The Terminally-Ill Lord Desires Hospice Care

The Berger estate regained its occasional liveliness with a grand reception of rare guests.
As the previous lord Raul had been so reclusive and ascetic, no proper banquets had been held for a long time. Thanks to that, the long-neglected banquet hall could finally serve its purpose again.
Even the estate’s servants seemed delighted by the rare bustle.

“How long has it been since we’ve seen such crowds…”
“Right? Thanks to this, we too can have a feast once the party is over.”
“…In that sense, the previous lord was utterly vexing. He showed no interest in banquets or the like.”
“He would say with a straight face, ‘What meaning is there in such acts?’ and argue with the current lord over it.”

Even within the Berger estate, there were few who favored Raul.
While those serving under the extravagant lord enjoyed generous compensation, Raul seldom spent money.
He ate like a monk and dressed like a pauper. It was understandable for them to be embarrassed by such a lord.

“Instead of idly chattering, move your hands a bit more.”
Of course, there were also those like the butler who admired Raul’s ways.
While the other servants scurried about, the butler gazed at the banquet hall with a disgruntled look.

“My lord…why must you…”
To him, Rizehl seemed a mere young girl unfit to be lord.
Yet heedless of such judgmental gazes, Rizehl was clad in an ornate dress, conversing with the guests.

“With Lady Rizehl as the new lord, the Berger household can only prosper unlike before.”
“Huhuh, thank you. As the new lord of the Berger household, Rizehl Berger, I shall dedicatedly nurture the household, so I ask for your continued support.”
“For you to address even us branches so, we are deeply touched.”
“Unlike the previous closed and gloomy lord, I intend to embrace everyone. That reclusive approach is a thing of the past.”

As the newly-appointed lord Rizehl conversed with the guests, an extravagantly ornate carriage appeared at the Berger estate.
The one who alighted had long scarlet hair reaching his waist – His Majesty the Emperor, and Raul’s closest friend.

“What a beautiful estate. So beautiful…I feel like burning it down. Don’t you agree, Empress?”
“Your Majesty. Please, mind your conduct…”
“It was merely a jest without wit. And should the Empress not lighten her expression as well?”
“I have explicitly stated 163 times that I did not wish to come to this repulsive place.”
“What can be done? I am but a one-winged bird, unable to fly without you.”

Thus, the imperial couple seated in the highest positions of the empire entered the banquet hall, instantly drawing all gazes.
Rizehl seemed quite displeased that the attention she should receive was instead directed towards the crippled Empress.
While everything irked her, what most displeased her was the sword strapped behind the Empress’ wheelchair. Bringing a sword to the banquet hall itself was seen as an insult to her.

“To His Radiant Majesty, the sun of the empire…”
“Enough. Such formal greetings would only elicit irritated expressions from Raul, so they provide no amusement coming from you.”

From the very mention of Raul’s name, Rizehl’s mood began plummeting.
Despite this being her shining moment, she could not fathom why she had to endure such aggravation.

“Yes, I understand, Your Majesty.”

As she turned to leave for a change of atmosphere, the Emperor’s voice called out to her.

“It seems the new Berger Viscountess has only half her eyesight.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“I can see, but it seems the Empress is invisible to you. Raul was a man who would greet the Empress before me.”

Once again hearing Raul’s name mentioned, Rizehl nearly clicked her tongue without realizing.
Yet the other party being who it was, she could only greet him respectfully.

“I offer my respects to Your Majesty the Empress.”
As she greeted her, Rizehl secretly glared at the Empress.
An expressionless face like her brother’s, a gaze that seemed to look down on her, and that filthy body more repulsive than anyone’s.
Truly, she was a vulgar existence undeserving of a clean gaze.

“Come to think of it, I was unaware the Berger estate had such a grand banquet hall. Raul never held banquets, not even for his own birthday.”
“…I am different from that man, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, quite different. Who would dare compare? At least I am not so foolish.”

The Emperor seemed to have purposely come today to subtly insult Rizehl with veiled words.
Though feeling indignant at such conduct, Rizehl could only lower her head, unable to protest.

“…By the way, this is rather frightening. Had your brother been present, he would have pointed out my discourtesy while brandishing his weapon.”
“……”
“So how does it feel? To face such discourtesy without a brother who would always be your ally, no matter what? It cannot be pleasant.”

The Emperor incessantly mentioned Raul.
As if that had been his very purpose in visiting Rizehl today, he repeatedly brought up Raul’s name, making her feel utterly wretched.

“You are still immature in this regard. For your expression to show over such trivial insults. Your brother breathed through such insults as if…”
“That sort of man no longer exists in this household…!”

Rizehl blurted those words without realizing, leaving not just herself but even the Emperor and Empress taken aback.
But as the arrow had already been loosed, Rizehl did not try to retrieve it, instead nocking another to the bowstring.

“My life became a mess because of that wretched brother…! A good-for-nothing ingrate who took everything from me without giving anything in return…! By the authority of the lord, I shall erase all traces of such a man from exist…”
“Did you just say you would erase my friend?”

The guests invited to the banquet began constantly wiping away sweat from the scorching heat.
The ice sculptures set up for decoration began melting, and black smoke began rising from where the Emperor stood.

“You, of all people?”
“Yes…! My life became miserable, all because of that man!!!”

The Emperor had simply intended to deliver some mocking words before leaving.
But that single utterance from Rizehl gnawed away at his patience, causing the wild horse that had lost its reins of patience to run rampant.

“You wretch lacking the dignity of a lord, the skill of a warrior, the grace of an adult…!”
Soon, flames erupted from his body, forming the shape of a sword that plunged before the Emperor.
As the Emperor grasped that sword, the blade began glowing crimson and burning.

“It seems a grand cleaning is in order today.”
“Y-Your Majesty…?”

He began examining the faces of the other guests.
As most were those who had insulted the Empress and Raul, the Emperor could unleash his power without reservation.

“You will all live bandaged for life, so next year’s banquet will be more amusing.”

As the other nobles tried to flee, it was too late.
No matter how swift their feet, they could not outrun the blade wielded by one of the five heroes.

Just as the Emperor swung his sword to inflict indelible burns upon those present, the terrified Rizehl unconsciously let out a scream:

“Brother!!!”

Undeterred, the Emperor swung his blade, yet its heat could not harm anyone.
Far from being burned, the people began shivering uncontrollably instead.

“…You went a bit too far, Your Majesty.”
“Empress.”

The chill emanating from the Empress and her wheelchair had frozen all the flames the Emperor had unleashed.
Not just the flames, but the entire banquet hall was encased in ice like a scene from a fairy tale, ruining the banquet.

“…Very well. Let us depart.”
As the Emperor sheathed his sword to leave, Rizehl’s mother, who had rushed over after sensing the commotion, quietly protested:

“Even if it is Your Majesty, is this not an excessive discourtesy?”
“Discourtesy…How amusing. I have no need to show courtesy to the fiancée of the wretch who tried to take the throne from me.”
“That is…”
“The only reason I have respected you until now was because you are the family of my friend. Now that Raul no longer exists, I have no reason to respect you, do I?”

In the Emperor’s view, Rizehl was simply the fiancée of the second prince who had tried to kill him.
Logically, after killing the second prince, he should have annihilated the Berger household, which was only spared thanks to Raul’s achievements.

“If you wish for my respect, build that cause from the ground up once more.”

The Emperor turned and left the banquet hall, and the Empress gazed at Rizehl with pity, saying:

“If you had not called out to your brother at the end…I would not have particularly stopped him either. And remember this well – the world is not your mother’s embrace.”

Leaving behind those chilling words, the Empress too departed from the banquet hall.

After ruining her inauguration banquet, Rizehl returned to her room and silently hugged her pillow, sobbing.
The Empress’ position should have originally been hers, so why had she endured such humiliation? She felt so indignant she could go mad.

“Vile wretch…traitor…the worst scoundrel in the world…”

Inevitably, Rizehl directed her condemning arrows towards her own brother.

“Haah…Just for that wench, I wonder how many have suffered, really…”

Witnessing this scene, the raven unconsciously pecked its beak before beginning to peck at the window of Rizehl’s room like a woodpecker.