Chapter 207 – If It Works, It’s a Revolution (5)

While the Emperor and the Second Princess each watched from their windows—

The secret prince, Verken, stepped onto the drawbridge.

Under normal circumstances, the palace guards stationed at the bridge would have immediately ordered him to halt.

But for some reason, they did nothing to stop him.

The reason was simple.

Verken gave off an aura more beast than man—something oppressive, primal.

He had a towering frame that overwhelmed those who laid eyes on him. A body hardened through countless battles and ordeals.

Scars crisscrossed his sun-darkened skin, speaking volumes about the blood-soaked path he’d walked.

His cold, gray-blue eyes were sharp enough to stop a man’s breath.

That gaze didn’t merely observe—it pierced straight through to the deepest fear buried within a person’s heart.

His silver hair, dulled and tangled, fell past his nape. Where the sunlight hit, a faint blue shimmer flickered like a threat.

Rather than the ornate garments expected of royalty, Verken wore a worn leather cuirass.

The armor was covered in nicks and slashes, its edges so weathered it was impossible to guess its original color.

Around his neck hung a chain as thick as iron shackles, and on his wrists were bracelets made from beast fangs.

His attire and accessories were more than practical—they were symbols of brutal wilderness.

“S-Stop right there!!”

It wasn’t until Verken planted his second foot on the drawbridge that the guards, snapping out of their stupor, shouted at last.

Thankfully, Verken stopped moving.

He raised one callused hand and brushed his silver hair back.

It was a simple motion, yet the guards swallowed nervously.

The word “intimidating” was far too weak.

Even just brushing his hair created a tension sharp enough to tear the air—his very presence was fear incarnate.

Could such a being truly be called the Emperor’s son?

Of course, the guards had no idea this monster of a man glaring daggers at them was the rumored secret prince.

“S-Stop!!”

Verken was already still, but one guard, frozen with nerves, shouted again.

“If you come any closer...!”

Verken turned his gaze on them, and the guards flinched, glancing at one another in panic.

“S-So if you come any closer... I mean... if you...”

The guard’s voice trembled and faded.

It was that gaze—he’d taken Verken’s stare full-on.

Shit, why during my shift… I was this close to getting off duty…

Back in the palace, the Emperor grabbed the First Prince by the collar and shook him violently.

“Get down there and bring that man inside!!”

If they let this drag on, someone might realize he was the secret prince. That would be a disaster.

That lunatic is a disgrace to the royal family—he must remain buried forever!

“M-Me?!”

The First Prince turned toward the Second Prince, who was shrinking into himself in the corner.

“Hey! You go!”

“I… I’m not feeling well right now… cough, cough…”

The Fourth Prince, watching, suddenly clutched his stomach and fled the room.

“You idiot! You caused this, so you fix it!”

With the Emperor’s roar ringing in his ears, the First Prince had no choice but to leave.

The walk from the palace to the drawbridge had never felt so long. It must be what condemned prisoners feel on their way to the gallows.

“Y-Your Highness...!”

When the First Prince appeared, the guards quickly stepped aside to let him through—clearly placing all their hopes on him.

Now that he was at the front, the First Prince regretted everything.

Still, he couldn’t go back. He had his pride as a prince, after all.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, he looked toward Verken on the far end of the drawbridge.

And then immediately lowered his gaze in regret.

Goddamn it… Why am I here...?

Though the sun beat down mercilessly, Verken exuded a wintry aura—like frost mist rising from a frozen lake.

“S-So, uh…”

“It’s been a long time.”

The First Prince nearly collapsed on the spot.

Verken’s voice was low, scraping like metal, carrying a chill like a blade brushing one’s skin.

“You’ve aged quite a bit since last I saw you.”

He grinned.

“It’s been, what, twenty-some years since we last met?”

“R-Right…”

Even as dizziness threatened to knock him out, the First Prince realized he had to get this man inside before he said anything more dangerous.

If the wrong word got out, the secret prince’s existence could be exposed.

“Why don’t we… head inside first. We can catch up over something cold to drink.”

“Sounds good.”

As Verken strode forward, the guards instinctively raised their spears and blades in alarm.

To avoid provoking him, the First Prince quickly raised a hand to stop them.

Verken smirked, as if mocking the gesture.

“He’s inside the gates.”

As Verken crossed the drawbridge and entered the palace, the Second Princess’s adjutant whispered.

“Looks like he’s headed straight for the Emperor’s office.”

“Focus every available asset on listening in. Don’t miss a single word that comes out of that room.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After the adjutant rushed out, the Second Princess crossed her arms and looked out the window toward the Emperor’s office.

She had expected some reaction from the Emperor upon hearing that Nemara’s children had joined the Security Office—but not to this degree.

Nemara must’ve really shaken him with that betrayal.

Still, to summon even the forbidden secret prince?

Is he planning to end everything here and now...?

# # # #

The Emperor’s office was unnaturally cold.

Thanks to the man lounging arrogantly on the sofa, sipping tea—none other than the secret prince, Verken.

“What’s everyone so uptight for?”

With a sharp clack, Verken set his teacup down and looked around with a grin.

The Emperor, the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the Fourth Prince all wore unmistakably grim expressions.

The Second and Fourth Princes weren’t even sitting—they remained standing.

“It’s good to see everyone again. Don’t you think so, dear elder brother?”

“Eh? Ah… Y-Yeah… haha…”

The Second Prince, having been singled out, gave a strained laugh.

“Still, I must say, I’m quite surprised. Summoning me back to the capital like this—after casting me out so coldly.”

The Emperor, who had just been glaring at the First Prince, flinched and shrank slightly at that line.

“Some change of heart, perhaps?”

“Well, the truth is...”

The Emperor began slowly.

“Our royal bloodline is in danger of dying out.”

Now that this madman was here, there was no undoing it.

The Emperor had made up his mind—he would put Verken to use.

“Hold on.”

Verken raised his hand and stopped the Emperor mid-sentence.

“Call in the ones outside.”

“Outside?”

“The ones standing at the door.”

Baffled, the Emperor motioned with his eyes, and the Fourth Prince brought the staff inside.

Leaning back on the sofa, Verken swept his eyes over the four attendants who had entered—then pointed to one.

“You. Come here.”

The chosen man hesitated, then approached. Verken held out his hand.

“Hand.”

The man hesitated, then reached out and clasped it.

“—Huh?!”

“W-What?!”

The moment their hands touched, the attendant opened his mouth in a silent scream.

At the same time, the color drained from his skin and his body began to shrivel rapidly—collapsing into a withered husk in seconds.

As if every drop of life had been sucked out of him.

The Emperor and the princes recoiled in horror.

“Absolutely disgraceful.”

Verken looked down at the desiccated corpse in contempt.

“This bastard was eavesdropping on the office.”

“Eavesdropping?!”

“That fox Mirelis is still alive, huh?”

# # # #

“We’ve lost the feed.”

Hearing the adjutant’s report, Second Princess Mirelis showed a rare flicker of surprise.

Her taps had never once been discovered before.

So Verken wasn’t an ordinary man after all.

She didn’t know much about him.

He’d been banished from the palace when she was still young.

Verken, the Third Prince, was infamous for being cruel and violent.

On top of that, he possessed some strange, inexplicable power—neither magic nor black magic.

Deemed uncontrollable and therefore a threat to the Empire, the Emperor had exiled him.

Originally, the plan had been to kill him—but the risk of failure was too great. And however monstrous, he still carried royal blood.

No one knew what Verken had done or where he’d gone during his twenty-plus years of exile.

Only rumors, thought to be his handiwork, surfaced now and then.

And now that same secret prince had returned at the Emperor’s summons.

That meant she would have to go all in too.

“I need to send a letter to Dian.”

“What should it say?”

“Tell him his future wife is in danger—and he must come save her immediately.”