I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 205

Two people rushed in after hearing that Beatria had fainted.

They were none other than the children who would one day inherit the imperial line: Prince Robert Helbenior and Princess Chloe Helbenior.

Kneeling on the bare floor beside the unconscious Beatria, Chloe began to cry, with no proper chair in sight.

The sibling bond between them was so strong that Robert patted his younger sister’s back and strode up to their father, who had just returned from somewhere.

“Father, what on earth happened?”

There was anger in his voice.

It wasn’t just that he had left Beatria alone while she was sick; it was that all the pent-up frustration he had been holding back had finally exploded.

Their father had never been a source of comfort, but Robert had endured that because of their mother’s persuasion and simply because he was their father.

Surely there must have been a reason; he was just too busy, that had to be it.

But the scene he witnessed as soon as he arrived was so horrific that it couldn’t be justified with such trivial reasons.

“Care to explain? Just where were you off to, leaving Mother behind like that while she was fainted?”

“Robert, that’s enough. Father must have had his reasons…”

“You be quiet and take care of Mother. I’m not letting this go easily.”

Chloe, who took after Beatria in temperament, tried to calm her brother, but he was already furious and shot her a glare while focusing on Bartheus.

“You may not understand, but there are heavy responsibilities that lie on the shoulders of a ruler. Do you think it’s possible to attend to every personal matter while moving forward?”

“……!”

“Brother!”

She was not only Bartheus’s wife but also the mother of the two in the room.

Seeing her bedridden and hearing Robert reduce that to ‘personal matters’ made him lose control, and he almost swung a fist, but Chloe’s quick intervention saved the day.

“Don’t lose your cool over something like this. A ruler of the empire must maintain their composure.”

Bartheus, pretending to be calm as he watched his son’s fist tremble in front of him, realized that Robert was about to blow up again, but he retracted his fist and turned his back, refusing to even look at his father.

“I don’t understand what qualities qualify you as a ruler of the empire. Is it so precious that you need to overlook your beloved wife and children?”

“Precious, huh? After all the education I provided, are you still consumed by dreams?”

Long ago, Bartheus had warned his son, who was destined to inherit the throne.

Just because you stand above doesn’t mean you can grasp everything, and if you have those illusions, you should cast them away quickly.

Dreams are just dreams; don’t try to align them with reality.

Robert remembered those words vividly.

How could he forget? It was the first piece of advice his father had ever given, and it was cold and harsh—a trauma that lingered in Robert’s mind.

“Listen well, my son. Talking about nobility, you are still trapped in dreams. If you are truly to carry on the imperial line, you must train your eyes to see the reality.”

“……”

In this desperate situation, with his mother lying there for an unknown reason, Robert felt his will dissipate as he watched his father attempt to instruct him as if he knew everything.

‘Why did you marry that man, Mother?’

She wouldn’t have been wooed by the title of being the ruler of the empire.

Or maybe he wasn’t like this before. Then why has he changed so much?

“If you’re going to preach, then go back and fulfill your duties as a magnificent emperor. We will take care of our mother.”

Now speaking as if he was someone else entirely, Robert’s tone was cold.

It felt as if an insurmountable barrier had been drawn between him and Bartheus, like some sort of seal that couldn’t be crossed.

“Very well, then. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

With that, Bartheus turned his back like someone completely indifferent.

Robert gritted his teeth in anger, but he barely managed to suppress it and turned his gaze to his mother.

It was time to care for his precious mother, not waste time taking it out on that man.

“Your Majesty, what is the matter?”

“…It’s nothing, go.”

Meanwhile, Bartheus confirmed the symbols engraved on the nape of his son and daughter, who had spoken so boldly to him, and left with a new purpose.

There was someone he needed to meet urgently.

* * * * * * *

There are several secret places in the imperial palace that outsiders are unaware of.

Among them, there were even spaces that members of the imperial palace did not know, and Bartheus’s destination was one of those.

“Have you arrived?”

“Was it necessary to see my face when a message would suffice?”

Bartheus clenched his fists tightly while secretly resenting Albrecht, who was seated before him.

He wanted to do more than just punch; his urge was to draw a sword and do some serious damage, but he had to restrain himself because the lives of the Helbenior family were in the hands of this man sitting before him.

“What you’re facing isn’t a punishment for your actions but rather, it is how I’m preventing you from getting too high and mighty. I just wanted to capture the look of anger on your face.”

“Are you seriously summoning me to activate the curse planted on my wife for such a trivial reason?”

Upon hearing Bartheus’s furrowed brow and deadly tone, Albrecht merely shrugged and took a seat.

“It was just a passing joke. Do try to keep a straight face.”

“Even the chief magician of the empire seems to lack a knack for humor.”

“Such things are talents for silly jesters.”

Bartheus took an aggressive stance as if provoking him, but Albrecht didn’t bat an eye.

Bartheus glared at him and took a seat across from him.

The exquisite chair in this shabby room seemed to represent his reality perfectly.

“I was listening to your conversation. It seems you’re in quite the predicament, but I guess I overstepped?”

“You mean you activated a curse on my wife to silence her?”

“Yes. It was meant as a joke but… you’ve been getting a bit too bold lately without knowing your place. I wanted to give you an example.”

Indeed, the effect was remarkable.

Humans inherently desire freedom, and when oppressed, their urge to break free surges forth.

However, sometimes when faced with overwhelming power, the instinct to resist is suppressed, and Bartheus found himself caught in such a conflict.

In his mind, two instincts were clashing.

An urge to take revenge on the man who made his wife like this, and the knowledge from seeing the man’s power that told him to cease all resistance.

Given the circumstances, the latter was taking a firm lead for now.

“There’s a fundamental question I wish to ask… may I inquire?”

“What is it?”

“If you possess such power, couldn’t you have used it in a more positive light? Or, at the very least, drive away the bloodline of the imperial family and take that position? Why use such cumbersome methods instead?”

Of course, just because he was the chief magician didn’t mean he had the power to turn everyone against him.

If he had such an ability, he wouldn’t be clandestinely controlling the imperial family behind the scenes like this.

However, he could have used the imperial family to step forth and gain power without needing to act stealthily like he was doing now.

But why go through so much trouble to achieve his desires?

Bartheus couldn’t fathom the reason behind it.

“That’s quite a fundamental question you’ve asked.”

“I wouldn’t ask if it were something public knowledge.”

Even in this situation, Bartheus felt a twinge of anxiety, fearing he might set off Albrecht’s temper.

He couldn’t help it, having just witnessed such a scene.

“No, it’s merely that I found it surprising. I thought you’d leave right away.”

“You’re not foolish enough to provoke me when you know it’d be detrimental to you. Instead, I’d prefer to converse with you and learn about what I’ve been wanting to know.”

Could it be that he harbors a wish for revenge against the imperial family?

He’d never heard of the Bertus family being oppressed by the imperial family, but history always reads like the autobiography of the powerful.

Thinking there might be undisclosed facts, Bartheus squinted slightly, waiting for his reply.

“Well, I’m just asking, but do you suppose I’m doing this out of vengeful feelings toward the imperial family?”

“Well, you guessed it pretty well. It’s impressive you didn’t show any signs of magic.”

“I can do that without the aid of magic. To sum it up, that’s absolutely not the case.”

Bartheus’s eyes widened for a moment before returning to their previous state.

It was unexpected, and it also raised a ‘Then why?’ in his mind.

“As I’ve mentioned before, all I seek is the truth behind magic. Just like you wouldn’t charge at a beast with bare hands, the imperial family was simply the most suitable tool for me.”

“Then why not reveal that power? Hiding away like this must be quite bothersome.”

“Your logic checks out. But it’s still less troublesome than turning everyone into enemies.”

If he seizes the throne for whatever reason, the nation wouldn’t accept it.

He would be constantly monitored and restricted; if powerful families like the Robeheim family united against him, it would be nearly impossible to withstand, even with the power of the imperial family behind him.

Thus, Albrecht chose that route.

He opted for the safer option, regardless of the inconvenience, for a greater cause.

Ultimately, for him, the truth of magic mattered above all; everything else was meaningless.

However, he still needed power.

Whenever he made a choice, he wanted a safeguard—a little bit of power to cover his back.

It just so happened that the imperial family was that safety net, which is why he advanced while confidently pursuing the truth from behind.

“What’s more, at that time, the individual I encountered was truly delectable. Each human has something they wish to protect; for you, that would be family.”

It had already been nearly a century since Albrecht seized control over the imperial family.

It all began with Bartheus’s great-grandfather.

That senile old man, always babbling about immortality, had tasked Albrecht with crafting a potion of eternal life, making him the perfect target for manipulation.

“Lives, power, family… Watching your family’s house, where each sought to protect something different, was quite enjoyable. Thanks to that, they were easy to handle.”

The more one possesses, the more fear they have of losing it.

It’s understandable; they can’t imagine who they’d be without it.

In that sense, the Helbenior family, passed down through generations, was incredibly easy for Albrecht to control.

“Oh dear, I didn’t intend to ramble on like this. You should probably head back soon as your family must be worrying.”

“Right, I was planning to leave even if you didn’t tell me to.”

Bartheus realized that the man before him wasn’t a villain with hidden motives but simply a pure evil acting on his own desires.

He gripped his fists, recalling his father’s words—that one with pride never loses to one without.

That too was not a truth of the world; pride can be shattered easily, even in the hands of the strong.

Realizing that, Bartheus felt his will disperse, fatigue creeping through his whole body.

‘Am I really going to succumb to this man?’

He thought he shouldn’t expect any help from the man who had provided him with such power.

Yet, if he had one wish, it would be to at least save his family.

Though he had always believed in heroes in his life, he’d give everything to them, even this life, if they would just rescue his poor wife and children from the abyss.

‘Edgar Billhark, was it?’

Lost in thought about a man’s face that came to mind, Bartheus left with a bitter smile and heavy footsteps.

In the end, he couldn’t return to the room where his wife and children awaited; he had no choice but to head to his lonely chamber.