Chapter 203

Chapter 203

“It’s fortunate that I finished work on time,” Lucius thought as he reminisced about the busy days he had experienced, easing the soreness in his neck. He hadn’t been able to sleep for several days.

Of course, during this time, he hadn’t entirely avoided the mansion. Every evening, he lay beside Deatrice. He would then discreetly slip out of the mansion once he confirmed she was asleep and handle his tasks. He’d managed to snatch an hour or so of rest.

He knew he was pushing himself, but he had no choice if he wanted to prepare everything for today.

Lucius had persuaded the doctor who had been examining the deceased princess to testify that she had given birth to a son. He had also located the son she had supposedly lost and prepared him to testify as well.

He had gone as far as dressing him and feeding him to present him as the rightful heir to the emperor. He still hadn’t discovered anything about the young man’s father, but with the word “emperor” coming from a maid’s lips, it should be enough to prepare for the worst.

By day, he was a knight who served the emperor, and by night, he was a knight who investigated the emperor’s actions.

Even to Lucius himself, his current actions seemed to be the pinnacle of absurdity.

If the emperor were to discover all of this, he would be furious, not just because a mere knight was shaking the foundations of his secrets, but because it was Lucius of all knights who betrayed him.

Perhaps, after today’s conversation, Lucius might end up losing everything except his marriage.

But what could he do?  It is better to lose everything else than to lose Deatrice.

Thinking such catastrophic thoughts, Lucius stood for a moment and checked the condition of his clothes. Soon the emperor’s servant appeared and called him.

“He calls for me?”

Lucius had long grown accustomed to these informal summons. He followed the herald as if he had been waiting.

As he passed through the halls and corridors, organizing the words he needed to say tonight, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure at a crossroads.

It was Deatrice, his wife, wearing a wine-colored dress adorned with golden embroidery, burying her face on Prince Frederick’s chest.

They weren’t close enough for Lucius to discern the prince’s expression or the conversation they had, but it was evident that she was going through a difficult time and seeking solace through the prince.

What’s going on?

Lucius stopped in his tracks and looked at them, thinking blankly. A variety of emotions and thoughts passed through him in an instant, but in fact, he was not that shocked.

These days, especially as he gazed at Deatrice, who was looking elsewhere, Lucius couldn’t help but feel that she was increasingly avoiding him for reasons unknown to him.

But he didn’t want to cause trouble by raising it to the surface. He dismissed it all as just the fault of the situation and his paranoia under a lot of pressure and moved on.

Lucius thought hard.

There must be something he doesn’t know about. He believed what he saw and did not want to suffer.

And even if the relationship between Deatrice and Lucius grew apart, Lucius could easily bring her back. Because Deatrice loves him.

Just as he could hear her heart pulsating in her veins whenever he brought her body close to him, Lucius could feel her love pushing against his jealousy. So, shouldn’t we believe in her real affection more than his imaginary jealousy?

Lucius loosened the tight cravat.

As always, he thought that there was a difference between resolute thoughts and turbulent emotions.

When all was said and done, and he returned with Deatrice, he thought it would not be too late to ask why she was in that position.

For now, he had something to do to save his marriage.

***

The emperor had arrived first and was smoking a harsh cigar.

The room was filled with lingering smoke from his cigar, and the red chamber had taken on a lower saturation, much like the color of the dress Deatrice had worn today.

Lucius nodded respectfully and the emperor paid no attention to his greeting, continuing to draw in and exhale smoke repeatedly.

The emperor looked dejected, but Lucius suddenly found his act rather tedious.

The emperor was undoubtedly contemplating how to broach the topic of his dealings with Frederick to Lucius at the moment. He would create a solemn atmosphere of regret for having to bring up such a conversation and would likely beat around the bush before finally getting to the point.

Lucius reasoned that the emperor was probably pondering how to phrase things so as not to hurt his feelings.

So, Lucius thought, why not just cut to the chase if they both had something unpleasant to say? But just then, the emperor called for him, and Lucius always obeyed respectfully.

“Lucius.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The emperor’s voice was weak and low. Sometimes, in front of Lucius, the emperor cast off all pretenses and reveal his tired side.

At first, Lucius used to see this as a glimpse behind the facade, witnessing the weight of the highest authority and the fragile humanity hidden beneath.

But now he knew it was all just a charade.