The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 142

Chapter 142. Revenge (2)

A week later, a funeral for the former Crown Princess was held at Loren Palace in the imperial palace. Louid ordered that her funeral be conducted using Emilia’s cherished doll.

The priest presiding over the funeral, following his command, placed a small doll into the stone coffin where the deceased should have lain.

“Emilia, this is the only thing you left behind for me. Rest in peace.”

Louid muttered as he placed the wildflowers Emilia liked on top of the doll. There was no expression on his face.

A doll in place of her body.

Asher, attending the funeral, looked at the Emperor with a complicated expression.

The funeral of the former Crown Princess was originally supposed to be held at the Grand Temple, but Louid wanted it to be held quietly at Loren Palace, and only a few people who had been close to Emilia attended. Though small in scale, it was a beautiful funeral, with the entire interior of Loren Palace filled with flowers Emilia had liked.

“Do not announce the death of the former Crown Princess.”

After the funeral, Louid gave a strict order to those in attendance.

“Yes, understood.”

The place where Emilia’s coffin was enshrined was the imperial tomb located beneath Loren Palace. The late Emperor, the late Empress, and the Crown Prince who had died a few months ago were all there as well.

Since Loren Palace was within the imperial palace, he could come and see her whenever he wanted.

“Emilia, the late Emperor you liked is here as well. His Majesty will watch over you from there.”

When everyone had left and he was alone, Louid, standing before the coffin, muttered quietly. Only then did an expression return to his face.

“Emilia?”

After a moment, he looked around and called her name. It felt as if Emilia were alive and standing beside him. But only an empty echo rang through the dim underground tomb.

From the day the funeral was held, he went to Loren Palace every day.

“Emilia, it’s the Selgona wine you liked.”

He would sit in the chair before Emilia’s tomb, drinking and talking to himself.

“Don’t drink too much. It’s not good for your health.”

It felt as if Emilia’s voice was speaking to him, but he smiled and drank even her share. The sweet, slightly bitter taste lingering on his tongue made him think of her even more.

“Your Majesty, an unidentified body has been discovered on the mountain behind the rear gate. They say your dagger was embedded in the chest.”

A few days later, Alex came to Loren Palace to report. He had been searching the place where Jack said Della’s body had been discarded.

“That black mage.”

Louid’s face hardened. Now, everything that had happened that day was vividly clear before his eyes.

“Have Jack confirm the identity of the body.”

Jack had been sentenced to life imprisonment at the trial and was confined in prison.

“Yes, understood.”

“Emilia, I’ll avenge you.”

After Alex left, the corner of Louid’s lips lifted crookedly. He had confirmed Della’s death, and he had heard that the Marquess of Carrion, confined in the beast cage, was suffering horrible pain every day, begging to be killed instead.

He wanted to leave him in greater agony, but now it was time to avenge Emilia. Death must be repaid with death. That was his firm belief.

A few days later, he personally executed the Marquess of Carrion.

“Hang the bodies of the criminal Carrion and Della at the castle gates.”

“Yes!”

Louid ordered that the bodies of Della and the Marquess of Carrion be hung high at the castle gates. And Lina’s body, which had been hastily buried by servants of the marquess’s residence, was dug up and discarded in the field.

***

‘Emilia is dead?’

Ian was receiving reports of all the news in the Kingdom of Billiot. After taking the note sent by the spy he had planted in the imperial palace, his hands trembled as he burned with anger.

“To think he let Emilia die even though he was under black magic. He’s out of his mind.”

More than being discovered by Louid for colluding with the Marquess of Carrion, he found Emilia’s death far more regrettable.

‘Foolish woman. You should’ve answered back then. I gave you two chances.’

He had told Emilia, who was hiding inside the wall in the Crown Prince’s palace, to come out, and he had also sent a letter to Peric prison. But when she did not reply, he did not bother to rescue her.

He was originally someone who only cared about himself. He believed there was no need to save a woman who had no intention of coming to him.

But a moment later, his face twisted.

‘Even without a reply, I should’ve gone to get her. If she said she wouldn’t come, I could’ve dragged her by force and persuaded her slowly.’

If he had done that, she wouldn’t have died….

To think he would regret believing that if she didn’t take his hand, her death was unavoidable.

The selfish man lowered his head.

‘Did I really like her? No way….’

His aide, who had served him even when he was in the Richert Empire, tilted his head.

The Prince Ian he knew was someone who only loved himself. He was not someone who would love another or devote himself and make sacrifices. Watching his superior with confusion, he spoke with a worried expression.

“You must prepare for war, Your Highness. The Emperor of the Empire may attack.”

Now that it had been revealed that the prince had colluded with the Marquess of Carrion, there was no way the Emperor of the Richert Empire would remain still. Especially that war demon would not miss such a good justification. The Richert Empire and the Kingdom of Billiot had long sought opportunities to conquer each other.

“Do you think he’d wage war in winter? When spring comes, we’ll attack. Prepare sufficient provisions until then.”

Ian said indifferently as he lifted his head. If war were waged in the harsh winter, the attacking side would be at a disadvantage in every way compared to the defending side. Water and food would freeze, and soldiers and horses would often suffer frostbite. Unless he had lost his mind, Louid would not attack now. It was still winter, and it was also the mourning period for the late Crown Prince, making it an awkward time to start a war.

“Yes, understood.”

Wait, Louid Richert. I’ll show you what I’m capable of.

After the aide left, one corner of Ian’s lips curled upward with a vicious smile.

But contrary to his expectations, the Emperor of the Richert Empire did not wait for spring.

There was something he had overlooked. Louid Richert was originally a madman.

***

“Louid.”

Louid heard hallucinations every day. He now managed to eat a little and sometimes fell into a light sleep at dawn, but he could not escape the sound of Emilia’s voice that echoed through his daily life. But seeing her illusion and hearing her voice made him feel as if he were with her, so it actually brought him comfort.

“Why are you still not saying anything? The magic has been broken.”

Today as well, he spoke to Emilia’s illusion. But she gave no reply and only looked at him with a sorrowful expression.

“Prepare the army. We march to the Kingdom of Billiot.”

Then one day, he gave the order to Alex to mobilize.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Not long after he gave the order, Asher rushed into the office. His face was filled with shock.

“Your Majesty, it’s winter right now. A war would be too much.”

“If we delay, we’ll only strengthen the enemy. Now is the right time.”

Despite Asher’s attempt to dissuade him, Louid did not budge. Executing the Marquess of Carrion did not mean his revenge was over. Only by eliminating Ian as well could he avenge Emilia.

***

“Your Highness, the imperial army is advancing. They crossed the border a day ago.”

“What? In this winter? He’s insane.”

Ten days later, chaos erupted in the royal palace of Billiot. Contrary to expectations, the Richert imperial army had arrived right at their doorstep.

It wasn’t that they had made no preparations. The Kingdom of Billiot had stockpiled food for years and spied on the enemy in order to strike the empire. Ian had even volunteered to become a hostage to throw the empire into confusion. It was only unfortunate that they had been caught off guard, but they could still fight.

“Deploy all troops. I’ll command them myself.”

Ian gave the order with grim determination.

“Yes, understood.”

In the end, the Richert imperial army and the Billiot kingdom army faced each other before the walls surrounding the royal capital.

A frigid winter morning where each breath felt like it would freeze one’s lungs. Thick fog filled the front of the gates.

Thud, thud, thud, thud—

The sound of the imperial army’s horses shook the ground. It felt as if the walls themselves were trembling.

“It’s the imperial army. Hold the gates.”

Ian shouted from atop the walls. If the walls were breached, the royal palace of Billiot lay not far beyond, so they had to hold this position at all costs.

‘There are that many?’

He shouted with force, but his eyes wavered without focus. The sight of the imperial army, dressed in black uniforms and waving black flags as they surged forward like a swarm of clouds, looked like a mass of ants.

The wide field before the walls was completely covered by the swarm. At the very front, there was a man riding a black horse, charging forward at high speed. Clad in armor with a black cloak, his mere presence was overwhelming.

“Louid.”

Ian felt a chill run down his legs as he muttered the man’s name in a low voice.