Chapter 04
Maylily
“Ha. Damn it. It looks like Prince Verdi’s side pulled some strings.”
At Rioel’s words, my foster father finally turned grave as he looked down at the training grounds. His face hesitated for a long while before hardening with the weight of a man who had made a difficult but resolute decision.
“His Majesty won’t stay still if we make a fuss. Don’t stir trouble.”
The Rubiche family had remained neutral until now. But I’d always had the sense that both my foster father and Rioel’s inclinations leaned heavily toward Chedorn. Deep down, they already supported him.
“But, Father…!”
Rioel shouted, looking as wronged as someone unjustly fired from his job. My foster father only crossed his arms and turned away.
Meanwhile, the next knight stepped up. The whistle blew, and the duel began.
But no matter how I looked at it, the knight swinging his sword at Chedorn wasn’t fighting normally. Even someone like me, who knew little about swordsmanship, could see he was going for the kill.
The knight’s blade grazed Chedorn’s forearm. His sleeve split open, blood splattering as his skin was cut. Yet the insane duel didn’t stop.
This wasn’t what I’d heard a Royal Guard selection test was like.
A member of the imperial family being wounded? Alarmed, I turned toward the Emperor. But both the Emperor and Prince Verdi—and even Countess Mason—were watching with calm, collected expressions.
Next to me, Rioel cursed and half-rose from his seat.
“Those bastards…!”
“Rioel. Eyes are on us.”
Once again, my foster father stopped him. Had he not, Rioel would have surely shouted something unprintable.
Soon the knight facing Chedorn collapsed, and the match was called off. No one stepped in to stop what had happened. Everyone just… watched.
Was I the only one who thought this was insane?
A chilling stillness fell over the training ground. Dozens held their breath as Chedorn, looking exhausted, stood alone in the center—and suddenly burst out laughing.
It wasn’t a sane laugh. Blood-soaked and grinning like a broken toy that had lost its gears, he looked terrifying. My skin prickled.
He strode toward the waiting knights. And as though they’d been waiting for that very moment, they all rushed him at once.
Their movements weren’t those of men in a practice duel—they looked like assassins trying to kill him. I pressed a hand to my forehead, unable to comprehend what I was seeing.
Chedorn bent low, then moved in a blur. His sword drew several wide arcs through the air. I couldn’t even follow what he was doing—only the result.
Wherever he passed, blood sprayed in the air like a fountain. The knights who had crossed blades with him fell like autumn leaves, limp and silent.
Gasps of awe filled the stands.
But—why were they admiring this? Shouldn’t they be thinking of how to stop this madness?
“Why is His Majesty just sitting there? Shouldn’t someone stop this?”
At my bewildered question, my foster father scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“I told you, didn’t I? His Majesty enjoys pushing Prince Reynold to his limits.”
Rioel’s voice, sharp with disgust and contempt for the Emperor, made my foster father glance around nervously.
“Rioel. Watch your tongue. There are eyes everywhere.”
He rubbed his furrowed brow, looking more worn than usual. Rioel only clicked his tongue and fell silent.
“Ena, I won’t ask what kind of relationship you have with Prince Reynold,” my foster father added, looking at me now. “But you’d do well to keep quiet here.”
So I shut my mouth too.
Screams of pain filled the air. Blood drenched the dirt like rain. I covered my mouth at the sight of men sprawled like rags across the ground.
“I told you not to look.”
“I’m fine.”
Rioel tried to shield my eyes again, but I shook my head and forced myself to focus.
I found Chedorn then—walking toward the Emperor’s seat, his clothes drenched in blood and dirt. As he came closer, the faces of Prince Verdi and Countess Mason grew pale.
Ah. I finally understood.
Prince Verdi—Chedorn’s rival.
Countess Mason—the prince’s mother and the powerful matriarch of the Stefan ducal house.
And the Emperor—who delighted in pushing his son to the edge.
This entire farce was their joint creation. Chedorn’s name appearing as a test examiner out of nowhere, the conveniently “disguised” assassins attacking him—it was all too perfect to be coincidence.
The nobles weren’t blind; they saw the truth but didn’t dare intervene. It told me everything I needed to know about Chedorn’s position in this empire. My chest tightened painfully.
Chedorn climbed the steps to the stands and stopped before the Emperor.
“I’m sorry, Father. The entrance test will have to be redone. I killed them all.”
His eyes, burning with madness, met the Emperor’s as he flicked his sword once. The blood spattered across the floor—and onto Prince Verdi’s trousers and Countess Mason’s gown.
Countess Mason didn’t flinch. She only glared at Chedorn with scorn. But when his golden eyes turned on her, her gaze dropped instantly, like repelling poles of a magnet.
Chedorn’s once-white uniform was now soaked a deep, dark red. Blood crusted over the torn fabric and hardened against his skin. I shut my eyes, dizzy for a moment.
“You okay?”
Rioel’s voice pulled me back. I nodded weakly.
“Well done,” came the Emperor’s voice.
I opened my eyes again to see him leaning on one hand, clapping slowly. His expression was one of twisted satisfaction—pride and pleasure mingled.
The nobles, hesitating, followed suit. The dissonant rhythm of their applause echoed unnaturally in the arena.
I looked at Chedorn. From this distance, I could see his face clearly. He wore no expression at all—just stared blankly at the Emperor. But in that blankness, I sensed something breaking.
A sorrow so deep it could only exist behind a perfectly empty mask.
“I really have to ask,” I murmured.
Rioel tore his glare from the Emperor to look at me. “What?”
“Are things like this… normal? In Alpine?”
He understood instantly. His brow furrowed in disgust.
“What? Of course not. You think this looks normal?”
“Would I have asked if I did?”
He gave a curt nod, conceding the point.
I tossed aside the practice sword I’d been holding and stood up. Watching Chedorn leave the grounds, I turned to my foster father with resolve.
“Father, I have some business to attend to. I’ll see you back at the estate.”
“Where are you going? My investiture isn’t even over yet!” Rioel jumped up, his tone oddly hurt. I thought he didn’t even like me.
Tilting my head, I patted his shoulder. “Congratulations in advance. See you later, Father.”
“Hey—wait!”
Ignoring his protest, I hurried down the stands. Even after leaving the arena, Chedorn was nowhere in sight. I wandered between the buildings, scanning the area.
“Ugh, where did he go?”
“Here.”
The quiet voice made me startle. I turned toward it—and found him lying between the shrubs.
His once-spotless white uniform was now ripped and filthy with blood and dirt. His silver hair was spattered crimson. Lowering my gaze, I met his gleaming golden eyes.
“What are you doing here?”
“Dizzy.”
“You’re hurt. You shouldn’t be lying here.”
“This much won’t kill me.”
I crouched beside him, inspecting the wounds.
“This looks bad… You know, in Korea, people complain over a paper cut.”
He was silent for a moment, then covered his eyes with one arm—and laughed. It was an empty, hollow laugh.
“Thanks.”
“…For what?”
I frowned, confused, glancing again at his injuries. I should call a healer.
“You’re the first person in twenty-six years to ask if I’m okay.”
That made me pause.
Chedorn lowered his arm, sat up, and looked at me. His eyes were bloodshot. And then, for the first time, I truly understood the life he’d been living in this world—how he’d ended up called a madman.
He was standing on the very edge of breaking.
“The Cha Do-hyuk PD I knew,” I said quietly, “was the kind of man who always found a solution, no matter how bad things got.”
His breath hitched.
“So you’ll find one this time, too. Because that’s who you are.”
For a moment, he just stared at me, stunned. Then his expression softened—something between joy and sorrow.
“For a long time, it felt like I was trapped in a dream. But meeting you… now I know.”
His eyes sharpened with new resolve, and he smiled faintly.
“This is my reality. Thank you—for proving I’m not insane.”
With that, Chedorn rose, patted my head gently, and said he was going to see a physician. Then he disappeared into the distance.
