Chapter 256

Chapter 257. Royal Council (2)

Keter, who had transformed from a suspicious madman to a righteous informant, spent a comfortable day in the treatment room.

Meanwhile, the royal palace appeared as quiet as a dead mouse, but inside, a serious discussion was taking place.

“Duke Lerkin has declared his candidacy? I can’t believe it.”

“I didn’t even know the royal decree existed. And it doesn’t seem particularly special at first glance.”

Duke Lerkin, who had escaped from the island, immediately tried to head into the city, but on his way, he encountered the family heads stationed in front of the Queen’s Bridge.

Most didn’t recognize Duke Lerkin, but some did. If they hadn’t known him at all, it would have been one thing, but since they did, they couldn’t help but show courtesy.

“I present the royal decree.”

Lerkin is the Queen’s husband. Not showing courtesy to him, unless you’re also a duke, is akin to breaking the law.

The family heads, who had only heard rumors of the royal decree, were shocked to see it in person. Not only did it appear suddenly, but it was also much more ordinary than they had expected.

However, despite his ordinary appearance, Lerkin was overflowing with confidence and ambition.

“It’s no coincidence that I met you all as soon as I decided to become king! The more you try to resist fate, the more miserable you become. Won’t you join me in this fate to make this country strong and prosperous!”

The family heads, unimpressed by his nonsensical logic, were at least not present in this place. They hid their discomfort and declined his proposal, but surprisingly, Lerkin neither clung to it nor showed any regret.

“Accepting fate is not an easy task. But remember, fate is inevitable, yet it is ultimately humans who carve out that fate. Human hearts change with emotions, so the longer you delay, the more my feelings will be hurt.”

His confidence was overflowing, to the point of being excessive. It was as if he believed he would undoubtedly become king.

The family heads couldn’t grasp what gave Lerkin such confidence, and thus, they were thrown into confusion.

The situation was like this. Just before the royal council was to convene, he appeared and suddenly inserted himself into the princes’ power struggle.

The nobles, who hadn’t been chosen by the princes or were merely observing from the sidelines, became genuinely interested in Duke Lerkin’s candidacy.

After all, in terms of legitimacy, the Queen’s husband held more value than the Queen’s sons.

Apart from that, wasn’t Lerkin the closest to the Queen? What if all of this was the Queen’s arrangement? What if Lilian had been watching everything from behind the scenes?

Such vague fears and fantasies confused the nobles and the family heads.

Even the nobles on the border of power were confused, and the princes in the middle of it all were in an even more awkward situation. Especially, the First Prince had the biggest headache.

“Since when have you been preparing for this, Duke Lerkin?”

Officially, the First Prince Rukan’s father is Lerkin. However, the son did not call his father “father,” and the look in his eyes when he called his name was icy cold.

“Why can’t I meet Rakan? What could be more important than Lerkin at this time?”

The Second Prince Rakan should have been on edge with Lerkin’s appearance. But for some reason, the Second Prince’s side remained quiet.

The fact that he had gotten into a verbal fight with his close aide, Lilie, and was knocked out by a punch was a complete secret. Even the First Prince couldn’t find out.

“Dammit, this is getting annoying.”

When the family heads’ summons is issued, it affects not only the country but also foreign nations.

When all the personnel of the kingdom gather at the royal palace, attempts to terrorize the palace also increase, so naturally, security is strengthened.

When the palace’s security is strengthened, the border’s security inevitably becomes lax. Then, criminals and spies who want to sneak into the country surge.

All of this was endured for the sake of the royal council.

But then, two problems erupted simultaneously.

“Not only has Duke Lerkin escaped, but a dark mage has secretly infiltrated this sacred palace.”

The capital and the palace were already under heightened security. Even Prime couldn’t sneak into the palace.

Crown Prince Rukan was quick-witted. That’s why he could narrow down the suspects.

“In the past month, less than ten people have entered the palace. The culprit is among them.”

Rukan’s brow furrowed. Among the ten, he pinpointed the most suspicious one, but his identity was problematic.

“Lord Eslow of the Southern Region. He came to the palace without any particular reason.”

For someone of a lord’s rank, coming to the palace without a reason isn’t a problem. In fact, other lords frequently come and go from the palace.

But if it’s Eslow, the story is different.

“Eslow, you’ve never once come to the palace privately.”

Such a person suddenly came to the palace privately, stayed for a short while, and then left. Without doing anything.

“If he didn’t do anything, then he must have let the dark mage into the palace.”

Why would Lord Eslow do that?

Rukan couldn’t figure it out, but one thing was certain.

“It couldn’t have been for the sake of this country.”

Creak…

Rukan, sitting in a wheeled chair, leaned forward. The wheels rolled on their own, and soon Rukan stopped in front of the window, looking at the night sky. Then, quietly, he muttered something shocking.

“I don’t know why I’m trying so hard to protect this country that even my mother abandoned.”

Rukan had been ruling the country in place of the Queen. Even before Duke Lerkin’s candidacy and the appearance of the dark mage, he had been fervently pushing his limits.

“Now that I think about it, it’s really a coincidence.”

Suddenly, Rukan thought of someone. Keter.

“Didn’t all this happen right after Keter arrived?”

Everything that happens in the palace reaches Rukan’s ears. Among them was the story of Keter entering the palace and discovering the dark mage.

“How coincidental. Truly coincidental… Keter entered the palace, Duke Lerkin escaped and declared his candidacy, and the existence of the dark mage was revealed.”

But Rukan shook his head. Keter, who had helped Duke Lerkin escape and revealed the dark mage’s existence. There was no ‘reason’ for Keter to carry out these actions.

“Even a lowly ant acts with understanding. You may seem crazy, Keter, but you’re no different.”

Even madness has its reasons.

Blocking the bridge? It must have been to draw attention from me or Rakan. And it worked, didn’t it? Rakan sent Lilie to make contact.

“But you don’t seem to realize that such attention can be poisonous.”

Rukan, who had received reports of all Keter’s activities after joining Sephira, maintained a cold expression.

“If you’re a clown, fine, but you’re no loyal subject.”

And so, Rukan turned off his interest in Keter.

* * *

The next morning, the palace’s treatment room was bustling.

“Brother!”

Maknun, wearing an eye patch, clung to Keter and wept.

“Oh no! You were always so full of justice, I knew this would happen someday! Why didn’t you just ignore it!?”

“Maknun. I haven’t lost my eyes. I’ve just lent them to this country for a while.”

Keter’s calm demeanor brought tears to the eyes of the doctor watching over him.

“Lord Keter is now perfectly healed, except for his eyes. There will be no aftereffects, so he can be discharged immediately.”

Keter, treated with the finest medicines for both his external and internal injuries, had even slept soundly and was now full of energy. Except for the fact that he was wearing an eye patch.

“I’ll guide you to the private room assigned to House Sephira.”

As the guide who came with Maknun tried to lead the way, Keter reached out and spoke.

“Before we go, I’d like to have a moment alone with my brother here.”

“I don’t mind. My role is done anyway.”

The doctor stepped aside, but the guide looked troubled.

“In principle, outsiders cannot be left alone within the palace.”

Then Maknun approached the guide and said.

“That’s only if you don’t report it, right?”

Swoosh.

A single platinum coin went into the guide’s pocket. The guide made a serious face.

“Are you bribing me now?”

“If you could just turn a blind eye, I’d be grateful.”

Adding another platinum coin, the guide held out his hand.

“Five minutes. No more.”

As soon as the guide left, the two sat facing each other.

“Brother. Thanks to your commotion yesterday, I was able to find out easily.”

“You found out? In just one day?”

“Who knows when such an opportunity will come again? I ran around like crazy.”

“So, what did you find out?”

Maknun didn’t even mention Keter’s eye condition. He believed Keter couldn’t have really gone blind, but even if he had, he trusted that Keter would handle it.

“I found out when the Queen disappeared.”

“Maknun, are you teasing me now?”

“It’s just too shocking. Because the Queen disappeared 18 years ago.”

“18 years? It’s amazing that the kingdom has been maintained for such a long time without the Queen. Were all the rumors of people seeing the Queen just nonsense?”

“They must have mistaken Princess Iris for the Queen. Anyway, that’s not the important part. Brother, doesn’t the number 18 ring any bells?”

“Hmm, are you insulting me?”

“No! 18 years. It’s the same as your age! I thought of it immediately. This can’t be a coincidence.”

“Oh… now that you mention it, that’s true.”

“In the past life, the Queen was definitely active. The evidence is this family heads’ summons. It was brought forward by almost a year, and the Crown Princes are openly choosing sides. It’s completely different from the past life you told me about. But there’s no evidence that your actions changed the future.”

“Let’s say it’s not a coincidence but inevitable. Why did the Queen disappear? And where did she go?”

“I don’t know that far yet. But one thing is certain. Your past life, Queen Lilian, and your mother Akra are somehow connected.”

It was clearly important information, but Keter was indifferent.

“I had already inferred that. Surely that’s not the end, right, Maknun?”

“What do you take me for? I also found out why the Queen tried to ruin Sephira.”

“What? You found that out in just one day?”

So surprised, Keter even lowered his eye patch to ask again.

“Teasing me twice in one day, our Maknun has really grown up.”

“I’ve been under you for 10 years. Don’t I have the right by now?”

“I acknowledge your acknowledgment. You’re really something, Daat. So tell me now. Why the hell did that damn Queen target Sephira?”

“Well, you see…”

Just as Maknun was about to speak, the guide knocked on the door from outside.

Knock knock!

“Five minutes are up. Come out quickly.”

“Ah, well then, Brother? I’ll have to tell you later.”

As Maknun spoke with a sly look, Keter dashed like lightning and flung the door open.

“Ouch!”

The guide, leaning against the door, lost his balance and fell towards Keter. In that moment, Keter jabbed the guide’s neck with his finger, knocking him out.

Then Keter turned back, his eyes blazing as he looked at Maknun.

“Now, speak.”

Under Keter’s urging, Maknun found it amusing, but knowing that any further teasing would earn him at least a flick on the forehead, he reluctantly opened his mouth.

“Misteltein. Lilian targeted Sephira because of it.”