Chapter 27

Everything began to change.

Raul, who once enjoyed raising small birds as a hobby, ended up taking more lives than anyone else on the battlefield.

Raul, who had once known how to smile, albeit awkwardly, became like a doll, unresponsive to most things after carrying someone’s coffin.

After all those countless changes, the situation had come to this.

“Oh ho… So you are Raul, the head of the Berze family. I’ve heard much about you from your sister.”

“Yes. I’m at a loss for words that you recognize me.”

The man conversing with Raul was none other than the Second Prince, Rizel’s fiancé.

Unlike the First Prince, who had fiery red hair, this man had ashen-colored hair.

“With my elder brother and others showing signs of unrest lately, I didn’t expect a loyal subject like you to remain.”

“…I merely weighed my options.”

“Either way, if it’s for the sake of the country, you’re a loyal subject, aren’t you?”

Of course, Raul didn’t like him.

He had investigated the Second Prince thoroughly because he was his sister’s fiancé and knew his usual behavior wasn’t good.

But even so, if he could make his sister happy, Raul was willing to abandon his own beliefs.

“With a powerful force like you on my side, my elder brother must be seething with envy.”

When Raul answered with silence, the Second Prince began to do his best to change the atmosphere.

For him, Raul was the only card he could play against the First Prince’s faction, so he had to give it his all.

“Now, now! I have something to show you, so follow me!”

“Something to show me…?”

“I’ve heard you keep your distance from women. I had a feeling we might share similar tastes.”

“……”

Raul had no idea what he was talking about.

He simply didn’t love anyone. It wasn’t that he disliked the women who approached him; it was just that everything felt shallow.

After descending the underground stairs for a while, a world too ugly to even speak of unfolded before Raul, and even he almost vomited involuntarily.

“How is it? I thought it would appeal to you.”

“This is…”

“Unlike my father, I dislike mingling with women directly, but I do enjoy them.”

The underground was filled with a thick, dizzying scent of aphrodisiacs.

Even though Raul’s body was vulnerable to such drugs, the concentration was abnormally high.

But the horrific scene was so overwhelming that Raul had to suppress the urge to vomit.

“Who are these women…?”

In the underground, women intoxicated by the aphrodisiacs were imprisoned, lusting after each other’s bodies.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

“……”

“I even feel a thrill watching them so passionately crave each other’s flesh.”

Raul’s hands were trembling.

If such a man were to become Emperor, he would undoubtedly follow in the footsteps of the previous Emperor.

“Come to think of it, I wanted to keep the Demon King’s consort here when I was young, but it’s a shame it didn’t work out.”

“Excuse me…?”

“She was pregnant and begged for mercy. If I had kept her here as a decoration, she would have moaned in ecstasy instead of screaming. She was truly unfortunate.”

Raul felt deep disgust.

This man might even be more repulsive than the Emperor himself.

It didn’t seem like such a disgusting man could make his sister happy.

“Speaking of your sister…”

“……”

“I’ve heard you don’t get along well with her.”

Raul clenched his teeth. He had only kept his distance from Rizel in public to protect her reputation.

It was because the Emperor and the Second Prince had spread all sorts of rumors about the Five Heroes to counter the First Prince’s faction.

He had merely maintained an appropriate distance in public to prevent rumors from tarnishing her, and now the Second Prince, the source of those rumors, was spouting such nonsense.

“…I only kept some distance.”

“Is that so? Then how about handing her over to me? If you do, I’ll make you the next Minister of War.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I want to decorate her in this beautiful paradise too. I have a trainer who can mold her into the right shape.”

When the Second Prince rang a bell, a prostitute in revealing clothes appeared.

The short-haired prostitute reeked of lust, as if she had just been toying with a woman’s body.

“Oh, Your Highness. You’ve brought a guest.”

“Yes. I hope you’ve prepared well.”

“Of course. Training noble ladies is no big deal.”

Raul’s stomach, churning with disgust, began to transform into a completely different emotion.

“What exactly do you mean by preparation?”

In response to Raul’s question, the prostitute smiled and pulled out a small bottle.

“Just one drop of this, and even a lady who’s never known lust will turn into a panting beast in an instant…”

But the prostitute couldn’t finish her explanation.

As soon as Raul’s hand touched her, her body exploded, leaving not a single piece of flesh behind.

“How dare you be so rude…!”

“Rude…”

Raul’s always expressionless face was now burning with cold fury.

“You’re just as foolish as your father. What older brother in the world could endure hearing such words?”

“She’s just a useless sister you don’t need anyway!”

“…Don’t open your mouth any further. I might kill you right here.”

Raul quietly wiped the blood from his hand and gave a low warning.

“You are… no, you’re just a maggot.”

“How dare you…!”

“I owe no manners to the likes of you. If a maggot like you becomes Emperor, this country is doomed.”

Raul shattered the Second Prince’s right ankle.

“I’ll let you off with just your right ankle for wagging your tongue.”

“AAAAAHHHH!!!!”

“I’ll come back later to settle the sins of you and your father. Though it won’t take long.”

Raul wasn’t originally a merciful person.

He simply didn’t find things worth getting angry over. But if he did get angry, he could do any terrible deed without batting an eye.

“You idiot! Do you think you’ll be welcomed back if you return to the First Prince’s faction now?!!!”

“….”

“You’ll just be called a traitor and turned away!”

“That’s something I’ll have to endure. It’s none of your concern, maggot… But if you wag your tongue about my sister again, I’ll make you beg for death.”

Frightened by Raul’s killing intent, the Second Prince wet himself.

“It seems you need to relearn potty training before studying kingship.”

Returning to the First Prince’s faction, Raul was welcomed by everyone, except for the First Prince, Asel.

He wasn’t foolish enough to confuse personal and public matters.

“Good. I welcome your return.”

“…”

“But you know, don’t you? We can’t just let this slide.”

Raul had almost sided with the Second Prince, even if temporarily.

If they didn’t settle this properly, the discipline of the faction would undoubtedly collapse.

“I can’t forgive the Second Prince’s faction for killing my mother. I intend to erase everything connected to the Second Prince.”

Raul couldn’t bring himself to answer.

“Your sister, who’s engaged to the Second Prince, can’t be easily spared either.”

“…I’ll handle it.”

“What?”

“I’ll take on the role of executing the previous Emperor and the Second Prince.”

The First Prince, Asel, was so shocked he dropped the wine glass he was holding.

Originally, he had planned to take on the role of killing his father and brother himself.

Even if they were scum of the earth, the infamy of killing royals wasn’t something an individual could bear.

“No. Let’s pretend that conversation never happened. I’ll spare your sister, so take back what you just said. That’s a burden I should bear.”

Especially since it was clear that he himself would suffer from the infamy.

If Raul, already burdened with infamy, were to do such a thing, the consequences were all too obvious.

“I must be punished, Your Highness.”

“I’d rather give up the throne than let you bear such infamy.”

“Please don’t even joke about that. And it’s only fitting that I, with so little time left, should do it.”

“……Damn it, you’re making me out to be a real bastard.”

Raul spoke calmly as always, but the First Prince, Asel, couldn’t help but dislike his emotionless friend.

“Also, I can’t let someone who tried to disgrace my sister live.”

“You frustrating brat! Is that so important?!”

“Yes. You know that, don’t you?”

Watching the scene quietly, Raul’s mentor, Duke Argos, spoke up.

“Hey, you little raccoon. Everything’s fine, but let me ask you one thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“What’s with all this devotion? Aren’t you afraid of being cast aside like an old rag? Speaking from experience here.”

To the Duke’s drunken question, Raul answered as if it were obvious.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What?”

“For that child, I’m willing to bear any infamy.”

“Oh, the best big brother has arrived. You’re ready to give your liver and gallbladder for her.”

“…I’m not the best big brother. But.”

Raul’s lips curved into a faint smile as he thought of his sister.

Though not bright, it was a subtle smile like the spring sunlight, leaving everyone present speechless.

“I’m her only older brother, after all.”

Raul loved his sister more than anyone.

No one loved Rizel as much as Raul did, and no one loved Raul as much as Rizel did.

Watching from afar, Rizel was left speechless.

That hateful brother.

The brother who broke his promise and betrayed her.

That demon-like brother who only thought of himself.

“Brother…?”

Rizel slumped to the ground.

She knew too. Logically, there was no way the Second Prince’s fiancée would be spared. It was clear that her brother had made some deal to save her.

But she turned a blind eye to that reality and hurled blame and anger at her brother. Because if she didn’t, she felt she would go mad.

“I… I…! It’s just… because you didn’t tell me… so…!”

Of course, there was no one to listen to such a childish excuse.

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