While it felt like he was planning something enormous, on the other hand, it also felt like it was nothing special. Probably because a hundred soldiers were not enough to do anything significant.

It was a number insufficient to start a rebellion, let alone control a single imperial warehouse.

…!

Today, Ixar suddenly realized that he had been looking at the note for a long time. The firm determination was softening like iron thrown into a furnace.

Although the thought that he might be planning something huge came to mind, on the other hand, it also felt like it was nothing. That was because with a hundred soldiers, there wasn’t much he could do.

“…!”

Ixar belatedly tore the paper. He tore it finely, as if it were a vulgar thought.
As the curtains were drawn, the prison-like iron bars came into view. In the moonlight gently shining on the iron bars, he reached out through them. The wind could be felt carrying scraps of paper one by one.

In the meantime, Ixar thought it would be good if his voice was carried as well.

Though it was late, he wanted to speak now.

“It’s amazing. Someone threw a suspicious vote to the Grand Duke.”

“It wasn’t me.”

As the last piece of paper wriggled in his palm, Ixar spoke with renewed strength.

“I swear I did not support the Grand Duke.”

Finally, the precarious piece of paper hanging in the air flew away in the wind.

Fluttering through the night sky like flower petals.

As if becoming a messenger for a confined man.

⭐⭐⭐

The sun rose as usual.

Ixar, squinting at the sunlight piercing through the curtains, stood up from his seat.

A smile mixed with self-derision appeared on his lips as he looked around with vacant eyes.

Already, this place seemed to be getting familiar.

The once extremely modest room now seemed like a tolerable space.

The mattress, once hard, now allowed him to sleep soundly. The iron bars visible when opening the curtains no longer seemed dismal.

All this familiarity made Ixar even more miserable. It felt like he could continue living like this.

“Your Excellency, I will escort you to the interrogation room.”

A prison guard came to take Ixar. Somehow, today, he seemed unable to look straight at him.

The interrogator’s attitude was also much kinder. Instead of asking various questions as usual, he calmly confessed how much he admired the House of Valdemion and its head.

So Ixar learned that this would be the last meeting. In a bad sense.

There was empathy in everyone’s attitude. It was sympathy shown to someone facing their end.

Ixar felt that they had finally failed to find evidence or circumstances that proved he was not the murderer.

Surprisingly, his heart calmed down. He wasn’t resentful that Hersis hadn’t specifically ordered him to compromise. He had to do that.

To maintain the trust of the people of the empire, the Emperor had to handle it appropriately. Especially when it came to the closest associates, they had to be expelled mercilessly if they committed a crime.

But the moment he came back to his cell and found the changed flowers again. Ixar realized that he hadn’t calmed down by accepting everything; he was just in a dazed state, not recognizing reality.

His eyes were more drawn to the flowerpot under the window than the yellow ranunculus.

He put his hand under the flowerpot. A note was caught. For a moment, his eyelashes gently curved.

But it was only for a moment.

“You will be placed on the public execution stand in Mariard Square. In front of everyone, you, the once illustrious prince of the Valdemion Kingdom, will have your head cut off.”
Ixar’s face turned pale as he read the first two sentences.

He had mentally prepared for death, but public execution… Executing oneself in the manner reserved for the most heinous criminals was bewildering. His hands trembled uncontrollably, feeling not just confused but resentful, thinking that Hersis might have been able to prevent this.

“This is your last chance. Accept my proposal.”

The method of accepting the proposal was very simple. He just had to write the code between the Grand Duke and his followers below.

‘The crow has its own master.’

Then, he could leave it under the flowerpot, and the messenger would come looking for it late in the afternoon.

Ixar stared at the note with his lower lip tightly bitten.

Gray eyes were not staring at the elegant handwriting of the Grand Duke but seemed to be focused on the blank space below. It seemed like he could see my neatly written italicized handwriting there.

Squeak .

Just as the creaking sound of the latch rang out, Ixar inwardly sighed with relief. If his thoughts had progressed a little further, he might not have known that he had found a pen.

“Your Excellency, your meal is here.”

Ixar lowered his head for a moment as he put the note in his pocket. In the meantime, the attendant placed a tray with a gentle voice.

“You must eat everything today. Otherwise, you might collapse before reaching Mariard Square tomorrow.”

“…”

Ixar paused at the tone openly mentioning public execution. No, that wasn’t it. He didn’t pause because of that.

He raised his head slowly.

As the voice sounded somehow familiar, the owner of the voice I had in mind turned out to be correct.

“You… are the Empress’s maid.”

The lady with sky-blue eyes answered with a twisted smile, answering his question.

Ixar, after erasing his confusion, asked, “What’s going on here?”

“I have something to tell you.”

The woman smiled again and tied her hair. Her gesture was significant, as if she had something to offer. But, ironically, the thing she wanted to convey came out from her sleeve.

“Tsk.”

Putting something next to the tray, she licked her lips, full of regret.

It seemed quite unpleasant to her.

However, whether she liked it or not, Ixar’s eyes were fixed on the table, next to the tray.

There was a folded piece of paper.

Ixar looked at the person on the note by moving only his eyes.

“Read it. It’s from my master.”

René said, rubbing her ears.

Although it was a strangely disrespectful attitude, Ixar didn’t care at all.

What was important to him was not this woman but the person who sent her.

‘Why?’

He wondered why she contacted him. He would soon find out by reading this note.

Ixar lowered his eyes. The neatly folded note was visible. He picked it up.

He felt much more tense than when he unfolded what was placed under the flowerpot.