Chapter 57

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: The Monster
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Kill, who had been sitting with a frown, spoke up for the two of them.

“The Empire, of course. But Your Majesty, I've heard you express your concerns about the Empire time and again, but the Empire helping Dopein doesn't pose the same kind of threat to Parnas, does it?”

“Well… I wonder.”

Lucy tilted her head, looking at Kill with an ambiguous expression that made it impossible to read her thoughts.

“Lorenzo, the Emperor of the Terra Empire, has long neglected state affairs due to his indulgence in women and wine, as well as his illness. I hear he's now bedridden and unconscious. In his stead, Crown Prince Alejandro has taken power, has he not?”

“Indeed. They say he's become regent at such a young age and is running the Empire. He's highly praised everywhere for his exceptional skill.”

Lucy's lips drew into an expression that was somewhere between a smile and a scoff. Her gaze drifted to a distant point as she changed the subject in a brighter tone.

“Kill, how much do you know about the Crown Prince?”

“A pure-blooded noble of direct lineage... He is reputed to be a very sensible and prudent man. He was so brilliant that he was renowned at the academy, and he is trusted by the ministers...”

“His maternal relatives are powerful, and his abilities are overwhelming, making him the undisputed next emperor. Smart, well-born, handsome, and witty—not a single flaw to be found.”

Lucy cut him off, knitting one of her brows.

“I know that much. I'm asking what kind of person he is, beyond his public image.”

Unable to grasp the context of the question, Kill could only offer a bewildered look in response. Lucy propped an arm on her raised knee and rested her chin on the back of her hand.

“The Crown Prince is a man who is very adept at hiding his true nature. Few people actually know his personality or what ideals he holds.”

“It sounds as if Your Majesty knows him quite well.”

At Kill's words, Lucy twisted one corner of her mouth into a crooked smile.

“Who could possibly know him better than I?”

Staring into the void, Lucy's eyes narrowed.

“That man is a monster.”

A deep chill slowly swirled in her golden eyes, which had held a soft light just moments before.

“A monster who will engulf the entire continent in flames. When he becomes emperor, not only Parnas but the whole continent will fall under the Empire's rule. And all races other than humans will be wiped from existence.”

She recalled the first time she met Alex.

His towering height and unusually large frame were characteristic of the Empire's people, but he didn't appear brutish, thanks to his looks and aura.

Soft brown hair, neither too short nor too long, and beneath it, a radiant face full of benevolent smiles—it was enough to win anyone over at first sight.

It was only natural that a young woman as naive as Lucy would be captivated by him. Her dejection over their political marriage was fleeting; in an instant, Lucy became his captive.

*I will become a woman worthy of this man.*

For her one and only husband, she resolved to become the most beautiful and elegant Crown Princess. She obeyed his every command without a hint of doubt.

Waiting for the day he would finally kiss her, she abandoned herself and molded her entire being to fit him.

She believed that was love.

How foolish.

Of course, her illusions about him shattered completely in less than a year.

His brilliant mind, perfect manners, and witty remarks were nothing but a shell to hide his true nature. He was a murderer who could order the annihilation of a civilian district while maintaining the same gentle smile with which he'd wished someone a good morning.

A murderer…

Yes, a murderer.

The wars he wages are not for revolution, nor for peace. Even the ideal of restoring the glory of the first great empire is a mere pretense.

The Crown Prince was nothing more and nothing less than a warmonger, intoxicated by the acts of killing, conquering, and trampling others.

One who delighted in seeing blood splatter across the land after driving out all other races and tearing down the temples.

One who saw lives as numbers and the battlefield as a chessboard…

One who acted as if he were a god, trying to control the entire world. One who felt joy and pleasure in all such acts.

He was just a perverted bastard.

“There was a time I believed he would change someday… but he didn't.”

The past layered itself over and over in her empty mind.

The past flashed before her hazy vision like a revolving lantern. When it all faded, a single, broad back remained.

Broad shoulders and a slender yet firm torso to match. His brown hair swaying in the wind and his handsomely tanned skin were just a few of his many charms.

From head to toe, he overflowed with a dignity and an aura that no one could imitate.

So beautiful. Unchangingly beautiful through all those long years…

And yet his vile and vicious inner self had always remained the same.

A person's true nature doesn't change. It was a truth she had experienced countless times by his side.

She thought of Duke Witten. That traitor who had tried to sell out his country, unchangingly, for all those long years.

Alex was the same. A man who had lived as a warmonger for three lifetimes wouldn't just abandon his nature and live an ordinary life in his fourth.

Beyond personal revenge, for the sake of peace for all, a man like him should not exist. No matter what it took, she would eliminate him in this life.

Lucy spoke in a much more resolute voice.

“I know my words must sound absurd. You probably want to believe that scorching the entire continent is impossible, no matter how powerful the Empire is. But what I say is the truth. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“Well, time will tell anyway, so we'll see.”

There was no need for a long explanation. No one would believe her if she recounted all of Alex's atrocities right here and now.

Lucy swallowed her words and cleared her throat.

“However, what is certain for now is that the Crown Prince will meddle with Parnas one way or another. That must be why he tried to contact Duke Witten.”

Shaking off the bitter regret, she composed her expression. Lucy slowly looked at the three men and gave a wry smile.

“We can't just sit back and watch a madman like that run rampant. My duty is to stop him. The Grand General and I will take responsibility for handling external threats, so I hope you will all stop fighting amongst yourselves and work together to stabilize domestic affairs.”

Finishing her words, Lucy rose from her seat.

Heedless of her crumpled dress, Lucy strode down from the dais. Her bitter expression was gone, replaced by her characteristically cheerful smile.

“Enough of this complicated talk. Shall we head to the banquet hall? Let's not sit on the floor looking miserable; let's go to the hall.”

With her hands on her hips, she nodded toward the door. As if on cue, Rutherford rose and stood by Lucy's side.

Bubehol and Kill, showing no intention of following, stared at the empty wine bottle with glum faces. A strange longing flickered in their eyes as they gazed at the wine.

Belatedly realizing their desire, Lucy barked that there was wine at the banquet hall too, so they should hurry up and follow. Only then did the two old men begin to slowly walk after her.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The blue twilight that had been shimmering near the mountain's foot slowly washed over the capital like a rising tide.

Braziers were lit throughout the royal palace, and lupines, which had bloomed early due to the unusually warm winter, exuded a fragrant spring scent into the darkening surroundings.

Following the scent that tickled his nose, Walter slowly raised his head. His eyes, so black that pupil and iris were indistinguishable, were tinged a faint vermilion by the brazier's fire.

The light touching his attire—a gray uniform, a black coat, and even the tassels adorning his epaulets, all in monochrome—did nothing to make him look warm, instead only highlighting his stern aura.

As the Grand General and his soldiers entered the corridor, the people who had been chatting amiably stiffened their faces and cautiously stepped aside.

“Have the ambassadors' identities been properly confirmed?”

Walter asked, looking at the changing guards, and Zen, who was following behind, nodded.

“We've thoroughly checked everyone, right down to their guarantors. You can rest assured.”

“Whees is by Her Majesty's side, so she should be fine, but there might be someone targeting the high officials. Keep a close eye on anyone approaching the lords separately.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Is Her Majesty still in the hall?”

“I confirmed that she moved from her seat with the lords a while ago. She should be receiving greetings from the ambassadors in the smaller banquet hall by now.”

“…Hmph.”

“Shouldn't you be heading to Her Majesty's side soon, Grand General? If you escort her, Her Majesty's prestige will shine even brighter.”

Zen said playfully, wrinkling his nose.

If Walter were to actually take her hand and enter the hall, Lucy's prestige would soar to unimaginable heights.

Walter Hyverge—what kind of man was he?

Raised as a prodigy of the Hyverge family, the leaders of the martial houses, he became the master of a treasured sword spoken of only in legends. That alone made him a living legend in the Royal Army, but his achievements didn't end there.

After defeating Talkisin at a tender young age—a menace not just to Parnas but to all three kingdoms—people began to look at him with suspicion, wondering if he was even human.