Chapter Thirty - Nine
"Cough! Cough! Hack!"
This place is so dusty.
I stepped deeper into the room, my boots leaving clear footprints in the thick, grey carpet of grime. The furniture was a collection of heavy, dark wood that looked like it had been carved by someone who was angry at trees.
[Ping!]
[Host shouldn't have sent Vizen away. This place looks haunted.]
No, it's not. We just need to light the candle.
I snapped my fingers, my mind quickly solving a mid-level thermal equation to vibrate the air molecules around the wicks.
Fwoosh!
In an instant, every candle in the study roared to life. The room was suddenly bathed in a warm, flickering orange glow, revealing even more dust that I had previously been blissfully unaware of. It was everywhere... on the books, on the portraits, even on the ceiling.
How long has it been since Veryon abandoned looking after the Duchy?
I walked over to the desk, which was large enough to be used as a helipad. I ran a finger across the surface, carving a deep trench through the grey silt.
Just how long has he been consuming opium? How can he be stupid enough to trust a friend so blindly? I-
BAM!
What was that?
[Ping!]
[There's a ghost. Host we are telling you there's a ghost.]
There's no ghost, Sysi. Relax. Plus, if you remember technically I'm a ghost occupying someone else's body too.
I reached the massive bookshelf where the sound of something falling came from. And, there, lying facedown on the floor like a fallen soldier, was a small, tattered book.
I picked it up, blowing a thick cloud of dust off the cover that sent me into another coughing fit. It wasn't a ledger. It wasn't a tax record. It was a diary.
Did Veryon write a diary?
I opened the tattered thing to its first page.
Entry 1 :
It's really cold and lonely here.
I just wanted to be a kind, older brother to Alric. I gave up the throne for him despite being the firstborn, let Mother love him more. I told myself it was necessary to bridge the gap between Mom and an illegitimate child who had only ever suffered despite not being at fault. So why couldn't Alric see that? Why did he ask father to send me to North as his birthday gift?
Where did it go wrong?
... Haah. What the hell is this?
Veryon isn't even the illegitimate child I thought he was. He's technically just a... dum dum.
I flipped the pages of the diary.
Alric this. Alric that. Alric. Alric. Alric. My goodness is he gay or something?
[Ping!]
[Maybe, Host should just check the last page.]
You're right, Sysi.
I directly flipped to the last page as my eyes scanned the text.
Entry 1024 :
Alric... If you find this someday after I die. Just know... In this entire world, your brother loved you and did everything the way you wanted despite knowing the truth about you...
What truth!? Ugh! Can't people fully explain things? Maybe, he doesn't know the truth!? Just explain it!
Fuck!
I placed the book back on the shelf as I went back to the chair to sit on it. But, before I could my eyes landed on a covered portrait on the wall.
Fuck it. It better not be that pussy Emperor's picture.
I pulled the cloth off as my eyes landed on the face, making my feet grow roots.
How... How is there a portrait of me in this world?
[Ping!]
[Host! Look there's something written on the frame!]
I leaned in, nearly sticking my nose against the canvas to read the carved words as the blood in my veins froze.
'Kion Yeun Halcrest I'
What the-
BAM!
"MAAAAAAASSSSSSTERRRRRR! WE'RE BACK!"
Kaelen's voice roared in the duchy as he ran in my direction, before stopping upon seeing my expression. "Master, why do you look like Sir Eatassh did after we were done with the invasion?"
"Huh?" I shook my head, my brain still trying to process the fact that my own face was staring at me from an ancient canvas.
Stop overthinking, Yeun. Breathe. It's just face and name. Yeah.
The main focus right now is finding what the truth about the Emperor is that Veryon mentioned.
Everything else is secondary.
"Master, are you okay? Should I call a doctor?"
I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache brewing. "Brat, did you bring everything I asked you to?"
"Yes, Master! I swept the entire barony clean just like you asked."
"Good. Where are Hans and Eatassh?"
"The invasion finished so fast. Sir Eatassh took the knights and went to help the citizens. Lord Hans is currently looking over the newly recruited maids and knights. And even though, you didn't ask. I gave Butler Vizen all the gold to pay for Young Miss's clothes and return the leftover to you."
"Mhn. Go rest for now."
"Oh, Master! Almost forgot!" Kaelen reached into his coat and pulled out a crumpled envelope. "We found this unopened letter with the Imperial Seal in the Baron's study. Lord Hans told to give this to you and not open it."
"Good job."
"I'll go to help, Sir Eatassh. See ya, Master."
BAM!
Kaelen vanished as quickly as he'd arrived, leaving a trail of settled dust in his wake.
I stood alone in the flickering candlelight, the portrait of my past self watching me from the wall, and the Emperor's seal staring at me from my hand.
Instead of cracking the seal, I tore open the envelope from the side and took out the piece of paper inside.
This paper looks expensive.
[Ping!]
[Is that really important Host? See what the letter says.]
Yes. Yes, Sysi.
To Baron Vische,
I trust the "medicine" is being administered according to our previous arrangement. The fool's attachment to you is quite the spectacle, isn't it?
Upon receipt of this letter, you are to increase the dosage of opium significantly. Ensure his tea is saturated with the final concentrated extract. Three days after this letter reaches your hands, Veryon should take his final breath. One sip must be enough to stop his heart mid-beat.
Once the task is complete, close the gates of the North immediately. No news must travel that the Duke of North died. Have the body burned at once.
Do not fail me. You know the price of incompetence.
— A.
[Ping!]
[Host, are you okay?]
... The Emperor ordered Vische to feed Veryon opium?
Could this be the truth Veryon wrote about?
What is going on?