Reus was a genius who had everything: a good family, excellent parents, superior appearance and physical abilities, and even innate swordsmanship skills from birth.

So it was not particularly special for the only young master of the Rochester Ducal family to be the envy of others.

That was certainly the case until the Duke and Duchess passed away in a carriage accident.

The death of his parents. It was the first setback in Reus’ life, which had always been on a steep upward trajectory. Although it was a rather significant decline, Reus was still just a clueless child at that time.

After all, he only lost his parents, but he still had a kind aunt, a thriving family, and a future.

As he was gradually recovering from the shadow cast over his life and returning to his daily routine, one day, a boy around his age suddenly appeared in front of Reus.

The light brown eyes that looked at him were filled with a rather threatening glint. It was not the kind of look that a child should have.

The boy, who left a very strong impression, bluntly said, “I know who killed your father.”

Reus also knew who killed his parents. Since they died in a carriage accident, it must have been the fault of the coachman who failed to drive properly.

But so what if he knew? Both the coachman and his parents were dead. It meant that there was no one in this world to hold accountable or receive a proper apology from.

Therefore, the boy’s statement did not have much impact on Reus.

But what if the person who should be held accountable was actually alive?

Soon, an anger-suppressed voice strangely echoed.

“Emperor Asilrit. That bastard killed your father.”

“…If you’re going to talk nonsense, get lost.”

As soon as he heard those words, Reus pushed Theron’s shoulder, knocking him down. Normally, he should have handed over the boy who had secretly infiltrated the ducal castle to the knights, but he was in no state of mind to do so.

Reus turned around and ran aimlessly, his feet carrying him as far as they could. He kept running even when he was out of breath. His heart was beating so fast that it was dangerous.

‘It can’t be. It’s impossible.’

He wanted to deny it, but it wasn’t just because of the sprinting.

It was because the memories and all sorts of questions that he had promised himself to bury were now entangled in his mind in a mess.

‘No. His Majesty… was a close friend of my father.’

He tried hard not to pay attention to the rising doubts, but his father’s voice, which had become a little faint after his passing, rang out more clearly than ever.

‘Apart from my family, the person I can trust the most is undoubtedly His Majesty the Emperor.’

Then, voices that belonged to who knows whom popped up one after another.

‘What on earth is going on? I heard that the Duke and Duchess of Rochester died.’

‘It’s so sad for the only son left behind…’

‘But did you hear that? They found the bodies of the Duchess and the coachman, but they never found His Majesty’s body in the end.’

‘No, they say that except for one arm, the rest was entirely…’

His two legs were clearly still running. However, the scenery captured by his vision flowed very slowly as if someone had cast a spell. There was an illusion that his body and soul were completely out of sync in that bizarre gap.

Nausea kept rising from under his chin, and the beating sound that had not yet escaped his ears made his head feel stuffy.

Everything was a mess.

But unlike his malfunctioning nerves, Reus’ thoughts were still clear.

The sudden accident. His father’s mutilated corpse. His father, who was never buried on the family’s land…

And one of the memories he had vowed to forget forever was replayed on its own.

The imperial knights who suddenly visited the ducal castle. They informed Shanette, who had a pale face, of the death of the Duke and Duchess of Rochester. Shanette couldn’t even make a sound and collapsed on the spot.

But the commander of the guards, undisturbed by Shanette’s appearance, continued to recite things like the carriage accident and the story of his father’s mutilated corpse.

And the coffin lid fell to the lobby floor with a sharp sound, pushed by the imperial knights. The commander urged the struggling Shanette to quickly check inside the coffin.

In the end, Shanette could not bear it all and completely lost consciousness, and everything turned into a mess as the Marquis of Rabian and the commander of the guards exchanged harsh words.

Although Shanette had collapsed without being able to look, Reus, who was watching from a distance, saw it clearly.

The coffin of his father that returned to the ducal castle that day was empty. It was because even the arm that was barely found was cremated by the Emperor under the pretext of conducting the funeral of his close friend.

But… the scattered remains of his father. Can it be firmly asserted that it was solely the work of beasts?

Was it not that the Emperor cremated the remaining remains of his father to completely destroy them?

Could there be a hidden secret behind the carriage accident and the death of his parents?

The endless questions stopped at one particular question.

But why only his father?

At that moment, Reus stumbled and fell in the lobby. Along with a dull sound, the words he had tried not to acknowledge finally slipped out.

“He was murdered…”

Why? No matter how much he thought about it, there was no reason for that to happen.

His father was the most wonderful person.

Although he lacked the qualities of a knight, he was a great strategist, an irreplaceable close friend of His Majesty the Emperor, the head of a family, a caring husband, and a proud father.

There was no reason anywhere for such a father to be murdered by someone.

Perhaps the boy from earlier was sent by someone who was desperate to shake the Rochester Ducal family.

So he shouldn’t listen to the words of some unknown bastard.

Even though he tried to convince himself that way, the wet sobs did not stop. His soul crumbled under the pain that burned his bones.

There was no way to go back to before hearing those words. The moment suspicion turned into certainty, Reus’ soul was ultimately shattered.

It was from that day on. His deceased parents appeared in his dreams every single day, screaming for him to save them.

Whether he was asleep or awake, Reus’ life itself became a nightmare.

* * *

In the end, Reus couldn’t endure it for a few days and headed to the maze garden again in the late dawn.

Although he had expected it, Theron was at the same place where they first met. Reus asked without avoiding the still angry light brown eyes.

“Evidence. Evidence that the Emperor kill…”

However, the words were briefly blocked by the surging sorrow that welled up from his throat. Reus swallowed his tears desperately with reddened eyes and continued his words.

“…killed my father. Do you have it?”

At that moment, Theron, who had been sitting on the ground carelessly, jumped up and approached Reus closely. Then, as if resentful, he punched Reus’ chest with his fist.

“Evidence? That damn power you possess is the evidence.”

Power, he said. Reus couldn’t understand what Theron was talking about.

Then he recalled a fairy tale-like story that his father used to tell him sometimes in the library attic.

‘The goddess of the moon has bestowed her blessing upon the Rochester family.’

He didn’t specifically say what it was, but he always said it was a great power that could protect something precious.

And when the time comes for you to handle it, I will tell you the weight this power carries. He added that this was a story that only you, me, and your mother knew.

Theron seemed to firmly believe that there was power in his body, but Reus had nothing but the memory of hearing that story.

Even so, how did this boy know everything?

Theron handed a piece of paper to Reus, who had a dumb expression on his face.

The paper, which bore traces of being handled, was someone’s letter.

Reus carefully unfolded the paper.

This is the first time in my life that I’ve written a letter to someone. I don’t know where to start.

I don’t know much else, but by the time you read this letter, I will probably no longer be in this world.

You always wondered what I do for a living. I’ll confess now that I have lived my whole life as the Emperor’s shadow.

In other words, most of what I had to do in my life was to stain my hands with blood.

I wanted to be a respectable father, and I’m sorry for hurting you like this.

But son, the Emperor gave me an order.

He told me to capture the Duke, who monopolized all the Emperor’s favor, alive. Once I capture Ricassen Rochester and make him kneel before the Emperor, it doesn’t matter who goes first, but both the Duke and I will surely die.

However, Theron, you must survive. The Emperor doesn’t know about your existence.

So… run away and never, ever come back to where we used to live.

I’m really sorry for leaving like this after saying we should live together. But this is the best way to save at least you. I’m truly sorry, son.

And I have one last shameful request on my way.

His Grace the Duke has a son. Tell that boy the whole truth. I have separately written down what to inform him, so you just need to deliver it.

No matter what, I can never repay this sin, but I want to apologize to His Grace the Duke and that boy, even in this way.

After delivering that message, forget everything. To survive, you must forget somehow.

Don’t even dream of revenge or anything like that.

The Emperor is not a person, but a monster.

P.S. Haven, who delivered the letter, will be your guardian. He is the only person your father could trust in life, so please get along well together.

In your next life, I sincerely pray that you will be born as the son of a better person than your father.

Cain, who was your father.]

And Reus opened the other piece of paper Theron handed him.

It contained the names of those who had secretly helped capture Duke Ricassen, the reason why the Emperor had carried out such an act, and the secrets of the Rochester family that Cain had heard directly from the Emperor.