I Abandoned the Male Lead Who Cheated with the Villainess - Chapter 172

Emotions make people foolish. The Pope looked at Arnold, still obsessed with keeping the throne and blaming others, even his own son, with a sense of affection. The more Arnold’s mind clouded, the more everything turned in the Pope’s favor.

— Bring the owner of the basement.

— What—what did you say? But that is…!

— It’s fine. The owner of the basement already knows how tight the leash around his neck is. He wouldn’t dare harm you. No, he wouldn’t even dare to have his own thoughts.

— Right. I made him a fool…

— When he dares to turn his claws outward, that will be your most reliable shield. So, congratulations, Your Majesty. You’ve tamed the wildest claws.

How could Arnold resist the sweet whispers of the Pope, with not a hint of bitterness? He was the perfect puppet for the Pope.

For the last three years, Herix had been harshly trained under the Pope’s orders.

— Make Prince Herix kill Crown Prince Aiden. And tell the people of the Empire this: ‘The audacity of the prince to wish to become the Crown Prince, disturbing my will and assassinating Aiden in front of me.’

— And then… can I kill Herix too?

— No. You must crown Herix as the Crown Prince.

Arnold’s eyes trembled at the unexpected words. He couldn’t make sense of it. He, who had locked his own son in the basement out of fear that he might kill him and claim the rightful inheritance, was now being told by the Pope to support Herix.

Arnold’s throat let out a suppressed groan as the Pope continued.

— Perhaps it’s good to show a bit of fear. It will invite ridicule, but you’ll be able to blame the bloody massacre on Herix, as you did not heed my advice. You’ll need to clean up the mess, won’t you?

After that, he was advised to use Herix’s death as a timely event.

Thus, the plan for Aiden’s assassination was set in motion through Herix.

‘The servants will soon rush here.’

Arnold’s prediction proved correct.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

Outside, the servant, too flustered to knock on the door, yelled anxiously.

“It’s… it’s a big problem! A big problem, Your Majesty! This is something you absolutely must know, Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

The voice, tinged with panic, echoed. The servant seemed to speak like someone on the verge of a breakdown, and perhaps, by the heavens’ favor, the door opened shortly after.

Arnold appeared to be suppressing something, looking as though he was suffering or ill, but in truth, he was not.

“The prince… the crown prince… has—”

Arnold was gripping his fist tightly, hidden beneath the loose sleeves of his robe. Without doing so, he wouldn’t have been able to hold himself together.

“What are you saying?”

His voice trembled thinly. So, Arnold gripped his fist even harder. Perhaps it was the added tension that caused the servant’s face to fill with sadness and shock.

The servant was clearly misinterpreting Arnold’s emotions. The more he misunderstood, the harder Arnold clenched his fist.

“The prince… he… he killed the Crown Prince… !”

Ah, holding back a laugh was truly a difficult thing.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The sound of birds chirping brought a warm and peaceful feeling. The ground beneath him felt soft, almost as if it wasn’t the ground at all. There was a faint smell of soft fabric, dried in the sunlight.

‘How did I… fall asleep?’

Aiden paused to think, but that thought didn’t last long.

‘No, my bedding can’t be this soft.’

For the past three years, Aiden had been living a life unbefitting of a crown prince. His attendants were replaced, and soon filled with Arnold’s men. Afterward, it was nothing but neglect and ridicule.

‘Besides, my body feels so light.’

He had secretly tried to uncover why his younger brother was locked away in the basement, hiding from the eyes of the attendants. In his search, he had become a mess. He had dismantled the wards set by several court wizards and threw himself into countless traps and curses.

As a result, there was no part of his body that was unharmed, and getting up every morning had been a struggle. But not now.

‘Right, I’m sure… I was doing this to save Herix…’

Aiden’s thoughts, which had been calm, suddenly solidified. He realized what was happening—why he was lying there, eyes closed. What had happened just moments ago.

‘But Herix… he…’

Herix had come. After three long years of not visiting him, Aiden had thought his younger brother had come to see him first.

He had wanted to say that he missed him. He had wanted to tell him that he could now break the curse, using the orb that he had finally obtained, the one that held the sleeping Novnie’s essence.

But for Aiden, Herix…

‘Pointed a sword at me.’

Like ripples spreading across a calm lake, the afterimage of that moment flooded his mind. His younger brother had struck at him with a sword, drawing a long line through the air.

Aiden, who had excelled in swordsmanship himself, could not fail to recognize that Herix had attacked him with no intention of killing, but in a detached, emotionless way.