Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 513

513

The Delusio baronial family had been a prominent pro-Imperial family for generations. It began with an ancestor who received a barony for saving the Emperor’s life by chance during an incognito visit. This was followed by the achievements of a descendant who dedicated his life to serving within the Imperial Palace, and the consistent loyalty of past heads of the family who faithfully continued in their footsteps.

Although the Empire was the largest and most prosperous on the continent, the Imperial family’s history, spanning over 400 years, wasn’t always stable. There were emperors who were pathetically weak and incompetent, and tyrants with cruel natures that defied humanity. It was common for the emperor’s favored prince to be less suitable as an heir than the prince supported by the aristocratic council, and sometimes the justifications of those who rebelled were legitimate.

Not all emperors were good to their people, and there were many instances of unfair treatment, such as harsh words or physical abuse. Some were unjustly dismissed or even died as a result of the emperor’s uncontrolled anger. But even then, the Delusio baronial family was always at the forefront of the pro-Imperial faction. They were even called the “Emperor’s dogs” for their blind loyalty, which disregarded any potential drawbacks. However, they didn’t consider the title an insult. Rather, they embraced it as a source of family pride and self-esteem.

Benjamin Yuba Delusio, the current head of the Delusio baronial family, believed he was continuing that lineage. He *thought* he was. The reason for the past tense is that he had recently become aware that his actions were far from those of a loyal servant of the Emperor.

He was a senior servant who assisted the Emperor directly. Servants of the Imperial Palace should never leak internal affairs to the outside. That was the most basic principle, to be strictly observed, no matter how trivial or insignificant the information might be. But recently, he had repeatedly informed others of the Emperor’s schedule. Furthermore, he had even conveyed the Emperor’s intentions and private conversations with his closest aides. This wasn’t a minor slip of the tongue, but a clear breach of confidentiality. If this were discovered, he would be beheaded, not merely dismissed.

However, even while committing such a treacherous act, he hadn’t given it much thought until now. He couldn’t even recall a proper reason why he had started doing such things. He had never harbored any dissatisfaction with the Imperial family, nor had he been threatened or persuaded. Thinking about it, he felt a strange, inexplicable sensation. *Then why am I doing this?*

“Baron Delusio?”

The voice startled him, and he raised his head. He saw the person sitting directly across from him. The man, with his neatly swept-back silver-gray hair resembling moonlight, had light golden eyes. His tall, well-built frame was perfectly complemented by the sharp black suit.

The man was the young Crown Prince of the Epen Kingdom across the sea. He had come to the Empire with his younger sister, the Princess, to see her off on her study abroad. Since Baron Delusio’s daughter had also applied to the same school as the Princess, they were staying at the baronial residence due to that connection. He was also the person to whom the Baron had been steadily passing on information about the Imperial family.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

“Yes?”

“You’ve been lost in thought for a while now.”

Under the Crown Prince’s steady gaze, Baron Delusio swallowed hard. The handsome Crown Prince had no unremarkable features, but his eyes were especially striking. When he looked into those mysteriously shining golden eyes, he wondered if this was what it was like for Trowel to gain insight into the abyss [Trowel is likely a character known for their deep understanding or perception]. Perhaps that was why, whenever he made eye contact with the Crown Prince, his mind seemed to go blank.

It was the same this time. He stared blankly at the Crown Prince. Meanwhile, his rising doubts gradually receded and disappeared completely. *I don’t know what useless thoughts I was having. Of course, I would do that for such a wonderful person as His Highness the Crown Prince.* Baron Delusio smiled, feeling no incongruity in his thoughts.

“I’m sorry. I must have been spacing out for a moment.”

The Crown Prince’s face lit up with a smile as he observed the Baron’s appearance.

“Now that I see it, you look fatigued. You seemed busy preparing for the banquet. Aren’t you overdoing it?”

“No, I’ve never been so happy as I have been lately.”

“I’m glad to hear that, but don’t overdo it.”

“I will. Thank you for your concern.”

The Baron’s face, as he replied humbly, no longer showed any signs of spacing out. The Crown Prince, having confirmed this, exchanged glances with the knight beside him. Baron Delusio couldn’t decipher the unspoken exchange in that gaze.

“Now, let’s continue. Did you bring what I ordered yesterday?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Here it is.”

The person waiting across from the Crown Prince stepped forward and carefully handed over the documents. The Crown Prince’s expression gradually darkened as he read through them. The surroundings fell silent, and for a while, the only sound was the turning of pages. The long silence ended when the Crown Prince, Luciel, threw the documents down as if discarding them.

“Is this all we’ve gained?”

“I have no excuse.”

“You haven’t even met the minimum quota. I expected some decrease since it’s a sensitive time, but this difference is too great.”

“I think I underestimated the Empire’s influence too much. The security has become so strict, even in the outskirts, that it’s not easy to find an opportunity.”

“The strong are difficult to handle, and the weak are not easy to obtain, so it’s frustrating in many ways.”

Luciel clicked his tongue and roughly swept back his hair. The air grew cold and tense, as if an explosion was imminent. In times like these, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone got hurt, so everyone’s faces were frozen with tension.

“Brother.”

But fortunately, this time, luck seemed to be on their side. At the sound of knocking on the door, a girl peeked her head in. The girl, wearing a dress resembling violets, had the same silver-gray hair and golden eyes as Luciel. She was Anais, the Princess of the Epen Kingdom and the reason for this journey to the Empire.

The tension that had been stretched taut snapped in an instant. Luciel, as the eldest son of the royal family and Crown Prince since birth, cherished his only younger sister. Unlike his own cold nature, he never got angry in front of his compassionate and kind-hearted sister, fearing he might upset her. In fact, no matter how angry he was, it seemed his anger would dissipate when he saw her. The King worried that this trait was unsuitable for a future emperor, but for the subordinates who were always nervous about offending their lord, the Princess’s existence was like welcome rain on dry land.

As expected, the coldness that had filled Luciel’s face gradually subsided. His distorted brow smoothed out, his fierce eyes calmed down, and eventually, a faint smile appeared on his face. It was also a signal to his subordinates that they were now in a safe zone.

“Come in, Anais.”

At the lightly given permission, Anais, who had been watching from the doorway, smiled brightly and stepped inside. Seeing her, Luciel shook his head with an exasperated expression.

“Oh, Baron, you were here too? I’m sorry for interrupting.”

“No, please don’t mind me and talk comfortably.”

Strictly speaking, it was the Baron’s office, but those present usually regarded Luciel as the de facto owner of the place. Even the Baron himself did. Anais, responding with a smile to the polite answer, exchanged light greetings with the knights in the room before turning to her older brother. Luciel, smiling faintly, said firmly:

“You can’t go out.”

“Tch, why do you always say that to me whenever you see me, Brother?”

“Because that’s always the only reason you come to find me.”

“When have I *always* done that? I’m sorry, but you’re wrong this time. I came to deliver a letter to you.”

“A letter?”

That was commonplace, so Luciel frowned slightly without realizing it. Since coming to the Empire and actively building connections, he received several letters a day. The letters were collected separately by the Baron’s butler and delivered in the evening. But the moment he saw the letter his sister was handing him, he understood why she had brought it herself. The envelope was stamped with the emblem of the red sun – the Imperial family’s crest. Luciel immediately opened the envelope and took out the contents. Anais, who watched him quickly read through the long sentences, asked about the sender she had already guessed.

“Did His Highness the Crown Prince send it?”

“Yes, he says he wants to have lunch together tomorrow. Get ready to enter the palace.”

“Am I going with you?”

The Imperial family’s invitations were sometimes personal, but the Imperial family members, knowing how much Luciel cherished his sister, usually invited the siblings together, especially the Crown Prince. Anais asked, knowing this. Luciel, sensing the reluctance in her tone, raised his head. Under his steady gaze, Anais pouted slightly.

“The Crown Prince is overwhelming.”

“…Anais.”

Luciel sighed lightly. He usually granted most of his sister’s requests, but even he couldn’t concede on this one.

“Haven’t I told you several times already? The Empire’s power is needed for our family to establish a proper foundation. It’s very fortunate for us that His Highness the Crown Prince has taken a liking to you.”

“But His Highness is already married.”

“He will be breaking off the engagement soon. There are no children between them, so there’s no need for you to be troubled.”

“Still, I’m uneasy. To be honest, I don’t trust the Crown Prince’s heart. He’s very kind now, but there’s no guarantee that someone who has already changed his mind once won’t do it again.”

“Changed his mind? You’re misunderstanding, Anais. His Highness the Crown Prince said that you are the only one he has fallen in love with. Are Imperial family marriages based on my will? Don’t attach great importance to arranged marriages.”

“Still, what if he falls in love with someone else later?”

“That will never happen.”

Where in the world can you be absolutely certain of something? It was a ridiculous answer, but Luciel’s expression was so firm that Anais couldn’t say anything more.

“More than that, I didn’t realize you were concerned about such things.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ahein Idris.”

At the name, Anais’s face twitched.

“Why are you suddenly bringing him up?”

“You can’t ignore the background of Minerva’s lover in the famous wind spiritist’s rise to fame [Minerva and Ahein are likely figures of renown in their world].”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Ahein and I are friends. I don’t have those feelings for him.”

“I wish I could believe those words.”

“Of course, you should believe them! It’s really not like that. Why do men and women have to be misunderstood like this just for being close? I just respect Ahein. He’s the one who saved me. He’s a contractor of the Spirit King, so he could be arrogant, but how humble is his character? It’s natural to feel human affection for such a person.”

“Yes, that’s exactly the kind of feeling that grows into love.”

“Ugh, really! I’m telling you it’s not!”

Anais glared at Luciel with a sullen face. Only then did Luciel stop teasing her and smile.

“Is our princess sulking?”

“I don’t know. You’re an idiot, Brother. I’m leaving now.”

“Go to bed early today. It would be good to wear the dress that His Highness the Crown Prince gave you last time when you enter the palace tomorrow. You’ll be more beautiful than anyone else.”

Anais had a lot to say, but she nodded in resignation. Luciel’s face remained gentle as he watched his sister leave, but that expression turned cold the moment she was gone. Tension filled the peaceful air again.

“How far has the ritual progressed?”

“We performed the ritual twice yesterday, but we haven’t been able to raise it to a satisfactory level.”

“As expected, those with thick heads are quite tenacious.”

“She’s unusually resilient.”

“I will observe today.”

As Luciel stood up, Baron Delusio, who had been standing still like a doll, moved towards the bookshelf on the wall. After touching a few devices, the bookshelf moved, revealing a hidden space. Removing the red carpet on the floor revealed a door leading to the basement. It was once a secret passage known only to the head of Delusio, but now it was Luciel and his retainers’ base of operations. They fearlessly descended the stairs.

The basement was a large cavern. Originally, it was a hideout and escape route designed to withstand months of hiding. Since becoming the head of the family, Baron Delusio hadn’t added any structures other than a food storage. But now there were many small items. The most noticeable change was the huge magic circle laid in the middle, with a person curled up inside.

The person, with her mouth gagged and her hands and feet tied, appeared to be a girl in her late teens. She was clearly not in good condition. Her clothes were close to rags, and her body was emaciated, as if she hadn’t eaten for days. Her hair was covered in filth, making it impossible to determine its original color. It was only possible to barely infer that it was pink through the sparsely revealed parts.

As the shuffling sound approached, the girl trembled. This sound only heralded the coming of a hellish time. A hand reached for the girl, who was breathing roughly, and forcibly pulled her up. She struggled, but the resistance was futile. The girl had to look at the person in front of her with her head forcibly raised. Luciel smiled languidly, staring intently at her tearful, terrified, light green eyes.

“Now, let’s see how long you last today?”