I Became a Slave to the Man I Abandoned Novel (Completed) - Chapter 153

Khalid did not evade the knights rushing him. He put up a pretense of resistance, deflecting a few swords, but soon he allowed himself to be apprehended by the knights and knelt on the floor. Even as he was being subdued, Khalid’s gaze remained fixed on Nox.

However, Nox dispassionately looked down at the Emperor’s head, which had rolled forward, and commanded, “You must recover His Majesty’s body.”

“…”

There was no flicker of emotion on Nox Rainerio’s face, as if he had known this situation in advance. Yet, the chief eunuch dared not speak. If Nox had indeed foreseen all of this, or if he had orchestrated it, to accuse him at this very moment would be akin to forfeiting his own life.

Nox tilted his head slightly, looking down at Khalid, then called out to the chief eunuch.

“Chief Eunuch.”

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

“You must find out who incited him.”

“Pardon?”

“I need to know why he suddenly betrayed His Imperial Majesty.”

At Nox Rainerio’s words, the chief eunuch seemed momentarily speechless. He didn’t know why Khalid Via had suddenly turned against the Emperor. But if there was a reason, it would be…

A cold voice sharply cut off his thoughts. “What are you thinking?”

“Oh, nothing, Your Grace.”

Several knights dragged Khalid Via towards the dungeon. The court attendants were horrified by the gruesome scene unfolding in the office.

The chief eunuch quietly ordered the attendants to begin recovering Feltion’s body. Nox watched the scene calmly, arms crossed, and thought, ‘Khalid Via, how much can you truly endure?’

It was a test for him. Can you really die without uttering a single word about me? Can you truly abandon everything and sink?

Nox Rainerio did not trust Khalid Via’s feelings. Eventually, my name will come from your lips.

‘Just like…’

Just like you eventually forced an apology from my lips.

I will also force my name from your lips. And then, I will laugh at and trample on your feelings before throwing them back at you.

Your feelings are not love.

Nox Rainerio did not trust Khalid Via.

***

An emergency summons was issued to the nobles. Each of them, seemingly disbelieving the news, hurried to the imperial palace.

“His Majesty is dead?” “Attacked by Duke Khalid Via?” “What in the world are you talking about?!”

The nobles gathered in the council chamber raised their voices in a clamor. There was no one immediately available to sit on the Emperor’s throne, and the chamber resembled a bustling marketplace.

The few remaining pro-Emperor and neutral nobles on the right side couldn’t conceal their confusion, continuing to speak out. Yet, for some reason, the noble faction seated on the left remained quietly silent. The other nobles didn’t notice their silence. This was, after all, an assassination of the Emperor. No one could possibly remain calm in such a situation.

However, the noble faction exchanged knowing glances, as if they were privy to something. Then, a neutral noble slammed his hand on the table.

“So, what are we to do about this situation?!” “And who, for heaven’s sake, summoned us, with His Majesty having passed away?!”

At that, the Emperor’s chief eunuch, who had been standing silently beside the Emperor’s vacant seat, spoke. Everyone looked at him.

“Duke Khalid Via, who assassinated His Imperial Majesty, has been immediately transported to the dungeon.”

“To the dungeon?” “Who gave that order?”

The nobles expressed their bewilderment. The Emperor had no siblings or children. All of his blood relatives had perished long ago. So, with the Emperor absent, whose command were they acting upon?

“The remaining imperial family member…!” the chief eunuch interrupted a noble’s words.

“Exists.”

A remaining imperial family member? They began to rack their brains. The Crown Prince, the Emperor’s brother, had died long ago, and the Empress had also vanished into the mists of the execution grounds. Among the collateral branches of the imperial family, who remained, who remained…?

“Surely not…”

There was one. Just one person with even a drop of imperial blood. The nobles’ faces froze. Those who hadn’t yet grasped the situation looked around confusedly.

Thump!

Just then, the doors to the council chamber swung wide open. The nobles’ gazes snapped to the entrance. What they saw first were knights in black uniforms.

“Th-this, what is this?!”

It wasn’t the uniform of the Imperial Knights. However, the older nobles immediately recognized the uniform: black fabric with silver embroidery.

“Duke Rainerio…!”

The knights now pouring into the chamber were the Knights of the Rainerio family. As if following a predetermined order, they marched into the council chamber in formation, then stood with their hands clasped behind their backs on both the right and left sides. Each of them wore a sword of unusual length at their waist.

“Th-this is impossible!”

To bring swords into the imperial palace! But no one could echo his voice. The knights remained silently impassive, staring at them with piercing eyes.

“Impossible, you say.”

Thump. Thump.

The footsteps of the knights ceased, and another set of footsteps echoed from the central doorway. The nobles naturally turned to look. Black uniform, white gloves. Dull black shoes and a long greatsword at his waist. Darkly green hair and eyes shadowed in black.

It was Nox Rainerio. His arrival.

“Duke Rainerio, what in the…?”

“This is why they’re foolish.”

“Wh-what did you just say…?”

“Perhaps you should look around.”

One noble, who had been loudly protesting, suddenly felt something odd at Nox’s words and looked around. Except for himself and a few others, everyone was silent, looking uncomfortable. No, as if they didn’t want to displease him.

“His Imperial Majesty has passed away.”

“That much, we have been informed.”

“Duke Khalid Via, who assassinated His Imperial Majesty—no, he’s merely a criminal now.” Nox smiled wryly. “We are trying to find out who incited the criminal.”

“Incited by someone?” The noble’s face twisted grotesquely. They looked as if words were lodged in their throats, but they dared not utter a sound in front of him. Nox Rainerio watched them without smiling. He merely tilted his head slightly and replied coolly, “Yes, he wouldn’t suddenly betray His Majesty without someone inciting him.”

Nox stood in the middle of the nobles, who were seated on two sides, and looked around at them. Then, a noble who still hadn’t grasped the situation stepped forward.

“By what right does Duke Rainerio…”

“Shush,” someone hissed, as if giving him a warning. The noble mumbled and fell silent. Nox Rainerio, well aware that such words would be uttered, spoke as if making an announcement—a fact that no one could officially deny.

“Have you forgotten my mother, Olga Rainerio?”

Silence followed.

“My mother, who was originally Olga Andras Daidalonz, I mean.”

No one could speak. He had a legitimate cause, and he had lineage. And…

“This country now needs a new Emperor.”

Marquis Anderlas raised his hand. “His Majesty has only just passed away…!”

“Then, are you proposing to leave the Emperor’s throne empty? Do you think foreign kingdoms will stand idly by with an empire headless?”

The nobles of the noble faction stared directly at those sitting opposite them. A strange sense of triumph flickered on their faces. The nobles on the right side belatedly realized. Those confident faces, those gazes like beasts holding the upper hand.

Ah, we were the only ones unaware of this situation.

Dimitri Anderlas rose from his seat. He straightened his shoulders proudly and stated, “There is only one remaining member of the imperial family in this empire. What do you think that means?” He shone his eyes brilliantly, looking at the opposing side. At this, Nox Rainerio lightly smiled.

He had more than enough forces to support him. The factions that had relied on the Emperor’s power, now that the Emperor was gone, would undoubtedly seek to cling to the tie that was Nox Rainerio.

Clang—!

Nox gestured. The knights, aligned on both sides, simultaneously drew their swords. And with that gesture, they lowered their swords towards the floor. The sharp sound of the blades made the nobles flinch. It was a situation where no one could protest. Rather than being convinced by the fact that he possessed legitimacy, lineage, and power, it was the visible swords before them that instilled fear.

“And so, I, Nox Rainerio…”

He slowly walked towards the highest seat in the council chamber. No one could stop him from ascending to that position. He sat on the very seat the Emperor had occupied, as if it were his natural right, and looked down at the assembly.

“If anyone objects to me inheriting the imperial throne, raise your hand.”

Silence.

Only silence followed.

Nox smiled gently. His lips curved upward, but his eyes remained sharp and dark. Even the nobles who had previously questioned him now sat quietly in their seats. Then Marquis Anderlas broke the stillness and spoke.

“I, Dimitri Anderlas, support Nox Rainerio as the next Emperor.”

At that, the nobles seated on the left rose, each holding out their palms, and spoke one by one.

“I, Ayman Dolce…” “I, Roshena Airose…” “I, Maiden Dotter…”

They swore as one, “We support Nox Rainerio as the next Emperor.”

When their oaths of loyalty concluded, those seated on the right side were speechless. They lacked something: a central figure. There was no one who could unite them as Nox Rainerio was now, seated in the Emperor’s rightful place. As the nobles on the right remained utterly silent, Marquis Dimitri Anderlas couldn’t hide his smile and raised both hands.

Clap, clap, clap—.

The noble faction, who sided with Nox Rainerio, began to applaud. Nox found it all so much like a cheap play that he let out a burst of laughter.

“The punishment for the one who assassinated the former Emperor will be handled thoroughly, to everyone’s satisfaction.”

That was the greatest insult Nox Rainerio could inflict upon the dead Feltion.

Your death will be meaningless. You will fall to hell, cut down by your own right-hand man and burdened with the humiliation of having the throne passed to the one who incited him.