Chapter 257: 257
Chapter 257 – Die Together (1)
The next day, everyone in the Crown Prince’s palace was confined to the place . Everyone had been excited by the prospect of Carlisle becoming emperor, but the mood had taken a sudden turn . Zenard, who had belatedly found out about the Empress’ soldiers, attempted to resolve the situation, but was faced with only threats when he tried to leave . His expression turned grave, and he murmured to himself .
“Where the hell is he?”
Carlisle and Elena had disappeared overnight . A maid had confirmed to him that they both went to see Sullivan, but there had been no news of them since . Furthermore, all the entrances to the Crown Prince’s palace were completely blocked, and no outside information was available . Zenard stared at Kuhn in frustration before opening his mouth to speak .
“How do we get out? We need to know where His Highness is . ”
“…It will be difficult . ”
Although Kuhn could move by stealth, there was no means of escape when soldiers surrounded the entirety of the grounds and watched every conceivable exit . Anyone leaving would become a pincushion of arrows from the archers stationed around the place . A deep frown crossed Zenard’s brow .
“Damn it . We may have no choice but to wait . ”
Without Carlisle to give them orders, it was impossible to conduct a counterassault, and the palace remained in a state of confusion . As they waited, however, they did not realize that Ophelia was slowly seizing control of the palace .
Outside, the death of Emperor Sullivan was officially announced to the empire . With his last will, Redfield’s succession to the throne was restored . The noble families allied with the emperor were deeply suspicious of sabotage, but without Carlisle, there was nothing they could do .
Ophelia planned to make Redfield emperor as soon as possible . The balance of power within the palace was changing rapidly .
Inside another room in the Imperial Palace .
Paveluc had not yet returned to the Duchy of Lunen after the tournament, choosing instead to remain in the capital . He had quickly learned what happened at the National Founding council, and knew that Carlisle was the final victor .
But in the space of one night…the victory was overturned .
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Carlisle and Elena had suddenly disappeared, and Redfield’s succession, which was once considered a dead hope, was revived .
‘…What an amusing turn of events . ’
His eyes gleamed brightly and a grin spread below his beard . The servant before him continued to relay his report .
“It is possible that Crown Prince Carlisle has fallen by the Empress’ hand . Batori may have more information, but the Crown Prince’s palace is completely blocked . ”
“Yes . Well, if the Empress still hasn’t released Carlisle’s body, it’s likely that she hasn’t confirmed his death for herself . ”
“Yes . I also have a request from the Empress that you provide support troops for her . How will you respond?”
“I refuse . Tell her that I only brought a few soldiers to the capital with me . That’s excuse enough . ”
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Although Ophelia was the dominant chess master in this game, it didn’t mean that Paveluc would bow so easily to her will .
“I expect that the Empress will elevate Redfield to the throne, but we must not relax until Carlisle’s body is found . ”
“I understand, My Lord . ”
“The balance is as delicate as walking a tightrope . One must be patient to find weakness, and one wrong move can irreparably ruin years of planning . ”
If Carlisle was indeed dead, then the soldiers in the Crown Prince’s palace were needed to suppress Ophelia’s power . On the other hand, if Carlisle was alive, then it was wisest for Paveluc to simply wait until the prince took down the Empress himself . In either case, Sullivan was still dead . That meant the throne was empty, and it was ripe for the taking .
“…My brother’s death has left me despondent . ”
The unexpected news of Sullivan’s death left had changed Paveluc’s mood . The servant looked up at him carefully .
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“Are you sad about the death of the Emperor, My Lord?”
“Of course . I wished to have killed him with my own hands, but he selfishly left this earth first . ”
The servant widened his eyes in surprise, but he soon blinked and quickly recovered .
Paveluc had never considered himself to be less than a ruler, but Sullivan was the first person to give him a taste of humiliation . Paveluc desired to prove himself by killing Sullivan before their father’s eyes . That would prove who the true emperor was . But now, all of his objects of resentment were all dead, and not by his hand . Paveluc held a deep regret for it, but fortunately he still had some victims to play with . Carlisle and Redfield both had their eyes on succeeding the throne .
“Yes…I hope that this terrible fighting is over as soon as possible . ”
Paveluc didn’t care who the winner was; he would grant them all a miserable death anyway . The time was drawing near for him to reveal his hidden ambitions .
Due to Sullivan’s unexpected death, Empress Ophelia, Archduke Paveluc, and Crown Prince Carlisle were all moving towards the throne in earnest . All their forces were anxiously searching for Elena and Carlisle for their own self-serving reasons .
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