As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover Chapter 195

Everyone remained still with hardened expressions.

 

The emperor’s ability to govern was truly the worst. He kept incompetent sycophants close and showered them with all sorts of privileges. Moreover, whenever problems arose across the empire, he would say, ‘I trust you to handle it,’ and pushed all responsibility onto others.

 

Those who requested help from the imperial family due to natural disasters affecting their lands were mostly rejected, and the corrupt nobles comfortably oppressed their subjects. If anyone dared to speak out or continued to request help, they would face repercussions, making it difficult for anyone to openly defy him.

 

“Frankly, His Excellency has never once disappointed those around him since childhood.”

 

“It was only after he descended that I realized how privileged and complacent I had become. Now, it’s our turn to protect him.”

 

“When His Excellency was still a member of the imperial family, I thought he was too rigid, but in hindsight, that was far better. At least he judges people based on their abilities rather than indulging in arbitrary discrimination.”

 

The speaker’s son had been pushed to the outskirts of the capital from the imperial guard simply because his appearance displeased the emperor. Similar incidents happened frequently. The trauma from the day the previous emperor passed away with many casualties, the family members who were practically held hostage by the sleeping sickness—all of this left the nobles, who had been wandering aimlessly due to the lack of a suitable heir, now fully resolved after seeing Edward, who seemed to have regained his strength.

 

“But something’s strange. Why is the imperial family so quiet?”

 

“No doubt they’re busy indulging in debauchery. After all, the preparations for the coronation can be left to subordinates, can’t they?”

 

“Still, it’s odd…”

 

A few exchanged uneasy glances. Time passed quickly, and it was now just three days before the coronation.

 

As the morning sunlight streamed through the window, Luize awoke and reached out for the empty space beside her. “Edward? Did he get up already?”

 

The sheets were completely cool, indicating he had been gone for some time. She went to find the knights in morning training.

 

“His Excellency? We haven’t seen him.”

 

“Haha, maybe he’s gone somewhere briefly?”

 

“…Usually, when he disappears without a word, he’s back within half a day.”

 

But Edward didn’t return by lunchtime. It was only then that Luize and the knights realized the gravity of the situation.

 

“It seems something has happened to Lord Edward.”

 

Edward had disappeared.

 

* * *

Someone once said that forgetfulness is a gift from the gods to humans. Even though Edward had regained his memories, he was still human in this life, and the human body was not designed to recall every detail of the past 10,000 years. Naturally, most of his memories from before this life had faded, and while he could refer to a few clearer ones to solve problems more easily than before, he was not returning to being the being once called a demigod. After all, he was no longer Ron but Edward.

 

“I made a mistake.”

 

This was the time he should have been most on guard, yet he had made a mistake that was unlike him.

 

Both externally and internally, everything had been going smoothly. Edward was about to return to the imperial family, the temple’s affairs had been resolved peacefully, the knights were at ease, and Luize was by his side. He had also learned how to effectively use his power through memories of his past life. Had he ever felt such stability before? Not even during his childhood at the imperial court had he experienced such peace. Maybe that’s why he let his guard down, if only for a moment.

 

“They must be worried by now.”

 

He stared at a figure collapsed nearby. The man was bleeding and appeared on the brink of death, pierced through by a large window, yet he was still clinging to life. Edward was the one who had halted time for him.

 

Edward glanced around the dark magic prison that surrounded him. It seemed the empress dowager had realized it would be difficult to kill Edward and had decided to trap him instead. The dark magic binding him was set to naturally release after the coronation, three days later.

 

Edward had not yet fully regained his position. If he were merely delayed until after the coronation, public sentiment could quickly turn against him. If it became known that he had been kidnapped, he would be deemed ‘incompetent.’ If it was reported as negligence, the bad rumors that had followed him in the past would gain more weight. Claiming illness or some other excuse would not work either. He needed to appear as the perfect crown prince and the new hope of the empire at this moment.

 

Even if the coronation were delayed, with the previous emperor already gone, the public proclamation of the imperial decree wouldn’t be retracted. Any trust he lost could be rebuilt over time, so it was all just a matter of delaying the inevitable.

 

Does this mean she’s already gathered most of the power she needs?

 

Even if the empress dowager succeeded in resurrecting the dead, Edward intended to see both her and the emperor, who had brought the empire to this state, face the executioner’s blade. Yet she hadn’t changed her course of action. Was it because she had another backer? Or…

 

Edward looked down at the dark chains that bound his ankles. Dark smoke wavered around him.

 

“First, I need to deal with this magic.”

 

There were three ways to break the magic binding the prison. First, he could stay trapped until the dark magic naturally dissipated. Second, he could let the man die and immediately break the magic. Third, he could summon someone who could save the man and then break the dark magic.

 

The magic to stop time required an enormous amount of mana and intense concentration. In his human form, it was impossible to maintain that spell and break the dark magic at the same time. He needed someone with the ability to save the man while he focused on breaking the dark magic.

 

The problem was that the moment Edward used mental magic to call someone, he would also fall into the mental dark magic that was already trying to invade his mind. He could maintain the time-stopping spell on the man, but he wouldn’t be aware of what was happening outside. He had only one chance to send a message to someone in a very brief moment before the dark magic took hold of him. If the person didn’t hear it, it would be over. So he was carefully waiting for the right timing.

 

“I’m going to get into a lot of trouble for this.” Edward sat down and retraced the events of the previous night that had led him here.

 

* * *

Late in the deep hours of the night, when everyone except the guards was asleep, Edward awoke to the presence of an assassin caught in one of the traps he had set. The presence was too familiar to ignore. He silently kissed Luize’s hair, careful not to wake her, and slipped out of bed.

 

“Your Excellency!”

 

“Fin. It’s been a while.”

 

“I’m sorry for being late. A knight who betrays his lord deserves to die. Please, kill me.”

 

Fin bowed his head to the ground at Edward’s feet. He was a knight who had once served under Edward. His younger brother had been hospitalized in the imperial medical facility due to sleeping sickness. At the end of the expedition to Perils, Fin had betrayed Edward and returned to the imperial palace with Edward’s blood-stained sword.

 

“Has your brother woken up?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“I see. You’ve always been willing to sacrifice your life for your brother. I suppose the reason for your delay was that you were making sure he was safe.”

 

“I’m sorry.” The man called Fin grimaced in agony and pressed his forehead to the floor. “Your Excellency, please execute me for the crime of attempting to assassinate the imperial family. I will testify that the emperor ordered your death.”

 

Edward’s gaze moved from the tormented man’s face to the clothes he wore. Fin had come openly wearing the uniform of the first order of imperial knights, the White Lion. It seemed he intended to be killed by Edward and to publicly reveal that the emperor had sent assassins after him. The plan appeared to involve Fin sneaking into Edward’s estate, only to be captured and executed, thereby exposing the emperor’s plot.

 

“I’d like to hear more about the situation.”

 

“I will do anything to be of help to you, Your Excellency.”

 

What Fin revealed about the state of the imperial palace was much as Edward had suspected. Just as Sariel had controlled people with dark magic, the empress dowager had similarly ensnared members of the imperial palace’s knights. However, since mental magic required a constant supply of mana, the empress dowager hadn’t been able to control the entire first order of imperial knights.

 

Mental magic mainly affected those who were physically weak, those with weak wills, or those with clear traumas or vulnerabilities.

 

“…As a result, the Shadow Light knights have completely fallen under the empress dowager. Although I am officially a member of the first order, I have been working for Shadow Light.”

 

“The emperor must have paid quite a price for my blood. Seeing you succeed makes me proud.”