The Duke of March murder case proved far more complicated than initially anticipated. Tensions between opposing factions within the imperial city escalated dramatically. The meddlesome Marquis Raven had beaten up the Duke of March. Rumor had it their families had long been at odds, with the Duke of March repeatedly mocking Raven's father as a fool controlled by a woman.
All this was merely the surface of the turbulent currents beneath the imperial city. Amidst these frictions, Edward found himself unconsciously drawn into the swirling undercurrents.
Security within the imperial city grew increasingly tight. That night, Edward urgently demanded an escort to send Tang Feiliu away, temporarily back to his fiefdom.
"...First tell me, why are you sending me away? What do you need to do?" Tang Feiliu had always resented those characters in movies who lingered in danger, refusing to leave and wasting precious time.
But now that it was her turn, she understood why such clichĂ©d scenes played out time and againâbecause when you care deeply for someone, you simply cannot leave with such cold, rational detachment, especially when you know they are about to face mortal peril.
Edward's refusal to answer directly only heightened Tang Feiliu's anxiety. The atmosphere within the imperial city had grown increasingly tense, with friction mounting daily. Knights were even engaging in public duels, and a death toll had already begun to mount.
These were merely surface-level events. What was truly unfolding at the heart of power? Ever since Prince Wright's death, Her Majesty Josephine's pace had grown increasingly urgent. The success of her reforms had given this lioness even greater deterrence. Tang Feiliu sensed something ominous brewing.
"Edward, answer me." Seeing Edward avert his gaze, Tang Feiliu fixed him with a stare, turned his head to meet his eyes, and demanded earnestly, "What exactly did Her Majesty instruct you to do?"
"I must leave the Imperial City to attend to certain matters..." Edward's reply was vague. Tang Feiliu grew angry and shouted toward the door, "Ivans, come in!"
"Your Excellency?" Ivans entered moments later, looking utterly bewildered at Tang Feiliu, clearly unaware of the situation.
"Edward says he must leave the imperial city to handle some business. Grandfather Dave isn't here. You tell meâwhat kind of business is this usually?!" Tang Feiliu glared furiously at Edward as he addressed Ivans.
"Ivans!" Edward's voice dropped to a low, menacing tone as he called out her name, clearly unwilling for her to reveal his intentions. But Ivans paused, glanced at Tang Feiliu, and bowed naturally before replying, "Your Grace likely intends to lead the knights to attack a leader or assassinate a noble..."
In Nat's era, true standing armies didn't exist. Extreme poverty made maintaining large regular forces impossible. Knights formed the sharp edge of this age's military might, and assassination alongside highly mobile ambushes were the primary tactics of warfare.
Even if Tang Feiliu hadn't known before, after so long immersed in this world, he understood what possessing a valiant Black Duke meant for His Majestyâhow much blood and sweat must be paid in times like these for the privileges enjoyed in peacetime.
Everyone believed the Black Duke held the Emperor's deepest trust. Edward himself had never found fault with trading blood, sweat, and slaughter for status. Yet now, seeing Tang Feiliu's eyes redden, brimming with tears, his heart twisted into a knot. He whispered, "Rest assured, Lance. I have never been defeated..."
"Of course you haven't!" Tang Feiliu snapped, her anger flaring at his words. She yanked open his collar and shouted, "You've only left these scars behind!"
The deeply etched slash that nearly split him in twoâthe one that had made such an indelible first impressionâalong with all the other scars, large and small, had always been harrowing to behold. Tang Feiliu couldn't bear the thought of Edward sustaining more injuries... or worse, if he couldn't save him... What then?
"I must go," Edward said earnestly, looking at Tang Feiliu. "Whatever the reason, I have to go. Ivans, take good care of Lance, understand?"
"As you command, Your Grace," Evans bowed humbly. Then Edward strode out of the bedroom. Tang Feiliu tried to rise and follow, but Evans respectfully blocked his path.
Ivans had always been the most loyal servant and the kindest friend, yet now he stood in Tang Feiliu's path, his expression grave. "Your Excellency, you would do best to heed the Duke's words."
"What? Ivan, why are you saying this too?" Tang Feiliu was deeply distressed. He said, "...Why is it always Edward? Why must it be him? His Majesty Josephine has so many people at his disposal. Why, whenever something like this happens, must Edward be the one sent to the front lines?"
"Because the Black Duke is different," Ivanis replied softly. "...And this time is different. This time, Her Majesty must win. She cannot lose."
"What exactly is going on?" Tang Feiliu listened intently. It was clear Ivan knew something he didn't. Tang Feiliu grew impatient. He stared at Ivan and demanded, "You must not keep this from me. Otherwise, I won't return to York. If I slip away secretly, won't that cause you trouble too?!"
"After Prince Light's death, his knight fled overnight. Only days ago did we learn that knight rushed to the Temple and assassinated the Pope." Ivaness indeed knewâhis account was clear and methodical. He recounted the series of events following Prince Light's death with unruffled composure, leaving Tang Feiliu wide-eyed.
After the assassination, the knight did not flee. Instead, he managed to contact some of the victims and exposed those sordid secrets to the public.
Though most remained silent, there were those unwilling to accept their children's deaths in vain. Danny was not the only victim.
Thus, after the initial explosion, the Templars were enraged. They mobilized loyal high nobles and royal families, preparing to launch an expedition against Nat.
Their target: the imperial capital of Nat.
Her Majesty Josephine should have yielded and sought peace. Yet, emboldened by Nart's recent successes, she rallied allies. Offering cutting-edge technologies and, most crucially, methods to increase food production, she forged a new alliance.
This was an inevitable war. Tang Feiliu knew it wellâfor in the true history, during the dawn of technological advancement, humanity, driven by the need for development and progress, would inevitably clash with the forces of religion, which represented ignorance and conservatism.
Only through victory could humanity advance. Defeat would erase all current progress and improvements, condemning people to relive an era of hunger and wasteful food management.
Yet even as a modern-minded individual educated in contemporary ideals, someone who understood the necessity and significance of this conflict, Tang Feiliu now realized his own terrifying selfishnessâhe could not bear the thought of Edward being in danger.
Even knowing this campaign would make the Black Duke's coat of arms shine brightly in history's annals, whether victorious or defeated, Tang Feiliu still selfishly wished it wouldn't be Edwardânot his Edwardâwho faced danger.
"Lance, don't overthink it. His Grace has been awaiting this war himself..." Ivaness observed Tang Feiliu's expression, silently sighing before crouching down to whisper, "Do you know the truth behind why the Black Duke remained at the palace all those years ago? Everyone says the Black Duke came seeking the Emperor's aid... but the truth is, it was Her Majesty Josephine who sought him out. The Duke didn't wish to stay at first. It was Her Majesty who gave him a crucial reason to remain here."
"...What?" Tang Feiliu lifted his head, staring at Ivans in confusion. Why was she suddenly bringing this up now?
"His Grace was in a terrible state back then. It was the Empress who provoked him with a few words, compelling him to stay," Ivans said softly, as if he had witnessed the events of over a decade ago with his own eyes.
Edward had just emerged from the tower, stepping outside for the first time in his life. His mental state was deeply disturbed. When Her Majesty Josephine sent people to find him, the utterly neglected Edward lay filthy and foul-smelling on the grass, staring blankly at the azure sky, appearing almost deranged.
The servants brought Edward before Josephine. No matter what she said, he only stared blankly at the sky. Her Majesty then devoted herself to caring for her nephew. After a long time, Edward finally spoke to her. His first words were: "Let me out. I want to see the sky."
It was summer in Nat, and the azure sky had grown tiresome to most. Yet Edward remained mesmerized, staring at the sky day after day, seemingly without thought or desire for anything else.
Those who served alongside Her Majesty Josephine never knew what transpired in their private conversations. Soon after, however, Duke Edward began to transform. His every movement took on a new edgeâfearless and reckless. This very audacity fueled his courage on the battlefield, ultimately forging him into the dreaded Black Duke known today.
"At that time, Her Majesty Josephine asked the Dukeâ'Do you wish to seek vengeance?'" Ivan spoke to Tang Feiliu in a calm tone, his gaze deep and probing, as if sizing him up. Tang Feiliu listened blankly, his mind drifting to the image of that young Black Duke emerging from the shadows, his eyes gleaming with ferocity.
The queen, dressed in splendid robes, regarded him like a cougar instructing a cub: "...Kill those who slandered you, and you may rewrite history. The wall you seek to reclaim will only be returned with your brother's blood."
The young Black Duke's gaze swept from the azure sky below, drifting from the window to the queen's face before him. His eyes shifted from a hollow, dark void to a steely resolve, finally settling into a glint of menace.
Author's Note:
Thanks to Tangyuan Nuonuo for the landmine
We'll keep buildingâhoping to wrap this up this month!