I hadn’t stopped him out of the kindness of my heart.
But now I need to focus on Hugh—
“Princess Octavia, I see that you value even the life of a criminal like me.”
Hugh had the wrong idea, too.
I turned to look at him and snapped, “No, you’re wrong.”
That’s not why I spared you.
“Klifford, if Hugh behaves suspiciously, stop him. But under no circumstances are you to kill him.”
“—Yes, Princess.”
I released Klifford’s arm and marched over to Hugh. I faced him head-on, with my hands on my hips.
Hugh was confused. “What are you doing—?”
I slapped him hard, letting my vortex of messy emotions guide me.
“Hugh… You were prepared to die, weren’t you?”
“…………”
“You attacked me on purpose, knowing that Klifford would protect me. You were trying to get Klifford to kill you. You were…trying to make a pawn of my bodyguard.”
To aid in his own death.
“Did you think your death would resolve everything?”
I was fuming. With every fiber of my being.
“Well, I forbid you from ending your own life like this—don’t you ever forget that.”
I don’t care if you think I’m arrogant for doing this. Maybe you think a man should be free to die if he wants to? Well, even if he wants to die, I won’t let him.
“At the very least, I won’t let it happen in my presence. You have my word.”
Because I didn’t want him to die.
Please…I’m begging you…don’t throw your life away while I’m standing right here.
“My goodness…those are some harsh words, Princess,” Hugh murmured weakly, with a glance at the entrance. The slamming on the door had gotten even harder; the vibrations were shaking through my body.
And the study door was broken down.
The first person to burst through the broken door was Sirius. Derek followed immediately behind. And behind them was a crowd of soldiers, piling into the room.
Oh, good… Derek convinced him!
But I was concerned by what condition Sirius might be in. Not even my levelheaded brother could stay cool at a time like this.
For just a moment, his face twisted with emotion. Immediately after he set foot into his study, he had grasped the situation: a battered Nathan in Sil’s arms; unconscious soldiers on the floor; Hugh standing before us, unarmed; me, and Klifford standing protectively in front of me.
And in that moment, Sirius knew—everything Derek had told him was true.
“Hugh Roberts,” Sirius called his bodyguard. He was emotionless, as if he was dead inside.
Up until now, Hugh would have responded with a proper bow as a bodyguard should…but he just stood there, staring.
“Give me your motive… Why did you do this?”
Hugh looked around the study. Then he slowly answered, “Prince Sirius… Are you aware that not everyone blesses your union with Lord Burks? And did you know…that I am one of those people?”
What…is this feeling?
Hugh was giving off the same impression he had when he explained how his tassel was cut.
“Are you saying…my partnership with Sil gives you pause?”
“You two love each other very much. But as a citizen of Esfia, I couldn’t overlook the practice of my king taking only a partner of the same sex.”
“And…that’s why you pointed your sword at Sil?”
“Well, I could hardly point my sword at the prince, could I?” Hugh snorted cynically.
For the first time, Sirius was flustered. “Th-then why?! Why didn’t you confide in me first?!” he shrieked in anguish.
And Hugh just smirked. “In your heart, do you believe that would have resolved the matter?”
It was a question that didn’t demand an answer.
“Well, I don’t,” Hugh said coldly. “Talking can’t solve every problem… This isn’t a fairy tale.”
“No—you just gave up hope from the very start. You could have always gone with Plan B, but you didn’t even try to talk to me.”
As Sirius shook with distress, Hugh’s cold sneer changed to a smile… A smile that almost felt gentle.
“You’re right… I didn’t even try to talk to you. But even if talking to you could patch things up between us, I wouldn’t seek out such a conversation—not with you, not with anybody. I think it’s all futile.”
“Don’t you…regret any of this?”
Hugh slowly shook his head. “No. Not a bit.”
“Your plan ended in failure…and you still regret nothing?!”
“Indeed. Whether my plan succeeded or failed, it was what I truly wanted.”
As he talked with Sirius, Hugh was calm and cool all the while. It was hard to believe he was the mastermind of a plan that had just failed.
If anything, he looked like a man whose plan had just succeeded.
“Hugh—isn’t there anything else you want to tell me?” Sirius pleaded in the end. His feelings for Hugh probably moved him to do it.
Even though the mastermind was there before Sirius, confessing to his own crimes—even though there wasn’t a shred of doubt that he was guilty—a part of Sirius still wanted to believe in Hugh. He wanted Hugh to say something. Even a flimsy excuse would do. Anything that he could use to defend Hugh.
But even with that question from Sirius, Hugh did not change.
“No.”
He said nothing more.
Sirius’s eyes clenched shut. “Take Hugh Roberts—”
In the source material, an anguished Sirius had to give the order to put Hugh in the dungeon, even though he believed his friend was innocent. And while some of the details were different, what was happening now was incredibly similar.
Sirius gave the order to his soldiers on standby at the entrance to his study. “Take Hugh Roberts to the dungeon.”
His voice shook, ever so faintly.