The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 129

Chapter 129. Cruel Fate (4)

“Criminal Kyle Berthe has clear evidence against him, and Emilia Berthe was arrested at the scene. Both will be confined to Peric Prison. Carry it out immediately.”

Louid’s cold voice echoed through the courtroom. The nobles, who had expected him to deliver a sentence of execution, let out sighs of relief, while some felt disappointed. Those who were disappointed mostly had no particular feelings toward the Crown Princess but disliked Duke Berthe.

“Yes!”

The soldiers waiting in the courtroom answered.

“Y, Your Highness, I am innocent. This has nothing to do with me! Emilia planned everything on her own.”

“Take him away.”

The white-haired Duke Berthe pleaded, but the Crown Prince’s expression did not waver. The soldiers dragged the two of them out.

Louid stared intently at his wife as she was dragged away by the soldiers.

Like someone who had given up on everything, she was being dragged away without resistance, her arms held by the soldiers.

Seeing her so limp, doing nothing, anger rose inside him. But she had committed an unforgivable crime. He could not pity her, nor was she worth pitying.

William had been like a father to him and a pillar of support.

“Ha….”

Losing his brother was the same as losing the entire world. And yet he could not understand why he still felt drawn to Emilia.

“Your Highness! Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

From the corridor outside the courtroom, only Duke Berthe’s shouts continued to echo.

Louid cast one last glance at the door Emilia had exited through, then left the courtroom without hesitation.

“Your Highness!”

The Marquess of Carrion hurried after him and asked in a hushed voice, “Why did you not execute the criminals?”

“That’s none of your concern. All decisions are mine to make.”

Louid’s voice was sharp.

“Y, yes. You are correct, Your Highness.”

Startled, the Marquess of Carrion remained standing as he watched the Crown Prince’s retreating figure. A sense of unease crossed his mind, but he soon shook his head and formed a sinister smile.

Everything had turned out as he desired. Whether Louid married Lina as things were, or Ian attacked the empire and became Emperor, it did not matter. With Emilia eliminated, no matter who became Emperor, Lina would become Empress, and he would become the Emperor’s father-in-law, the one holding the greatest power.

***

“I will escort Her Highness to Peric Island myself. Please grant me permission, Your Highness.”

After arriving at the office, Louid listened to Alex’s report. After finishing, Alex knelt on one knee and made his request.

“Denied.”

“Your Highness!”

“Defend the capital and prepare for war. The Kingdom of Billiot is suspicious.”

It had been far past the time Asher, who had gone to offer condolences, should have returned, yet there was still no word that he had departed. The vice commander waiting at the border had received notice from the Kingdom of Billiot that the delegation would depart later.

There was no reason for the delegation to leave later than scheduled, and the fact that there had been no direct contact from Asher was suspicious.

The Serot poison was recorded as having been purchased by Duke Berthe from a traveling merchant, but the merchant had not been captured, and the place of origin of the poison was the Kingdom of Billiot.

Both nations were currently in a mourning period, and his body had not yet fully recovered from the effects of the poison. He also had to focus on the trial, so for now, he had sent a letter of protest to the Kingdom of Billiot through the border.

If it was confirmed that the Kingdom of Billiot was involved in the Emperor’s poisoning, war between the two nations might break out after the mourning period ended. There was no chance of losing the war, but if his condition did not recover, it could be prolonged.

“Yes, understood.”

Alex had no choice but to follow Louid’s orders.

He also thought that only when Asher returned could the matter of Her Highness be resolved. The only person who could change Louid’s mind was Count Asher.

***

A few days later.

At the far western edge of the empire, two carriages and a few soldiers quietly arrived at Peric Harbor. Considering they were escorting serious criminals, the number of soldiers was small.

“We’ve arrived. You need to get down.”

When the soldier who opened the carriage door spoke inside, a woman wrapped entirely in a robe took the soldier’s hand and stepped down.

“Where is Peric Island?” Emilia asked, her face pale.

“It’s over there. You can’t see it right now, but on a clear day, you can see it as small as a speck.”

So that’s where I’m going.

Emilia looked toward where the soldier pointed. Perhaps because of the fog, she couldn’t see anything. The dark sea stretched without a single light, waves rolling slightly, and at the deserted harbor, a strong wind blew hard enough to whip her hair. She looked up at the sky. Dark clouds filled it.

“Is there anywhere you want to go?”

It felt like Louid’s voice echoed faintly from far away.

“I… want to go to the sea.”

“I see. Then we’ll go someday.”

“Oh, really? That’s wonderful. Hehe.”

When they went together to the log cabin in the forest, Emilia had been delighted like a child.

“I’ve finally come to the sea. By myself,” she murmured quietly as she looked at the ocean.

Because of the waves, the island that was supposed to be no bigger than a speck was nowhere in sight. Still, just as the island remained in the same place even if it could not be seen, Emilia believed that one day his memories would return.

‘Will he be sad if I’m gone? Will he feel even a little pity?’

She wondered whether, once his memories returned, he would regret her absence, or be glad that he had gotten rid of Duke Berthe’s granddaughter.

He’s a strong person, so he’ll overcome everything and become a great ruler.

Louid was strong both physically and mentally. This was only a temporary affliction from black magic. He would soon recover and return to how he used to be.

Emilia felt her nose sting as she stared blankly at the distant sea.

“They say the waves will be worse tomorrow. It would be best to board the ship today.”

The soldier’s voice broke her thoughts.

“Understood.”

In truth, she wanted to board the ship as soon as possible. On the way to the harbor, she had stayed inside the carriage the entire time, except when attending to her physical needs.

Refusing the escort would not change the verdict, so she decided to accept the reality before her and adapt to it.

The group boarded the prisoner transport ship as light raindrops began to fall.

Emilia, her face hidden beneath a black robe, was helped onto the ship by the soldiers. Soon after, Duke Berthe, his face haggard, also boarded.

During the journey, he’d shouted inside the carriage and demanded they turn it around, but now he looked exhausted.

“Let me see my granddaughter. Even for a moment.”

“Just for a moment.”

Shortly after boarding, Duke Berthe’s voice was heard, and the two met on the swaying deck of the ship.

“Who ordered you? Tell me why you did that.”

After the soldier disappeared below the deck, Duke Berthe asked. She wanted to say that no one had ordered her, that she didn’t do it, but she couldn’t speak. Instead, Emilia brought up something else.

“Why did you lock me and my older brother in the tower?”

“…How do you know Damian?”

Duke Berthe’s gaze turned vicious. As if shocked that Emilia knew Damian, the corners of his eyes twitched intermittently.

“Because we’re blood-related siblings,” Emilia said as if it were obvious.

“Simon told you. I shouldn’t have left that bastard alive.”

The duke muttered as if spitting it out. Originally, when the children turned around five, he had planned to kill Simon, who knew the past, and send the children to an orphanage. But because of Simon’s desperate plea, he had left him alive until now, and that had become a grave mistake.

“Simon didn’t tell me.”

She protested, but the duke did not seem to believe her.

“Damian isn’t your older brother. He’s your younger brother. Because of you two, Dennis died. Because twins were born, our family was cursed.”

“That’s not right.”

“Even after ending up like this, you can still say that?”

The duke raised his voice. He glared at her with fierce eyes.

“It’s because of greed. If Your Grace hadn’t tried to kill innocent Louid for ten years, none of this would have happened.”

Emilia, for the first time, also lost her composure and shouted.

“You, you.”

Duke Berthe grabbed the back of his neck with the hand that had been pointing at her.

“Apologize to His Highness the Crown Prince and to Damian.”

Emilia shouted without shrinking. It was the first time she had raised her voice in front of the duke.

“It’s come to this. What use is that?”

“The heavens are listening, so apologize.”

She thought the duke would apologize, but he did not repent to the end. And a few days later, the news she heard was that Duke Berthe had suddenly died at dawn.