Chapter 66: The Reason

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Chapter 66: The Reason

“Lola, Lola, His Majesty is safe, His Majesty is...” Li Ji came running over, excitement brimming in her voice. When she saw Lola asleep in Ye Tian’s arms, she fell to her knees in shock. “This can’t be, this can’t be! Don’t die, don’t die!” she cried, flinging herself forward and clutching Lola tightly.

“Don’t die!” Li Ji wailed in anguish.

“She’s not dead, just asleep,” Ye Tian said with a gentle smile. “Don’t cry, or she’ll be sad.”

At that moment, Emperor Charles V approached. Seeing Lola lying on the ground, the wrinkles on the old man’s face deepened. “It’s all my fault,” he sighed.

“She never hated you,” Ye Tian said softly.

“Stay here,” Charles V said suddenly. “Stay, marry the princess, and I’ll give you the throne.”

“What use do I have for that? I don’t want it. Besides, go check on Prince Dilufi—he’s probably still alive.” With that, Ye Tian lifted Lola in his arms.

“Can’t you, can’t you at least let her stay?” Charles V clutched Ye Tian’s arm, pleading.

“And in what capacity are you asking me this?” Ye Tian asked calmly.

“As an unworthy father begging you, is that enough?” the old king replied.

“She must be a princess,” Ye Tian declared.

“She is my daughter. She is a princess,” Charles V said, caressing Lola’s blood-streaked face as tears streamed down his weathered cheeks. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t disturb her any further. Let her rest in peace,” Ye Tian said, carrying Lola back into the grand hall and laying her in the coffin where Charles V had once lain. “She’s so beautiful,” Ye Tian murmured, brushing the girl's face.

The hall had finally calmed. All the men Charles brought had been slain, and the bodies strewn across the floor bore silent witness to the carnage just past.

“Your Majesty,” Bradis stepped forward to support the old king, but Charles V waved him away.

“Your Majesty, please be careful,” Miki said, unable to hold back as he saw the king sway unsteadily. This time, Charles V did not refuse his assistance. Just then, a guard entered from outside. “Your Majesty, Prince Rudy and another man have been found. Shall we bring them up?”

“Bring them,” Charles V replied softly. He glanced at the chairs, and Miki immediately helped him up to the platform. Soon, the limp Rudy and an unconscious Shadow Guard were brought in.

“All of you, leave. Leave us,” Charles V suddenly commanded. The gathered ministers glanced at one another, then bowed and withdrew. Miki also left with a bow. As Ye Tian turned to go, Charles V’s voice stopped him. “Gell, stay with me a while.”

In the vast hall, only Charles V, Ye Tian, Li Ji, the weeping queen, and the two motionless figures on the floor remained.

“Gell, fetch him a chair,” Charles V requested.

Ye Tian looked around—there really weren’t any chairs left. Gritting his teeth, he hauled over the queen’s own seat and set Rudy, limp as a rag doll, upon it. As for the Shadow Guard, Ye Tian jabbed a needle into him and propped him against a pillar.

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“Why?” Charles V finally asked.

“There’s no reason.”

“Why?”

“No reason.”

“Why?”

“I told you, there’s no reason!” Rudy shouted.

“Why!” Charles V’s voice was full of despair. “Why, why do you refuse to die? Why won’t you just give me the throne? Tell me, why!”

“I always thought you were clever. Why have you become so foolish?” Charles V sighed. “Did you really think I didn’t recognize mandrake? Didn’t know it was poison?”

Rudy froze.

“You want me dead. You want to change the Duchy of Leyton, want prosperity and strength for it. I can accept all that. In truth, even if I hadn’t eaten the mandrake, I wouldn’t have lived much longer. I’m too old, old enough to die at any moment.”

“Reisina is a good child, but she’s destined for marriage. Dilufi dislikes the environment here; otherwise, he wouldn’t have guarded the border all these years. As for Charles, he hasn’t set foot in the palace since he was eight. What are you so afraid of?”

“If it’s yours by right, it’ll be yours. Why were you in such a hurry? Why did you kill Charles? Why did you hurt Dilufi? Why did you scheme against Reisina?” Charles V’s voice trembled with grief.

“I didn’t, I didn’t hurt Reisina! I didn’t!” Rudy screamed in desperation. “I didn’t.”

“It was me,” the weeping queen turned her head and said firmly.

“Why?”

“Why? Why must the child of a temptress live grandly in the palace, while my own child is banished, never allowed to return? Tell me, why?”

“Then why is Charles not my flesh and blood?” Charles V’s words filled the queen with terror. “Did you think I didn’t know? Did you think you could fool me? I’ve always known, I just never said a word.”

Charles V rose and walked to the queen. “You despised my infidelities, so I cast off all other women. And what did I gain from it? Resentment?” He gently lifted her face. “There was a time I wanted to kill him, but I was afraid it would break your heart. So I sent him away, forbade him ever to return, because I feared that if I saw him again I would not be able to stop myself. As an emperor, I bore this for decades. Do you understand why?”

“I’m sorry, Charles!” the queen sobbed.

“My dearest, how long has it been since you called me that?” Charles V cupped her face. “My love, I love you. I have forgiven everything for your sake. Is that not enough? Must you still resent me, still wish me dead?”

“I’m sorry, Charles. I’m sorry!” the queen wailed, realizing that the cold, stone-hearted man she thought she knew had borne everything for her, while she hurt him over and over again. She felt utterly wretched.

“It’s over, all of it is over,” Charles V soothed her, stroking her gently.

“All of it is over.”

“Charles, say you love me,” the queen whispered in his ear.

“I love you,” he replied.

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“I’m sorry, Charles. If there is another life, please wait for me, won’t you? I won’t make the same mistakes again.” The queen’s voice grew softer and softer.

“No, don’t—don’t!” Charles V exclaimed in terror, releasing her. He saw a dagger buried in her chest.

“Someone must bear responsibility for this, and that person is me,” the queen said with a pained smile. “I’m sorry, Charles, I’m sorry.”

Her body gradually grew cold. Charles V turned in fury towards Rudy. “This is the consequence—this is everything! Do you understand? Do you?” He clutched his wife’s body in despair.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Rudy wept bitterly, wishing to comfort his father, but his body was broken by Ye Tian—he could not move at all. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, tormented by guilt.

“Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone is allowed to make mistakes, but everyone must also bear the consequences. That is your responsibility. Without the past, there would be no regret now,” Ye Tian’s voice was icy.

“Kill me, I beg you,” Rudy pleaded.

“Sorry, I don’t like killing,” Ye Tian replied coldly. “But since I killed the one you loved most, don’t you want to kill me?”

“I do, but I can’t. Killing you won’t bring her back,” Ye Tian answered.

Charles V laid his wife down and staggered from the throne. “Rudy, I must send you to the stake,” he said, gently caressing his son’s face in sorrow.

“Thank you, Father. Take care of yourself,” Rudy replied with a grimace uglier than tears.

“Such is the sorrow of parents everywhere,” Ye Tian sighed, turning away.

“Gell, stay, help me,” Charles V called after him.

“I despise this place,” Ye Tian replied, leaving the grand hall for the princess’s chambers.

Distance proved to be a blessing. Outside, chaos reigned, but inside the princess’s quarters, everything was calm.

“What happened out there?” Kana asked in alarm, seeing Ye Tian covered in wounds.

“It’s nothing. Has the princess awakened?”

“Yes, she woke up, ate a little, and fell asleep again,” Kana replied with relief.

“Good, that means she’s recovering,” Ye Tian said.

Kana’s worry lingered. “When will she be well again?”

“That I can’t say.” Ye Tian paused. “By the way, I’m hungry. Bring me something to eat.”

“There’s food in the room.” Kana bustled inside to fetch it. Watching her go, Ye Tian suddenly thought of Miki—should he help him?

“Um...” Kana murmured shyly.

“Miki likes you,” Ye Tian said.

“What?” Kana’s face turned scarlet. “What did you say?”

“I said, Miki likes you and wants to marry you,” Ye Tian said, looking up.