TLDOWN 35

CHAPTER 35
This Is the End

Bayern had planned to pin all the blame on Jane if things went south. He would make it look like an act of greed, driven by her obsession with money.

He appeared much more relaxed now. How long had it been—five years spent in this backwater estate, all to get to the capital?

Thinking that this exile-like life was finally coming to an end, Bayern clenched his fist tightly. The voice of Marquis Rodrigo, whom he had met in the capital, rang in his ears like an echo.

“If you want to come to the capital, you’ll have to prove your worth.”
“…My worth?”
“There are many ways to please him. And you, more than anyone, should know that.”

The Duke’s death would be more than enough as “proof of value.” His life had dragged on too long anyway—if Bayern finished the job before the palace delegation arrived, all would be well.

“This is it. I’ll be in the capital before long!”

Staring at the peak just within reach, Bayern let out a mad cackle.

— Knock knock.

A short knock, and the door creaked open. The visitor was Jane, summoned by the butler.

“You called for me, sir?”

As Jane poked her head into the study, Bayern discreetly tucked a letter into the drawer. Jane bowed and approached.

“Yes. Things went smoothly thanks to you. You did well.”

“…I don’t deserve the praise.”

Bayern smiled in satisfaction. Jane looked more nervous than usual, but that was to be expected—she’d just carried out a major task.

‘Tch tch. No guts at all.’

She was nothing like the girl who had once demanded money in exchange for information.

Still, she had directly aided in harming the Duke—her anxiety was understandable.

“He ate the food with the herbs, right?”

His sharp gaze landed on Jane. Seeing how critically ill the Duke had become, it was clear Jane had followed orders. But the job was too important not to double-check.

“Yes. He ate about a third of it, as usual. He always eats the same amount, so I added just a bit more of the herbs than prescribed…”

“…”

“M-Maybe that’s why he’s unconscious now… Butler, this is still okay, right?”

Jane was close to panicking. Bayern had told her that the herbs would simply weaken the Duke—not put him on death’s door. Seeing the rapid decline, her fear was only natural.

“Well, it’s probably because you added a bit too much. Still, you did your part.”

“So… I’m done now, right?”

Her voice trembled with fear. Bayern clicked his tongue.

“Yes. After today, your part is over. From now on, don’t let anyone near the Duke’s chambers.”

The imperial delegation was supposed to arrive today—within a few hours. The rest was up to Bayern.

“And…”

The butler opened a desk drawer.

A heavy metallic clink rang from the pouch he set on the table.

It was clearly much larger than the ones he had given her before. Jane, who valued her own life more than anything, would know exactly what this amount of money implied: silence.

Bayern pushed the pouch toward her.

“Thanks for your work. This is enough to settle down somewhere else comfortably. Once the palace people arrive, leave the estate quietly. No one should know.”

“…Thank you.”

Jane took the pouch, bowed deeply, and left the room.

— Click.

The moment the door closed, a suffocating silence filled the study. Bayern stared at the door for a long while, then muttered:

“Of course, she’ll be dead before she ever gets to spend it.”

He had never intended to let her live. She was too clever—a threat that needed to be cut at the root.

Sigh…

With a long breath, Bayern stood from his seat, his face tense. He made his way toward the Duke’s chamber—to end it all by his own hand.

— Click.

Bayern entered the Duke’s chamber, walking down the empty hallway. He locked the door behind him, just in case.

He approached the bed slowly and looked down at the Duke.

The man lay with his eyes closed, breathing steadily. It had been two days since he’d fallen unconscious.

A maid had been feeding him broth and cleaning him… but what else could you call him but a corpse that hadn’t yet stopped breathing?

“So, perhaps even Your Grace has decided it would be better to die, yes?”

Bayern leaned down toward the Duke. His pale skin looked like thin paper, untouched by the sun. His golden hair, the symbol of the imperial family, had long since lost its luster.

Bayern gently caressed the Duke’s face.

“I’ll send you to the Empress’s side. I’m sure you miss your mother. And there, I hope you’ll grow into the Emperor you were meant to be…”

Yes, he told himself. He was simply granting the Duke’s unspoken wish.

Born noble, but doomed to a pitiful life.

Once the sole heir to the late Emperor, but stripped of the crown prince title due to poor health.

And after the Emperor’s death, his cousin Elaine quickly took the throne.

Now, Bayern would “save” this wretched man.

Approaching the bedside, Bayern picked up a pillow.

“I didn’t want to resort to something this barbaric…”

He had hoped to avoid dirtying his hands—poison, assassins—but both left traces.

This was the cleanest method.

‘Finally, I can leave this godforsaken place.’

He climbed onto the bed and moved to smother the Duke.

But then—

The Duke’s eyes snapped open.

“Oh dear. It would’ve been better for you to remain ignorant.”

Bayern froze as crimson-red eyes met his. They gleamed like blood.

Just as he was about to press the pillow down, a deep, chilling voice whispered in his ear.

“…Bayern.”

“!!!”

The butler froze in place, pillow in hand.

“What… are you doing?”

“Y-Your Grace… H-how are you speaking…?!”

Was this a hallucination? A voice he shouldn’t have heard… Bayern’s face turned pale.

“You fool.”

A low, cold laugh curled at the Duke’s lips—enough to make one’s heart freeze.

‘This… this can’t be happening!’

Something had gone terribly wrong. An ominous dread seized Bayern’s entire body.

But before he could react—

—Crash!

A loud crash rang out as the door was kicked open.

“What on earth is going on here?!”

A priest shouted from the doorway, his face deathly pale.

“T-This isn’t what it looks like—!”

Bayern’s body trembled pitifully.

He wanted to make some excuse—anything—but he had been caught red-handed. Words failed him.

‘They weren’t supposed to arrive for another few hours!’

The palace delegation wasn’t expected until later. But now…

‘Don’t tell me—’

He finally realized. He had walked right into a trap. The Duke, now watching him with a twisted smile, had set it up.

‘This bastard tricked me…!’

He clenched his teeth, glaring at Akia with murderous rage.

“Bayern.”

Another man’s voice pulled his attention away.

“What were you trying to do to His Grace just now?”

“L-Lord Rodrigo… I…!”

Marquis Rodrigo, the Emperor’s secretary, stared at him with icy disdain—the kind that deemed someone completely useless.

Bayern knew that look well. It was the same look his half-brother had given the estate servants before killing them without hesitation.

‘He’s going to discard me.’

If only that were the worst. Rodrigo might just kill him too. He was that kind of man.

A cold sweat ran down Bayern’s spine.

His body trembling visibly, he dropped to his knees before Rodrigo—even though the person he should have begged was someone else.

“I-It’s a misunderstanding! I… I was only trying to adjust His Grace’s position to prevent bedsores!”

“Do butlers normally climb onto beds with a pillow to do that?”

“T-That’s…!”

Rodrigo cut him off mid-excuse, as if it wasn’t worth hearing.

“There were plenty of witnesses. Many saw you attempting to smother the Duke. I suggest you stop talking.”

“Please, Marquis! I only—!”

Bayern looked up at Rodrigo with pleading eyes, but the marquis only stared back coldly.

It was a silent threat: if you want to live, stay quiet.

“Alex, check His Grace’s condition.”

“Y-Yes, sir…!”

The physician, who had been frozen in shock, rushed to the Duke’s side. He had replaced Jacob, the previous doctor, and was sent by the royal palace.

But before he could even open his bag, the Duke sat up on his own.

“You’re awake, Your Grace?!”

Everyone in the room gasped.

“He was supposed to be paralyzed…”

The priest, the physician, the Emperor’s secretary—all of them had come to pronounce the Duke’s death and strip him of his right to succession.

And yet, here he was, fully conscious and sitting up.

Everyone was frozen in disbelief—everyone except for Rodrigo.

The marquis glanced between the trembling Bayern and the perfectly healthy Duke and sighed inwardly.

‘So. This was all the Duke’s doing.’

Just as he was about to approach Akia, a clear voice echoed through the room.

“I’ll speak on the Duke’s behalf.”

It was Lea—finally reappearing after her mysterious disappearance.