A Snake’s Life Ch 67

Chapter 67

 

‘A mere fledgling who owes his life to Duke Bert.’

Marquis Franchia believed that the only reason Zerpell had been able to act so freely until now was because Duke Bert had been backing him from the shadows. Though his aides warned him to be cautious, the marquis dismissed it as the desperate words of a loser—someone who had been effortlessly stripped of dominance by Zerpell and left speechless.

Admittedly, Zerpell’s demeanor was intimidating, but the marquis had long been the leader of the nobility and was confident that the still-young crown prince was no match for him.

His main businesses—casinos and slave trading—were still thriving. There wasn’t a single clue anyone could have grasped yet. Invitations to the casino were sent in secret, and the conditions to attend the slave auctions were even more stringent.

The marquis was momentarily agitated, but he steadied himself by thinking of the casino.

‘The casino and auctions are still intact, and there are plenty of nobles willing to spend money for my benefit, many who heed my words, and many I can employ.’

What made the marquis so confident were the other powerful factions closely tied to him.

“I see. Then I shall pray for the recovery of your enterprise.”

At Zerpell’s remark, Marquis Franchia’s eyes narrowed slightly. On the surface, it sounded like encouragement, but it was in fact a warning. Zerpell’s dry tone came across as mocking to the marquis. He glanced at the duke standing behind Zerpell and spoke.

“Duke Bert, so the rumors of your return were true. You had gone to your territory as if to sever all ties—I thought you had no intention of coming back.”

“The affairs of the world rarely go as one wishes. I too have sworn to devote myself to the empire. Were you not a loyal servant of the empire for many years yourself, Marquis? Though you’ve regrettably stepped down now, I intend to follow in your footsteps.”

“Heh. A fine idea. Truly, what could be more important than the affairs of the state? Hmm… since His Highness is also present, I shall take this opportunity to announce a decision of mine.”

Speaking with gravity, the marquis wiped away all traces of a smile and fixed his gaze on Zerpell. A noble who hadn’t heard of the marquis’s return asked with cautious curiosity, taking the bait the marquis had tossed.

“What decision might that be, Marquis?”

“I am considering making a return as well.”

The marquis’s eyes gleamed with a chilling light. His words brought a heavy silence over the room. Everyone knew he was the Empress’s father. His return to the noble council was a clear signal that he intended to suppress the rapidly rising power of Zerpell.

Though Duke Bert held the superior title, the marquis’s position as the Empress’s maternal family couldn’t be ignored. Duke Bert directly addressed his intent.

“I was under the impression that you had retired. Are you saying you wish to return?”

The marquis gave a hollow smile as he replied.

“Since His Highness is dedicating himself to the empire, I too must offer my assistance. I wished to announce this through tonight’s gathering.”

“Then please do your utmost for the sake of the empire.”

Contrary to the nobles’ expectations that Zerpell would offer a rebuttal, he brushed it off without much concern and even offered words of encouragement. The marquis’s brow twitched slightly at Zerpell’s attitude. However, Zerpell brushed past him as if he had no intention of continuing the conversation.

As the distance between them grew, Duke Bert whispered quietly into Zerpell’s ear.

“If Marquis Franchia returns, the repercussions will be considerable, Your Highness. Might I suggest eliminating him without delay?”

“Indeed. Though I am sorry for the marquis, his return will be swiftly followed by a permanent departure.”

Zerpell had already decided on the marquis’s end. The investigation was proceeding smoothly and discreetly. Even if the marquis tried to make a move, it would be too late. If even the smallest misstep were exposed, the people would swarm like bees.

Public sentiment toward the Emperor was teetering on the edge of collapse. In contrast, Zerpell had been striving to gain the cooperation of the nobility and win over the hearts of the people. The nobles may have dismissed the commoners as insignificant, assuming they could do nothing, but that was a grave miscalculation.

“Do you think this is the Empress’s doing?”

“She must be feeling the weight of the situation, considering she’s made such a request of the marquis.”

“Her Majesty has never tolerated any threat to her authority.”

The duke nodded in agreement. From the moment the marquis announced his return, the battle had begun. Zerpell had long been trying to win over the neutral nobles. Though their emergence might bring difficulties, he firmly believed the outcome would remain unchanged.

“Once this ball ends, I’ll ensure they pay dearly for their complacency. Starting with the marquis. The rest will be those seated at the high table, watching from above.”

Zerpell spoke as he glanced at the now-empty high seats, vacated by the Emperor and Empress.

Zerpell headed straight for where Shuiren had been. The duke guided him to the terrace. Normally, those who stepped out onto the terrace did so for rest, and it was customary to relay any requests to speak through an attendant. However, Zerpell, without hesitation, drew back the curtain.

There, slumped over a table and unable to support himself, was a completely drunk Shuiren.

Zerpell approached and assessed his condition. The discarded bottles on the table, the reeking stench of alcohol, his unfocused eyes and flushed cheeks—all pointed to heavy intoxication.

Sensing movement, Shuiren looked up at Zerpell and tried to say something, pointing at him with his finger, but his words were so slurred they were incomprehensible.

“Your Highness, it seems the Divine Envoy is quite drunk.”

“I can see that. Leave us.”

“Understood.”

At Zerpell’s firm command, Duke Bert closed the curtain and withdrew quietly.

“Shuiren.”

Sleeping slumped over a table was bound to cause neck pain later. Zerpell shook him gently. Annoyed by the constant nudging, Shuiren grumbled and swatted his hand away.

“Stop bothering me… Go away…”

“You need to get up. Sleeping in that chair will hurt your neck.”

“Oh, seriously! Stop pestering me and just get lost!”

Then Shuiren turned to look at Zerpell. Upon recognizing him, his already disgruntled face twisted even more. Shuiren snapped his head to the side in a show of visible displeasure.

“Why are you here? Go be with that Camilla woman.”

“What are you talking about? Of course I should be with you. How could a noblewoman ever compare to you?”

“Easy to say when you were dancing with Camilla…”

Zerpell’s eyes widened slightly at the sharp, bitter words. Shuiren pouted petulantly. He was clearly sulking.

“You told me not to dance with anyone else, and then you go and dance with a woman… That’s textbook hypocrisy… Unbelievable.”

Muttering complaints under his breath, Shuiren’s displeasure was obvious. Zerpell gave a troubled smile, trying to find a way to handle the situation. Shuiren was not only deeply upset but clearly overwhelmed by the emotions stirred up by the alcohol.

It was evident that what bothered him most was the dance with Camilla.

“I’m sorry. I thought that if I danced with you, it would attract too much attention from the nobles. I feared it would be overwhelming to have to deal with them all…”

“You—! You really…!”

Shuiren slammed the table so hard the chair nearly toppled as he stood. Stunned by his outburst, Zerpell could only stare blankly. Shuiren bit his lip and stood rigid. As Zerpell reached out instinctively, Shuiren seized him by the collar.

“How could you dance with another woman right in front of my eyes when you’re supposed to be my lover?!”

Normally, this was something he would have kept to himself, but this time Shuiren shouted furiously, shaking Zerpell by the collar.

“Just because I act immature, do you think I’m a child?! I’ve been in society too! I can handle social events just fine! Don’t look down on me!!”

After letting go of Zerpell’s collar, Shuiren crossed his arms and turned his head away, as if he couldn’t bear to look at him. Zerpell covered his mouth with his hand.

‘What a situation…’

More than feeling the need to appease him, he found Shuiren’s jealousy so delightful that he couldn’t suppress his smile. Though he tried to hide it behind his hand, the sight of Zerpell smiling through his fingers only infuriated Shuiren more.

“You’re laughing?! Fine! I’ll dance with someone else too! I practiced hard to dance with my master, but it was all for nothing!”

“…”

Zerpell reached out to take Shuiren’s arm, but Shuiren slapped his hand away with a sharp smack.

A dark aura seemed to seep from Zerpell after hearing Shuiren’s words. He tried to stay calm, assuming Shuiren was speaking out of anger. He knew it had been wrong to leave Shuiren alone and break his promise in the first place.

‘Tsk, all because the marquis chose to make his return at this damned ball…’

Zerpell had no intention of dancing with Camilla, but he’d followed the duke’s advice and had wanted to deflect the marquis’s attention away from Shuiren. The Empress may have remained in her position due to the Emperor’s affection, but the true reason she held on despite over a decade of infertility was the marquis’s influence.

He was shameless enough to dip his hands into both the casino and the slave trade. Zerpell couldn’t ignore the possibility that he might extend those claws toward Shuiren. He was a man who couldn’t be taken lightly.

“Wh-why are you looking at me like that? I’m right, aren’t I?”

Perhaps startled by Zerpell’s change in demeanor, Shuiren stammered. Calming him down was the priority. Zerpell picked up the chair that had fallen and sat down. Then he gently pulled at Shuiren’s arm, the one turned away from him. Without resistance, Shuiren sat limply in his lap.

Thanks to the alcohol, Shuiren’s body had no strength to resist, and he ended up in Zerpell’s embrace. Though he blinked in surprise and squirmed, telling him to let go, Zerpell held him tightly. He began softly stroking Shuiren’s back, comforting him. As always, Shuiren’s body melted into him, but his heart clearly hadn’t—he turned his head away. Yet the reddened tips of his ears betrayed his real feelings.

“Shuiren, look at me. I’m sorry. I acted on my own without considering your feelings. I truly am sorry.”

“You’re the one who told me not to leave your side… and then you didn’t even come after the dance ended…”

“I’m sorry for leaving you alone. I never should have done that… I’ll never leave your side again, so please don’t be angry. Hmm? Let me see you smile.”

As he spoke, Zerpell stroked Shuiren’s soft cheeks and even pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. The quiet sounds of kisses—smack, smack—seemed to embarrass Shuiren, who covered Zerpell’s lips with his hand. His already flushed face, red from drinking, turned an even deeper shade of crimson.

“D-don’t think a few kisses are enough to calm me down!”