May Every Wound Be Fatal - Chapter 35.1
Elizer.
Elizer, who had briefly lost consciousness, opened his eyes at Thomas Percy’s voice.
Through his blurred vision, he saw Cassian sitting on the floor, holding onto the armrest of a chair.
Elizer blinked. As his vision cleared slightly, he saw Cassian’s white tunic stained with blood. A dagger was lodged in his abdomen.
It was an impossible scene.
“…Your Highness.”
Elizer tried to rise and rush to Cassian, but his body would not obey. He struggled to move his stiff limbs, crawling inch by inch toward his lord.
“Your Highness…”
Elizer extended his trembling hands. He was just moments from reaching Cassian.
A rough hand pressed his torso to the floor and grabbed his arms behind his back, fully restraining him. The man wore a blue cloak like a royal knight, but he was actually one of Leonard’s men.
“No, Your Highness, Your Highness…”
Elizer struggled desperately, but in his weakened state, he could not shake off the armored soldier.
Leonard watched the scene with a look of mild disapproval and then approached Cassian, kneeling on one knee.
Cassian, already weakened from losing so much blood, exhaled heavily and lifted a dazed gaze.
Cassian asked,
“Why did you betray Wills?”
“What do you mean, Your Highness? The Dazbels will serve Wills forever.”
Leonard answered calmly, then turned his gaze toward Elizer, pinned to the floor.
“See there? That is our new king, is it not?”
Cassian’s eyes wavered weakly as he realized what he had missed.
Leonard slowly took in the bloodied banquet hall. The screams had long since ended. Not even moans could be heard now.
Confident of his victory, Leonard turned to face Cassian.
“Now only you remain, Your Highness. It seems the outside is already cleared.”
Cassian’s relatives and everyone gathered for him were dead.
His knights outside were no different.
“…Where are my knights? What happened?”
“They were poisoned during the meal. They went more peacefully than the others, I expect.”
While the royal banquet continued inside the hall, Cassian’s knights outside had drunk the king’s wine and collapsed. They had died without even drawing their swords.
“….”
Cassian closed his mouth in despair. But it was not over.
“You asked where Diegor went, Your Highness.”
Cassian paused. A very ominous feeling settled over him.
Leonard nodded as if confirming his guess and continued.
“Diegor went south. Campbell, Count Briere’s in-law, went north. By now, they should almost have arrived.”
“No… how could they…”
“The Briere family will welcome their in-law and open the gates wide. Hiding the princess was a very wise choice. But Diegor has a talent for hunting people.”
“…Bastard.”
Cassian lunged at Leonard.
But Leonard’s knights easily restrained him. Cassian, having lost so much blood, could barely control his body. Kneeling heavily, he could not bear the pain in his abdomen and bowed his head.
Once Cassian calmed, Leonard roughly grabbed the struggling Elizer by the hair and threw him in front of Cassian.
“Exactly. You watch this through to the end. You can manage that much, yes?”
Then he ordered Cassian to pull the dagger from his own abdomen and kill him.
Elizer lifted his trembling gaze to look at Cassian. At that moment, Cassian raised his head and met Elizer’s eyes.
Elizer saw from Cassian’s blurred, weary eyes that he was calling to him. He forced his immobile body to kneel on one knee.
Cassian whispered in a voice that seemed ready to break at any moment.
“I have no hope, Elizer.”
Elizer could barely breathe. His voice would not come out, so he shakily shook his head.
Cassian’s face twisted with regret and sorrow.
“My foolishness has caused us to lose so much today. I am sorry to you.”
“Your Highness…”
Elizer barely found his voice to call out to Cassian.
Cassian moved his cold, stiff hand and grasped Elizer’s.
Elizer followed him obediently. Then his fingertips brushed the handle of the dagger.
Elizer sensed that something was wrong. At that moment, Cassian whispered one final time.
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