I Became the Villain of a Romance Fantasy

45 – Way home (2)

Luden, the capital of Estelia, boasts a thousand years of history.

As the capital of a unique empire on the present continent, its scale was different from those of other countries. Even the imperial castle, where the current emperor resided, was incomparable to castles in other kingdoms.

Above all, the meaning of the imperial castle was not simply the residence of the imperial family. As a lineage of gods, the place where they were born with divine nature was like a kind of sanctuary for the people of the empire who believed in the god Altair.

It is the house of the monarch and serves as a temple at the same time, so that was the reason why the imperial castle of the empire had a larger scale than necessary compared to castles in other countries.

So, for all the people of the empire living in Luden, the magnificent imperial castle was like pride for the empire, but as there are shadows in light, there were also those who hated it.

“Why does Obama reveal his true nature and always stay in a separate palace so far away…”

The man sighs and walks down the long hallway leading to the detached palace. Orcus Estelia was one of them.

Unlike most other buildings that maintain a close distance from the main palace, only the palace where the current emperor is staying was as far away from the main palace as the distance between the sun and the moon.

Within the imperial castle, there were as many detached palaces as they were, but the detached palace named the Resting Place of the Sun, which Orcus is heading to now, was a detached palace with a particularly small size.

The palace was named because it was located within the imperial castle. Originally, it was a small mansion-level building that could hardly be called a palace, but strangely, the current emperor spent more time there than in the main castle.

Since all business is handled in the main castle, it is common for the monarch, who is the final decision maker, to stay in the main building for work efficiency and personal safety, but the emperor moves all those responsible for his safety, including the head of the knights guard, to the villa. As I was told, I began to sit down there.

In the end, only the legs of the ministers suffered as they walked the long distance to the detached palace to deliver their duties. For this reason, the ministers asked the emperor several times to return to their hometown, but the emperor’s answer was the same each time.

Orcus was also dissatisfied with his father being in the villa, but for him, who always values efficiency and results, it was difficult for him to understand his father’s behavior of staying far away from his true nature.

But even so, he never once asked the emperor to return to his true nature.

Although he couldn’t understand his father’s eccentric behavior, he was well aware that his own insights did not match his father’s wisdom. So I thought that there must be some hidden meaning, and I just followed that meaning.

“Still, I wonder what you are calling me for today.”

As he approached the end of the hallway, Orcus caught sight of a knight guarding the gate to the palace.

The yellow sun engraved on the full plate armor indicates his affiliation. When the knight noticed Orcus approaching the door, he loosened his statue-like posture and gently lowered his head.

“Low Beheloth. Greetings from the Little Sun of the Empire.”

“Ah, Lord Beheloth. You seem to be in charge of the entrance today too?

“hahahahaha…that’s not true. Let’s eat inside. His Majesty is waiting for you.”

He laughed lightly and denied it, but Beheloth’s face was unmanageable, as if he had been stabbed to the point. Orcus smiled and patted Beheloth on the shoulder before entering the door.

When I open the door, a cool spring breeze comes through the window. The moderate amount of sunlight that came in lightly filled the room with warm warmth.

Unlike other rooms decorated with gold and jewels in the imperial castle, there was not a single luxury item in the room Orcus entered. Still, if I had to pick one, it would be a luxurious-looking fountain pen lying on the table.

At a table in the center of the room, a figure was sitting with a gentle expression on his face.

The current emperor of Estelia and a wise king who is praised by the public for achieving unprecedented peace and prosperity in the empire. Aslan Estelia.

There is a subtle aura in the hair that reflects the sunlight and shines in a brilliant golden light, and the eyes that are deep and blue like the sea looking at the paper in one’s hand without saying anything.

Seeing that, Orcus did not open his mouth in a hurry, lest he lose his concentration. How many minutes did you wait for? Aslan’s mouth finally opened as if he had finished reading the letter, and a clear voice resounded in the room.

“Looks like you finally decided to do it.”

His mouth was clearly smiling when he said that, but Orcus could sense the sadness in his eyes.

It was the first time Aslan had reacted like that since his twin sister said he would learn swordsmanship, so Orcus tried to ask if something big had happened, but what flew to him was an unsealed letter he had been reading a while ago. .

“This…is the coat of arms of the Duke of Edelweiss. Did something happen in the North?”

A wolf drawn on the wax sealing the letter paper and five stars floating above it.

The pattern was that of Edelweiss, one of the dukes that only existed in the three armies of the Empire. Upon seeing this, Orcus frowned in worry, but Aslan spoke in a calm voice unlike Orcus.

“Something happened. Engagement notice. Engagement notice. Don’t you remember. The Edelweiss family’s daughter. That girl is getting engaged this time.”

At Aslan’s tsk-like words, Orcus was able to retrieve a girl from his memory without difficulty.

A pure white girl of the same age as himself.

It was only one meeting because he made the word beautiful come out of his own mouth, who had no particular interest in his appearance, but he still remembered that face clearly.

But other than that, there were no other impressions.

At the time we met, he didn’t talk much, so the only thing we had a proper conversation with was the meeting greeting and the farewell greeting. The other piece of information that I remember is that, just like the name Edelweiss, her magical achievement was high compared to her age. That was all Orcus remembered about Elena Edelweiss.

Still, Orcus was able to infer one fact from that little bit of information.

The fact that the family is located on the periphery of the empire called the North, and the timid aristocratic lady who doesn’t open her mouth often. Those two facts led Orcus to an answer.

“It’s a political marriage. Who is the opponent?”

Due to her personality, it would be impossible for her to develop into a romantic relationship with someone on her own. If so, wouldn’t it be possible for the engagement to take place unless it was a marriage of convenience inherited from the family? With her exceptional appearance and Edelweiss background, Elena was no different from being a first-class bride, so the marriage could have been concluded without much difficulty.

Edelweiss’ successor was already decided as Eltman Edelweiss, the eldest son of Edelweiss, who is currently studying in the Golden Tower. It was a fact that we already knew what kind of fate the descendants of noble families who were pushed out of the succession structure would face, so it was nothing new.

Orcus rested his chin on his head for a moment and lost himself in thought.

Although on the edge of the north, Edelweiss is one of only three dukes in the empire. In addition, he is the owner of the Tower of Dawn, one of only seven mage towers on the continent. It was only natural that he would be concerned as the one who would rule over them from now on, as the marriage of families with such mighty power would change the landscape of the empire depending on which family they were related to.

However, what he was most worried about was their advance to the center.

All dukes in the empire were located on the periphery, so they always moved only in their own territory and had never reached out to the center, but if this marriage conversation could turn their attention to the center.

So, Orcus prayed that the names of the families that popped into his head would not come out of Aslan’s mouth. Fortunately or unfortunately, Aslan didn’t say the name of the family he was thinking of.

“It’s Kraus. Kraus from the south. It sounds like the engagement was made with the local Sogaju.”

Aslan clicked his tongue again with a tsk-sound, but Orcus couldn’t hear it. Hearing Krause’s name erased all the anxious assumptions he had thought of until now, but it was true that an even bigger bomb exploded in his head.

Count Krause.

How could you not know its name?

Edelweiss of the North.

Erthuwen in the west.

Cromel of the East.

And finally the Krauss of the South.

Orcus was not stupid enough to not know the names of the four families that divided the empire. Although the Krauss did not hold the title of dukes, their history and armies were by no means subordinate to the other three families.

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Most of the nobles in the south had fertile land that was good for farming, and while dealing with the monsters that came down every year, they developed their personal strength and accumulated enormous wealth from the by-products of the subjugation. And the family standing at the top of them is Count Krause.

A family owned by one of only five sword masters on the continent.

Krause and Edelweiss.

Even though he knew that marriage was something worthy of being celebrated by others, the engagement of these two families seemed to Orcus only as putting the empire on the brink of division. Of course, there is a feeling that it is too much, but there is always room for doubt.

Orcus opened his eyes and looked into Aslan’s eyes.

In the eyes of the man called the Hyeonwang, there was no anxiety that was present in him. He still seemed to be missing something, but at least he didn’t seem worried about the engagement of the two families.

“It’s not a wedding, it’s an engagement, but I still have to say congratulations. Orcus.”

“Yes.”

Seeing Aslan smiling quietly while calling him by name, Orcus folded his anxiety and put it deep into his heart. He handed Orcus a letter sealed with the imperial family coat of arms and said,

“You’ll have to go.”

The moment I heard that, the piece of paper, which should not have felt any weight, became as heavy as if I was holding a lump of iron. But I didn’t dare to say no. Orcus knew that if he shied away from the responsibility given to him now, it would also remain in the empire he would one day inherit.

Orcus put the letter in his arms and nodded silently at Aslan’s words. Aslan made a satisfied expression on his face, and when he saw Orcus’ back as he was about to leave the door, he recalled something and called him to his stop.

“for a moment.”

“What else?”

“On the way, Noel. Take the boy, Noel, with you.”

“Yes?!”

Orcus immediately showed a puzzled look at Aslan’s words, but Aslan was the same. He smiled bitterly and patted Orcus on the shoulder.

“Come back later and don’t listen to me, just go with me.”

“Have you forgotten what happened last time with the Cromel family? Noel, that child completely changes when it comes to swords. I don’t know what will happen if I meet Count Krause.”

Noel.

Noel Estelia.

At the name that came out of Aslan’s mouth, Orcus swallowed.

His twin sister who always has a bright smile and is full of energy.

If someone asked her about her relationship, of course Orcus could confidently answer that they were on good terms. Even though they were born on the same day, the child never once complained that he was the older brother and always treated them kindly.

Orcus also treated Noel as a normal younger sister rather than a competitor for the throne, and the two have maintained an amicable relationship.

Noel, until that kid took an interest in swords.

Unlike himself, who was born with a talent for magic, Noel, who was born with a talent for swordsmanship, somehow became passionate about swords and martial arts. It’s like a ball that doesn’t know where it will bounce.

The last time the Kromel family, one of the three major samurai families of the Empire, arrived in Luden regarding a different race in the west, they ran to Sogaju of Kromel and asked for a match with their eyes twinkling. Even Orcus couldn’t imagine how he would react if he met Count Krause, who had reached the level of a Master.

Seeing his son looking at him with worried eyes, Aslan said it was okay and patted him on the back.

“It’s okay. If he’s that guy, he’ll be able to deal with whatever Noel’s kid does. And more than that, it’s more of a problem when Noel finds out that you left him alone and went to Sarham.”

“exactly….”

Normally, she was a gentle little sister like an angel who came down to earth, but if she found out that she had left her to meet Count Krause, she would have known who the child’s sword would be aimed at without thinking deeply. Perhaps I should be held captive in the imperial gymnasium all day… Maybe even that won’t relieve my anger.

Organizing thoughts was quick.

What was good and what was bad was very clear, so there was nothing to worry about. Orcus smiled lightly and nodded.

“In that case, I see. Let’s talk to Noel.”

“Yeah, well thought out.”

So the two rich people looked at each other and smiled.