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nChapter 3.

nTranslator: Gold

nArtizea once destroyed the Ava River embankment to frame Cedric.

nAt that time, Cedric was returning from controlling the situation on the western border of the empire by order of Emperor Gregor.

nThe emperor notified him through an imperial emissary to return the command and control of the commander-in-chief of the army and to hurry back to the capital alone.

nIt was then that Artizea destroyed the embankment.

nSeveral cities and villages were swept away.

nThe number of people directly affected was estimated to be only about 30,000 at most. The paddy fields were also damaged, but since this was a good harvest year, there was no danger that the whole country would be plunged into famine.

nIn any case, the most beneficial thing for him would have been to leave the Ava River and return to the capital under the emperor’s orders.

nBut Cedric did not. He chose to use the army to minimise the flood damage.

nHowever, since he did not return, but acted as commander-in-chief of the army, this aroused the suspicion of the Emperor.

nArtizea did this because she knew that Cedric was this kind of person. The same thing happened when Artizea discovered and blamed a village for being rebels in the territory of Grand Duke Evron, or when he devised a plan to get rid of Grand Duke Roygar, and even when the epidemic spread.

nEven knowing what might happen to him, in the end he always chose to save the people.

nThis cost him his position and he ended up becoming a fugitive.

n“Please have some tea.”

nThe butler spoke politely and gave Cedric an iron cup.

nThen he sat next to Artizea and he brought a cup of strong tea, full of sugar and milk, to her mouth.

nCedric sat down in front of Artizea, while he drank the tea. As if it was tea time.

nArtizea looked at him blankly, thinking of Licia’s will.

n「If you ever meet Cedric, please tell him that Licia lived and died without regrets.」

nDeep down, Licia did not want Artizea and Cedric to meet again, as that would mean that he was finally defeated and taken back to the capital.

nBut now the situation was exactly the opposite of what she thought at the time.

nToday, years later, Cedric and his forces were still alive.

nIt was Artizea who fell. Artizea was taken to Cedric’s camp and was now face to face with him.

nUnder these circumstances, Licia would have wanted her to convey the message.

nBut Artizea could not keep the promise she had made to Licia. Because she was not able to speak.

nCedric stood up when the butler finished pouring all the tea into Artizea’s mouth.

n“Let’s go out.”

n“…?”

nArtizea awoke from her thoughts and looked at him incredulously.

nCedric approached her and gently lifted her up.

nArtizea struggled to free himself from his grip, unlike with Venia. This time she was embarrassed.

nBut she couldn’t resist the strength of Cedric’s arms.

nHe picked her up in his arms and as he left the tent, knights in military uniforms rushed up to her.

nThe knights were all dirty from their constant running away.

n“Your Grace.”

n“Grand Duke.”

nWhere does he take the wicked woman?”

n“I have unfinished business.”

n“We will transport her.”

nThe knights held out their hands. Cedric turned to the side, avoiding their hands.

n“Do not speak of people as if they were objects.”

n“What is he saying? Your Grace is being too kind to the devil.”

n“Stay here. I’ll go alone.”

n“No way.”

nThe knights were scared.

n“The Marchioness Rosan, she has no arms or legs, she could not harm me.”

n“You can’t be so sure of that!”

n“That witch is capable of causing a disaster with her tongue alone.”

n“Unfortunately, the Marchioness Rosan doesn’t have a tongue either.”

nSaid Cedric, clicking his tongue.

nHe strode across the military camp. Then he mounted Artizea on the horse and he climbed behind.

nBecause she did not have her limbs intact, he could not ride her in the back, so this was the easiest way to carry her.

nArtizea shuddered. She’s never been this close to a man before.

nThe heat from her chest against her back caused her body temperature to rise.

nCedric rode out of the camp.

nIt was drizzling.

nLooking at the mountains and the streams, Artizea realized that this was the Barquee region belonging to the Grand Duke Roygar.

nBarquee was the granary of the eastern part of the Empire.

nIt could not be compared with the vast plains of the western, but the abundance of water and the mild climate, allowed all kinds of cereals and fruits to be grown here.

nThe best wine in the Empire was also produced here.

nBut now there was no trace of it left.

nSmoke rose from the charred ground. While he was riding she could only see the remains of houses.

nThere were corpses everywhere, the vast majority being the bodies of men.

nThe city was also destroyed.

nOnly the rubble of the walls remained, and the survivors, crouched beneath the walls of their destroyed homes, looked up at the two of them with a glint in their eyes.

nArtizea stared at the scene in a daze, not understanding what had happened.

nWhat had happened while she was in prison.

nThere should have been no war in Barquee.

n“This happened because a native of Barquee was found to have planned an assassination attempt against Lawrence with the Grand Duke Roygar 12 years ago.”

nArtizea was breathless, his heartbeat accelerated.

nThis was an unnecessary massacre.

nLawrence was already emperor and had the imperial army at his disposal.

nThe imperial power was solid and stronger than ever. It was Artizea who made this possible.

nLawrence had to keep himself clean. So such things had always been Artizea’s responsibility.

nThat was the task Milera imposed on Artizea and she faithfully carried out her duty.

nSo now, without her, Lawrence could have become the perfect emperor.

nDo you find that surprising and shocking? This is what you used to do too, Marchioness Rosan.”

nCedric said quietly.

n“This was either necessary or unnecessary. I know that’s what you think to execute your schemes. Perhaps this is something that Lawrence considered necessary.”

n“…”

n“Or do you believe, Marchioness Rosan, that your judgment is absolute and Lawrence’s is not?”

nArtizea was speechless.

n“If so, no wonder you’ve been expelled.”

nCedric said, with a change in his tone.

n***

nThen Cedric formed a small, separate troop and moved from place to place. Artizea was taken on the butler’s horse and moved with the small troop.

nThere were many other places that had suffered a terrible fate.

nNo one took care of the plagues of locusts, the aftermath of the civil wars, or the restoration of the embankments.

nNor did the granary exist.

nEvery road was overflowing with wandering people and infested with contagious diseases. Carcasses that had not been collected were scattered everywhere.

nThe politics of the empire were not just a disaster in the last year or two.

nEmperor Gregor was self-centered and selfish, a man who put his authority ahead of the lives of his people.

nThe struggle for succession ended up ruining the country, Artizea took the initiative to make that happen.

nArtizea thought that once Lawrence became emperor, he would be able to restore the empire.

nThere was hope for the Empire when Licia was Empress.

nEven after her death, there was an effort on Artizea’s part to do something to change the situation while she was at Lawrence’s side.

nBut now the imperial family seemed to have abandoned everything.

nArtizea had already understood what Cedric was trying to tell her.

nInstead of condemning her with his mouth as Venia did, he seemed to want to show her the consequences of what she had done.

n“Miraila is dead. I heard that she was still scolding Lawrence on the subject of women.”

nThe day they arrived at the village of the rebels on the other side of the northern ridge, he broke the news.

nArtizea was too exhausted to be surprised by the news.

nIn the village of the rebels, only the graves remained, with thousands of shadows cast by the wooden crosses.

nThis village was not really a rebel village.

nIt was the place where people fled when Emperor Gregor killed Cedric’s parents, accusing them of treason.

nLater, the truth came out and the empire recognised it. The wanted list of those who fled was also lifted.

nStill, they did not leave the village where they lived, trusting and supporting each other.

nLicia was also from this village, and Venia’s family also lived in hiding here.

nCedric, who had no other blood relatives, found comfort among the villagers.

nArtizea knew this.

nThis was a terrible thing.

nArtizea had just learned about the construction of these tombs.

n‘Did Cedric make all these tombs himself? Did he bring me here with the intention of making me reflect?’

nArtizea thought.

nAfter standing silently for a long time on the hill overlooking the whole village, Cedric took her back to the military camp with him.

n“I don’t think you ever imagined that Lawrence would end up like this, Marchioness Rosan.”

n“…”

n“I knew he was very bad and perverse. But if I had started fighting for the throne, I was convinced that defeat would have been worse than death.”

nArtizea was anxious about another matter.

n‘Why doesn’t he ask about Licia? Why doesn’t he ask how the Saintess died, who tried to protect him at all costs?’

nSo much so that Miraila was killed because of the women’s issue. Cedric should know by now how Lawrence treated women.

nTherefore, it would be logical that he blame Artizea for taking Licia away from him and forcing her to marry Lawrence.

nBut he didn’t. His stiff face looked like a public statue erected in a town square.

n“But I did not expect to see such tyranny. Why the hell is he doing this? Now that the Crates Empire belongs to him. Has he no desire to protect his people, to save and make this place great?”

nIn any case, Artizea could not answer because she had no tongue.

nShe looked down. She just wanted to know. Why was Lawrence like that?

n“Devise a plan.”

nThen she raised her head in astonishment at Cedric’s words.

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