Chapter 239
‘Idiot.’
An idiot. A truly foolish man, dull and slow-witted. That was what Rufus thought.
The King had thrown a sword at the Crown Prince in front of everyone. Even if he didn’t truly intend to kill him, it was still an unforgivable act.
‘I wish he had drawn his sword on the spot and charged at the King… pretending to be righteous for nothing.’
He meant it. Rufus truly wished that Crown Prince Viren had rebelled against the King who had aimed a blade at him. If that had happened, things could have ended far more easily.
Rufus had deliberately provoked the Crown Prince by bringing up the people. And he made the Crown Prince defy the King’s will.
The King was a stubborn old man who refused to bend for anything. He didn’t forgive anyone who opposed his will. Not even his own son, the Crown Prince. And just as Rufus expected, the King had flown into a rage at Crown Prince Viren, who defended Rufus instead of siding with him.
The problem was what came afterward.
Rufus had waited for the Crown Prince to rebel against the King who had thrown a sword at him in anger. He expected him to resist the King, who kept his eyes shut and ears closed while talking endlessly about the royal family’s honor.
But that never happened.
The Crown Prince simply froze in place, unsure what to do, and offered no resistance toward the King.
‘Useless.’
No, perhaps it had been predictable from the beginning. Unlike Prince Camus, who was excessively hostile, or Prince Tarek, who had a vicious temper, Crown Prince Viren was gentle and benevolent. If such a Crown Prince suddenly changed like a different person and charged at the King with a sword, that would have been stranger.
It would have been wonderful if the Crown Prince had rushed the King and one of them had died right there, but it seemed the expectation itself had been unreasonable.
‘Well, it doesn’t matter anyway.’
He had plenty of methods in his arsenal.
Rufus glanced once more in the direction where the Crown Prince had disappeared.
What would the Crown Prince think now that he had returned to his palace? What action would he take?
‘It’s obvious.’
Just as he visited the grave of the Queen who passed away after the funeral of Prince Camus and Prince Tarek, he would once again seek the traces of his mother.
For example… the Queen Echinacea’s magic sword.
When that thought crossed his mind, Rufus unknowingly formed a cold smile.
I’m looking forward to it.
I’m truly looking forward to what will happen next.
Rufus had no intention of allowing the remaining royals, whether the King or the Crown Prince, to close their eyes for good.
He would make them suffer as much as possible. He would make them despise the fact that they had ever lived before finally taking their lives.
Until their very last breath, he would drive them to struggle helplessly and taste the worst despair a human could experience.
He would make them die while painfully realizing that even if they beat their own chests until their ribs shattered in regret, nothing would change.
That was how it had to be.
Only then would he be able to hold Sarubia’s hand and close his eyes without any guilt.
Rufus headed straight to where Sarubia was staying. Because he had suddenly been summoned by the King, she was probably very worried.
“Rufus!”
Just as expected. The moment he opened the door, Sarubia rushed toward him. Her movement made it seem as if she had been waiting right by the door for him to return.
“What happened? Why were you summoned by His Majesty the King?”
“It was nothing.”
Rufus comforted her while stroking the head of Sarubia, who had buried herself in his arms.
“What do you mean nothing? What exactly happened?”
“His Majesty the King seemed very angry.”
“What? That’s not nothing!”
“It’s alright.”
Unlike Sarubia, whose face was filled with worry, Rufus remained calm. Patting her on the back, he guided her toward the sofa by the window.
“What made His Majesty the King so angry?”
Sarubia clung to Rufus and asked again.
“I told you it was nothing.”
“Don’t try to keep everything to yourself, Rufus. Tell me too. Does something bad happen if we worry about it together?”
Sarubia grabbed Rufus’s arm and shook her body back and forth. Seeing that, it seemed difficult to brush the matter aside.
Rufus stood up from his seat and removed his outer coat, placing it over Sarubia’s knees.
“It’s quite cold, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s already December.”
Nodding at Sarubia’s answer, Rufus walked toward the fireplace. Inside the fireplace, which bore the markings of a magic circle, firewood crackled as it burned.
Rufus picked up a piece of wood stacked beside it and tossed it into the fire. Thud, a small sound of impact. The log that fell inside was immediately engulfed in flames and began burning fiercely.
Rufus’s pale face flushed red in the rising firelight.
“As winter deepens, more and more people are suffering from malnutrition. Did you know?”
“Yes, I know.”
“How did you know?”
“I try to keep track of how the country is doing, at least a little.”
“I see.”
Here in this world, there’s one certain man who lives without making even that effort.
Swallowing that sharp remark, Rufus stared silently into the fireplace.
The temperature rose in an instant due to the magic flowing from the magic circle. The flames flicked their crimson tongues as they devoured the log without restraint.
It didn’t take long for the richly colored log to burn away and turn into a dark pile of ash. At the same time, a wave of heat spread through the room.
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