I Became the Master of the Empress

305

-Clank.

The prison door opens, and soldiers gaze at me.

“Debian Ryan. Come out.”

At the soldier’s words, I stand up from my seat.

“You will serve your sentence in prison according to the Emperor’s merciful judgment.”

When I don’t say anything, the soldier scolds the surrounding soldiers.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and take him out.”

They enter the prison and grab my arms.

In this way, I’m dragged out of the prison.

The sunlight I haven’t seen in a long time, but my heart isn’t bright like it.

I feel a huge sense of guilt because my mother has passed away.

I don’t care where they’re taking me or where I’m headed.

Anyway, I’ll be stuck in this prison tower for a few years.

The prison tower is an ancient relic located in a corner of the empire.

When I’m lost in thought, I hear a voice that shakes my spirit.

“I pay my respects to Your Highness.”

A man with red hair and a sharp face.

Baloran.

“What a pitiful life, relying on others’ help to survive.”

“I heard you… killed my mother.”

He gives a cold, cruel smile.

“You’re 13 years old, and you still miss your mother’s warmth?”

I shake my head.

“Why did you kill my mother?”

“I did it because she interfered with my work.”

-Ugh…

Anger surges at his words.

You… almost killed me, and you killed my mother, my wife?

You crazy b*stard, you’re really crazy.

I unleashed a torrent of curses at that guy in my mind.

“One day, your plans will be shattered to pieces.”

Because I will make it happen.

I will destroy all your schemes.

“Your gaze is promising. But can you really do it?”

I glared at Valoran, who was sneering at me.

“It will happen.”

I will make it so.

“Heh, we’ll see. What are the soldiers doing? Not escorting a criminal?”

“Hey! What’s going on? Move quickly!”

Thus, I was led by the soldiers and confined in the prison tower.

There, I researched and pondered how to bring Valoran down.

“First, Agrippa is essential.”

He is the general who withstood the Demon King’s army and ultimately succeeded in turning the tide.

I know he marries Mary in the original story.

After being locked up here, I was surprised when Mary sent me a letter first.

And through exchanging letters, our relationship gradually improved.

In the meantime, I studied on my own and further developed my abilities.

To accurately grasp the political situation of the Grand Duchy and the Empire.

I learned about and memorized the major families and territories.

As four years passed, I was finally released.

“Congratulations on your release, young master.”

“Yeah.”

The sunlight, which I hadn’t seen in a long time, felt blindingly bright.

Inside the prison, I had read books by the light of candles, so this bright light was painful to my eyes.

As I stepped out of the prison, I encountered a somewhat awkward situation due to the attendants treating me like a transparent person.

Basically, it’s hard to live in this vast palace without the help of attendants.

Even to simply drink coffee, I had to have them fetch it from the first-floor storage, grind it in the kitchen, and boil water to drink.

Seeing the attendants ignore me, Octavia and Mary scolded them sternly.

Thanks to that, the attendants began to stop disregarding me.

I had been focusing on physical training to enter the prestigious military academy of the Grand Duchy.

And around the time I was able to handle mana with Mary’s help.

A year had passed since I came out of the prison tower.

It was around that time that Valoran came to find me.

“What is it?”

He looked at me indifferently.

“You’re now 18 years old. I have no obligation to support you. So get out of the Grand Palace.”

“Understood.”

Thus, I was expelled from the Grand Palace and found a lodging at Wyn’s place.

That’s when I met Agrippa.

Tall, with long blonde hair, a handsome man.

Coincidentally, his parents rented out a room to earn money, and I stayed in that room, getting acquainted with Agrippa.

And when I tried to enroll in the military academy.

“Your Highness, I’m sorry, but it’s difficult for us to accept your admission to our academy.”

The head of the military academy blocked my entry.

“Why not?”

“Don’t you know? We cannot do anything that would go against the Grand Duke’s wishes.”

All heirs of the Grand Duchy enroll in the military academy.

Including Valoran and my grandfather.

“Did my father order you to block my admission?”

He shook his head.

“I’m sorry. It’s not an order from the Grand Duke, but we feel uncomfortable.”

Since it was a school established in the Grand Duchy, the headmaster, wanting to avoid conflict with Valoran, tried to reject me.

Thanks to that, I almost couldn’t take the entrance exam, but Sister Octavia stepped in and wielded her influence.

Compared to me, who had become invisible in the Grand Duchy, she had the influence of being the Grand Duke’s eldest daughter.

Once I overcame that hurdle, this time tuition fees tied me down.

Valoran had eliminated the allowance he provided for my upkeep.

Knowing I had to worry about how to make a living, Alfred came to my aid.

My grandfather had passed away, leaving a vast fortune inherited by my mother.

He gave it to me, and my sisters agreed to let me use it, even though my situation was not good.

The financial issues were resolved, and I entered the military academy alongside Agrippa.

Perhaps because of that, Octavia soon got married.

She married the crown prince of the North Sea Kingdom, and I could no longer see her as often.

Life at the military academy wasn’t great.

In the early days of enrollment, I faced disdain from the nobles; they probably thought I would drop out of the succession race.

Moreover, my only friend, Agrippa, was of commoner descent, while I was like an invisible man.

However, a year later, when Mary joined, the situation turned around.

Mary, who inherited the blood of the Lyon family.

She began to mercilessly assault the nobles who ignored me, all under the guise of sparring.

As school life became easier, I conveyed my intentions to Agrippa and Mary.

“Brother? Is that true?”

“Are you saying that His Grace the Duke has allied with demon worshippers?”

I spoke seriously to the two who couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Do you have evidence? If you have proof, it would be quicker to report it to the Holy See.”

If I had evidence, I would have reported Valoran to the Holy See as well.

But unfortunately…

“I don’t have evidence. But I have conviction.”

Of course, neither of them believed me from the start.

But they eventually succumbed to my persistent persuasion and began to help me, albeit with some doubt.

Before long, Agrippa and I graduated from the military academy and joined the Duke’s army.

After graduating with excellent marks, Valoran could no longer ignore me and assigned me to the staff.

A year passed like that.

The Babylonian Empire invaded the borders of Nicaea.

And this…

“Valoran is about to incite a rebellion. Look at this.”

I handed over the war supplies to Agrippa and Mary.

“What’s this?”

“Brother, what does this mean?”

Compared to Mary, who was weak with documents, Agrippa showed a puzzled expression.

“Isn’t there any siege equipment?”

“Oh, you’re right?”

“In contrast, they’re bringing a ton of fireball scrolls and crossbows.”

“Exactly, since we have to assassinate the Emperor and hold out in Roman, it makes sense.”

A military force that needs to reclaim the territory of Nicaea isn’t bringing siege equipment?

That’s not just strange; it’s suspicious.

Siege equipment is bulky and heavy.

Typically, it refers to tools like battering rams or ladders used to assault castles or fortresses.

Abandoning that to fill up on fireballs and crossbows means they have a different goal in mind.

“This is definitely… suspicious.”

“Right? I told you I was right. Let’s hire a few mercenaries this time.”

That’s how I got to know Karl, and through him, I planted mercenaries in Roman, received a document from Mary supporting me, and exchanged contracts stating that I would make Mary’s child my heir.

“But brother, I have no desire for the title of Duke anymore, and I don’t want to pass it on to my child.”

I have no intention of passing the Duchy to my child.

That means I would have to stay in the Duchy for a long time and rule.

According to my plan, Theodora will become the future Empress, and she will want to have a child while remaining married to me.

And then she will try to kill me.

Then my child with Theodora will hold both the Empire and the Duchy.

That’s why I give up my inheritance rights to ensure my own stability.

Just in case Theodora tries to ambush me. If I let her know this, her desire to have a child with me will significantly decrease.

And I can simply annul the marriage.

I shake my head at her words and tell Mary.

“I don’t want to be a Duke either. Once I’ve finished everything I need to do, I’ll leave the Duchy and go to the New World. So, I don’t need the Duchy for myself or my child.”

Anyway, I handed the contract to Mary, who was feeling burdened.

As time passed, we entered Roman under the pretext of helping Nicaea.

Countless citizens of the Empire cheered for us, and I felt uneasy as I watched the Emperor and his family welcome us.

When I see the royal family, a beautiful gray-haired woman catches my eye.

I think this is the first time I’ve seen such a stunning woman in my life.

Is that woman Theodora?

Soon, the Emperor personally welcomes Valoran.

“Your Grace, I am deeply grateful for your support.”

“It is my duty. How could I possibly stand by in the face of the Empire’s peril?”

Watching Valoran bow his head and speak, it felt exceedingly insincere.

So… when will you show your teeth?

The Golden Knights stared at us with a fierce gaze.

With the current forces that have entered Roman, we would merely become their prey.

Once the banquet concluded, I entered the palace and fell asleep.

And that dawn.

– Boom! Boom!

– aaah!

– Treason! Treason!

– Clang! Clang!

“What… what is happening?!”

The sounds of explosions and the screams of people filled the air.

As I hurriedly looked out the window, I saw the soldiers of the Duchy slaughtering people indiscriminately, their bodies strewn across the ground.

“We have captured the Emperor! The Golden Knights must surrender!”

Valoran emerged, sword pointed at the Emperor’s neck, dragging him into the garden.

“You treacherous b*stard!”

William gritted his teeth and glared at Valoran.

In the end… it’s unfolding just as the original story goes.

Later, I learned that the soldiers of the Duchy stationed outside the Roman walls had been transported by ship to the Roman harbor.

Regardless, Valoran had taken the Emperor hostage, driving out the Golden Knights and the Emperor’s army.

‘William is foolish. Even if he retreats now, the Emperor cannot survive.’

I clicked my tongue inwardly as I watched William lead his soldiers away from Roman, looking pitiful.

What if he had instead stopped Valoran, even at the cost of losing the Emperor?

The odds would have been fifty-fifty.

In contrast, by retreating like this, isn’t Valoran getting exactly what he wants?

***

“You bad man.”

Eurydice glared at Valoran.

Her eyes are a blend of venom and tears.

“Is this the place? Where you lost your purity and shared love with that feeble emperor?”

“This…!”

Her beloved husband and son are imprisoned in the underground dungeon by Valoran.

Now, the empress, stripped of all power, is nothing more than a mere woman.

Valoran sneers at Eurydice as she stands there.

“Well, you shouldn’t have rejected my proposal.”

“Shut up, traitor. Spit!”

With a fierce glint in her eyes, she spits at Valoran, but he smiles as if he finds it amusing.

“And in the end, I won.”

As he slowly approaches her, Eurydice pulls out a knife.

With trembling hands, she points the blade at her throat and says,

“I would rather die than be humiliated by you.”

Valoran laughs bitterly at her words.

“You should think of your husband and children. If they want to die cruelly, then let them.”

Knowing her weaknesses well, Valoran threatens her by mentioning her family, causing Eurydice’s gaze to waver.

“I’ll personally torture them and cruelly inform them that you are the reason for their suffering. It would be amusing to make the emperor and princes eunuchs, or perhaps to pluck out their eyes.”

-Quiver…

At Valoran’s words, she trembles and drops the knife helplessly.

-Clang.

As she offers no resistance, Valoran steps closer, gently embraces her, and whispers in her ear.

“And why do you think I would choose to take you, an old woman? You have young daughters, after all.”

With that, Valoran gently pulls away from Eurydice.

“I look forward to working well with you from now on, since you’ll be my mother-in-law.”

“Oh… No!”