Ivan received a letter from Dietrich and headed to the Imperial Palace the very next morning.
“What the hell is this nonsense...!”
Ivan's face was filled with anger as he walked towards the reception hall.
His anger was completely justified, he had given them a great idea and helped pave the way, and yet they couldn't even smuggle Presibe?
If he had stayed in the Magic Tower and followed the news quickly, he would have taken action himself. He was going to rush in any way he could to take Presipe from Fenric.
But unfortunately, last night Ivan wasn't in the magic tower.
After leaving the Imperial Palace, he headed to one of the palaces he owned, the one located farthest from the capital.
In fact, he had completely forgotten that he owned that palace, but the reason he had visited it was simple: if Presibe returned to the Imperial Palace, he would have to hide her somewhere else, far away from him.
Ivan's palace was perfect for hiding someone, as there were no residents near it, and he did not employ any servants there, so there were very few who knew it belonged to Ivan.
In addition, if he used magic around the palace as a precaution, the possibility of Priscipe escaping would be almost non-existent.
But Ivan's happy dream did not last even a day before it was completely shattered.
All because of fucking Fenric.
“You damned idiot...”
But Ivan's insults were not directed at Fenrick, but at Dietrich.
In this situation, the only person who could have restrained Fenric with power was Emperor Dietrich, and yet he could not handle the matter properly. It wasn't hard to imagine how stupid that must have been in Ivan's eyes.
“He's been hiding in his bed almost every day, and now that you're giving him everything on a plate, he's throwing it away?”
What a weak human being, even after sitting on the throne, he couldn't get Preseppe, he kept acting like a fool.
Ivan kept cursing him internally without stopping, before his steps gradually slowed down.
“…”.
The guard at the entrance to the reception hall was staring at Ivan with an expressionless face.
"Why is he staring at me like that? Who does he think he is to look at me like that?"
“Surprising. You came on your own.”
"What?"
“I was worried. You are a great wizard, so I was thinking about how many soldiers I would need to send if you decided to be stubborn.”
“What is this nonsense now?”
Ivan frowned, while the guard seemed indifferent as he spoke loudly:
“Your Majesty, the Great Magician Ivan has arrived.”
“Get him in.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Dietrich's calm voice but it carried a strangely dark tone.
Soon the huge doors of the reception hall opened, and Ivan slowly stepped inside.
Then he immediately began to speak:
“Your Majesty, I have heard about it. It is still early, so you should send troops immediately.”
“…….”
“All you have to do is bring Mrs. Presby. Or would you like me to go myself?”
Well, even if they tried to attack, it wouldn't work like before, but since there were so many eyes watching, Fenric couldn't act rashly. After all, the idiot emperor only hired idiots like him, so it was more convenient for Ivan to take care of the matter himself instead of leaving it to these idiots.
But Dietrich did not answer.
“Your Majesty?”
“…….”
“Your Majesty, please at least say something...”
“Why?”
“Excuse me?”
“Because Presibe must return to the Imperial Palace so you can keep her by your side?”
Ivan's face hardened at Dietrich's completely unexpected words.
“So, what do you think you're most good at?”
“What do you mean by what you said?”
Dietrich continued in a cold tone:
“I heard you said that.”
“…….”
“If what Duke Fenric is doing with Prisippi is not just protection, then you are capable of doing it as well.”
“…….”
“And that you can do it well, no matter what.”
Only then did Ivan realize that Dietrich knew about the conversation he had with Preseppe that day.
But how?
As if anticipating his confusion, Dietrich threw something in Ivan's face.
They were fragments of a shattered vision stone.
“…….”
Drip, drip.
Red blood streamed from Ivan's cheek, which had been cut by shrapnel.
He took a short breath as he stared at Dietrich, trying to comprehend the situation.
“It seems that while I was bedridden, there became a new emperor without my knowledge?”
Dietrich's cold voice echoed throughout the spacious hall.
“Otherwise, how would you act as if you were the Emperor yourself?”
[Duke Fenric said that there is an urgent message from the Imperial Family.]
Ivan began to understand what Dietrich meant by “acting like an emperor.”
[Was that the doing of Mr. Ivan? As for the murder... it was said that the palace knights and the Magic Tower were investigating together. It was stated that the death of Duke Noah Dufferin was linked to black magic, so your authority in the matter cannot be ruled out, and since Your Majesty was not in good condition, it was said that the Duke took over the matter for you…]
...damn.
Ivan bit his lips hard.
“You have deceived Precipe with empty words, and you have tampered with them.”
“Your Majesty, I…!”
“Then you came to me and talked about Duke Fenric, trying to get him out on the battlefield so you could smuggle Presibe?”
“This is a misunderstanding.”
Ivan spoke quickly in a desperate tone.
“Your Majesty knows that very well. It is true that Duke Fenric took her under the pretext of protecting her, but he is having with her in an excessively strange and unnatural way!”
Dietrich did not answer.
“So, do you believe Duke Fenric’s words instead of mine? Even though he took Lady Prisippi to the Forbidden Forest...”
“I didn't say I believed him.”
“…….”
“But that doesn't mean I have a reason to believe you either.”
“Your Majesty, just listen to me for a moment—”
“Take this great wizard outside.”
Ivan was about to excuse himself, but he couldn't even open his mouth before the royal guards and a number of soldiers stormed into the hall.
They grabbed Ivan despite his resistance and forced him to kneel.
“Cut off his arm so he can’t resort to any tricks, then imprison him in the church dungeon.”
...What?
Ivan's eyes widened and his gaze shook violently.
“Huh, but… the knights and the Duke have left the capital, and if something happens, there will be no one to protect the Imperial Palace except me!”
What he said wasn't entirely wrong, although the army was still there, having a great wizard like him made a big difference.
But Dietrich showed no change in his features as he looked at Ivan coldly, as if he were looking at an insect.
“If that is Your Majesty’s wish, then imprisonment is inevitable, but the arm...”
“There is logic in what you say.”
Dietrich slowly stood from the throne, then moved forward until he stood in front of Ivan, who was on his knees.
Then he pulled out the sword hanging on the waist of one of the royal guards.
“Your Majesty, we will take him away immediately, so please calm down.”
Does he intend to kill him here?
But contrary to what the guard was thinking, Dietrich threw the sword in front of Ivan.
“Pick it up.”
What is he planning now? Ivan looked at Dietrich with trembling eyes, but he could read nothing from his features.
At the end, he extended his left hand and grabbed the sword hilt.
“You're left-handed.”
"...What?"
“So, whether it's an invasion of monsters or an attack from an enemy country's army, all I need is just your left hand.”
Dietrich continued, looking at Ivan dismissively.
“Cut off Ivan’s right arm and imprison him.”
At this point, there was no turning back. Ivan gritted his teeth and tried to use magic, but his attempt failed.
As if anticipating his resistance, Dietrich had previously summoned the church priests.
The priests rushed quickly and grabbed Ivan's limbs without any hesitation, then bound him with chains blessed by the archbishop, through which no magic could penetrate.
“Take him.”
“Your order, Your Majesty.”
Ivan screamed with all his might and tried to resist violently, but to no avail.
In the end, he could only stare at Dietrich's back with eyes red with anger.
Half of what he thought was right, and the other half was wrong.
Dietrich was a weak emperor.
But his weakness was limited to one person only—Press.
Unfortunately for Evan, he was not among that exception.