193. Home

2024.04.10.

Unlike Noel, who was tense, Clade’s face remained perfectly calm.

He couldn’t figure out what answer to give.

In his childhood, his father Igor had once asked the same question.

When his father heard Noel’s response back then, he didn’t even crack a smile and simply turned his back on him.

Never again… never again would he hear his father’s praise.

The Imperial Palace was drawing nearer. Recalling that day, Noel’s trembling lips twitched several times.

He struggled to squeeze out a voice that refused to come. The lifelong wound of being rejected by his father weighed heavily on him.

It only intensified when he remembered how, even in that crisis atop the canyon, his father had searched only for his eldest son.

Clade didn’t push him; he simply waited.

Noel fidgeted his fingers and moved his lips repeatedly, then finally lifted his head as if making a great decision.

A pair of violet eyes, resembling Noel’s, quietly gazed back at him.

The one who realized that, no matter how much he thought about it or how many disagreed, his own belief wouldn’t change, finally spoke.

“I-it’s not about one’s own power… b-but not killing the opponent even if they aren’t your ally.”

“Hmm.”

“…I-I think that’s the most i-important thing.”

Noel had never properly learned imperial studies.

Whenever Emperor Igor ascended the throne and executed innocent people on mere suspicion of involvement in rebellion, young Noel prayed every day that his father wouldn’t become such an emperor.

But reality had turned out to be the exact opposite of his hopes.

Noel, fully aware that his answer wasn’t impressive, lowered his head, his face turning bright red.

“Are you saying this because you think I’ll kill you?”

“N-no, n-no, n-no!”

Noel startled, quickly lifting his head and waving both hands frantically.

His face flushed even deeper, embarrassed that his nervousness had been noticed. He heard Clade chuckle softly.

Blushing all the way to his ears, Noel hurriedly apologized.

“S-s-sorry…”

“I won’t kill you, Noel Euphris.”

A large, warm hand gently landed on top of Noel’s golden head.

That hand held Noel’s trembling head still, making him face forward. By now, the towering outer wall of the Imperial Palace loomed before them.

“It’s yours, Noel.”

Noel blinked, not understanding.

“…Y-yes?”

“I don’t care about being emperor. I’m not qualified.”

“W-what, w-what do you mean?!”

“I don’t have the confidence not to kill someone who isn’t on my side.”

Though only a few Imperial Guards stood sternly guarding the palace entrance, Clade’s eyes, quickly darkening, gazed inward—toward someone trapped inside, suffering in agony until their fate was decided.

“And I have somewhere I need to go.”

His cold, sharp gaze softened instantly. Observing this strange shift, Noel suddenly snapped back to awareness and grabbed him.

“W-where are you going…?”

The hand that had pressed down on his head gently ruffled his golden hair before pulling away.

The man who turned his back on the Imperial Palace without hesitation curled one corner of his mouth upward.

“Home.”

***

When Yuan first arrived at the Pelliese mansion, Gerret Pelliese, who in the past would have rushed out barefoot to greet her, was now unable to leave his bedroom ever since being crushed by Clade.

Moreover, having ultimately failed to repay his debts, red auction tags were plastered all over the sculptures and paintings Priscilla had collected.

It was Enoch Pelliese who pushed aside Priscilla, who had lunged toward Yuan.

Despite now holding full authority over the Pelliese estate in Yuan’s place, he greeted her just as simply and unpretentiously as when they first met.

No—more than just greeting her, he embraced her tightly and sobbed uncontrollably, loud enough to shake the entire mansion.

Before Yuan could even feel awkward at the sight of her unfamiliar uncle breaking down, he explained everything that had happened here.

He had managed to read most of Louise’s letters.

Upon reading the part that said, ‘Either the power within the Black Blade will return to me as it did in childhood, or the Black Blade will absorb even the power I currently possess—only one of us will prevail,’ he immediately sent someone north.

Then, hearing news of a rebellion breaking out in the north, he grew anxious and was now preparing to go north himself.

“To be honest, when I was struck by that cursed blade, I had a truly strange experience.”

Hearing that Yuan had actually been hit by the accursed sword, Enoch’s face turned deathly pale. Yuan continued her explanation, soothing the alarmed man.

“So, how do you feel? What’s it like being the ‘Master of Suffering’?”

Enoch listened intently, trying his best to ask as lightly as possible.

He didn’t think his niece would recklessly misuse the power, but worry still showed in his eyes.

Yet Yuan answered brightly, as if the matter troubled her not at all.

“I have no abilities anymore.”

The power forcibly injected into her by Emperor Igor had tormented her all day, just as it once did to Clade, then raged even more violently at night, turning her into a monster and pouring endless agony upon her.

Now that it’s complete, the suffering would be even more perfect.

With his mouth gagged and limbs bound, Igor would live on, unable even to take his own life.

“I’m now completely free from suffering.”

Yuan’s eyes darkened briefly, then she smiled her usual gentle, peaceful smile.

Enoch could only embrace his niece once more, grateful she had returned safely.

That day.

Except for Frederic, who remained blissfully unaware, busy showing off at the military academy, every trace of Gerret Pelliese was driven out of the mansion along with his family.

This was by order of the newly recognized head of the household, Yuan Pelliese, with the Imperial Court’s approval.

Yuan did not see them off.

Because for her too, it was time to return to her real home.

***

Inside the carriage heading to Roxenhardt.

Yuan stared intently at Lancelot, who had laid out a generous spread of sweet pies on the small table.

Upon hearing that Clade had passed the imperial throne to Noel, Yuan assumed Clade would naturally head straight to the Pelliese mansion.

But Clade had instead sent Lancelot ahead with a message: “Please wait just a little longer.”

Lancelot, dispatched to the Pelliese mansion, had deeply apologized to Yuan for his past misunderstandings.

Then, without waiting, he had clung to the hem of Yuan’s dress as she boarded a carriage heading straight for the Black Mansion, insisting on stopping by various villages known for delicious food, sharing meals together, and enjoying sweet desserts afterward—repeating this routine over and over.

As a result, their return schedule to Roxenhardt had been greatly delayed.

“By the way, I keep getting letters—where are they coming from?”

“The Pelliese mansion. A cousin of mine, Frederic Pelliese, apparently showed up and started causing trouble.”

“What?”

“He must have just heard that his uncle’s family was expelled from the mansion and is now staying at an inn.”

“Shouldn’t he be arrested? Causing such a scene at someone else’s home. I’ll go myself—.”

“No. Count Kimfri is handling it. He was supposed to join the Imperial Knights after graduating from the military academy, but that’s been canceled. Apparently, he’s been spreading rumors at school, claiming the Crown Prince promised him a position through me once he became emperor. Combined with charges of disrespecting the Imperial Family, he could face at least ten years in prison.”

Just before leaving the mansion, Yuan had decided to report the violence Frederic had inflicted on her, and had consulted Eugene Kimfri on how to proceed.

Eugene Kimfri, rarely seen so intensely furious, not only promised to file the accusation personally but also vowed to add further charges for conduct unbecoming a knight.

Frederic was not only stripped of the title he was meant to inherit but was now set to be permanently expelled from the one place where he had shown any talent.

Yuan’s gaze returned to Lancelot, who was busily devouring sweet pies.

Clade had returned to Roxenhardt days ago and had been completely silent ever since.

Given that Lancelot hadn’t left her side, it seemed Clade had asked him to take good care of her—but that was nonsense.

Yuan had no intention of honoring his request to wait.

She had been extremely busy lately, sorting out family matters on her own.

Wasn’t it too much to make someone wait without even a word or a single appearance?

Seeing the glimmer of resentment in Yuan’s eyes, Lancelot swallowed his pie with a sip of warm tea and cautiously observed her expression.

“That maid you mentioned before, the one called ‘Canary’? I looked into it. She was dismissed from the mansion long ago. As you suspected, she used the code word ‘bird’ to pass mansion information to Bollonico. Clade seemed to already know about her. And…”

“…Am I going somewhere I shouldn’t go right now?”

“What?”

“You keep giving me the same information over and over, and you’re delaying at every turn. It seems the Crown Prince doesn’t want me returning to the mansion.”

A look of defeat flickered across Lancelot’s face.

Heaving a deep sigh, he cautiously studied Yuan’s expression, confirmed her stubborn resolve, and then, as if admitting defeat, pulled out a single sheet of paper from his coat.

It was the bucket list she had written before her first inspection tour of Roxenhardt’s territory.

***

Central Roxenhardt.

Stepping out of the carriage with Lancelot’s escort, Yuan briefly wondered if this place wasn’t Roxenhardt at all, but rather the commercial district of the capital, Cielo.

Merchants in expensive fur coats and hats haggling over prices.

Pickled foods neatly packed in clean glass jars, stacked high onto carts bound for other regions.

Among young men clearing snow piled up to their ankles, Yuan looked up, craning her neck, to see the sign of the now-enormous [Attic Bookstore], towering so high she could barely make it out.

Across the street stood a dazzling, massive candy shop so enchanting even adults couldn’t resist buying souvenirs.

Yuan’s face flushed bright red.

The image of her domain, once existing only in her imagination, now lay vividly before her eyes.

“I want to go home quickly.”

The blush on her cheeks deepened, spreading even into her eyes, glistening with snow-like tears.

She tightly suppressed the tears welling up and urged Lancelot, who was excitedly trying to show her around.

“I need to see Clade right away.”