Four Split Personalities

After a few seconds, as if aged by a decade, Duke Dengtis heaved a sigh, slumped powerlessly into his chair. His eyes were dull and gray, and a trickle of fresh blood even overflowed from the corner of his mouth, as he stared lifelessly at the cackling Motan, without uttering a word.

Rebo is dead...

The future king of the Violet Empire, his favorite nephew, Ruth’s only child is dead...

All that he had invested, all that he had done, his exhaustive efforts, and that shameful betrayal, had all turned into empty talk...

Unknowingly, Duke Dengtis had come to see Rebo ascending the throne, flexing his muscles, and realizing his grand ambitions as his sole purpose and his entire life’s meaning.

Thus, he was willing to collaborate with the loathsome Bafi Marshall, willing to betray his sworn brother Clevo, even prepared to be nailed to the pillar of shame.

Now, however, the shame remained, the fact of betrayal irreversible, and Rebo had died at the beginning of his ideals, falling just as he took his first step.

What then, amounted to all that he had done?

The goal for which he had striven all his life had, in the end, become a profoundly ironic empty talk.

Under such a blow, Duke Dengtis collapsed, in less than ten minutes, he went from a powerful overlord to a confused old man.

Then...

"To make what I say more credible, let me tell you another thing."

Just as Duke Dengtis had accepted reality, an enthusiastic Motan was ’keenly’ enhancing the credibility, staring maliciously into those now spiritless eyes, he whispered softly, "Do you know where your brother, who long ago ceded the role of Family Head to Warren Dengtis, is right now?"

Duke Dengtis stared blankly at Motan, and after a long while, he seemed to regain his senses and clenched his fists, asked tiredly, "Did something happen to my elder brother too?"

"Hehe, not at all."

Motan shook his head, his smile teasing: "Right now, he should be following our second prince, the future emperor of this empire, looking up to him and making amends."

"What did you say?"

Though taken aback, Duke Dengtis’s expression hardly changed; he still looked like he could collapse at any moment, and he blankly asked: "My brother... making amends?"

Motan crossed his legs leisurely, nodded, and said, "Of course, Mr. Warren has always been a smart man. Although he seemed to have entertained similar thoughts to yours long ago, he wasn’t beyond redemption. Importantly, compared to you, who inherited the position of the Grand Duke and became the Family Head, he’s the one who truly puts the ’Dengtis’ name first. So, when he realized the true nature of Shu Bresen, he immediately made a wise choice."

"You mean... my brother has betrayed..."

"Betrayal? No, no, no, that’s not a betrayal, didn’t I just say? He’s the one who puts the ’Dengtis’ first."

Motan casually interrupted him, speaking indifferently: "He hasn’t betrayed anything that he stood for, even though he has secretly pledged allegiance to Shu since long ago. His starting point was always for the whole family, so he hasn’t betrayed anything, unlike you... hehe..."

His malicious laughter made Duke Dengtis shudder involuntarily, like a frail, ordinary old man with no extraordinary powers.

"You, besotted with your sister, as the leader of the Dengtis Family, didn’t understand how to assess situations, blinded by ridiculous ’hatred’. You hated Emperor Clevo for decades, even misdirecting your anger towards his children with other women. Everyone knows that Ruth Dengtis died protecting the Emperor willingly, not from intrigue or foul play, but purely... hehe, from love."

Motan made a comical face, saying leisurely: "After that, an irreconcilable rift appeared between you and Clevo. Similarly, after that, you devoted all your sisterly affection towards our grandnephew. Of course, that isn’t wrong, but for a man bearing the entire family on his shoulders, your obsession and impulsive actions have slowly started making you unsuitable."

"Rebo would have made this country, would have made Violet and Dengtis flourish."

Duke Dengtis slowly closed his eyes, said solemnly, "I was not mistaken."

Motan then burst out laughing: "Yo ho, well, since you’re not mistaken, why did Prince Rebo just bite the dust? Tell me, huh?"

"That is because..."

"Because he wasn’t excellent enough."

Motan coldly interrupted the other party, speaking icily, "So he died, he failed, he no longer has a future, just as simple as that."

Duke Duntis fell silent...

"Our Second Prince has never fought alone, and the Duntis Family has been the most steadfast ally of the Violet Family from ancient times, yet he never approached you, why is that?"

Motan poured himself another cup of tea, smiling radiantly as he spoke, "Because he knew very well that you are a blind and terrible collaborator. He had foreseen today’s circumstance, thus Warlen was chosen, while you, you only deserve this end. He becomes king, and you, the defeated, there’s no other possibility."

"If you are here merely to mock me..."

Duke Duntis seemed to completely dismiss Motan’s words, only laboriously pointing towards the door with his cane, "Then please leave, Mr. Dabus, I will explain everything to everyone."

"Thinking of suicide?"

Motan almost instantly grasped the other’s thought, scoffing, "It’s not time yet, Your Grace."

The heartbroken Duke Duntis wearily looked at him, "What are you trying to say?"

"I want to offer you, or rather the Duntis Family, an opportunity to redeem yourselves."

Motan looked at the old man before him calmly, speaking with a tone rich in provocative sincerity, "His Majesty probably thinks the same, otherwise, he wouldn’t have refrained from striking at you during today’s meeting. Your Grace, you don’t really believe... that your and Hussein’s obvious ’letting off’ actions went undetected, do you?"

Duke Duntis suddenly stiffened, "What do you mean..."

"King Clewo merely feels guilty towards you and didn’t want to delve deeper, the Hussein Family also thrived by your favor."

Motan shrugged and spread his hands, "So... he isn’t actually a competent emperor. A true achiever should be ready to kill even his own brothers without hesitation... mhm, and also survive."

Duntis didn’t react to Motan’s sarcasm, but asked softly, "What should I do?"

"Very simple, first, you need to tell me everything you know, including the details about dealings among the Duntis, Hussein, and Marshall Families, the earlier plans to assassinate the emperor, and..."

Motan snapped his fingers, grinning, "The person who acted as the connector, and what your following plans and strategies are, please tell me everything, not missing any details."

...

"If you speak well, the future of the Hussein Family will still have a place in this empire."

Lady Double Leaf blinked at the disheartened Duke Hussein, smiling sweetly, "However, if you speak poorly, incorrectly, untruthfully, incompletely, haha, Prince Shu is no King Clewo. He can doom the Marshall Family, and he can do the same to the Hussein Family, don’t bring up any unwritten rules... any relationship between the royalty and lords, I don’t buy it, and neither does our new emperor."

"Uh, so they say one should be wise to recognize the times, right?"

"Something like that."

"Haha, then Lady Double Leaf, do you think I look like a wise man?"

"Mhm, seeing how you smile so meanly, you are certainly a wise man without a doubt."

Chapter 542: End