Chapter 171
To resurrect his dead wife, Kierne had sought the Fairy Queen’s crown.
But the sacrifice black magic demanded was not the Fairy Queen’s crown.
It was the Fairy Queen herself.
Kierne probably hadn’t known.
If he had, the moment the fairies first called Chesha their queen, he would already have lost his mind.
Still, he could not remain ignorant forever.
If he reunited with Chesha, obtained the Fairy Queen’s crown, and performed the black magic,
Kierne would learn the truth at last.
The truth that he would have to choose between the wife he loved enough to wager his entire life on and the daughter he had merely adopted and spent only a handful of years with.
Just as Chesha had once been forced to choose between the youngest daughter of House Basilian and the fairy enchantress of the underworld…
There was no need to wonder which Kierne would pick.
‘He’ll choose the dead countess.’
His choice brought her neither resentment nor sorrow.
It was simply… the obvious outcome.
Belzeon and the twins would surely long for their mother far more than they longed for Chesha.
‘But I don’t want to die.’
As she drifted through these thoughts, a light, gentle touch brushed her cheek.
Chesha looked at the rabbit doll.
“…….”
The rabbit doll was struggling to lift its blunt, cotton-stuffed arm to stroke her cheek.
The soft fabric carried a small, quiet comfort.
Its eyes were nothing more than buttons, yet somehow they looked as if they were crying.
No words were spoken, but Chesha could feel the rabbit doll’s sadness.
Suddenly she realized how lonely it must have been.
For hundreds of years it had watched over everything.
Sealed deep inside the Holy Empire, unable to approach the new queen—Chesha—holding its sorrowful secret alone, waiting endlessly.
In return, Chesha drew the rabbit doll that had comforted her into a tight embrace.
“You must have had it so hard.”
The rabbit doll nestled against her chest gave a tiny shudder.
It was an utterly silent cry—no tears, no sobs.
“Your happiness is my joy, and your joy is my happiness.”
“I want to be happy and joyful too.”
She didn’t fully understand the words, but they were clearly meant for her sake.
“Don’t worry. I…”
Chesha hesitated for a moment, then added,
“…will find a way somehow.”
The rabbit doll gazed at her with its clear button eyes.
It stared for a long time, then slowly slumped.
It had poured out every last ounce of its strength.
Perhaps the rabbit doll had hoped Chesha would not return to House Basilian.
That was why it had squeezed out its failing power to warn her of the misfortune that lay ahead.
Its effort was admirable, but Chesha had not the slightest intention of obeying.
After watching the rabbit revert completely to an ordinary doll, she drew back the curtain and looked outside.
Belzeon and Karha rode beside the carriage on horseback, guarding it like escort knights.
The instant they sensed her gaze, both turned toward her.
They offered faint smiles with their eyes, so Chesha smiled brightly back at the pair.
Chesha did not want to give up on anything.
The grand banquet celebrating the Palen Emperor’s birthday opened in magnificent style.
Congratulatory processions from every nation on the continent arrived one after another, and throughout the capital square the imperial banners and the sun flags symbolizing the emperor fluttered with majestic pride.
The imperial family issued commemorative coins for the emperor’s birthday and distributed free wine and food to the citizens of the empire.
The delegations themselves became lively topics of conversation—especially the Skaya Kingdom, which had recently broken off relations with the Palen Empire, drawing the greatest attention.
This was thanks to the young princess, whom the Skaya royal family cherished above all, visiting in person as part of the delegation.
On top of that, rumors spread across the entire empire that they had brought enormous gifts worthy of Skaya’s legendary wealth.
In the feverishly elevated atmosphere, the birthday banquet began.
Everyone was exhilarated, celebrating the Sun Emperor of Palen—yet some were not.
“…Ah.”
Kierne let out a short groan.
It seemed he had done something strange again.
When he opened his eyes, the place was completely unfamiliar.
The heavy stench of blood made him slowly survey his surroundings.
He must have been wandering the slums in a daze and killed the thugs who tried to rob him.
He remembered the newspaper article he had seen that morning.
[Serial murders in East End…. Perpetrator’s identity unknown]
“So that was me.”
Kierne gave a hollow smile.
The periods when he was not in his right mind were growing longer.
Once the birthday banquet ended, he would have to visit Duke Ibroiel’s residence and ask Serea to restrain him somehow.
With Serea’s magic, she could probably bind him so tightly he could never break free.
Ishuel was not yet at that level……
Lost in these thoughts, he took out his pocket watch.
It was the hour when midnight moonlight settled over the streets.
The birthday banquet must have begun long ago.
As Count Basilian, he should have been present from the start, yet he had not.
Even now, if he hurried, he could still catch the final moments.
Other nobles would have trembled in terror at the mere thought of displeasing the emperor, but Kierne calmly checked the time and moved at an unhurried pace.
At the Basilian count’s residence he simply washed off the blood and changed into his banquet attire.
Then he summoned a carriage and set off for the imperial palace.
The palace, lit as brightly as noon, was decorated with such opulence that visitors could scarcely keep their senses.
It was obvious that every possible care had been lavished on this commemorative celebration.
Gasps of admiration rose here and there, yet Kierne walked through them with an expressionless face.
Nothing here held the slightest interest for him.
As he stepped into the banquet hall, it was already filled with people drunk on wine.
Everyone’s faces were flushed red with excitement from the splendid festivities.
While Kierne indifferently scanned the room, his eyes found Serea.
Dressed in a pantsuit, she rushed toward him the moment she saw him.
To the flustered Serea who had hurried over, Kierne asked directly,
“Did you do something wrong to me?”
“…Eh? No? Why would you say something like that…….”
She had done something wrong.
Having confirmed it, Kierne narrowed his eyes and stared at her.
Serea waved her hands frantically.
“No, no, it’s really not.”
Despite her denial, her pupils had been trembling uneasily since earlier, and her legs were shaking.
Before pressing the matter, Kierne asked the urgent question first.
“What about the Holy King?”
“Not yet. He has entered the country, but it seems he will attend the banquet only on the last day. He must perform the blessing, after all.”
The last day of the week-long event.
It showed his clear intention to appear only after most of the guests had left.
“And I’ve been sending regular reports to that side as well.”
Hailon, hidden within the capital, was waiting for his chance.
Many things would change, and many would be settled, at this birthday banquet.
And once they captured the Holy King……
This time, he intended to end it once and for all.
Concealing his blood-scented thoughts deep inside, Kierne smiled faintly.
“Master.”
“…….”
“What is it? Tell me quickly. You know my mind has been unstable lately.”
Smiling brightly, he added the gentle threat that if even his master acted this way, he might become so sad he would truly do something strange.
Serea, who had been sweating profusely, suddenly burst out in anger instead.
“That’s why you should have behaved properly from the start!”
“…?”
“You—this guy who’s only handsome on the outside!”
Serea roared, then snatched a champagne glass from a passing servant—her throat apparently dry—and drained it in one gulp.
Kierne took the empty glass from her and offered his handkerchief.
After Serea wiped the wine from her lips and crumpled the handkerchief tightly in her fist,
“Ha.”
Kierne let out a soft laugh.
In the vast banquet hall crowded with countless people, three men stood out blatantly.
Three brothers in adult form.
Dressed fully in banquet attire, the sight was impossible not to laugh at.
They could never have entered under the Basilian name, so Serea must have helped them.
So this was what the three brothers had been fussing over with their appearances lately.
But there was no way such a trivial prank would be the end of it.
Because they knew one another far too well as fellow Basilians.
They were surely planning something far more spectacular……
“…….”
The smile on Kierne’s lips slowly faded.
His face hardened as if cold water had been poured over him.
A fresh floral scent brushed the tip of his nose.
It was Chesha’s flower fragrance.
