Who Stole The Empress

Roselyn opened her eyes wide in surprise.

He didn’t know Tamon had more siblings….

It was also new to her that he had lost his siblings when he was very young.

As if she had expected such a reaction from Roselyn, Asrell smiled.

“The first son was like the Countess, dazzling blonde and as lovely as an angel. He was like a fairy that the former Master* and his wife* loved him very much.”

(*Former master= Tamon and Cassion’s father. )

Unfortunately, the child passed away too soon, and the previous Countess was too frail to have a second child.

For the sake of the family, the Count embraced another woman. The person who was born after that was …

“Yes, it’s my current master, Tamon.”

Roselyn tried not to look surprised. There was no mention of Tamon Krasis being an illegitimate child that she knew.

Amor country had a more liberal view of sexuality than other countries.

It was natural for men and women to meet and separate. One person could have several lovers or spouses if they both agreed to it.

However, that was also a thing of the past. There were many crimes committed due to lust, inheritance, and cheating, and the state recommended one thousand and one copies as much as possible.

“Of course, Master Tamon wasn’t here from the start. The Countess didn’t approve of the child the Count had with another woman. But after two or three years of not being able to have children, she accepted Master Tamon and he became a member of the Krasis family through formalities the year Master Tamon turned five.”

“Five years old is a very young age.”

“Even as a child he was very smart and strong. He understood the atmosphere of the house from the start. It was heartbreaking to see him like that.”

From the moment he entered the mansion, Tamon put all his efforts into everything he did.

He was perfect in his studies, swordsmanship, etiquette, and even social skills.

Due to his efforts, the previous Countess also gradually became more relaxed.

She had suffered from hating someone, even a child, for quite a long time because her mind was not evil by nature.

“The Master was a little odd from an early age. Or should I say he was very mature? He never complained.”

After arranging the bed, Asrell opened the window and the fresh sea breeze filled the room.

“It was the year Master Tamon turned ten, the Countess suddenly began to have morning sickness and Master Cassion was born.”

(*Tamon and Cassion had the same father but different mothers)

Apparently, Roselyn didn’t need to hear the rest of the story to understand.

It was obvious without looking closely at the story what kind of love and attraction the weak Countess, who had lost her first born to illness, had for the second born after ten years.

Tamon had been wise from an early age, so it was impossible for him not to be able to read the subtly changing atmosphere of the house.

He must have sensed that his position had become ambiguous and that his parents’ attitude had changed.

“Master Cassion, who seemed to be in good health, began to feel ill around the age of four or five. He had the same symptoms as the dead first master. The Countess panicked, and the entire house was on thin ice.”

Asrell smiled bitterly as she remembered that moment. On days when Cassion collapsed, the mansion became as quiet as a haunted house. Those were the days when no one could laugh.

“Then she met the fortune teller and he told them to move Master Cassion to the countryside….It was amazing.”

Since then, the previous Countess never left Cassion. Not once.

Of course, there was no way she could afford to pay attention to Tamon. The Count was the same way. He was too busy to do anything for his newborn son. They had to be on their toes, always on the lookout for intruders.

“The Count said Master Tamon was very smart and a quick learner… so no one teached him anymore. The Count sent Master Tamon to the Royal School in the capital. After that, Master Tamon  settled here.”

“…Then what about the current territory?”

 “Ah! That’s where Master’s Knights are there now. Master Tamon comes down there periodically as well.”

 “I see.”

Roselyn felt like she just saw Tamon’s shadow. She said she would look into Tamon, but she didn’t even know this childhood situation was like that. It was neither important nor something she wanted to know.

But why was she so curious about it now?

“Master Tamon has a soft spot for Master Cassion. He listens to everything Master Cassion wants.”

Roselyn gathered her brows curiously at Asrell’s words.

There was no connection between Cassion and Tamon anywhere that she knew.

They lived apart and seemed to have not a single memory of each other, because Cassion was weak.

However, how could Tamon Krasis, who couldn’t be more wary of others, be soft and weak to someone else?

It was a little strange somehow.

“Because…the Count and the Countess died for my Master.”

“What?”

Asrell shrugged at Roselyn, who asked back in surprise.

“They died when I first came to the capital to see Master Tamon. That’s all I know. I’m sure only the two brothers know more details.”

“…”

“Oh! If Master Tamon finds out that I told you this story, he may strangle me.” 

Asrell shrank as if she was scared, but her bright smile told a different story.

“But, well, he still wouldn’t kill me. Hahaha! He still needs me to take care of Lady Asha.”

Roselyn also smiled helplessly at Asrell, who was confident.

***

“Why in the world did my brother close off the east annex?”

It was the morning of the third day after Cassion Krasis arrived in the capital.

The first day he passed out from exhaustion, the second day he passed out again of all the partying with his friends.

And on the morning of the third day, Satin dosed him with the medicine he had brought, and Cassion, exhausted after a while, remembered the first day’s commotion.

“I haven’t seen them doing any construction work in the last three days?”

Cassion got up and frowned. When he frowned, he looked just like Tamon.

The difference was that Tamon had eyes as bright red as rubies, while Cassion had eyes as blue as the ocean.

His black hair swayed with every movement he made. His wide shoulders and strong limbs made him stand out even more.

“Don’t let anyone in? How could my brother do that to me? What the hell is the big deal?”

Cassion stood up quickly with his mouth agape.

He didn’t know how to be patient.

That’s how he had grown up and that’s how he was going to live.

Tamon’s powerful handwriting from the message scrawled in front of him made him dizzy, but he quickly shook it off.

He knew Tamon Krasis, a man who never blinked in anger, no matter what he did. (Cassion)

Moreover, even if Cassion had really set that place on fire, his brother would not do anything to him.

“That’s why I’m not going to hold back……”

He smiled obliquely and walked outside.

***

“I’m sure he’s arrived by now.”

Standing at the bow of the ship, Tamon turned and looked in the direction of Amor’s Capital.

It was time for Cassion to arrive at the mansion.

He usually left the capital in ten days at the most and four to five days at the shortest.

Since he had regained his health, he had always moved about in a hurry, as if wandering and traveling and living well was his whole life.

This time, too, Tamon wished Cassion would leave sooner, but life didn’t always work out the way he wanted it to.

“Satin and Asrell will do well ……….”

Tamon shook his head with a sigh.

Maybe Cassion had been playing around too much.

Maybe he’ll ignore Tamon’s warning this time and do whatever he wants. In the past, Tamon wouldn’t have minded if Cassion had burned down the capital’s mansion.

He had money and he could rebuild. No matter how much Cassion spent, they wouldn’t go bankrupt.

But this time was different.

“Cassion…”

Tamon stared across the water with a stiff face and turned away.

Now was not the time to be worrying about the mansion.

It had been ten days. He was chasing a ship on the fastest rapid, but it wasn’t easy to follow.

The fog that suddenly appeared there was also a problem.

The fog was an omen that the monsters would appear.

The fog that had been rising in the distance since yesterday afternoon was getting thicker and thicker. At this rate, it would be two days at the shortest, and if he was unlucky, the monsters would appear.

‘……..but this is much faster than I calculated.’

Originally, the time for the fog to occur would not have been now.

About a week or so later, the fog would arise and the monsters would start appearing ten days from now.

He didn’t know why, but he was pretty sure the timing was moved up.

‘I’ll have to hurry up a little bit more.’

He clenched his fists as he stared through the faint fog.

The fog grew thicker and thicker. The air currents were becoming increasingly unsettling.

The few knights who had been vigilant outside also sensed it, and their tension changed. It was that moment.

“It’s here…!”

One of the knights who had climbed the mast and was looking around with a telescope shouted loudly. Everyone jumped to their feet.