“What happened?”

A frigid voice flowed from between lips devoid of laughter.

“It has been nearly a month since that fellow left the mansion. Do you know anything?”

“…….”

Derrick wordlessly let his gaze wander about.

“…….”

“…….”

A subtle silence hovered between the two men.

Bang!

Albert slammed his fist onto the table.

“I am asking you exactly what happened!”

Clatter!

The legs of the table shook, and a decorative glass bottle fell, shattering into pieces.

“…F-Father.”

Derrick’s hunched shoulders flinched and trembled.

“Do you have any idea what that madman might be doing outside again?!”

Albert shouted, his face flushed red as his temper reached its peak.

Richard Friedrich. The son who had caused a massive incident involving the Crown Prince had not returned to the mansion for nearly a month.

What’s more, he left behind a slave he brought from God knows where!

Albert’s heart felt as anxious as if it were exposed outside his body. He couldn't fathom what kind of trouble that son—who had lost his mind at some point—was stirring up now.

“……I, I also don’t….”

Derrick squeezed his eyes shut.

“…I don’t know, Father.”

“You truly don’t know?!”

“……Y-Yes….”

“Derrick Friedrich. I believe I told you clearly!”

Albert grabbed Derrick by the scruff of his neck.

“……! Hieee…!”

“Did I not tell you to keep a close eye on your younger brother?!”

Ragged, huffing breaths leaked through Albert’s teeth.

“You incompetent, stupid fool!”

“…F-F-Father…!”

“I instructed you so thoroughly, you pathetic boy! So, what are these strange rumors circulating within the mansion, and what is the meaning of his disappearance?!”

“I-I’m sorr….”

“It is truly shameful that a dimwit like you is my biological son!”

Albert’s right hand swung up into the air.

“……!”

It was the moment Derrick squeezed his eyes shut.

Crash!

Someone threw open the front door of the mansion with brute force.

“……? Who dares—!”

Albert turned toward the source of the noise, his eyes blazing with fury.

“……Hmm….”

A man with platinum blonde hair scanned the mansion, which had become a shambles, and scratched his cheek as if embarrassed.

Richard Friedrich.

“Were you waiting for me…?”

Having returned after a full month, he spoke with a shy smile.

“…….”

“…….”

For an instant, an absurd silence fell.

Neither Albert, who was fuming with rage, nor Derrick, who was trembling in fear, could manage to say a word.

……Waiting?

For Richard Friedrich…?

After a long silence, Albert regained his senses, shoved Derrick aside, and roared.

“Richard Friedrich!”

His arm reached out and roughly seized Richard by the collar.

***

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace’s audience chamber.

Vilmar Chesica, elegantly draped in a purple frock coat, stepped boldly onto the red carpet.

“Thy servant, Vilmar Chesica, greets the Sun of the Empire.”

As he paid his respects with a low bow, the knights guarding the perimeter froze in unison.

“…….”

“…….”

The air was sharp enough to cut skin. Sitting crookedly upon the imperial throne at the highest point of the chamber, Emperor Laios slowly lifted his gaze. A long silence followed.

“…How dare you show your face here.”

Laios’s voice was low and chilling.

As he half-rose from his seat, the light of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling flickered for a moment as if trembling.

“…….”

However, Vilmar did not even blink; he simply stood tall with his back straight and offered a thin smile.

“Does the Duke not fear losing his life?”

Laios growled like the king of beasts, his face contorted menacingly.

Vilmar Chesica was Laios’s sworn enemy. The villain who had dared to steal the corpse of the Empress he had loved so dearly.

“Hmm.”

The corners of Vilmar’s eyes curved softly.

“I wonder.”

“…….”

“That is an interesting question, Your Majesty.”

He shrugged his shoulders and gestured toward his surroundings with his eyes.

“It seems there are many watching eyes….”

As if suggesting it would be better to dismiss the knights.

“…….”

“…All of you, withdraw.”

Laios grit his teeth.

“……We obey your command, Your Majesty.”

The knights glanced at one another and filed out of the audience chamber.

Thus, only the two men remained in the chamber where a chilling aura circulated.

“Duke Chesica.”

Laios rose completely from the throne. The sound of him stepping down the stairs was heavy.

The moment he stood before Vilmar.

“You,”

Shuuuk──!

“It seems you have forgotten the meaning of fear!”

The tip of a sword, drawn without warning, pointed sharply at Vilmar’s throat.

“…….”

“A life like yours is nothing.”

The blade, reflecting the light of the chandelier, shone keenly.

“……Hmm.”

Yet, even as he saw the sword aimed at his throat, Vilmar wore a languid smile on his lips.

“Forgotten fear… I see.”

“…….”

“And are you actually capable of killing me?”

You cannot, never. Vilmar murmured lowly, as if provoking him.

“…Do you think I can’t?”

The tip of Laios’s sword dug in a little deeper.

Red blood trickled down from a shallow wound on Vilmar’s neck.

“Yes, Your Majesty….”

“…….”

“You cannot kill me.”

Vilmar smiled arrogantly.

“…….”

Strength surged into the hand Laios used to grip the sword.

A sword that could take the other’s life at any moment.

However,

Slowly…….

He ultimately had no choice but to withdraw the sword.

“I thought as much.”

Vilmar smiled brightly.

“…….”

Laios’s molars ground together.

Just as he said, Laios could not kill Vilmar.

“Then you must act accordingly. How could you possibly kill me?”

One step. Two steps. Vilmar approached him.

“If you did that,”

Vilmar, impudently grabbing his chin, brought his face close. He whispered in a sweet voice into his ear.

“You might never find the Empress’s corpse for the rest of your life.”

“…….”

For Vilmar held the powerful card known as the ‘Empress.’

He glanced at the ring on his ring finger.

Though it appeared to be an ordinary ring, it was actually a magic tool.

The moment he pressed the gemstone of this ring, the Empress’s corpse would be forcibly summoned and, due to a binding restriction, would immediately burn away into nothingness.

It was an excellent leash.

A leash to handle the Emperor as he pleased.

“…So, was your purpose for seeking me out merely to taunt me?”

“No. How could that be?”

Vilmar shook his head leisurely and stepped back. With his hands behind his back, he slowly strolled through the audience chamber as if it belonged to him.

“I simply….”

Clack, clack. The sound of his boots echoed deep within the chamber. His gaze relaxed as he scanned the chandelier, the statues, and finally the Emperor in turn.

“I simply wanted to reminisce about the days when we were ‘friends’ after such a long time.”

“……Ha?”

A hollow laugh burst from between Laios’s lips in disbelief.

Vilmar slowly lowered his eyelids as if recalling the past.

“Once, we were close friends. To the point where we always shared meals and went hunting together.”

“Was that not all the Duke’s scheme? You have always loathed me.”

“Even so, the fact that we were friends does not change.”

Vilmar shook his head slowly.

“…….”

A deep furrow formed between Laios’s brows.

“Why are you peddling useless memories at this point?”

“I wonder, why indeed.”

“If you’re only going to talk about vague nonsense, let us end this.”

Laios spoke as if chewing and spitting out every single word.

“You were the one who turned away because Ellica was taken from you.”

He remembered. The day of his wedding to the current Empress.

From that day on, Vilmar had changed completely.

He no longer shared the daily meals they used to have together, and he stopped hunting.

Instead, he began to weave various conspiracies, such as putting poison in Ellica’s tea or sending assassins to kill her.

As if he would destroy her if he could not have her.

“Ellica was… taken from me, you say.”

“…….”

“Ahaha….”

Vilmar tilted his head back and laughed.

“Ha… Hahahaha!”

Inside the audience chamber enveloped in a cold silence, the sound of his madness-filled laughter echoed to the very ceiling.