Chapter 193
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Three days later.
A large crowd had gathered in front of Adelio’s chamber.
If Yeshion were dead, it would prove the Empress’s words true, and both the temple and the Crown Prince would face the consequences.
However, if Yeshion was alive, it would expose her claims as false, and she would be the one to face her own consequences.
Yet Eldis, standing near the Emperor for the first time in a while, felt something was off. A sticky, foul energy oozed from him.
‘I don’t recall it being this bad.’
Ever since the Empress took her seat, the temple had cut ties with the Imperial Family.
There had been a festival recently, yes, but it had been led by Adelio, and Eldis hadn’t had a chance to be in close proximity to the Emperor.
And now, the Emperor’s energy, something Eldis was sensing for the first time in a while, felt hollow, like a corpse.
“It is time.”
The Empress purred.
At her side, the Emperor gave a slight motion of his chin, and the tightly shut door slowly creaked open. The faces of those peering inside twisted all at once.
There they were: Yeshion, collapsed with bruises and bite marks all over his body, and Adelio, cradling him while kissing his face.
The signs of their shared intimacy were scattered around the room, prompting everyone to cough awkwardly and avert their gazes.
“Oh, has it been three days already?”
Adelio said nonchalantly, pulling the blanket up to cover Yeshion.
Yeshion, whose face was flushed red as if he hadn’t realized that much time had passed either, yanked the blanket up over his head.
“Yeshion.”
Among the shocked onlookers, Eldis was the first to move.
As he tried to push through the crowd, a few knights stepped in front of him. A silent pressure told him not to act without the Emperor’s permission.
Grinding his teeth, Eldis glared as if he would kill them on the spot. The knights flinched but did not back down.
“Haah…”
The Empress sighed, her voice tinged with irritation. But the gathered nobles paid it no attention. Their faces were hard with fury as they spoke.
“It seems… we can no longer wait on you, Your Imperial Majesty. Of all you’ve said, isn’t the only thing that rings true the fact that His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince is under a curse?”
Of course, the Crown Prince being cursed was a grave issue for the Empire’s future.
But right now, uncovering the Empress’s crimes took precedent as the old, rigid nobles all glared at her with sharp suspicion.
“When you think about it, isn’t it strange how suddenly His Highness was cursed? And how could it be that you, and only you, knew about it, when no one else in the world did?”
“Now that you mention it, perhaps the curse itself was a ploy to remove His Highness from power! After all, she’s the one who’s secretly murdered so many people!”
The nobles, having finally found where to sink their teeth, raised their voices, protesting vehemently. Even the Emperor slowly turned his head toward the Empress, waiting to hear what she would say.
“…I didn’t anticipate this.”
The Empress had been so sure Yeshion would come out a corpse once she had pushed the two into the room. The curse laid on Adelio had been strong enough to ensure it, after all.
“Perhaps the curse was a little weak…? It took seventy lives to cast that one. Perhaps I should have killed a hundred.”
“What did you just say…?”
Adelio slowly lifted his head, still staring at Yeshion’s condition.
His eyes trembled with shock, and the Empress gave a wry smile.
“I never thought you wouldn’t have noticed until now. I was the only one who knew the truth—how could you not doubt me even once?”
“…Ha!”
“I was planning to have the Crown Prince executed once the child was born, but since things have turned out this way… there’s nothing that can be done.”
She murmured this as she approached the Emperor.
Looping her arm through his, she looked up at him and smiled softly.
“Your Majesty, you will overlook everything that has happened here today, won’t you?”
