To the Love Born in the Lowest Place

10. Kingmaker

Only after sleeping for a night as if she had fainted in Viscount Wolfe’s domain could Liv regain her senses. Her body, which had been enduring pain all this time, began to complain with dull aches as if it had been waiting.

‘…I told them everything.’

Only when she immersed herself in the bathtub did her sense of reality return, and she remembered what she had done yesterday. Liv had revealed her identity, and people had sworn loyalty to her.

Revealing her identity was something she had never imagined doing. She had only thought about her identity being discovered by the Emperor, not that she would reveal it herself. But it didn’t feel bad. Rather, it felt like a relief as the secret she had always had to keep inside gained freedom.

“Liv, are you done bathing?”

As the bathroom door swung open, Liv startled and sank deeper into the tub. She lowered her head, feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, but Emmett stood there speaking as if nothing was wrong.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I feel refreshed now. I was about to get out…”

“Shall I dry you off?”

“No, really, I’m fine!”

Only after saying this several more times and chasing Emmett out could Liv dry herself with a towel and put on the clothes hanging in the bathroom. The commoner’s clothes that Hayden said he had bought were certainly less conspicuous and more comfortable to move in.

When she went out of the bedroom with the attached bathroom, Liv could see Emmett and Hayden waiting for her outside the door. Emmett was strangely conscious of Hayden, but Hayden seemed to be focusing all his attention only on Liv without giving Emmett even a glance.

“Master, did you have any problems during the night?”

“That title is a bit…”

“I like this title. If my master doesn’t like it, I can’t help it.”

Hayden shrugged and continued speaking.

“Madam, Miss, Your Majesty, Lady Gracia… which do you prefer?”

“…Just call me Madam.”

“Alright, I’ll do that.”

Seeing Hayden smiling brightly, Emmett’s face became somewhat displeased. He subtly separated Liv from Hayden and opened his mouth.

“Where is Viscount Wolfe?”

“Ah, come to think of it, I was going to introduce him.”

When they had come as Hayden’s guests, Viscount Wolfe had only ordered rooms to be given without even meeting them. It was strange that he would take such a dangerous action of accepting them into the castle without even checking their identities when guests had come to his domain.

“He lacks motivation in everything. He’s just a person living on, whether his family is exterminated or not. To the extent that he would just accept it even if he were to die being accused of treason.”

“…Did something happen?”

“Well, I’m sure a lot has happened, but I don’t know much about Viscount Wolfe’s personal history. He just stays locked in his room every day with the eyes of a dead person.”

“Then I want to meet him even more.”

Although it was uncertain whether Viscount Wolfe would help her according to Hayden’s explanation, Liv still wanted to let him know that he still had something left. Now Liv knew how much having a goal in life could change a person. Although it hadn’t been long since she had gained her goal.

Hayden guided them to Viscount Wolfe’s room. The castle in Viscount Wolfe’s domain was quiet with few servants, and the room of Viscount Wolfe, located in the deepest part, had an even more secluded atmosphere.

Knock knock.

“Viscount, I’ve brought guests.”

There was no response for a long time, then slowly the door opened.

“Yes, Hayden. I told you there’s no need to confirm with me…”

Viscount Wolfe was an old man with faded gray hair and grizzled beard, and because there were scars all over his face, he couldn’t be seen as just an easy-going person. However, his eyes were empty without any emotion, making him feel like a moving corpse.

He answered Hayden in a listless tone, then turned his head to look at Liv and Emmett. His gaze, which swept over the guests as if examining them, stopped at Liv. At that moment, Liv realized she didn’t need to worry about whether he would follow her.

“It, it can’t be…”

His gray eyes fixed on Liv’s pale pink eyes. After a moment, he collapsed to his knees on the floor.

“G-Gracia…”

“…Yes.”

Liv looked down at him and spoke in a calm voice.

“I am Liv Gracia, the last descendant of the Gracia family. I have come here to meet the head of the Wolfe family who has protected Gracia for generations.”

“Ah, aah…”

Viscount Wolfe began to wail while kneeling. There were various emotions mixed in his eyes as he looked at Liv, making it difficult to know what the Viscount was thinking. However, he looked like someone who had been waiting for this moment for a long time, so Liv let him cry.

“So it was… Finally…”

He suddenly jumped up from his seat and let Liv, Emmett, and Hayden into the room. Then he hurriedly closed the door.

“How… how have you been alive? I thought for sure you were dead…”

“Before that, I have something I want to ask. How did you know I was a Gracia?”

“Those pale pink eyes match what I saw in the portrait of Empress Milina. When I heard Hayden had brought guests, I knew it was related to what he was preparing, but I never imagined it would be Lady Gracia…”

Milina was Liv’s grandmother. If Liv’s father was the previous Emperor, then the Emperor before that was Liv’s grandmother Milina.

“And your white hair resembles that of Anfang Gracia, whom I saw in portraits…”

“You have good eye for detail.”

Having ridden a horse for a long time, she was still weak, so Liv sat down on the sofa in the middle of his room and continued speaking.

“The Emperor kept me in Abgrund. Receiving God’s power, I was able to live there for fifteen years without dying.”

“What? You say he kept Lady Gracia in Abgrund?”

“But I’m here now. Although I’m in a position of being chased by the Emperor.”

Liv turned her head to look at Viscount Wolfe and smiled.

“What else can I do now in this situation?”

“Ah, aah…”

“I will become Emperor.”

At those words, Viscount Wolfe knelt before Liv once again. However, it didn’t look as listless as before. Even while shedding tears, he had a firm determination in his eyes.

“I heard you had lost your goal. I’ll become your goal.”

“Lady Gracia…”

“Viscount Schulze and Viscount Wolfe, I need the help of my old subjects. Will you help Gracia once again?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, the old man answered with a face full of fighting spirit.

“I will devote my life to help my master…”

* * *

At the breakfast table with Walter and Hildegard, Liv told Viscount Wolfe about what had happened so far. He didn’t seem to mind that Hildegard and Walter, accused of treason, and Emmett and Liv, chased by the Emperor, were here.

“Is this really alright?”

To Emmett’s question, he answered in a calm tone.

“Yes, I was already prepared for the end. When the current Emperor ascended to the throne, he restricted the private armies of the Wolfe Viscounty, so we could no longer maintain troops and suffered from poverty.”

That was one of the ways the tyrant August prevented rebellion. He prohibited most families from having private armies and only allowed it for a few high-ranking families, including the Five Noble Houses.

“Do you have children?”

When Liv asked that, Viscount Wolfe’s eyes became bitter. His face was so dry that Liv regretted asking the question, but he gave an answer before Liv could stop him.

“Originally, I had passed on the title of Viscount to my only son. But that boy, saying there must be a way to overthrow the Steinberg imperial family, wandered around looking for a descendant of the Gracia family and one day lost contact. I think he’s dead now. Quite some time after losing contact, I came to maintain the title of Viscount again.”

At that moment, a forgotten memory flashed through Liv’s mind.

So when Liv was confined in Abgrund, there was only one person who came looking for Liv from the outside on his own, without the help of the gods like Emmett had.

-Is anyone there?! I am Viscount Wolfe!

-Don’t worry! I’ll save you!

It was a young man’s voice. Liv had almost forgotten that name in her mind since then, but according to the current Viscount Wolfe in front of her… that man had been the son of the current Viscount Wolfe.

-By order of His Majesty, I will take you into custody.

However, Liv also remembered what had happened to him. He had failed to rescue Liv and was dragged away injured by those sent by the Emperor. Ah, his father doesn’t know that truth. The former Viscount Wolfe had probably met a futile death in the imperial palace…

As Liv sat stiffly, not knowing how to tell Viscount Wolfe the truth she had realized, he continued speaking.

“I have one grandson and one granddaughter each. If disaster strikes our family again in the future, I want to at least save those children, so I told them to flee as far as possible. My grandson is now living under a new identity in the Kingdom of Reboer, and my granddaughter, who absolutely wouldn’t listen to me, is still in this country. That child insisted she needed to learn the sword as a daughter of Wolfe… She often leaves the Viscounty to train with the sword, and she left recently so I don’t know where she is now.”

“…I see, you have quite an admirable granddaughter.”

Because Liv was silent, Walter skillfully led the conversation in her place. During the meal, Liv had a dark face as she pondered how to tell him the truth, but Viscount Wolfe didn’t seem to notice. Only the others who knew Liv were watching her mood.

Turning her head away as she recalled the bitter fact that someone had died trying to save her, Liv noticed Emmett’s serious face and tilted her head. Emmett had just as dark a face as Liv. Even though he clearly had no reason to.

‘Is something wrong?’

Seeing his face lost in anguish, Liv thought she should ask Emmett later if there was anything bothering him.

After finishing the meal, Viscount Wolfe said to Liv.

“Lady Gracia, there is something I need to show you. I would like only Lady Gracia to see it… Will you come with me?”

Emmett looked at Liv with worried eyes, but Liv shook her head to indicate it was fine. It might be right to tell him what happened to his son on this occasion.