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chapter 24
Rosellina pressed inward while receiving Port’s sword, aiming to remove the mark on his shoulder. It was a mark given only to Delion’s senior knights.
She intended to tear it off with her teeth. That mark was produced in limited quantities each year, and if damaged, it required a reporting procedure.
“Dantes will recognize it. If Dantes misses it, Gunter, Cesario, Marco—you’ll see it for me.”
Rosellina believed alerting him to the danger was her top priority. Port’s sword was aimed at her thigh. If she couldn’t target a vital point, she intended to kill him through excessive bleeding. But just before Port’s blade cut into her flesh, a massive bird swooped in.
“What the—! Aah!”
The bird tore at Port’s brow and wreaked havoc around the prison. It retreated and attacked Port multiple times, pecking him so hard that the sword snapped in half. It was far stronger than any ordinary bird.
“What the hell is this!”
Port, bleeding profusely, swung his sword at the bird. But the bird, moving swiftly, dodged several strikes and eventually caused Port to fall on his butt. Then it grabbed Rosellina’s clothing in its beak and quickly flew away.
‘Even if it were a hawk, it shouldn’t be this big. It must be a different species… a hybrid?’
Seeing the bird disappear, Rosellina looked at Port. One eye, his brow, and his cheek were torn open. His face was drenched in blood, and he could barely keep his eyes open.
“Damn it! It stings!”
Port writhed in pain from the deep wounds. Perhaps something had been applied to the bird’s beak, he thought, as he howled in agony. Rosellina leaned against the wall and caught her breath.
“Why did you betray Dantes?”
She asked the same question again. Port rolled in pain, trying to speak.
“I… your question… Aah! My eyes burn! Feels like they’ll pop out!”
“……”
“Why would God help trash like you? You’ve made the young emperor blind with lust!”
“Watch your words.”
Rosellina’s eyes sharpened. She could endure insults toward herself, but not slanders against Dantes. Especially the worst word, “lust,” that could tarnish the emperor’s honor.
She tightened her grip on the sword. She could have cut Port’s heart out right then. That cold rage had risen in her chest.
Port, unable to see Rosellina’s changed expression clearly, thrashed and screamed.
“If only you die, everything will return to its place. If only you die!”
There was truth in that. If Rosellina hadn’t existed in the first place, Dantes wouldn’t have had to hear such meaningless words. Even Port, who had been so diligent, thought this way. Many senior knights might be misunderstanding as well.
Misunderstanding. The only word to express that emotion.
Rosellina realized how negatively her mere existence affected Dantes. Just being alive felt like it was tarnishing his honor.
She thought that if she died, everything might be better for Dantes. People like Port could remain loyal to Delion without wavering, and the flawless young emperor Dantes could strengthen the empire even more.
‘If only I were gone.’
She wondered if she should cut her own throat with the sword in her hand. Perhaps that was better. Once her body was found, and even Port ended up like this, Dantes would investigate thoroughly. Even without her telling, Port’s guilt would be revealed. With everyone else gone, perhaps now was the time for her to die.
“Port.”
“Don’t call my name! You filthy commoner! I’m ashamed I ever called you my senior!”
“If I die by my own hand…”
“What?”
“Could you throw my body to the pack of wild dogs? Leave not a single piece of flesh.”
“Don’t talk nonsense! What scheme is this?”
There was no scheme. Port squinted with his torn right eye, looking at Rosellina with only the left one open. She didn’t respond to his belittling. That wasn’t why she had bitten.
Her sword-hand touched her neck. One slash and it would be over. Rosellina’s face was resolute. Port looked at her as if he were seeing a true madwoman.
“Why… why are you doing this? What do you want? Who… who are you?”
“I ask for your body. It’s the last loyalty you can offer.”
“Who… who are you? Wait! Stop…!”
With a clink, Rosellina dropped the sword. Along with it fell the shuriken she had carried. She tried to grab the sword again, but the hand that had thrown the shuriken was faster.
“Pah… ugh!”
Port tried to speak, but his throat was instantly slashed. As if interrogation was unnecessary, a decisive gesture ended it. Dantes immediately approached and checked Rosellina’s wounds.
“Roberto, were you trying to die again? Do you hate coming back to me, being with Delion, more than death itself?”
Dantes spoke like a roar, supporting Rosellina, who had a dagger in her side. Had he not come quickly, she might have truly died.
He would lose her forever. He would never see those blue eyes again. Without having a proper conversation, harboring only resentment, and ending up killing him—it was unbearable.
She hated it. She hated it more than death itself.
Feeling her tension release, Rosellina sensed the pain flooding her body. She leaned on Dantes’ arm and spoke.
“There are some among the senior knights who want me eliminated. They’ve colluded with the enemy.”
“Is this the time to tell me this…!”
“Don’t call me doctor.”
Rosellina, who had been holding on with sheer willpower, lost consciousness after speaking those words. Dantes shouted her name as she collapsed.
“Roberto, snap out of it! Roberto…! Guards! Is there no one? Is there no one outside?!”
He shouted outward, but no one was there. He held the very light Roberto in his arms, feeling the thin armor she wore tightly against her chest.
‘Is she wearing this to stop the bleeding? Or for self-defense? Why is she wearing this?’
Dantes briefly questioned, but as long as it protected Roberto, it didn’t matter. The priority was her blood, now soaking his clothes. He had to stop it immediately. He ran quickly up the stairs.
The guards nearby tensed upon realizing the prisoner Roberto had escaped the underground prison. But seeing Dantes, covered in blood, they remained silent.
Roberto had emerged from the underground prison—in the emperor’s arms.
No one could speak. No one could intervene.
“Ugh… insane, insane people.”
Monterno crouched in the corner, covering his ears. Screams echoed from all directions, flames shot up in columns everywhere. If the hawks hadn’t surrounded him for protection, he might have fainted.
Gunter Butler was a madman. With one swing, two or three heads exploded. Marco struck swiftly at vital points, killing people with precision, and Cesario, as commander-in-chief, placed knights strategically.
They were clearly outnumbered. A group of just over a hundred had to take down four to five times their number. Yet they moved as if it were no big deal.
Gunter Butler, with his enormous frame, seemed to almost fly. Even the elite Terzes troops couldn’t compete; they were no match for him.
‘When His Majesty said he’d handle this quickly, he wasn’t joking. How long has it been since arriving here, and they’ve already decimated everything? What kind of tactic is this? Some kind of magic?’
Monterno trembled at the unprecedented combat ability. He had never seen people fight like this. The Aventurine family always guarded this area with skilled fighters, but none matched this level.
‘If Gunter Butler alone exists, our family will be annihilated. Then how good must His Majesty be at fighting? He wouldn’t kill me… right? And Roberto—how well does he fight?’
As he shivered in fear, someone grabbed Monterno’s shoulder.
“Ah!”
“What—!”
It was Marco Griffin. Marco wiped dust from his face and stared oddly at Monterno. The hawks recognized Marco as an ally and did not attack.
“This kid hasn’t fought at all, yet he’s the most exhausted.”
“Hey, Marco! Cesario has searched everywhere. Cleanup is complete. Let’s go!”
Monterno looked around. Their well-prepared hideout was in ruins. Except for five who needed interrogation, all others were dead. They were moving the bodies to the wooden-barred prison.
“Ugh.”
Monterno gagged at the sight. Marco frowned at the boy vomiting up breakfast.
“What a rookie.”
“No…”
Monterno tried to say no, but seeing Gunter wipe blood, he covered his mouth again.
“Ugh.”
“Is he vomiting because of me? My face?”
“Perhaps.”
Cesario shrugged, and Gunter snorted. Marco smirked and looked skyward.
“I wonder what happened to Dantes and Roberto?”
Cesario followed Marco’s gaze, then added reluctantly,
“They probably aren’t dead.”
Marco chuckled. From Monterno’s side came more commotion.
“Did you vomit at my face?!”
“No! I didn’t!”
“Then why keep retching?”
“Because… the smell of blood from Sir Butler—ugh!”
“Is that guy?”
Cesario started walking first.
“Take care of those fools.”
Marco didn’t reply and continued looking at the sky. The hawks guarding Monterno circled upward, forming a perfect ring.
As if everything had been cleaned up. Seeing them stop circling and head toward the Aventurine family, Marco lowered his gaze.
“Well, they probably aren’t dead. Let’s go see. Gunter! Let’s head back!”
At Marco’s command, Gunter carried Monterno upside down and ran. The boy screamed, adding to Marco’s laughter.
A acrid smoke shot into the sky before dispersing.
