Children of the Holy Emperor

On the night there was a social gathering at the townhouse.

Riccardo was found in the garden, inexplicably covered in blood.

At the time, it was said that there were gallons of blood around him.

However, since the young lord’s body was unharmed, whose blood it was remained a mystery.

‘…Could it be?’

When Seongjin first heard the story from Dasha, only one person came to mind.

A human capable of not only healing wounds but also regenerating lost blood in real-time.

‘Nah, couldn’t be. That gentleman was at the main palace at that time…’

Regardless, from that evening onwards, Riccardo started showing severe mental disturbances and began receiving intensive treatment from physicians.

Seongjin, too, had been preoccupied with Cardmos and preparing for the birthday celebration, so dealing with him had been delayed.

But.

-I don’t want to die like that.

How could he leave the one who made our little one say such things, alone!

[Sigh. Your father warned you so many times, yet why do you always create these situations?]

Approaching the townhouse unnoticed, the Demon King sighed and muttered.

‘Don’t talk nonsense. This is all within the realm of possibilities. Perhaps now is the perfect timing.’

[Huh?]

Think about it, Demon King.

The day before a big event, when everyone is preoccupied with one thing, how common is that?

Everyone’s busy with the birthday celebration preparations or their own social gatherings. Including the Scarcepino main house, there are unscheduled banquets happening all over the imperial capital, right?

[…Huh?]

As Seongjin predicted, with security concentrated at the main locations where key figures were gathered, the route to the townhouse was less guarded than usual.

[I can’t believe it! You, of all people!]

What are you saying? Like I said before, I’m quite thorough in my preparations.

I’ve been ready to deal with Riccardo whenever, just didn’t have the time.

Of course, there were a few encounters with night visitors dressed similarly to Seongjin’s group.

“Our agents.”

Dasha signaled to someone in the shadows and said.

Hmm, it feels like this might directly be reported to the Holy Emperor through the intelligence department.

‘No, if it’s him, he probably knew we left the palace from the start…’

[Two soul terminals presumed to be Arenja have been following us since earlier.]

‘Ah, indeed.’

But it’s alright. I have no intention of causing trouble today.

[And this isn’t trouble?]

Meanwhile, Dasha, who had been busy sending and responding to signals, quickly caught up to Seongjin with a troubled look on her face.

“Your Highness, was the investigation of the Scarcepino family’s security system you ordered recently all for today’s purpose?”

“Well, two birds with one stone.”

The matters under investigation had to be sensitive enough, after all. It was presumed that sneaking around at night was the only way to proceed smoothly.

You can’t just barge into places like the Milo Trading Company, which operates openly, or the Scarcepino family, who have a solid foundation as wealthy magnates, using public authority.

Moreover, it was uncertain if the public forces would readily take Seongjin’s side.

If he ever tried complaining that Riccardo is in cahoots with a dark cult and sends people to another dimension, Seongjin might just end up being summoned to the Heresy Tribunal for investigation right away.

‘The times when I led the capital’s guard to capture Seo Yi-seo were better.’

Having the public authority on my side felt thrilling.

The Scarcepino townhouse.

Just before officially infiltrating, Seongjin double-checked the vials neatly tucked into his belt, which he had recently learned to use from Dasha.

This one’s a truth serum, this one’s a sleeping potion, this one’s…

Watching Seongjin go through his inventory, Dasha looked pale.

“Your Highness, are you going to use those? What exactly are you planning to do there?”

“Don’t worry, just think of it as a means for a peaceful conversation.”

It would be troublesome if he truly showed signs of mental disturbance.

But if it’s all an act to avoid questioning, he’s likely to get thoroughly shaken down today.

“Too bad. If only I had divine power, I could freely beat him up and then heal him perfectly to beat him again.”

Hearing Seongjin muttering this to himself, Dasha gasped in horror.

“That’s the young master of the Scarcepino family, Your Highness. It will surely cause problems later!”

“It’s fine, Dasha. It’s not a crime as long as we don’t get caught.”

“…Good heavens!”

Overwhelmed by the stress of the situation, Dasha tore at her hair.

Regardless, Seongjin downed one of the prepared potions and pulled his mask up over his face.

“From now on, you can’t call me Your Highness, got it?”

Sighing deeply, Dasha watched as Seongjin boldly stepped into the mansion.

Thanks to his recently improved aura concealment, Seongjin easily bypassed the yawning guards who noticed nothing and soon infiltrated Riccardo’s room.

“Let’s see this bastard…”

Despite reports of his mental disturbances, the sleeping figure seemed more peaceful than expected.

This bastard. How dare he sleep so soundly after causing such distress to a child?

Seongjin, who had grabbed the bastard by the collar in a fit of rage, easily lifted him using his aura.

“What…?”

And before Riccardo could fully regain his consciousness.

Whoosh!

Seongjin slammed his face back down onto the bed. Consequently, Riccardo, gasping for air, struggled and let out a muffled scream.

“Guh…!”

Before the sound could fully escape, Seongjin pressed his head deep into the pillow and whispered a command into his ear.

“Keep your mouth shut.”

“…!”

“Because of you, our order has been caught by the intelligence service. You’re prepared to take responsibility, right?”

Currently, Seongjin’s voice was hoarse, thanks to a voice-altering drug he received from Dasha.

It seemed to work by temporarily swelling the vocal cords, but given the tingling nose and the tears, Seongjin was seriously worried it might be causing an acute allergic reaction.

Surely it wouldn’t lead to sudden breathing difficulties?

“If you scream, you die right here. But if you manage to clean up this mess properly, I’ll spare your life.”

“…”

Riccardo, terrified, quietly rolled his eyes.

Why does it seem like his attitude has changed significantly from when he used to boast about being the Demon King of Dreams?

[His pulse is skyrocketing. He looks genuinely scared.]

‘Hmm.’

Seongjin observed him for a while longer while holding him down, but no blue butterfly appeared nor anything of the sort.

Could it be that Sigurd Sigurdson actually abandoned his avatar and bailed?

After a while, as Riccardo stopped resisting, Seongjin gently let go of his head, and Riccardo asked in a trembling voice.

“Are you from the order?”

It was a bluff, thrown out in the hope he might know something since a mark of the dark order was sent to Orden. But could it be, this guy was actually in direct communication with the order?

“There’s nothing I need to discuss with you, call that storyteller.”

“What… Who are you exactly? Surely the Archbishop wouldn’t have mentioned the ‘Puppeteer’ to just anyone?”

So, he refers to that storyteller as the ‘Puppeteer’.

Considering the guy manipulates avatars like puppets, it’s quite a fitting nickname.

“Could it be that he’s decided to conspire directly with the trading head?”

He’s likely referring to the head of the Milo Trading Company.

“Well, think whatever you want.”

Then, Riccardo, who had been cautiously looking around, suddenly jumped off the bed and tried to run straight for the door.

Of course, Seongjin, having anticipated his movement, easily tripped him.

Crash!

Riccardo tumbled heavily onto the floor, making quite a noise, but Seongjin, carefully heightening his senses, detected no significant movement nearby.

It seems Dasha did a good job as planned.

“Ughhh…”

Riccardo, who had fallen face-first to the floor, clutched his bleeding nose and writhed on the ground.

While he was struggling, Seongjin slowly walked to the tea table in front of the bed and laid out the prepared vials.

Clatter, clatter.

At that sound, Riccardo, who had belatedly raised his head, trembled and asked.

“What, what are you going to do?”

Following that, an array of small daggers of various lengths and hooks presumably meant for gruesome purposes were revealed one by one.

Riccardo’s face, which had been rotating only his eyeballs to witness the scene, turned ghastly pale in an instant.

“Why are you doing this to me? The order already knows, the ‘Puppeteer’ has left me! He erased all the plans from my mind! I, I know nothing!”

Tears the size of chicken droppings began to fall from his eyes.

“He abandoned me and disappeared. Left me all alone in this vast universe! How, how could he do this to me!”

It’s unclear whether he’s terrified or just sorrowful about being abandoned.

‘Demon King?’

[Hmm. His claim of having no memory seems genuine. Looks like he really got wiped and dumped.]

It’s unfortunate. If this guy had been Sigurd Sigurdson, that would have been ideal.

Sighing, Seongjin spoke up.

“Don’t worry. You don’t have to say anything.”

Riccardo’s eyes widened in response.

“Th-then what are all those for…”

“Sometimes, after learning theory, people get the urge to do some practical work. Sadly, it seems unnecessary with you.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Well, consider it retribution for associating with that bastard.”

Crack. Seongjin alternately cracked his knuckles and continued.

“Relax. Fortunately, I don’t see much value in torturing you for a long time. So I’ll just beat you up thoroughly.”

“Eek!”

Riccardo, who was sitting on the floor trying to back away, abruptly hit the wall.

After observing his terrified face for a moment, Seongjin picked up one particularly long and thin hook from the table, held it up to the faint moonlight, and continued.

“And at the end, I plan to jab this into your side. I’ll stir your insides over and over with aura charged in it.”

“…Huh?”

“Then, externally, there won’t be much damage, but the ruined organs will slowly pool blood in your stomach, right? You might not bleed outwardly, but by morning, you’ll definitely die from excessive bleeding. And the cause of death will remain a mystery.”

“……!”

“You will die slowly by morning, in tremendous pain from your intestines twisting, unable to seek help from anyone.”

Seongjin met the shaking eyes of the man, trembling as if an earthquake had struck him from sheer terror, and pulled up the corners of his mouth.

“Now, it’s your choice. Do you prefer your liver or your spleen? If you care, I can even touch your kidneys. They’re all organs rich in blood vessels.”

Riccardo, his eyes fixated on the hook reflecting the light, seemed almost out of his mind.

With a sudden relaxation of his muscles, the floor became wet with his urine.

“I’m, I’m sorry… I was just his… puppet… Sob! I never, never meant to cause trouble for the order! Hic!”

His trembling jaw could hardly utter coherent words.

“Last chance. Where is the ‘Puppeteer’ now?”

“Hic! Sob! He must have, must have gone to another puppet!”

“And who is this other puppet?”

“I… I don’t know. I really don’t know anything!”

Choking as if strangled, Riccardo’s cries were muffled as Seongjin looked down at him with pity.

It’s a shame.

If this guy had been him, I could have made him feel the sensation of slowly dying.

Thump!

“Ugh!”

A light kick to the jaw sent Riccardo crashing his head against the wall, tumbling forward.

“Why? I told you everything, why?”

Why indeed?

Didn’t I say? Beating you up was the real goal from the start.

What followed was a brutal beating.

With each strike Seongjin delivered, the room echoed with Riccardo’s cries. As the violence intensified, Dasha, who had been on guard outside, rushed in, alarmed.

“Your…!”

Nearly blurting out ‘Your Highness,’ she whispered, muffling her voice.

“You said you wouldn’t resort to violence earlier…?”

“When did I say that?”

I said I prepared means for a smooth conversation. I never said I wouldn’t hit him after we were done talking.

In that short time, Riccardo, thoroughly beaten, was sprawled out on the floor, a complete mess.

“This man is a member of the Scarcepino family! This will surely lead to big trouble!”

“Don’t worry. I’ve prepared everything.”

Seongjin took out a small medallion from his pocket.

A crude spider engraved on a copper medallion, a symbol of the dark order, handed over from Orden.

“He wouldn’t openly claim he was attacked by remnants of the dark order, would he?”

From what he said earlier, it seemed the order, the Milo Trading Company, and the Scarcepinos were all cautiously watching each other.

It would be even better if this incident made them suspect each other.

After placing the medallion carefully by Riccardo’s head, Seongjin twisted his lips and muttered.

“Kill each other now.”

[What a wicked man…]