I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 228

Meanwhile, the Imperial Palace was thrown into complete chaos by the sudden news.

The Robeheim Family attacking the Bertus Family out of nowhere?

And it wasn’t even a petty dispute over territory; they were reportedly advancing right to the castle gates with plans to bring down an entire family.

In response, several panicked nobles insisted that the Royal Knights should be dispatched immediately.

They questioned what noble cause justified the Robeheim Family’s attack, claiming that they were moving on their own accord under the guise of being a Grand House without the Emperor’s permission.

Of course, from a third-party perspective, they weren’t entirely wrong.

However, Bartheus remained silent and didn’t say much in response.

While the nobles bowed and raised their voices insisting he must decide quickly, he exchanged glances with his wife beside him, signaling that he had something to say.

“…”

A nod.

Beatria, without uttering a word, quietly nodded back with warm eyes, understanding what her husband wanted to say.

She knew he had always preached that decisions must come with responsibilities.

He was not the type to simply watch the Bertus Family fall without acting.

Moreover, the timing was quite appropriate.

While everyone was busy discussing the justification of the Robeheim Family’s actions, Bartheus hoped to lessen the burden of responsibility on them by directly addressing the matter.

“Nobles, please listen to me for a moment. This will take a little while.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The moment the nobles engaged in a childish argument of who was right or wrong, they immediately stopped their conversation and lowered their heads.

Bartheus felt uneasy about how they would change their attitude if they discovered that he was just a powerless puppet of an Emperor.

Yet, since it was a truth he would eventually have to speak, he decided to speak without hesitation.

“Actually, the Duke is leading soldiers to attack the Bertus Family at my request.”

“!?”

“Your Majesty’s request? What do you mean!?”

At this unexpected statement, the nobles gaped and looked up at him sitting on the throne.

So, it meant there was imperial intervention and not just a private squabble between the two families?

Given that the emperor’s will was akin to the nation’s will, the justification would have to be seen as lying with the Robeheim Family.

But why had this fact been kept under wraps until now, they could not understand.

“The reason I summoned all the nobles is exactly this. The Duke had asked me to keep this under wraps to prevent confusion, but… I cannot just sit idly by and watch them get chastised due to my shortcomings.”

Of course, if he managed to successfully take down Albrecht, he could proclaim that the Robeheim Family simply did justice without revealing the full story.

The imperial family could remain victims, not facing anyone’s reproach, while the wicked would disappear, and everyone could live happily ever after.

But recently, Bartheus had always questioned whether that was the true right choice.

Had Albrecht not approached, he would have continued living a peaceful life as a family man and the emperor of a nation.

So, was it truly right to lay all the blame on him?

No, it was not. At least, that was Bartheus’s view.

The number of Albrecht’s hidden misdeeds, and if he counted up to his grandfather, would be so numerous it would be difficult to keep track.

In other words, the evil deeds performed by Albrecht were directly related to the incompetence of the imperial family.

Could they really claim to be victims while continuing to act as puppets bound by strings without making a clear decision for three generations?

And if they needed to be judged as the same kind of villain, then he believed that all truths should be revealed.

There was no need to hide every truth in the world, but the truths that needed to be known must be made public.

That was Bartheus’s principle.

“Actually, Albrecht, that man has been controlling the imperial family for a long time. From me all the way back to my grandfather and father… spanning three generations, he has manipulated us.”

“Y-your Majesty. What are you suddenly talking about…”

“Y-yes. Even if what you say is true, why would the Marquis of Bertus commit such acts?”

Albrecht was a man who presented himself rather well on the outside.

More precisely, he was someone who seemed to care for no one, trying not to create any enemies.

If he got close to someone, it was bound to expose his weaknesses and reveal his true nature.

That’s why he tried not to get close to anyone, leading to very few among the nobles harboring ill will toward him.

In other words, he was a wise man who had not made enemies by not fearing allies.

Except for peculiar cases like Edgar.

Because of that, when the nobles heard that Albrecht was a wicked figure who controlled the imperial family, they could not even utter a word and were visibly agitated.

It wasn’t as if there were clues beforehand, and suddenly mentioning Albrecht left them at a loss for words.

“I understand your confusion. However, please know that what I’m saying here is the absolute truth without a single lie.”

“Who would dare question your Majesty’s words? It’s just that it’s all so sudden…”

“That’s right. But if that man truly was a wicked person who pressured the imperial family from the shadows, why have you not disclosed this truth until now?”

In simultaneous agreement with the most fundamental question, the nobles nodded their heads.

Their expressions indicated they’d been wanting to ask that very question.

Bartheus, deciding that it would be better to show rather than tell, stood from his seat and began to remove his robes.

“Everyone must know about this spot. Both my late father and grandfather bore it as well.”

“Your Majesty speaks truly.”

Several older nobles had been in service since the reign of the late emperor and were familiar with the mark.

Originally thought to be absent, the mark had begun appearing from the time of the current emperor’s grandfather; it was often seen as a peculiar lineage of the family that had suddenly emerged.

However, beneath that veneer lay a shocking truth that the nobles would never have suspected.

“Actually, this is the mark of the curse that Albrecht has placed upon me and my family. If he so desires, he could easily extinguish our lives with this powerful curse.”

“A curse…!?”

“How dare that wicked man place a curse upon anyone…!”

Though curses were often viewed as a form of magic, they were actually closer to practices that deviated from ethics, like dark magic.

In fact, in the Helbenior Empire, curses are recognized as a malevolent tool that should never be used—even on a slave.

Though there were a few individuals who studied curses, they too were strictly prohibited from using and experimenting with them directly on people.

However, it was merely tolerated in the sense that one must know about curses to dispel them, similar to how poisons are studied to respond to them.

Dark mages would also exist as similar examples.

Anyway, the important thing was that such a vile spell was utilized on none other than the emperor’s body.

Moreover, the fact that the spellcaster could kill the blood mage at will indicated it was a curse of great malice not even mentioned in any literature.

It was a security measure possible only because he was the empire’s top wizard.

During this, the mention of “me and my family” made the nobles’ gazes shift, not towards the emperor, but to Beatria, who sat quietly beside him with her serene eyes.

“What you’re saying also applies to Her Majesty…”

“…That’s right. Although I can’t show it, I carry the same mark on my back. And so do our children.”

“How can a person of the same blood do something so heinous…!”

Family is precious to every person.

To think someone would manipulate the imperial family using such a base sentiment.

Even if one was blinded by power and authority, how could a human being be so cruel?

“Anyway, that’s how it has come to be. Had the Duke and her beloved not come to our aid, we would have been fated to live like trapped birds in a cage. I would have never even thought to convey this truth to the people of this nation or you all.”

“Ah, those two…!”

“Then, the campaign to subdue the foreigners was all just a ruse to throw the Bertus Family off the scent. How can someone of such age be so wise…!”

A few sharp nobles, having realized the whole story behind the large-scale subjugation operations that had begun days prior, collectively praised the two.

“The reason I’m sharing this with you is to pay for my sins. Although the Duke wished otherwise, I simply couldn’t keep silent.”

“Pay for sins…! Your Majesty, how can you say such a thing?”

“That’s right! It’s all because of that wicked man’s schemes; it’s certainly not your Majesty’s fault!”

As Bartheus recounted the reasons for revealing what he had chosen to keep hidden, the nobles jumped up to stop him.

What crime could he possibly have, being manipulated by a power-hungry individual who used his family as hostages?

Among them, those most loyal to the imperial family were even shedding tears.

“Though there were reasons, in the end, it is true that I colluded with him. If I had shown just a bit more determination as both the emperor and the head of a family, such impure events wouldn’t have occurred.”

“That was an unavoidable situation! No one could blame your Majesty!”

“I concur with Lord Nort! How can you hold your Majesty responsible for that!”

In unison, as the nobles rallied to defend him, Bartheus felt a tightening in his chest.

Of course, not all of these nobles were sincerely standing by him, but if even one among them felt that way, he felt he had not lived a completely wretched life.

“I appreciate your comfort. But do not worry too much. I have no plans to suddenly take a trip to the guillotine today or to step down from this position. I will simply publish this truth and ask the people of this nation if they wish to elevate such an inadequate man as their emperor.”

It was merely a revelation of the truths that needed to be known. Nothing more.

If they wished to pay for their sins, let them.

If not, he would focus solely on leading the nation as it stood. That was his duty as emperor.

“Before I leave, the Duke mentioned that a conclusion is likely to be reached by tonight. So, ensure that this truth is conveyed by tomorrow at the latest.”

“The people will fall into great turmoil. Are you truly okay with this?”

“I suppose. But isn’t that the right choice?”

Even if turmoil erupts, it would merely be a fever for growth.

Moreover, this had been a conclusion drawn from discussions with his wife and children.

As a member of the imperial family, he did not fear declaring this truth.

‘If we are no longer of the imperial family, the only place that can inherit the throne is the Robeheim Family.’

The justification was ample.

He would be the hero who brought down a villain, and they had long reigned as rulers of the North, accumulating great virtue and public support.

Now that he had prepared some sort of plan, Bartheus felt a weight lift from his heart.

Now, all he had to do was hope that they would defeat that man and return safely.

Change would come soon enough.