I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart - Chapter 238
“Euel, you can stop now.”
He handed me the towel, speaking as if he had already seen through everything. He even gave me the same smile as before, as though he had read my thoughts.
“I was a noble in the Southern Empire, you know. A fallen noble.”
Exiled abroad, he had wandered before settling in Varen. Officially, the Northern Empire had also rejected his entry, so he found refuge in Varen, where surveillance was relatively lax.
“Then, the Southern Emperor changed, and granted pardons. I, too, received one, but Varen had become my home, so I had no intention of leaving.”
But then that Emperor came and told him to return to the Southern Empire.
The betrayal of someone I had trusted made my voice sharper.
“When exactly?”
“About the time you’re thinking of. When Duke Hardland was exiled to Varen, that’s when I was living there.”
Mr. Bugh responded calmly as usual.
After a moment of calming my mind while looking out the window, I asked something that had been on my mind.
“Do you know the age of the Southern Emperor?”
“I don’t know. He looked like that the first time I saw him, too.”
“When was the first time?”
“It’s been about ten years. Euel, I think it’s better to stop talking for now and calm your insides.”
Indeed, the strange feeling I had wasn’t exaggerated.
Following Mr. Bugh’s advice, I circulated my magic to ensure my blood circulated properly. My internal organs were still quite fragile, so they trembled at the slightest disturbance.
After meditating for about 30 minutes and taking deep breaths, the vomiting stopped.
“Then, Mr. Bugh, did you watch our family and report it to the Southern Emperor?”
“At first, I refused… but eventually, that’s what happened.”
The feeling of betrayal and emptiness filled me, and as I tried to organize my next course of action, Mr. Bugh spoke first.
“Euel, do you know about the prophecy?”
I wasn’t sure if I should trust Mr. Bugh. He had been my kind teacher, and just moments ago, he had pretended not to know my lie.
But he was still a trusted confidant of the Southern Emperor.
So I remained silent, and it seemed he got the answer he was looking for. Having known me for over ten years, he could read me easily.
“The Hardland couple couldn’t have told you. They’re too kind for that.”
Mr. Bugh gave a bitter smile and instructed a servant to bring warm water. He personally brewed the tea and handed me a cup.
“Drink this. It’s good to have something warm when you’re unsettled.”
The habits and speech from my childhood made my heart ache.
“The prophecy is very simple.”
Mr. Bugh took a sip of his tea and spoke.
“‘After the prophecy is given, the first child born with the blood of the elf will have a short life.’ That’s the essence of it.”
“……”
“For elves, ‘short life’ usually refers to the mid-teens, around fifteen to eighteen. If applied to humans, those who are still minors or just barely past their coming-of-age ceremony—children, really. Elves, who live at least twice or thrice as long as humans, would definitely find that lives much shorter in comparison.”
I had imagined the prophecy dozens, even hundreds of times.
I had created many possible scenarios until I received a clear answer from Ber that it had nothing to do with the war, but this never crossed my mind.
“After the prophecy was made, you were the first born, Euel. You were granted the name of El, so you fall within the prophecy’s bounds.”
It’s frustrating to be treated like that when I’m not a full-elf.
“I’ve heard this prophecy many times. The God of Light’s prophecies have never been wrong… Oh, but there was one time, just one time, it was wrong. It’s the only recorded instance.”
“……”
“Euel, you are the second human to break the God of Light’s prophecy.”
Mr. Bugh seemed proud of me. But is it really something to be proud of that the prophecy of the revered God Lux has been broken?
“You should have been dead by now… but you’re alive. Yes, the Hardland couple must have lived in constant fear.”
Now I understand why my parents doted on me so much.
I would have lived no more than 18 years, at most.
After that, having survived and defied the prophecy, they must have lived in constant worry, not knowing when or where I might die. I think they came to terms with it when I entered my twenties.
“Living with the Northern Emperor won’t make your life peaceful. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”
Did the Southern Emperor make this happen?
“He made a contract with the devil. Life can never be smooth for him. Your mother probably said something similar to me, didn’t she?”
Mr. Bugh knows how the Northern Emperor views me. He also knows how much I cherish him.
“I am the daughter of the Hardland family.”
So, I gave him a formal answer, and Mr. Bugh smiled faintly.
“You can’t give up. Euel, you’ve always been like this. Once you focus on something, you never let it go.”
“I’ve changed, though. People can’t stay the same forever.”
My slight denial didn’t work, and Mr. Bugh whispered in a soft voice.
“This place has looser surveillance. The Emperor trusts the bracelet he placed on your wrist, so he didn’t deploy many soldiers. The resistance from the Northern Empire was fiercer than expected, so there was no room to focus on this side.”
“Ah, I see. Thank you for telling me.”
“Haha, I know you’re not believing everything I say.”
“Not at all. I’m truly grateful, deep down.”
I responded with a slight smile, but Mr. Bugh shook his head.
“The Emperor may have been fooled, but you can’t fool my eyes, Euel. We’ve known each other for fourteen years.”
Whatever I said, my true feelings would be revealed. So, I decided to be honest.
“In that case, what’s the purpose of telling me all this?”
“Oh, my smart student.”
Mr. Bugh laughed.
“You’re quick to absorb knowledge, but sometimes you can be a little blunt when it comes to understanding people’s emotions.”
“……”
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