Chapter 249
Raul’s face stiffened, like a puppet. He did not speak, but his silence was the answer itself. Andrew felt his blood run cold. “If that’s
true;
I’m afraid none of us will escape unscathed,” he said.
‘What a terrifying outcome!‘ The father and sons of the Wallen family had enjoyed years of wealth and prestige, and were utterly unprepared for this. Hearing the news, they were on the verge of collapse.
“What else did she say?” Joshua could not help himself; he grabbed Andrew Wallen and stared at him, asking, “Is there truly no other chance for the Wallen family?”
Joshua couldn’t contain himself any longer. He seized Andrew, locking his gaze onto him, and asked, “Are you really saying the Wallen family has no other chance? She’s the princess designated by the late King; she could undoubtedly assist us!”
Joshua suddenly felt resentful. ‘Why is there no one willing to help the Wallen family? What about Dad’s colleagues?‘ he thought to himself.
Yet at this moment, those people were all occupied with their own survival. Some hurried to destroy any evidence of dealings with the Wallen family, and others scrambled to find a way out. Now, they wished they could take every possible detour to stay clear to avoid being implicated.
Andrew did not know what to say; in the end, he could only look at Raul and said, “Dad, I will go to the palace gates shortly and beg the King for mercy, asking permission to go to the northern frontier.”
His voice was completely hoarse when he said, “I have committed a heinous sin against Margaery, one that heaven itself cannot tolerate. I ought to go to the bitter cold of the northern frontier to reflect on my deeds.”
Andrew had studied music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, the refined arts. He had never laid a hand on anyone. But yesterday, above the Icy Pool, he personally severed someone’s legs. He could not process it emotionally; recalling it still made him feel icy all over, as if falling into hell.
Raul lay paralyzed on the bed, tilting his head to look at Andrew. His bloodshot eyes stared at him quietly for a long time before he nodded and said, “Go ahead.”
He then sighed and said, “It looks like the Wallen family is truly doomed.”
He turned his head away, his eyes filled with unbearable despair. There were feelings of guilt toward Margaery, Bertha, Wrenna… and most of all, for the endless scheming which sacrificed so many people. Now, he was trapped in a prison of his own conscience with no escape.
Back then, he was trampled upon and despised by others. ‘But that happened more than twenty years ago. Why can’t I move on?‘ he thought to himself, his heart bleeding.
Finally, he closed his eyes deeply, thinking, ‘Perhaps, I should never have stolen another’s surname…
If he still bore the surname Zimmer, then after becoming Chancellor, he could have returned home in glory and shamed those people. But that was not the case.
He had assumed another’s identity and killed his family members. Therefore, he could no longer return to shame those who once humiliated him.
And so, all those past emotions, resentment, unwillingness, anger, humiliation, shame…, everything could only be buried deep within his heart, left for him alone to swallow. Yet no matter how he tried, he simply could not digest them.
What happened this past month had shattered not only his wealth and glory, but also his mask, and the shell he had built to
protect himself.
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Chapter 249
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Now that everything lay in ruins, when he looked back at his former self, he found nothing had truly changed. He was still that good–for–nothing, despised and looked down upon by everyone in the village.
Yet, if he had not stolen another’s surname, he could never have replaced Harlan and come this far. But now…
‘Isander is investigating the treasury fraud case. Will he discover me replacing Harlan?‘ he thought to himself. ‘It’s fine if it’s not; otherwise, it’ll expose my case of exterminating Harlan’s entire family after assuming his identity. At that time, I’ll surely die!‘
Raul was suddenly terrified, abruptly sitting upright and staring at the window, his eyes bulging in extreme panic. He suddenly felt lost, not knowing what to do. ‘What must I do to stop Isander?‘ he thought.
Yet what would wound him even more would spread across the land with the rising sun the following morning…
*****
In the pitch–black, deep night, Andrew, carrying thorn branches on his back, knelt outside the main gate of the palace. He held up a letter of repentance high in his hands, pleading with the King to grant him a chance to atone.
The cold wind before dawn was piercing, and no one reported on his behalf in the dead of night. He was no longer the esteemed Lord Andrew of the Chancellor’s estate, and as Grace did not plead for him, no one paid him any attention.
The palace gates were guarded by imperial guards, but none spared him a glance. Occasionally, a few mocking laughs could be heard, leaving him utterly humiliated. However, no one went in to report as tonight, the King had issued a decree that no one was to leave or enter the palace
At that moment, the palace appeared calm in the deep night. Although the cabinet had not yet convened publicly, discussions had already begun. Even Dashnell had secretly returned.
In the Imperial Study, the King, Dashnell, and the other six scholars of Wellspring Hall were discussing matters for tomorrow’s morning court. The discussion was intense, and a resolution was finally reached.
In reality, all decisions had already been made tonight. Tomorrow’s court, its debates, its dissent, and everyone’s careful maneuvering were entirely irrelevant.
This was the thunderous method of the Warrior King of Eastvale Empire; either lying low in silence, revealing nothing, or striking at the opportune moment and killing with a single blow. The morning court tomorrow was merely a notice, not a deliberation.
The morning court tomorrow was merely a notice, not a deliberation. And today’s day of rest was not for relaxation, but meant to draw out those restless grasshoppers and let them expose themselves.
On the following day, only when the sky was about to brighten did the doors of the Imperial Study open. After the people of Wellspring Hall and Dashnell were secretly escorted out the back door, Andrew’s matter was finally reported to the King
“There was a report just now that the fifth son of the Wallen family has been kneeling at the palace gate for four hours, saying he wishes to go to the northern frontier to reflect on the heinous crimes he has committed.” Warren’s voice was high and sharp.
As he spoke, he tried to gauge the King’s reaction. He even wore a look of disdain toward the Wallen family’s troubles.
The King looked up from a pile of memorials and glanced at him. “This must be Princess Grace’s idea. Last night, did he go to see Princess Grace?” the King asked.
“Nothing escapes His Majesty’s eyes,” Warren sighed and replied. “Lord Andrew indeed met with Princess Grace and only came out after an hour last night.”
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Chapter 249
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As he spoke, he looked up at the King, “Then… will Your Majesty agree to Lord Andrew’s request?”
The King looked up, narrowing his eyes. After a moment, he said, “For the sake of Princess Grace, let him go, and give some people a glimmer of hope.”
Grace is not an ordinary woman,‘ the ‘King thought. With this thought, he asked again, “Did she also go to see the Princess of Glowsend?”
The King had already changed his wording, but Warren was still somewhat unfamiliar. After a moment, he realized the King was asking whether Grace had gone to see Margaery. Now, Margaery no longer bore the surname Wallen but Glowsend.
Warren lowered his head and replied cautiously, “Indeed, after Lord Andrew left, Princess Grace visited the Princess of Glowsend.
“Not only did she bring tonics, but she also left that string of enchanted beads to her, saying she hoped the Eastvale Empire would enjoy peace and prosperity in the future.”
The King smiled at these words. “All these years, Grace’s talents have been wasted,” he said. For many years, he had not called Grace by name. This time, he did.
A long–lost sense of kinship was brewing, but it was more than that. “There are many hidden talents in Sinderin City. All things in this world both give rise to and restrain one another; good and evil, right and wrong, all hinge on a single thought,” the king said.
Warren could not respond to these words. Silence filled the Imperial Study. After a moment, the King prepared for the morning court and instructed Dermot Basso to go find Andrew Wallen.
Silence filled the Imperial Study. After a moment, the King prepared for the morning court and instructed Dermot to go and see Andrew. Andrew was kneeling until dawn, and finally, someone from the palace showed up.
Dermot looked at him, his tone somewhat cold when he said, “The King permits you to go to the northern frontier, but this is your only chance. Whether you seize it depends on your ability.”
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