Chapter – 09

That man.

A face too familiar appeared vividly in Etern’s mind.

He had a devilishly captivating face—so beautiful that simply looking at him made one’s body tremble, commanding awe from everyone around him.

“The man who killed Father and became the new tyrant.”

Etern’s eyes trembled incessantly as she pressed her lips together.

“He was my husband, and he was the one who tried to kill me… Ziggart…”

Ziggart Landschuter.

That was his name.

“I absolutely didn’t want to meet him this time…! That’s why Father tried to prevent the war!”

It was a relief that she hadn’t fainted despite the shock of realizing that the very person she never wanted to face was now marching toward the empire.

Seeing Etern’s face turn pale, Wintear frowned and cupped her cheek.

“Why does your face look like that? Are you unwell?”

“Father, it’s not that—”

“Glich, summon the court physician.”

Just as Glich immediately turned around, Etern spoke.

“There’s no need!”

Startled, Glich froze in place. Wintear scolded her.

“Do you realize the state of your complexion right now?”

“I’m not sick. That’s not the problem…”

The words twisted around on her tongue in a desperate jumble.

Damn it! What excuse should I make?

“If there’s a misunderstanding with the duchy… an eight-year-old coming all that way alone, who would believe it? What if they think we kidnapped the young duke?!”

It wasn’t entirely unreasonable, was it? Etern watched Wintear anxiously.

“Ha.”

But the response was an unexpected chuckle.

“You’re worried about something so trivial?”

Trivial?!

Etern said,

“H-How is this trivial? If there’s a problem with the Landschuter Duchy, it could put you in trouble too!”

“Trouble? What trouble could there be? If someone dares to stir conflict with the empire or with me over such a ridiculous misunderstanding, I will gladly accept it.”

Hearing this, Etern felt her blood run cold—but Wintear didn’t notice her reaction at all.

“The continental map is old anyway; it might be refreshing to redraw it.”

It was hopeless. Etern clutched her head in despair.

“He means erasing Landschuter from the map! No! Even if Mother wakes up safely, if Father decides on this, a war could easily break out.”

She finally understood a truth she should have realized long ago: when a naturally aggressive and violent person holds power, this is what happens.

What made it even more painful was that there was no time to marvel at her realization.

“If the young duke capable of handling the grand duke’s affairs is coming, it can only be Ziggart. The sibling is still too young.”

Even if the information was somewhat distorted, if someone was coming from the duchy, there was only one thing to do.

“We have to welcome him properly. That way, we can reduce the chance of trouble!”

Etern said,

“Father, then send someone right now. Even if unlikely, if a child is really coming alone, it could be dangerous.”

“Why? He chose this hardship himself, so let’s see how far he goes.”

Unbelievable. Talking sense to him was hopeless!

“He always finds an excuse to act mean! Is he some wicked little shoemaker fairy?!”

It had become do-or-die. Etern’s efforts to eliminate anything that could cause conflict were fierce.

“Then I’ll go.”

“What?”

“Your Highness!”

This time, Glich reacted even more dramatically than Wintear. But Etern crossed her arms and turned her head with firm resolve.

“If Father won’t send anyone, then I’ll go myself.”

Thinking about it, that wasn’t such a bad idea.

Hopefully it won’t come to that, but if Ziggart really is coming…

“I have to find a way to turn him back, no matter what excuse I have to make.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be easy. But he wasn’t as cruel in childhood—maybe she could manage somehow.

At that moment, Wintear, who had been frowning, sighed with a groan.

“Glich.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Select a few knights. Tell them to safely escort him, whether a boy or an old man, to the palace.”

“Immediately, Your Majesty!”

Glich hurried out. Wintear looked slightly displeased, then lifted Etern back onto his lap.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“Well…”

“If only you’d just order him sent back…”

But what could she do? Even so, she had succeeded about a third of the way, so for now, she had to be satisfied.

“Yes, Father.”

“Who taught you to worry about such meaningless things?”

Obviously, she inherited that from her father. Etern narrowed her eyes secretly at Wintear.

Anyway, she decided to blame all bad and troublesome things on her father.

Rumors about the young duke briefly became a topic in the palace but quickly faded as other news took precedence.

“Your Highness, have you heard? His Majesty has sent people to gather mages from across the continent.”

“Mm, Dora. I heard…”

Perhaps having realized something from her conversation with Etern, the emperor immediately began the mage recruitment.

“It’s not bad to start early. But now, more than anything…”

Ziggart.

Until recently, Etern had been too busy searching for a way to heal her mother to have a single free moment. But the news from the border had left her unable to do anything for several days.

When she closed her eyes, past events she thought she had forgotten came back vividly, making even sleep impossible.

“That man is the worst. No, even worse than that.”

After being forced into a marriage with him, Etern’s life became a living nightmare.

But…

“After all, it was all sown by Father’s actions.”

The previous Ziggart had been forcibly brought to the empire around age 13 by Emperor Wintear.

Wintear, eyeing the Landschuter Duchy, had recognized Ziggart’s intelligence and wanted to make him his own.

Under the pretext of being the crown princess’s son-in-law, the young boy, who still needed his parents, was brought to the empire, and Wintear spared no harsh education.

“It would have been tolerable up to that point…”

Ziggart ultimately assassinated Wintear because the emperor broke a promise.

The promise to preserve the duchy had been a hollow lie from the start, but the thirteen-year-old boy had no choice but to believe it.

He endured harsh life in a foreign land for the sake of his parents and the duchy’s safety.

Yet, with a few mocking words, Emperor Wintear shattered the last hope the boy had, and the Landschuter Duchy was utterly destroyed.

Ziggart, having finally avenged himself and taken the throne, turned his blade toward the palace.

He executed all officials who served Wintear overnight and exiled their families to barren lands.

The blood from the beheadings lingered for days, impossible to clean entirely.

And as for Etern…

“Ah, I don’t even want to think about it!”

She shook her head and groaned.

“If Ziggart’s arrival is inevitable, now isn’t the time to simply sigh and despair.”

She needed to make preparations. Something to prevent him from catching her father’s attention…

“No, it’s too late for that. No matter what I do, Father will notice.”

According to the information Dora had obtained, Ziggart would arrive at the palace in three or four days.

Etern clung to the vague hope that he wouldn’t be alone.

After all, unless the grand duke and his entourage had gone mad, there was no way an eight-year-old heir would be allowed to travel such a long distance alone.

It was then that a pale-faced maid burst into Etern’s room.

“Hibis?”

Etern’s eyes widened as she rose from her chair and clasped the maid’s hands.

“What happened?”