“He tried to visit the Nettleton Marquis’s mansion several times. There were rumors that the items bestowed by the former emperor to the Marquis’s family might be relics.”

“But he failed.”

“He eventually gave up. After seeing His Excellency Nettleton visiting several temples, including the sixteenth temple, it seems he judged it was a false rumor.”

“If he possessed a real relic of Morathia, he wouldn’t have prayed for healing elsewhere.”

The existence of the relic found at the Nettleton Marquis’s residence seemed unknown to him.

He nodded.

Now it was time to get to the real point.

“Do you remember the blonde beauty who accompanied him?”

The substitute palace’s wrinkled face turned pale blue.

His eyes rolled, trembling as he shook his lower lip, creating an unsettling sight.

Why would he react like this?

“Do you also know her name is Laila?”

“P-please spare me, Saint!”

“Just answer the question.”
“I will die if you disclose anything about her!”

“Who’s going to kill you?”

Even to that question, the substitute palace didn’t answer.

No, it seemed like he couldn’t.

Everything about Laila so far had been shrouded in secrecy.

Anyone who knew about her had either died or disappeared.

But it was strange that a substitute palace with the audacity to extort a large donation was so terrified.

He was an old man gossiping even about the archbishop.

‘Was he silenced by someone higher than the archbishop? Could it really be Nikola? When Laila was alive, he was the Crown Prince, right? I only guessed that the temple Laila worshiped at might be here.’

One thought flashed before me.

If Nikola truly loved Laila, why did he imprison her?

A woman in such pain that she couldn’t find a cure and had to travel between temples?

It was strange to attribute it simply to possessiveness.

Moreover, Nikola’s father was the Emperor known as the Holy Emperor, a true gentleman who had only one Empress by his side throughout his life.

‘Did such a man allow his son to imprison a lover? Even with Franz born? If Nikola had imprisoned Laila… he must have known that it was the first and last destination for her, right? He surely pretended not to know that Laila came here.’

My heart raced at a rapid pace.

The chain of questions that followed each other came to an end.

There was only one conclusion.

‘Nikola didn’t imprison Laila…!’

Nikola gathered his thumb and forefinger and blew a whistle.

A gray dove flew from beyond the blue sky.

It had a small bamboo tube tied to its leg.

The well-trained carrier pigeon landed gracefully on Nikola’s finger.

Feeding the prepared bait to the carrier pigeon, Nikola unfolded a tightly rolled piece of paper.

[DASH] Admission from Marquis Brendan, the head of the four major noble families, that he is raising soldiers. Reportedly, the military strength declared to the palace is at least three times more than the minimum required. Tracing the evidence.

[DASH] Turmoil among the consorts of the three major families.

[DASH] Rose Empress’s whereabouts remain mysterious.

[DASH] Crown Prince begins independent action. Seems to contact the rebels Owen with the assistance of the Nettleton siblings.

[DASH] Reformist nobles are gathering around the newly appointed Imperial Commander of the Royal Knights.

[DASH] Monitoring the trends of the Minister of the Interior. No peculiarities found.

The letter didn’t mention who it was written to or who sent it.

But there was only one person who promised to send a carrier pigeon to Nikola.

‘Claudia is doing well. It seems she’s putting in effort even in a pinch…’

Nikola recalled the jade ring he handed over to Franz.

Recalling Franz’s lovely face when he received the ring.

A mixture of almost shocking surprise and deeper anxiety.

“The jade that can exercise all the Emperor’s authority.”

“Why are you entrusting it to me? Shouldn’t Your Majesty hold it until your last breath?”
“I believe in you, Franz.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Whatever actions you take, I believe. It was the same before, it is now, and it will be in the future. Unfold your will as the Emperor’s representative.”

Joy lit up Franz’s emerald eyes.

Briefly, as if fearing, it flickered.

“I want to repay Your Majesty’s trust, but… I’m still too young and weak.”

“You will grow soon and become stronger. And you are neither as young nor as weak as you think. As a descendant of the Evelay Imperial family.”

“I will try my best! To not disappoint Your Majesty.”

“Strive for yourself and your future, not for me. This is not a test. I am seeking your help.”

“Your Majesty!”

Franz would not remember.

The moment when he first locked eyes with Nikola.

The oath Nikola deeply engraved while smiling broadly, pointing his pink finger.

“I will protect you and Laila forever. I will become a stronger Emperor than anyone and crush those who intend to harm you. You are my one and only brother…!”

But Nikola couldn’t protect Laila.

Laila died, leaving behind a young Franz.

Although he was a soldier, guilt didn’t blur at all.

At first, they suspected poisoning.

But neither the chief healer nor the palace pharmacist found any traces of poison in Laila’s body.

‘Thinking more deeply now. Maybe because it was where Laila had been…?’

He retraced the elapsed time.

Laila, having obtained permission from the Empress, set out on a pilgrimage.

She mentioned that young Franz would accompany her.

The surprise and curiosity of that time still lingered.

Nikola stumbled upon a conversation from seven years ago.

Sealed in memory, her voice echoed as if he could recall it just like yesterday.