The Empire’s Sacrifice - Chapter 4

Rudis slowly looked around. Everyone’s eyes were wide open in astonishment. They weren’t surprised when she told Princess Ivana to go out and when Selena suddenly came in and started crying…

Rudis was amazed by the people around her who were astonished simply just by her rejecting the emperor’s orders.

“Rudis, you, just now…”

“Are you going to sacrifice me again?”

She continued to speak in a calm voice.

“Four years…!”

When Rudis did not listen again and again, the angry emperor raised his arm to slap her as usual. However, he couldn’t even slap her cheek, for he became conscious of the people’s eyes that were around them.

Everyone was watching.

All of the people in the room come from a high-ranking family, where they each had their own power and strength in the imperial palace.

In particular, Princess Ivana had her eyes twinkling. She was regretful that her father, the Duke, had been pushed to the periphery. Because of all this, Rudis was able to speak more boldly than usual.

“Follow me.”

In the end, the emperor had no choice but to hold back his anger and speak in a gentle tone.

‘What a sleazy person.’

Now that she had been betrayed and given up all her expectations, Rudis was easily able to recognize the true image of her father. She was ashamed that it took her 20 years to realize her father’s true self, but she thought it was fortunate that she found out now.

“… I have something to tell you. We can’t talk in this room.”

Rudis got out of her bed without saying anything. She didn’t want to follow the emperor’s orders, but she can’t just lie down here like this. She had to find out quickly why the people around her changed their attitudes in a few days. That way, she can handle the situation properly.

“Please come this way.”

The attendants ran hurriedly after the emperor and Rudis.

“Ugh.”

Rudis, who was coming down from the bed, groaned in pain from her leg. It was usually hard to walk, but maybe because she was lying down for a long time, her left leg didn’t have any extra strength.

“Support…”

“It’s all right.”

One of the servants approached and tried to help, but Rudis quickly pushed her away for she was used to enduring these inconveniences alone. The servant then stepped back as she saw the emperor’s expression. Rudis then left while trying not to limp.

Through the closed door, Selena could be heard yelling at the servants. They were mostly going to suffer for a while in order for Selena to feel better, but that wasn’t any Rudis’s concern. She began to walk in a hurry as if she were being chased by something. Even though she felt pain in her legs, she never stopped and instead hid her groans.

Finally, they arrived in a small drawing-room that’s connected to the Hall of Glory, which is the place where people in the Imperial Palace have secret meanings. When the door opened, Bennett jumped up and ran to Rudis without saying hello to the emperor.

“Princess Rudis!”

As he approached her, he bowed his head with eyes that were full of joy and relief.

‘At least there’s one person who’s happy to see me alive.’

Rudis thought while Bennett greeted her. In fact, he was the only one who pitied Rudis at the sacrificial service.

“Minister Bennett.”

Rudis bowed slightly.

“Come on, come on. You’re already weak right now so don’t stand for too long.”

Bennett guided her to a seat with a cautious touch as if he were handling glass. The emperor watched with a disapproving and unpleasant look.

“Everyone, leave.”

The emperor closed the door himself after all the servants left the room. He showed firm determination in not letting anyone hear the conversation that will happen in this room.

“Is he really right?”

As soon as the emperor had confirmed that no one was eavesdropping, he hurriedly asked Bennett a question.

‘What does he mean?’

Rudis wondered what the meaning was behind his question. On the other hand, Bennett nodded with a serious look as if he understood right away. Perhaps those two had shared a story before she came.

“I’m sure.”

At Bennett’s answer, the emperor frowned and tapped nervously on the handle of his chair.

“Is there a possibility that he’s not an ancient god? No doubt?”

“There’s no doubt at all.”

Bennett gave a definite answer.

“This doesn’t make sense! So far, all ancient gods have descended from a living sacrifice, but Rudis is…”

The emperor, who had been talking so far, paused for a moment as he noticed Rudis.

“… Rudis is fine.”

He spoke in a voice that was significantly smaller than before. His words made Bennett’s expression dim even more.

“I have that question too, for the ritual ended successfully, and he’s the one we’ve been waiting for.”

“But…!”

The emperor cut off Bennett in an angry voice.

“But didn’t you hear what he said too? He said he wouldn’t obey the emperor’s orders!”

Bennett shook his head as the emperor roared.

“When the ancient god is summoned, its role is to grant the priest’s wishes. Wishes and orders are different. Furthermore, even though the sacrifice wasn’t done properly, we are lucky that he showed favor towards Princess Rudis…”

“Be quiet!”

As soon as her name was mentioned, the emperor’s expression became distorted again and he shouted loudly. His lips then twitched as he looked at Rudis nervously.

At that moment, Rudis noticed that things were looking strange. When the emperor shouted, Bennett closed his mouth as if he were frightened. He then sighed and wiped his face.

“How about holding another ritual? This time, with an ancient god that’s a little easier to deal with…”

“Your Majesty.”

It was Rudis who spoke this time. She squeezed her hands and looked straight at the emperor.

“I made it clear earlier. I don’t want to be a sacrifice again.”

“You…! I will whip you until you faint, and then throw your unconscious self into the stone chamber. You can’t even keep your dignity until the end…!”

“You can’t sacrifice me again.”

Despite the emperor’s threat, Rudis remained calm.

“I have to tell you that Selena is more suitable as a sacrifice than I am.”

At the first service, Rudis was unable to disclose this fact because her mind was devastated by the long abuse.

But, it’s different now. The moment she faced death in the stone chamber, she decided to live a life without being bound by anything. Now, Rudis was ready to do something drastic in order to protect herself.

The emperor exploded at her words.

“Rudis, you, you, you’re saying that to your father? You don’t want to be a sacrifice, so you’re going to push someone else to do it?”

Rudis sat still and looked at the angry emperor. As he got more heated up, she calmed down.

“… Your Majesty did the same to me.”

It was so ironic.

“You…!”

Eventually, the emperor, who could not contain his anger, slapped Rudis on the cheek. She couldn’t handle the power from him and fell from her chair.

Rudis wasn’t surprised for she had expected it, but the pain was severe. She felt a headache and the taste of blood in her mouth. Even though she was bleeding, the emperor did not stop his violence.

“Your Majesty! Princess Rudis will die!”

Bennett shouted urgently, but the emperor did not stop. The young man had no power to stop the emperor.

“She’s my daughter too!”

The emperor exclaimed in a huff.

“Why on earth are you defying my orders? Why do you have to crawl out of there and make things difficult?”

‘Why are you doing this now?’

Rudis, who was on the floor, ridiculed.

‘Father, it was strange that I haven’t rebelled so far. I was so foolish to the point where I couldn’t move because I was longing for love.’

“Do you know how much I’ve suffered from you? How hard I had to convince the nobles to recognize you as a woman with disabilities and a daughter of a woman with injustice…!”

‘I’ve never wanted the position as a princess.’

Rudis wanted to say that, but couldn’t because her mouth was full of blood. Instead, she looked up and faced the emperor.

The emperor’s face, which came across Rudis’ purple eyes, was white.

“Eyes, those eyes…”

Her eyes were full of contempt and hatred, and he felt chills as he looked at them. It seemed that the chill he felt back in the jewel room was not an illusion.

‘I’m sure Rudis has changed since the memorial service.’

The emperor then vaguely realized that Rudis would never return to her former submissive, stupid, and servile state. But, because he didn’t want to believe that, he became even more violent.

To control a person, he needed to install fear in them. That was his way. So far, it has worked for everyone. Then, Rudis screamed in pain.

“What’s this fuss about?”

Now, there was a more urgent matter. The emperor thought for sure he had checked the area before confirming no one was around.

“I’m sure I just asked you to bring the one who woke me up.”

When she looked at the door and found a man standing there, Rudis couldn’t breathe properly.