Chapter 20
4. Let it be for just a little while
Prince Karpel lost his mother when he was born.
Nonetheless, he grew up to become very intelligent and was beloved by his father, the late Emperor.
It happened just one day after his fourth birthday.
It was just an ordinary day. Karpel had his lunch, read his fairy tales, and had his nap.
It might have been time for him to wake up since he was picked up by his escort knight.
He couldn’t go back to sleep, so he just blinked and leaned into the arms of the warm knight who had always protected him.
After looking around, he saw that they were heading towards the audience chamber.
“What’s going on, Sir Just? Did His Majesty call for me?”
“I shall stay with you as you say farewell to your father on his final journey, Your Highness.”
Karpel was confused. He didn’t hear any news that the Emperor was going out anywhere.
And he didn’t understand why the knight Sir Just needed to be there with him.
However, the knight’s face looked so gleeful that Karpel just smiled as well.
Something good must have happened. That’s all he thought.
As they entered the audience chamber, what caught Karpel’s eye were the red insignias decorating the room. Several knights entered the room as well.
The crimson sword was splendid.
[e/n: I think the crimson sword is on the insignias]
It seemed like they were there for a ceremony. The room was heady with the intoxicating feeling of success one gets after achieving a great feat. Everyone was elated.
In front of the Imperial throne and the knights was a large man donned in full armor, standing proudly.
Normally, it should have been Karpel’s father who was supposed to be standing in front of the throne.
And yet, it was his cousin, Radiev, who stood next to that man.
“Brother?”
[e/n: Not his actual brother just to clarify, that’s just what he calls his cousin]
After hearing Karpel’s voice, everyone in the room trained their eyes on the boy.
Karpel looked at the armored man, thinking it was his father, so he could ask why Radiev was here.
But it wasn’t his father.
“Uncle?”
It was his uncle who was as strong and firm as a steadfast rock.
Karpel suddenly felt chills when he saw his uncle smirking down at him.
His uncle pulled out a sword, then descended from the podium.
As he moved away, Karpel saw a man incapacitated on the floor with his head being pressed to the ground underfoot, held down by several knights as if he was a hunted animal.
Then, his uncle called out.
“Older brother.”
He used his gauntlet to poke at the man’s forehead.
Only then did Karpel realize that it was his father that his uncle was sneering at.
His uncle’s crooked lips opened.
“All you have in your head is pastry cream that’s too sweet and too soft. How saccharine and harmonious must you view the world.”
Karpel couldn’t understand what was transpiring in front of him.
His father was the compassionate Emperor who sat on that magnificent throne, always smiling down on Karpel benevolently.
He should never have been the subject of such insults.
His uncle continued his speech coated in sarcasm.
“Power is a means to attain more, and yet you won’t do what you want even when you actually hold it in your hands.”
“Verseda. What you’re trying to get your hands on is just short-lived wealth and glory.”
“We’ll see. It may be short, but I’ll enjoy it longer than you.”
His uncle lifted his sword.
Karpel stared blankly into his father’s eyes.
They were filled with sorrow for his son.
Soon, the heavy metal blade swung down in an arc and hit the floor.
A round object rolled down the red carpet.
Karpel couldn’t understand what had just happened. He simply watched without having the power to look away.
At that time, the knights all cheered.
“Long live Emperor Verseda!”
“Honor and glory to His Majesty the Emperor!”
The cheers roared throughout the room as Karpel was thrown at the feet of his uncle.
He hit his knee hard on the floor, but he did not feel any pain.
He raised his body using his stiff arms, and as he lifted his face, he saw a sword dripping with dark red liquid lingering right in front of him.
Karpel looked at his uncle who was smiling pleasantly.
He was horrified.
Since he was small, when the person in front of him was smiling he thought he should also be happy, but right now Karpel felt terrible and nauseous.
He couldn’t understand.
Nothing felt real.
Then, his uncle spoke with an appeasing tone.
“Karpel, it must be scary to watch your father go away all alone. Why don’t you follow him?”
The crimson sword swung high once more, this time to take Karpel’s life.
“S-sir Just…”
Karpel called out to his escort knight. He was the one who had always held his hand whenever he felt scared.
But then he remembered, Sir Just was the one who threw him in front of his uncle.
He couldn’t move.
Then suddenly, he heard a voice filled with fear.
“Karpel, run!”
It was his cousin, Radiev.
Upon hearing his exclamation, Karpel went on his knees and quickly crawled away.
But then, since this child’s movements were hardly agile. Soon, a blade had cut through Karpel’s back with great force.
He fell to the floor at once. He tried to lift himself up with his arms, but a severe pain thundered through his body, feeling as though he was being torn in half.
He couldn’t even groan. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Sir Just with a remorseful expression.
“It would have been better to have died immediately, Your Highness.”
Karpel’s vision gradually grew hazy due to the immense pain he felt.
His uncle’s woeful voice echoed throughout the room again.
“Radiev, witness carefully the results of your own actions.”
The new emperor, Verseda Crute Ibelox, drew his sword.
* * *
Prince Karpel, who survived only because of the Emperor’s decree, was entrusted to the Krenberia family.
The Krenberia Dukedom was the home of Marian Krenberia Ibelox, the current reigning Empress who rose to the throne after the new ruler, Emperor Verseda Crute Ibelox, had been crowned.
The Empress’s father, the former Duke of Krenberia, made the greatest contribution to Emperor Verseda’s ascension. From the Emperor’s perspective, he deemed that the Duke would be the best person to handle potential seeds of discord.
The former Duke Krenberia wanted to kill Karpel because he would be a hindrance to Radiev, his grandchild, in the future.
However, Citrine Roselle Krenberia, Inaila’s mother and wife of the Young Duke of Krenberia, offered to take charge of Karpel.
Empress Marian supported her. On the other hand, the Duke would not agree until the very end.
That was, until he passed away after collapsing suddenly at a grand conference that was held after the new Emperor’s ascension.
Thereafter, the Dukedom was succeeded by his son, Flaut Nath Krenberia, who was so thoroughly whipped by his wife.
Not only was Karpel heavily injured, but his mental state took a great hit as well. He couldn’t come to his senses for nearly two months.
It was Citrine who took such good care of Karpel.
Citrine felt sorry for the child while he was being treated by a pharmacist. They couldn’t call a doctor for him due to the Emperor’s interference.
As she stroked his head, Citrine whispered tearfully.
“Your Highness, please don’t despair at the tragedy that befell you. You have to overcome this pain and grow stronger.”
She would have been condemned as a conspirator if anyone had heard her.
But the Duchess didn’t want to see her friend’s son die in vain.
Citrine was Karpel’s godmother.
As Karpel struggled through this nightmare, she showered him with tender encouragement and sincere love so that he wouldn’t feel his mother’s absence.
However, the constant torment of the laughs of the knights who stood by watching his father’s beheading and the pain left from their betrayal was extremely haunting.
He was constantly tormented by the memories of the night when those knights stood by doing nothing but laughing and cheering as his uncle beheaded his father.
He didn’t know how to overcome this pain.