The Fallen Palace (4)
“You seem to be misunderstanding me, so let me explain. I’m not asking you, I’m ordering you.”
Emilia’s words were quiet yet fierce. However, when Iline heard Emilia’s words, her body couldn’t stop quivering.
Iline was in a shock that Emilia tore off her ears so nonchalantly.
When humans are about to harm others, they need to be mentally prepared, and their tension manifests in their body’s movements. However, Emilia did it without any fluctuations in emotions.
Iline took this as evidence that Emilia wasn’t truly a human anymore.
“Ah… ah…”
When Emilia turned her cold gaze towards the stunned Iline who couldn’t even reply from fear, she kicked Iline in the face. The body of Iline, who had been kicked in the face, was blown away and crashed into the wall. Naturally, this did not alleviate the pain Iline felt.
“It was a mistake to ask the slow-witted Iline. Lady Aluris, you should be able to answer me properly as you understand your own situation, right?”
Emilia turned towards Aluris and said coldly. Aluris fell down to the floor with her body trembling. There, Shukul who stood before Aluris spoke up.
“Please don’t hurt my Mother! I will tell you former Emperor’s whereabouts!”
“Shukul! What are you saying!”
Aluris raised her voice after hearing Shukul’s words. Shukul was the child Aluris gave birth to and Shukul’s actions were that of a son who couldn’t watch his own mother getting hurt.
Even though Aluris was rebuking Shukul, Emilia could see the sense of relief in the depths of Aluris’ eyes. If Shukul told her the former Emperor’s whereabouts, Aluris wouldn’t be the one betraying him, so she could shift the responsibility onto Shukul. Moreover, she would be able to ensure her complete safety.
The psychological burden would all be pushed on her biological son, while she could distance herself from the matter and stay safe.
(Come to think of it, this woman was always like this.)
Emilia’s heart was filled with bitterness. Aluris is the kind of person that wouldn’t say anything and later defend herself saying “I was against it from the beginning.”
“Prince Shukul, you have no need to take responsibility. I’m asking Aluris, after all.”
Shukul let out “Guh…” after Emilia spoke to him.
“If by any chance you tell me the former Emperor’s whereabouts, I will tear off Aluris’ limbs one by one.”
Both Shukul and Aluris felt at a loss for words. They both sensed that Emilia would hold her words true.
“I understand…”
Shukul said in frustration. He seemed bitter about not being able to protect his own mother.
“Now, answer me, Aluris. Where is Altonius? Or do you not feel like talking unless you lose parts of your body like Iline?”
“Hiii.”
Aluris raised a small yelp while losing her bearings. Even though she recognizes that her husband Altonius is scum of a man, selling him out might still be a big hurdle for her to overcome.
“Helen, gouge out one of Aluris’ eyes.”
“Certainly.”
When Helen acknowledged Emilia’s words, Aluris raised her voice. She certainly didn’t wish for her eye to get gouged out.
“The former Emperor escaped via a hidden passage in this palace!”
“What did you say!?”
“It seems he wanted us to waste as much time here as possible.”
Aluris spat out the truth. There is nothing to be scared of once you take a step to cross the bridge.
“I see… and why is that he didn’t take you guys with him?”
“He told us to rest assured that you, the Salbuveirs, wouldn’t kill us.”
“Hah? You believed his groundless words? There’s no way we wouldn’t eradicate the imperial family.”
Emilia was shocked by Aluris’ words. She felt like everyone else was an idiot.
“T, that can’t be… then, His Imperial Majesty had… us…”
Aluris was stunned by Emilia’s reaction.
“You were buying time for a man that discarded you. Just how stupid is this entire clan?”
Aluris hung her head in dejection.
“Mother…”
Shukul placed his hand gently on Aluris’ shoulder. While trying to comfort his mother, he guessed his father’s motives.
“You can’t say that.”
“Brother?”
At that moment, Kulm came in with his subordinates.
“At least, His Imperial Majesty Etra had guessed the former Emperor’s motives.”
“What do you mean?”
Emilia tilted her head to the side. Then, she noticed Etra who was standing behind Kulm.
“Prince Etra? Brother, you have turned Prince Etra into undead!?”
Kulm nodded quietly in confirmation.