The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

Chapter 277: The Death of Zandra

In response to Sebass words, I started looking around.

Even though the room is dark due to the curtain, there is still light outside.

I got up from the bed and tried to open the curtain but I ended up staggering. It seems that my body is weaker than I expected.

Tsk

Please dont overdo it, sir. Even if you can maintain your body functions with magic, you can not completely prevent your body from weakening.

My body is not that strong in the first place anyway.

I strengthen my body with magic power and slightly open the curtain.

The sun was about to set outside.

If today is the last day then she will die tonight.

Is Zandra still outside?

No, sir. Her Highness was put on a show for the first three days but many petitions have been made against it and she is currently confined inside her room, sir.

Even though they were the ones who wanted to see, now they begged us to put her away huh.

The Emperor Poison Wine is a secret poison of our nation, sir. The people must have heard the rumors about it to some extent but they would never be able to imagine its real horror. The people who wanted to find some closure through her suffering must have been overwhelmed by its real effect.

It is not that the suffering is unimaginable for them. They only lack enough imagination. A member of the Imperial Family rebelled against the Emperor, its obvious that the punishment for that would be far beyond the imagination of the common people. If they think a little then that much is obvious.

The suffering the Emperor Poison Wine can cause can even make the onlookers frowned.

It can cause an effect that should cause a person to die without killing them. Thats the idea of the Emperor Poison Wine. You can only die after you have experienced seven days of hellish torture.

There is no doubt that it is the most ridiculous poison on the continent.

The fact that he used it against his own daughter means that Father has shown that he will never forgive Zandra.

I do not know his real feelings though.

Is there someone inside the room with Zandra?

His Majesty has forbidden everyone to take care of her, sir. He said that a lonely death is an appropriate punishment for a rebel.

I see..then I will go. Do you have my mask?

Will you be visiting her as Silver, sir?

If its Fatherhe might think that the only one who should take care of her is himself.

His Majesty should be wary of the eyes from his senior vassals. I dont think that he would do that, sir.

It is just in case.

As you wish, sir.

Sebas bowed and took out my mask.

After I put it on and changed my clothes, I made a transfer gate and headed to Zandras room.

The first thing I noticed when I transferred to the room was the smell of blood.

There were traces of blood all over Zandras room. It is all her blood.

For someone to spill this much blood and not die is truly strange.

And then there was Zandra who is in the middle of hell. She is lying in her bed, her hair disheveled, her body is thin and her skin dried to dust. At first glance, it was like I was looking at a corpse.

However, albeit barely, she is still alive.

..Sil..ver?

Zandra who noticed my presence showed me a smile.

She probably couldnt feel pain anymore. Her death should be here soon enough.

That must be why Zandra has a surprisingly refreshing look on her face.

Have you come to laugh..? Did you come to rid me of any hope I have left

Thats not the case. I have a few questions for you.

I dont have that much time leftI will die soon.

Id like you to do your best to stay alive. I need you to answer this. Tell me what you know about Grimoire.

Grimoire.

Hearing that name, Zandras eyebrows moved a little.

She then pointed her right hand toward me and magic power started to accumulate inside it.

Do you think I will tell you that.?

I wonder. But you should know a lot about them. If you wish to study forbidden magic, you should have many benefits from contacting that organization.

I stare directly back at Zandra.

Then Zandras hand shone a small light.

I cant think of it as the magic of Zandra who made a name for herself with her study of forbidden magic. It was the basic of the basic. The magic that emits a small ball of light from her hand.

It slowly passed by my face and hit the wall behind me.

Then as if she no longer has strength left, Zandra dropped her right hand.

If you want to know about themthen see for yourself

A hidden shelf?

Looking back, there was a hole in the wall. It must have been a mechanism that can only be opened in response to Zandras magic power.

Inside, there is a note.

My mother..she made contact with Grimoire more than a decade ago.it was at that time that shechanged.

How so?

My mother always thinks of the Second Consort as her rival and told me not to lose to Lizelotte..but she started telling me to aim for the throne..then she cast a curse on Lizelotte and Christa and ended up causing the Second Consorts death..

You are saying that Grimoire caused that change?

I dont know.but I didnt even doubt my mothers words and actionsI wonder why.? When I was young, I have never been interested in the throne..I should have been studying forbidden arts for the betterment of magic, but.I dont know when I started studying it to put curses on others.

Zandra showed a self-deprecating smile.

As a result of that change, Zandra has become like this.

The succession war this time is strange. Many have felt the same. This change is not something that suddenly happened. What if something has been gradually eroding the Imperial family for a long time now?

The darkness is much deeper than I thought.

There are locations of their leaders and branches written in itdo your best and crush them.

Thank you.

.I wonder why things have ended up like this

..even if you were used.I can not forgive what you did. Too many lives have been lost.

I knowI know best how foolish I was acting.I even tried to use my own sister.in an experiment.there is nothing more terrifying to me than that. I have done many other horrifying things too.I must have gone crazy

Zandra looks at her hands. They are slightly shaking.

Her appearance unexpectedly matches with the image of Zandra I had in the past.

She was both stern and hard to please back then as well but I remember that she is not mad like she was during recent times.

My feet stopped when I was about to step inside the transfer gate.

There is no room for sympathy for Zandra. Even if her personality was distorted by someone, the damage she caused to the people of the Empire will not disappear. Her sins will remain forever.

However, the memories of the past still repeat in my mind.

When I was about 5 years old, I once joined Father when he took our family out for a hunt.

Back then, I found an animal in the woods and got lost. It was Zandra who found me.

Even while she was complaining, the warmth of the hand she reached out toward me never disappeared.

Do you stillhave questions.?

There are still many questions left to be asked.but personally, I do not have any more questions.

I seeI am going to die aloneI abandoned Mother, and betrayed Father.this is the obvious punishment

Zandras voice gradually began to fade.

Without thinking, I grabbed her hand.

What.are you.?

I cant forgive you and I will notbut, it is an old debt. You might not like this but I will take care of you until the end.

Saying so, I removed my mask.

Zandra opened her eyes wide in surprise when she saw my face but she eventually smiled as if she was convinced.

I have been..wondering why you chose Leonard instead of me but.now I know.

No way, even if Leos gone, I wouldnt just simply start supporting you, you know.

You are as cheeky as alwaysseriously..to think that a child who couldnt use even cast an elementary magic.would have the aptitude for ancient magicId never thought of that.

Right. I was surprised myself.

..but your naivety still hasnt changedthat naivety will become your fatal weakness.you dont have to sympathize with me now you know

Saying so, Zandra shook her hand away from mine.

Her hand moves toward my face and slowly feel it. Im sure she cant see me anymore.

When her hand touches my cheek, Zandra speaks to me as she strokes it.

As expectedof my brother.

Zandra-aneue

watch out for Eric.take care ofOtou-sama for me

After she said that, Zandras hand lost all strength and fell.

Her eyes were half-opened and the faint traces of life in her have disappeared.

Zandra, my sister, is now dead.

I grind my teeth and clench my fist.

In order to not make it look unnatural, I left her room without touching her body while only sealing back the hidden shelf.

Then, when I returned to my room, I created an illusion of me on the bed.

Will you be leaving immediately, sir?

I dont want to waste time.

..did something happen, sir?

Its nothing. I was only gathering information.

I do not think that alone would make your voice sound so sad, sir.

.

I did not answer Sebas and handed him Zandras note.

Investigate Grimoire. Thoroughly.

Your wish is my command.

Without saying anything more, Sebas bowed.

Seeing that, I take a deep breath and open a transfer gate.

Then I will be off.

Please be careful on your way, sir.

With that parting word, I entered the transfer gate.

TLN: NGL, I cried. Now, its time to update the TOC