Chapter 13
Alphius’s jewel-like eyes shook violently.
“Your Majesty… what do you mean? The body… you mean Princess Isabel’s body has been found?”
The Emperor stayed silent. Silence meant yes. Alphius’s face went even paler.
The Emperor tilted his head slightly, as if finding Alphius’s reaction strange, then broke into a small smile.
“Michel. You tell him directly.”
The Emperor waved lazily as if speaking was bothersome and called Michel.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Michel bowed politely and addressed Alphius.
“This is the latest news. Nearby, a zombie corpse was examined just now, and the skeletal remains are very similar to the Princess’s.”
“……”
“And near that zombie, her clothing was found.”
Everything seemed to fit perfectly. Still, Alphius stared at Michel in disbelief.
“Therefore, His Majesty has judged Princess Isabel to be dead and ordered the case closed.”
Alphius slowly turned his gaze to the blood-stained coat in his hands, as if in a daze.
Michel continued speaking.
“The escort knights, the maid, and the Princess’s remains are expected to arrive at the palace tomorrow.”
“Remains…” Alphius muttered quietly.
‘Remains… that’s a word used for someone already dead. Why is it being used for her?’
Alphius lowered his head, lost in thought.
‘My mind… I can’t think properly. I must be going insane… Why can’t I even process these two words?’
He fell silent, and Michel, having no good news to deliver, stayed back quietly.
Among them, the Emperor, who had been silently stroking his beard, finally spoke.
“In two days, we will officially announce the Princess’s death to the empire.”
The Emperor smiled faintly.
“Even if your relationship wasn’t close, I believe you will attend the funeral.”
Alphius slowly looked up, locking eyes with the Emperor. The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, curious.
‘He’s not happy,’ he thought.
Alphius had never been pleased with the engagement to Isabel, so the Emperor assumed he would rejoice at her death. But seeing Alphius now angry, almost monstrous, the Emperor looked puzzled.
“Why aren’t you glad?”
“Your Majesty, with all due respect… I—”
Alphius clutched the bloodied purple dress.
“I don’t think she’s dead.”
“…Oh?”
“The remains aren’t confirmed to be hers. So ending the case so quickly is—”
But Alphius couldn’t finish his sentence.
“Hahaha!! Ha, ha ha! Ha ha!!”
The Emperor suddenly burst into wild laughter.
After a long, sobbing-like laugh, he abruptly stopped and raised both hands.
“Duke of Pankrachio, you truly are remarkable.”
Then he slowly started clapping, as if congratulating him.
Clap, clap-clap, clap—!
In the silent room, the sound of the Emperor’s clapping echoed strangely.
Clap-clap-clap—clap-clap!!
The clapping grew more intense. Palace staff trembled, unable to breathe properly, seeing the Emperor’s madness.
Finally, the clapping stopped.
“The act was so perfect, I almost fell for it.”
The Emperor laughed.
“Now that she’s gone, do you want to play the tragic fiancé mourning his departed bride?”
“Your Majesty…”
The Emperor’s words had sharpness to them, criticizing Alphius.
“You wanted the engagement broken, didn’t you? Duke, I sincerely congratulate you on successfully achieving your wish.”
Yet, he was still the father of the deceased Princess Isabel.
Who could stay calm knowing their child had been reduced to bones inside a zombie? The Emperor only pretended to be calm.
His once-hidden crazed eyes now glinted, his blue eyes shining.
“Shall I give you a blessing for your future?”
“……”
“Duke. Next time…”
The Emperor revealed his true face, as if he wanted to tear Alphius apart. Michel closed his eyes, and the palace staff dared not meet his gaze.
“I hope you meet a partner like yourself.”
But the Emperor’s resentment wasn’t only for Alphius.
“I… sincerely… pray for you.”
He seemed full of regret for pushing his own child into such a fate.
“That is all.”
The Emperor turned away. Alphius bowed quietly in respect.
As soon as the Emperor left, Alphius grabbed the coat and rushed out of the palace at incredible speed.
“Duke! The Princess’s coat—!”
Michel called after him, but Alphius ran on without stopping. Even Michel couldn’t keep up.
“D-Duke?”
“Move.”
Outside, Levin was shocked at Alphius’s terrifying expression and how he immediately got into the carriage to leave.
“Duke! Where are you going! Duke!!”
But Alphius ignored Levin’s desperate calls, focusing only on the road ahead.
“I will find her,” Alphius thought.
‘She’s not dead.’
How could someone make him feel this way if she were truly gone?
Alphius’s gaze shone fiercely. He accelerated.
“She’s not dead. She can’t be dead.”
People don’t disappear so easily. People don’t return to dust so easily. Yes, that’s how it should be. I, I—
“I will make it so.”
***
Elsewhere, in a crowded village market, Cersian and the zombie arrived amidst the bustling crowd.
Among the chaos, one man stood out, taller than average.
“That’s Cersian?”
“Oh, he looks so handsome today.”
His hair, a strange mix of purple and violet, caught attention, but more than that, he was strikingly handsome.
“Why isn’t he wearing a hat today?”
“Yeah…”
Chersian knew how attractive he was. To avoid attention, he usually wore a hat. But today, he let the zombie wear it, so he couldn’t.
“Put it on properly.”
[No.]
“Put it on.”
[No!]
He pressed the hat on the zombie’s head, fearing it might fall off.
The zombie struggled, refusing, but Cersian ignored him.
“If you take it off, it’ll be a big problem.”
The reason for the hat was the zombie’s golden eyes.
In the forest, it was fine. But now, in a crowded market, if the eyes were exposed, people would panic.
[I’m strong.]
“Stop arguing and put it on.”
[I am extremely strong! I don’t need such a useless thing!]
“Do you want me to say it nicely?”
The zombie didn’t understand why he had to wear a protective hat despite his strength.
They argued quietly for a while: wear the hat, don’t wear the hat.
“Is that Cersian’s lover?”
“Could be? I’ve never seen him with a woman in town before.”
Their bickering made people assume the woman was his partner.
Cersian had never brought anyone to town, and though he sometimes spoke to women, never like this. People assumed the woman was his lover.
“She’s so lucky, he’s protecting her from the sun.”
The crowd saw Cersian smiling, holding hands with the woman, and assumed they were a sweet couple.
But in reality…
[Let go.]
“Don’t talk like that, zombie.”
[You’re useless, dumb, and rude! I treated you well!]
“Be quiet!”
Far from a romantic scene, it was completely different.
“Who is she?”
“Could she be Ella, the restaurant manager’s daughter?”
“No, her build is different. I thought Ella liked Cersian, but this isn’t her.”
At that moment, a stylish young woman stepped in between the chatting girls.
“It’s not me.”
“Eh, Ella?”
“Yes, ladies. What are you gossiping about?”
It was Ella, the girl known to like Cersian.
“It’s nothing important.”
“Just talking about why the royal knights have been in town lately.”
She quickly changed the topic but clearly looked annoyed.
Because Ella…
“They think Cersian has a lover? Hah.”
Her personality was… really terrible.
“They look so good together.”
She was chewing something unpleasant, yet kept a calm smile, making the two girls stare in disbelief.
