Chapter 18
Edwin drew the dagger he always carried inside his coat and plunged it into the woman’s neck.
Blood erupted like a fountain.
A spray of crimson splattered across Kyle’s cheek.
Yet Kyle didn’t even blink.
That alone pleased Edwin.
“Quite a useful tool.”
Now he understood why Yan had chosen him as an adopted son.
Yan was nothing more than a toothless old tiger.
An aged, powerless ruler.
The thought of bringing Kyle to Laurel and turning him into an even greater monster at his side filled Edwin with satisfaction.
“It’s late.”
“You should get some rest.”
Kyle clenched his teeth to maintain basic courtesy toward a man who possessed none.
If he could have…
He would have cut Edwin down where he stood.
But he couldn’t.
Edwin never realized…
Just how much hatred filled Kyle’s eyes as he watched his back.
***
The faint crunching sound from beyond the door woke Elthia.
The sun rose late in the Ferry Empire.
When she opened her eyes, the sky outside was still dim with early dawn.
The icy air slipping through the crack beneath the door made her rise from bed.
She pushed the door open.
On the snow-covered bridge…
A little girl was running back and forth.
She looked about the same age Beth had been when Elthia first met her.
Entranced by the sight…
Elthia watched silently.
Just then, the child turned around.
Their eyes met.
Hello…
The greeting that never left Elthia’s lips lingered silently inside her.
Startled…
The girl dropped the handful of snow she had been carrying.
Then she hurried behind a nearby tree, hiding from Elthia’s gaze.
A bitter smile spread across Elthia’s face.
She quietly closed the door once more.
She was already used to reactions like that.
Some time later…
As daylight slowly brightened the sky, Elthia hurriedly dressed herself.
Beth, who always helped her prepare, wasn’t here in Ferry.
She felt uncomfortable allowing strangers to attend to her, so she had to do everything herself.
“…A snowman.”
When she finished dressing and opened the door again…
A small snowman sat outside.
It was exactly the size a young child would make.
Naturally…
Her thoughts returned to the little girl she had just seen.
She was playing barehanded…
Without even a pair of gloves.
Elthia removed her own gloves.
Holding them in her hands, she hurried through the imperial palace grounds.
Her breath formed white clouds in the freezing air.
Ignoring the cold…
She searched until she encountered a servant sweeping snow.
“Is there something you require this early in the morning?”
His words sounded polite enough.
But the irritation on his face was impossible to miss.
Unable to answer…
Elthia simply stood there.
Then…
A tall shadow fell across her.
“You’d accomplish far more by shoveling another pile of snow instead of wasting time chatting.”
At the familiar voice…
Elthia turned around.
Kyle stood there.
“Y-Your Highness!”
The servant immediately bowed deeply in panic.
“If all the snow isn’t cleared by today…”
“You’re dismissed.”
Those words instantly doubled the man’s speed.
Elthia remained frozen in place.
She couldn’t even think to leave.
Kyle’s deep voice echoed once more.
“And…”
“Her Majesty is an honored guest of our empire.”
“Treat her with the respect she deserves.”
Elthia slowly raised her eyes toward Kyle.
Looking up at him from below…
She was suddenly struck by how mature and masculine his features truly were.
It felt strangely unfamiliar.
“Y-Yes.”
“I-I’m terribly sorry.”
The servant bent repeatedly at the waist before hastily disappearing.
Once they were alone…
Kyle turned around without another word or expression.
Afraid he would walk away…
Elthia instinctively grabbed the edge of his sleeve.
“What is it?”
His voice had softened slightly compared to how he had spoken to the servant.
“…I never thanked you.”
Her nose and the tips of her ears had turned red from the cold.
Seeing her sincerely thanking him for something so small…
For some reason…
His chest tightened uncomfortably.
“There’s no need.”
Kyle coldly turned away.
He hadn’t acted in order to earn her gratitude.
Besides…
The way she looked at him with that expression unsettled him for reasons he couldn’t explain.
“I only said what was true.”
At his added remark…
The corners of Elthia’s lips twitched.
An honored guest…
No one had ever described her that way before.
She didn’t know how long Kyle had lived as the Crown Prince.
But surely…
He understood her position.
Yan must have explained it countless times.
And after witnessing yesterday’s events…
Kyle could hardly be unaware of it himself.
Maintaining his unreadable expression…
Kyle gently stepped away.
Elthia’s hand, left suspended in the air, slowly fell back to her side.
“But…”
“Your Majesty should also be more careful.”
His calm but stern voice made Elthia freeze.
“There are many eyes watching.”
“Wandering around the palace dressed like this isn’t appropriate.”
Only then did Elthia lower her gaze.
She finally noticed that, after running around searching for the little girl…
The front of her robe had come loose.
“…I’ll be more careful.”
Kyle silently looked at her slumped shoulders.
Then he turned his back and left.
***
“It is discourteous to arrive late for a meal, Your Majesty.”
Edwin pointed at the pocket watch in his hand with visible displeasure.
Elthia gave a small bow before taking her seat.
“…I apologize.”
Perhaps because she had wandered outside in the cold morning air…
She wasn’t feeling well.
Kyle glanced briefly at Elthia as she sat opposite him.
Then he quietly began cutting the meat on his plate.
Elthia also picked up her knife.
But there was no strength in her hand.
The knife slipped from her fingers and clattered onto the table.
Expecting the inevitable rebuke…
She slowly closed her eyes.
“I’m sorrā”
“It’s all right.”
Before she could finish…
A plate of neatly cut meat was placed in front of her.
“Please.”
Without changing his expression…
Kyle exchanged his own plate with hers.
It bothered him that Elthia apologized out of habit over the smallest things.
“Ah…”
Her lips parted slightly before closing again.
She nodded.
“…Thank you.”
No one had ever shown her kindness in quite this way before.
She didn’t know how she was supposed to respond.
Watching the two of them…
Edwin’s smile vanished into a straight line.
Without taking his eyes off Kyle…
He suddenly grabbed Elthia’s wrist as she lifted her fork.
Pulling her hand toward himself…
He took the piece of meat from her fork and placed it into his own mouth.
“This meat is remarkably tough.”
He leaned back with a crooked smile.
Anyone could tell the meat was perfectly tender.
Edwin was simply making trouble.
At his words…
The head chef standing nearby turned pale.
He hurriedly picked up Elthia’s plate.
“My deepest apologies.”
“I’ll prepare anotherā”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Edwin rose from his chair.
In one swift motion…
He slashed the chef’s throat.
The white tablecloth was instantly stained crimson.
Blood splattered across Edwin’s clothes…
And across Kyle’s cheek.
Before Elthia’s eyes…
The meat streaked with blood on her plate overlapped with the blood pouring from the chef’s severed neck.
Her stomach lurched violently.
Kyle, on the other hand…
Never flinched.
He calmly picked up a cloth and wiped the blood from his face.
His composure only enraged Edwin further.
Unable to contain his temper…
He swept every dish from the table.
With a deafening crash…
Fragments scattered across the floor.
“Have you finished venting your anger?”
Kyle quietly stood.
He looked directly into Edwin’s eyes.
Edwin’s entire body trembled with fury.
Just like before…
Someone had died right in front of Kyle.
Yet there wasn’t the slightest trace of fear or hesitation in him.
“I had heard plenty about Your Majesty.”
“Is that so?”
“I’m beginning to wonder exactly how much you’ve heard.”
Edwin pointed the bloodstained sword directly at Kyle.
Everyone in the dining hall held their breath.
It looked as though he might cut Kyle down at any moment.
“Having seen you with my own eyes…”
“I’m afraid you’re an even more pathetic man than I’d heard.”
Keeping his expression perfectly blank…
Kyle seized the blade with his bare hand.
Blood immediately began flowing between his fingers.
Elthia tried to move.
She had to stop them.
But her body refused to obey.
Even those watching winced as though they could feel the pain themselves.
Yet Kyle showed none.
Instead…
He tightened his grip around the blade even harder.
As though he felt no pain at all.
Watching the scene…
Elthia’s vision suddenly blurred.
Everything went black.
Someone shouted in alarm.
“Her Majesty the Empress has collapsed!”
“Quickly!”
“Summon the imperial physician!”
Chaos erupted throughout the dining hall.
Some rushed to Elthia’s side to examine her.
Others hurried outside in search of the physician.
Only then did Kyle release the sword.
Edwin reluctantly sheathed his weapon.
Clicking his tongue in annoyance…
He called for the attendants.
Kyle walked over to the servants, whose faces had turned deathly pale.
With a silent gesture…
He instructed them to clean up the shattered dishes.
Then…
Without another word…
He left the dining hall.
