Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 247

Chapter 247. The Unstained Black (2)

A sense of kinship.

That was the feeling Eulsis had when he first saw Yulian.

He, too, had been ensnared by the curse of his loathsome family, bearing the scornful looks labeling him the child of a mere concubine.

Just like Yulian, Eulsis had lost the only person who understood him—his mother—and lived burdened by a yoke; thus, Eulsis presumed Yulian would understand him.

"Ugh..."

Eulsis longed for "understanding" from Yulian, but what he received in return was his icy fury.

As Yulian's cutting gem sword grazed his cheek, a seething heat, akin to a volcanic eruption, engulfed Eulsis's face.

It hurt.

The severe pain distorted Eulsis's face.

It was not from the wound. The pain stemmed from the target of his kinship rejecting him.

"Yulian...?"

"That Eulsis was the one who compelled my master."

With a smiling face, Yulian spoke. However, his emotions were unlike his usual self.

His blood-red eyes, boiling with hatred, fixated on Eulsis, flooding him with an unfamiliar terror.

The imminent death that could not be opposed—Eulsis felt it.

Yulian was strong.

Although Eulsis had succeeded in attacking Flugel, that was only possible because of the blood he bore as 'royalty' and the magical artifacts given by Abigail, the 'witch'.

If Yulian truly intended to kill him, Eulsis couldn't resist.

"Why."

Yet, he felt more questions than fear.

"Weren't you also wanting to kill Hayden Reich?"

Speaking as if vomiting his rage, as if spewing his sorrows.

Eulsis yelled towards Yulian.

"Didn't you wish, so long as the Sword Saint fell, you could prove yourself?"

"I had to remember, my master always taught the importance of the process over the result."

As Eulsis clung to his wounds and poured out his heated emotions, Yulian responded coldly.

"I merely wanted to surpass him through my own strength."

An incomprehensible value.

"If His Highness had ordered me to kill my master, I would have gladly done so."

In Yulian's blood-red eyes, Eulsis's face was reflected.

"But since you put an end to it this way, I am also quite troubled."

"Is that so?"

Although he seemed about to click his tongue at what he'd consider a delusion, Eulsis feigned calmness as best he could.

"While you wanted to kill the Sword Saint, you followed his principles. I don't understand, Yulian."

"Seeking to be understood isn't why such things are done."

"Thus, this is the outcome."

While embracing his pain, Eulsis opened his mouth. Around him appeared the 'Heavenly Reverence Guards,' the elite guards protecting the emperor, surrounding Yulian.

"This is the outcome, Yulian."

Challenging a 'prince' to uphold a trivial principle forced the Heavenly Reverence Guards into action.

As they exuded intent to kill, Yulian returned his drawn sword to its scabbard.

"Still, hasn't the act of defying Your Highness Eulsis left a process behind?"

"What difference does that make now?"

Yulian raised his hands symbolically to indicate surrender.

"It's of significant meaning. I doubt Prince Eulsis understands."

Between the Heavenly Reverence Guards, Yulian smiled. Indeed, by Eulsis's order, Yulian's head could be severed and fall to the ground.

Yet, his expression was one of serene composure.

As if he foresaw these events.

***

"Yulian has been imprisoned!?"

Upon hearing the sudden ill news, Pintel, the archbishop of the 'New Dawn Society', abruptly stood from the round table meeting.

"Yes..."

At his inquiry, Lazlot bowed his head and answered politely.

"For what reason!?"

"That is unclear as of yet."

"Unclear!?"

As Lazlot's voice faltered, Pintel replied with a voice boiling with anger.

"Isn't it your job to find that out?"

"I apologize, Sir Pintel."

"It's not an apology that's needed. Go to the secretariat immediately, and find out in detail the circumstances of this incident...!"

"Calm yourself, Sir Pintel."

As Pintel raised his voice, Eleanor's businesslike voice reached out to him.

"... Archbishop Eleanor, do you see this as a matter to remain calm about?"

"If you don't calm down, what will you do?"

Eleanor shrugged her shoulders once and directed her gaze at Pintel.

"Are you intending to rush to the prison immediately, overturn everything, and break Yulian out?"

"If no other way exists!"

"It's terrifying because you likely would. Please, don't do that, Sir Pintel."

Upon hearing Pintel's voice full of determination, Eleanor put her hand to her forehead, feeling a headache.

"Lazlot, did the secretariat make any mention of this issue?"

"Yes... Ah!"

As Lazlot nodded, something seemed to dawn on him, leading him to sigh.

Pintel, witnessing this, tried hastily to ask, but Eleanor, after calming him, took the questioning over.

"Did something noteworthy occur?"

"Well... I heard that it was the Heavenly Reverence Guards that accompanied the detention of Yulian."

"The Heavenly Reverence Guards?"

Upon hearing 'Heavenly Reverence Guards,' both Eleanor and Pintel's eyes widened.

The Heavenly Reverence Guards was the elite guard protecting the emperor.

Their involvement signified either displeasing the 'Empereror Adratan' or laying hands upon a 'imperial'.

"Could Yulian have dared against the imperials...?"

"Yulian is not that foolish!"

Responding loudly to Eleanor's words, Pintel then coughed and corrected himself.

"Even if that were true, there must be a reason."

"Regardless of the reason, if imprisoned, it's the end of Yulian's fate."

"... Ugh."

"There's no change in fact in moving thoughtlessly."

Although formally unannounced by the imperial family, if the imprisonment was for meddling with a 'imperial', it was almost certain that Yulian's life was forfeit.

"No, Yulian wouldn't have acted mindlessly."

Suddenly speaking with resolute confidence, Pintel drew Eleanor and Lazlot's gazes to him.

"Surely, being 'imprisoned' in the imperial prison itself must have been part of his plan."

"For... what reason?"

"That claim, I cannot make. After all, how could one of our kind grasp the deep intentions of someone like him?"

Eleanor wanted to say that understanding should at least be sought, but she held her tongue.

"While I may not know why he acted as he did, I believe it will soon lead to his release."

He must be released.

Thinking it would be problematic if not, Eleanor pondered.

Though three 'archbishops' bore total responsibility for the 'New Dawn Society', ultimately, it was Yulian who appointed them.

Holding merely the title of 'bishop', it was indeed Yulian who held all authority within the 'New Dawn Society', she would boldly declare.

"What should we do now that Yulian is imprisoned?"

"Wait."

Pintel spoke with a voice filled with confidence.

"If imprisonment was also part of Yulian's plan, we must wait for his next move."

A trust bordering on madness. Eleanor sensed it in Pintel, yet she also knew Yulian wasn't one to act foolishly.

His actions no doubt had a behind-the-scenes motive, prompting the imprisonment despite knowing the aftermath.

Thinking so, Eleanor nodded at Pintel's words.

"Even while suggesting that, do not call on the 'Twilight'."

Eleanor said to Pintel, who managed the 'Twilight', a guard devoted to the zealous following of Yulian within the 'New Dawn Society', causing him to groan 'Ugh' while sighing.

***

The prison where Yulian was held. Originally, regular 'soldiers' should have been appointed as the wardens, but a replacement occurred.

The Rose Knights was the name of the knight order that replaced the soldiers as wardens.

Although carrying the title of 'knight order', they did not officially perform the duties of 'knights' and were merely 'nobles' capable of wielding swords.

To be precise, the 'Rose Knights' was a social circle for nobles. The reason they guarded the prison where Yulian was held as 'wardens' was that they were one of the few knight orders under 'Eulsis'.

"Foolish bastard."

One among the Rose Knights, bearing its emblem, referred to Yulian in custody, uttering swear words.

"Why?"

"A guy who used to sell his pride for the imperial family ended up like this. Isn't it funny to you?"

As a noble from the Rose Knights chuckled, the warden, too, shared a laugh.

"Anyway, having been imprisoned by the Heavenly Reverence Guards, at least he will be stripped of all his titles. The membership of 'Blind Eyes', the amassed wealth, all may be seized."

"Well served; acting overbearing, he likely never imagined such a day would come."

With eyes filled with derision, the knights stared beyond the iron bars where Yulian was confined.

Seated inside with cuffs on, Yulian smiled as he usually did, calmly gazing at the knights.

This demeanor made the knights start to sweat coldly down their backs.

As if declaring, in no time, he'd escape these bars, his face didn't show an ounce of confusion.

"Members of the Rose Knights."

A voice emerged from Yulian's lips.

A voice so gentle it was hard to believe belonged to someone facing death.

The knights, knowing they were protected by the iron bars, felt trepidation as though driven into a corner by a beast.

Under such circumstances, Yulian's lips parted.

"Could you bring me a newspaper?"

Yulian's request for a newspaper.

"Even I must hear of the outside world, mustn't I?"