Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 251

Chapter 251. Unexpected Return (2)

Creak, bang──!

The harsh sound of the iron bars opening reverberated throughout the prison. I emerged from there and raised my hands to the knights.

It was a gesture to indicate that they should remove the handcuffs binding my hands.

The knights, understanding this, frowned.

"Unlock them."

But that lasted only for a moment. At the cold voice of Kaldrach, the knights reluctantly removed my handcuffs.

"Phew, feels like I can breathe again."

Once the handcuffs were removed, I began stretching, waving my hands around.

Then, looking at the knights, I spoke.

"If I had known you would listen so well, I should have asked for more favors."

"You bastard......!"

A knight from the Rose Order bristled at my trivial provocation, glaring daggers at me, but he didn't take any further action.

This was, after all, Kaldrach's domain, surrounded by his personal troops, the Wedge Knights. Even if they tried defying Yulian's infamous reputation, it would be they who would lose their heads.

"With this, Yulian, it seems you owe me one,"

Kaldrach quipped with a sly grin as I stepped out of the cell.

'If you intended to say that, you should have come sooner, Kaldrach, my prince.'

I swallowed those words that threatened to bubble up.

"I serve the empire, always working for the imperial family, whether I owe a debt or not."

"Haha, it's just a joke. You hate owing debts as always."

Despite the laughter etched on his lips, Kaldrach's eyes remained unchanged.

"Don't worry. I'm not the kind to hold something like this as a debt."

Kaldrach spoke while patting my shoulder, making his intentions clear.

'He seems to want a private conversation.'

Indeed, there was much to discuss.

The matters regarding Eulsis, and the fundamental reason for my imprisonment here.

"For now, this place doesn't seem suitable for a conversation. Too many ears and eyes are around,"

Kaldrach remarked, surveying the surroundings.

His gaze fell upon the members of the Rose Order, who shrank back.

"Yes, I understand."

I naturally walked out of the prison. Though I could feel piercing stares behind me, they weren't worth reacting to.

***

"Perhaps thanks to your experience, you move so naturally, both entering and exiting."

After leaving the prison, Kaldrach led me outside rather than to an indoor setting.

We arrived at a garden tended by gardeners employed by the imperial palace.

It was a place that previously ignited greed for 'bonsai', but a conversation with Kaldrach took precedence for now.

"How do you find this place, Abisha?"

Kaldrach surveyed the garden and then asked Abisha, who was following close behind him.

She nodded and replied, "One at the left tree, two in the right bushes."

"Destroy them."

"...... Tch."

At Kaldrach's directive, Abisha clicked her tongue once and headed toward the tree she previously mentioned.

As she gestured, there was a ripple of mana, followed by the sound of something breaking.

"Seems like eavesdropping magical devices."

"Indeed."

"To my recollection, there weren't any before my incarceration."

"The rumor of my return to the capital must have prompted her to set them up."

Kaldrach's voice dripped with malice.

'He must mean Abigail.'

I was certain. The only one capable of deploying such sinister magical devices throughout the palace was Abigail, the Witch of Spring.

'She's even used resonance stones.'

It seemed she was gathering resonance stones from the imperial palace for this.

"However, won't breaking those surveillance devices alert Abigail?"

"Does it matter?"

The demeanor of a royalty is indeed on a different scale.

If it were me, I would have tried to locate a place without such devices.

"You really are bold, prince Kaldrach."

"It doesn't sound like a compliment."

Watching Abigail break the magical devices from afar, Kaldrach took a seat.

"Why were you imprisoned?"

Once assured that no one was observing or listening, Kaldrach immediately got to the point.

I preferred this too. It's better to get straight to the point than to beat around the bush.

"I injured a member of the imperial family."

"A imperial family member...... Eulsis?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Kaldrach brought up Eulsis.

He had no thoughts of the second prince, Osborne de Adratan, it seemed.

"Yes."

"Is that so?"

A smile appeared on Kaldrach's lips. It was the most genuine smile I had seen so far.

"That's a relief."

"In what way?"

"I might have suspected you more without such an incident."

"Did you still think I was Prince Eulsis's lapdog?"

Kaldrach shook his head.

"I was speaking about the possibility. It's been like that until now, after all."

"If I had really been that way, I wouldn't have transferred Ornn to the north."

"Ornn, huh...... heh."

At the mention of 'Ornn Cryphart', Kaldrach chuckled.

"When Ornn suddenly appeared in North Pole, I wondered what had happened."

"There were circumstances even within the capital."

"Well, that's none of my business. What's certain is that thanks to him, I've gained time to act."

"Is Sir Ornn doing well?"

"More than well. He's maintaining his former renown and managing the troops effectively."

Of course, that's precisely why he was sent there.

"I was quite surprised in that aspect."

Surprised?

"Didn't you incite the soldiers when you first arrived in North Pole, Yulian?"

Incite? It could easily be misunderstood.

All I did was utter a single word, making it easier for them to express their grievances. Just helping them, like how I've managed to escape 'prison'.

"Perhaps thanks to that, as they claim to be comrades of the hero Yulian, the soldiers are following Ornn well."

Kaldrach shrugged his shoulders.

"Did you foresee that far ahead and cause such a commotion in North Pole? So that I would have time to act in case something happened."

Though Kaldrach spoke casually, there was a hint of emotion in his words.

Fear.

Recognizing it accurately, I could only respond with a laugh.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't."

"...... I see."

Kaldrach nodded at my answer.

'Did I really?'

***

"But something seems suspicious."

After contemplating for a bit, Kaldrach looked at me.

"No matter how I think about it, you're not someone who'd rashly involve a member of the imperial family."

"Who are you talking about?"

"You."

Even though I knew, I pretended not to, but Kaldrach pointed at me and spoke.

"You possess a brazen vanity and pride, and you know what to prioritize to uphold them."

Whether it was praise or criticism, Kaldrach's biting evaluation lingered in his mouth.

His evaluation of 'Yulian' was spot on, but now that the consciousness of 'me' was beginning to form, it almost made me chuckle.

"What happened?"

I pondered briefly over whether I should disclose the reason I became antagonistic towards 'Eulsis' as Kaldrach asked.

The close connection to the Sword Saint's death.

Apart from that, it was the primary cause of wielding the 'sword' against Eulsis.

Kaldrach was inquiring about that.

'But......'

The imperial seal placed near the Demon God's Head still didn't sit well with me.

What if not only Eulsis, but the entire imperial family was involved with that relic?

'My life could be in danger.'

Of course, there's a high chance it's not the case. Kaldrach was the one who had forewarned about the danger of 'Eulsis' in the first place.

"There is a Demon God's Horn in the capital."

Valuing that aspect, I decided to disclose it to Kaldrach, though he was a 'imperial'.

"A Demon God's Horn......?"

"Yes."

Kaldrach's eyes widened in surprise. He ran a hand over his face for a moment.

His actions.

His breathing.

And his eyes revealed everything.

"You knew, didn't you?"

Kaldrach was aware of the existence of the 'Demon God's Horn' in the capital.

"Of course I knew. It was during that time I was engulfed in Flugel's magic, suffering full-body burns."

Kaldrach calmly recounted his near-death experience.

"Then you must know who brought that horn?"

"Hmm."

Kaldrach let out a brief sigh before his gaze turned towards the palace.

"Someone who deserves to die."

I quickly understood who he meant by someone who deserves to die.

He was talking about Emperor Adratan, Kaldrach's father.

"Though his mind is muddled now, in the past, he was a person often called a scoundrel."

I've heard he had quite the temperament.

'...... And you're admitting to it?'

It appeared that Kaldrach, while 'matured' from the 'repetitions', was notoriously known for his temper.

People often referred to Kaldrach's lineage as being from the Warrior King.

"He lacked any human sentiment."

It's true that if one processed a Demon God's Horn and used it, they could theoretically achieve immortality.

The inherent demonic energy surpasses any 'ordinary' scale. After all, it's called a 'Demon God' for a reason.

"He sought immortality for himself and didn't mind sacrificing subjects for it."

"Despite knowing this, you allowed it, prince Kaldrach?"

I tried not to sound accusatory.

This wasn't the nuance I intended, but I couldn't suppress my emotions.

The Sword Saint's death. The responsibility even Eulsis bore.

Ultimately, Eulsis was the threat Kaldrach had warned about.

Yet, knowing this, Kaldrach stepped back simply to safeguard himself, biding time.

'To safeguard himself.'

Realizing this reminded me too much of my own cowardice, evoking a sense of nausea.

Despite knowing it wasn't appropriate, I ended up blurting it out.

"That's unlike you to say."

Had there been ears listening, calling it an outrage against Kaldrach would have led to deadly consequences.

Despite such disrespect, Kaldrach merely shrugged it off.

"As you know, I tried stopping Eulsis by repeated trials. But stopping someone well-acquainted with the Heavenly Reverence Guards's intricacies was impossible."

Kaldrach spoke earnestly.

"That's why I retreated to the north, assembling soldiers and forming a personal guard to counter him. It had been the most viable approach until now."

"Is that so?"

"But now, I've seen a more promising method."

His serious gaze turned towards me. The resolute look of the 'Warrior King' held a villain in its sights.

"You."

Me?

"Initially, you were supposed to be loyal to Eulsis, but you conquered the Dawn Society and subjugated the Council of Nobles."

Kaldrach, having gathered much from the 'repetitions', knew of my connection with the 'Dawn Society' from before.

"Thanks to you, Eulsis's complete control over the imperial family became impossible. The members of the 'Dawn Society' have intimate ties with the imperial family."

It's true.

In the secretariat and the palace itself.

Members of the 'Dawn Society' always existed.

"I needn't beat around the bush."

Kaldrach paused and spoke decisively.

"The empire's fate hangs upon your hands."