“Then do as you please, Your Majesty. Whether you bring people to provide social training or home education. However…”

There was one thing Ishar couldn’t step back on.

“Please send him away as far as possible. To a place where no one knows who he resembles. It would be the most desirable solution for him and for the royal family, whether he likes it or not.”
“Exactly.”

Hersis nodded with a satisfied expression.

Ishar intended to move on to the next topic.

“What else do you want to discuss?”

As he asked, he glanced briefly at the parchment document in Hersis’s hand. He wondered if this was finally related to the document.

“How is Damien Montaner doing?”

But it seemed not to be the case this time. The discussion about him had concluded earlier.

“He’s survived.”

Ishar said.

After the Duke Montaner threw a dagger at Hersis, he immediately took out a potent antidote from his pocket and swallowed it.

However, Hersis had survived thanks to dodging the dagger, and the Duke had not died. It was because Hersis had administered the antidote immediately.

“He must be publicly executed at the Mariard Square.”

“Of course.”

Ishar agreed without any hesitation.

He wanted Hersis to feel what he had felt in that square. He also wished for the feeling of stones hitting the flesh to explode.

“But I have a question.”

Ishar asked.

Hersis tilted his chin, indicating him to speak.

“How did you know that Duke Montaner could take the poison, and how did you prepare the antidote?”

“Oh, that.”

Hersis chuckled and explained.

It happened on a frustrating day six months ago.

“I greet the Empire’s sun.”

Platinum hair, clear blue eyes like crystals, a warm smile that warms the heart just by looking at it, harmonious facial features.

It was one night when I felt extremely disappointed looking at Jayden Carlton’s face, which closely resembled my old self.

“Now the throne has finally found a proper owner.”

Whether he knew that I was staring at him or not, he was happily boasting.

Thanks to him, Hersis’s mind became even more uncomfortable.

“I hear that your priests always live flattering. I wonder what kind of words they used to please my uncle before. I’m curious.”

“Well, I don’t know if I did anything, but…”

Even with Hersis’s contemptuous tone, Jayden remained unaffected.

“They probably said something nice. Because the royal donations are massive.”

“…”

“But I tell the truth. Your Majesty is the only true owner of the throne. Everyone else is fake.”

‘I wonder why he’s being so blunt; in the end, it’s just a foot in the mouth.’

At least, that’s how it appeared in Hersis’s eyes. He spoke with a tone more mixed with disdain than before.

“Say that in front of my uncle. Then I might believe you.”

“I’d like to, but I don’t have the chance.”

Jayden added with a smile.

“Tell him for me. You are the fake one.”

Hersis burst into laughter at the shamelessness that was too obvious.

It seemed there was no more value in mixing words. He tried to turn away.

But Jayden grabbed him.

“Right.”
He handed Hersis a small amber glass bottle with a cork stopper.

“Please take this. It’s a gift from me.”

As Hersis examined the glass bottle, Jayden tried to explain.

“This is produced only in my hometown, the Carlton region…”

“Antidote. I know you gave it to the Empress a while ago.”

Hersis raised his gaze from the vial.

“Is this an extra one as a service?”

“You can think of it that way.”

Jayden smiled generously. Then Hersis coldly said,

“I don’t need it, so take it back.”

“You’ll need it someday.”

“…”

“And when that time comes, you’ll know. What I said will all be true.”

Jayden’s voice carried firmness. The laughter on his face had disappeared without a trace.

At that moment, he seemed to speak not as Jayden Carlton but as a representative of the gods.

Hersis, despite being an atheist, felt a power that was hard to refuse.

He extended his hand, and the smooth vial was handed to him.

“Keep it well.”

Jayden chuckled again. The fleeting awe Hersis felt at that hesitant laughter disappeared completely.

‘He probably smiled like this in front of Liz.’

Thinking about it again brought back discomfort.

Jayden remained in memory as an unpleasant and annoying man, but he was eventually forgotten.

His words were also forgotten. However, with Bernard’s presence surfacing, the memories of that day resurfaced.

‘Everyone else is fake.’

Was that really flattery? It needed verification.

Hersis sent Ishar to the temple to bring Jayden here.

When he arrived, Jayden brought something better himself.

“I see.”

Ishar, who had heard everything, nodded. Then, with a sudden curiosity, he asked with a puzzled expression.

“But didn’t he say that he gave up foresight when he joined the temple?”

“Well, only he knows the truth.”

Hersis didn’t want to delve any deeper. Ishar also stopped thinking about it since it wasn’t something he was involved in.

“Anyway, you’ve received quite substantial help. Despite wanting to drive him away so badly.”

‘His feelings are still the same.’

Thinking so, Hersis brought up the main topic.

“Anyway, I was about to discuss that matter.”

“…”

“What would be a suitable repayment for him? He wanted to get rid of that matter so desperately.”

‘His feelings remain unchanged.’

Hersis thought so and continued with the main topic.

“I wanted to discuss that, by the way.”

“…”
“He said he wanted to talk about it anyway. After hearing his request, which didn’t seem particularly difficult, I approved it within my authority.”

Ishar’s words brightened Hersis’s face. It was because he didn’t have to wrestle with a headache thinking about how to repay.

“Yeah, what was he hoping for?”

Hersis asked, tapping his palm with a scroll of parchment. Ishar answered.

“He requests a residence exclusively for him in the palace. He mentioned that it was good when he stayed there before.”

“…….”