Chapter 7

“Aaaagh!”

A scream echoed throughout the Imperial Palace.

Briand sat tied to a chair with both his hands and feet bound as his body was burned with a red-hot iron poker.

The sight was so horrifying that the people watching began leaving one after another, unable to stomach it.

Edwin’s murderous voice rang through the torture chamber.

“If anyone takes even a single step…”

“I will consider it an act of treason against me.”

This was the punishment for failing to find Elthia.

If they wished to remain by the Emperor’s side, they had to endure even this agony.

No matter what, they had to survive and remain among his closest aides.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

Bella, Briand’s older sister, pushed through the crowd and threw herself to the floor before Edwin.

“Please, Your Majesty… I beg you to show mercy just this once to my foolish brother.”

“Stop.”

After staring at her pleading face with emotionless eyes, Edwin gestured to the executioner.

“Your brother truly is a fool.”

“…If Your Majesty would be generous enough to spare him, I promise he will never disappoint you again.”

Bella begged again and again.

After all, she had been the one who brought Briand into the Imperial Palace.

She believed the responsibility was hers as well.

“I already knew this…”

“But your devotion to your family is truly remarkable.”

Looking down at Briand, who had nearly lost consciousness, Edwin sneered.

From the beginning…

He had never intended to kill Briand.

He merely wanted to toy with him.

It irritated him that someone incapable of completing a simple task was still alive.

If Edwin had truly wanted Briand dead, he would have ordered an execution—

Not torture.

Besides, he already knew how fiercely Bella protected her younger brother.

Bella was someone he could not afford to lose.

There wasn’t a single department within the Imperial Palace that escaped her influence.

Although each office had its own officials, most reports passed through Bella before reaching Edwin.

In truth, her role within the Empire of Laurel was far greater than most people realized.

Bella was an ambitious woman.

And Edwin liked that about her.

“For your sake…”

“I’ll spare his life.”

“…Thank you. Thank you so much, Your Majesty.”

A smile slowly spread across Edwin’s lips as Bella repeatedly thanked him.

“However…”

An uneasy feeling settled over her.

“I sentence you to one week of Duntil.”

Duntil.

It was the same punishment that had once been given to Elthia.

Those sentenced to Duntil were locked inside a prison cell where they survived on stale bread and a small amount of water.

A heavy wooden yoke—or sometimes a weight—was fastened around their necks.

They were left in complete darkness, without even a single ray of light.

Normally…

The prisoners were forced to drink filthy, rotten water.

However, because Edwin had once held some lingering affection for Elthia, he had allowed her clean water instead.

Even then…

No one could survive for nearly a month on water alone.

Deep down…

Edwin had secretly hoped Elthia would simply die there.

Compared to that…

Bella only had to survive for a single week.

Yet her face had turned deathly pale.

Edwin found her reaction displeasing.

One week was only meant to frighten her.

But Bella couldn’t even lift her head.

She couldn’t erase the thought that this tyrant could point his sword at her neck at any moment.

“This is your punishment…”

“For ruining my entertainment.”

In truth…

He was simply venting his frustration because Elthia still hadn’t been found.

He’s completely insane.

His mind has finally broken.

Bella cursed Edwin inwardly.

He had never been sane to begin with.

But ever since Elthia disappeared…

He seemed to have become even more unhinged.

Bella clenched her teeth.

Everyone had long grown sick of his brutal rule and his shameless indulgence in women.

Yet…

Within Laurel, there was no one capable of opposing him.

No matter how unfair things became…

No matter how much resentment filled her heart…

He remained the absolute ruler here.

In the end…

Bella had no choice but to bow before him.

“I accept the punishment Your Majesty has given me.”

Having barely returned from death’s doorstep…

Briand sought out Edwin as soon as dawn broke.

He had only recently regained consciousness.

His body still needed time to recover.

But the moment he learned that Bella had been imprisoned…

He rushed over without a second thought.

After hearing that she had been sentenced to Duntil, he hurried toward the Emperor’s office.

“Your Majesty…!”

Seeing Briand practically crawling toward him, Edwin frowned.

Then, as though remembering something, he snapped his fingers.

Slowly approaching Briand, who could barely straighten his back, Edwin asked,

“The Empress.”

At those dry words, Briand looked up.

“We still haven’t found Her Majesty. However, Your Majesty—”

Before Briand could mention Bella, Edwin coldly interrupted him.

“Find the Empress immediately.”

“And bring her before me.”

If you fail…

Your sister will bear the consequences.

When Elthia arrived at the city gates, she realized she was struggling to breathe.

Her stomach churned.

The world spun around her.

One of the gate guards approached the woman standing silently with a hand pressed against her chest.

Because she was covered by a green cloak, her face was hidden.

The guard mistook her for a traveling peddler.

“Who are you?”

Elthia slowly lowered her hood.

“…Y-Your Majesty the Empress.”

Shock spread across the guards’ faces.

These days, if there was one topic everyone in the Imperial Palace talked about…

It was Elthia.

The two guards exchanged glances before nodding to each other.

They had to escort her inside immediately.

Elthia gave them a small bow before quietly walking through the gates.

The first thing she saw was the palace garden surrounding a large pond.

It was her favorite place within the Imperial Palace.

Long ago…

Taking care of the flowers and trees there had been her only source of happiness.

Even that had been taken away by Erika.

Erika had never been skilled with plants.

Whenever Elthia secretly visited the garden…

She quietly nursed the dying flowers back to life.

“…”

She stood there absentmindedly until the sound of church bells ringing in the distance finally brought her back to her senses.

She quickened her pace.

Soon…

She arrived at the central palace where Edwin lived.

Removing the cloak from her shoulders, she let it fall.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

The servants nearby all turned toward her.

Being the center of so many people’s attention made Elthia uncomfortable.

But rescuing Heinz was far more important.

“Please tell His Majesty…”

“…that I’ve returned.”

Everyone stood frozen after hearing her soft voice.

Then a deep voice came from behind her.

“That won’t be necessary.”

She didn’t even need to turn around.

She already knew whose voice it was.

The man she had loved more than anyone.

Fear gripped her.

Would he look at her with disgust for running away before serving her full punishment?

Or…

Would he strike her across the face the moment she looked at him?

“It’s been a long time…”

“Empress.”

Contrary to all her fears…

Edwin called her in an unexpectedly gentle voice.

Elthia immediately turned around and knelt before him.

“What are you doing?”

Edwin let out a faint laugh.

“It’s all my fault.”

“I will accept whatever punishment I deserve.”

“If you must die…”

“…”

“Would you willingly accept that order as well?”

At his cold, heartless question…

Elthia’s pupils trembled.

Edwin smiled, revealing his perfectly even teeth.

Watching her reaction amused him.

Laughing like a madman, he spoke again while his smile still lingered.

“The Empress is far too weak.”

He stepped closer until he was standing right before her.

When Elthia instinctively tried to turn her head away…

Edwin grabbed her by the hair and forced her face back toward him.

Then he whispered into her ear.

“You were going to come back eventually.”

“So why struggle so much?”

Edwin believed Elthia had returned because she couldn’t forget him.

He was convinced she still loved him.

The thought that she had returned for the sake of Heinz—

A man she had only known for a few days—

Never even crossed his mind.

Elthia had always been timid.

She constantly worried about how others viewed her.

But Edwin believed no one could ever matter to her more than he did.

After staring silently at Elthia, who still kept her head lowered, Edwin slowly stepped back.

“I wonder where you’ve been rolling around.”

“You seem to have picked up quite a foul smell.”

Elthia shrank even further.

There was no way she could mistake his words.

He was talking about her.

“You should wash yourself.”

His brows furrowed in obvious disgust.

Then Edwin turned away.

The moment Elthia disappeared from his sight…

A smile spread across his face.

The stray dog has finally come home.

Tonight, I’ll finally be able to sleep peacefully.

It would have been one thing if Elthia had died.

But as long as she was alive…

She was never allowed to leave his side.

She still had plenty of use to him.

And watching her blind devotion toward him was rather entertaining.

“Now that the Empress has returned…”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Briand answered as he followed behind him.

“Release that skinny brat.”

“…Understood.”

Once someone fell into Edwin’s hands…

They were as good as dead.

But this time…

The tyrant’s whim happened to save Heinz’s life.

“I’m in quite a good mood today.”

Leaving orders for Heinz’s release behind him, Edwin walked toward his chambers with a twisted smile on his face.