Chapter 5

Today's update may be quite raw.

After the conversation with Arcrain and Estelle, Sashes lay down on the bed and took a deep breath.

This body, suffering from a chronic stomach ailment, can manage daily life without using mana, but he was mentally exhausted.

Arcrain is skilled at reading people's feelings.

This ability, developed from being on guard since childhood to avoid being undermined in a society full of enemies, is both pitiable and troublesome.

Moreover, this time he had to deal not only with Arcrain but also with his fiancée, who has the ability to see emotions.

Honestly, he wanted to rest and space out a bit, but he couldn't relax yet. There was someone waiting for Sashes' report.

Sashes reached out to the bedside table and picked up the pocket watch integrated with a communication device.

Sliding the dial, a numerical input panel appeared.

He dialed the number of the communication device that Tortelette carried.

"…Your Majesty?"

Soon, Tortelette's voice came from the pocket watch, a slightly low and calm voice for a woman.

"Yes, I just finished talking with Arc and Miss Estelle."

"How did it go?"

"I think I managed to mislead them about the matter."

"…Thank you."

Tortelette's voice was dark. She must have been reminded of the hateful past she wanted to forget.

The physical violence Tortelette suffered from Milcea was a lie.

There was abuse, but it was primarily verbal, centered on her failure to secure the throne and the gap that had formed between her son and her brother's children.

What a foolish man. The difference in the awakening of abilities and the amount of mana in the next generation was due to the rituals held in the palace's underground. This is one of the pieces of knowledge passed down through the 'Crown.'

The bodies of the king, the crown prince, and their spouses—those who should carry on the royal lineage—are remade by the 'Foundation Stone' through the annual rituals.

Milcea, Sashes, Arcrain, and Leidis—direct royal family members—are born with similar appearances for this reason.

The underground rituals are believed to have the effect of efficiently passing on the genetic traits of the ruling class from the ancient kingdom to the next generation, in addition to controlling the water supply.

Sashes was already born when his father, the late King Ezalbert, ascended the throne, so Milcea never became the crown prince. The reason Milcea's children had mana levels comparable to the upper nobility and did not awaken to any abilities lies in this.

Despite the futility of blaming his family, the repeated verbal abuse turned Silvio into a meek and submissive man.

On the other hand, Tortelette, who was a strong and efficient child, quickly learned to ignore her father's verbal abuse and disregard him.

Growing up in a cold home environment, she came to despise her father, and her hatred turned to loathing after an unspeakable act.

Those with strong royal blood tend to be monogamous. They have a tendency to focus on one person and continue to think of them.

For Sashes, his only one was Miraria, so even though it was his duty, his married life with Tortelette was painful.

With Arcrain's intervention, their hearts gradually grew closer, but the time they spent as a couple was kept to a minimum. This distance ultimately led to a tragedy.

Milcea, frustrated by the lack of progress in Sashes and Tortelette's relationship, took an unbelievable action.

"Can a child be conceived with monthly marital relations?"

"If you bear my child, my child will ascend to the throne."

While spouting such delusions, he committed an unspeakable act.

After the incident, Tortelette bravely reported the situation to Sashes and demanded that she and Duke Malvick be punished.

However, this was not possible. A medical examination immediately after the assault revealed that she was pregnant with Leidis.

If the incest was made public, Duke Malvick could be punished, but Tortelette would not be spared. It was clear that Leidis was Sashes' child, but there might be doubts about the legitimacy.

Most importantly, he did not want to cause Tortelette any more pain. — Reflecting on it now, he was an unfit king.

"Did that man really commit suicide?"

At Tortelette's question, Sashes trembled slightly and sighed inwardly.

He had no intention of answering if she didn't ask, but now that she had, he had to tell her.

"It wasn't suicide. I administered an experimental new drug. It's a type of painkiller, but I deliberately reduced the dosage to make the time until death longer. It took one hour and fifty-two minutes from the administration of the drug to his death, and I heard he suffered immensely."

Tortelette seemed to gasp.

It was tantamount to extrajudicial punishment. She must have been repulsed.

No matter how much he was the object of her hatred, that man was still Tortelette's father.

Sashes waited anxiously for Tortelette's response.

"…I feel relieved. I'm a terrible woman, aren't I?"

"I am the same for ordering it."

The highest punishment for treason used to be 'dragging, hanging until death, beheading after death, and quartering,' but it was abolished long ago due to its cruelty.

Currently, in Rosaria, the death penalty is carried out by hanging from a gallows, for humanitarian reasons. However, Sashes felt that this was too lenient.

"Did you 'handle' it before the investigation for my sake…?"

"I won't deny that I didn't want unnecessary talk."

Dead men tell no tales. The doctor involved in the incident had long since passed away due to age, and all the ladies-in-waiting assigned to Tortelette had been 'disposed of.'

Milcea Malvick's unpardonable sins would be carried to the afterlife by Sashes and Tortelette.

"…How is Leidis doing?"

"Yesterday, she regained consciousness and talked about various things. She cried, saying that she didn't have the qualifications to be a royal due to the scandal involving her maternal family."

That was not all. Leidis also confessed that the dragon attack during the hunting tournament was orchestrated by Milcea Malvick, but Sashes intentionally kept this information from Tortelette.

Tortelette harbors complex feelings of love and hate towards Leidis.

After the assault, Tortelette wanted to die, but the existence of Leidis kept her alive. However, she felt that she had been defiled along with her unborn child and struggled to love her own child. The fact that Leidis was taken away by Duke Malvick immediately after birth only intensified this feeling.

He didn't want to add more emotional burdens to her.

"…Leidis says she wants to pursue a career in theology. I think she's trying to take responsibility in her own way."

"That's so… I feel terribly sorry for her, being born to such a mother."

Tortelette's voice was hoarse. She might be crying on the other end of the communication device.

Pursuing theology means aspiring to become a priest in the Messianic faith. The Rosarian Holy Church, the state religion of Rosaria, is more tolerant than the old faith, but becoming a priest means living a life of prayer under strict rules.

"…Your Majesty, I am grateful that you spared us, who should have disappeared from the public eye on that day."

Milcea, for committing treason by having an affair with the queen, and Tortelette, for committing incest, should have been punished. In that case, Leidis would never have been born.

However, he did not spare Leidis to make her a priest.

Arcrain would become king, and Leidis would assist him. That was the dream Sashes had envisioned.

Sashes sighed deeply and closed his eyes.

He still couldn't judge what was right.

The only thing he could say was that he was a fool as both a father and a king. His attempt to equally help those he loved resulted in leaving various scars on all of them.

(At least, I hope Leidis changes her mind…)

No, it's pointless to think about it.

Sashes sighed deeply and closed his eyes.