SMR | Chapter 163

~Chapter 163~

“Let him in.”

At the Emperor’s command, one of the mirrored doors opened, and Cedric entered.

Albert’s eyes widened in panic when he saw the newcomer, while the Emperor casually extended his hand toward Cedric.

“The materials you mentioned earlier—give them to me.”

Cedric obeyed quietly and handed over a thick file.

Durein flipped through the pages one by one, frowning slightly.

“Explain, Cedric. Tell me exactly what has happened because of this drug.”

Finally, it was time for Cedric to play his role.

Looking down at the trembling Albert, Cedric calmly explained everything he had investigated so far—what incidents had occurred, why he concluded that Angelique was the cause, and what various specialists and witnesses had testified.

“…And the reason I started investigating in the first place was because Her Majesty the Empress personally asked me. She has been worried about Prince Michael’s condition for a very long time.”

“Yes. Anastasia mentioned it to me before too. I believed Michael would overcome it… but perhaps my faith only made the situation worse.”

The Emperor’s sharp gaze turned toward his son and Albert.

“I also heard something called ‘Angelique parties’ is quite famous in noble society. Where were they held?”

“Inside a ship named ‘Kingdom,’ usually docked at El Mare Port.”

“They dreamed of a kingdom separate from the Empire, did they? Even the ship’s name is insolent. And it wasn’t just a normal social party, was it?”

Cedric nodded and handed over another file.

Durein took his time reading it while Albert’s throat dried up painfully.

“…So that’s what you did. Gathering beast-like people and doing filthy things.”

“B-but that was just… just a type of party! If no one was harmed, there is no legal basis to restrict personal sexual freedom—!”

“If no one was harmed, that is.”

Durein lifted a few pages and waved them coldly in the air.

“I am very curious what you plan to say about the people who died there.”

“They… they were… s-slaves…”

“Slaves? Since when does the Astoga Empire have a slave system? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

The more Albert spoke, the deeper he sank into the swamp.

But the worst was still coming.

“There was also a reason you held those parties on a ship, correct? I heard unbelievable amounts of Angelique were sold there. How much tax did you steal?”

What enraged the Emperor as a father was that his son had been destroyed by the drug.

What enraged him as a ruler was the tax evasion.

And what Albert feared most was the latter being exposed.

He could still lie about Michael’s illness, but tax evasion was an undeniable crime.

‘If they find out the full extent of my tax evasion, I’m finished! There’s no way the Angelique sales ledger ended up in the Emperor’s hands… right?!’

Just as Albert’s face was turning completely pale, Durein closed the file sharply.

“Albert Kingsley will undergo a formal trial for tax evasion and insulting the Imperial Family. Until then, imprison him in the palace prison. Also—shut down all production in Kingsley Pharmaceutical immediately. Begin recalling any drugs that have already been distributed!”

With that, Albert’s dream of “becoming richer than any duke” shattered instantly.

He now had to worry about whether he could keep his life or his title, not money.

After making his decision about Albert, the Emperor turned toward his son, who looked hollow and stunned.

“Michael, starting today, you will undergo treatment to purge Angelique from your system. He’s going to resist, so hold him tightly.”

At the Emperor’s orders, palace attendants rushed toward Michael.

He struggled, but his frail body couldn’t overpower four strong attendants.

Pinned by the arms, unable to move, Michael screamed desperately:

“Father! Please, have mercy! Without that drug, I’ll die! Please, save me, Father!”

The sight of the Imperial Prince begging so miserably was both pitiful and pathetic.

As a father, Durein felt heartbroken watching his sickly son cry like that.

But then he remembered his wife—who loved Michael even more—asking Cedric to completely eradicate Angelique.

Clenching his fist, Durein spoke softly but firmly:

“Do not fear too much, Michael. Cedric has developed a new medicine that minimizes Angelique’s side effects and helps the body recover.”

Albert’s eyes suddenly blazed in rage.

“Your Majesty, please! Cedric is deceiving you to destroy me! He is spreading this new drug to earn money! He wants to make a fortune from this!”

“I don’t think so.”

“You’re wrong! Who would refuse to buy it when fear is spreading like this?! If Cedric spreads a new drug now, everyone will buy it! He’ll make a fortune without lifting a finger!”

As Albert shouted desperately, Durein simply shook his head.

“Cedric has sworn to distribute the new medicine for free. The Kailas Duchy will bear all costs of production and distribution. He will earn nothing. Satisfied now, Albert Kingsley?”

“B-but everyone knows the only thing that removes Angelique from the body is water! How did Cedric find another method?!”

Cedric answered that arrogant question himself.

“It wasn’t easy finding the ingredients. But there is no such thing as an eternal, perfect secret.”

“What…?”

“Darasenger. A herb that mainly grows in the Kingdom of Firma. They have long used it in folk medicine.”

“S-see! That proves Angelique is a useful medicine! You admit it works!”

“It works only because Firma has the ‘Molfima’ fruit to counteract Darasenger addiction. Our Empire does not have that plant.”

Cedric explained calmly.

And the hardest part of creating the new drug Simon had been secretly securing Molfima.

If Firma learned this, they would immediately block its export.

“If I hadn’t known Molfima grew in Astelone, it would’ve been difficult. Do you understand how much manpower and money are wasted because you were blinded by greed and created such a drug?”

Cedric frowned slightly.

“But it doesn’t matter. A vassal’s mistake must be cleaned up by his house. The Kailas Duchy will restore what was damaged.”

“I—I didn’t know Darasenger was dangerous! The document His Majesty showed me—I saw it, yes, but I was told the risks had been removed during development!”

Cedric stared at his cousin, unsure whether to feel sad or impressed by his stupidity.

Albert acted confidently, as if he had committed the perfect crime—but he had been arrogant from the start.

“Nonsense. You knew. If you didn’t know about addiction and withdrawal symptoms, how could you dare treat the Prince like a subordinate?”

“When did I ever—?!”

“On the day you tried to blackmail me using my father’s belongings—remember how you insulted Prince Michael, and even spat on the Empress’s corridor floor?”

Albert froze.

He had ordered Michael to clear the area that day to avoid witnesses.

But Cedric’s words matched exactly what had happened.

“No… I… I…”

Cedric smirked, remembering how Harriet had told him all the details.

“The person who witnessed it said they were stunned. They never imagined the fool who dared to make an enemy of the Kailas Duke would be his own cousin.”

Albert understood the mockery.

But he couldn’t get angry—not now.

Finally, he shouted desperately at the Emperor:

“I-It’s all that woman’s fault, Your Majesty! Leslie Ojer—the daughter of Baron Ojer! She told me about Darasenger! She planned everything!”

He attempted to throw his mistress under the carriage.

But both the Emperor and Cedric only scoffed.

“Do not worry. The woman you knew as Leslie Ojer—the Firman spy ‘Alessia Peter’—is already wanted.”

“W-what…? S-spy…?”

“If you were fooled without knowing that, then you truly are a fool.”

Albert stood there blankly before he and Michael were dragged out of the mirrored room.

Even then, he looked shocked that Leslie had been a spy.

Silence fell over the room.

Then the Emperor asked Cedric in a dry voice:

“What do you think? Was I too late?”

“No, Your Majesty. There will be some chaos and backlash, but eventually Prince Michael and the people will recover. The Empire will not fall.

I will make sure of that.”

The weary sigh of an aging ruler echoed through the mirrored room.

“It seems I only keep accumulating debts to you and your father.”

“….”

“Thank you, Cedric. Please take care of Michael.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Cedric comforted his uncle—the Emperor—and then quietly stepped back.