Chapter 124
#124. Valley of Senua, The Fall
"...I misjudged, Your Majesty."
"What?"
At the Crown Prince's monotonous voice, His Majesty the Emperor furrowed his brow.
"Misjudged! Even if you brought all of Tristan's grain, it would only amount to about half of the mineral tax revenue from the Territory of Vikander. Is that all you have to say as the Crown Prince in this situation?"
His voice, filled with anger, grew louder. At the same time, a burning rage surged within him.
Due to Maria Etel's mud-slinging exposé, Princess Olivia had lost all the dignity she had built up and was confined to the Imperial Princess Palace.
The territories that had welcomed the Princess as their lord were in chaos, and the Imperial Family's image had plummeted.
Foreign countries were already publishing sensational articles about the Saintess's true colors, calling it a disgrace to The Empire.
"That subordinate of the Grand Duke is insisting on a mere 5% tax rate! How can we show the Imperial Palace's strength again with that?"
Veins bulged on the Emperor's reddened temples.
To erase the Empire's wavering image, he had to continue to show the Imperial Palace's strength: a robust royal guard, lavish banquets, and a display of both leniency towards rumors and decisive action.
However, unlike the Emperor, who was raging, Leopold lightly curled up the corners of his lips.
"Respected Your Majesty, even if we exploit the nobles' anger, isn't the Grand Duke still a war hero to the people? A war hero who is also with the Saintess, who has never received the spotlight until now."
The Emperor paused for a moment. He had momentarily forgotten the people amidst the nobles' murmurs.
"Even at this moment, low-quality rumors are circulating among the people. Including those about the Princess..."
"Do not speak of the Princess any further."
With heavy anger, Leopold shrugged his shoulders for a moment before continuing.
"...Yes, Your Majesty. In any case, amidst their whispers, they are describing the Grand Duke and the Princess's meeting as if it were a scene from a fairy tale, trying to idolize it like a myth."
"Such insolence!"
The Emperor exploded in anger.
His flushed face resembled Leopold's reaction when he first saw a child's crude drawing of Olivia.
The uncolored hair and the eyes dyed with crushed leaves perfectly captured Olivia's features. The affection he felt upon seeing the drawing soon turned to anger when he saw the black-haired man standing behind him.
But now, Leopold did not get angry at a mere drawing. Instead, he smiled gently with a face that had become sharper due to weight loss.
"If we were to point a blade at such a hero, we would likely face a backlash."
The Emperor looked at Leopold with a deepened gaze.
The face that so readily spoke of a "backlash," a word too dangerous to utter, was full of composure.
"...Do you have a plan?"
"What if we twist the course of this fairy tale just a little?"
Leopold smiled deeply, lowering his voice meaningfully. He looked at the chessboard that was always laid out on the tea table and smiled.
"Isn't the Grand Duke a butcher? The Saintess, unable to endure the violent Grand Duke, comes to the Imperial Palace of her own accord."
With a languid voice, Leopold picked up the white Queen and gripped it tightly, as if to crush it. Despite the Crown Prince's strangely ominous demeanor, the Emperor quietly waited for him to continue.
As if responding to that expectation, Leopold used his other hand to pick up the white King and casually pushed a rolling black pawn off the table and onto the floor.
"Driven mad by that, the Grand Duke dares to point the sword His Majesty the Emperor bestowed upon him at the Imperial Palace."
At the end of his chillingly sweet voice, the sound of the well-carved wooden pawn breaking was cheerful. Perhaps it was because of the Crown Prince's voice, which spoke as if it were nothing.
The Emperor stared blankly at the broken pawn. He felt a chilling yet satisfying sensation that made his chest swell.
Was the ending he had so desired for the previous Grand Duke finally being realized in his son's generation? If that was the fate of his dog, who had broken free of his leash and run away, he would be immensely relieved.
But as of now, nothing had been completely resolved. Especially Duke Elkin.
"...Duke Elkin, who went to persuade the Princess, has not yet returned."
"Let the Duke proceed with his work in his own way. I will do it my way. Don't I have the secret documents that Your Majesty gave me?"
"Keep in mind that the Grand Duke left those behind. Something is strange. How much he cherished things related to the Princess."
He never expected him to head straight to the Princess without looking back.
As the Emperor clicked his tongue in bitter defeat, Leopold cynically raised one corner of his lips.
"That's exactly it. Nothing can be more important than a person. And coincidentally, there is now a stiff-necked man of the Grand Duke's wandering around the Imperial Palace defenselessly, isn't there?"
The Emperor hurriedly followed the Crown Prince's gaze and looked down through the glass window. Just in time, the man was walking by. The Grand Duke's aide, the gray-haired Knight.
"What was his name again?"
"Howard Interfield, Baron."
The Emperor's mouth felt dry. The sight of him wandering around without any knights nearby made him look like a rather appetizing prey.
Seeing the gleam in the Emperor's eyes, Leopold drove the wedge in further.
"I will bring Olivia, so please shake things up a little more, Your Majesty."
The Emperor slowly nodded. The Grand Duke's actions, which threatened the Empire's prosperity, had already earned the resentment of many nobles. If he added some more malicious rumors, even the lowly commoners would be in turmoil.
At that time, it would be a rather good image for the father of The Empire to embrace them all. The Emperor looked at the Crown Prince again.
"Still, you use your strength properly when you need to, Crown Prince."
At the utmost praise, Leopold smiled. It was the moment when his sea-blue eyes, reminiscent of the deep parts of the ocean, flashed.
"After all, shouldn't we cleanly cut out the rotten parts?"
Leopold chuckled, his Adam's apple bobbing. He found the Emperor, who regarded him with pride, amusing. Just as his mother, the Empress, had said, the Emperor had failed to prepare for the future.
In every way, I will never follow in the Emperor's footsteps.
Especially, instead of a lifeless portrait, I will keep Olivia by my side.
Her hair, her curved eyes, her blushing cheeks, her flustered expression, and even her sweet scent.
The more he thought about it, the more a desperate thirst enveloped Leopold.
Soon, I will be able to meet her.
As a deep desire spread, a vivid gleam flickered over Leopold's eyes.
* * *
Late at night, in front of the Grand Ducal Palace's entrance.
While loading light luggage onto the back of a horse, Winster looked back at the Grand Ducal Palace with a gloomy heart.
The solid and sturdy Grand Ducal Palace beneath the towering black spire. The thought of leaving this place behind again and returning to The Empire made his feet feel like lead.
"How can I possibly leave His Highness and the Princess's side? Of course, I must go to the Valley of Senua too! In that rugged place, two knights must be there to escort the Princess!"
He was not included in the group exploring the Valley of Senua. At the shocking news, Winster raised his voice in protest. It was only this morning that he had finally received permission after making a persuasive argument. He had even gone on the preliminary survey!
"...It's all because I'm so capable."
Dian chuckled and patted Winster's shoulder as if to comfort him, trying to console himself.
"It's a matter of priority. I absolutely have to go to the valley, and Lord Calter doesn't have to go, but he can if he wants to."
In fact, Winster glared at Dian silently at the opportune moment and shook his head. Then, he muttered again with a gloomy face.
"No. It was definitely me. Anyway, because of this handsome face, people tell me everything..."
That was true. Thanks to his likable face, he easily got along with people wherever he went, and his brazen and smooth personality made it easy for people to open up to him.
Winster had no intention of adding anything to the already decided matter. But...
"The reason I'm complaining like this is that Brock is going to the Valley of Senua instead of me."
"You don't trust me?"
Brock, who had come to see him off, stroked his beard with a shocked expression.
"Surely, you're not doubting my loyalty?"
"I'm worried because of your loyalty, you idiot. Don't forget your duty. The reason you're going to the valley is,"
"I know. To escort the Princess. His Highness will obviously do well, but I have to escort the fragile Princess. Who else would I escort?"
Brock repeated the warning he had heard so many times that his ears were ringing. Nevertheless, Winster looked at Brock with disapproving eyes because he didn't like it.
"If you shaved off your beard, you'd be perfect for gathering information too. Don't you want to go instead of me?"
"The moment you touch my pride and joy, it's war."
A flash of murderous intent collided. Whoa, whoa-. Dian sweated as he mediated between the two.
"Well, Brock has been on a subjugation mission most recently. Even if he hasn't been near the Valley of Senua, he knows the current situation of the border better than anyone else. Don't worry too much."
Even with Dian's words, Winster couldn't calm his troubled heart. An uneasy feeling strangely stirred within him. He had never felt this way before. At that moment, a frail voice broke Winster's thoughts.
"...Thank you, Winster."
The Princess and His Highness the Grand Duke, filled with apology and gratitude, had personally come to see him off!
Winster waved his hand with a bright smile.
"Not at all, Princess. As the knight who swore allegiance to the Princess for the second time, I will quickly go to Edington Street according to the Princess's orders!"
Only when Winster, who had set off promising to bring back the information they were waiting for, had become a distant dot, Edwin lightly pushed Olivia's back as if he had been waiting for this moment.
"The night breeze is getting colder. Let's go inside and get some sleep. Olivia. We'll be leaving very early too."
.
.
.
It was a quiet night.
Because the curtains were tightly drawn, the room was filled with darkness. Olivia blinked her eyes. Her eyes, devoid of any sleepiness, shone brightly as she familiarized herself with the outlines of the room.
Today was the day she had to get a good night's sleep.
Even when she recalled Edwin's words that they would be leaving early in the morning, the sleep that had already fled showed no signs of returning. Perhaps it was because too many things had happened all at once.
Duke Elkin, twenty years ago, drugs, Duke Madeleine, and Mom and the old woman...
"...If I fall asleep in the valley like this, it'll be dangerous."
Olivia let out a light sigh. And with her eyes closed, she unconsciously hummed a lullaby. The one her mom used to sing when she really couldn't fall asleep...
The moment she thought of her mom, Olivia opened her eyes wide. She really didn't want to think about her mom today because she really didn't understand her.
At that moment, Olivia narrowed her eyes at the dazzling light that covered her vision. The room, which should have been pitch black, was bright. Even though she had closed the curtains, a shimmering light was reflecting on the ceiling.
What is it?
As Olivia followed the starting point of the light, she doubted her eyes for a moment. And she slowly lifted the Magic Stone of her necklace with her hand. The Magic Stone that touched her fingertips felt hotter than usual.
"The Magic Stone..."
At the same time as her small murmur, the Magic Stone, which had been shining with a subtle green light, lost its light.
Olivia hurriedly unfastened her necklace and looked closely at the Magic Stone, but as if it had never emitted light, the Magic Stone only revealed its transparent outline.
* * *
"Olivia. Tell me whenever you want to stop."
"If you say it two more times, you'll reach ten times."
"Saying it a hundred times wouldn't be enough."
Olivia chuckled softly at the sincere voice. And as if she couldn't help it, she looked ahead again.
All that could be seen in her field of vision was pure white snow. This was the entrance to the Valley of Senua. The sound of water trickling could be heard from somewhere. As they came towards the valley, the season seemed to have changed abruptly from autumn to winter.
Her breath turned into white vapor even when she just breathed because of the cold that hit her face. The warmth of the Magic Stone that wrapped around her body could not prevent her face from turning red from the cold.
After entrusting the carriages and horses to the knights who had come with them, only five people entered the Valley of Senua: Edwin and Olivia, and Bethany, Dian, and Brock.
As they climbed the valley, the width of the path narrowed. In the procession that naturally lined up one by one, Edwin kept looking back.
"Are you really okay?"
Even in Edwin's worried eyes, Olivia smiled brightly and pointed to her riding pants. As if he was reluctant, Edwin asked Dian.
"Dian. Where was the place where the smoke was coming from?"
"Well, I don't remember exactly..."
Dian fidgeted and looked around aimlessly. It was as if a dark cloud had formed in his head, and he couldn't remember properly.
Seeing Dian like that, Bethany looked around carefully. She wondered if there was another magician like her nearby.
Every time the wind blew, Bethany fastened the top button of the Robe she was wearing tightly. Even so, she did not forget to worry about Olivia.
"I'm okay because of the necklace. Aren't you cold, Bethany?"
"That's right. Bethany used to cast warming magic for us."
At Dian's grumbling, Bethany replied as if it were impossible.
"Something might happen, so I have to conserve my mana."
The mountain range was said to be rugged, but she didn't know it would be this steep. Even at the sight of the sharp valley that was so breathtaking, Olivia moved her feet without showing any signs of difficulty.
To be exact, she didn't have time to show any signs of difficulty because she had a strange sense of déjà vu.
This cool and gaunt wind that occasionally blew. She had definitely felt a similar feeling somewhere before. Olivia habitually reached for the Magic Stone of her necklace.
Ah.
Olivia, startled by the hot feeling, momentarily dropped the Magic Stone and looked at it.
"Bethany, this Magic Stone of mine..."
At that moment, an unknown force snatched Olivia's necklace as if to cut it off. Just as Olivia reached out her hand without thinking, she realized.
In the blink of an eye, what unfolded before her was a ruthless cliff as if it had been carved out. And the fall below.
"Ah...?"
At the unresisting sigh, Edwin, who had felt uneasy without realizing it, turned around and shouted.
"Olivia-!"
Ah, Edwin.
She could see Edwin, who was about to jump towards her as if diving, being grabbed by Brock. By the time Edwin shook off Brock and looked at Olivia again, it was already too late.
Seeing the desperate fear spreading over his red eyes, Olivia smiled blankly.
If this was the end, she wanted to show him a smiling face. A strong wind pressed down on Olivia. A moment came when she felt like she couldn't even breathe from the endless fall.
Amidst the darkness, the voice calling her as if to tear the world apart echoed endlessly.
I want to hear it a little more...
.
.
.
"...you?"
Amidst the muffled sounds as if they were wet with water, a youthful voice broke in. Sleepiness washed over her, but Olivia tried to gather her hazy mind.
She wanted to open her eyes and check her surroundings, but it felt as if a heavy force was pressing down on her. Was she alive?
Only now did one of her fingers twitch. Her whole body didn't hurt at all.
"...you okay?"
It was a youthful voice. Like magic, the energy that had been pressing down on her whole body disappeared with that one voice. Olivia suddenly raised her body.
What she saw beyond her brightly opened vision was...
"Are you okay?"
