The proclamation of John as co-emperor shook the entire capital.
What could it mean for the emperor, who had long been at odds with Prince Konstantinos, to extend a hand of reconciliation?
The delicate balance of power that had barely been maintained between the two now tilted decisively in one direction, making it clear who held real authority in the empire.
Furthermore, with the emperor having made his decision, even those who had previously disapproved of Prince Konstantinos could no longer deny the outcome.
Manuel, confined to a monastery, soon received word of this momentous event.
It was thanks to Empress Helena, his lifelong companion, who had sent word to him as soon as it happened.
“…With this, it seems that the discord between His Majesty John and Prince Konstantinos, which Your Majesty had most feared, will come to an end.”
“Is that so… John, that child…”
It was a cruel fate for John, but Manuel had always seen Prince Konstantinos as the true heir to the throne from the very beginning.
Declaring John as co-emperor had been nothing more than a means to facilitate the transfer of power to Konstantinos.
At the same time, it served as a bold maneuver to pacify those who harboured resentment toward Konstantinos.
As such, the success of this plan depended entirely on John. If he had not been willing to sacrifice even his imperial authority for the sake of the empire’s survival, none of this would have been possible.
But as a father, it was something Manuel should never have done.
He reached out, carefully stroking the empress’s hand as she gazed at him with tear-filled eyes.
Once smooth and fair, her hands had become roughened by the passage of time and the relentless crises they had endured.
That realization pained Manuel deeply. Seeing the exhaustion etched into his wife’s face, he could no longer hold back his own tears.
“I am sorry… my love.”
“Oh? Why would you say such a thing, Your Majesty?”
“I have always wanted to tell you… that I am sorry…”
The years of Manuel’s reign had been a time of relentless collapse.
The empire had ceased to function as a state. The walls of Constantinople had been besieged countless times, and the empire had teetered on the brink of destruction just as many.
Each time, Manuel had knelt before the altar of Hagia Sophia, praying desperately—begging that the empire might at least endure until the end of his reign.
He could not even begin to fathom what it had been like for the empress to watch him in those moments.
And more than anything, she was a mother who cherished her children above all else.
How could she possibly forgive him for sacrificing their child against her will?
Manuel had turned a blind eye to the wishes of John and his other sons, focusing solely on Konstantinos in his pursuit of the empire’s restoration.
Now, stripped of his crown, he was nothing more than a frail old man.
But the empress did not leave him to weep alone. Without hesitation, she embraced him.
“How could Your Majesty say such a thing? I stayed by your side because I wanted to.”
“I am sorry to the children as well… That I must now pass onto them a burden that was too heavy even for me…”
“Your Majesty, your children have all grown into remarkable individuals. Perhaps they may even surpass you as emperors. Was that not how you raised them?”
“…I feel truly fortunate. That you have always been by my side.”
“And I will remain by your side, Your Majesty.”
However, Manuel shook his head at the empress’s words.
Could one truly know when their time was nearing its end? Manuel understood well the frailty of his own body. More than that, he was aware of the price he would soon have to pay.
A fleeting memory passed through his mind—the image of a father, weeping as he entrusted his child to him.
“I have broken my oath. For the sake of my duty as emperor, I did something no father should ever do. There cannot be much time left for me now.”
“If that is the case, then it must be fate, Your Majesty. For I, too, feel as though my own time is running short.”
Manuel lifted his gaze at her words.
Despite the years that had passed, the empress still wore the same calm expression, her dignified features unchanged as she smiled gently at him.
Nothing had changed from the moment they first met.
Back then, too, she had watched over him with the same quiet smile.
Even now, she remained by his side, just as she always had.
At that moment, Manuel found himself grateful—grateful that he was no longer emperor.
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