Chapter 4

(04)

I spent several days disposing of all the books with the help of Rudi and the Knights.

Most were donated to the Imperial Library.

Two Grimoires were sold through a merchant supplying the palace.

“The price is significant. I couldn’t even get a quarter of the value since I was in a hurry to sell,” Rudi said, holding a leather pouch with a surprised expression.

“You can’t even find them at the market if you have money. The kids from the Ivory Tower need to be a bit secretive.”

“I thought you would continue studying magic, even if you didn’t study other subjects,” Rudi replied, looking dejected.

I understood.

From her perspective, the diligent High Noble had suddenly turned into a Bandit one morning after rambling incoherently.

I would explain everything and apologize someday.

But until then, I had to deceive her as best as I could.

To deceive the enemy, I first had to deceive my allies.

“It’s fine. I don’t need it anymore.”

“Should I go get some wine?”

“Sure. Get as much wine as you can buy and keep one coin for yourself.”

“What?”

Rudi looked as if struck by lightning.

“But that’s a gold coin.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s a hefty amount, equal to my entire month’s salary.”

“You heard me right. Don’t think about skimming off the top; I mean to buy good wine, so take it as it is.”

So this was my most trivial form of apology.

She left the room, still looking bewildered.

I pulled out a chair and sat by the large window. I could see a wide rose garden full of unbloomed rose buds.

Looking at the rose garden, a line from a poem sung by a poet in my past life about an upcoming purge came to mind.

“The June of full-bloomed roses came not with floral scents but with the thick smell of blood.”

“Ha.”

I downed the remaining bottle of wine in one gulp.

I couldn’t stop the Rebellion and the Purge.

Now that she was on the throne, these events were inevitable.

It was also why there was no need to advise capturing and killing the future traitorous Prince Justianus right away.

If things continued as they had in my past life, someone would eventually take on the same position and stance as that wretch.

To reduce or eliminate that scale, I needed to touch on more fundamental aspects.

I looked around to ensure no one was present.

I closed the window and pulled the curtains to prevent the Security Guards outside from peering in.

“Flames that flicker and bloom.”

This was a fundamental defensive fire magic, and once properly learned, it could be reused continuously.

There was a reason I had sold the Grimoires without reservation.

I already knew everything, so there was no reason to cling to the books.

The moment I recited the incantation, I felt the Mana flow from my heart.

The Mana circuits were still rough and unrefined.

In my palm, smoke and flames burst forth, and a flame the size of a candle flickered to life.

“Much better.”

I smiled with satisfaction.

Compared to before my Return, it was still a meager power.

However, considering the potential for growth, this was more advantageous.

Without a doubt, my body before the Return was ruined.

At an age when I should have been striving hard, I had recklessly lived.

With a body that was filled with poison and corruption, I could never reach a zenith.

I had about three weeks remaining.

During that time, I had to prevent my suspicious step-siblings from barging into my room, train in fire magic, and show off my Bandit persona more.

What a heavy workload.

“Your Highness Valen. I have arrived.”

“You’re here! What wine did you bring?”

I accepted the wine Rudi had brought and smiled.

Time seemed to pass quickly.

* * *

Finally, that day arrived.

It was a bright day, just as in my past life, with a sky high and not a cloud in sight.

“Your Highness Valen. Look. It’s beautiful.”

In the vast rose garden, red, yellow, and white roses were in full bloom.

“Yeah. It’s pretty.”

“Shall we seek permission from the Knights to go out and see it?”

“Sure. Later.”

My voice trembled even to my own ears.

“Your Highness Valen. Did you have a nightmare again today?”

“No, not really.”

Today, the nightmare would become reality.

In the distance, a mounted Knight was galloping towards us.

He delivered a message to the Knights and soldiers around the fence, saying something.

The Knights who nodded their heads donned their helmets and drew their unsheathed swords.

They entered the Crimson Crescent Palace.

The sound of their jingling military boots echoed in the downstairs corridor.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“Are you the High Noble Barf?”

“That’s right. I am Barf.”

“Take him away. Search the room.”

The sound of a struggle broke out.

“What is going on here?”

The sound of fists flying and screams followed.

“Are you the High Noble Yurina?”

“Yes. I am Yurina.”

“You must come with us.”

“It seems the time has come. No need to bind me. I have no intention of running away.”

Resigned footsteps echoed in the corridor.

“Are you the High Noble Sorunil?”

“Flickering flames blooming!”

The magic incantation rang out, followed by the sound of Knights drawing their swords.

“A traitor who learned magic without permission!”

“It is the Emperor’s order to execute anyone who resists.”

“You must head upstairs first! There is a risk of escape.”

“Identify those trained in swordsmanship first!”

The sound of military boots grew louder.

Rudi trembled as she looked at me.

“Your Highness.”

“Don’t worry.”

I heard a sound as a member of the Royal Family who had been in the room next to mine was dragged out.

I lay down on the bed in my gown.

Rudi looked at me with a shocked expression.

A moment later, they knocked on my door.

“High Noble Valen! Are you there?”

I signaled to Rudi.

She bowed her head once and slowly opened the door.

The Knights scanned my room, frowning.

“High Noble! Where are you?”

“The smell of alcohol is quite strong.”

I sat up and spoke.

“Have you come? Please keep it down. I think I overindulged yesterday, and my head is pounding.”

“We are transporting members of the Royal Family suspected of treason. May we search the room?”

Ending it as a question, it wasn’t truly asking for permission.

Both I and the Knights knew that.

“Feel free to search. The only things you’ll find are wine bottles and forgotten snacks I had hidden.”

As a Knight carrying my books stumbled in, he glanced roughly around my room.

“Enough. Let’s go.”

“Still, shouldn’t we at least check the drawers?”

“Look at this mess. If you were plotting a Rebellion, would you want to be associated with such a scoundrel?”

“True. Besides, he is my biological brother. Who knows when he might expose us?”

“A month ago, he was so overly respectable that it worried me.”

“I hear he got into a brawl and stabbed a fork and knife into his hand.”

“I heard he cracked a bottle over someone’s head and stabbed Duke Barf with the shards.”

“There were even rumors that he had humiliated High Noble Yurina.”

“Let’s not speak of that. It’s said he visits every night.”

“Being uninterested in governance is one thing, but you’ve become quite twisted.”

As the Knights continued to murmur various things, one by one they exited the room.

Rudi let out a sigh of relief.

The Knights sent the Royal Family members on the list away like dried fish to the main palace’s underground prison.

As soon as they left, I opened the window wide.

“Damn alcohol smell. I thought I was going to die from dizziness.”

“Yes, yes?”

Rudi blinked and looked at me.

“Rudi, please bring me warm honey water to help sober up. I’ll arrange the wine bottles, so put them outside later. I’ll clean and tidy the room a bit. There are wine stains everywhere.”

“Your Highness?”

Rudi had a perplexed expression as if she didn’t understand anything.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you not going to bring the honey water?”

She deeply bowed her head and dashed out of the room.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Don’t laugh. Think about how the other Maids must feel. They must be so bewildered right now.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Rudi returned with warm honey water and an invitation.

Her expression while handing me the invitation was not very pleasant.

It was an invitation I had not received in my past life, as I too had been dragged away like dried fish with the other royals.

But I knew what the content was.

“They’re inviting us to witness the act of self-determination, right?”

“Yes.”

[To respect the honor of the Royal Family, their self-determination is permitted. If they confess their crimes and take their own lives, their relatives will not be held responsible.]

“You’re still sharp, just as I remember.”

“What?”

“What do you think would be the heaviest burden when executing members of the royal family?”

“Their maternal side? Even if they are born of a concubine, the maternal side belongs to high nobles.”

“That’s why if you announce an execution, it invites backlash. But if you allow self-determination?”

“On the contrary, it appears that the Emperor is being considerate.”

“That’s right. Originally, they would have to bear the blame as a whole, but they are stopping at the children’s level.”

Of course, everyone would be seething with rage.

But before my Return, Jeilliris had said this to them regarding their dissatisfaction.

“Anger that is only expressed inwardly is nothing. If you’re suppressing it inwardly, then maybe you must deserve a compliment.”

“Among the ten thousand courtiers, is there anyone who hasn’t thought of wanting to kill me just once? Whatever they might be thinking, until they point their swords at me, they are innocent.”

That had been her.

The emperor who had ruled with endless arrogance.

“In any case, I have to go witness it. The first five to confess. Is it lunchtime tomorrow?”

“Yes. I will not prepare any meals.”

“No, prepare a hearty meal.”

“What?”

“I’m going to handle something significant there.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a Maid among my friends, slightly with bluish hair. She’s the one serving the golden-haired princess.”

“Yes.”

I recalled the assassination attempt on the emperor from my past life.

It had been a vendetta of the maid who served the young princess.

The enraged emperor had pickled the princess’s corpse and sent it to her maternal family, and the maid had severed her tendons and thrown it somewhere in the capital’s slums.

It had been an incident that unnecessarily turned a noble into an enemy.

I had to prevent that. Simultaneously, I needed to earn her trust by achieving something significant.

“Thank you. Please choose an outfit for me.”

“Yes. I will select a dark color.”

“No. Choose something flamboyant. Something as gaudy and sparkly as possible.”

“What?”

Rudi’s face crinkled in confusion.

* * *

The carriage heading towards the main palace was silent.

I shared the carriage with a bearded nobleman and two noblewomen in black hats.

The three royals cast uncomfortable glances at me.

I wore a splendid white uniform embroidered with climbing patterns in gold thread and had my hair roughly and briskly swept back to reveal my forehead.

Whistling cheerfully, I looked out at the blooming roses outside.

“Such a sight.”

“I guess they think we’re going to some event.”

“Leave them be. They say he went mad about a month ago. They said he bit someone and drank blood.”

The rumors were very favorable.

Everything was going as I had hoped.

I shrugged as if I didn’t care for their words.

The nobles sharing the carriage looked at me as if I were an insect.

I whistled even more cheerfully.

After about thirty minutes in the carriage, we arrived at the main palace.

“Please come this way.”

I ignored the attendant’s call and subtly moved towards the west. After confirming there was no one around, I descended to the cellar where the wine was stored.

“I prayed that it wouldn’t be here.”

In front of the emperor’s wine cellar lay a massive undead hunting dog.

It had started when servants and attendants working in the Imperial Palace got caught stealing fine wines, one or two bottles at a time.

Due to their high value and the fact that nobles preferred them, they could be easily converted to cash.

She had stationed a Security Guard in front of the wine cellar, but that hadn’t solved the problem either.

The intoxicated guards had begun stealing the wine.

In the end, she summoned a black magician to create the undead.

That’s how that hunting dog was born.

I slowly approached the dog.

As I drew near to within ten steps, it raised its head. When I took a step back, it lowered its head.

“Flickering flames blooming.”

A flame like a serpent erupted between my middle and index fingers.

I blew on it, sending the flame flying.

The fire settled above the undead hunting dog’s head.

Basic red magic wouldn’t be enough to kill an undead of that level.

However, if I didn’t hold back and put in the effort, I might be able to temporarily incapacitate it.

I closed my eyes tightly and poured Mana into it.

My heart tightened fiercely.

It felt like I was just exhaling endlessly.

Has it been just over twenty minutes? The sound of sizzling and a thud echoed.

The undead hunting dog’s eyes gleamed with a green light.

Its cracked glass-like eyes emitted steam and began to regenerate.

Taking that opportunity, I stepped into the wine cellar.

In the dimly lit and vast room, shelves like bookshelves stood closely together, displaying dozens of types of premium wines lined up.

I concealed myself in a corner where a red wine called ‘Tears of the Wasteland’ was visible.

About ten minutes later, I heard a commotion outside the cellar.

“Hmm? Why isn’t the hunting dog moving?”

It was a maid with dark hair and a cool demeanor that had a bluish hue.

She picked up a bottle of Tears of the Wasteland and pulled the cork.

Pouring the liquid from a smaller bottle into it, she sealed it with a new cork, as if nothing had happened.

I stepped out from the corner where I had been hiding.

“Don’t do that.”

The black-haired maid looked startled and gazed at me.

I spoke in a pleading tone.

“Just take the new wine with you. Please.”

She shook her head with a pained expression.

With a resigned sigh, she drew a dagger from her bosom.

“I serve but one person.”

Right, you say that again.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

I understood her vengeful spirit, but I couldn’t allow bloodlust to ignite.

I didn’t need to mention that her actions would obliterate the princess’s maternal side.

I didn’t want to accuse her loyalty.

In fact, the things I was about to do were fundamentally the same.

I called out for the Security Guards at full volume and recited the incantation.

“Sharply piercing flames.”

The flames shot like a featherless arrow, striking her hand.

She clenched her hand and dropped the dagger.

I heard the sound of boots approaching from above.

The Guards were coming.