WMT | Chapter 25

Theodore looked into his eyes and spoke.

“Is this what you wanted to do—but couldn’t, because you were an Omega?”

What kind of misunderstanding is this guy having?

Wissmia hadn’t been able to do anything because of his own incompetence.

But he didn’t say a word. Gaining sympathy would make cooperation easier.

Sure enough, Theodore said, “Then I’ll help you. …Though it doesn’t seem like you need my help, wouldn’t it be a good excuse?”

It was a statement too humble compared to his own worth. It could almost be seen as self-deprecation.

‘What’s his problem?’

Wiss suddenly became curious. What does one eat and grow up on to have such a humble and non-aggressive nature?

Lost in thought, Wiss didn’t even realize he was being held like a child and being patted.

However, just because Wiss didn’t notice, didn’t mean others wouldn’t see the scene.

‘What are we watching?’

The nobles glanced over.

The once terrifying Prince Wissmia and Duke Akazel were making a scene in the corner of the party hall. If they were going to act like that, why didn’t they just get a room instead of staying in the party hall?

They had heard rumors upon arriving at the palace. Rumors that Duke Akazel had fallen in love with the prince at first sight or something like that.

Seeing them now, it wasn’t baseless talk.

Were they really in love?

Even Prince Wissmia, who seemed embarrassed and coy, didn’t have the demeanor of someone who disliked the other.

‘Then what about Count Morre?’

What would happen to the poor knight who even staged an attack to reclaim his lover?

The nobles suddenly became very interested.

── .✦

The nobles attending the party diligently cooperated with the investigation. They spared no expense in offering lavish gifts to prove their loyalty.

Having successfully extorted the nobles, Wiss climbed the northern tower.

There was one more thing left to settle.

“This way, Your Highness.”

The escort guided him forward. The tower, which had stood on this spot for over 300 years, had undergone significant changes over time.

‘It’s become ominous.’

If Jeremy had been locked up in this dilapidated tower, he probably wouldn’t have lasted a day before fainting. Wiss was struck by the futility of time.

“…Your Highness? Prince Wissmia! Have you come to see me? All the way to a place like this?”

As the door was opened, Count Morre stood up.

The noble’s prison was a solitary cell with a single bed and window. It even had a desk and chair, so to Wiss, it didn’t even seem like a prison.

“You all, leave.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

The soldiers guarding the tower left upon receiving orders. Wiss left only the escort inside and closed the door.

Count Morre had an unshaven, haggard face. He started to approach Wiss but hesitated, realizing his own appearance.

Wiss pulled up a chair and sat down.

“The spies from Palatine left in the royal castle have been rooted out. Are you still waiting for help from the King of Palatine?”

Count Morre’s eyes widened.

“…No! Do you also misunderstand me, Your Highness? If the King of Palatine hadn’t promised to help rescue you, I wouldn’t have listened to him. You know that, don’t you?”

“Then tell me what you know.”

“What should I say? I did as you advised… I told the Palatine army everything I knew.”

“No. There must be something you didn’t say.”

Wiss crossed his legs and rested his chin on his hand, gazing down at Count Morre with open arrogance.

“Where did the mage go?”

“The mage?”

“There must have been a mage controlling the golems. You must have met them, right?”

The puppet controlling the golems was the essence of magic. There must have been a mage who infused mana into the puppet.

“I… I didn’t see such a person.”

Count Morre said with wide eyes, showing no signs of lying.

“No. You met them. Who taught you how to operate the golems?”

The count had arbitrarily moved up the timing of the attack. That meant the count knew the activation command for the golems.

The count’s eyes grew even wider.

“The King of Palatine.”

“What?”

“The King of Palatine was the mage!”

The count was stunned. Meanwhile, Wiss’s anger had already begun to cool.

‘There’s no way.’

The opponent was someone capable of bringing dozens of golems into another’s royal castle.

Their magical ability was exceptional.

A single ordinary mage could handle one or two golems. But the puppet on the scene handled dozens of golems alone.

The mage who created such a puppet couldn’t be ordinary.

‘There’s no way someone like that would struggle to kill a single brother.’

It’s not the King of Palatine.

However, it seemed there was indeed an extraordinary mage under the King of Palatine’s command. They probably hadn’t been working under the king for long. Theodore seemed unfamiliar with the magical attack.

‘Should I try to recruit them?’

While Wiss was pondering, his hand was suddenly grabbed.

“So, did you come to see me, Your Highness? Worried that I’ve turned the mage into an enemy…”

Count Morre’s eyes welled up with tears.

“I’m grateful for your concern, but… you shouldn’t come here, Your Highness. If Duke Akazel finds out, you’ll suffer too. That wicked duke wants me to die in this place.”

“…?”

“Even though I confessed everything, just as he asked—swallowed my pride and begged for forgiveness, saying I was deceived by the King of Palatine—he still didn’t release me. Duke Akazel is a renowned knight. So how could he break his word and risk his honor?”

“After thinking it over, I realized.”

“Realized what?”

“The duke is jealous… of the love you have for me, Your Highness.”

“…”

‘It was King Jeremiah who didn’t release you.’

Wiss remained silent.

Since he was willing to hate the duke instead of the Summer royal family, there was no need to clear up the misunderstanding, right?

Count Morre seemed to be enduring pain.

“So, Your Highness, you mustn’t come to see me again. I can endure being abused and humiliated by him—but if you suffer, I won’t be able to bear it. Even if it costs me my head… I’ll cut him down.”

‘How would you do that?’

There was a gap between Count Morre and Theodore akin to that between an infant and an adult male.

Wissmia couldn’t even defeat him, so how did he plan to cut down Theodore? Wiss was curious but didn’t ask. He had heard everything he needed to.

“Ah, right. Let’s not meet again.”

“Are you leaving already?”

“Is there more to say?”

When asked if there was any hidden information, Count Morre swallowed.

“Is this our last meeting…?”

“Probably.”

“Can you live on without seeing me again, Your Highness?”

Wiss couldn’t understand what this guy was saying.

Didn’t he just say not to meet again?

“What do you want?”

“I don’t think I can go on living, knowing I’ve left a gentle soul like you alone in this world. You… you could have become king. How am I supposed to live, having lost both Summer and you to that wicked duke?”

Count Morre crawled on his knees and whispered, “If you could muster the courage just once—like I did—there might be a way for us.”

It wasn’t worth listening to anymore.

What did it matter to Wiss if this fool had once eloped with the naive Wissmia? He wasn’t even curious about what he was trying to convince him to do.

“Open the door,” Wiss ordered the escort.

But Count Morre added softly, “Yes. You go out.”

“Your Highness?”

The escort asked skeptically, with a look that clearly said, What are you going to do alone with that guy?

Wiss was dumbfounded. He turned back to Count Morre—who was now holding his hand.

“It might be a bit embarrassing for someone as pure as you, Your Highness,” Morre said gently, “but it’s for our love, so it won’t tarnish your honor. All you have to do is tell people you’re pregnant with my child. You don’t even have to lie. If we spend our first night together now… who knows? The fruit of our love might come to us.”

‘This crazy guy.’

Bang!

Wiss slammed the door shut.

“Your Highness, Your Highness! Please wait! You can’t kill him!”

There was a frantic knocking at the door.

Ignoring the escort’s pleas, Wiss kicked the count’s shin.

“Ouch!”

One kick wasn’t enough to bring him down, so he kicked him again. As the count staggered and tried to crouch down, Wiss tripped him, sending him to the floor.

“Ouch! It hurts! Your Highness?”

“Do you know what you did wrong?”

“I’m sorry! I understand why you’re angry, Your Highness. You must hate your foolish lover. I know this isn’t a place fit for you! You said you wanted to spend our first night under the moonlight… I wanted to keep all the promises I made to you!”

“Shut up.”

Wiss kicked the count to make him shut up and then grabbed him by the collar. He brought his face close.

“What is this guy’s status?”

“Uh, who are you talking about… Are you referring to Your Highness?”

“Yes. And what is the responsibility of the person you call ‘Your Highness’? Did the people of this country pledge their loyalty just so he could live in luxury off their taxes—only to run away when things got tough?”

“What are you saying… Your Highness…”

“Did you indulge this childishness? Did you encourage this fool with your petty words, telling him you’d take responsibility? And you still don’t know what you did wrong?”

These idiots—with straw for brains—had caused this disaster in the name of love.

Someone else had to clean up the mess, coughing up blood to fix what they broke.

And now what?

“Why are you saying this? I… I was just worried you’d be crushed by sorrow, Your Highness, and—”

“You should have let him die!” Wiss snapped.

“Would the country have fallen if he died? But if you had succeeded in killing the duke—it would have fallen. In war, would a knight like you be the first to die? No. The ones who die first are the soldiers dragged from their farms just yesterday!”

Wiss tried to speak calmly, but he couldn’t contain his anger—and struck the count.

Of course, the count didn’t cough up blood. Only Wiss’s hand throbbed with pain.

At that moment, the door burst open with a rough sound.

“Your Highness!”

Theodore rushed in and hugged Wiss from behind, immediately grabbing his wrist.

“Let go.”

“No. If you keep going, you’ll hurt your wrist.”

“…?”

That wasn’t the response Wiss had expected.

As he hesitated, Theodore calmly picked him up and placed him by the door.

“I will punish the one who insulted you. Please step outside.”

Count Morre, who had just been getting beaten, looked completely incredulous.