Chapter 31

"It was me who watered it...!"

Gesta's servant, looking extremely aggrieved, tried to rise with tears welling up in his eyes, but several men who had been standing behind Latil quickly stepped forward, drew their swords, and pointed them at his neck, forcing him to bow down again. Seeing this, Gesta sighed first and answered obediently.

"I will step down, Your Majesty."

Klein gritted his teeth but also nodded in agreement.

"I understand."

However, neither of them looked pleased. It was obvious that they would find some pretext to fight again later. Latil shook his head and left the two of them, walking out. Perhaps he had the same thought. As he walked out of the harem, one of the men asked worriedly.

"Those two. They will probably keep fighting, won't they? Will it be alright?"

"Oh, it's fine."

"If you're worried, I can assign two knights to watch over Klein and Gesta. They can be your eyes, Your Majesty."

"It's a good idea, but it's really fine."

The man looked at Latil with a puzzled expression, wondering why he insisted on saying it was fine when there were ways to ensure peace.

'Even though it's a headache, there's no need for peace.'

The quarrel between the two would be a headache for a few days, but once order was established among the concubines, it would be Latil's turn to pressure the nobles to draft national letters. Latil answered honestly in his mind but maintained a frowning expression outwardly. Upon returning to the main palace, Latil asked the head servant, who had stayed behind to wait for her, as he was dealing with the assassin.

"Count Sablé. The criminal who confessed to being the emperor's assassin, is he safe?"

"Yes. He managed to escape from the prison and is on the run."

"Seeing him run as soon as the path was cleared, it's clear he didn't want to die. It wasn't a real confession after all."

"Oh! So that's why you let him go?"

"That's one reason. There are others. Where is he now?"

"He's not moving very fast, so he hasn't gone far yet."

"Right. Follow him loosely, and catch him again when he's about to leave the capital. No matter what time it is, bring him back to the prison and then inform me."

Latil gave the instructions and, pulling the heavy cloak with one hand, the head servant looked at him admiringly and praised him.

"Your Majesty, there was something the late emperor always said about you. It seems to be true."

"Your father? About me? What did he say?"

"He said that you would do anything to get what you want."

"…Is that a compliment?"

"He said it with a smile, so it's a compliment."

But why doesn't it sound like one? Latil groaned and furrowed his brow, and Seunghoon, standing beside him, burst into a small laugh.

* * * Latil suddenly felt a very pleasant fragrance. He didn't know what perfume it was, but it was a very good scent. Soft, sweet, and slightly sensual. Latil slowly inhaled the fragrance.

'Good. I wonder what the name of the perfume is.'

Thinking that it was a scent he would always want to smell, someone's cold hand brushed past his ear, making him ticklish and shiver, and he burst into laughter, tossing and turning.

'Which concubine is it?'

Then Latil realized. He had gone to bed alone today in his own bedroom. There was no one who would make such a gesture.

"!"

As soon as he made the judgment, Latil opened his eyes and sat up, drawing the sword he had placed beside him.

'No one?'

But there was no one in the room. Latil looked at the window just in case. It was open, but Latil himself had opened it. Latil approached the window and looked down. It was a long way down. The structure made it impossible to enter or exit through the window. Latil raised his hand and brushed his ear.

'Then what was that? A dream?'

The touch on his ear was still vivid in his memory. Was it a dream? Feeling puzzled, he returned to the bed, but the feeling was still strange. Finally, Latil got out of bed again and, this time with his sword, slowly approached the door and opened it. The maids, who had been waiting outside, were startled and let out small screams.

"Is Your Majesty alright?"

"Your Majesty, the sword...!"

"Should I call the guards?"

The head servant came closer and asked.

"Your Majesty, are you looking for something?"

Latil quickly scanned the area outside the bedroom and, confirming that there was no one besides the maids and guards, lowered the tip of his sword slightly.

"Did anyone come in?"

Still, just in case, he asked, and the head servant, looking puzzled, replied.

"What? No, only us."

"...I see."

Latil turned, feeling uneasy. Was it really a dream? At that moment, someone knocked on the parlor door. Latil signaled that it was fine to open it, and one of the maids quickly opened the door.

"Your Majesty."

The person who knocked was the head servant.

"The assassin has been recaptured and put back in prison."

Latil glanced at the clock. It was one in the morning. Normally, it would be time to sleep. But sleep was already gone.

"Get me some clothes."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Latil instructed the maid to bring clothes and then told the head servant.

"I'm going there now. Let's go."

Usually, Latil's work attire emphasized mobility, but today he dressed even more lightly and headed straight to the prison. As Latil entered the underground prison, two guards illuminated the path on either side. Perhaps they were happy to finally solve the case of the late emperor's assassination. Latil felt that they were both worried and excited about the situation. However, Latil, who had given the order, felt a bit dazed. How long had it been since he heard that someone had taken advantage of the confusion to visit the prison?

"Your Majesty? Does your ear hurt?"

"What?"

"You keep touching your ear..."

"Oh. No, it's fine."

Only after Seunghoon's question did Latil realize that he had been unconsciously touching the spot where the cold hand had brushed him in his sleep. His mind kept wandering. It seems he had subconsciously recalled that incident.

'Was I having a nightmare?'

Normally, even a trained person couldn't leave the room in a few seconds. So it must have been empty...

'Just in case, I'll close the window from now on when I sleep.'

Meanwhile, the group had arrived at the underground second floor prison where the prisoner was being held. The criminal was captured in the same place and in the same condition as yesterday. Latil looked down at him. The captured criminal looked bewildered, still not believing that he had been so easily recaptured.

"Did you have a good trip?"

As Latil bent slightly and made eye contact with a smile, the criminal's expression twisted.

"You don't think..."

"Yeah, I let you go on purpose."

"!"

"You left right away?"

The criminal, who hadn't expected it, made a strange sound, as if his breath had been squeezed and then released. He looked quite aggrieved. It was quite amusing.

"Why did you confess to a crime you didn't commit?"

Latil clicked his tongue and scolded him, and the assassin bit his lower lip.

"I already know you're not the real culprit. Reason one: You ran away when you had the chance, even though you 'confessed.' Reason two: Your escape skills are terrible. Reason three: Your martial arts skills are poor for an emperor's assassin. And there are other character issues I won't mention."

As Latil listed the reasons, the assassin looked at him with a face that seemed to have lost half its soul. Latil, with his hands in his pockets, approached and looked down at him, making a suggestion.

"Why did you confess to someone else's crime? Start with that."

"..."

"I don't like seeing blood, sir. Speak honestly. Were you coerced into confessing? If so, I can help you."

Latil asked with a kind smile, similar to the one he showed before executing Prince Tella. The head servant and Seunghoon, the captain of the knights, avoided his gaze, having seen what followed that smile before. But the assassin, unaware, trembled and looked up at Latil. Latil tried to look as benevolent as possible. Finally, after a long hesitation, the assassin slowly spoke.

"Tella-"

However, before he could finish, he tilted his head back and spat out a large amount of blood. Normally, when someone spits blood, it falls downward, but the blood he spat out shot upward like a fountain, staining the ceiling before falling to the floor. Shouts of surprise erupted from all around.

"Your Majesty!"

Seunghoon quickly spread his coat to cover Latil. The blood fountain didn't last long. After creating a bizarre scene, the man shivered as if he had drained all the blood from his body, and finally convulsed with a mouthful of bloody foam. Latil, frowning, approached the criminal. The knights tried to stop him, but Latil waved them off and approached the criminal directly. The assassin's eyes were completely rolled back, and a strange gurgling sound came from his throat.

"Lord... Lord... Worship the Lord..."

Even with a mouth full of bloody foam, the fake assassin muttered these words before finally dying, his head tilting back.

"Cursed, cursed!"

One of the knights shouted in fear. The other knights, though silent, seemed to share the same sentiment. Some were silently praying.

"Call a priest. Don't touch the body, just in case."

Latil, looking down at the dead assassin, gave the order. As the knights dispersed, Seunghoon, who had been holding his blood-soaked coat, asked.

"Your Majesty, you should wash up, just in case."

* * * When Latil appeared, covered in blood, the maids were in a panic. Still, Latil was in a better state compared to the head servant and other knights, who were in even worse condition. Especially Seunghoon, who had given his coat to Latil, was so red that it was frightening. The maids and servants, with stern faces, examined him, and Seunghoon, feeling embarrassed, smiled and bid farewell to Latil.

"Rest well, Your Majesty. I'll take my leave now."

"Sir Seunghoon. Wait a moment."

But Latil stopped Seunghoon, who was about to leave.

"Yes, what is it?"

Seunghoon, puzzled, turned his head. Latil pointed to his room with his finger.

"Go wash up."

"!"

"What are you going to do in that state? You'll be arrested as soon as you go out."

Latil said with a smile, and Seunghoon, glancing at his blood-soaked coat, nodded reluctantly and entered the room.

"Your Majesty, please wash up first."

"I'm not that dirty. I should wash, but it's more for my mood. You go first."

Latil waved his hand toward the bathroom, and Seunghoon hesitated again, unsure if it was appropriate. However, as the blood from Seunghoon's body dripped onto the carpet, the maids' expressions darkened, so Seunghoon couldn't hesitate any longer and quickly entered the bathroom. Meanwhile, Latil, sitting in an armchair, replayed the words the criminal had said before dying. Tella... Lord. Why did the criminal mention Tella's name before dying? Could the criminal be Tella? What are the chances?

'No way.'

Latil considered the possibility that Tella was alive and had cast this curse but shook his head. It's impossible. He was beheaded.

'Ah! Could it be that Tella's supporters assassinated the late emperor?'

This seemed the most likely scenario for now.

'Right. Perhaps this whole confession was staged by Tella's supporters. They can't accept me as emperor.'

This was also a strong possibility. Latil clenched his teeth, feeling a chill. He was a truly annoying half-brother, both in life and in death. At that moment, the bathroom door clicked open.

"Are you done?"

So now it's my turn to wash up? Latil, without much thought, turned his head and, startled, jumped out of bed. Seunghoon was standing there, barely covered with a towel around his waist, hesitating.

"Why are you coming out naked!"

The unspoken accusation of "Are you crazy?" was clear in Latil's tone. Seunghoon, trying to appear calm, spoke in a low voice.

"I don't have any clothes to change into."

But despite his calm voice, his ears and neck were red.

"Oh."

Latil then realized his mistake. In his haste to bring the blood-soaked Seunghoon inside, he had forgotten to provide clean clothes.