DMEC | Chapter 17

“What if you get hurt again? Last time you played with Princess Loue and hurt your knee, remember? Eliana, Her Majesty, told you not to climb trees, but you did it again. Every time you don’t listen, I, Joel…”f4ebdce82930fb23

“But it’s more comfortable for you if I’m here.”8136d4802f828d24

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Lute mumbled, swinging his legs. Joel was stunned by Lute’s unexpected answer. Was that the reason? Even after the doctor said his knees were shattered and he wouldn’t grow much taller, and that they’d ache when it rained, he still insisted on climbing trees.dd1f6e37bbbd7eae

“And when I’m up here, I’m the tallest, so it’s okay if I don’t grow taller.”4414e32e60a1c2f3

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Lute hugged the 6fb739c715 tree tightly and bec61967a4 smiled brightly like bbbf40144a sunshine.1b76c1d879e5379e

“Most of all, I like it here because it’s just you and me, Joel. I really like you, Joel. Do you feel the same?”292b4626576b995b

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What did I say to Lute’s innocent question? I can’t remember, as if the important parts are shrouded in thick fog.65e777ce716dee48

“Hmm…”72467d442416a97f

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I probably said I did. Back then, I had to keep the child happy. Even though I thought it wouldn’t matter, I didn’t know why my hands were trembling.bd33c11eff1a13ef

Joel, like an old beb5d103e8 man, trembled as he 2229564bd9 drank his milk tea d8176d746f and found the reason. It was because 738cbcf4f6 the window was a6cf7da1da wide open. The cold fc650b6c64 wind blowing 8ee4ff2717 after the ea7541bae7 rain was c2b04d94d5 freezing his 6f05bfed92 hands. Joel set the d486edfda1 teacup down on 29737517af the saucer and e3245a2c2d used magic to 518332b334 close the window.b9a963b15ba94c8c

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“Brr, it’s cold.”ea10d140930d97cc

Shivering from the a449a475d2 chilly air, he 0594d8765c was about to 6194a5864e get back into e428f08ff5 bed to rest 413bbee748 when the door bb5b95084e suddenly burst open.d2b930cdd5da3bdc

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“Whoa! Who’s the bastard? How dare you barge in when I’m here? Do you want to die?”cca34361bac59d4b

As the emperor clenched his fist in anger, flames erupted from it. Even seeing this, Alexander the knight commander didn’t stop; he stomped over and knelt on one knee before the emperor.b817bb55210a2bb2

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“Your Majesty, it was such an urgent matter that I couldn’t follow proper protocol…”b678c1e1a7e3f3d4

The emperor sighed, placing his hands on his hips, and said, “If it’s not urgent, I won’t let it slide. What’s this urgent matter?”c3ee2e6f25a1ad5a

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“Queen Lute Synthsis, Your Majesty.”045e04dfb55abd30

The emperor’s eyes sparkled.5d8fa6fd537f2d08

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“Lute? The queen? Why? Is he grateful for the shoes? Does he think they’re pretty? Does he like me?”a0fc6773500fb884

Alexander the knight commander looked at the emperor, who was spouting nonsense, with pity and said, “…Ah, well…”334eb7eb1b9b0b4f

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The emperor was d98dd367a6 hot-tempered and impatient.a530f37119f1c596

“Ah, what is it! Speak quickly! What did Lute say? Do I need to roast you like a basilisk to make you talk faster?”2d0005a6c372267c

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Throwing aside his dignity, f8bd057398 he spoke harshly as e15abc0b29 if playing with a 1f3d4f869c cousin. When Alexander glared 6c3df072ee at him, he 68852312b4 finally closed his f9ae15813c mouth and, clearing 0e4ef352e8 his throat, asked 5ee273ece9 in a dignified 2457e758e0 tone.2425f69f113fd726

“What did the queen say? Perhaps a thank you…”a30b244e6f7ac8cb

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He then coughed and suddenly blushed, mumbling, “Like when we were young, saying he loves me… Well, not that I’m hoping for such words. It’d be a bother if he did.”c11c316832a54163

Though it was fa2fbc5365 clear he was 1af7e03879 glancing around for df7676c8c7 reactions, Alexander remained a94af69fa6 calm.eb3cc408a61ed848

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“No. That wasn’t it at all. He requested a visit from Alexander the knight commander.”184f83004d5c8922

Before he could ask why, Alexander spoke in a somber voice, avoiding the emperor’s gaze.a717c95e56f09e9c

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“He prepared divorce papers and asked me to take them to Your Majesty…”c46e7defb3a77b2f

Crash!642a22cf6cd0d0dc

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The teacup in the emperor’s left hand fell to the floor. The remaining milk tea spilled, soaking the emperor’s calf, but fortunately, it was lukewarm from the cold wind.e6ed3004d7fb05bd

“Your Majesty! Are you alright?”8d8ceeee9a64756f

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The chamberlain, who was 27571d83be supposed to be in ad9eb6d676 the bedroom, rushed over 27dd2bd8a1 in shock, and Joel 6abc2eaf0f grabbed his shoulder, eyes 83e07cfd80 wide.adb4c2526f272743

“According to Imperial Law Article 10, Clause 1, if a couple shares duties, relationships, and love, the divorce isn’t valid, right?”2a0d1be4c6dae6a4

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The chamberlain’s old body shook like a sheet of paper.0165008d4d8a9795

“Yes, yes! That’s correct!”242a3b74a7b41a52

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Joel was slightly relieved but then froze for another reason. “Damn!” he cursed, slowly releasing the chamberlain’s shoulder out of consideration, then covered his face and sat on the bed. Alexander looked at him with pity and sighed.0e88e681cd6d3f12

“Why did I do that…? Why? I can’t remember, why did I do it?”5273e6b466d3a97e

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Who told you to 1b649095fb erase your memory? Usually, the potion of 519ef63c15 forgetfulness made by skilled 7010e0057c alchemists was used only 29b87872a8 by the upper class, 82925832fa mainly to keep secrets. It was 52210b0508 typically used 27838921c4 to protect 0fca8a8f0b secrets about 40e72b29e3 affairs or d708854792 espionage activities.1b3830691bf1ca57

And to erase the sorrow of losing a child or a cherished pet…8645e9a223929546

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There was hardly anyone like Joel who erased his own memory. Alexander couldn’t guess why Joel did such a thing, as it was an event from ten years ago, and he wasn’t there.45c160d88b64bf43

He could c5290b6ab3 only assume f303880f89 that being 254467301a with Lute 988e98d556 Synthsis was 4069e474f3 so painful 8cdc8fa077 that he 6a6e5a6002 erased the dad0c4a0bb memories of 03891a371d what happened fbaba0b16d in Synthsis.5dcfeec3691ed879

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Joel Ragnus was one 36ccf9f528 of the tributes offered 7a05020d26 by Killen to the 235b261231 then-powerful nation of Synthsis. He was chosen by 35d9e21c5c the priests as the 307667a8c6 most suitable to bear 33698858d7 eggs due to his 78f1bd4d03 strong physique and magical 5b5cad8cd9 power, so he stayed 3ae411a896 in that country longer.b52d7783f5d34f2e

During that time, he witnessed his people, the tributes of Killen, die for various reasons right before his eyes. As a prince in Killen, a country where the eldest son inherited, how must he have felt seeing his people cry out, “Prince, please save us!” and cling to him?b7fa815e2cd7f1d0

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However, for some reason, he wasn’t chosen as the final host for the basilisk and survived, but instead, his only younger brother, Ratea, was taken as the host.07afb74e238478f6

Joel Ragnus, seeking revenge for his brother Ratea Ragnus and the countless innocent people of Killen and other nations who had to die, took up Peridexion and stormed into Synthsis. Empress Eliana summoned demons to fight back, but darkness couldn’t overcome light.d9d718b8a484850b

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“O hero, with the power of the holy spirit, drive out the darkness and restore paradise to this land!”e193751981a4d1ce

He fulfilled 3555b1c7ee the wishes 1bd91b0997 of countless 242a867276 people, dragged ea763b60f6 the basilisk 56c193295e out, pierced 5f3e11d116 its heart, 92c9493156 and burned c7c10a990d it to 875a0c4bfc ensure it 5b166e33d8 was dealt 23ff6241e4 with. Finally, he 5d67894924 killed his 78f6546765 brother Ratea 380dbf4815 with his 7d60ebec4c own hands 3f9810edb3 and burned a98df927f9 the basilisk, 75c0036edf the offspring 7d263a4f11 between the 49eba15060 basilisk and 6cf59568a3 his brother, 5ba030add1 and the bf99931629 nest and 4a65dde6ca labyrinth Labyrinthos bba3a707a4 beneath the 2466db29f1 Synthsis lake.1715365b8337fbe4

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Alexander, who 2390fd3f6d was the 9f10aee7ce knight commander 01722c3602 even then, cb48d8b8bd witnessed all eaae7dbbb8 of it.3fb91f636452d489

He saw Joel muttering as he watched his brother and the beings he couldn’t call nephews burn before him.9d1dbf6bd6307e2b

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“You’re not my brother, you’re a monster.”5d9a03fb29b4f8df

People believed his younger brother Ratea died while Joel was killing the basilisk, but the truth was written from the victor’s perspective.0b8e3d27ee58a430

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Later, when the great historical novelist Arcs asked to write a book about this event, Alexander, who didn’t forget that day, recounted everything truthfully, except for the part where Ratea and Joel erased their memories.a44c0ce176e99f6d

As a result, Joel’s greatness became even more known in this country and others, and Synthsis became even more of a villainous nation.73210c146bd3241e

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Thinking his assumption 0bd184d5d9 was correct, Alexander 268289b8f2 approached Joel, who 8f98410a81 had lowered his 75667ec0b8 hands from his 09e8155d39 face and looked cd0d53ce5e up at Alexander 2356c8860a with a serious 86822830f0 expression.9b24038c5ee83d15

“According to Imperial Law, to prove the relationship of a royal couple, they must engage in relations in front of at least five people, right?”0d05641213541d54

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In essence, this law was the court’s way of saying that when a couple’s faith, love, and everything else were over, they should come and get a divorce. The current emperor, Joel Ragnus, believed that if they didn’t want to live together and didn’t love each other, it wasn’t good for the children, so he allowed easy divorce and remarriage.04af3d67ef8686dc

However, it was different for the royal family. For royals, divorce was a bit embarrassing and complicated, requiring at least five witnesses to say, “They didn’t have a relationship.” The same applied to adultery.5283d1b6bc24b5fe

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“Yes, that’s correct. Without that, how would you prove it? It’s the same logic as not being able to prove adultery if you don’t catch it on the spot.”e4797149365769cb

At Alexander’s straightforward words, Joel grabbed his golden hair and collapsed onto the bed. He pounded his feet on the bed in regret, then turned his head sharply to look at Alexander and said.c89eda1637064efa

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“If you were told to engage in relations with someone who locked you up for ten years, in front of more than five people, including a record keeper, librarian, palace doctor, and three maids, could you do it?”46ba80886da51471

“No. It’s difficult.”dd0b2ca62f916623

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The emperor, saying “I knew it,” slumped onto the bed.0d789f61fb0774ee

“Why did I really do that…?”f359ebdd96bdcd6a

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“It’s natural that you don’t remember. You took the potion, and it’s been ten years.”176932e08dde512f

“No, Alex. I remember other things little by little. The small, happy days when I raised that child for eight years.”298ebbdfc14765e6

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At first, Alexander, the chamberlain, and the maids, who were listening to Joel’s nonsense without much thought, widened their eyes. Happiness? Did the word happiness really come out of Emperor Joel’s mouth? Since losing his heart, he had never spoken of being happy or joyful.5d5813a59d7cf6b3

Alexander, surprised, knelt at the foot of the emperor’s bed.37ffebaf5db3f8e7

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“Your Majesty! Did you just say happy days?”63035fcc74312df5

Even though it was time to get up and prepare for prayers, he couldn’t hide his joy and asked the emperor. Emperor Joel slid up from the bed, swept his fallen golden hair back, and asked.d2eb2ffff842c081

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“Yes. I was happy. When I was raising that child in Synthsis.”d6a4ac181f99b9aa