novelraw Chapter 254
Chapter 254
Chapter 254. Hoping to Get Closer (3)
To prevent emotions from soaring, I took a drastic measure: biting my tongue to wash away feelings with pain.
"Ugh..."
A groan escaped my lips as intense pain began coursing down my back.
I firmly shut my mouth, forcing the blood flowing down my tongue to slip beneath my throat. The metallic taste seemed to accentuate the pain further.
This reflex nearly made me vomit, right there in front of Prince Kaldrach.
"What's wrong?"
Internally, a storm raged, but my characteristic poker face and slit-eyes hid my emotions.
To an outsider, it must have appeared as just a slight flinch.
"It's nothing. I was just sorting out my thoughts for a moment."
Yes, it was indeed sorting thoughts. If I hadn't organized these overwhelming emotions pounding like angry waves, 'Open Eyes' might have manifested and stolen the 'Demon God's Horn'.
'... Securing one out of four horns is good.'
Because of this, conducting the ceremony to resurrect the Demon God on the 'Total Solar Eclipse' would be difficult.
Eulsis needs all four horns to complete that ritual.
'However.'
This horn.
I became convinced that I shouldn't be the one holding it.
Features linked to the 'Vessel' or my ownership of 'Angelica'.
All these complex factors intertwined to create an obsession with the 'Demon God's Horn'.
"Is that so? If there's nothing wrong with your body, let's continue the conversation."
It seemed Kaldrach hadn't noticed anything unusual about me.
Well, who would ever guess someone was nurturing a 'Demon' inside? Even after countless repetitions, it seems he remains unaware.
"Though I haven't yet witnessed the end, it's clear Eulsis aims to gather four 'Demon God's Horns' before the total solar eclipse."
With indifferent eyes, Kaldrach stared at the box. More precisely, at the 'Demon God's Horn' inside.
"The four horns within the empire, how should we handle them?"
Not fully understanding what Eulsis is summoning, Kaldrach glanced at the box once more before turning his gaze to me.
"What if we send it far away beyond Eulsis's reach, such as outside the empire, so the ceremony can't proceed during the eclipse?"
"The ceremony, huh? So Eulsis is preparing for one."
It seemed Kaldrach grasped a fragment of information from my words, running his hand along his chin once.
"Sending it far away won't be the answer. Now that it's within the empire, Eulsis is bound to see and hear everything we do."
He smiled.
"And if it's dangerous, it's best to keep it close to me. Whether it's an object or a person."
"Didn't Prince Eulsis also fall under the category of a dangerous 'person' to you, prince Kaldrach?"
Clicking his tongue, Kaldrach expressed his disdain.
"That's an insufferable bastard, deceiving others with an appearance like a small animal, leading the empire to ruin. I won't offer anything more or less for evaluating him."
Kaldrach's words were fierce.
Regardless of what Kaldrach said, sending the 'Demon God's Horn' somewhere other than the empire wasn't in the cards.
"Then it seems best that prince Kaldrach holds it."
Preceded by loyal the Wedge Knights and always accompanied by the witch 'Abisha', the certainty of never being ambushed assured me that Kaldrach was the best choice to hold it.
"I cannot."
That cursed Demon God's Horn.
If kept with me, and Angelica were to swallow it, that'd be troublesome.
"In that case, Yulian, it can only be in your possession."
I can't do that, I thought.
"If prince Kaldrach holds it, I believe it would be resolved, wouldn't it?"
"Eulsis is watching me. If he learns I possess the horn, he'll devise a plan to seize it."
Reflecting on the character of 'Kaldrach de Adratan' I knew, he would have kept the horn.
Supported by a justified confidence. That held symbolic to his character's expression.
Yet, it seems through several repetitions, he's learned to gauge his situation.
"Therefore, you should hold it."
Kaldrach pleaded politely. I opened my mouth to refuse while looking at him.
"If you insist, prince Kaldrach, then there's no alternative."
Alas, the words that flowed out were entirely different from what I intended.
This blasted instinct had overtaken me again.
***
'... Damn it.'
Cursing inwardly, I returned to the conversation.
"Securing the horns is beneficial, but how do you intend to resolve the situation with Prince Eulsis?"
"That's not an issue."
Kaldrach spoke as if he had matters under control.
"Eulsis, that detestable bastard doesn't wield much strength alone. The problem lies with those near him."
I knew as much too.
If Eulsis had personal strength initially, the incident involving his abduction by the High Priest from the Holy Kingdom would never have occurred.
"The Heavenly Reverence Guards, the Imperial Knights, and the witch Abigail."
It wasn't mere coincidence; Kaldrach had precisely assessed Eulsis's forces, possibly from his return.
"It isn't an exaggeration to say that originally, Flugel also sided with Eulsis. However, that too has become meaningless now."
We've secured the horn, after all, Kaldrach added.
"From what I see, not all the Imperial Knights support Prince Eulsis."
"Why do you think so?"
"Because Sir Uruhar among the Imperial Knights was obeying the orders of Emperor Adratan."
Upon hearing my words, Kaldrach sighed.
"What makes you think that?"
"When Prince Eulsis visited the Magic Tower and attacked Sir Flugel, Sir Uruhar was also there."
"Uruhar as well?"
"Yes, and I heard it was under Emperor Adratan's orders to retrieve the horn."
Kaldrach stroked his chin once more.
"If every Imperial Knight truly serves Eulsis, Eulsis wouldn't have needed to come himself; sending only Uruhar would have sufficed."
"Yes."
Concluding from my words, Kaldrach seemed to piece together that not all Imperial Knights were Eulsis's minions, raising his head slightly.
"If we can deal with the Heavenly Reverence Guards, Eulsis would then face a markedly reduced force."
"Yes."
"Well, then."
Clap──!
Kaldrach clapped loudly and stood up.
Abisha, watching in a daze nearby, was startled and turned to look at him, but Kaldrach merely smirked.
"Yulian, can you kill Eulsis?"
Kaldrach inquired with a solemn expression.
"Could you, as an executioner who laughs before noble blood, bury the end of your sword within him?"
I responded with a smile.
"I won't accuse you of blasphemy. Considering the current state of the capital, even I—of imperial blood—would be branded a traitor."
Kaldrach's straightforward words hinted at his exact intentions, so I could deduce what he was thinking.
"Do you plan to divert the Heavenly Reverence Guards?"
The Imperial Knights and Abigail.
Without those two, the entire force Eulsis controls comprises the 'Heavenly Reverence Guards'.
Of course, the 'Heavenly Reverence Guards' is an elite group possessing formidable power due to their unique group characteristics.
Considering that those standing at the pinnacle of knights enter the 'Heavenly Reverence Guards', one could say they are the cream of the crop.
"Yes, we'll move the Heavenly Reverence Guards away from the empire."
Kaldrach spoke bluntly.
"In the meantime, utilize the Dawn Society's strength and have Eulsis killed by your hands."
"That's troublesome."
"Why?"
I shook my head.
"Such an act will merely leave me branded as a traitor."
"That's...also correct."
Not genuinely considering this, Kaldrach appeared perplexed, scratching his head.
'... This guy.'
Despite how composed he seemed from repeated 'returns,' a prince remains a prince.
He hadn't considered the fallout from killing a fellow imperial.
"I won't label you a traitor. It sounds like a lie, I know. Nevertheless, how about—."
"Prince Kaldrach!"
Our conversation was abruptly interrupted as someone flung the door open and entered hastily.
A member of the escort, one of the Wedge Knights, it seemed. Politely bowing, he approached Kaldrach to whisper.
"No, there's no need to speak secretly."
However, Kaldrach halted him. The Wedge Knight acknowledged and spoke.
"...... Emperor Adratan has collapsed."
"Collapsed, you say?"
Although focusing his gaze on me up until then, Kaldrach's attention quickly shifted to the 'Wedge Knight' in surprise.
"Yes."
"Mentally unwell, yet not physically frail to an extent inducing collapse."
Despite often speaking ill of Empereror Adratan, Kaldrach rose from his seat.
"I'll go check the condition."
"I'll follow."
"No, officially announced or not, it would be unwise for me to come along, lest Eulsis catches on to something strange."
That too was sensible.
"We'll postpone the talks until tomorrow, Yulian."
With that parting line, Kaldrach left the room, accompanied by Abisha and the Wedge Knights.
Leaving me alone in the room.
And the box containing the 'Demon God's Horn', discreetly eyed by Angelica.
"Angelica, if you lay a hand on it, I will be angry."
The moment I gave the warning, Angelica's previously focused gaze softened.
***
Kaldrach, who headed to the palace upon hearing the news of Emperor Adratan's collapse, arrived in front of the emperor's bedchamber, where the attendant opened the door for him.
Upon entering the emperor's sleeping quarters, the sight of Empereror Adratan laying on the bed came into Kaldrach's view.
Though mentally unstable, the once vigorous emperor now appeared pallid, almost corpse-like.
"What happened?"
Questioning the attendant standing by the emperor, Kaldrach received no verbal response, only a deeply bowed head.
From observing this, Kaldrach surmised there was some underlying 'reason'.
"Uh, Your Highness."
In the meantime, Abisha, who stood beside him, tugged on Kaldrach's sleeve once.
Seeing Abisha's anxiety, Kaldrach discerned someone other than himself had entered the bedchamber.
An all-too-familiar presence. The deathly aura that had led him back from the brink of death numerous times.
"It's been a while, brother Kaldrach."
Kaldrach turned toward the voice's source.
"Vile bastard, who gave you the right to call me kin with that filthy mouth of yours?"
Eulsis de Adratan. The mastermind behind the empire's current cloud of shadow greeted Kaldrach.