All the Same

Translated by Wook

Edited by Wook

“Your Majesty.”

It was unexpected for everyone that it was Rubid who had called Nihil.

In particular, Eura’s eyes widened as he looked at his younger brother. But Rubid was as brazen as ever.

On the other hand, Nihil stared at Rubid as if unfamiliar with him, and muttered softly.

“The Northern Duke’s younger brother.”

“I have something to say.”

Rubid said briefly. Nihil looked up to recall something, then nodded slightly, remembering that guy brought the heart.

“Let’s hear it.”

“Yesterday, it was the Southern Representative who took the heart of Hiems.”

Rubid confessed without adding or subtracting.

In the unexpected revelation, not only the duke but also Nihil fixed her eyes on Rubid.

Nihil tilted her head slowly and took her foot off the Southern Duke’s head. Then she asked with the same tone as when she pushed the Southern Duke.

“Then, what did you do?”

“I have brought you the crown.”

“It was Rena Ruber who defeated the king, but you were the one who brought it?”

Nihil asked with clear eyes. Then she mumbled low.

“Are you deceiving me?”

“It’s not a deception, but I’m telling you because I think you don’t know.”

At Rubid’s answer, the dukes were bewildered. Not just Eura and Lynn, but also the Southern Duke who was still on the floor.

But Rubid himself seemed confident. After he did everything he had to, he looked at Nihil with eyes asking what the problem was and what was the big deal about the collapse of Doom Palace.

‘What on earth were you thinking..?’

Lynn swallowed his embarrassment and looked at Rubid. His actions now were suicidal. Besides, it didn’t even make sense for him to intercept for Rena.

So he doubted what he was up to, but unfortunately, Rubid had no ulterior motive.

In fact, Rubid was doing it because he was annoyed inside that he couldn’t commit such a dirty thing.

Rubid knew the emperor’s violent disposition, but he himself did not have the temper to bow down to others.

So far, Rubid had thought that he should be recognized by the emperor for his contribution. He believed it was a way to survive, and he thought it was to prove his value.

But this time, what he experienced at the Tomb changed his mind. Actually, his mind was not all sorted out yet, and he was confused, but at least one thing was certain.

That he was just a poor puppet being played around. And the emperor considered the dolls she controlled very insignificant.

The prince who returned after suffering death felt disillusioned with all this. So, he wanted it to stop as they were.

Nihil, who read the sign, asked as if a little surprised.

“Do you not want to live?”

Rubid opened his mouth again to answer. But before he could say anything, Eura kicked him.

“Ugh!!”

Rubid, who had been kicked at his side, fell. He coughed in pain, and as soon as he caught his breath again, he glared at Eura.

“You—”

“Shut up.”

When Rubid stood up and tried to attack, Eura stepped on his fearless brother’s shoulder.

Rubid was suffering, but Eura did not pay any attention to him and pressed him hard.

It was an action to show the emperor, but Nihil was not satisfied at all.

“He can’t just shut up.”

Nihil left the Southern Duke behind and walked towards Rubid.

There was no expression on her face as usual, but Eura and Rubid felt it. The coldness in the emperor’s eyes.

He didn’t know when those eyes were pointing towards the Southern Duke. But when the gaze met him, he knew for sure. The emperor was planning to kill someone now.

“Do you know who you were playing in front of?”

It was when Nihil said so and slowly reached out to Rubid.

“Your Majesty.”

Another voice suddenly interrupted. It was Clavis, who was silently watching from behind.

Clavis said?as he descended from the podium, thinking that he couldn’t do more due to Nihil being more persistent than usual.

“I know that you are deeply concerned with the collapse of Doom Palace.”

“Well, I guess they don’t know.”

Nihil murmured and looked back at the dukes.

As she said, the dukes did not know. What was the reason why the emperor was so annoyed that she had to call them over.

To most people, Doom Palace was considered a ruin, but to Nihil, Doom Palace was a special place.

So, as soon as she heard that the palace had collapsed, Nihil decided to kill one of the dukes. She was going to relieve her anger like that.

“But, Your Majesty, we got the heart of Hiems Gracia earlier than planned, and we also stopped the rushing of the dead. And the ruined palace will be restored as before by the North.”

Clavis said so and turned to Eura, who answered, while he still placed his foot on his brother’s shoulder.

“I will follow your orders.”

“Since the Northern Duke has answered like that, please give them another chance.”

Clavis begged with a small smile, and Nihil looked at him as he intervened.

After a while.. Perhaps Clavis’ persuasion had worked, Nihil lost interest in the Southern Duke and Rubid and turned away. Then she sat down on the throne again and gave orders.

“Get up.”

At Nihil’s command, Eura moved his foot away. Then Rubid shook off his brother’s leg with his arm and shook off his clothes.”

The Southern Duke also slowly got up. Blood was dripping from his forehead.

A light flickered in front of him as his head was stomped on hard, but the Southern Duke stood straight toward the throne without showing any sign of it.

“The crime of destroying the palace is heavy, but I will acknowledge the merits of the heart.”

Nihil said as she sat obliquely on the throne.

“And I’ll show my mercy and let you know again on what qualifications you can rule as duke.”

Nihil continued speaking in the form of a wild animal rather than an emperor, with no dignity to be found.

“Your existence is constituted by my existence. Your strength comes from me, and your comfort is possible because I am behind you. You are only parasitic to me, and you cannot protect me, and what I need is not you as a person, but a servant who borrows my power to work. I chose the one who shared blood with me in the old way, but that too has become insignificant over the generations.”

Nihil’s blue and transparent gaze captured the faces of the dukes one by one.

Nihil did not know their names. Even if she heard it, she soon forgot it.

As long as Nihil lives, they will soon disappear, and someone else in the same robe will take their place.

To Nihil, they were like interior decorations that changed with the seasons. So what Nihil was saying now was truly mercy.

“So, show me how useful you are. Lest I doubt your worth.”

With those words, Nihil got up from the throne. Then she left without looking back.

However, the dukes did not move from the spot even after the emperor left. They needed time to endure their different emotions.

It was Clavis who broke the silence this time as well.

“Fortunately, it went well. Our Majesty is still merciful.”

At Clavis’ joke, some closed their eyes and some swallowed a sigh. There were also people who burst into anger; It was Rubid.

Rubid stared at his older brother standing next to him with bitter eyes, and then immediately kicked out the door of the audience room.

At the loud sound of the door, the Southern Duke’s expression became even more gloomy.

He desperately pretended to be calm in front of young people, but now his feelings were indescribably miserable. He felt like a piece of garbage on the street.

He thought it was impossible to be more tired of the emperor’s irresponsibility.

As a monarch, one must be careful when punishing their subjects. Especially if one decides to kill someone, they must never back down. This is because you never know when a servant who harbors a grudge will rebel.

However,?Nihil was free not only from norms and etiquette, but also from military discipline.

Even a dog guarding the house would not be treated like that, and the Southern Duke felt pain at the thought that his situation was not as good as a dog.

The pain in the forehead was not even felt.

.

.

.

However, the sufferings of the Southern Duke did not end there.

When he just returned to his place, treating his wound, and barely controlled his cluttered mind..

The emperor suddenly sent a large gift to the South,

“What is this?”

“Her Majesty has bestowed it.”

The Southern Duke shut his mouth and looked at the great bounty in front of his eyes.

The square frame was covered with velvet cloth and the contents were not yet known, but he thought that it was not an ordinary item because of its considerable size.

The Southern Duke nodded with a firm face, and the servant who brought him a gift rolled up the cloth.

Eventually, what was revealed was a dress shimmering in golden light. The dress, filled with gold threads and precious stones, looked very good even to the eyes of outsiders.

When the Southern Duke was puzzled by this unexpected gift, the servant said with a dark face.

“It has been decided that there will be a victory banquet tomorrow evening.”

“So what?”

“So she gave this dress to Sir Rena.”

Giving a dress to someone who might wake up anytime.

As the Southern Duke looked at the dress with anxious eyes, the servant added softly.

“She personally gave her the clothes, and told her to wear them tomorrow.”

At the words of the servant, the Southern Duke’s head went blank for a moment. The servant pressed on to the bewildered Southern Duke.

“It’s an imperial decree.”

That meant that if she didn’t wake up by tomorrow, the emperor would kill her herself.

The emperor treated those loyal to him like dogs.

At that dreadful fact, and the crisis that came without even having time to breathe, the Southern Duke felt his eyes darken.

***

When the emperor’s tyranny was in full swing outside, Rena inside the dream was dealing with the king.

“To me, you guys are all the same.”

“All the same?”

Hiems copied Rena’s remarks as if it were funny.

When asked why she followed the emperor and why she thought the emperor was right, Rena replied like this. It was a very interesting answer for Hiems.

“What does it mean to be the same?”

Rena smiled silently at Hiems’ question. She didn’t want to say anything harsh in a lady’s clothes.

When Rena replied in silence, Hiems also smiled as if he knew it. So the situation became somewhat strange.

Rena pretended she didn’t notice his gaze and pondered what the hell this was.

Hiems, who had set her up, suddenly appeared, served her tea and tried to talk. What was the reason? Was this part of the trap?

Rena did not loosen her guard and doubted Hiems’ true intentions. However, Hiems’ intentions were quite pure.

“I must have misunderstood you.”

“Misunderstood?”

“I thought you were trying to win the favor of the emperor by beating us. Because you are still alive, you will be prosperous when you are by the emperor’s side. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

Rena laughed at the unreasonable misunderstanding. Then, Hiems cautiously confessed.

“Actually, I tried to steal your memories.”

Rena’s expression, which had been smiling for a long time, hardened. Hiems quickly made an excuse.

“Relax, because I failed. In the passage of memory, you are holding on to the days when you killed the snake king. So in the end I didn’t see anything.”

“I didn’t know you would be so interested in me.”

“That’s bound to be.”

When Rena spoke in an unfavorable tone, Hiems lowered his posture and smiled slyly. Then he whispered softly.

“I want to understand you.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t understand.”

Rena’s head tilted at the fundamental and foolish answer.

Then, Hiems kindly added.

“You are not a king yourself, but the power and ability you have now belongs to the king. I would like to know why it was allowed. Why did you, who were born with no qualifications or qualities to wear the crown, have become equal to us.”

Rena pondered the words of Hiems. Then she replied as if she was complaining.

“You won’t understand what I said.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re asking that.”

Somehow Rena ended up talking like Hiems.

So this time, Hiems’ head tilted, and Rena added, thinking he was silly.

“You wonder why I’ve become equal to you. I’m sorry, but you got the question wrong first.”

“What about the question that is wrong?”

“We were equal from the start. You guys just overlooked it.”

You guys don’t know.

Nihil Gracia, who used and discarded dukes as if they were horses in a chess board, Hiems Gracia who burned womankind, Celeste who regretted late, The King Who Imprisoned the Lion, and The King With Many Hearts.

And Rena’s beloved father, Lord Marquis Cardo Ruber.

They all don’t know. What kind of beings they used and discarded, and what became of those who were abandoned and trampled on.

The face of the king, who didn’t know that, was pitiful, and Rena laughed to herself.

“Seriously, I wonder. Which one of you is not the same?”