145 - Evil Husband (15th Anniversary Edition) Chapter 145
145
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As soon as Leone entered the bedroom, he frowned slightly. He had explicitly told Cesare to stay in bed, but Cesare was blatantly sitting on the sofa, waiting for him.
"It seems the Grand Duke doesn't listen to the Emperor's orders. I told you to rest..."
Leone grumbled as he took a seat on the sofa opposite him, and Cesare gave a faint smile for a moment. Leone, confirming Cesare's smile, smiled along.
"Where's Aileen?"
"I asked the Grand Duchess for her understanding for a moment. I wanted to talk to you alone."
"I thought I heard Lady Parbellini was coming too."
"I chased her away as well, for the sake of our brotherly time."
Leone shrugged and said playfully, and Cesare didn't ask further. Leone stared at him silently.
"How's your shoulder?"
"It's fine."
Leone's eyes darkened at the short answer. Leone sighed deeply.
"So, you ruined your shoulder to bring down Count Bonepar... Did you get what you wanted?"
"It wasn't entirely satisfactory, but it wasn't meaningless either."
The brothers looked at each other in silence for a moment. They were twins born from the same womb, but brothers with different appearances and personalities like day and night.
Looking at his brother, who was like a perfect creation of God, Leone recalled the moment he played the piano. The fingertips that pressed the keys tingled.
"Brother."
His red eyes captured Leone completely. Even the sight of him struggling to hide the ugly jealousy he had suppressed until now.
"Do you remember the favor I asked when I left for Kalpen?"
"Of course."
Cesare, who had placed Leone on the throne, left for the battlefield without hesitation. Betting everything he had. Asking Leone, who would remain in The Capital, for only one thing.
Leone swallowed slowly. His throat was parched, and he felt like his voice would crack if he didn't swallow.
"Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"
"Just curious."
Cesare slowly leaned back on the sofa. And added in a low voice.
"It's not like you would lie to me, but as I clean things up one by one, there are only a few left now."
He had a vision of a tightly stretched piano string snapping. Dissonant sounds rang in his ears.
There was no way he could have known. It was just a one-time mistake. Leone frowned and smiled.
"What are you talking about, Cesare?"
"Are you still playing the piano?"
Cesare asked another question, as if he didn't really want an answer. Leone tried to figure out what Cesare was thinking.
However, it was difficult to get proper information from his vague words. He could only answer what he knew.
"...You play the piano better than I do. I should practice the violin again. I don't know if I can, my hands are so stiff."
It felt like a heavy stone was lodged in his stomach. Leone turned the conversation in another direction.
"Let me see your wound."
"It's almost healed, so you don't have to worry about it."
"Still, how can I not worry? As your brother."
Leone said with a stern look.
"It's not just any injury, it's a gunshot wound. Speaking of which, I sent the Grand Duchess to the Pantheon today."
The moment he mentioned the Pantheon, Cesare's face hardened.
"...What?"
Leone, startled by the sudden change, continued in a flustered manner.
"To offer a prayer for your recovery. We can't be at odds with the Pantheon forever. You won't go, so the Grand Duchess will go instead..."
Before he could finish speaking, Cesare jumped up from his seat.
"Cesare?"
Leone called out to him from behind, but he didn't turn around. Cesare strode across the bedroom and threw the door open as if he would break it.
"Sonio!"
"Your Excellency."
Sonio, who had been anxiously waiting right in front of the bedroom, immediately approached. He hadn't given any orders, but Sonio, who had served Cesare for a long time, anticipated what he wanted. Sonio immediately handed his master the car keys.
Cesare quickly put on the coat that Sonio handed him and hurried down the stairs. The car waiting outside the door was a military jeep.
The driver was waiting with him, but Cesare got into the car himself and took the wheel. He drove the car, which was already started, straight to the Pantheon.
People screamed and moved out of the way as the military vehicle sped recklessly. After a precarious drive like a circus act, he finally arrived at the Pantheon.
Screech! As the vehicle braked suddenly, those who had gathered in front of the Pantheon to pray screamed and backed away. Then they widened their eyes when they saw Archduke Erzeht getting out of the car.
Gazes of shock and curiosity poured out, but Cesare didn't notice. He got out of the car as if jumping out, and couldn't even close the car door.
The Winged Lion Statue looked down at Cesare. Flowers containing wishes and prayers were scattered at the foot of the Lion Statue. The fragrant scent of flowers spread everywhere, but Cesare didn't even glance at the flowers.
Finally, when he reached the Pantheon, the guards who were guarding the Pantheon with solemn expressions reflexively pointed their guns. Then, after confirming that it was Archduke Erzeht, they made foolish faces.
There was no time to explain to them. Cesare opened the door of the Pantheon. The huge door was so heavy that several guards had to rush to open it, but he easily threw it open alone. A woman standing in front of the altar came into view.
"Aileen!"
The golden-green eyes that had been looking up at the ceiling turned to Cesare. Her eyes were filled with surprise and joy.
Seeing her clear eyes, Cesare felt relieved. His heart, which had been pounding as if it would burst, found a moment of relief. He was about to take Aileen out of this disgusting space right away.
"Ce, Cesare..."
The Pantheon collapsed before his eyes. A huge mass of falling stone instantly covered Aileen.
Cesare stared at the collapsed Pantheon, frozen.
Everything was burning. The sacrifice offered in the burnt offering was swept away by the huge flames. Acrid smoke was thick, but the smell of blood was even stronger. The fishy smell of blood was so strong that it made her head spin.
Aileen, shaking her head as she felt dizzy, blinked her eyes.
"Huh...?"
Before Aileen's eyes, the Pantheon of The Capital stood tall. Just now, the Pantheon had collapsed and she had been buried under it...
It was unclear what was real and what was a dream. Aileen, staring blankly at the Pantheon, saw a huge altar erected in front of the Winged Lion Statue.
The altar, made of sandalwood and flowers, was even larger than the one she had seen in the Hunting Festival Forest. The licking flames were also ferocious, as if they were holding a burning at the stake rather than a burnt offering for God.
Moreover, the Winged Lion Statue and the surroundings of the altar were all covered in blood. The Lion Statue, covered in blood, seemed to be shedding tears of blood.
What on earth is going on?
As Aileen hesitated and examined the Lion Statue, she widened her eyes when she discovered a familiar person.
"Cesare!"
She shouted out of joy, but for some reason, her voice didn't seem to reach him. Cesare didn't look back at Aileen and just kept moving forward.
Aileen was stunned when she belatedly confirmed the person held in his hand. Cesare was holding a middle-aged man. The man, who was shedding tears, was dragged along the floor like a lump of meat.
Cesare held a sword in his other hand. His face, shadowed by the flames, was expressionless to the point of being chilling. Only his red eyes gleamed with a fierce light.
Cesare, who had been moving slowly, stopped in front of the altar. And he raised his sword. The light of the flickering flames was dyed blood-red on the sword, which was already stained with blood. The moment the blade flashed.
The man's neck was cut off. The head that fell with a thud rolled across the floor like a round ball. A fountain of blood gushed out, but it wasn't enough to extinguish the flames of the altar.
Goosebumps rose all over her body. Aileen couldn't even move her lips and just stared at Cesare.
"Oh God."
He prayed with a twisted smile.
"Tomorrow, I will offer the lives of a hundred people."
