Chapter 116: The Bait (2)

In his cluttered study, Levans remained, clenching his teeth.

Grrind.

“I thought I had forgotten…”

Someone once said that a man’s first love is not something he forgets; it stays with him deep within his heart. Was this why? As Levans gazed upon Page after twenty years, his heart swelled.

Though she appeared older than the nineteen-year-old girl etched in his memories, she was still undeniably beautiful.

It was then that Levans realized without a doubt:

Our paths weren’t just fleeting encounters. It was merely a slumber.

His possessiveness towards Page hadn’t vanished—it had been dormant, smoldering faintly in one corner of his heart. And now, at her return, those embers burst into flames once more.

His strong possessiveness and obsession had transformed into intense jealousy—a development even Louis hadn’t anticipated.

“How dare he! That piece of trash! The child of such riffraff!” Levans snatched up an object nearby and hurled it across the room.

The once brilliant mind that had propelled him to the position of prime minister was now consumed by madness. All that remained were stubbornness, obstinacy, and malice after years chasing power as he aged.

After seething for some time, he forced himself to calm down and think strategically.

Pablo, wasn’t it…?

Despite Pablo being hailed as a hero for saving the king’s life, this accolade would be fleeting. Eliminating such a person wouldn’t cause significant problems.

However, the problem was…

I don’t know how the king will react…

He couldn’t predict the king’s response to this matter. After some deliberation, he rang the bell on his desk.

Ting-a-ling.

The clear sound echoed, and soon after, a soldier entered through the open door. Despite the chaotic state of the room, the soldier’s eyes remained unfazed as he slightly bowed his head.

“You summoned me?”

“What happened to Leon’s leader, that old man?”

“He hasn’t made any appearances since returning home a month ago.”

“Still haven’t found him?”

”…My apologies.”

As Louis had mentioned earlier, the prime minister was aware that Greg had returned to the Frenche Kingdom a month prior.

The only thing he couldn’t figure out was Greg’s whereabouts.

As his subordinate reported, Levans closed his eyes, lost in thought.

Could it be… he returned simply to announce the birth of their child?

A month ago, when Greg had returned to the Frenche Kingdom, Levans’ meticulously planned assassination of the king had crumbled overnight. And then there was Princess Page, who had appeared alongside him. Initially, Levans suspected their sudden emergence was aimed at thwarting his plans.

But now, a new variable had thrown everything off balance:

Pablo… Pablo… Just what kind of man is this fool?

The mysterious individual claimed to be engaged to Page. His presence alone was enough to complicate matters for Levans.

Finally, Levans addressed his subordinate.

“That Pablo bastard…”

“Shall we take care of him?”

The subordinate’s eyes gleamed with malice.

In response, Levans waved his hand dismissively.

“He’s not someone to be underestimated; he managed to eliminate our entire infiltration team.”

“So…?”

“Don’t act hastily until I give further instructions. For now, gather information about him.”

“Understood.”

“More importantly, what is the king up to?”

“He retired early for the night and hasn’t been doing anything unusual.”

“Keep a close eye on him. Inform me immediately if he exhibits any strange behavior.”

Bernium Palace, the residence of the king—the very heart of the kingdom—could not escape the premier’s gaze.

“I shall carry out your orders,” his subordinate said before exiting the room.

Levans’ eyes turned northward—not towards the fake royal palace he had constructed, but rather the direction where the true king resided.

“It won’t be long now…” He murmured softly, his eyes blazing with intensity.

“If I cannot make it mine, then I’ll reduce it to rubble.”

In Levans’ mind, the image of the nineteen-year-old page—a mere phantom—shattered like a broken mirror as it dissipated from his thoughts.

Night had fallen.

The hour when all should be asleep.

Yet the king couldn’t find rest.

After tossing and turning for what seemed an eternity, he finally dragged himself out of bed.

Padding barefoot across the room, the king stood on his terrace, gazing up at the moon.

On any other night, the cool light of the moon might have brought him some solace, but tonight even that failed to comfort him.

“Haaah…” The deep sigh that escaped carried within it a tangled web of emotions.

“What am I to do…?”

His worries, which had begun early that morning, now stretched well into the night.

A life that could vanish without warning—anytime, anywhere, in any manner.

This throne, nothing more than a hollow title, offered no protection against such uncertainty.

The royal palace, meant to be a haven of comfort, had become equally perilous. Over two decades, my people were gradually purged while Levans’ followers filled its halls. Now, all that remained were some hundred guards personally trained by Baron for my protection.

I’ve held on longer than I thought possible…

If not for the support from Leon’s Revolutionary Army beyond our borders, I would never have endured these long years.

It’s time… to bring this to an end.

I had clung to power with every ounce of strength, but now felt myself reaching the limits. Age was catching up with me. Meanwhile, Levans’ influence continued to grow unchecked—though one might argue he’d already reached the pinnacle of his power.

Once again today, I realized that I couldn’t hold on any longer.

In this situation, the only way to protect my daughter…

“Is it just letting her go…?”

The dilemma that had plagued me since morning finally reached a conclusion.

“I’m sorry…”

It was an apology from a father who hadn’t been able to do anything for his daughter. It also contained self-reproach for having to show such a pathetic sight until the very end.

I won’t be able to sleep tonight…

Although it was already late, I felt like I wouldn’t easily drift off.

It was one of those nights when I desperately missed the alcohol I had given up twenty years ago.

And then, at that moment:

Startled by the voice that seemed to pierce through my thoughts, the king urgently turned around.

Yet there was no sign of the voice’s owner anywhere.

“Who is it…?!” Just as the king was about to shout, the voice sounded again:

”…?!”

Startled by these words, the king hastily closed his mouth.

Just who could this be?!

While the king pondered this mystery, something began to change within the chamber. His gaze caught sight of something wavering like mist against one wall. Then…

Rumble rumble.

The very space started to distort.

What in the world is happening?!

Before he had time to cry out, a darkness deeper than the darkest night swallowed up the king. Reactively, he raised his arm to shield his face.

Moments later:

“It’s alright now.”

Hearing the voice from directly ahead, the king lowered his arms. At that moment, his eyes widened in surprise.

“You’re more frightened than I thought.”

”…”

“May I speak freely?”

The figure emerging from the darkness was a young child. Their hair was even whiter than their eyes. Despite the gloom, their purple irises shone brightly like precious gems. The unexpected appearance left the king momentarily stunned.

He quickly regained his composure and shouted:

“W-Who are you?!”

“Well… Perhaps I am the Apostle of Justice, tirelessly working day and night for the peace of Frenche Palace?”

”… …”

“Oh, come on! Don’t take my joke so seriously; it makes me feel awkward. Anyway, allow me to introduce myself properly for the first time. My name is Louis.”

Still, Louis addressed him formally as befitting a king of a nation.

The king stared intently at this tiny child before him. The face seemed eerily familiar. After a moment, he recalled where he had seen it and gently inquired:

”…Are you not the child who was with that Pablo?”

“Oh? Your Majesty has keen eyes indeed! We only met briefly.”

Of course, both Louis and his twin brother stood out due to their distinctive appearance, making them easily memorable.

With the sudden reappearance of this familiar face, the king posed two questions:

“How did you manage to enter here? And what is this…” He gestured towards the swirling black aura around them.

Louis’s answer was simple: “Have you never witnessed the power of the Sacred Scripture before?”

“It’s not my first time witnessing such magic, but…”

“It’s nothing really. I just created a new space separated from the outside world.”

“Huh…”

“I’ve been walking around the palace all day…”

“You walked around the palace?” The king’s lips parted slightly at Louis’s casual tone, as if he had simply taken a neighborhood stroll.

Louis waved his hand dismissively. “Oh, that’s not important. Anyway, I noticed suspicious characters lurking everywhere. It seems like this was the only way to talk to you without being overheard. Sorry for showing up unannounced in the middle of the night.”

“Ah, ‘you’?”

“Yeah? You’re not my uncle? Then I’ll call you grandpa. Come to think of it, since you’re Page’s father, grandpa is probably more appropriate. How about King Grandpa?”

”…You may address me as you wish. So why have you come here?”

Though he appeared to be only seven years old, his manner of speaking was that of a seasoned merchant who had weathered many a market storm. Moreover, the abilities he possessed were far from ordinary. This child was no commoner.

He gazed at Louis with inscrutable eyes.

A Sacred Scripture…

A technique that separated space itself. Even if Louis wasn’t well-versed in such matters, he knew full well that deploying even a basic form of this ability was no small feat. Yet this mysterious young boy seemed to wield it effortlessly.

Could it be…?!

The first suspicion that crossed Louis’s mind was that this might be an assassin disguised as a child.

Was Levans behind this?!

The king glanced at the sword placed on one side of the bedroom.

Noticing this, Louis smirked. “Don’t be too tense. I’m on Grandpa King’s side, you know.”

”…”

“Honestly, if I were an assassin, I’d have stabbed your heart before even talking to you.”

Seeing that his kind explanation still didn’t relax the king, Louis took out an envelope and handed it over.

“Please take this first.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a letter envelope, obviously.”

”…”

He knows what it is; why did he ask? Louis thought with a roll of his eyes. His gaze clearly conveyed: Why bother asking when you can just read it yourself?

With a faint sigh, the king opened the envelope. As he unfolded the paper inside, a familiar handwriting came into view.

This is…?!

The handwriting was unmistakably that of Greg, the leader of the Leon Revolutionary Army. Having exchanged numerous letters with Greg over time, Louis recognized his penmanship at a glance.

He quickly skimmed through the letter. Moments later, he looked up from it, his eyes flickering as they met Louis’s gaze.

“Is—is what’s written here true?”

“What do you mean?”

“P-page is…”

“You’re asking if Page pretending to be pregnant is a lie… No, it’s not false.”

“Yes!”

“No, it’s really happening,” Louis confirmed.

At this acknowledgment, the king let out a bitter laugh.

“Hah…” He seemed utterly despondent. “Hahaha.”

The letter contained an explanation for why Page had felt compelled to feign pregnancy.

The worries that had plagued him all day turned out to be baseless. He let out a hollow laugh at his own foolishness.

As he watched King Louis carefully fold and tuck away the letter, Ha couldn’t help but ask, “At the end of the letter…it mentioned something about a ‘temporary adjutant general’ filling in the details? Who is this person? I’ve never heard of such a position before.”

“It was created specifically for this situation; it didn’t exist until now.”

“Where can I find them?”

“Well, they’re right here, actually…”

”…?” A question mark seemed to hover above the king’s head as confusion clouded his face.

Louis smiled mischievously at the monarch’s puzzled expression. He bowed slightly and reintroduced himself with a flourish.

“Greetings once again. I am Louis, temporary adjutant general of the Leon Revolutionary Army.”

The king’s eyes widened yet again, disbelief written across his features.