Chapter 94 – 94
Euro stared at the severed hair, half-dazed. This was completely unexpected.
He had never imagined that the Emperor had perpetrated all of this because he suspected Gail was not his biological son.
Of course, he had thought the Emperor’s actions were strange. He had wondered if a father could use his own son to such an extent simply because he loathed the idea of forming ties with a vassal kingdom and coveted Silon. But he had assumed the Emperor had his own reasons from his perspective.
In the novel, the Emperor was depicted as doting on Gail. It was more accurate to say he doted on him so much that he sought to control him by completely eliminating his autonomy. Of course, that didn’t make it right. Hadn’t that destroyed Gail’s life?
The Emperor wanted to ensure that when Gail, his only child, ascended the throne, he would possess a power that no one would dare challenge.
Thus, he deliberately sought a daughter from a moderately ranked family as Gail’s partner. He feared that if he chose a wife from too prestigious a family, she might exert too much influence simply because her children would be precious.
That was also why he detested Norden. The Emperor did not trust Clope. Or rather, it was better to say he did not trust Norden.
No matter how superb Gail’s swordsmanship was, he could not be entirely free from death. What would happen if Clope, after giving birth, plotted something and put poison in his tea?
Right now, Norden was merely a vassal kingdom, but if Gail died and Clope remained in the Imperial Palace alone with the child, nothing could be certain.
It wouldn’t be strange at all if Norden harbored [Read on Read BL Novels]some grudge for revenge against Paltreon. In the first place, their relationship was one that naturally led to such feelings.
Of course, if Gail remained healthy until he passed the throne to his child, there would be nothing to worry about. However, the Emperor designed Gail’s life unilaterally, considering the absolute worst-case scenario.
His desire for Silon was for the same reason. He believed that if the most fertile territories of Paltreon were under Gail’s management, it would help strengthen the imperial authority.
But if Gail’s words were true, the Emperor had simply paired him with a powerless family so that Gail could do nothing as long as he lived, and shifted all responsibility regarding Silon onto him.
Euro had thought the Emperor was controlling Gail’s life out of a desire to give him everything and ensure he lived well, but that wasn’t it.
It wasn’t just twisted affection. If Gail’s words were true, it was fair to say the Emperor was intentionally tormenting him.
“So, you mean Your Highness is currently…”
“I’ve disguised it with medicine. These eyes are the same.”
“…”
“His Majesty tried everything to have more children, but unfortunately, it never happened.”
Gail laid out the shocking story with a calm face. Euro asked him in response.
“Is he unable to have children?”
“Well, I can’t know for sure. But there’s a high possibility. He probably thinks so himself. So, how do you think he feels when he looks at me?”
“…”
“He probably agonizes over it a dozen times a day—whether to drag me down by claiming I’m not his biological son or not. But is there any evidence to drag me down?”
Gail let out a hollow laugh. Evidence—if he looked, he’d find it. It would be possible if the Emperor simply found the medicine he took to change his hair and eye color, or captured the person who made that medicine.
But at the same time, he had to consider what would happen after he was dragged down. There was the option of adopting someone from a collateral branch to pass the throne, but the Emperor didn’t seem inclined to do that.
It was natural. To reveal that Gail was not his son, the Emperor’s own reproductive capabilities would become the subject of public gossip.
Since it wasn’t a woman’s issue, the Emperor had taken several subsequent consorts at the urging of the nobles. There were countless families who had pushed their daughters in to form ties with the Imperial Family; how could he possibly silence all those mouths?
Perhaps such rumors were already circulating quietly. Gail thought that the only reason they were dismissed as secret rumors was because he existed as a buffer.
“He will never find the evidence. Because I am enduring this position with the resolve to die.”
“…”
“I lived obediently, doing exactly [unauthorized copy]as I was told. Firmly believing that even if I weren’t [stolen content]his biological son, there would be an affection born from raising me.”
Only after learning that the Emperor had planned to send Clope to Silon behind his back did he realize that it was nothing more than groundless faith.
“Clope is the only person I ever coveted. In my entire life, I have never once gone against His Majesty’s will. I tried to persuade him with all sorts of reasons, and I even prostrated myself and begged.”
“…”
“I asked if he could grant me just one thing I wanted. I told him I would live as his puppet until the day I died, so could he just turn a blind eye to this one thing.”
Gail murmured, staring into the void. His appearance, looking half-resigned, seemed profoundly sad.
“I shouldn’t have done that. Because I did, he found out—my weakness.”
“And that’s why he’s exploiting it?”
“Yes, he probably wants me to just kill myself. My very existence is that man’s weakness, isn’t it? He must have been in agony every time he looked at me. If he thinks the child he believed was his only one is actually the child of the Empress and another man, his stomach must have turned a thousand times over.”
“But if Your Highness were to… then…”
“The line wouldn’t continue. But does that matter? Watching me become Emperor wouldn’t be a very pleasant experience for him either.”
Gail let out a hollow laugh.
“The Empress, the only person who could tell the truth, died when I was young, and he kicked out the subsequent Empresses because they couldn’t bear children.”
“…”
“He is simply pouring all his emotions onto me. That’s all.”
Euro closed his eyes tightly at the truth Gail was pouring out. While absorbing all of the Emperor’s love and hate, Gail was making choices solely to survive.
Even so, there was something he absolutely could not let go of, and that was Clope Leches. Euro couldn’t even imagine how angry Gail must have been after losing Clope.
“…I did ask for the reason, but is it alright for you to tell me in such detail?”
“Consider it repayment for going to Silon instead of Clope.”
“…”
“Since I can just kill you if things go south.”
Gail said this while gazing intently at Euro.
“So, tell me. Is the method you’ve thought of [visit our site]still viable even knowing all this?”
“…”
“I must be the Crown Prince, and I must become the Emperor. That is the only power I possess. If I lose all of this, I can never marry the Princess of Norden. It was only because of this title, nominal as it is, that I was able to meet her.”
“How did Your Highness find out that you are not His Majesty’s biological son?”
At Euro’s question, Gail narrowed his eyes.
“This hair color and these eyes are the symbols of the Imperial Family. There has never been a single exception.”
“But isn’t that not certain?”
“…It’s funny hearing you say that.”
He was referring to Euro’s origins. In truth, looking at the current situation, Euro and Gail’s positions were not much different.
However, Euro continued without backing down.
“The Empress, who would have known the truth, has already passed away, and it’s not as if the Emperor has confirmed it immediately, right?”
Gail fell silent at Euro’s words. Until his biological mother, the unauthorized copyEmpress, was alive, the Emperor [unauthorized copy]had not controlled his life to this extent.
All he knew was that everyone present at his birth had died, and that his mother had been desperate to hide his hair and eye color until the day she died.
“I understand what you’re saying, but it makes no sense if that isn’t the reason.”
“Some parents are worse than having none at all.”
“…”
“I know how you feel, Your Highness. Because I have lived my life thinking the same way.”
Even now, Euro believed that Euro Leches was not the biological son of the King of Norden. It was because of this hair color. But that was not a confirmed result.
It was merely an inference drawn from the things the King had done to Euro and various other circumstances.
“Because there were things he did that he could never do if he truly thought I was his biological son. It’s more peaceful to think of it that way.”
“…”
“But at the same time, I wonder. Why did my father, the King of Norden, just leave me as his own child? Even when he found out I couldn’t use supernatural abilities, he didn’t cast me out.”
Euro spoke to Gail, who remained silent with his mouth tightly shut.
“It’s the same for His Majesty. It would be a simple matter to just verify the paternity, so why didn’t he?”
“…”
“I’m not saying we should use that as an excuse. Whether it’s true or not, the fact remains that he is doing something that should not be done. I’m simply saying that we should first verify the facts.”
Euro thought of Euro Leches, who had never chosen to leave the palace no matter what.
Why had he done that? Euro Leches did not run away. If he had claimed he didn’t carry the royal blood and fled, he might have saved his life even if other siblings ascended the throne.
“You were afraid. Speculation and fact are different. It will be painful if your speculation becomes fact, but…”
“…”
“That applies to both sides. So you must verify it first, Your Highness. Whether this is something born from a misunderstanding or not.”
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