The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 356

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Part 2, Chapter 203

However, Eratosthe had not intended to end things so suddenly and dramatically either.

If Perdickas II had not harbored malice toward the First Prince and his wife, his death would have proceeded quietly and slowly.

“I cannot bear to watch you smear filth even on those children.”

Eratosthe thought of the First Prince’s wife.

He thought of the foundation she had tried to protect, and the people within it.

Though he himself would not enter that sanctuary, Chezare—that child would surely exist within it.

That belief allowed Eratosthe to make his decision without hesitation.

This would be the first and last gift

that he, who could not even be called family, could give.

“Damn it! Head Servant! Is there no one outside!”

The moment he confirmed Eratosthe’s deep-seated resentment, all of Perdickas II’s hopes crumbled.

He staggered and turned toward the door.

His swaying steps carried desperation.

“Quickly! A court physician, cough! No, the Divine Healer quickly! No, a mage, kugh, call them. Quickly!”

But the servants had all been dismissed long ago.

Before he could take even three steps, thud, the Emperor collapsed forward.

Blood flowing from his mouth spread across the golden carpet, forming a pool.

“Kugh…!”

With labored breathing, his hand clawed futilely at the air. As if trying to grasp something.

The hand that had been groping through empty air soon dropped with a thud.

With bulging eyes, Perdickas II’s breath ceased.

In the end, he died without even reaching the door.

Dark red blood and filth dripped from the corners of his mouth.

Nowhere on his face, etched with shock, terror, and despair, could any imperial dignity be found.

The final moments of one who had driven so many into the abyss of suffering and death were truly brief and wretched.

“Haha. How pathetic.”

To think decades were wasted when it could end in an instant like this.

“Eleanor, this father was foolish.”

If only I had done this, I could have seen you sooner.

Only the hollow laughter of an old man remained in the room.

* * *

“Your Highness! Your Highness!”

It was just as Chezare’s horse was about to leave the palace gates.

“Your Highness, you must not leave!”

A group of palace attendants came running breathlessly and blocked Chezare’s path.

Grrrr! The black horse snorted threateningly.

“Your Highness, please…! You must come to the Imperial Palace. Now, right now.”

These wore the same Imperial Palace uniforms as the palace attendants Chezare had chased away earlier.

Yet despite shrinking their shoulders in fear and lowering their voices, they would not retreat.

He turned his head. His cold gaze asked what was happening.

“His, His Majesty… has been assassinated.”

The servant who had just entered the Emperor’s chamber, finding it too quiet, and discovered Perdickas II’s corpse, spoke.

“Are you telling me to come, or are you now staging even his death?”

His cool eyes held abundant mockery.

“Now you want to pin the crime of regicide on me? Tell them not to provoke me too much. I’m already restraining myself from wanting to lead an army and crush everything immediately.”

The murderous aura radiating in all directions was even eerie.

“No! It’s, it’s really true! Please believe us! His Majesty… has passed away!”

Chezare turned around without a moment’s hesitation. It had to be a lie.

This was Kazen’s Imperial Palace.

Who could have entered the heart of the palace, the Imperial Palace itself, to assassinate the Emperor?

“C-Count Eratosthenes…!”

Before the words could be finished, Chezare’s cloak fluttered.

As soon as he entered the Imperial Palace, a thick smell of blood hit his nostrils.

Perdickas II lay collapsed on the floor.

His complexion had turned black. His clothes were completely soaked in blood.

From his face, frozen in terror and rage, one could tell that even until the end he had never anticipated such a death.

The cane in his hand was stained with blood.

“You’ve come, Chezare.”

Chezare turned his head.

Beside the golden imperial throne stood an old man.

His worn gray investigator’s robes had darkened, soaked with blood.

Chezare alternately stared at the faded old man and the fallen corpse.

Blood drops were falling from the hem of the old man’s robes. It was not Perdickas II’s.

“Why…”

His golden eyes held surprise.

This situation had not been in his expectations.

He had never anticipated that Eratosthe would choose such an ending.

“Why on earth are you…”

The final words were swallowed with rough breathing.

Why did you choose such an end?

I know better than anyone that the revenge you waited for was not of this form.

Eratosthe. A man untouched by even a speck of dust, defined by pride and honor,

why.

Why did you stain blood directly on your hands, defiling your own pride and honor?

“Why are you…”

Eratosthe paid no heed and wiped the blood remaining on the throne with the other, unstained part of his robes.

Though his swaying body seemed barely able to support itself, he moved his hands carefully, as if cleaning the throne were his final remaining mission.

Swish. Swish.

Thus even the last bloodstains that Perdickas II had coughed up while dying were completely erased.

The throne gleamed golden once more.

So much so that one could hardly believe a tragedy had just occurred.

Eratosthe spoke.

“Now, the seat for you to occupy is clean.”

“…”

Chezare’s lips moved slightly, but no words emerged.

In truth, it was because he had realized the answer.

Because he had guessed why this old man had shouldered all the infamy.

If he had not done it, Chezare would have killed him with his own hands.

“Che…, come here.”

Looking tired, Eratosthe, who had sat leaning against the base of the throne, reached out his hand toward him.

Step, step. Chezare’s footsteps quickened.

Fast enough to almost look like he was running.

As the distance rapidly closed, Chezare’s shadow covered Eratosthe.

A faint smile appeared at the corners of the old man’s mouth.

“When did time… flow by like this…”

The small child who hadn’t even reached his waist had grown up so quickly.

“…This cannot be.”

Chezare knelt down.

“I will not allow you to leave like this.”

A face wiped clean of emotion, an indifferent voice,

But only Eratosthe, who had raised him with his own hands, could notice that the end of those words were trembling.

Chezare, this child ridiculously resembles me quite a bit,

He would rather choose death than reveal his weakness outwardly.

“It’s use, less.”

Eratosthe smiled and pushed away the medicine bottle that Chezare pulled from his chest.

The blue holy water inside the bottle sloshed.

Having prepared his entire life to kill the supreme ruler of Kazen, would he have used a poison that could be cured with holy water?

“I… just…”

Eratosthe caught his ragged breath and pondered what to say to Chezare.

However, no words seemed appropriate.

Time does not return, and moments already lost cannot be undone.

“I don’t… regret it. Not any, thing.”

Avenging my daughter, raising you, Chezare, as my grandson.

And abandoning you.

His trembling, wrinkled hands searched inside his chest.

He tried to find something but his hands fumbled weakly.

He barely managed to squeeze out his remaining strength and finally pulled something from his chest.

“Like, this…”

Eratosthe smiled bitterly and tried to wipe what he held in his hand on his investigator’s uniform.

However, his front was already soaked with blood.

He eventually gave up and closed his hand around it again.

It seemed heaven would not allow this heartless man a final apology.

“I’m… sorry.”

Haah.

With his last sigh, his breathing stopped.

Chezare caught the old man’s body as it slowly collapsed.

And then, roll roll roll.

From the old man’s weakened hand, whatever he had been holding rolled and fell.

“…”

Though stained with some bloodstains, it still gleamed with a lustrous shine…

It had the exact same shape as the wooden toy that Eratosthe had carved by hand, which was also in Chezare’s home now.

The only difference was that it looked much newer than Chezare’s, which bore the traces of time.

As if he had continued making the same toy all along.

Chezare was not the only one

who could never forget their past affection.

“…”

Chezare’s throat moved roughly as if swallowing something.

Rough veins stood out on the back of his hand that gripped Eratosthe’s cooling clothes.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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