* * *
The chilling atmosphere in the banquet hall deepened.
Neither the emperor nor the duke moved, locked in a tense standoff that suffocated everyone in the room.
The silence was finally broken by the emperor, who let out a derisive laugh.
“Fine. Let him do as he pleases.”
Only then did the captain of the guard move, reluctantly handing over his sword.
Loyal as ever, he remained ready to shield the emperor with his body if necessary.
The duke ignored them all, his voice unexpectedly gentle.
“Ed, close your eyes for a moment.”
“Your Grace…”
“I don’t want you to see this.”
Ed took a deep breath, recalling the duke’s earlier words: ‘You might be startled, but if something happens during the banquet…’
He followed the duke’s request, shutting his eyes.
The duke’s tender tone stirred unease in those present, including the Minister of Finance, who subtly urged the proceedings forward.
“Bring a cloth to wipe His Grace’s blood, and let us confirm the late emperor’s will.”
Without hesitation, the duke drew the blade across his palm.
Blood dripped onto the parchment the chamberlain held, but instead of staining it red, the parchment absorbed the blood and began to glow gold.
“W-What is this?”
The chamberlain, kneeling with the parchment, stumbled backward as golden letters materialized in the air, forming a radiant script for all to see.
‘He who seeks the light of the northern lake and the strongest sword, mix their blood before the blade passed down in the royal family, and the star will shine.’
As the luminous letters dissolved into golden dust and sank back into the parchment, a stunned silence filled the hall.
“Your Grace.”
Breaking the silence, Ed stepped forward, wrapping a clean cloth around the duke’s injured hand.
His eyes darkened with concern as the white fabric turned crimson.
No matter what happened in this hall, Ed’s focus was solely on tending to the duke’s wound, as if nothing else mattered.
The duke’s mind drifted briefly to a memory.
“I once wrapped Ed’s wound like this.”
“At Herins Manor?”
“Yes. But don’t worry—it’s too early to stop the bleeding.”
“That’s right. To prove the late emperor’s will, our blood must mingle. Still…”
Ed’s gaze filled with anguish as he looked at the duke’s injury.
Their intimate exchange drew a bitter laugh from the emperor, who stood abruptly, his teeth clenched.
“You once warned me of those who would blind and deafen me. Perhaps, Duke, those words are better directed at yourself.”
The emperor sneered, his voice cutting.
“To think you, of all people, would be deceived by a charlatan’s tricks. It truly shows your lack of judgment.”
The emperor gestured toward the court mage, who approached with a nod.
“Verify the authenticity of this parchment.”
The mage quickly descended, scrutinizing the parchment before returning with an alarming report.
“It’s a counterfeit ensnared in dark magic, Your Majesty!”
The hall erupted into chaos as the emperor, without a moment’s hesitation, overturned the validity of the will.
Pointing his scepter at Ed, he roared,
“Captain of the Guard! Arrest that vile deceiver who has ensnared the duke!”
The command was unjust, yet the Captain of the Imperial Guard questioned nothing, even as the Emperor issued orders that defied reason.
When the Captain stepped forward to seize Ed, the Grand Duke, who had been observing the situation with measured caution, abruptly stood from his seat.
In his hand was the sword he had earlier taken from the Captain of the Guard.
The Emperor glared at the weapon, fury flashing across his face as if he had expected this.
“Grand Duke, what is the meaning of this? Do you defy my command? If you do not drop that sword immediately, I will have no choice but to declare you a traitor!”
Without a word, the Grand Duke tightened his grip on the sword, standing between Ed and the advancing guards.
The Emperor’s voice rose further in rage.
“What are you all waiting for? Subdue the traitor at once!”
But the Grand Duke, unwavering, began to speak, his voice low and resolute.
“Your Majesty, there was a time when I failed to protect my parents and my younger brother.”
The Emperor sneered.
“And what is the point of telling me this? What good does it do now? The dead do not rise, Grand Duke.”
“This time, I will stake everything to protect my family,” declared the Grand Duke firmly, his gaze locked on the Emperor’s.
“Including Ed Linden and anyone I hold dear.”
The Emperor’s expression twisted with anger, unable to mask his displeasure at the Grand Duke’s unyielding determination.
“What are you all waiting for? Do you not hear me?” the Emperor bellowed again.
The room was tense; no one wanted to involve themselves in this escalating confrontation.
Faces hardened with unease as the guards encircled the platform, heightening the tension.
At that moment, the royal mage approached the seething Emperor, his voice calm but urgent.
“Your Majesty, at this rate, you risk ruining everything we’ve planned.”
The mage whispered a few hurried words, causing the Emperor to grind his teeth in frustration.
After glaring at the Grand Duke, the Emperor gave a curt nod.
The mage raised his hand, subtle movements activating silent incantations.
The Grand Duke, ever watchful, immediately noticed the flow of magic.
Without hesitation, he pulled Ed closer to him, shielding him.
“Ed, stay by my side. Don’t leave me,” the Grand Duke whispered.
Suddenly, he felt an unbearable constriction on his wrist—the manacles he had been forced to wear earlier tightened painfully, digging into his skin.
“Your Grace?” Ed asked in a hushed tone, noticing the Grand Duke’s subtle reaction.
The Grand Duke, ignoring the stinging pain, murmured, “Don’t be alarmed, Ed. Trust me.”
Before Ed could respond, the Grand Duke’s fingers began to darken, as if blackened by some sinister force.
“Your Grace!” Ed exclaimed in shock, but the Grand Duke remained composed, as if expecting this outcome.
‘So they tampered with the restraints after all,’ the Grand Duke thought grimly.
A sharp cry from a bystander broke the tense silence.
“Look! The Grand Duke’s hand—it’s turning black!”
The room erupted into murmurs and gasps as the blackened marks rapidly spread across the Grand Duke’s body.
The Emperor, satisfied by the growing unease among the onlookers, stepped forward dramatically.
“See this, everyone? This is what happens when one defies the truth ordained by the heavens! Does it not seem like the wrath of the gods has descended upon him?”
As the black marks continued to spread, even the veins on the Grand Duke’s face darkened ominously.
The Emperor declared, “Stay away from the Grand Duke!”
At the Emperor’s command, the guards and nobles surrounding the Grand Duke recoiled, as if he carried a deadly plague.
Within moments, only Ed remained at his side.
The hall, once filled with chaotic murmurs, fell into an oppressive silence.
The court mage approached the Emperor, bowing deeply before speaking loudly enough for all to hear.
“Your Majesty, may I offer a suggestion?”
“Speak.”
“Though the Grand Duke may have drawn divine retribution upon himself for pointing a blade at Your Majesty, he is still a member of the royal family. Perhaps he has already begun to reflect on his sins. Might Your Majesty consider showing him mercy this once?”
The Emperor, feigning deep thought, finally nodded with magnanimity.
“You are right. As this occasion celebrates the peace of the Empire, I shall forgive the Grand Duke this one time.”
“Your Majesty’s grace is unmatched,” the mage replied, his tone reverent.
Without missing a beat, the Emperor gestured toward a veiled woman nearby.
“Grand Duchess, come here and assist the Grand Duke. Until he recovers, I shall ensure his care.”
The woman stepped forward, approaching the Grand Duke without hesitation, her hand outstretched.
But before she could reach him—
* * *
