“O-Oliver—!”
Amanda’s eyes widened in shock, but Oliver forced a faint smile despite his pale complexion.
“I will never allow you to be hurt in front of me.”
“Ah!”
Oliver collapsed against her, and she supported him with one hand and dealt with the men with her sword with the other. She needed to examine his wound immediately, but there was no time to spare. However, she already knew that his wound was lethal without even having to look at it.
“For God’s sake, what were you doing?!”
Hot tears of resentment sprung up Amanda’s eyes. Oliver was still leaning on her for support, but he blocked the furious attacks coming from his side with his other arm.
“It’s better than watching my wife getting hurt.”
Oliver’s life was more important than Amanda’s, and thus, the assassins were far more tenacious in their pursuit to kill him. But he had no regrets. Amanda wanted him to live, and Oliver wanted her to survive. The sincerity of their hearts were communicated to each other without having to express it in words.
“You’re so stubborn.”
“As are you, wife.”
At last, at the very edge of the cliff, Oliver and Amanda stood facing each other. Amanda had lost all power from her right arm, and Oliver was constantly bleeding from his side. If they jumped off the cliff now, their chances of surviving were almost none.
And yet, strangely…
Amanda was not afraid, knowing that she would not be alone. Oliver was gazing at Amanda, not a shadow of fear in his eyes.
At this moment, death would not be so bad.
The assassins rushed forwards for another attack, and the pair threw themselves over the cliff without any hesitation.
Hwiiiiing—
Amanda closed her eyes as her body fell endlessly through the air.
***
Madelyn had been enraged to hear that Oliver and Amanda leapt off a cliff in the Northern Palace grounds.
Kwaang!
She pounded her fist on the table and shouted in an enraged voice.
“What is it that you’re saying?! You should have brought Oliver’s neck before me!”
At Madelyn’s outrage, Cesare responded with an embarrassed expression.
“Please calm down, sister. The reports indicated that they were already fatally wounded when they jumped, so they couldn’t have survived. We are still searching the cliffs to find their bodies, so please be patient.”
“It would be a complication if Oliver is alive. Furthermore, it is impossible to remove the soldiers stationed in the palace without proof of his body. There will be a revolt.”
While Cesare believed that Oliver and Amanda were most certainly dead, Madelyn did not. She had to plan for the worst. Madelyn and Leon would be in a more dire situation than before if Oliver survived and took control of the soldiers in the palace.
“No. If Oliver’s body is not found by morning…then I must turn to Kelt Kingdom for help.”
The Kelt Kingdom was a powerful nearby country, second in might only to the Keith Empire. With their assistance, it would be possible to remove Oliver’s soldiers from the Crown Prince’s palace—but the only problem was the payment.
Cesare’s expression also darkened when he heard the name Kelt.
“If you use them, they will certainly demand a large price.”
It was also dangerous to draw the power of other kingdoms during a crisis of succession. The Kelt soldiers who came into the Keith Empire may not stand down after their mission was over, but Madelyn had no other options.
“If they don’t accept payment in gold, we may have to give up some of the Keith lands.”
“S-sister!”
Madelyn’s decision surprised Cesare, but her face was set.
“Without their help, Leon would not be able to become emperor anyway. What does land matter if we’re dead?”
If she handed over Keith land to another kingdom, the people residing there would be enslaved and tortured for life. Public sentiment would turn against her, but she would have to live with it. It was a better option than allowing Oliver to take control of the Empire.
“I will write the letter. If Oliver’s body isn’t found by dawn, quickly deliver my message to the Kelt Kingdom.”
“Yes, sister.”
Cesare nodded with a hardened expression.
“For now, gather all the troops you can and surround the Crown Prince’s palace. Keep close watch, and do not let even a single ant leave the grounds.”
“Understood.”
“Bear in mind, if Oliver’s soldiers come across news about the prince, there may be a revolt, so nip it in the bud before it grows. If Oliver’s body is not found, keep the palace under siege until the Kelt soldiers arrive. Then we can kill them all.”
Cesare swallowed dryly at the brutality of Madelyn’s command. It would take several weeks for the Kelt soldiers to arrive at the Keith capital. Not one soul could be allowed to enter or leave the Crown Prince’s palace during all that time.
Madelyn looked up at the dark night sky.
“Move quickly. When the sun rises, I will inform everyone of the Emperor’s death and his restoration of Leon’s right to succession.”
Madelyn did not intend to waste this chance that heaven had granted her. Cesare answered her orders with a deep bow.
“Leave it to me!”