By Zephyria 
Two days later, Cecile arrived at the underground prison.
Standing at the entrance of the gloomy prison, he took a moment to catch his breath. Soon, as if he had made up his mind, he stepped into the dark underground world.
The rough stone floor was littered with cracks, and stagnant water pooled everywhere. As Cecile walked carelessly, the guard assigned to guide him glanced back nervously.
Before long, they passed through a narrow corridor and stopped in front of a solitary cell.
Cecile, looking beyond the bars, couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.
His mother was inside the prison where he had once been confined. The only thing that had changed was the person; the relentless fate was repeating itself without fail.
Suddenly, a cold breeze seeped in from somewhere, causing the torchlight to flicker.
Empress Elizabeth was huddled in a corner. Shivering from the filthy environment and biting cold, she buried her head in the hem of her dress.
She wasn’t even dressed in black mourning attire. As always, her dress was adorned with vibrant colors, but it had long since become tattered from harsh interrogations, and the jewels that decorated it were all scratched and had lost their luster.
Cecile tried to feel a moment of pity for his mother. His visit to the underground prison had stemmed from a slight impulse. At the very least, he didn’t want to leave with regrets. He wasn’t sure how the judgment would turn out, but he was certain this would be their last farewell.
The guard opened the door. The creaking, rusty sound echoed eerily. Before entering, Cecile made a request.
“I would like you to step aside for just five minutes.”
It was an absurdly short time for a farewell. However, the guard, perhaps due to his duty, only cowered and showed no intention of moving.
Cecile swallowed a sigh. He adjusted his wrist and reached out to the guard. As their palms touched in a handshake, a bracelet discreetly slipped into the guard’s hand.
“I have received permission from His Crown Prince. If any issues arise, I will take responsibility, so please step aside.”
“I will stay nearby.”
The guard, glancing around cautiously, discreetly pocketed the bracelet. Once the guard’s presence faded, Cecile finally stepped into the prison.
Even when he approached her, the Empress did not lift her head. Her soiled appearance was just like his past life, causing Cecile to clench his fists in silence.
“…One last time.”
At the difficult first words, the Empress’s shoulders twitched. Slowly raising her face, her eyes were filled with resentment. Cecile met his mother’s harsh gaze with calm eyes.
“Do you have nothing to say to me?”
“What could I possibly say to a traitor?”
“Really, nothing at all?”
“Can you still say that after seeing me like this? It’s you, isn’t it? You’re the one who betrayed me?”
The Empress pressed Cecile until the very end. There was not a trace of regret to be found.
This was rather better. Cecile began to set aside the guilt that had been weighing on him.
“I clearly warned you.”
“Who would abandon their parents! You are a child who has forsaken the natural order! Do you think you can be happy after driving your mother to death? Do you think the Gaia Goddess would forgive someone like you? Not a chance! You will live in hell for the rest of your life!”
The Empress glared at him with wide eyes, her anger spilling over. The resentment directed at Cecile was so intense that the whites of her eyes were bloodshot.
Yet, Cecile maintained his calm demeanor even in the face of the Empress. His clenched fists were filled with strength, but his expression remained unchanged.
“Very well, let’s meet in hell together.”
“What did you say?”
“Neither my mother nor I will find rest by the side of the gods. Let’s finish the fight we couldn’t complete here in hell.”
Cecile barely swallowed the anguish rising to his throat. Just as he was about to turn away from his mother, who continued to curse him until the end.
“Cecile!”
The Empress desperately reached out and grabbed Cecile’s ankle. Now on her knees, she clung to him, fearing he would abandon her.
“Please save me. Just once, let this mother live!”
“…….”
“You, you can do it! Go plead with Alexis! Please, ask him to save me… go and beg for me!”
Cecile pulled his leg back. But the hand that clung to him was like a leech, refusing to let go. The Empress shouted even more fiercely.
“Can’t you hear? Save this mother’s life!”
Her frantic eyes looked almost insane. The woman who had once lived in the highest position had been dragged down to the underground prison as a traitor, making it difficult for her to maintain her sanity.
“What good is your body now! Go spread your legs for Alexis! Offer your body as a condition for saving me!”
The Empress screamed, gripping his ankle as if to crush it. Cecile froze at the sight of his mother losing her mind. He couldn’t move an inch from the shock.
“Elizabeth Rose Adrian!”
At that moment, a commanding voice echoed through the cave-like prison. Alexis entered, drawing his Long Sword. The sharp tip aimed at the Empress’s chin.
“If you want to live, let go of Cecile.”
Reluctantly, the Empress released Cecile’s ankle. As if trying to return to her place, she fumbled on the ground with her palms and stepped back. Even as she clung to the moldy stone wall, her eyes did not dim.
She merely glared at Alexis, whose platinum hair shone even in the filthy underground prison.
“Why are you so eager to devour Cecile? Do you even deserve to be called a mother?”
“How ridiculous. Since when did you care for Cecile so much?”
The Empress sneered as she looked up at the two figures standing before her. Seeing Alexis protecting Cecile made her lips curl even more.
“Is the future Emperor so infatuated with a man? It’s only a matter of time before the Berka Empire falls!”
“…….”
“You have quite the stomach, Alexis! How can you be with someone who looks just like me?”
“You’re courting death. It seems you’ve lost all sense of fear.”
Alexis revealed a calm yet deadly aura. The cold atmosphere made the Empress shut her mouth, and instead, she clutched her disheveled dress tightly. Perhaps sensing the impending doom, cold sweat trickled down her body, and her fingers and toes curled.
Alexis coldly stared at the pale Empress and said, “The judgment has been made.”
Cecile, who had been listening from behind, took a deep breath and grabbed Alexis’s hem. A large hand enveloped Cecile’s hand. Alexis continued without faltering.
“I hereby depose the traitor Elizabeth Rose Adrian. At six o’clock tomorrow morning, she will be exiled from the Empire.”
Cecile’s eyes widened in shock. He lifted his head, but all he could see was Alexis’s broad back.
“Exiled? Where to… Your Highness, you promised me….”
Then, the hand covering his hand tightened. Alexis continued to look ahead as he spoke.
“The criminal cannot take anything from the Imperial Palace, and she will be stripped of her royal status, living her life with the mark of a criminal.”
Empress Elizabeth was equally shocked by the unexpected judgment. She had expected to be sentenced to death, but it ended with mere exile! A glimmer of hope appeared on her soiled face.
Seeing this, Alexis narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t harbor any false hopes. The judgment document will be posted throughout the Empire, and all the citizens will know of your crimes. The moment you set foot in the Empire, you will be executed.”
“…….”
“Not executing you is the last favor I can grant. Thanks to Cecile’s plea, you should be grateful to your son for the rest of your life.”
With that, Alexis stormed out of the prison. Cecile was dragged along by his hand.
Only after climbing the stairs at a brisk pace could they finally step outside. Faced with the open air and the pitch-black night sky, Cecile’s knees buckled, and he collapsed.
Instead of helping him up, Alexis knelt down and matched his eye level with Cecile. His eyes, now much gentler than before, began to examine Cecile’s weary face.
“Cecile, what’s wrong?”
“I thought my heart was going to drop.”
“Do you think I would kill you?”
Cecile shook his head, covering his face with his palm.
“No, I thought you were exiling me to the Black Forest.”
“I promised, didn’t I?”
“…The Senate must have been quite opposed.”
“Thanks to that, it took quite a while. I had to persuade everyone who insisted on executing you, which was no easy task.”
Cecile slowly lowered his hands from his face. Tears were welling up in his large eyes. It was surprising that they hadn’t spilled over, and Alexis gently brushed his eyelids with his thumb. The moisture soaked his fingertips.
“It would be fitting for you to pay for your sins with death, but I couldn’t do that because you are the mother who gave birth to Cecile.”
“…….”
“I don’t want to hear even a hint of resentment. I only want your love.”
Cecile wiped away the remaining moisture with the back of his hand and nodded. When he lifted his flushed face, he saw Alexis smiling brightly at him.
“Are you not going to thank me?”
“…Thank you.”
“Just words? That’s lacking sincerity.”
Alexis said it jokingly, but Cecile willingly reached out and hugged his shoulder. Both knees sank into the ground, and his upper body leaned toward Alexis.
“I want to serve you today.”
“…….”
“Please let me serve you.”
Cecile felt Alexis take a deep breath against their connected chests. The hand that wrapped around Cecile’s back tightened.
“Can you keep that promise?”
“It has to be today.”
Cecile clung to his shoulder even tighter.
Just one more day.
Now it was time to say goodbye to Alexis.