Chapter 388. Rashta’s Despair (1)
“How is Arian?”
“I did my best to treat her, but her condition remains critical because she was stabbed in the lungs.”
“You must save her.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Just in case, look for the mage Evely. I heard that girl has healing magic.”
“All right.”
Shortly after the palace doctor left, Sovieshu walked out of his office, followed by Marquis Karl and some knights.
Sovieshu went to a tower attached to the Imperial Palace.
Their steps echoed as they climbed the narrow spiral staircase.
“Good thing Your Majesty decided to keep an eye on Baron Lant.”
Marquis Karl spoke, relieved, but Sovieshu didn’t answer. Then Marquis Karl sighed and added,
“I didn’t expect that the maid Arian would try to help Rashta in the end.”
***
The third trade team reported via carrier pigeon that they had arrived in Rwibt and began trade negotiations.
With their arrival, all three teams that departed from different locations of the Western Empire and headed to different parts of Rwibt had completed the initial journey successfully and began trading.
The first and second trade teams had performed well, so unless there were any last minute surprises, the third trade team was expected to achieve similar success..
Kapmen closed his eyes, folded the letter and put it in his pocket. His aim to establish trade between the Wol Continent and the Hwa Continent advanced fast, like a sailboat with favorable winds.
‘But why does my heart feel so empty? Why isn’t my joy greater when others congratulate me? If I am honest with myself, it makes no sense for me to still wonder. I know the reason, but I can’t find a solution. Sometimes I think it would be better if I left, but the last time I walked away from Empress Navier, nothing changed. It only caused me more pain.’
After the incident at the wedding, Kapmen had learned what could happen if his pain grew too much. Recently, he even started to think that it would be better for Navier’s sake if he died.
Kapmen sighed, rose from his seat and walked to the large garden located in the outermost part of the Imperial Palace. He decided to distract himself with a walk outdoors.
[d.a.m.n. Who the h.e.l.l saved the Empress with ice magic?]
Kapmen’s footsteps stopped. He looked back with a stiff expression.
Unlike the main palace of Rwibt, which was strictly controlled, access to the main palace of the various countries of the Wol Continent was relatively free.
From what Kapmen had seen, although there were certain differences from country to country, generally the s.p.a.ces where important state affairs were dealt with and the residences of the ruling family were strictly guarded, while the large outdoor gardens were more accessible. The garden of the Western Empire’s Imperial Palace was like a large park that all kinds of people could access.
[Will the Empress’ child be a boy or a girl?]
[Is there any chance that Nian will leave Viscount Langdel for me…?]
[I hope that the Eastern Empire will be destroyed by internal conflicts…]
[Old Duke Zemensia has sunk, but he still acts with arrogance.]
Kapmen heard the inner voice of many people from all directions. It was hard to identify the person who wondered about the person who saved Empress Navier with ice magic.
Kapmen hurried out of the garden and went to speak with the detective who handled the case of the servant whose legs were frozen when he tried to approach the Empress Navier.
“I would like to meet with the detective on the case Empress Navier was involved in.”
Although he managed to meet with the detective, the man was reluctant to talk about the progress of the investigation.
“Grand Duke, I hope you are not offended. I am not at liberty to reveal the details of the case. You need approval from someone with authority to disclose this information.”
He was a distinguished guest, but no detective would want to show the progress of an investigation related to the Empress of the Western Empire, much less to a foreigner. But there was another reason, the detective didn’t want him to know that no progress had been made. It could be a dishonor to the Western Empire.
“I understand.”
Kapmen nodded calmly and left.
The detective was relieved. Although he flatly refused, he was secretly nervous because of Kapmen’s distinguished status.
However, the detective would not have been relieved if he had been able to read Kapmen’s mind.
‘Nothing has been found out.’
This was because Kapmen had already confirmed how far the investigation had progressed through his thoughts.
The servant still claimed that he accepted the money, but not with the intent to harm the Empress. He was merely interested in the money, but insisted he would never have accepted it if that person had shown bad intentions. The person who offered him the money had his face covered by the hood of his cloak, so he didn’t know who it was.
‘I think it would be better to meet personally with the servant…’
[Is it possible that he doesn’t know what happened?]
At that moment, it seemed to him that he heard the same voice he heard in the garden earlier, the voice that prompted him to consult with the detective.
The voice stopped at the same time Kapmen halted.
“I’m not sure. But it sounds like the same voice.”
Kapmen slowly turned around.
***
Sovieshu stopped at the top of the tower stairs before a ma.s.sive iron door, and knocked.
Soon after, the door opened from the inside and a woman peeked out and greeted him politely.
“Your Majesty.”
It was Delise.
She looked thin and emaciated, although she wasn’t ill. She spoke with her mouth unnaturally narrowed.
“You won’t suffer anymore.”
Sovieshu spoke to Delise sympathetically. He then signaled to one of the knights.
At the signal, the knight extended a bag in his hands to Delise. She was startled as she took the bag and checked the contents. It was filled with s.h.i.+ny gold coins.
When she looked at Sovieshu with wide eyes, he nodded.
“She can’t hurt you anymore. Go home now.”
Delise’s eyes twitched with excitement.
“Yes… Yes…”
Then Delise squeezed the bag between her hands and bowed in thanks with a complicated expression.
“Thank you. For saving me. For hiding me.”
Delise descended the tower with wobbly steps.
Once outside, Sovieshu tried to have a knight escort her, but she repeatedly refused and left by herself.
During her time in the tower, even when she took a walk around the area at dusk, an imperial knight was always by her side to protect her.
Although she was grateful, she also felt overwhelmed. She seemed to want to be alone to enjoy her freedom.
Sovieshu watched Delise’s back as she walked away and issued an order in a low voice.
“There is likely to be a commotion outside the Imperial Palace. It may be dangerous, so make sure she returns home safely, but follow her from a distance so as not to disturb her.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The knight, who was often tasked with escorting Delise, nodded and followed her discreetly.
Once the two had disappeared from his sight, Sovieshu returned to his office.
Marquis Karl, who remained silent all the way back to the office, asked him a question,
“Your Majesty, why did you leave Rashta’s escape to Duke Tuania? It is possible that Duke Tuania may try to harm her before the trial.”
“With Baron Lant present, Duke Tuania will not harm her, no matter how angry he is.”
“Still… wouldn’t it have been better to send Count Pirnu?”
“Duke Tuania is an idiot.”
“What?”
‘As idiotic as I am,’ Sovieshu answered only inwardly.
The temple would never invalidate his marriage to Rashta. Even if it did, it would be impossible to undo the divorce with Navier.
She became the Empress of the Western Empire and was pregnant with the successor of that country. There was no way for Navier to return to his side.
No matter how much he missed her, no matter how much he cared for her, no matter how much he cried and pleaded, not even if Navier changed her mind, she would never again be his wife.
The fact that Empress Navier remarried as soon as she got divorced astonished everyone, but if she were to leave her second husband to return to her first one, it would irreparably damage her reputation.
Even more so now that she was pregnant by the Emperor of the Western Empire.
He did not want Navier to suffer public ridicule for coming back to his side. Although sometimes he wished that Navier would come back no matter the consequences, he knew it was a delusion.
Duke Tuania was a lot like him. He lost his beloved wife due to his idiocy. Sovieshu became angry every time he saw Duke Tuania because he saw himself reflected in the Duke.
He left it up to Duke Tuania to catch Rashta because he wanted at least one of them to be able to feel better. There was no other reason.