In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Episode 231

“What on earth is going on?!”
Grandfather shouted as he walked through the path that opened up between the knights.
How terrifying his aura was.
Even the knights lowered their heads, unable to meet Grandfather’s eyes.
“You’ve arrived.”
Perez greeted him first.
He didn’t forget to give me a slight nod as I followed behind Grandfather.
In the midst of the tense situation, Perez alone seemed at ease.
Perhaps, even a little strangely so.
At that moment, a sharp voice cut between Grandfather and Perez.
“This is an imperial matter! Outsiders, step aside!”
“Outsider?”
Grandfather’s eyebrow subtly rose.
“Though it’s true.”
Then he looked at Perez and asked.
“Would you explain what happened, Your Highness?”
Indeed. If the Empress wouldn’t speak, he could just ask Perez.
“His Majesty collapsed but is safely recovering.”
“That’s good news. But why has this commotion occurred?”
“His Majesty commanded that no one be allowed into his bedchamber.”
“But the Empress wishes to enter, is that it?”
“That is correct.”
After hearing Perez’s explanation, Grandfather stroked his chin for a moment, then turned to the Empress and said.
“How about you return to the Empress’s Palace and await His Majesty’s summons, Empress?”
“I have the right to confirm His Majesty’s well-being.”
The Empress replied without even looking at Grandfather.
“Of course, the Empress does have that right.”
Grandfather nodded and added.
“Though that would be the case if His Majesty had passed away.”
Gasp.
I clearly saw the Empress’s shoulders flinch.
Grandfather looked at the Empress coldly and said.
“I suppose I understand what happened.”
His words were laced with mockery.
“Royal Physician.”
“Yes, Lord Lombardi.”
The royal physician, who had been trembling between the Empress and Perez, quickly responded to Grandfather’s call.
“In your opinion, what is His Majesty’s condition?”
“H-he has passed the dangerous crisis and is currently resting.”
“What do you think of the prognosis?”
“…To be honest, he will need to focus on treatment for quite some time. He was very close to a major incident…”
“What a relief. Don’t you agree, Empress?”
But the Empress did not reply.
It was then.
With urgent footsteps, an imperial soldier ran down the corridor.
“A-Angenas family troops are trying to enter the Imperial Palace!”
Insane.
I unknowingly frowned at the Empress.
For Angenas troops to move in this situation, with the Emperor collapsed.
Depending on the judgment, it could easily be considered an act of treason.
The slightly softened atmosphere instantly turned tense.
“Empress…!”
Grandfather glared at Lavini, attempting to warn her, but the Empress ignored him.
Then she called out to the imperial knight standing beside her, who was on her side.
“Vice-Captain. Remove those who block my path.”
She meant that since reinforcements had arrived, she would no longer wait.
But the imperial knights did not easily draw their swords despite the Empress’s command.
They knew well that drawing their swords here would be irreversible.
“Why aren’t you moving!”
Finally, a loud shout burst from the Empress’s lips.
“…D-damn it.”
Clang.
Finally, the Vice-Captain drew his sword.
That was the beginning, and a chilling metallic sound echoed throughout the corridor.
A terrifying silence followed, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Staring at each other, no one dared to move rashly.
Creak.
The bursting silence was broken, ironically, by the sound of a door opening.
It was Emperor Jovanes’s bedchamber door.
Everyone’s gaze turned towards it.
“H-His Majesty…”
The attendant, whose eyes widened at the situation outside, barely managed to speak.
“His Majesty requests you enter.”
“Are you conscious?”
Jovanes opened his eyes at the familiar, yet unfamiliar voice.
“Ugh…” Jovanes groaned, a terrible fatigue pressing down on his entire body as if crushed under a rock.
“Haa, haa…”
He couldn’t even breathe properly.
“W-what on earth… happened…”
“I found you collapsed.”
“Y-you…”
Jovanes forced open his pain-contorted eyes and confirmed the figure before him.
“Second Prince… Haa! Ugh!”
Jovanes clutched his chest once more.
“Y-Your Majesty! Quickly, the medicine…!”
The royal physician, startled, poured more medicine into Jovanes’s mouth.
As the Emperor slowly stabilized, Perez asked.
“Do you remember the situation before you collapsed, Your Majesty?”
“Before I collapsed…”
Jovanes gasped for breath and laboriously pointed at the wine bottle on the floor.
“That wine… It must have, haa, poison…”
“Royal Physician, examine the remaining wine.”
“T-that is… If we don’t know what kind of poison it is, it will take time to identify.”
This was different from when Lord Sheshou attacked, and Lombardi’s Physician Estira immediately identified the poison.
“…Check if it’s the poison of the Titan spider.”
“Y-yes! Understood!”
Jovanes, who had been watching the royal physician frantically move, asked.
“Why, that poison…”
“Some time ago, I was attacked by an assassin using the Titan spider’s poison.”
Even with his mind in a muddle, Jovanes understood what Perez’s words implied.
“There is one thing I must confess to Your Majesty.”
“…What is it?”
“The tea I offered you at the Grand Council contained an antidote.”
“…What?”
“I did so just in case.”
“So, I might, ugh, be alive because of that.”
The Emperor said nothing more, only staring at the physician with contorted eyes.
And a moment later, the physician shouted.
“It’s true! It contains Titan spider poison!”
At that moment.
Grab!
Jovanes’s hand grabbed Perez’s sleeve.
It was a strong grip, unbefitting someone poisoned and lying on a bed.
“Bring the Empress, before me, immediately.”
His distorted face, only his eyes shining a furious blue.
Perez did not hold the Emperor’s hand or comfort him.
“I have a proposal.”
He merely spoke to Jovanes in a dry voice.
***
“Don’t you wish to see how the world will turn after Your Majesty’s demise?”
“Your Majesty…?”
The Empress asked again, her voice trembling.
Her wavering eyes looked at the wide-open bedchamber door.
It was the Emperor’s bedchamber she had so desperately wanted to enter, but the Empress remained rooted to her spot.
“Please enter.”
Perez said, clearing the Empress’s path.
“I-I…”
“His Majesty is calling you, isn’t he?”
His voice was as if he was pushing the Empress forward.
I gazed at Perez’s face.
Though his face seemed expressionless, he was smiling.
Click, click.
The Empress slowly began to move.
Her body, wearing shoes, swayed precariously as if about to fall, but no one caught her.
Behind her, Grandfather moved.
Can I go in too?
As I hesitated, thinking that for a moment, Perez quietly said.
“Let’s go, Tia.”
Ah, that’s right.
This moment, this is the moment you’ve been preparing for, risking everything.
Perez’s eyes were saying.
Be the witness to my victory.
There was no more hesitation.
“Let’s go.”
I replied and strode forward.
Entering the large room, the smell of medicine strongly assailed me.
As I approached the bed on the opposite side, there was a sound that grew clearer.
“Hiss, hiss.”
It was the ragged breathing of a wounded beast.
“I greet Your Majesty.”
Grandfather bowed.
The owner of the rough breathing was Emperor Jovanes.
He was leaning against the bed frame, struggling for breath, but the Emperor was alive.
Even with a bloodless face and blue lips.
Jovanes was alive.
“Y-Your Majesty.”
The Empress stopped, rooted to the spot, unable to approach the bed further.
“Hoo, hoo.”
When the Emperor raised one corner of his mouth, the breathing sound echoing in the bedchamber changed.
“I, I’m alive.”
As if speaking was difficult, Jovanes took another deep breath.
“You don’t seem, happy, Empress?”
“I…”
Empress Lavini looked back and forth between the Emperor and Perez.
As if she couldn’t think of anything to say.
Her red lips trembled.
“Second Prince.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Bring her.”
Perez bowed respectfully once and exited the bedchamber.
And brought someone in.
“Lady Otuah, Chief Maid.”
The Emperor called her name coldly.
“You shall answer my questions without a single lie.”