won’t forget this.’

“Yes, I mean then. He said to me, ‘Why do you live like that? I feel sorry for you, brother.’ Then he let me go. As if someone like me was nothing. How dare he, a mere puppet!”

Hiore threw objects within his reach. The guards blocked the way in front of Yudit. Hiore vented all his anger and then sat back down as if nothing’d happened. Yudit felt strange at the sight of Hiore, who was not even out of breath. At the same time, he was also confused.

“I also saved you with surgery.”

“Yes, I was curious about that too. I wondered why you saved me, but I don’t really care anymore.”

Hiore spoke as he tapped the tip of Yudit’s shoe with his own.

“You’re still afraid of me.”

Yudit realized why Hiore was satisfied earlier. The fact that Yudit was still afraid of him made him happy. Yudit’s expression turned rigid. Hiore giggled because he’d noticed that Yudit realized it too.

“I’ve lost my chance to be king because of our brother. If someone other than me ascends to the throne, I thought I’d like it to be someone who fears me at least.”

“…”

“What do you think? Do you pity a man like me?”

Yudit looked at Hiore’s face blankly. He had a thin and harsh impression. He had thick eyebrows and eyes that curved upward. He had the emperor’s nose bridge and the empress’s thin lips. If he’d been born outside the imperial palace, he could’ve made a name for himself with his appearance, but he became the imperial palace’s monster because he was born there.

“I don’t want to satisfy you, but pity is something the strong give to the weak. The past’s memories are… not easily forgotten, it’s hard to pity you.”

The violence that had been perpetrated against him since he was very young. Could he ever forget it, even in his dreams? He could overcome the memories, but he couldn’t forget them. Yudit was still afraid of anyone raising a hand in front of him.

Satisfied with Yudit’s answer, Hiore chuckled, then burst into laughter. The guards were bewildered by Hiore’s maniacal laughter. He burst into laughter, then suddenly stopped and spoke.

“Alright, Yudit. You become the king. I’ll make it happen.”