Published at 16th of October 2024 9:22 am

Chapter 257: Epilogue

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

On the luxurious platform erected in the capital,

Two surviving Elemental Wizards from the special unit stepped forward, both anxiously adjusting their uniforms once more.

Then, the one who appeared before them wasn’t the Prince or the Princess.

Not even the Empress.

But the Sun of the Empire himself, the Emperor.

"Billed."

"Yes!"

"Edwin."

"Yes!"

“For your bravery and valor even in the face of death, I bestow upon you, Billed, the title of Viscount along with the surname Esteban. Likewise, Edwin, I will also grant you the title of Viscount along with the surname Douglas. After this ceremony ends, you will be informed of your new lands…But for now, enjoy this moment of glory, you both earned it.”

"Th-thank you for Your Majesty's grace──!"

Expressing their gratitude while taking the etiquette they had learned, albeit briefly, the two soon straightened their backs and turned around.

Now it was the moment for them to make a short speech, but what would they say?

Should they exaggerate their tale?

Or, should they praise their superiors?

Many thoughts flashed through their minds, but Edwin and Billed looked at each other and nodded after an unspoken agreement.

"There were 14 of us."

And.

“The only ones who will remember them are just the two of us. While their brief role in history may make their names written in future tales…We hope that all of you may remember them as well. Truthfully, the 14 of us didn’t walk into the jaws of death thinking we would become heroes or something like that. We simply had no choice but to do it. We couldn’t run away, yet, everyone is praising us as Heroes. So, if you all are going to define us, the cowards who lacked the courage to run away, as Heroes, please remember the other 12 as Heroes too.”

And also.

"Even in this place right now... they are with us."

They believed that there were no more tears to shed.

So, why are their eyes moist now?

As they received the cheers and applause of the people and descended from the platform, Edwin and Billed clenched their fists tightly.

The Imperial family would give substantial compensation to the families of their comrades, but considering their future, it would be right for them to lend a hand as well.

Honestly, it felt awkward to think about how to spend the days ahead after rising from a mere commoner to a nobleman by accumulating merits.

But there was a guide.

Because on the battlefield, in the jaws of death, by their side.

There was a man who showed them what it meant to be a nobleman.

*****"Now, it's really all over."

Late at night.

At the residence of Prince Raymond.

Ferzen, who was having a meeting with him alone there, lightly laughed at his words while downing a glass of wine.

"It seems so on the surface."

There were still many issues to be dealt with.

Both the Elmark Empire and the Obern Kingdom.

And also those who had rebelled.

The only regret was that, now such a picture had been drawn.

Corleone had escaped from it.

Instead of being hunted down as a traitor, the old snake was lying in a sickbed after being stabbed.

Ironically, Corleone’s contribution had been so vital in the process of dealing with the Obern Kingdom that they couldn’t ignore him.

Just thinking about the man already made Ferzen’s disgust rise.

Taking a letter from his coat’s pocket, he almost tore it up without hesitation.

Yet…He didn’t.

This letter contained a list of names that Corleone suggested after hearing news of Yuriel’s pregnancy.

However, what would happen if Ferzen in his rage destroyed the letter…Just to choose a name that was listed there?

How disgusting Corleone’s expression would be if a name he suggested ended up being chosen?

“Ho? This is the first time I’ve seen you with such a troubled expression.”

“......My apologies, Your Highness. I’m still having difficulties controlling my emotions.”

“Don’t worry. By the way, it seems that Old Snake’s birthday is coming up soon……What will you gift him?”

“I’ve already commissioned my gift.”

Ferzen had commissioned a coffin.

Since Corleone was already a decrepit old man,

A coffin should be a good gift for him.

With enough luck, he would even use it very soon.

“Well, Let’s just the subject. It will spoil the wine if we keep talking about that snake.”

"Gladly, if that's what you want."

Clink--!

Both men made a toast, as they basked in their friendship.

******Deep into the night,

As the two men, fell asleep, after drinking to their heart's content.

Ferzen who was assigned a personal room in Prince Raymond’s residence, ended up being carried by a Knight to his bed.

The fact he didn’t wake up even when a stranger’s hands touched his body…Was proof that he was finally relaxing.

"Ah... Your Highness the Princess. What brings you here?"

The knight who was standing guard outside Ferzen's bedroom after closing the door like that, saluted respectfully when he saw Princess Elizabeth walking from afar a moment later.

"Is Lord Louerg asleep? I have something I want to tell him."

“Your Highness, Lord Louerg seems to be in a deep sleep…Waking him up right now might not be advised…”

“I have no intention of doing that. It isn’t an urgent matter, so I can come back in the morning.”

“I’ll inform him as soon as he wakes up, Your Highness.”

"Very well."

Elizabeth, who waved her hand and added that there was no need to do so, turned her steps and returned to her residence.

In the first place, there was nothing she wanted to say, so if the knight really informed him, it would only give her a headache trying to figure out what to say.

I wonder if this... is the right thing to do.

The sight of herself moving her steps in the middle of the night simply to check whether Ferzen was asleep or not...

Like a thieving cat licking its tongue to steal fish from the street, Elizabeth was gripped by a subtle sense of self-loathing.

However, she soon shook off that self-loathing and carefully manipulated the furniture in the room to open the secret passage of the imperial palace.

It was a place prepared for a safe evacuation, that she was now using purely for her selfish desires.

The secret passage was connected to Ferzen’s room.

Manipulating the furniture once again, she opened a door inside the passage.

Ah...

Then, in the darkness.

Her eyes captured the sigh of a man, quietly sleeping on the bed.

Elizabeth tried to take a step towards him, but…

She hesitated.

Her conscience grabbed her slender ankles, holding her in place.

However, wasn’t Ferzen at fault for his lack of consideration toward her?

A woman such as her needs a considerable amount of time to sort out her emotions,

But Ferzen destroyed all barriers around her heart, without even giving her that leeway.

So, how could a woman such as her not be greedy, when the man she years for is within reach?

Really, it's such an ugly self-justification...

"Eup...!"

Suddenly, Ferzen moved in his sleep, causing Elizabeth to startle and make a disturbance.

Her knees were shaking like a newborn calf.

Knowing that her current behavior wasn’t dignified, Elizabeth smiled bitterly.

On the outside, she seemed to want to keep her distance from him. But when an opportunity arose, she coveted him without hesitation.

Realizing she was a twisted woman…Elizabeth mercilessly killed her conscience and managed to take a step forward.

Rustle.

Rustle...

Since she had come barefoot to muffle her footsteps, her gait as she took one step after another was literally that of a thieving cat.

Eventually, feeling the deepening sense of excitement along with the distance that was getting closer, Elizabeth let out a faint moan while tightly grasping her heart area with her irregular breathing.

"Haa... Eup..."

Even though she was only taking a few steps, why was it so suffocating?

Even though it was a one-sided performance, the fact that she was in the same bedroom as the man she loved was a dissonance that was perfect for breaking a woman's heart.

Thud.

Finally arriving at the end of the bed, the destination where Ferzen's sleeping face clearly came into view, Elizabeth burst into a hollow laugh as she looked at her figure drenched in cold sweat.

If she wanted his affection so much that her heart was pounding like this.

Wouldn't it be better to confess, and let old customs be damned?

'......'

But even now, tainted with a sense of betrayal, Elizabeth decided not to cross that line.

Didn't she see it this time too?

Even Brutein makes mistakes.

This time, the situation was salvaged, but was there any guarantee that it would be the same next time?

Especially if a problem arose when a member of the Imperial Family was connected with the Bruteins by marriage.

If that happened, then virtually no one in the Empire would be able to stop Brutein.

There must have been cases like hers in the diaries of her ancestors.

But all of them were able to put away their emotions and personal desires for the sake of the Empire. So how could she indulge in her personal greed more than this?

Yet, just for this moment…And this moment alone. Wouldn’t it be okay for Elizabeth to act, not as an Imperial Princess, but as a woman?

Slide.

Sitting on the bed without making a creaking sound, Elizabeth looked down at Ferzen's sleeping face and lowered her head while arranging her flowing platinum blond hair with her right hand.

Smooch.

It wasn't a vivid kiss where their tongues intertwined, but just the feeling of their lips touching for a moment made Elizabeth feel a tingling sensation.

No, it felt like her mind was also becoming hazy.

Was it because the scent of wine with a considerably high alcohol content was mixed in with his exhaled breath?

Gulp.

Her throat wasn't particularly dry, but why was she feeling so thirsty?

Smooch.

Soon, Elizabeth, who overlapped her lips once more, shyly stuck out her tongue and swept Ferzen's teeth.

Lick.

Then, felt the distinct taste of the pungent wine.

A little more here, just a little more...

Wanting to mix their tongues beyond his tightly closed teeth, Elizabeth pitifully tried to invade his mouth fully, but as she realized what she was doing…the Princess, lifted her head.

"Haa... Haa..."

The taste of wine left in his mouth.

Was she intoxicated by the scent of wine wafting from his lips?

With a hot body temperature that seemed unlikely to cool down anytime soon, Elizabeth hurriedly got up from the bed.

Drip.

Twitch!

Her white, slender legs.

Were drenched in sweat, as Elizabeth clenched her tights.

No…Was this liquid running from her legs truly sweat?

Looking down at the spot where she had been sitting with her head lowered, she saw a lewdly etched stain.

At that, Elizabeth, who unknowingly lowered her hands to caress her crotch, blushed fully on her face at the stickiness that was clearly felt even through the fabric of her clothes.

Yes, she wasn't intoxicated by the taste and scent of the wine left on his lips.

She was intoxicated by the taste of the only male this body remembered.

Quickly...

Let's go back quickly.

For some reason, if she stayed here any longer, it seemed like she would be greedy not as a woman, but as a female.

"......"

However, contrary to her thoughts, her feet wouldn't move.

She licked her own fingers, tasting herself with the lips that kissed him.

One last time, just one more time.

Thinking that this wasn't being greedy, but the best compromise, Elizabeth lowered her head.

"Eup!"

But as if exceeding that expectation, Ferzen reached out with one hand, wrapped it around her body, and pulled her down onto the bed, causing Elizabeth to stop breathing.

For a moment, she thought her brain had stopped functioning as all the fleeting memories flew away, but fortunately, her violently beating heart drove away her silence.

Rustle.

Barely turning her head to the side to look at Ferzen, it seemed he wasn't waking up from his deep sleep.

Was this something similar to sleep talking?

No, if she had to guess, it would be a reflexive action ingrained in his subconscious.

His outstretched hand had clearly intended to hold something.

Then perhaps Ferzen had mistaken her for Yuriel or Euphemia.

Ah...

Ferzen, who was pressing his head against her, buried his face in the nape of her neck and breathed comfortably.

Elizabeth wiggled her toes at the ticklish sensation brought by his hot breath.

Mnn!

Not stopping there, as his large hand resting on top of her body gently grasped her voluptuous breasts, Elizabeth didn't know what to do.

As his hands moved around her breasts, Elizabeth’s loose shoulder strap, which was already dripping with cold sweat, ended up falling.

Then, her right breast was exposed, revealing an erect nipple, alongside a rather large pink areola.

"Euk...!"

She wanted to suppress the moans escaping her mouth as much as possible, but the fact that Ferzen was caressing her body, apart from the sensation, gave her considerable psychological excitement.

Rustle.

But soon after, when his large hand that was going down stopped.

He gently caressed her navel……

Elizabeth realized that, after all, all of his actions were an unconscious reaction to mistaking her for Yuriel or Euphemia.

She had expected it from the beginning, but after feeling the considerate touch meant to soothe the child she was carrying, it now turned into certainty.

Honestly, it would be a lie to say she didn't feel miserable.

But even if she was taking the place of their substitute next to him as he slept,

Elizabeth was happy at this moment.

Because it was a time when she could be his woman for a while,

Not as Princess Elizabeth with her status,

Nor as the ordinary woman Elizabeth without that status.

But as simply as ‘His’ woman.

Moreover, even if it seemed trivial, there were definitely small gains.

The hand that was gently caressing her lower abdomen might have been Ferzen as a husband, but the hand that was kneading her breast was undoubtedly Ferzen as a man.

"You too..."

Had quite a naughty and lewd side.

Giggle.

Elizabeth, holding back a silent laugh, carefully held Ferzen's large hand resting on her lower abdomen and gave a brief kiss to his sleeping lips.

*****Rustle.

8:40 AM.

As the sunlight poured into the room, Ferzen slowly opened his eyes and sat up.

His mind was hazy due to a slight hangover.

But because of that, Ferzen clearly smelled a strangely familiar scent remaining in this room and looked around.

Had someone come and gone while he slept?

Slide.

Getting out of bed and drinking a glass of cold water, he opened the door and called the knight standing guard in front of it.

"Did anyone come and go while I was sleeping?"

"Negative, My Lord. There were no visitors while you were asleep, Count, and I certainly did not receive any messages from the previous shift either."

"Is that so?"

"Yes!"

Closing the door again, this time feeling rather suspicious of the Knight’s reaction, Ferzen slowly walked around the room once more.

"......"

Then, as expected, the all too familiar scent lingered around him, and Ferzen couldn't shake off the doubt.

A scent that was somehow distant and subtle, filled with a gentle atmosphere.

His hungover body whispered to him to quickly open the window and welcome the chilly spring breeze, but...

Ignoring that whisper, Ferzen sat obediently in a chair and let the fragrance permeating this room envelop his body.

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