I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart - Chapter 196

With two days left until the New Year’s ball, I received a message from Tess inviting me to come see the dresses at the palace.

Tess seemed to still be hiding our engagement plans from my father. The problem was that I needed to avoid my mother’s sharp gaze.

She had great senses, and my heart raced every day at the thought of facing her.

“Phew.”

Luckily, today my mother had gone out, so I thankfully didn’t have to encounter her.

Behind the library was a path full with trees leading to Tate Palace, but it was desolate in the winter. I quickened my pace as I planned my route through the palace.

Crunch.

The sound of footsteps crushing dried leaves halted me. It was a path seldom used by others besides Tess and me, and certainly, it wasn’t Tess approaching.

Soon, the unmistakable sound of someone stepping on snow followed, signaling an unfamiliar presence.

The stranger soon revealed themselves.

“Ouch…”

The man, with his pure golden hair, struggled as his thick fur cloak snagged on a tree.

“Tree, could you please let me go?”

Talking to the tree while trying to free his cloak, he seemed so pitiable that I felt compelled to help him. He seemed about my height but his actions reminded me of a small, frantic animal.

Finally freeing his cloak from the dry branch, the man looked up. He seemed startled to see me but quickly broke into a broad smile.

“Lady Euseniel Hardland!”

His bright golden hair as if spun from gold, and eyes like pure sapphires. His thick eyelashes and his bright smile reminded me of someone distinctly.

“Pardon me, but may I know who you are?”

Although I already knew, I asked out of politeness, also to give myself a moment to catch my breath.

Realizing his mistake, the boy straightened up and bowed respectfully.

“I am Cardo Neussville.”

“I am the first of Hardland, Euseniel. You must be….His Majesty’s younger brother.”

“…..”

It was undeniable.

Before we met again, I had loosely imagined what my grown partner at the palace would look like. Surely, there would be only one fitting that description.

I raised my right hand to my left chest in a formal gesture of respect due to his higher status.

“It is an honor to meet you. May the glory of the Northern Empire be with you.”

The golden hair, shining brightly against the white snow, felt strangely unfamiliar as it had been a long time since I’d seen it.

“How did you know about me?”

“I heard from Gael.”

The prince’s smile faltered as he looked momentarily saddened.

“Gael often talked about her sister, but it seems she didn’t mention me.”

Feeling the need to comfort the disheartened prince, I carefully chose my words when I sensed a familiar scent.

“Take him away.”

At the stern command, two knights stepped forward with a clinking sound, and stood themselves in front of the fairy-like prince and me.

“Let’s go, Your Highness.”

“Bro, Brother!”

“I never permitted you to leave the Lizen Palace.”

The knights, emotionless as if made of stone, grabbed the prince’s arms and began to lead him away.

“Let’s go, Euseniel.”

Tess wrapped his arm around my waist, urging me to continue on our way. But the mournful cry of the prince stopped me.

“Lady!”

As I turned back, I saw the prince reaching out towards me.

“For Gael, for Gael!”

Shouting my sister’s name, the prince was struck on the back of the neck by one of the knights and fell unconscious.

Silently, Tess and I moved towards the Hill Palace, and as soon as we arrived in Tess’s bedroom, I spoke.

“Was this the secret you and Gael had?”

Tess nodded grimly.

“Your sister has feelings for my brother, Euseniel.”

As the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, it made sense. The Lizen Palace, located behind Tate Palace, would have made their meetings easy. They probably first met in childhood and even met on a rainy day at the palace.

She fell in love with a fairy.

“And your brother?”

“….”

“What did your brother feel?”

There was a rare hesitation before Tess responded. All I could do was nod as he told the story.

“I see.”

“Are you not surprised?”

“More than surprised……”

Well, it just seems… natural.

Unable to find the right words, I simply shook my head.

“Why are you keeping your brother locked up?”

Until now, I had not noticed, and having never met him, my memories of Tess’s brother were not clear. But it struck me that if there had been manipulation of people’s memories, the imperial genealogy would have had to be altered as well, yet it wasn’t.

“Because I can’t kill him.”

“What?”

“I can’t kill him. More precisely, if I kill him, it would complicate things for me.”

The sudden mention of ‘killing’ as a solution was shocking.

Unaware of my dismay, Tess tilted his head and smiled.

“When the devil’s traits grow stronger, there’s a craving for blood. To quell the anger, blood becomes necessary.”

His lips curved into a beautiful smile, but his tone was chillingly serene.