* * *
Three days of intense battle raged around the Davon Ducal estate.
Though the fortress seemed to fall easily under Felix’s surprise assault, the resistance from Duke Davon, the strongest remaining force, was not insignificant.
What finally broke their formidable defense was Davon’s attempt to use the last of his strength to bring in external reinforcements, setting up a last-ditch defense line.
Felix, having anticipated new enemies, approached the rear gate alone.
As the signal for the enemy’s attack sounded, he tightened the siege accordingly, exploiting the weakened defenses on the opposite side.
Of course, this plan was only possible because Felix could fight like an army on his own.
The Davon Duchy, never imagining such a thing, crumbled, and with the escape routes preemptively cut off, Felix swiftly captured the entire faction.
“Do you really think the Grand Duke will tolerate this?”
The bound Duke Davon, blood vessels bursting in his eyes, shouted in rage, but Felix ignored him.
“Any reports?”
“The nobles near the capital are resisting fiercely, but with each victory, reinforcements arrive. It should be over by tomorrow.”
“Good. We head to the Imperial Palace as soon as the search is complete.”
The search was easier than expected.
Despite dealing with the remnants—who, even with their leader captured, tried to resist or flee—the operation took less than half a day.
Ironically, Davon’s rushed attempts to hide evidence worked in Felix’s favor.
As soon as Felix, returning from securing the outer area, traced magical residue to a hidden passage, the matter was effectively resolved.
Without delay, Felix apprehended Davon and gathered the evidence, setting course for the Imperial Palace.
At its grand gates, the Crown Prince awaited.
“As expected, entrusting this to you was the right choice. I thought the Davon Duchy would hold out at least a day longer.”
The Crown Prince smiled, satisfied, his eyes narrowing as he looked upon the disheveled, defeated Davon.
“All those outside have been dealt with. Shall we go report to His Majesty?”
The word “His Majesty” was laced with blatant mockery.
“Please wait a moment.”
Since the first day of battle, it had been impossible to contact Lowell or his escort knights.
Though enemies still approached, this might be the only chance to reach out before the operation concluded.
“What is it?”
“I’ll move after confirming Lowell’s safety.”
“You’d waste time now, with victory within reach? Won’t it take at least an hour to set up and activate a magic orb?”
The Crown Prince’s reasoning was sound, yet an ominous premonition crawled up Felix’s spine like a snake.
He couldn’t ignore it.
“If Lowell’s not safe, this entire operation is meaningless to me.”
Felix’s usually expressionless eyes, whether facing enemies or allies, now sparked with defiant fire.
“I see. You have lines you won’t cross either. At least contact him after we meet the Emperor. We’re nearly there, and preventing more reinforcements will end this faster.”
The Emperor was confined in the palace, but some of his guards remained, along with intact communication channels.
Once that was handled, the key conspirators would be dealt with.
After repelling the final desperate enemies who’d storm the palace under the guise of protecting the Emperor, and destroying the site prepared for their dark rituals, their mission would be complete.
Felix knew this logically.
But when Lowell was involved, his reason always faltered.
Anxiety coiled around him like venomous snakes.
“I’ll leave two mages behind to prepare the magic orb.”
“Fine.”
Though losing Felix would be troublesome, sparing one or two mages was acceptable.
The Crown Prince agreed, and Felix, quickly instructing the mages, moved to the palace’s center with him.
“Security here is pitiful.”
“It’s thanks to the cleanup outside.”
Sweeping through the Imperial Palace was even easier than subduing the Davon Duchy.
Only a few capable men remained by the Emperor’s side.
“Let’s go in.”
At the Emperor’s audience chamber, the Crown Prince opened the doors without hesitation.
He had waited long for this day—there was no need to stall.
“You scoundrel!”
The Emperor, seated on the throne, shot up the moment he saw the Crown Prince.
But though his voice trembled with rage, his face was plastered with undeniable fear.
No one present felt intimidated.
“Your Majesty, we’ve arrested the nobles plotting schemes with dark magic.”
Feigning decorum, the Crown Prince offered a formal report.
Knowing full well the Emperor’s intentions, this was an act of pure humiliation.
Clenching his fists in indignation, eyes bloodshot, the Emperor glared at the Crown Prince and Felix.
“You realize this is treason?”
“How could that be? You were deceived so easily. They even intended to use your mind as a sacrifice, turning you into their puppet. Shouldn’t you praise your loyal son for preventing that?”
“You dare—!”
Even at the emperor’s sharp rebuke, the crown prince merely wore a bored expression.
In contrast, Felix, having dealt with the knights standing by the emperor’s side, was consumed with the urge to end everything right then and there.
“I’ll finish this.”
Without waiting, Felix swung his bloodstained sword through the air.
The few remaining royal guards flinched.
“Are you implying… you would dare raise your sword against me?”
“Oh dear, His Grace, Duke Felix, is merely punishing the incompetent guards who stood by His Majesty yet failed to protect him. Who knows? There might be a noble faction spy among them.”
Regardless of what the emperor spat out, Felix silently cut down the guards, and once again, it was the crown prince who responded instead.
In the past, seeing the emperor—so eager to torment him—would’ve sent Felix’s emotions spiraling.
But now, surprisingly even to himself, he remained calm.
It was because Lowell had become the mast steadying Felix at his core.
As long as that mast didn’t waver, Felix wouldn’t fall.
Perhaps that sense of defeat made the emperor’s face contort, but suddenly, he burst into laughter.
Cornered, it seemed he had finally lost his grip on reality.
“You still try to kill me, without even understanding why I started all this… or why I killed your mother.”
“I know exactly why.”
Felix’s reply was detached, devoid of emotion.
“You were attempting resurrection—the most forbidden form of black magic. Who else would you be so desperate to bring back other than my mother?”
Felix casually revealed the truth Lowell had tried so hard to conceal, not as if pretending to be unaffected, but because he genuinely seemed fine.
The crown prince, for the first time since entering the audience chamber, looked taken aback.
“You knew, and yet…!”
“Those brought back by resurrection magic are nothing more than monsters wearing a familiar face. I suggest you stop defiling my mother’s memory.”
With those words, Felix brought down the last remaining guard.
It wasn’t as though he hadn’t been shaken when the possibility of resurrection first crossed his mind.
But seeing Lowell so desperate to shield him, even by hiding the truth, had anchored his resolve.
‘I miss you, Lowell.’
Even if true resurrection were possible through black magic, Felix would have made the same choice.
He recalled Lowell’s face as they parted, eyes on the verge of tears.
“Then promise me you’ll come back safe. You remember saying you’d never let me suffer the loss of someone I love because of this war, don’t you?”
Felix’s entire existence centered around Lowell. For their promise, there was nothing he wouldn’t do.
“I’ve met someone who was successfully resurrected. You speak from ignorance.”
“It’s truly over now.”
Felix declared coolly.
“Plenty of people are involved in this. With so many mouths ready to spill, I doubt confessions will be a problem.”
The emperor’s head drooped, his shoulders trembling.
Mistaking it for resignation, the crown prince strode toward the throne.
But standing before the emperor, he realized—those weren’t tears.
The emperor was laughing.
‘What…?’
* * *
