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Chapter 18
The newly awakened Lian startled and asked Rowen in a panic.
“Lord Rowengrin, have you been up all night? You still have to ride all day today… Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
“Good to hear— …pardon?”
He paused mid-response.
Lian looked at Rowen with trembling eyes, sensing the change in his tone.
Those light green eyes, which had once been warm, were now cold and emotionless.
Lian swallowed hard and asked,
“Have… your memories returned?”
“Yes. Damn that Arsen.”
“Pardon? Did the 2nd Prince plot something?”
Lian jumped in shock.
Rowen ignored him and mounted his horse in one smooth motion.
“Ah! Wait—ugh!”
Lian scrambled to get on his horse, almost slipping and falling, but managed to regain his balance and follow him.
Now that Rowen had regained his memories, there was nothing holding him back.
He wanted to return to the imperial palace as soon as possible, kill Arsen, and bring Juhee to his side.
Arsen always wore an inferiority-stricken expression and constantly tried to undermine him. It had been amusing to simply laugh at him before.
But then, while he had been momentarily careless, something like this had happened.
“Well… it wasn’t all bad.”
Because of Arsen’s interference, Rowen had been able to meet Juhee.
That was the only thing he liked about it.
Still, he decided it would be better to clean things up.
After bringing Juhee later, it would be unpleasant if Arsen even spoke to her.
He would first clean everything around him, then order an entire palace renovation.
‘Maybe… a room next to mine would be best?’
She could stay next door at first, and once she got used to the palace, she could be moved later.
In Rowen’s mind, there was no possibility that Juhee would refuse.
“Ah, this is exhausting.”
Thanks to riding all day, Lian’s whole body ached.
However, they arrived at the capital much earlier than expected.
But something felt wrong.
“…Your Highness, why are there black flags hanging everywhere?”
“…”
The feeling was not good.
Rowen and Lian hurried their horses toward the imperial palace.
Rowen jumped down and strode inside.
The knights at the entrance tried to stop him—but upon seeing him, they turned pale as if they had seen a ghost.
Rowen glanced at them with a contemptuous expression and continued toward his palace.
The imperial grounds were unusually crowded.
Everyone was wearing black.
As Rowen walked through the palace, nobles who saw him stared as if they had witnessed something impossible.
That expression irritated him further.
It made him feel like he had already been treated as dead in the palace.
His prince’s residence was empty—except for Grace, his nanny who had raised him since childhood.
So the first person Rowen met there was Grace.
“…Your Highness?”
Grace was carrying laundry when she froze and dropped everything in shock.
“It’s been a while.”
“Ah… oh my… how could this…”
Tears welled in her eyes and fell rapidly.
Rowen smiled faintly and approached her.
“Where is my mother?”
“She has stayed in her room since Your Highness went missing. She occasionally goes out for walks, but returns quickly.”
“I see. By the way, I have something to ask.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Why are black flags hung all over the capital?”
“That is…”
Grace sighed deeply and hesitated before answering.
“His Imperial Majesty… has passed away.”
“…What?”
Rowen frowned.
That vigorous father of his… dead?
“Why?”
“He was poisoned.”
“Poison? Explain in detail.”
“I don’t know much either, but His Highness the 2nd Prince dined with him at a banquet, and both were poisoned. I heard there was poison in the wine.”
“Then Arsen?”
“He drank only a little and recovered quickly.”
“…Hmph.”
There was no doubt.
Arsen was the culprit.
Rowen immediately came to a conclusion.
While he was away, Arsen had likely killed their father and attempted to seize the throne.
“Is the funeral today?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Good. I’ll prepare and go.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Grace did not stop him.
She quickly called several maids to assist him.
The maids, who had nearly fainted upon seeing him, eventually calmed themselves and began preparing him.
He bathed and changed into black formal attire.
Rowen couldn’t even remember the last time he had worn something this clean.
When his hair was neatly styled, he looked like a completely different person in the mirror.
“We had to rush, but does everything fit properly?”
“Perfectly.”
“Fortunately, we finished in time for the ceremony.”
Rowen nodded and left the room.
The palace was nearly empty, as most nobles had already gone to the hall.
He didn’t feel sadness over his father’s death.
If anything, he felt it was convenient.
Now that the emperor was gone, there would be no obstacles in bringing Juhee to him.
Rowen walked toward the grand hall with a composed smile.
At the entrance, heavy doors stood closed.
“I’m curious to see their expressions.”
He wondered what Arsen would look like when he saw him.
Rowen pushed the doors open.
Inside, the hall was packed with nobles.
Even border nobles had gathered.
Rowen walked slowly inside.
Far ahead, Arsen was kneeling.
His shoulders trembled—mocking grief, perhaps.
Rowen chuckled lightly and walked forward.
His footsteps echoed through the hall.
Some nobles lifted their heads, sensing movement behind them.
“Gasp…!”
Their eyes widened.
Someone whispered in disbelief.
“Prince… His Highness the First Prince?”
The whisper spread through the silent hall.
Arsen froze mid-motion.
Then he shot up, turning around.
His eyes widened in shock.
Rowen smiled leisurely.
“…Long time no see, little brother.”
“H-how… how are you alive?!”
Arsen’s face turned ghostly pale.
Then he pointed and shouted,
“You imposter! How dare you pretend to be my brother! Guards! Remove him immediately!”
“Such a shame. You can’t even recognize your own brother? Is your eyesight so poor that even documents are hard to read?”
Arsen’s face reddened at the mockery.
Knights rushed in—but froze upon seeing Rowen.
“Do it! He’s an impostor!”
“You think I died?”
“That’s—!”
“How are you so certain?”
While the knights hesitated, Rowen walked directly toward Arsen.
He leaned in close.
“You struck me from behind and thought you’d get away with it? And now you even killed Father.”
“!”
Arsen clenched his fists.
The hall erupted into chaos.
Because of Rowen’s sudden appearance, the funeral could not proceed and was postponed to the next day.
Arsen stormed out of the hall.
Behind him, Rowen calmly spoke with nobles.
“Your Highness, where have you been?”
“Ah, some rat caused trouble, so I was delayed.”
Arsen heard it and gritted his teeth.
Back in his room, he smashed a vase in rage.
“Calm yourself, Your Highness.”
“Damn it… I should’ve killed him myself…”
The chamberlain remained silent, head bowed.
Eventually, Arsen collapsed onto his bed, exhausted.
The room was a wreck.
The chamberlain summoned maids.
“Clean this.”
The maids quickly tidied the room and fled.
After they left, the chamberlain quietly left as well.
But the place he headed to was somewhere no one expected.
