Chapter 45.2
“What kind of signs?”
“We leave the main gate guards in place, but we patrol the walls and gaps regularly. We place them even inside the castle, mainly where someone can sneak in, such as windows, kitchen entrances, warehouse doors. We leave ouy the entrance through the outdoor bathroom on purpose. Some foolish people would use that, right?” He looked at me for a long time with those gray eyes, which sometimes shone with a faint blue light. He smiled slowly, one out of satisfaction. “I’m glad you are observing so closely,” he said.
“There is no way that kind of heavy security wouldn’t be suspicious, right?” I said, ignoring his earlier remark.
“It’s usually not that strict. Sometimes, there’s also no reason to increase security.”
“Why don’t you just use someone to taste the food?” I asked.
“You want me to use a person whose only purpose is to die from poison for me? That would be a shame,” he said.
He’s not wrong, but what I really meant was that he did something about it. Was he going to faint from poisoning again next time?
“Who’s sending the assassins? The King?” I asked.
“Well, sometimes my brother also sends them…” he said.
“Because of the princess’ delusions? That thing – about being a traitor?”
“I think it made him more paranoid, but it started before that.”
But why? Wasn’t he the one to ascend the throne? In addition, the princess is fifteen. This person must have been nine years old when the princess was born. Even if he was a man in his forties, I don’t think he would have had the ambition to ascend the throne by eliminating his older brother and nephew at that age. In the first place, this guy doesn’t have any ambition. Well, as far as I know.
“Then how long has it been like that?” I asked.
“It’s been about 7 or 8 years since my brother started sending assassins himself, and before that, they used to be sent by the Marquis of Oban.” Marquis Oban. The family of Jura, the family of the Queen. They must have tried to get rid of the duke in order to make the princess, who was their blood, a firm successor to the throne. But that time was still…
“Then it was during the reign of the late king,” I said confusedly. “Didn’t the late king know of it?”
“Sersaw’s authority is inferior compared to the power of the nobility council. Although she received recognition for her ability to rule, mother was not in a position to defy the nobility council. It is not easy to accuse the Jura family, one of the powerful noble families that control the nobility council, of assassination,” he explained.
“Wasn’t there any threat of hostility from Marquis Oban? They could have dragged and charged him.”
“The assassination of a royal family is treason. Making such an accusation is equivalent to annihilating the family, but when the Jura family disappears, there is no family to fill the void. To fill such a large place, there must be a suitable candidate. Otherwise, the power structure would be severely shaken, and it will eventually affect the king and the country.”
“So he sacrificed a son for his own peaceful reign.” Instead of answering, he gave a faint smile.
It’s not that I don’t understand the late king’s choice. He had two children, so he was not barren. Then he could have another one when he needed it. After all, there was a successor. Then, he could keep the peace by sacrificing at least one; it was a logical choice. Unless he had strong enough power to do what he wanted. But if the assassination had been successful, I wouldn’t be able to stand with him like this now.
“How did you avoid the assassination at that age?” I asked, curious.
“Luck, knowledge from a previous life and a… psychic sense that comes from time to time?” He tapped his temple. Does that mean he sees the future?
“How does it come about? I mean, seeing the future.”
“Well, it’s hard to explain. Sometimes I see something like a dream or a vision, but in general, it’s a feeling. Something akin to, ‘I don’t think I should go this way,’ or ‘I think something good will happen today,’” he explained.
“It’s like old times then, like being a detective.” In his previous life, he had a pretty good sense. When an incident occurred, he could almost always discern who the culprit was. Whether or not he could gather enough evidence to hand over the culprit to the prosecution is another matter.
“Is that so? If I had the ability to see the future, why didn’t I realize that you were important?”
I frowned at his words. “Well, it’s only an illusion that I’m important to you. Because of the fact that we had known each other before, along with the fact that we remember both our previous lives. You must be misunderstanding it as if it’s fate.”
Of course, that’s what it is. This man’s feelings for me are not real. What should I do if I believe in these things and later this person comes to his senses and leaves?
I’ll never believe it. We’re not even family. If he wanted to leave, he could leave anytime. And what, break my heart? Be abandoned again? No matter what, I won’t give my heart to him.
Chapter 45.2
“What kind of signs?”
“We leave the main gate guards in place, but we patrol the walls and gaps regularly. We place them even inside the castle, mainly where someone can sneak in, such as windows, kitchen entrances, warehouse doors. We leave ouy the entrance through the outdoor bathroom on purpose. Some foolish people would use that, right?” He looked at me for a long time with those gray eyes, which sometimes shone with a faint blue light. He smiled slowly, one out of satisfaction. “I’m glad you are observing so closely,” he said.
“There is no way that kind of heavy security wouldn’t be suspicious, right?” I said, ignoring his earlier remark.
“It’s usually not that strict. Sometimes, there’s also no reason to increase security.”
“Why don’t you just use someone to taste the food?” I asked.
“You want me to use a person whose only purpose is to die from poison for me? That would be a shame,” he said.
He’s not wrong, but what I really meant was that he did something about it. Was he going to faint from poisoning again next time?
“Who’s sending the assassins? The King?” I asked.
“Well, sometimes my brother also sends them…” he said.
“Because of the princess’ delusions? That thing – about being a traitor?”
“I think it made him more paranoid, but it started before that.”
But why? Wasn’t he the one to ascend the throne? In addition, the princess is fifteen. This person must have been nine years old when the princess was born. Even if he was a man in his forties, I don’t think he would have had the ambition to ascend the throne by eliminating his older brother and nephew at that age. In the first place, this guy doesn’t have any ambition. Well, as far as I know.
“Then how long has it been like that?” I asked.
“It’s been about 7 or 8 years since my brother started sending assassins himself, and before that, they used to be sent by the Marquis of Oban.” Marquis Oban. The family of Jura, the family of the Queen. They must have tried to get rid of the duke in order to make the princess, who was their blood, a firm successor to the throne. But that time was still…
“Then it was during the reign of the late king,” I said confusedly. “Didn’t the late king know of it?”
“Sersaw’s authority is inferior compared to the power of the nobility council. Although she received recognition for her ability to rule, mother was not in a position to defy the nobility council. It is not easy to accuse the Jura family, one of the powerful noble families that control the nobility council, of assassination,” he explained.
“Wasn’t there any threat of hostility from Marquis Oban? They could have dragged and charged him.”
“The assassination of a royal family is treason. Making such an accusation is equivalent to annihilating the family, but when the Jura family disappears, there is no family to fill the void. To fill such a large place, there must be a suitable candidate. Otherwise, the power structure would be severely shaken, and it will eventually affect the king and the country.”
“So he sacrificed a son for his own peaceful reign.” Instead of answering, he gave a faint smile.
It’s not that I don’t understand the late king’s choice. He had two children, so he was not barren. Then he could have another one when he needed it. After all, there was a successor. Then, he could keep the peace by sacrificing at least one; it was a logical choice. Unless he had strong enough power to do what he wanted. But if the assassination had been successful, I wouldn’t be able to stand with him like this now.
“How did you avoid the assassination at that age?” I asked, curious.
“Luck, knowledge from a previous life and a… psychic sense that comes from time to time?” He tapped his temple. Does that mean he sees the future?
“How does it come about? I mean, seeing the future.”
“Well, it’s hard to explain. Sometimes I see something like a dream or a vision, but in general, it’s a feeling. Something akin to, ‘I don’t think I should go this way,’ or ‘I think something good will happen today,’” he explained.
“It’s like old times then, like being a detective.” In his previous life, he had a pretty good sense. When an incident occurred, he could almost always discern who the culprit was. Whether or not he could gather enough evidence to hand over the culprit to the prosecution is another matter.
“Is that so? If I had the ability to see the future, why didn’t I realize that you were important?”
I frowned at his words. “Well, it’s only an illusion that I’m important to you. Because of the fact that we had known each other before, along with the fact that we remember both our previous lives. You must be misunderstanding it as if it’s fate.”
Of course, that’s what it is. This man’s feelings for me are not real. What should I do if I believe in these things and later this person comes to his senses and leaves?
I’ll never believe it. We’re not even family. If he wanted to leave, he could leave anytime. And what, break my heart? Be abandoned again? No matter what, I won’t give my heart to him.
