The Male Lead Knelt Before Me

The Male Lead Knelt Before Me
Vol. 17: Where You Are
Chapter 140

Translator: Missme
Editor: Missme

Enosh gnashed his teeth as he remembered Vivian’s face.

If he could, he’d slay Vivian’s hatefully pretty face and killing her in the most heinous way possible.

Despite the fact that his reality was to kneel in front of the guillotine and become a public spectacle.

“……and thereby the execution of the sinner, Enosh Le Elphida.”

The investigator, who had quickly finished reading the description of the crime, winked at the knights.

As the knights approached Enosh, they seized him with great force and forced him to rise.

Enosh didn’t realize he was about to die until he was on his knees.

Only when he was raised and facing the guillotine did his sense of reality return slightly.

“How dare you! Do you realize who you’re touching right now!? Let this go!”

“……”

“Have your ears gone deaf!? I told you to let go, ugh!”

Enosh couldn’t finish his thought. Because the knights dragged him to the guillotine and kicked him behind the knee.

Despite Enosh’s evil groin, the knights performed admirably.

They calmly fastened the lock after crushing Enosh down to put both his arms and head on two poles.

As if kneeling wasn’t enough, he looked down and felt the sharp gazes of spectators he hadn’t even noticed before.

Disgust, hatred, and contempt.

Those were looks he had never received as crown prince.

Enosh was enraged.

On the subject of commoners who won’t even dare to stand on their toes!

How could you look at me with those eyes?

It was when he was about to tell those to the spectators. The executioner draped a sack over his head.

His vision darkened in an instant.

The cloth bag let in a ray of light, but it was difficult to see anything through it.

His vision wasn’t the only thing that was obstructed. The sack immediately blocked the sound of people who had just rang.

Enosh was frightened.

It was the first time he had felt such terror, and he had never been so terrified in his 26 years of life.

His eyelids trembled unconsciously, and his body moved frantically, as if trying to escape the guillotine.

But the lock and guillotine that held him in place didn’t move an inch.

His exhaled breath into the bag seemed to choke him.

“Execution!”

Squeak-

Along with a loud cry, Enosh’s ears heard the sound of a rope breaking.

His spine shivered as he sensed something descending quickly.

That was the last sensation Enosh had.

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The crown prince’s body was buried right away, with no separate funeral ceremony.

Originally, the imperial family was buried in an enshrined hall owned by the imperial family, but after being stripped of the imperial family’s authority, he was buried next to the roadside, without even a tombstone.

Even without the death penalty, it was especially disgraceful for him, who was born into an imperial family and lived as a crown prince.

For a time, the mood throughout the empire was tense. Such an environment was especially harsh. Even so, I could understand.

‘Since the one and only heir has disappeared……’

As a result, the weekly newspapers were filled with speculation about the heir to the throne.

The most powerful assumption among them was that the succession to the throne would be passed to the collateral imperial family.

Given the Emperor and Empress’s ages, it is difficult to expect labor in reality, and Enosh had no children separately.

‘By the way, who is the imperial family’s collateral family?’

I cocked my head, dropping the weekly magazine I was reading.

I hadn’t paid much attention to the aristocracy’s genealogy, so I was naturally intrigued.

While I was tilting my head like that, the maid knocked on the door and informed me that the imperial castle’s servant had arrived.

‘If it’s a royal attendant… It must be from the Archduke and his wife.’

Even if it wasn’t true, I was willing to go downstairs because I was thinking that I should at least go and ask for the occasion.

However, the servant from Palace was not sent by the Archduke and his wife.

“His Majesty the Emperor wants to meet with you, My Lady.”

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The complexion of the emperor I hadn’t seen in a long time looked very bad. Perhaps it’s a matter of course, but still.

“Kindly make yourself at home, Lady.” It’s fine to eat snacks without feeling pressured.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

I hesitantly picked up and ate one of the cookies in front of me.

Unlike our usual meetings in the audience room or outside, the Emperor summoned me to his office today.

I took a look around the office while sitting on the sofa a little away from the desk.

What can I say about the Emperor’s Office, which I am seeing for the first time…… It was just plain, nothing special.

Despite the fact that he was the Emperor, I expected something special.

“It’s been almost a week since Ellantz and Federica went back.”

For a brief moment, I was perplexed by the rather unfamiliar name, but I realized that the Emperor was referring to the Archduke and his wife in the context.

“And it’s already been several months since I promised you that theatrical could perform in the imperial castle.”

Is that so?

It was a moment when I was astounded by how quickly time passed.

“I’m going to slowly watch the promise I made.”

“Does that mean……?”

“What you thought was correct. This is a notarized document bearing my seal.”

Then the emperor presented me with a piece of paper, which surprised me.

“In the meantime, I called the capital theater company’s theater director and discussed it with other officials in my spare time. It’s also a notarized document with permission to prepare once the budget distribution is complete. I thought it would be better if you delivered it to the theater’s director. You must be looking forward to the day when you can return to the stage.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

My heart beat faster than usual as I carefully handled the notarial certificate.

The emperor opened his mouth as I touched it with a sense of exhilaration that I could not hide.

“And…… I apologize, Lady, but may I ask you a personal question?”

A personal question?

The excitement that had built up before that question began to fade.

I was still uplifted, but I felt uneasy of the Emperor’s question.

‘It’s not a question about the crown prince, is it?’

Eiyy… No way.

“If I can answer, I will tell you anything, Your Majesty.”

“Then I will ask. Do you have any plans for having children?”

“…… yes?”

My eyes widened naturally.

What was that I just heard?

“I-I wonder why Your Majesty has suddenly asked such a question……”

Of course, the unexpected words stammered me out. The emperor, on the other hand, continued as if he didn’t care.

“As you are aware, Lady, the position of the crown prince is currently vacant. Because he was the only child I had.”

The Emperor gave a bitter smile.

“I didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble, so I raised only one child on purpose, but I had no idea it would lead to such a result. To be honest, I expected him to grow up to be like Duke of Egon.”

Well, Caleb did grow up well in many ways.

The Crown Prince, on the other hand, was……

Let’s not even think about it. In any case, he was already dead.

“In any case, our age prevents us from having children again. However, I had to think about it because I needed an heir to the throne. Then I remembered you, Lady.”

The Archduke and the Emperor were cousins. And I was the Archduke’s daughter.

Of course, His Majesty’s thought of me was not unusual.

But when I heard these things, I was completely perplexed.

Even when I was reading the weekly magazine, I dismissed it as if it had nothing to do with me.

“If you want, I can ask Ellantz and Federica for grace right now and adopt you as our child, making you a crown princess.” When you become a crown prince, however, you must learn many things and face many restrictions.”

“If it’s the restriction, then……”

“First and foremost, you will not be able to perform on stage. If a person in power focuses solely on one thing, there is no choice but to conclude that there is a great deal of dissatisfaction and favoritism directed at you.”

I didn’t want the throne from the start, but after hearing that, even the lingering feelings I had hoped to have vanished.

“What are your thoughts? Do you want to be a crown princess?”

“I appreciate the offer, Your Majesty. But I believe it will be difficult.”

“I knew you’d say something like that.”

The emperor gave a light smile. I feel as if I’ve been teased.

“However, Lady, I’d like to adopt your child and make him my heir. I don’t think I care about gender.”

“Are you saying you wouldn’t care whether it was a daughter or a son, Your Majesty?”

“That’s correct. However, it must be a child with a personality fit to sit on the throne.”

What the emperor had previously said to me had been shocking, but this time it was truly shocking.

Even in ordinary aristocratic families, sons are chosen as the household’s successor rather than daughters, so the Emperor didn’t care whether it was a son or a daughter to such a throne was even more shocking.

“In any case, I’ll ask again. Do you intend to have children? I hope you don’t feel rushed and tell me the truth.”

The Emperor went on to say.

“If you have no plans or thoughts of having children, I can still find a successor among other branches of family.”

When he said that it was fine even if it wasn’t me, the burden was lifted.

“I’ve thought about it by myself…… I’m not sure I can be certain. I have things to attend to, and I believe it is too early to think about it.”

“I see what you’re saying. I was wondering if you had any thoughts. I wanted to make my decision as soon as possible to alleviate my concerns.”

The Emperor seemed satisfied with my response alone.

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As I left the Imperial Palace, I felt complicated.

‘Heir to the throne……’

Though it wasn’t for me but my children, still……

Anyway, it felt strange.

Despite the fact that we are already engaged and have done a lot, I have yet to receive a marriage proposal, but I am already planning for children!

No, I’ve actually considered it before.

‘Because it felt like it was just my own exciting idea, I quit.’

However, when the Emperor brought it up, the idea was reignited.

If it’s a child like Mila, I’m confident I can raise her properly.

Even if she is a little tomboy…… Even though it was difficult, I had the impression that the child would grow up lovingly.

After all, it’s my and Caleb’s child.

Oh, that was an embarrassing thought just now.

As I covered my cheeks with both hands, my face felt hot and I had a slight fever.

I fanned my hands, shook my head, and walked steadily to shake off my thoughts, but my gaze was drawn to the person approaching from the other side.

If it had been a stranger, I would have averted my gaze and moved on.

But my opponent was someone I was familiar with.

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