《A Fake Concubine Was Caught by the Tyrant》 Chapter 1 - Prologue *** The night was so dark that I couldn¡¯t even see ahead of me if it weren¡¯t for the small lit candle next to the bedside table. I quietly rose from where I had been lying alongside Emperor Carmun. Perhaps it was luck that brought me here. I even slept with the emperor of the Idelberg Empire, whom I had never met in my life. But would he ever know that it was the biggest mistake of his life? After becoming the Emperor¡¯s 27th concubine, I had no intention of sleeping with him. But somehow, the Emperor kept coming to me, and now he even abandoned the Empress to seek only myself. I checked to confirm if the Emperor had fallen asleep, ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± I said quietly. The Emperor did not move as he exhaled steady breaths. After seeing that he was sleeping peacefully, I grabbed the dagger I had hidden under my pillow. The hand that held the dagger was already trembling with fear. ¡®Why did you choose me out of all the women in your entourage?¡¯ I had to kill him. He was my father¡¯s sworn enemy. I wanted to kill him and fulfill my father¡¯s wish, but my body was shaking more than I thought and I felt like I was going to miss the sword¡­ The Emperor was lying on the bed asleep with an unconcerned look on his face, not knowing what I was up to. My hand shook, and suddenly, I did not want to kill him. When I looked closer at the emperor, who was called the devil, he did not look like a bad man, let alone a devil. He was a good emperor who cared about his people. And he was a scarred man with a painful secret. I couldn¡¯t hurt such a person just because he was my father¡¯s enemy, even though he was better to me than anyone else in the world. ¡°Huff¡­huff.¡± (Crying sound) Carmun didn¡¯t open his eyes, despite the sound of my quiet cry. It was as if he was dead. I held the dagger in my hand. I froze in place, I couldn¡¯t stab him or stop crying when I saw him sleeping peacefully in front of me. My father¡¯s urging had already gone too far. If I didn¡¯t kill him, my father would be disappointed. Then I would be a useless daughter again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I whispered quietly as I lifted the knife high in the air and quickly strained it so that I could plunge it into his heart. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it because the thoughts suddenly came to my mind. ¡°Edith, look at this. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re smiling. That¡¯s why the flowers bloomed. It¡¯s because of your smile.¡± The cherry blossoms that bloomed in the early summer. ¡°From now on, don¡¯t smile so sweetly. It makes me angry when other people see you smiling.¡± He was good at being jealous, and he was the hydrangea that I said I liked. ¡°You must be the only person whose wish for the emperor is a hydrangea.¡± He was a man who would give me anything, even if I didn¡¯t have anything to wish for. I had even entertained the thought of driving a knife into his heart! It was only then that it dawned on me. It was then that I realized what I had been pretending not to know. I had him in my heart. I let go of the dagger in my hand in surprise. Just as I was about to hastily grab it when I heard a loud popping sound, immediately, a hand bigger than mine seemed to anticipate it and grabbed it calmly. ¡°¡­!¡± I let out a silent scream. Carmun Idelberg, the Emperor of the Empire, opened his eyes. The weapon in his hand clearly said that I was the murderer. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± I was too surprised to speak. I stammered and called him, but he just looked at me with a cold face. It has been a long time since I lost my usual gentle smile. His cold, red eyes looked down at me and I couldn¡¯t move as if my whole body had frozen. I realized the seriousness of the situation as if a red warning light was flashing in my head. ¡°I¡¯m guilty of death¡­!¡± ¡°Shh¡­¡± He covered my mouth with his other hand. It was a cautious move, as if he didn¡¯t want to be found. ¡®What are you doing? Isn¡¯t this the time to question me? Or calling the guards to capture me?¡¯ Yes. It was for the best. I knew from the start that this was going to happen. There was no way I was going to succeed in killing him. He couldn¡¯t have known who I was. I couldn¡¯t reveal that I was not Edith, my father¡¯s beloved eldest daughter, but Helen, the abandoned one, who couldn¡¯t take the bullying. I couldn¡¯t say that I wasn¡¯t the Edith he loved, I just chose to be killed by his hands. Until the moment I died, I was a coward. I closed my tearful eyes, foreseeing my death. At that moment, every thought came to my mind. ¡®He will blame me. He will hate me.¡¯ But it was harder for me to reveal that I was Helen than it was for him to hate me. Why in the world am I in this state? ¡°Edith, open your eyes,¡± he said, his voice sounding like a growing beast in a cave. I was very scared, but I knew that he was completely out of control when he got angry. So I secretly opened my eyes and looked at him, his eyes were shining dangerously. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill me?¡± The words that came out of his mouth were something else entirely. He sounded like he was disappointed that I didn¡¯t kill him. I looked straight at him, not hiding my panicked eyes, and this time he grabbed my shoulders. With an obvious urging look in his eyes. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Did you think I didn¡¯t know?¡± Carmun smiled knowingly at me. A sense of unease came over me seeing that smile. For there is something between him and me that I did not know. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it a fact that everyone knew that your father and I didn¡¯t get along? If you look a little further back, you will find that there are countless stories of suspicion. So please tell me. Why didn¡¯t you kill me? Why didn¡¯t you obey my father¡¯s orders?¡± His eyes shone brightly. He grabbed me by the shoulders, his hands tightened as if not letting me escape. What could I say to him? Does he want to know that it was my father who sent me here to kill him, the Emperor, in his own room? Or now I am attempting to kill him? I kept looking at him with a panicked look in my eyes. I couldn¡¯t speak to him about any of these thoughts. If it becomes a problem between countries, there will be a huge bloodstorm in Cordelia, a small country. As a princess of Cordelia, I couldn¡¯t open my mouth and bit my lip as if to strike. I was a little numbed by the look in his eyes, as if he were a wolf on the hunt, watching his prey. His red eyes shone in the moonlight. Carmun, still locked me in his arms, stared down and spoke in a distinctive low voice. ¡°If killing me makes you feel better, then kill me.¡± ¡®What does he mean?¡¯ He put the dagger directly in my shaking hands. Then he placed my hands holding the dagger in front of his heart. Has he really lost his mind? ¡±What, what are you doing!¡± I shook off his hand with all my might. Clank! The dagger fell to the floor and made a clunk sound. Even in the midst of it all, Carmun¡¯s gaze never left mine. He didn¡¯t seem the least bit upset or panicked. The one who panicked was me, the one who was going to kill him. The plan wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this¡­ I was going to let him kill me. The situation just drifted out of control and he wanted me to kill him! He grabbed me by the chin and lifted it. His gaze met mine once more, and I had the illusion of being eaten by it. ¡°¡­if you choose to stay with me instead of just being¡­¡± He stared at me. For a while he went silent. When he opened his mouth again, he looked as if he had made some great decision. ¡°Be my Empress.¡± ¡®Empress? I tried to kill him, but instead of executing me, he wants me to be his Empress? Is he crazy?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll protect you no matter what you do,¡± he said, smiling with satisfaction as my eyes widened in surprise. ¡°If you refuse, I will let the world know your crime. Your father, who sent his daughter to assassinate the emperor, will not be safe.¡± It was a proposal I couldn¡¯t refuse. No, it was a threat. It was a condition that he set knowing that I could not refuse. What on earth did I do to deserve this? There was not a single good thing about me that fit the position of Empress. I was a princess from a weak country in the middle of nowhere, I wasn¡¯t good at dealing with things, and I wasn¡¯t smart enough to compete with the Empress. He said, looking at the prey he had picked up by chance with his eyes full of satiety. ¡°Become my Empress, Edith.¡± His gentle voice sent a shiver down my spine as I recoiled. His proposal made me very happy, but there was one more secret he did not yet know. ¡®I am not Edith. I am Helen Cordelia.¡¯ It was the fact that I was not the Crown Princess of the Cordelia Empire, but the troubled second princess. Chapter 1 Ten years after Emperor Carmun de Idelberg ascended the throne, he declared an end to the war with the neighboring countries. After many wars, Idelberg had become the largest empire among its neighbors, and the neighboring countries agreed to his proposal because they were no longer willing to shed their blood in a battle that they could not win. The war that started with the last emperor was finally coming to an end. However, despite the end of the war, many countries were still in turmoil, the biggest complacency of which was Emperor Idelberg¡¯s secret intentions. Many words were spoken in the Idelberg Empire when the young Emperor did not embrace any woman. After the war, the emperor decided to take concubines from various countries for the sake of peace. Therefore, the neighboring countries appointed their eldest daughters, and where there were no daughters, the highest ranking noblewomen were appointed, and concubines were sent to each country, numbering as many as 27. *** Her lips were torn and a scab was formed around her mouth. She couldn¡¯t make more of an expression than usual due to the pain caused by even the slightest movement. Not one of the maids came to see Helen despite her injuries. She was the useless Helen. Her father always told her she was defective. Helen¡¯s position in the Cordelia Empire was poor. Helen? Who is she? Oh, that princess¡­? This was the reaction of everyone. According to her father, everything about her was defective, except for her sister Edith. Cordelia was a country made up of the blood of the grandchildren of those who failed to become emperors. They were all killed when they failed to emperors. Her father wanted to make Edith emperor, not Helen, so he trampled on Helen. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped, I¡¯m not the best.¡¯ She touched her chapped lips and opened the small window of het room. In that room, no bigger than a servant¡¯s room, Helen prayed fervently. Just once before she died, she wished to get out of this wild castle, so she could die comfortably. As she opened the window to pray, she saw her father walking towards her angrily. ¡®He¡¯s gonna hit me again!¡¯ Her lips still haven¡¯t healed. He hit her often¡­ Her hands trembled with fear. ¡°If my hands shake, father won¡¯t like it.¡± He didn¡¯t like it when Helen¡¯s hands or her body shook, saying she looked like a bug. If she did this in front of others, he would punish her. So she had to stop. But Helen couldn¡¯t stop shaking no matter how much she wanted to. Rather, her body trembled as her father approached. Please¡­ ¡°Helen!¡± She heard my father¡¯s angry voice, and her hands stopped shaking. More accurately, her breathing stopped. ¡°What are you doing? I thought I told you not to do anything useless.¡± ¡°Um, I, uh, didn¡¯t do anything ¡­.¡± At that moment, Helen choked up as if someone was strangling her. She crawled across the floor, making a rattling sound. She crawled to her father¡¯s feet, begging him. ¡°Oh, oh, father. Please ¡­spare me.¡± Helen stammered, forgetting the words. In addition, bruises could be seen here and there on her face and body, which had been crumpled by the Emperor¡¯s violence. ¡°This useless thing¡­!¡± Terribly angry, the Emperor kicked Helen with his foot as she grabbed his leg and left the room without further ado. The Emperor hadn¡¯t been feeling too good lately. The Emperor of Idelberg, who was still invincible, was winning the war over and over again. Her father wouldn¡¯t have been so angry if Idelberg Emperor had lost the war even once. The man did not appear to be a human being. There were even rumors that he had even caught the legendary Hotch. Her father came to relieve his bad feelings, but Helen was not doing too well. She was on the verge of dying. She was suffocating. But her father had no intention of calling a physician or a priest to help Helen. If others saw Helen¡¯s wounds, they would be suspicious. Externally, he was the perfect father for his daughters. ¡°You¡¯re going to die.¡± The Emperor could see Helen¡¯s blood on his shoes. He scrubbed his shoes off the grass as if they were covered in dirt. That was it. *** Helen, who was left alone, felt a pain that seemed to stop her breathing. She was rather glad that she was going to die like this. She hated God for not listening to her wishes, but she would rather die than live like this. She was going to die soon anyway. When her sister reached twenty and ascended to the throne, she would kill her first, the thorn in her eyes. It would be better to die of a heart attack than to be decapitated and hanged on the city walls. ¡®At least I wouldn¡¯t be a laughing stock.¡± Suffocating, Helen gulped and felt happy. She wished her breathing would stop. She wished with all her heart, and wished again. But, as always, God was not on her side. Helen¡¯s powerful life brought her back to life, and when her father came to visit the next day, he looked at Helen and said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you can¡¯t even die properly.¡± He only clicked his tongue. *** It was a series of boring days. Helen was stuck in her room and did nothing but reading books, and every once in a while her father would come in and beat her. ¡°If you were only half as Edith, or even half as much, I wouldn¡¯t be so angry!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Helen couldn¡¯t even speak well in front of her father, and when she answered in a muffled voice, his expression became even more eerie. That day, too, he hit her to the brink of death. Blood burst and bruised all over her body. Not having the strength to get up from the floor, she lay down on the cold floor and looked up at the window. Nothing came out of her eyes because the tears had dried. ¡®I¡¯m just going to die in a heap.¡¯ Dying was not easy either. She would rather die than live like this, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to take her own life. ¡®I¡¯m stupid. Father is right.¡¯ ¡± ¡­ half of your sister Edith.¡± ¡®Which part?¡¯ Her sister, the one people loved and sparkled. Her face was better too. She was a beautiful princess with fine hair, a beautiful smile, a beautiful atmosphere that made everyone loved her. She was the love of the Empire. Helen, on the other hand, wore shabby clothes that even the maids did not wear, lived in a small room, could not brush her hair for days, and her hair was always a mess. Her face was always covered with bruises and bloodstains. ¡°If I had looked even half as much as Edith, or even as much as an ant, would my father have loved me?¡± *** The news of Emperor Idelberg¡¯s continuous victories made Emperor Cordelia¡¯s mood worsen. Even going to Helen to take it out on her was a dense level of frustration. How could he not make a single mistake? If only he had made that one mistake, just that one mistake, there was nothing more to wish for. By that mistake, he would have taken the head of Emperor Idelberg. As he was thinking this, a letter suddenly flew in from Idelberg. [Declare an end to war¡­] The Emperor¡¯s head has turned quickly. In exchange for the end of the war, Emperor Idelberg wanted the eldest daughter of each country. ¡°Oh¡­¡± The Emperor smiled, his eyes tearing like a dalmatian¡¯s when he saw an opportunity. The Emperor called the servant outside the door with a happy face. ¡°Call my daughters right now! Right now!¡± The Princesses. The servant was flabbergasted. It had been five years since Princess Helen had left the castle, so why was he calling for her? The servant had such a question. *** ¡°My father called me?¡± ¡°Yes. So hurry up and prepare to go to the main Palace.¡± ¡°I think you misunderstood. How could my father have called me there?¡± ¡°No, I heard him clearly. He told me to go get the princesses.¡± ¡°My father¡­.?¡± Helen¡¯s heart tickled for no reason. Princesses? Her heart was pounding at the title she hadn¡¯t heard in a long time, and for a moment, the servant¡¯s expression touched and fell with Helen¡¯s happiness. Helen was having trouble entering the main palace looking like this. However, she didn¡¯t have any extra clothes to change into. The other ones were in a similar condition. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Helen followed the servant¡¯s footsteps. The attendant tilted her head curiously as Helen walked with unbalanced steps. Her left foot was hurt because her father had stepped on it last time. ¡°Oh, I fell yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯ll walk slowly. Let me know if I¡¯m going too fast. I¡¯ll adjust my speed.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Helen was not used to such favors. The servant looked at Helen with a pity look as she nodded with a perplexed face. As much as she was trying to hide it in a certain way, she already knew all about Princess Helen¡¯s position. The poor princess. Without knowing that the servant was looking at her with pity, Helen was busy hiding her feet. ¡®Father called me to the main palace. I¡¯m sure good things will happen today!¡¯ That was what Helen thought. But It didn¡¯t take long for that illusion to be broken. *** As the door to the parlor in the main castle opened and she entered, Helen saw her father and her sister Edith waiting for her. Edith was wearing a gorgeous dress, sparkling earrings and necklaces. Her fine blond hair swayed in the air. She was beautiful. As Helen hesitated with such a trifling thought, the Emperor looked at her and exclaimed with great joy. ¡°Helen! My proud daughter!¡± Then he approached at once and embraced Helen. Helen was puzzled, but then she realized something was wrong with the situation. It was strange. She couldn¡¯t believe her father was hugging her. But she liked the feeling of being hugged in her father¡¯s arms, Helen swallowed her doubts and squeezed her hands. She was afraid she would beg him to hold her more. ¡®Then father will beat me again.¡¯ The emperor looked down at Helen, who he was holding in his arms. ¡®If you do well¡­¡¯ The emperor¡¯s head worked agilely. ¡°Sit here.¡± The emperor released his precious daughter Edith and took Helen¡¯s hand in his. He even removed the chair directly from her and gave her a gentle look, something he didn¡¯t usually do. His look gave her a burden, but she didn¡¯t feel bad. Helen¡¯s cheeks glowed softly like a baby¡¯s. ¡°My precious daughter.¡± Then he patted Helen¡¯s head. ¡®Why¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Helen didn¡¯t know why he was doing it. She wondered if he was going to suddenly change and hit her head. The look in Edith¡¯s eyes at that moment was very unpleasant. She didn¡¯t know Edith was capable of making that kind of expression. It was the first expression she had seen from her older sister, who was always lovely. Strange. She felt like this seat didn¡¯t belong to her. Feeling uncomfortable, Helen looked up and stared at her father. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± She stammered again. Oh! Helen covered her mouth in surprise. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe she was showing her ugly behavior in front of her sister. She was sure her father would punish her again. Helen¡¯s shoulders began to tremble slightly. When the emperor saw Helen becoming frightened with her mouth covered, he patted her shoulders. ¡°My daughter Helen, I have called you here because I have something to say to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Yes.¡± Such a gentle voice. This was the moment Helen had hoped for her whole life, so why did it make her feel so sick? It was as if it was right before a storm blew. The expression of her sister¡¯s dissatisfaction played a big part. ¡°Emperor Idelberg, who recently won the war against another country, wants a concubine.¡± Chapter 2 **** Helen looked at her sister as soon as she heard about the concubine. If it was a concubine that a powerful Emperor wanted, it couldn¡¯t be her. Her sister Edith also looked at her father with panicked eyes. ¡°But I¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry Edith. It won¡¯t be you who goes to the Idelberg Empire, it will be Helen.¡± ¡°!¡± Now Helen was perplexed. How could she be the one that the Idelberg Emperor wants? ¡°Does His Majesty Idelberg want ¡­.me?¡± It was only possible for the second daughter to take the place of the concubine, either because the emperor wanted her directly or if there was a serious problem with the first daughter. The father shook his head and answered. ¡°No, the Idelberg Empire wanted Edith.¡± ¡°But why am I going?¡± ¡°Listen carefully, Helen.¡± The father said in a stern voice, but his unusual buoyancy was still evident. ¡°This is our opportunity. An opportunity to deal with my lifelong nemesis.¡± ¡°!¡± A nemesis? ! And it wasn¡¯t exactly a nemesis, it was the son of a nemesis. For the previous Emperor had already retired, and the current Emperor was his son. Helen didn¡¯t know what happened between her father and the previous Emperor of Idelberg, but he hated and disliked the previous Emperor of Idelberg to death. However, his enemies in other countries knew well, and if her father killed the Idelberg Emperor now, the arrow would naturally go to Cordelia. ¡°But father, this is too dangerous!¡± Edith shouted. Helen couldn¡¯t believe her sister could speak that loud to their father. ¡®If I do that, I¡¯ll die.¡¯ Just thinking about it made her mouth dry. The Emperor grabbed Helen¡¯s shrinking shoulders firmly. ¡°So shouldn¡¯t Helen go more? Edith is the future leader of the country. But Helen¡­¡± Her father didn¡¯t finish his sentence. But Helen¡¯s cold eyes drooped. ¡®So this time I¡¯ll still just be used for Edith¡¯s benefit.¡¯ Helen knew that whether she failed or succeeded in killing the Emperor, she would have no life of her own afterwards. Once the assassination was over, she would have to die, and her father couldn¡¯t have not known that. Helen realized that her father, who looked at her with a cold stare, was no different from abandoning her at this moment. And she didn¡¯t have a choice. To be the concubine and die, or stuck in the house and waiting for her life to end. ¡°I will obey your orders. I will go to the Idelberg Empire in place of my sister.¡± Helen gritted her teeth. Even at this moment when her father had abandoned her, she liked the warmth of his father¡¯s hand rising above her shoulders. Such a tragic outcome¡­. It was only when she was prepared to die that she could receive a touch from her father. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s my daughter.¡± She was his daughter only if she gave up her life. Helen felt a bitterness in her mouth. The emperor hugged Helen with a happy look on his face. Little did he know that this embrace was Helen¡¯s lifelong wish. ¡°If you finish well and come back, I will protect you for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Yes¡­¡± Everyone in the room knew that Helen was not coming back. But Helen didn¡¯t dare to say it out loud. She hoped that the last warmth she felt from her father would last as long as possible. She looked over her father¡¯s shoulder and saw a faint smile of relief on her sister¡¯s face. Could that smile be an illusion? *** God always grants our wishes when we least expect it. Helen didn¡¯t expect her wish to come true this way, that if she was willing to die, her father would let her out of the castle. She never thought she¡¯d go outside the castle to kill someone. Helen didn¡¯t doze for a moment on the carriage ride to Idelberg. Except for the moment when they stopped to rest, she stayed tightly to the carriage window and looked outside. She had never seen anything like it. The trees were so tightly planted that she couldn¡¯t see what was ahead of her, and her father, who looked down from the top of a high ridge, was barely more than a thumbnail. Perhaps that was why Helen was so excited, even though she was going to Idelberg to die. She felt like a fool, but she spared no time and tried to look at the sight as much as possible. The people she saw when they passed the market were all radiant. They were full of life, and everyone was laughing in their own way. The image lingered in her mind, and Helen looked at her reflection over the ridge by the river where the procession was resting for a while. She could see her figure in the water floating along the channel. Helen smiled. She wanted to smile like that innocent little girl she saw at the market. But what she saw in the water was a skinny woman with a cramp in her mouth. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Helen vented her anger on the water. took it out on the water, stirring it quickly with her hand so that she wouldn¡¯t see her image. ¡®I¡¯m never going to shine like those girls¡­¡¯ Helen didn¡¯t even look out the window that day because she felt so depressed. She was depressed because she felt like everything was sparkling, except her. *** Helen stood before a High Priest wearing a white veil. The wedding ceremony that took place upon her arrival in the Idelberg Empire was very simple. It was such a small ceremony that it was embarrassing to even call it a wedding. The emperor¡¯s chamberlain and the pope read the proclamation in front of the delegation of nations. The emperor was nowhere to be seen, and Helen thus became the Emperor¡¯s twenty-seventh concubine. They entered the imperial Castle and passed through it in a hurry. All the maidservants and knights who came with Helen from Cordelia had to leave except for one. A knight named Paul remained, but even that he was not allowed in the concubine¡¯s annex, so she was effectively cut off from Cordelia. Helen was standing there in a daze with her small luggage when a girl with red hair with one head smaller than Helen¡¯s, came running toward her. ¡°You were waiting for me, weren¡¯t you? Sorry! The chief maid¡¯s little speech was too long.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡®Who is she?¡¯ With her round eyes and red hair, the girl looked like a rabbit Helen had when she was little. Cute. While Helen was thinking about this, the red-haired girl chirped like a sparrow. ¡°My name is Ellie! Is your luggage heavy? I¡¯ll carry it for you!¡± The spontaneous Ellie quickly took Helen¡¯s luggage. Ellie looked rather surprised because the luggage she thought was heavy was infinitely light. ¡°Huh? It looks like you didn¡¯t bring all your luggage? I guess your country will send your luggage by carriage later!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Helen didn¡¯t know how to answer. Many of the princesses from other countries brought more than one carriage, and many of them brought two or three pieces of luggage. Helen felt embarrassed that she had only one light bag. ¡°Then let me show you to your room.¡± It wasn¡¯t until a few days later that Helen realized that Ellie was her personal maid all along. It was the first time she had heard of such a maid. ¡®It¡¯s impossible for a princess to be ignorant of such things, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s just keep it quiet.¡¯ Helen mainly just nodded at Ellie¡¯s words. Helen had come here to kill people. That, and the empire, the emperor. That was why she didn¡¯t dare to get close to Ellie. She was afraid that Ellie might get hurt by spending time with her. So a few weeks went by. The routine has not changed. Helen was worried about the Emperor coming to visit, but no one came. When she woke up in the morning, Ellie would wait for her. Then she would take a walk, read a book, and that was the end of the day. What some might consider a boring day felt like a blessing in disguise to Helen. ¡®It¡¯s fun¡¯, Helen thought. But Ellie was like a sparrow who chattered incessantly. There was no reply, and her heart, which was closed like a castle iron wall. Unbeknownst to Helen, she was opening the door to Ellie little by little. ¡°Would you like to have a meal, princess?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Helen murmured quietly as she watched Ellie take care of her meal. ¡°What about you¡­?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t eat?¡± ¡°Are you worried about me just now?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡®Was I not supposed to say that?¡¯ Ellie looked at Helen in surprise. ¡®I said something unnecessary! Other princesses wouldn¡¯t say such things!¡¯ Helen bit her bottom lip. But Ellie was rather delighted. A person who had been behaving like an abandoned kitten had finally opened her mouth in a matter of weeks. And now she was even worried about a maid like herself. ¡°Oh, how can a princess be so kind!¡± Ellie would take Helen in her arms and hug her if she could. However, she did not forget that she was dealing with a princess. ¡°Please eat. I will eat when I return, after the princess has finished her meal.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Helen¡¯s cheeks reddened involuntarily at Ellie¡¯s friendly words. Never in her life had she felt such friendliness. As each day passed with Ellie, Helen was greedy for life. She wanted to live a little longer. The freedom she tasted unexpectedly was so sweet that she didn¡¯t have the courage to end this life. ¡®Yes, the emperor didn¡¯t come¡­.That¡¯s why I can¡¯t kill him. It¡¯s not that I disobeyed my father¡¯s orders.¡¯ Helen moved her hands, looking for excuses every day. If she received a letter from her father, she would write the reason she thought. That the concubines were not allowed to see the Emperor without permission, and it wasn¡¯t easy for the concubines to leave the annex. ¡®Will my father forgive me for this¡­?¡¯ Helen closed the book she had been reading as she thought about the letter. It was hard to breathe and she couldn¡¯t look at the book. There was nothing wrong with going on with her life without having to leave the concubine¡¯s residence. One maidservant was assigned to her by the emperor and one knight brought from the Cordelian Empire, but even that was useless when she was tied to the residence and only read books. A year of time had passed since she didn¡¯t leave the annex like that. *** Every day, Helen read only books, and never went out of the annex, but she knew the rumors about Emperor Idelberg. Because the concubines¡¯ biggest concern was the emperor except Helen in this annex. The chatter of the courtesans seated at a round table in the side yard could be heard in Helen¡¯s residence. ¡°Did you hear the rumors? After winning the war, he freed all the prisoners. Maybe he¡¯s not as cruel as the rumors say.¡± ¡°But¡­ he fought in the war for ten years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­Rumors of him being an evil spirit, but he doesn¡¯t get out of the palace much. So, how did he commit the evil deed?¡± Helen¡¯s ears perked up as she listened to the conversation of the women. She agreed with the concubines. Rumors had spread in her home country that the Emperor of Idelberg was a scary demon, but there were many things that didn¡¯t fit the demon¡¯s fame. For a whole year he had not been seen to be as greedy as the rumors made him out to be. He was also rumored to be merciful to those of lower status than himself, and even though he was the emperor, Helen heard that he woke up early in the morning every day to take care of the political affairs. Moreover, he was always improving his martial arts skills. An Emperor who had none of the seven great evils: anger, greed, pride, jealousy, laziness, gluttony, and lust. He was the perfect emperor. However, there was one part of him that Helen was curious, and it was the very part of ¡®lust.¡¯ Chapter 3 *** Not only did he have no lust, but also there was no lust part. People thought he was full of desires since he had so many concubines. But he never slept with any woman, except with the Empress once a year. The choice of a concubine was merely a pretext for peace. He was not fond of banquets, and on many occasions, when a banquet was held at the Imperial Palace, he would leave early and let the Empress handle it. He didn¡¯t even invite his concubines to the banquets. However, the Emperor¡¯s eccentric was fortunate for Helen On her wedding day, she was worried that he might visit her in the evening, but she was relieved to find that he did not look for any of the twenty-seven concubines of his entourage. All contact with the emperor was cut off. Perhaps she could live quietly like this forever. Helen woke up relaxed again today and took a walk in the garden that was built near the annex, then ate the food that Ellie had prepared. And read a book while relaxing in the sun. This was all the life of a concubine. She was afraid that if she died, God would punish her for being so lazy, but she liked the way she was living, and even if she was punished, it would be sweet. Her goal wasn¡¯t to kill the emperor. She had no good reason to refuse her father¡¯s orders, so she came this far, but Helen was getting greedier by the day. To live each day with joy. That was Helen¡¯s goal. But Ellie didn¡¯t think that way. When she saw Helen in this lazy state, she looked unhappy and sulked. ¡°The other concubines are on the edge of their seats, but you¡¯re now worried at all.¡± ¡®What¡¯s there to worry about? What will the Emperor really do?¡¯ Seeing Ellie so sincerely worried about Helen¡¯s safety made her feel bad. It was no exaggeration to say that among the maidservants of the concubines, the favored mistress¡¯s maidservants rose to the top. They were able to gain wealth, honor, and fortune. It was only natural, since they became the second highest-ranking women, excluding the Empress. Therefore, the maids were desperate to help out the concubines they served. However, the maidservant assigned to her, Ellie, was not going to be rich for the rest of her life. The fact that she was assigned to Helen meant that she was not from a good family, and she would never be able to win the favor of the emperor, so her path to success was closed. ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± Helen bowed her head apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Because you¡¯re the easiest person to serve out of all the concubines.¡± Ellie said comfortably. ¡°The other maids are scolded every day, and the anger caused by the absence of the emperor is unleashed on them. The other maids are envious of me.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll never get ahead.¡± ¡°The Emperor is unique.¡± Even the maids knew that Emperor Carmun Idelberg was unique. An emperor who wouldn¡¯t even embrace the Empress, let alone a concubine¡­ The nobles were in an uproar over the Emperor¡¯s peculiar behavior. There must be a huge flaw in the emperor¡¯s lower body. However, since no one had ever seen the Emperor¡¯s lower half, rumors grew more and more widespread, and it was rumored that the emperor was enjoying his single life or that he had a secret lover. ¡°It¡¯s safe if you don¡¯t say that to others. They will beat you.¡± Helen turned pale and hurriedly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s true.¡± But Helen trembled more to think that Ellie, who was younger than her, would be right. ¡°Of course.¡± Ellie laughed and poured tea into the teacup. Ellie was a good kid, but the problem was that she talked a lot. She came to the palace at a young age and learned to work quickly, and she loved hanging out with people. Helen looked sideways at Ellie, but Ellie looked at the book Helen had been reading and sighed gloomily. ¡°Are you reading that book again?¡± ¡°Oh, this book?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it the Adventures of Idelberg? I¡¯ve seen it so many times that I even remember the title.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ellie¡¯s rebuke forced Helen to cover the book and review the title again. ¡®I hadn¡¯t read that many, it seemed.¡¯ The front part of the book was still clean. Helen had read more books in her room in Cordelia than she could count, where the fronts were old and gone, and only the contents remained. ¡°Go read other books. You¡¯ve read this one so much that it¡¯s all worn out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read all the books in the Imperial Palace Library. If you are unhappy with the way I read, just tell me.¡± Helen didn¡¯t want to lose the kindness she had first experienced. She really liked books, but if Ellie told her to stop reading, she would never read again. Ellie began to sweat down her back as Helen opened her eyes and asked genuinely. ¡°I¡¯m not unhappy at all!¡± Ellie waved her hands in the air hurriedly. She denied to the end that she was absolutely not dissatisfied and continued to speak. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard that the Emperor¡¯s private library has more books than the Imperial Library. Why don¡¯t you visit His Majesty next time and ask him to access his library?¡± Helen always knew this girl was good at her job, but¡­ That was amazing. Helen¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Thanks for letting me know.¡± After Ellie left, Helen couldn¡¯t continue reading the book. It seemed she lost her interest in it. In the meantime, the mention of the emperor¡¯s private library, with new books, was as exciting to the book-hungry Helen as hearing about the location of the oasis. ¡°The emperor¡¯s private library?¡± Helen covered the Adventures of Idelberg book as if nothing had happened. This book could no longer relieve Helen¡¯s boredom. *** Helen looked out the window of her place and felt that today was the right day. It was late at night, and the moon had finally risen, but it was dim and hidden by clouds. ¡°Since I won¡¯t be able to see the Emperor¡­ I really don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Helen gulped nervously. Quietly changing into comfortable clothes, she tied her hair into a single strand. Her long, wispy blonde hair was tied up, and she liked the ease of its movement. In addition, as she stood in front of the mirror wearing dark clothes which wasn¡¯t a dress, like a man. She suddenly felt different from the first day she came here. Her wavy blond hair was shinier, her cheeks were fuller and fluffier thanks to eating well and sleeping well. And her skin was white, which reminded her of Edith¡¯s. ¡®We¡¯re sisters for sure.¡¯ Her father didn¡¯t seem to think so. Compared to Helen¡¯s hair, Edith¡¯s blonde hair had a slight red tint to it. And she has a slightly colder face¡­ Apart from that, their faces were similar enough to be believable that they were twins. So when her father said, ¡°I wish you looked just half as good as Edith,¡± he wasn¡¯t talking about her appearance. It was about something deeper inside that she didn¡¯t know. ¡°No. Don¡¯t be depressed.¡± When she thought of my father, Helen felt a sharp pain in her heart. Her palms were sweating and she felt suffocated. She took in a big breath to ease the tension. ¡°Just a confirmation.¡± According to her research, the emperor¡¯s private library was located near the Lion Palace. Fortunately, it was not in the Lion Palace. But ¡­.. The area was oddly empty. Not a single antling was to be seen, except for the eerie sound of the door opening. The moment of entering through the library door, Helen¡¯s heart clenched even more. Thump. Thump. Helen felt like her heart was going to explode as she climbed the stairs to the library. She climbed the stairs, barely lighting her way with a little light. ¡°Shhhh, my heart is going to explode! Should I just go straight home? I¡¯ve come this far but I¡¯m so scared.¡± Helen was scared that someone was here, but she was also scared that no one was here. She could barely stand the horrible feeling as if a jet-black darkness was swallowing her, and opened the door to the entrance. Squeak. The lonely sound sent goosebumps up Helen¡¯s spine. In the dark night, Helen arrived at the emperor¡¯s library with her footsteps hushed, and had an experience that confused her mind. She swept the bookshelves quickly with her eyes. The shelves were filled with so many books that she thought she might die from being surrounded by them. Her eyes were adapting to the books, forgetting the darkness. Helen hastily touched the books as she put down the light, her eyes sparkling. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there are so many books I don¡¯t know about. It¡¯s true.¡± Ellie¡¯s story was true. The Emperor¡¯s private library was stacked with an incomparable number of books. She felt like she had found a golden vault of jewels, and her heart was pounding. Helen took out the one book she really wanted to read and turned the first page. It was then that she felt the presence of someone right behind her that she didn¡¯t notice before. ¡°Who is it? Show your face.¡± ¡®Oh, no, I messed up! I¡¯ve got caught¡­!¡¯ She realized too late that someone was coming up behind her back because she was blinded by a book. That was not the problem now. Because a sword was pointing at her neck. ¡°!¡± ¡°Turn around.¡± The man¡¯s low voice was like a growl. Even more so since the library was empty. Someone had found out that she had recklessly stepped into the emperor¡¯s private library. Helen had no idea what the penalty would be. She turned around with a nervous gesture. How could she plead not guilty with her suspicious appearance? In the meantime, she thought the man who guarded the Emperor¡¯s library looked a little strange. The shirt he was wearing was open, revealing his entire chest, and the hem of the shirt was sticking out of his pants. It was quite lacking in etiquette for a nobleman¡¯s attire. ¡®Is he recently knighted? He doesn¡¯t look like he was allowed to be in here.¡¯ ¡°Who are you?¡± The man¡¯s words were short. Helen took another look at the man she didn¡¯t recognize. Seeing the sword case at his waist and it looked like he was a knight alright. ¡®No concubine knew his face.¡¯ It was a new joy and a fright. Helen thought it was a good excuse to tell her father, and how could she overcome the difficulties now? It occurred to her at the same time. ¡°Excuse me¡­I¡­.¡± Helen tried to tell the man to remove the sword in a hushed voice. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 *** As soon as Helen opened her mouth, the man put the sword closer to her neck. ¡°You will only answer my questions.¡± ¡°My name is Edith Cordelia¡­.¡± ¡°Is that your name?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man who saw Helen behaving obediently put the sword away. However, he could have easily subdued her with one hand. Carmun put the sword away, but he still stared at Helen with a suspicious look. The gaze of the man was very burdensome. ¡®No, it¡¯s terrifying¡­..¡¯ Helen was frightened by the huge size of the man. Her father was much smaller than this man, but when he hit her, it hurt a lot. So if this man hit her, she might not be able to walk tomorrow. ¡°Why did you come here?¡± ¡°Ah¡­, I was looking for a book.¡± ¡°A book?¡± The man frowned at Helen¡¯s words. ¡°So you are from this country?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± Helen answered in a tearful voice to the man¡¯s urging. ¡°No, I¡¯m from a small country far away called Cordelia.¡± ¡°Why have you come?¡± ¡°Ah, I got married here.¡± ¡°Then why are you here, without your husband?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen my husband. He probably doesn¡¯t even know I¡¯m here. I¡¯m just here to read a book. ¡­. If you let me go¡­¡± ¡°Hey!¡± The man said in a frightened tone. Helen suddenly burst into tears. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her father told her that she shouldn¡¯t cry in front of other people. But she was so scared that she couldn¡¯t help but cry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The man stopped doubting Helen when he saw that she was constantly apologizing in tears. He put the sword in the sheath and scratched his head in a panic. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± The man¡¯s words made Helen¡¯s eyes widened. She looked up and the man spoke again. ¡°I thought you were here to kill me.¡± ¡°Ha¡­.¡± Helen blinked, forgetting that she was crying, because the man lightly wiped Helen¡¯s tears with his thumb. The hands of the man who swept under her eyes were rough, but his behavior was friendly. Suddenly, Helen was embarrassed by the man who was acting like this and bumped into a bookcase as she stepped back. The books poured down. She squeezed her eyes shut in surprise. Instinctively, she wrapped herself with her hands. However, even though she could hear the sound of the books dropping, it didn¡¯t hurt one bit. Besides, strangely enough, her body felt warm. Huh¡­ When she gently opened her eyes, Helen hastily inhaled. The man¡¯s red eyes were visible in front of her. Black hair and red eyes. ¡°Oh, does it hurt?¡± The man covered Helen in his arms and got hit with books instead. And some of the books looked quite heavy. ¡°Oh, are you all right?¡± Helen stammered in panic. She was very worried about the man, precisely because he was injured because of her, and also because he might get angry and point his sword at her again. ¡°Why are you doing this? If you let me go, you would have been fine.¡± The man frowned at Helen¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve gone to a lot of trouble to help you.¡± To him, Helen looked like a little chicken. Partly because of her blonde hair, but also because she sounded like one too. If a chick was to get under that book, she would probably die. He felt that way, and his body reacted voluntarily. He had no problem with being hit by books. ¡°Never mind.¡± Then the man quickly returned to his original position. It seemed he had been sitting there since Helen walked in. Only the place where the man sat had a chair sticking out at an angle. She was happy seeing all the books that she didn¡¯t notice the man was here all along. The man¡¯s dark hair must have played a role in the unexpected hiding. ¡®I¡¯m such an idiot¡­¡¯ Helen blamed herself. In the middle of it all, Helen saw the man bobbing his arms around and approached him carefully. ¡°Ah¡­ Thank you for saving me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking now? You¡¯re a very quick one to say thank you.¡± Sarcasm¡­? The man sat back in his chair with a generous smile on his face. She was grateful for his help, but he was the man with the sword on her neck earlier. Suddenly, anger rose in her heart. Concubines were next in line to the Empress, because they were treated as imperial ladies. When she saw the man cheekily crossing his arms in front of her and acting all regal, she wondered why she was being treated like this. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡± Then the man slowly turns back around. His steely eyes were a little wrinkled. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°This is the emperor¡¯s library, and it¡¯s not a place where anyone can enter without permission.¡± ¡°This is the emperor¡¯s library?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a knight?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a knight?¡± The conversation was spinning out of control. The man tilted his head curiously. ¡°Do you know anything about me?¡± ¡°No.¡± The man suddenly jumped up and approached Helen. The sound of his trudging steps echoed through the spacious library. ¡®Oh, no, he¡¯s too fast¡­!¡¯ Helen backed away quickly, but couldn¡¯t take more than three steps before the man grabbed her. ¡°You can¡¯t grab me without permission!¡± ¡°Oh, did you say you have a husband?¡± The man answered casually. He still didn¡¯t seem to be willing to let go. Helen¡¯s brow furrowed as her grabbed wrist throbbed with pain. She tried to twist her wrist to get out of his grasp, but the man held it with more force. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about running away. I will not release you unless you answer my questions.¡± ¡°¡­Mmm, what are you talking about¡­?¡± Helen stammered again. Her face flushed with embarrassment, but the man didn¡¯t care and stuck out his left arm. It was an arm wrapped in hard muscles. And there were words written on it. [Do not let others find you. Do not leave the library.] ¡°Who wrote this?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡®How do I know that?¡¯ Helen shook her head saying she didn¡¯t know, but the man didn¡¯t seem unwilling to let her go. ¡°Then I will ask you another question.¡± ¡°But first, please let go of my wrist. It hurts so much.¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± The man let go of her wrist, looking as if he had forgotten about it. Helen hastily covered her wrist with her sleeve, as the man¡¯s hand had left a mark, exactly as it had been shaped. ¡°I¡¯ve left a mark.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think your husband would be upset if he saw it.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Do you trust your husband?¡± ¡®Husband? How can I trust my husband if I don¡¯t even know his face?¡¯ ¡°I never see him, so he can¡¯t find out.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The man chuckled in amusement. He took Helen to the sofa. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you.¡± Talk? Did she deserve to sit on the couch and talk to him? But if she didn¡¯t comply, she would find herself grabbed by the wrist again. Helen nodded quietly, too scared to do anything about it. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know who I was. Then do you know who wrote these words?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then who is the person who brought you here?¡± ¡°How would I know? I¡¯ve never been here before today.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The man had been here for many years already. He always woke up at the same time and in the same place, but he knew nothing. He even heard today through this woman that this was the emperor¡¯s library. ¡°Who am I?¡± ¡°¡­ You really are a strange person.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± The man stroked his chin with a slightly darkened face. The moonlight came in through the window and illuminated them both. He was handsome, but he was strange. The man¡¯s dark hair shone, even though it was not bathed in light from the chandelier. His features were mesmerizing, with sharp eyes underneath, and a high nose and soft lips. His skin was soft and moist, with many scars visible on his chest, due to the slightly open shirt. And a little overall tanned skin, cold blade at the waist. ¡°You are a knight, aren¡¯t you?¡± It was a reasonable and appropriate deduction. The man opened both eyes a little wider at Helen¡¯s words. ¡°I see. So I¡¯m a knight.¡± He has read so many books over the years since he has been locked in this library. He had seen some material on knights. It was said that they were members of the noble families, who devoted their allegiance to the imperial family, participated in the wars, and were in charge of the imperial family and the security of the capital. ¡°That may be so¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Can I leave now¡­?¡± The man looked at Helen, who was sitting right in front of him. He could barely make out her face in the moonlight and the small light she brought. He wondered what scared her so much seeing her shaky body. He felt sorry for her, but the words that came out of his mouth were firm. ¡°No.¡± It was the first time he had seen a human being in years besides himself. If he let her go, he didn¡¯t know how many more years he would have to wait. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ll have to stay with me a little longer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Helen¡¯s shoulders shrunk. Even though It wasn¡¯t a threat. The bruises on her wrist were seen because of the thin fabric. He thought it was a bit of a grip, but the woman¡¯s wrist couldn¡¯t handle it. ¡®Was it made of clouds?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your wrist. It won¡¯t happen again. Besides, are you cold? Why are you shivering so much?¡± It was because the man was suspicious, but Helen couldn¡¯t say so. When Helen didn¡¯t speak, the man frowned in frustration and threw his jacket at Helen. ¡°Tell me if you¡¯re cold. I know you¡¯re here because of me, so I can help you, I¡¯ll make fire using the books if you want.¡± ¡°Ah, burn the books?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No, absolutely not!¡± ¡°Did you just yell?¡± The man was a little surprised and taken aback. For the first time, the woman who had been sitting there as if she was dead screamed. ¡°Ah¡­, I¡¯m sorry¡­But you can never burn books.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± The woman was cold. What¡¯s the point of having books? To him, the most important thing was the woman in front of him. The woman looked quite frustrated. ¡°I thought you were really going to scream.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m calm now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The woman blushed a little, as if she was a little perplexed. He rather liked the way she looked. He thought their meeting wasn¡¯t long, but a bright light was coming in from somewhere. The sun will be up soon. The woman felt it too. ¡°Do you have to go back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then if you listen to me, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Come tomorrow. We will continue tomorrow night, and the night after that, and the night after that, and the night after that. That is, until my questions are answered.¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s not possible. If we get caught, it won¡¯t end up being scolded.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well aware of that.¡± The red eyes of the knight gave Helen an illusion as if she had seen them somewhere before. ¡®I couldn¡¯t have seen it.¡¯ However, Helen was horrified at the sight of the man who looked very much like the appearance of the emperor she had heard so much about. But the emperor did not have cousins who looked like him. ¡°You must know that no one is allowed to set foot in the Emperor¡¯s library.¡± ¡°!¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 That sounds too ridiculous to be true. The man just tried to blackmail her. The woman who said she was married and living in the imperial family looked very expensive in her black clothes, and she was the wife of an important person, so she must have come here secretly, without any guards, and carrying a small light. ¡°How do you like it? If you say you won¡¯t come tomorrow, I¡¯ll shout and call the people right now. Since you say you have a husband, it will be a very big problem if they find out that you are alone with a strange man in such a secret place.¡± The man whispered. It was a low voice, but it was stuck in the sensitive Helen¡¯s ear. ¡®What should I do!?¡¯ The man who threatened her approached the window and took a deep breath, as if he really meant to do it. Isn¡¯t that crazy? It wasn¡¯t just her who was being punished, he would be included! Helen got up and hurriedly grabbed the man¡¯s cuff. ¡°Hey!¡± The man slowly turned and looked at Helen. Confidence pervaded the man¡¯s face. It was as if he already knew that this deal was a win-win deal for him. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯ll be back tomorrow. And the day after that. So please stop.¡± Helen was more afraid of her father punishing her for the commotion than to be punished by the Emperor. ¡®I know my father is not here, but¡­¡¯ The man lifted Helen¡¯s depressed head in his hands. He looked at her and murmured as if he were making an imprint. ¡°So I will see you tomorrow.¡± Helen trudged back to her room. She couldn¡¯t tell if what she had experienced was a dream or reality. ¡®I just went there to read a book.¡¯ The book still flickered in front of her eyes. She tried to get it, but they had already been decimated or were stacks of books that even had forbidden books from other countries. ¡®It¡¯s a shame. If I could turn even one page.¡¯ Helen imagined the feel of the book on her fingertips as she returned to her room, it was still night when the sun had not risen. ¡®He really is a strange man.¡¯ Helen struggled up into bed and laid her tired body down. The man acted as if he had lost his memory. ¡®But does that make sense? A man with no memory lives in the Emperor¡¯s library?¡¯ ¡®So is he lying¡­?¡¯ But he really looked like he had no memory of it. Anyway, he was a strange person. That strange person even threatened her. ¡®If I don¡¯t visit him tomorrow night, he might call an escort to investigate me.¡¯ ¡®..sigh¡­ I got involved with a really ridiculous person.¡¯ ¡®But he saved my life.¡¯ She never would have thought of that. Her father would have thrown the book at her instead of saving her from it. For no reason, a corner of her heart softened. Helen woke up, startled. ¡°But he was blackmailing me!¡± She slapped her cheek lightly and shook her head lightly. She couldn¡¯t sleep and waited for the morning with all her worries. She wanted to ask Ellie about something when she arrived. The sun had risen and she could hear rustling outside. ¡°Ellie, you¡¯re here!¡± Ellie¡¯s eyes fluttered in surprise at the sight of the mistress, who was very happy as soon as she walked in. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re looking especially cheerful today! It¡¯s very nice.¡± Ellie said with a bright smile. Helen was wondering how to make her story seem less suspicious. ¡°Does the Emperor have any other relatives?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡®Why is she surprised?¡¯ Helen watched Ellie¡¯s face carefully. ¡°I¡¯m just perplexed by the suddenness of the question. You have never really asked anything before.¡± ¡°¡­Uh..¡± ¡°Please wait a moment before I answer.¡± Ellie placed Helen¡¯s food on the bed and closed the curtains of the room again. The room was now dimly lit. After closing the door tightly, Ellie finally came back to Helen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You are waiting for my answer.¡± It sounded as if it was very important. So much so that it had to be thoroughly secured. Helen¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the unexpected secret. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The Emperor¡¯s personal matters cannot be spoken of unnecessarily.¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to tell me then!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. As long as we don¡¯t get caught, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ellie¡¯s words were bolder than she had expected, and Helen was left speechless. She began to speak in front of Helen, who kept blinking. ¡°None of them are alive at the moment.¡± ¡°Alive¡­ There are none?¡± Then does that mean they are all dead? ¡°The current emperor killed every last one of them. And that was ten years ago.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Are you surprised?¡± ¡°No, something like that happened in my country too.¡± ¡°Yes. But such things are not common in Idelberg.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why. They say the only reason it became known was because of the political position.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡®It had to be kept secret. I can¡¯t believe the emperor exterminated his family¡­.¡¯ The words ¡°the emperor is a Devil ¡± popped into Helen¡¯s head again. Was he as scary as they said? She wanted to avoid meeting him as much as possible. If she tried to kill such a person, she would probably be killed first. ¡°You don¡¯t look well.¡± Ellie asked with concern. She was worried that the mistress, who was so timid, might have been shocked. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for the meal.¡± After a quiet murmur, Helen ate her meal. She looked somewhat stunned. *** So is the man really a knight? Is he a person who works in the palace? Then why is it in the library? Why doesn¡¯t he just get out? Countless questions rush through Helen¡¯s head, ¡®Should I go? Should I not go?¡¯ This was still another worry. Ellie asked cautiously, sitting in a chair in a daze and watching Helen think. ¡°You haven¡¯t read a book today, are you worried about something?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Helen¡¯s expression sank as she said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°If you have any concerns, please let me know. I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± But Helen couldn¡¯t dare to tell Ellie about the problem. The princesses from the various countries were all beautiful people. Their personalities were a little different and they were hard to get along with, but they oozed innate elegance. There seemed to be no trouble for those people, and everyone was going through it well. Living in the annex didn¡¯t mean everyone was in the same boat. Helen wasn¡¯t as beautiful as the other women, but she still wanted to have a companion. She didn¡¯t want to be useless even to other people. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She didn¡¯t want Ellie to think that she was useless. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s my problem. I¡¯ll fix it!¡¯ *** Helen entered the library quietly, the man was waiting for her. He was sitting in the same place as last night, holding in his hand the small light that Helen had left behind. ¡®The wick is burned out. There¡¯s no fire. Why is he keeping it?¡¯ As the question arose, the man raised his head, feeling a presence. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± The man¡¯s face relaxed, as if he had been waiting for her. Helen was in a strange mood for no reason. ¡°You kept your promise.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The man didn¡¯t really think she would come back. There was no way he could do anything if the woman ran away. He was in no position to leave the library himself. ¡°Sit down.¡± The man was unusually kind today. It was nothing compared to last night. He approached Helen and held out his hand as if he was escorting her. ¡°Grab it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°You said you were a wife. Isn¡¯t this a formality?¡± Courtesy? The word made Helen irritated. She was born an imperial princess, but she was no better than a servant girl, let alone a noblewoman. But she placed her hand on top of the man¡¯s hand anyway. ¡°Very well.¡± Everyone seemed to do this. Taking Helen¡¯s hand in his, the man sat her down in the seat beside him. ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t I sit across from you?¡± ¡°Stay here.There¡¯s no fire, and it¡¯s dark.¡± He was right. There was no light today, so it was very dark and they couldn¡¯t see each other very well. However, she could see his eyes very clearly. With his black hair and red eyes, like the color of blood. Helen, who had been stealing glances at him, closed her eyes and waited for the man to start talking first. ¡°Have you seen everything yet?¡± This man was very sensitive, though she¡¯d felt it before. ¡°I¡¯m sorry . . the colors are so unusual¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± The man looked directly at Helen, who immediately felt sorry. In the man¡¯s eyes, Helen was just as strange. The first woman he met was small and soft, not even half his size. Her long, wavy hair was tinged with gold. ¡°Your hair is amazing, too. Are all women this golden in nature?¡± ¡°It varies. There are blondes, browns¡­.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The man replied strangely and leaned back against the couch. He closed his eyes. It was hard to tell what he was thinking about. A long time passed in this way. Helen glanced at the man from time to time. This man was more beautiful than any man she had ever met. ¡°Why did you ask me to come back?¡± This was the last thing she had thought of. She had to be a little more calm about it! The man opened his eyes at the sound of her faltering voice. His red eyes glowed even in the dark room. If you go, I don¡¯t know how many more years I¡¯ll have to wait.¡± Helen somehow choked up. Forgetting what she was going to say, she blankly made eye contact with a man. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many years I¡¯ve spent here. I have no memory of it, nor do I know who I am.¡± Oddly enough, Helen felt sorry for this man. She thought she was the most pitiful person in the world. ¡°Then I met you. You were the first one except for those who came to kill me.¡± That¡¯s how I met you. You were the first, except for the young Chung and the others who came to kill me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You have no idea how happy I am.¡± Why was he even here when his life was threatened? Helen had so many questions she wanted to ask, but the man who was speaking looked like he was about to burst into tears, so she kept her mouth shut. ¡°Cheer up.¡± Helen raised her small hand and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out.¡± It was irresponsible. She couldn¡¯t even solve her own problems. Helen thought. There was also a problem that there was no answer. But the man¡¯s face looked so precarious that she couldn¡¯t help it. The man crouched still for a long time, patted by Helen¡¯s little hand. ¡°Have you calmed down now?¡± ¡°¡­ calm down? When did I get all worked up?¡± He quickly returned to being an arrogant man again. The sight was ridiculous, and it brought a small smile to Helen¡¯s lips. Then suddenly, the man spoke. ¡°You promised to help me.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°What you said earlier. Because I remember it clearly. You said it would work out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s¡­¡± They were just words of comfort because Helen thought the man was about to cry, but he¡­ ¡°Are you going to shake people¡¯s hearts and act irresponsibly? Please take responsibility.¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 *** ¡°Huh, responsibility?¡± Helen looked up at him with a panicked look in her eyes. ¡°Yes. Responsibility.¡± The man smiled happily as he repeated. He looked so beautiful that Helen felt her face heat up. ¡°Thank you so much. I can¡¯t tell you how much it means to me that you¡¯re helping me.¡± ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t even solved the problem yet.¡± ¡°If you solve this mystery for me, I¡¯ll give you everything. And if you have any problem, I¡¯ll help you solve it.¡± ¡°No.¡± That¡¯s too much pressure. Helen avoided the passionate man¡¯s gaze. Last night alone she acted like a fierce wolf, what was she doing today? Helen wondered. Helen got up from her seat where she could not sit close to the man at all because he kept saying thank you. The man acted as if he was disappointed as he watched Helen move to the other side. ¡°Can¡¯t you sit next to me? I¡¯ve never done anything like this before.¡± He had sat by corpses once, and they came and wanted to kill him, but he had never answered their questions or spoken to them. And the next day, the bodies that were steadily piled up disappeared. ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve ever seen alive.¡± Helen felt a twinge go up her spine as the man spoke. ¡°A live person?¡± Helen was scared. As soon as she entered the library, the man had the sword on her neck. He asked if she was there to kill him. Helen touched her neck as she recalled what happened the other night. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± The man said as if he had read her thoughts. ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t answering.¡± ¡®You¡¯re in trouble. I¡¯m the only one who can help you.¡¯ A red warning light flashed in the man¡¯s head. ¡°Look ¡­.¡± Helen, who was nervous, flinched as the man reached out. ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The man eventually took his hand back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His shoulders drooped as if he was discouraged, and he was just staring at the window as if he had noticed Helen was afraid to make eye contact. There was a moment of silence, then Helen gathered up her courage and asked. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°My name?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t keep calling you, you¡­¡± He was a scary man, but if she could help him, she would return to her peaceful life again. But when asked, the man¡¯s unhappy forehead was wrinkled deeper. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­What? You don¡¯t know your name?¡± ¡°I told you. I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know your name?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know anything. I don¡¯t know where I came from, why I was locked in this library, why I started coming in here so often at night, what country I was born in, or even if I¡¯m a lowborn or a noble.¡± The man¡¯s face was calm as he spoke. Three years had passed since he had come to know that he had no memory of his own. It had been longer than that. But he stopped counting after 3 years. When Helen heard his words, her face was stained with astonishment. ¡®What in the world is this man doing?¡¯ How could he be so nonchalant when his life was threatened? The sight shocked Helen, and before she knew it, she let out a dying sound. ¡°Oh.¡± Helen was startled and covered her mouth. Would it be disrespectful if she showed her surprised expression? The man smiled softly as he watched Helen store her expression. ¡°I think I¡¯m a knight like you said. Since I¡¯m good with swords.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I knew one thing about me after I met you. Thank you.¡± After meeting Helen, the man¡¯s mood was at an all-time high. He was meeting someone he could talk to for the first time, except for himself, and that person was very kind and helped him. The man spontaneously got up from his seat and sat down next to Helen. Helen¡¯s efforts to move her seat earlier were wasted. ¡°Are you always this unconcerned by nature?¡± ¡°I am unconcerned?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re too close.¡± Helen¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red. How could the man be so shameless? He held her hands after meeting her twice, embraced her, and sat next to her and exchanged warmth. There hadn¡¯t been many men she¡¯d met separately besides him, but none of them were this friendly. Helen¡¯s face flushed and the man chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He was too quick to apologize. ¡®You don¡¯t seem to be a nobleman. ¡­¡­ It¡¯s rude to say this, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Helen looked out the window, cooling her hot face with her hand. Her reflection in the window was like a red tomato. ¡®Calm down¡­!¡¯ Her heart raced so wildly even he was sitting next to her. However, the man seemed fine. Taking a deep breath, Helen opened her eyes. Her redness lessened slightly as she checked her reflection in the window. Then she saw the man was staring at her. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just unusual.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Your hair is golden, I¡¯ve never seen the sun, but I think it¡¯ll be this color if I see it.¡± The man touched Helen¡¯s hair with his hand. He took a handful and smelled the scent. Helen was more shocked that this man had never seen the sun once than the fact that he was holding her hair and smelling it. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯ve never even seen the sun?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Others don¡¯t seem so surprised like you do.¡± The man smiled and let go of Helen¡¯s hair. Helen hurriedly rearranged her hair, which had become a mess because of the man¡¯s touch. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you. It seems like I always fall asleep during the day.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°To be precise, I faint in the daytime.¡± ¡°And you wake up at night?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. This is where I always closed my eyes, and this is where I always opened them. I think I can¡¯t get out of here.¡± ¡°How long have you been in the Emperor¡¯s library?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ three years¡­? 5 years¡­? It could be longer than that. I can¡¯t remember.¡± Every day was the same. At first, he tried to escape on his own, and even broke this hellish library. However, he could not go outside as if there was an invisible barrier that prevented him from leaving. He tried to reach out to others for help, but oddly enough, he didn¡¯t see a single ant nearby. So every day was the same, and time passed. It was a boring and lonely time. The occasional assassination was a welcome situation. ¡°You must have a hard time¡­.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why you have to keep coming.¡± The man leaned his head on Helen¡¯s small shoulder. Helen giggled at the sight for some reason. For the first time he felt so happy after meeting Helen. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ The man grabbed a handful of Helen¡¯s hair. He whispered to Helen, as he fiddled it with his hand. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± He didn¡¯t know if he might have died already if Helen came a little later. He was so heartbroken, so lonely, so fed up. ¡°I, I ¡­. What did I do to deserve this?¡± Helen was perplexed because the man was so close. She wanted to push him away, but he was too big to be pushed back. She felt so sorry for the man. And she understood his feelings. She, too, had lived her life trapped in a tower. But she could go out once in a while¡­ Helen slowly raised her hand, gathering her courage. She looked at the man who was fiddling with her hair, he seemed to like to touch it. ¡°If I can help, I will.¡± Helen stroked the man¡¯s hair. His dark hair was tangled in her hands. She felt strange. It was the first time she touched another person¡¯s hair. ¡°Really?¡± The man¡¯s voice was full of expectations. ¡°Um, I said I would only help where I could!¡± ¡°I heard you.¡± ¡®I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to scare me again.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± The man was afraid that Helen would disappear, and he wanted to hold her more. Then he could be sure that this woman was not a fantasy. But if he held her, she would yell, telling him not to come near her for a while. Staring at her golden hair, the man raised his head towards Helen. The man¡¯s gaze confused Helen and she spat out what she thought. ¡°I think we need to escape. But how do we do that?¡± ¡°Escape ¡­..¡± The words were somewhat subtle. No conviction, no denial, and no question. After those words, the man who had fled to think for a moment rose from his seat. Helen looked up at him. He was a very tall man, and he looked very intimidating standing in front of her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I have something to show you.¡± The man held out his hand. It was so obvious that Helen couldn¡¯t help but to hold his hand. ¡°But I can just walk without holding hands.¡± Helen tried to pull her hand out again. It was uncomfortable to be too close to the man for no reason. But the man seemed to have no intention of letting go, he ignored her words and walked on, holding her hand. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Helen whimpered and tried to pull her hand out, but it was impossible. ¡°Hold on. It¡¯s dark and these bookshelves fall easily.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Just as the man finished talking, Helen tripped over something and fell down. The man immediately helped Helen sit up and hugged her. He rubbed her forehead. ¡®What kind of chest is as hard as a wall?¡¯ What chest is as hard as a wall? ¡°Look at that.¡± The man said in a proud voice as if his prediction was right. Helen nodded quietly at the look. ¡°By the way, what caught my feet?¡± As Helen turned away to look down, a man blocked Helen¡¯s view with his hand. ¡°It¡¯s better not to look.¡± The words were full of meaning. Something squishy was felt on her feet, and the man¡¯s words from earlier popped into her head. ¡°You are the first person alive.¡± In an instant, an eerie feeling rose up her back and to the top of my head. As she rubbed her goosebump arm, the man stepped forward, obscuring Helen¡¯s view. ¡°They¡¯ll be gone by tomorrow night. I told you it would be hard to walk.¡± ¡®And you didn¡¯t tell me there would be dead bodies!¡¯ The man said calmly, but Helen was already scared. She started to notice that there was a fishy smell in the air. She grabbed the man¡¯s neck tightly in fear. ¡°Would you like me to hold you if it¡¯s difficult for you to walk?¡± ¡°Oh, no, sir.¡± ¡°You can tell me anytime. Your word is my first priority.¡± The man spoke naturally. Then he walked first and kicked away what caught her foot. Helen grabbed the man¡¯s hand and walked on, her heart was burning for no reason. She never thought she¡¯d hear those words. ¡°Your word is my first priority.¡± She had always been an afterthought, a subject of discussion. For the first time, Helen¡¯s heart fluttered at the respectful words. ¡°Thank you.¡± The man couldn¡¯t hear her as he was busy kicking something. Helen muttered to herself. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Actually, Helen hoped that the man would not hear her say thank you. It was a trivial thing, and she didn¡¯t want him to know that she was touched by every little thing. She hoped that the man would see her a bright and warm princess. ¡°Here we are.¡± The man called Helen, as if they had arrived somewhere. ¡°It¡¯s the door.¡± It was on the opposite side of the door Helen had come in. ¡°Perhaps this is closer to the Emperor¡¯s Lion Palace.¡± ¡°Lion¡¯s Palace?¡± ¡°Oh, I mean the main palace. It¡¯s the palace where the emperor resides.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I think the emperor locked me up.¡± ¡°Huh¡­!¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± The man said nonchalantly. He didn¡¯t even seem to know what he had done wrong. ¡°If the others hear, you will be punished for insulting the emperor.¡± The man¡¯s ears hurt from Helen¡¯s nag. ¡°This man is really¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that headache, just look at this.¡± The man tugged on Helen¡¯s arm, making her move a little closer to him. Helen stood next to the man and stared at him. He reached out to grab the door handle. As soon as his hand touched the door handle, there was a strong spark and the wind blew. The wind even sent the books stuck in the bookshelf flying. ¡®So that¡¯s why he kept me close.¡¯ The man gripped Helen tightly with his right hand. Her hair fluttered as she shook. ¡°Ugh.¡± Helen heard a groan sound. She saw now that his left hand was cramping as it gripped the door with each flash of light. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Helen yanked him away in surprise. The man finally released the door handle. With a whoosh sound, all the sparks disappeared. ¡°Wha¡­what is it?¡± The man repeatedly squeezed and stretched his left hand that held the door a few times. His muscles were still trembling slightly. ¡°This is why I can¡¯t leave the room.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You believe me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± If Helen didn¡¯t see it with her own eyes, she didn¡¯t think she would believe him. The man grabbed the doorknob and a bolt of lightning came down, and the wind blew at the dead end. So he showed it to her. ¡°But you¡¯re hurt, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I will be fine tomorrow.¡± There were many strange things about the man¡¯s body. The library, which was so messed up that it always reset itself when he passed out in the morning, and his own body, which was stabbed with a blade, were back to normal. If Helen hadn¡¯t come, he would have thought he was living the same day over and over again. ¡°Are you alright? Are you hurt?¡± The man asked calmly. ¡°Now is the time to worry about me? What¡¯s about your hand? How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The man hid his left hand. He didn¡¯t seem to want to show it, but Helen clung to his arm. ¡°Oh, let me see it quickly!¡± ¡°What are you going to do when you see it?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve been badly injured, you need to be treated!¡± Helen said with her eyes wide open. The man hesitantly held out his hand. His skin was burned red. It must be a painful wound, but there were no signs of hurt on the man¡¯s expression. ¡°Ah, that looks painful¡­ What should I do¡­?¡± Helen¡¯s eyes fluttered in bewilderment. A wound of this magnitude was enough to require a high treatment. However, it was very expensive to call a high-level priest. It cost an ordinary official a month¡¯s salary to call in a lower-ranking priest already. ¡°I¡¯ll get the medicine for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± The man hid his injured hand from Helen. If he knew she was so worried, he would not show his hand to her. The sight of Helen in shock made the man¡¯s conscience ache. ¡°Try to open the door. I can¡¯t open it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Helen was still worried about the man¡¯s hand. He was a knight holding a sword. She knew how important his hands were to him, but he didn¡¯t seem to know. ¡®I have to tell him how important his hands are next time.¡¯ ¡°Do it quickly.¡± At the man¡¯s urging, Helen stood in front of the door. She was afraid to grab the doorknob, knowing that when the man grabbed it, it caused a violent reaction. ¡°What if my¡­my hand gets hurt too¡­? ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°How can you be sure?¡± Helen asked languidly. She wanted to ask. There must be a reason why he was so certain. She asked the man with faint hope. ¡°Just¡­¡± ¡°¡­Just? You just got hurt, and I¡¯m supposed to trust your senses and just open it up when I might burn my hands?¡± Helen shuddered in panic. Her hands were already starting to sting at the thought of them burning like that. Helen quickly hid her hands behind her back from the man with a frightened look on her face, and the man chuckled as he covered his mouth with his hand. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Nothing¡­ No¡­¡± The man turned his head to the side, holding back his laughter. Then Helen¡¯s face became more anxious. The man¡¯s laughter was warm, but the situation was strange. If her hands get burned, that will make him laugh? He really was a strange man. As Helen wrinkled her brow, the man¡¯s laughter stopped. ¡°Are women normally that cute?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Helen was dumbfounded. She was very confused by the man¡¯s words as he laughed. ¡°You look like a chirping chick.¡± ¡°I look like a chick?¡± Because of the color of Helen¡¯s hair, the way she spoke and acted, he thought Helen looked like a chick. The yellow chick that he saw in the book chasing after the mother hen. The way she followed his footsteps, the way her eyes squint, and the way her voice always chek-chek. They were very similar. The man stroked Helen¡¯s head as he examined her. ¡°Today the killers came through this door. He walked in easily so I thought the boundary was gone. But I guess I¡¯m the only one who can¡¯t do it. You¡¯ll be able to open it.¡± Was that what it was? It seemed that the man wanted to convince her of what he noticed today. But he didn¡¯t have to show it with his action. Helen felt sorry that his hand was burned. Helen let out one big breath, then slowly reached for the doorknob. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Look at that.¡± Nothing happened when Helen opened the door. There was no small flame, and it was still, let alone the wind. In addition, when the door flashed open, it was followed by a corridor similar to the one on the west side from which he had come. It was a dead end. Helen closed the door again and looked at the man. ¡°Still, the joke was awful. I really thought my hands were going to burn.¡± Helen folded her arms and said in a stern voice. The man immediately apologized to Helen¡¯s sulky face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He lowered his head and kissed Helen¡¯s hand. ¡°Is this how it¡¯s supposed to be done? I read about it in a book.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a vow. An oath.¡± ¡°An oath?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an oath that knights take. That they will protect someone for the rest of their lives.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Then I swear.¡± ¡°No, you do that to someone you love.¡± Helen said resolutely. Then the man tugged on Helen¡¯s hand, ignoring the shaking of Helen¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re too close.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s still many things on the floor. Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll fall?¡± Gasp. Helen held her breath. The corpses in her imagination flashed through her mind again, though she had forgotten about it until now. The man chuckled as he saw Helen following him, stiff with tension. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I held you?¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­ That¡¯s a little too much.¡± ¡°Right. Because you have a husband.¡± What kind of husband doesn¡¯t say anything when his wife disappears every night? Could it be that she was in trouble? The man¡¯s brow wrinkled. He was angry at the husband, who he didn¡¯t even know. He thought he would kill the husband if the woman couldn¡¯t come because of him (the husband). ¡°Doesn¡¯t your husband get angry when you disappear every night?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Helen was puzzled by the man¡¯s question. ¡®Should I say my husband is the emperor?¡¯ But the man believed that the person who had placed the curse on him was the emperor. If she told him the truth, he wouldn¡¯t be so gentle. Strangely, she felt sorry. And it was unfair. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen my husband¡¯s face.¡± Helen had seen a lot more of this man than her husband. She was very perplexed by the situation, but she decided to help him, so she kept her mouth shut for the time being. ¡°He doesn¡¯t care. He¡¯s not interested in me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± She appreciated the man¡¯s words and expression, ¡°I¡¯m appalled.¡± How could the husband didn¡¯t care for his wife? The man¡¯s words were empowering to Helen. Of course, it was a reaction he could make because he didn¡¯t know any better. Eventually they arrived at the first place again. They sat down on a couch in the center where a stack of books filled one wall. ¡°So what do we do now to escape?¡± The man scratched his head, seemingly unable to come up with a solution. His face looked frustrated. Helen pondered for a moment and then looked at his arm. She could see letters written in the language of Idelberg. ¡°Do you still have the writing on your arm?¡± ¡°Even if I erase it, it comes back the same every day. It¡¯s like a curse.¡± She thought the man erased it long ago. Helen couldn¡¯t believe the words came back like it wrote itself. She didn¡¯t know who locked this man up, but she thought it was really strange too. And how could they lock up such a strong man? They must not be ordinary. ¡°Can I see your arm?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± [Don¡¯t let the others find out. Don¡¯t leave the library.] Helen stared at the writing on his tanned arm. The handwriting was very beautiful. It looked like it was written by an educated man. And he used the language of Idelberg. ¡°It seems like it was written by an Idelberg nobleman.¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± ¡°The very neat handwriting shows that he grew up with education, and he used the language of Idelberg.¡± ¡°Is this the language of Idelberg?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Helen was able to use both her native language and the language of Idelberg. Idelberg was the largest continent on the peninsula. All the Princes and Princesses from the smaller countries learned the language of Idelberg from an early age. ¡°Come to think of it, you could read this language too.¡± The man nodded. He looked a little bemused. ¡°Then it seems that you are also an Idelberger.¡± ¡°Idelberg man¡­¡± The man murmured with surprised eyes. It was a moment of enlightenment. He was a knight of Idelberg. What did he do to get trapped here? Helen¡¯s curiosity was also growing. ¡°Can you read books as well?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then, were there any other foreign books you could read?¡± Helen picked out a selection of books that had the languages of other countries. The man opened the first page of the book and read it calmly. Within three seconds, he raised his head. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 *** ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re from Idelberg.¡± The man¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Meeting you is a blessing from heaven.¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t like it too much.¡± Helen¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment at his words. How could a man make a joke so sweetly? He was not aware of it. Does he know that people don¡¯t usually say this kind of thing? Helen pretended to be unconcerned and brought the book over to the bookshelf. Meanwhile, she waited for her face to cool down. The man couldn¡¯t stand the short time and followed Helen around. ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± The man stood still. He was obedient like a big puppy. ¡°Should I write down some words for you then?¡± Helen said as she came back after putting the book back into place. ¡°!¡± The man chuckled in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea.¡± ¡°Do you have anything to write?¡± ¡°You have your thoughts. I thought you had a pen.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t have one at the moment.¡± Immediately the man wilted. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have any. Helen hastily cut him off. ¡°I have it at my place, I¡¯ll bring it tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay. Tomorrow.¡± The man slurred, as if he was making a promise. Helen chuckled at the sight. She thought he was scary, but in a day she saw so many unusual sides of him. At that moment, a bright light shone through the window. ¡°I¡¯m going home now.¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°The sun will be up soon. It¡¯s a secret that I came here too.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The man looked down sadly as if he was disappointed. Helen couldn¡¯t move her feet. She felt uncomfortable leaving the man here alone. ¡°I will come back tomorrow.¡± The man followed Helen to the door. When Helen opened the door, the man was heartbroken. If she walked out that door, there was no way for him to go get her back. Suddenly his hand tightened. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now.¡± Helen didn¡¯t expect the man to even walk her to the door. It was barely ten steps. But here he was seeing her off. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The desperate man¡¯s eyes bothered her. Helen felt her heart tightened. The man continued to stare at Helen, and without further delay, Helen closed the door. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She heard the man¡¯s small voice behind the door. She lingered at the door for a moment before turning back. She had to get back to her place, but she felt as if leaving the man behind would be like leaving a child alone. Eventually she made a firm decision and walked away. There was a creaking sound coming down the stairs. The atmosphere was somber at first, but Helen was not afraid any more. She felt sorry for him who remained alone in this terrible place. ¡°I feel funny.¡± ¡°Why does it keep bothering me?¡± Because she saw a poor man. He asked her to help him. She must be feeling sorry for him. And she felt bad for that man. He seemed to know that Helen felt sorry for him, and he acted so pathetically. ¡°I wish I could help you¡­¡± Helen paused several times to look back. She wondered if she could see him in the window. But she couldn¡¯t see him. Oh¡­She wondered if he was looking at her from somewhere. Helen hurried to her feet, feeling a little refreshed. The sun, which had begun to rise before she knew it, was lighting up the world. *** ¡°Are you still sleeping?¡± Ellie brought breakfast and found Helen still sleeping in bed. She was the one who usually woke up early in the morning to read books. However she had been oversleeping for the past few days. ¡®Is she hurt anywhere?¡¯ Ellie worriedly put the food on the table and shook Helen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°My Lady.¡± Hearing a small, gentle voice, Helen realized that Ellie had arrived. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep a little longer, Ellie. I¡¯m very sleepy.¡± ¡°You went to bed very early last night. But you¡¯re still sleepy?¡± ¡®That¡¯s because I sneaked out to the library when you left¡­¡­¡¯ Helen eventually rose up due to Ellie¡¯s anxious pursuit. Looking into Helen¡¯s still half-empty eyes, Ellie¡¯s worry grew like a snowball. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for more than half a day. Are you sure you¡¯re not sick?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Helen waved her hand and yawned loudly, telling Ellie not to worry. She was still sleepy because it had only been an hour or two since she went to bed. As she looked outside where the sun had fully risen, Helen suddenly remembered the man. The man who didn¡¯t have a single blanket in the cold library. ¡°Ellie, can you bring me another blanket?¡± ¡°A blanket? Is your room cold?¡± ¡®I should say cold.¡¯ Ellie scrambled for a few more quilts, put them over her shoulders, and Helen replied with a feminine pretense. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°You must be cold! I¡¯ll get you more blankets soon. I¡¯ll light more fire.¡± Ellie was busy early in the morning. She brought wood for the fireplace, lit it, and brought several thick blankets. ¡°Next time you¡¯re cold, just ring the bell and call me!¡± ¡°Yes¡­thank you very much.¡± There was a bell that led directly to the maid¡¯s room, but Ellie seemed worried that Helen hadn¡¯t called for her. Ellie informed her that she should ring the bell again and again, and after receiving Helen¡¯s promise, she brought Helen¡¯s meal with relief. ¡°I sometimes wonder why the Lady is the way she is. Because she is much more beautiful than the rest of the other concubines.¡± Helen, who had scooped a sip of soup into her mouth, opened her eyes and asked back. ¡°¡­ Huh? I¡¯m beautiful?¡± ¡°You are very beautiful. I¡¯m sure the Emperor will fall in love with you at first sight when he sees you.¡± Ellie said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d make a great couple.¡± ¡°Me and the emperor¡­?¡± It couldn¡¯t be. Helen¡¯s face darkened slightly. She knew that if the emperor and her met, it would be a thriller, not a romance. Because she had to kill the emperor. There was no way he would fall for her. Not if she was her sister Edith. The most beautiful person Helen could think of was Edith. She remembered clearly Edith¡¯s shining blond hair with a slight tinge of red, and her appearance that made all the gorgeous ornaments lose their light. A bitter smile appeared on Helen¡¯s lips. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why the other ladies don¡¯t flock to you.¡± ¡®It¡¯s because they don¡¯t like me.¡¯ ¡®Because I¡¯m not like them. I¡¯m a princess and I look ugly.¡¯ The other concubines had already noticed this. Helen barely covered the edges of her mouth as she squeezed the spoon to hide the broccoli floating in the soup. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I don¡¯t have a pretty face. ¡°What? Don¡¯t you look in the mirror?¡± ¡°Yes. But I don¡¯t see it.¡± Not only was there no mirror, but the walls were blocked on four sides, and there was one small window where she had to climb up on a box to look out. Even that was lined with spear grates. Helen, who was hit by an unexpected remark, fell silent. ¡°If you haven¡¯t seen it, you should see it now. How beautiful you are. You¡¯ve eaten well lately, your cheeks are glowing, you¡¯re very pretty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Ellie is prettier.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± Hehe. Helen chuckled. ¡°Lady Edith is very pretty.¡± Ellie was the eldest daughter of her family and had five younger siblings. She gave her younger brothers so much love that she was proud to have raised them, but lately she had been taking care of Helen more. Her Master was much prettier and cuter than her stubborn siblings. And it was strange to see the various expressions on her master¡¯s face with every word she spoke. Her master seemed to have never talked before. When Ellie first met her, she expressed so little emotion that she wondered if there was such a person, but now that a year has passed and she thought about it, back then, her master was just someone who didn¡¯t know how to react. She was born as a princess with a precious status. How in the world did she live to be like that? Ellie said sternly, eyeing Helen¡¯s spoon with a pitying gaze, as Helen was busily hiding the broccoli. ¡°You have to eat it. You have to eat all your vegetables, too. Especially you, My Lady! Do you understand?¡± She had to eat a lot of everything, not just vegetables. Helen was too small compared to the other concubines. They were similar in age, but none of them were smaller in body, hands, feet or face. ¡°Please eat it.¡± Helen sulked at Ellie¡¯s words. ¡®It¡¯s not good¡­.¡¯ ¡®But I have to eat it or else Ellie will worry.¡¯ Helen spooned the broccoli and took a big gulp, holding her breath. ¡®Ugh. It doesn¡¯t taste good.¡¯ She put it in her mouth, but it was hard to swallow. Eventually, she chewed and swallowed. Helen¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. ¡°Ellie. There¡¯s one more thing I¡¯d like to ask you.¡± ¡°Yes, please say it.¡± ¡°Can I have some of that wound remedy?¡± ¡°Yes. Did you hurt yourself?¡± Ellie became concerned because of Helen¡¯s worsening complexion. Helen had a hard time saying it was because of the broccoli, so she just changed the subject. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t injured. Don¡¯t worry. Please calm down.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. Then who was injured?¡± ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡®Huh¡­? What should I say?¡¯ ¡®I secretly went to the emperor¡¯s library and met a man, but he injured his hand yesterday?¡¯ Absolutely not. Helen tried to think of something but her brain didn¡¯t work well in the morning. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep last night, so I went for a walk, and I saw a puppy.¡± ¡°You saw a puppy in the annex?¡± Helen forgot that this was the annex for the concubines. Puppies couldn¡¯t just roam around here. ¡°Uh, it doesn¡¯t seem to have a master, but it¡¯s injured, and I want to treat it.¡± Ellie asked, ¡°What color is the puppy?¡± ¡®Hmm? What color?¡¯ The man¡¯s hair was black. His eyes were red. ¡°It¡¯s black¡­¡± ¡°I see. As expected, My Lady has a kind heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®As expected.¡¯ What is this? Helen wondered, but could not ask in a situation that was going well. ¡°¡®I¡¯ll go see the doctor then. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a separate medicine for dogs¡­¡± Helen was puzzled by Ellie¡¯s words, which were more aggressive than she expected, but she quickly made up an excuse. She couldn¡¯t give a man puppy pills, no matter how much she thought about it. ¡°They say that what you use on people, you can use on dogs. I read it in a book.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s good.¡± Ellie gave Helen a glass of water and left the room. ¡°I¡¯ll be back!¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± ¡®I lied¡­! I lied¡­ I lied¡­! Will I be okay like this¡­? A person who lies is a very bad person. It said I would go to hell later¡­¡¯ Alone at the table, Helen whimpered. ¡°Ellie, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll explain everything later.¡± ¡®Only after I¡¯ve solved all my problems.¡¯ Helen knew that she had to get the man out of the library as soon as possible. Or she might go to hell for the lies she had told. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 *** ¡°A puppy¡­..?¡± Ellie¡¯s steps to the preparation room were very light. She didn¡¯t think her master (Helen) had lied to her. Her master wasn¡¯t that kind of person. There¡¯s just one thing then. A dog without a name tag could be seen roaming around the castle. It was the Emperor¡¯s puppy named Louis. Once people saw Louis running around with his black fur dancing, they could never forget him. He loved people and liked to roam all over the place. ¡°But he¡¯s closer to a dog than a puppy. He¡¯s very big.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask her later.¡± Ellie thought that maybe the puppy could be the key to succeeding the Emperor and her master Edith. (Helen is under Edith¡¯s name) If her master can heal the injured puppy, maybe the Emperor will show his face. The Emperor coldly refused to visit his concubines every day, but if her master could heal Louis, whom the Emperor cherished, just once¡­. ¡°I have a good feeling about this¡­¡± Ellie¡¯s steps toward the preparation room became faster and faster. A happy smile spread across her face. At that moment, Helen got out of bed and secretly put some snacks in the basket. She didn¡¯t know what Ellie was thinking as she making her way to the preparation room. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Here is your medicine, Lady.¡± A round jar in Ellie¡¯s hand. ¡®I said ¡®wound medicine¡¯ and she gave me some ointment.¡¯ ¡°Are you back already? You can go slowly if you want¡­¡± ¡°Are you going for a walk tonight?¡± Apparently, Ellie¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°No, I won¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Why not!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ellie was puzzled. Helen had just lied to Ellie so that she wouldn¡¯t be found out. ¡°I heard that the puppy got injured. Oh, don¡¯t you have to treat him as soon as possible?¡± (Ellie) ¡°Yes, I do.¡± (Helen) ¡°Then, by all means, go for another walk tonight. I¡¯ll prepare a thick jacket for you today so that you won¡¯t be cold during the night.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Helen nodded with a puzzled expression. How could Ellie be so supportive of her evening walk? Helen thought it was a relief, at least. If Ellie stopped her from going, she would not be able to keep her promise to the man. At the same time, she didn¡¯t want to be the one who didn¡¯t listen to Ellie. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go.¡± It was rather a good thing. *** After Ellie left, Helen put on her jacket and held a blanket in her arms. She also packed a pen and ink in the basket where she kept simple snacks. She also put the medicine in it. Helen opened the door and poked her head out. After making sure that the hallway was empty, Helen ran fast. She was so out of breath. But the road to the library from the annex was often crowded. It was the time of the moonrise, but it would be difficult to explain if someone saw her behaving in such a suspicious manner. Picnic in the middle of the night? It was very suspicious. ¡°Huh¡­huh¡­I¡¯m dying¡­¡± Helen finally stood up as she reached the front. Her legs were very heavy as she walked up the stairs. The thick jacket was no longer useful. It was too hot after all the running. Helen kept dropping the blanket on the way because she was running like crazy. She felt like she was the little girl who spilled crumbs in stories. She finally arrived. Helen organized her messed up hair and opened the door to the library on the second floor. She arrived a little earlier than usual. It was thanks to Ellie for leaving early. ¡°I¡¯m here¡­¡± She didn¡¯t have time to finish her sentence. Because as soon as she entered the library, the man pulled Helen by the hand. Suddenly, her face was buried in the man¡¯s chest again. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± She hit her nose and it hurt a lot. She wondered why this man was so impatient. All the items in the basket she was carrying fell to the floor. Thanks to the blanket that had fallen first, the items didn¡¯t break or get dirty. ¡°Why did you pull me so suddenly?¡± Helen raised her head lightly and looked up at the man, embarrassed by the fact that she was being held in his chest, but the man was breathing hard somehow. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Helen raised her hand awkwardly and patted the man on the back. Pat. Pat. With repeated small taps, the man¡¯s breathing gradually became steady. ¡°Was there something wrong?¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± The man didn¡¯t have an answer. That didn¡¯t mean that he was going to let Helen go. It was strange to be in his arms like this, Helen flinched away and squirmed in his arms, pushing and punching his shoulders, but he didn¡¯t falter. In the end, she gave up and stayed there. The man¡¯s warmth wasn¡¯t so bad. She felt like he was a 10-year-old kid with a big figure. He needed help, he needed affection. And he laughed a lot. If it weren¡¯t for the large body, she would think he was a child. ¡°It¡¯s really weird.¡± While Helen was still in his arms, the man had all kinds of thoughts. From the moment she had left the door last night, the man had stood in front of the door as if he was stationary. It was an intense feeling for someone he had met only twice, and the feeling made the man uneasy. It wasn¡¯t long after she left, but his hands were already sweaty. The nail marks were clear on the palm he held tightly to keep him from reaching out for her. It was insane. The man left the door and approached the window. Through the window, he saw the woman looking back several times. It was very cute. ¡®Does she worry about me?¡¯ He chuckled as if something was unscrewed in his brain. Then, when she was completely out of sight, the man sat down on the floor. He hoped to see her again tomorrow night. And so it was night again. But his burned skin was completely healed. ¡°I¡¯m sure I got injured yesterday.¡± It must be a dream. Even the fact that he had met the woman must have been a dream. It must have been a dream that he took it easy to escape this hellish library. ¡°I¡¯ll never see her again.¡± The anxiety came again. It was night, and he knew that a woman was coming. He wanted to believe that it was not a dream. He was tired of the repetition of his life and he wanted to get out of here. He wanted to see the woman again, the one who had told him he could escape. He knew it was not time for her to arrive yet. She always came when the moon was high in the sky and it was completely dark. But then he heard a rustling sound somewhere. The man jumped up from his seat, listening intently to his hearing. ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± The woman, who had come much earlier than usual, was running busily, as if she was being chased by something. And whatever it was that was in her arms, it was too big for her to hold. And in one hand, she was even holding a basket tightly. Perhaps it was because she had brought too many things with her. She kept dropping the blanket. Then she stopped and picked up the blanket, then ran again. ¡°Cute ¡­..¡± That blanket must be for him. She asked him if he was cold every time. He told her he wasn¡¯t cold at all, but she must be worried. When he could no longer see her through the window, the man hurried to the door. Her heart was pounding strangely. She was the only one who could help him escape from this terrible anxiety. It was time for the woman to arrive, but she didn¡¯t show up. ¡°Am I hallucinating? Am I finally going crazy?¡± ¡­Ha¡­. In that short time, the man¡¯s patience ran out. ¡°Tsk.¡± The man clicked his tongue roughly. He was strangely uneasy. Whenever he looked at his revitalized body, and the perfect condition library after he tried to destroy it, he thought he was probably already dead. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m already dead, maybe I¡¯m cursed.¡± The man felt himself becoming more and more immersed in the darkness that was invading him. ¡°Please come in quickly¡­ Please¡­¡± At that time, the one fortunate thing was that he could hear the woman¡¯s breathing from outside the door. She seemed to be catching her breath. She didn¡¯t have to do that outside. She could just come in and do it inside. It was only a few seconds. As soon as he became aware of the woman¡¯s presence in that short time, the darkness that had been consuming him disappeared. He gulped. The door opened and the woman walked in. ¡°Huh?¡± He suddenly pulled her arm, and her ¡®paper-like body¡¯ came to him too easily. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± She shouted in pain as her nose hit his chest. He was sorry, but he decided to do something bad anyway. He wanted to share her warmth, just a little. ¡°Why did you pull me all of a sudden?¡± The woman looked embarrassed. Then she tapped him on the back with her cute hand. Even though she stretched out her arms, she couldn¡¯t wrap her arms around the man¡¯s back. It was cute, too, and he hugged the woman more tightly. ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± ¡®My rescuer, please sacrifice a little more for me.¡¯ *** ¡°Why did you do that earlier?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The man was even less strong today. He was more depressed and droopy than usual. Strangely enough, he didn¡¯t make eye contact like he usually did, but that didn¡¯t stop him from grabbing the hem of Helen¡¯s skirt and looking pitifully when Helen sat next to him. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get the blanket¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it. Sit down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Helen sat down again. At that moment, the man looked a little cute. The figure was cute in that he was afraid she would disappear or something. Moreover, this was the first time she had met someone who needed her. She had always been a useless person. Helen¡¯s cheeks reddened and she could barely hide the smile that escaped her lips. ¡°What are you so careful about?¡± The man, who had returned before she knew it, placed a blanket on the couch and the basket on the table. She checked the basket and fortunately, none of the items were broken. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°¡®Come here. Stay closer to me.¡± ¡°Um, excuse me¡­¡± Helen¡¯s cheeks turned bright red. The man hugged her as if she was a doll. As if sitting shoulder to shoulder wasn¡¯t enough, the man leaned into her shoulder again. ¡®Ugh¡­it¡¯s ticklish.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just because of his hair tickling her chin, shoulders and collarbone. One corner of her chest was stiff and tickling in some unknown area. Helen inexplicably clenched her fist and placed it over her heart. ¡®I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m like this¡­?¡¯ Her heart was beating violently. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ Helen put her hand over her heart and said nothing. The man raised his head. ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Your face is red.¡± The man reached out and covered Helen¡¯s face with his hand. The rather man¡¯s large hand was able to quickly cover Helen¡¯s face with one hand. ¡°Why are you so small?¡± ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m small¡­?¡± At the sight of the man staring at her, Helen found her heart pounding harder. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ She quickly tried to avoid his gaze, only to have her cheek pressed by the man¡¯s hand that was holding her face. ¡°Let go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man let go of her face without any trouble. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m really asking just in case¡­You¡¯re an adult, right?¡± *** *This couple is so cute ?? Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Translator: Rae *** ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m really asking just in case¡­ You¡¯re an adult, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Of course, it¡¯s already so obvious.¡± ¡°In Idelberg, even minors can get married as long as the parents give them consent, right? Which part that you said is so obvious?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m obviously an adult!¡± Helen shouted and her face turned red. It¡¯s been a while since she became an adult. Five years have passed since then. Her coming-in-age ceremony was not even a common one, but she clearly remembered her 20th birthday. ¡°I-I¡¯m 25 years old.¡± ¡°Twenty five¡­.¡± Based on his assumption, Helen was only about fifteen at most. But he didn¡¯t mean that she looked girly. ¡°You¡¯re so tiny. You said you¡¯re a woman who comes from foreign country, right? Are people in that country normally this small?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Helen stubbornly closed her mouth. He was right. She was particularly small. Edith was a head taller than her. ¡°Your hands and feet are too small. Perhaps your feet are even smaller than mine?¡± The man fidgeted with Helen¡¯s hand curiously. Helen had a small appearance. She already knew that she was quite small compared to others. ¡°I¡¯m not that small¡­.¡± ¡°In your country?¡± Helen nodded unconsciously to the man¡¯s innocent question. Strange. She didn¡¯t want to look unappealing to the man. ¡°I see.¡± He didn¡¯t care about that. Whether the people in her country were small or not, it was just astonishing that the woman in front of him was just half his height. The man held Helen¡¯s hand, entwined their fingers together, and fidgeted with her nails for a while. It was too soft and small compared to his own hand, he thought it would break even if he held it with just a little bit of pressure. She said she was twenty five years old. That thought made the man pause for a moment. It seemed that his body was too big for her. ¡®I¡¯m not over 40 years old, right¡­.¡¯ Suddenly, he had a doubt. ¡°Stop fiddling and e-eat the cookies.¡± Helen pulled her hand out of the man¡¯s hold coyly. It was too late when she realized that he had been fiddling with her hand for a while complaining about her being small. ¡°Ah.¡± When Helen pulled her hand away, the man exclaimed in disappointment. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he made this expression when I took my hand away from him.¡¯ Helen¡¯s heart pounded again. ¡°I¡¯ll let you hold it when you¡¯re done eating¡­.¡± Helen was typically a weak-hearted person. Even back when she was confined in the palace, her necessities and demand for meals were unreliable, but she sometimes handed out bread if there were birds coming through the window. ¡°You have to come again.¡± was an unreliable promise which she made with the birds back then. So she thought it was the same this time. She was just helping this poor man. It didn¡¯t mean anything. So she reminded herself. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll eat it.¡± The man shoved the cookies Helen gave into his mouth at once. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± The cookie was broken in just one bite which was shocking to her, although the original size of the cookie was as big as Helen¡¯s face. It was sprinkled with chocolate chips, and when it was eaten, it tasted dry and hard to swallow. But he still put it in his mouth at once. ¡°Like this?¡± And the man held Helen¡¯s hand which was still holding cookies. The man¡¯s mouth looked cute as there were a lot of cookie crumbs scattered across it. ¡°Can you hold a cookie with one hand?¡± Helen tapped the man on his mouth to shake off the crumbs. The man didn¡¯t even seem to have a single clue of what she was doing. ¡°You have cookie powder on your face. Brush it off.¡± This time, he cleaned around his mouth with his hands. Seeing him being so obedient made her feel like she actually had a big son. ¡°Can I hold your hand?¡± The man, who kept obsessing over her hands, seemed suspicious. ¡°¡­You¡¯re weird today. As if you are anxious¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He said he was fine just like it was his habit. Even when he didn¡¯t look fine at all. Helen had no intention of pushing furthermore. She instinctively knew that she would not be able to solve it even when she knew about it. He could only hear Helen munching her cookies for a while. Crunch, crunch. ¡°I will bring milk as well next time. It¡¯s a bit dry.¡± ¡°Yeah, but you don¡¯t have to bring it if it¡¯s heavy. I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°¡­Are you going to eat now?¡± ¡°Yeah. I guess.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I also don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not hungry, but I still lived until now.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Poor guy. Helen held his hand and patted the shoulder of the man who was leaning on her shoulder. They were already attached to each other even though it looked like they were just hugging. ¡°Cheer up.¡± The man nodded at her words which were filled with a hint of consolation. Meanwhile Helen was struggling as the atmosphere became even heavier than before. The man was quiet compared to usual. He seemed weak¡­. Helen spoke in a slightly brighter voice to lighten the mood. ¡°Shall I show what I brought?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Actually, the man was not interested. Because he had never used anything like that before. However, Helen looked cute when she spoke cheerfully, so he put on a thin smile on his face. So she would think that him being gloomy was just a lie. ¡°Ta-da, a blanket. No matter how much I think about it, it¡¯s too cold in the library.¡± It wasn¡¯t that cold. The man has never felt cold in his entire life. He didn¡¯t feel cold even when white snow was falling outside and piled up high enough that people couldn¡¯t walk around. Because he didn¡¯t know how it felt to be cold. However, he thought it was cold because Helen felt so, and hot when she felt hot. He wanted it that way. ¡°Thank you.¡± But the man smiled with his eyes curved upward. And he tucked the blanket around his shoulder meanwhile the remaining three were used to cover Helen. ¡°There¡¯s no point in doing this for me.¡± ¡°You must be colder than I am.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± Helen looked down at herself. She was wearing the jacket Ellie had packed for her while saying it was early spring, and also the three blankets which were arranged by the man to cover her body. She nearly had a fever. But on the other hand, there was a man who barely wore a shirt. It was clean, but she thought it was too thin. ¡°But it¡¯s better if you have it. How can you not feel cold?¡± The library was a place to keep books. It should¡¯ve been in a place with low moisture, cool, and had better ventilation. Rather, it was colder than outside. Helen looked at the man curiously as he was covered with a blanket wrapped tightly over his shoulder which covered his shoulder, waist and knees so he could not take it off. ¡°All done.¡± The man didn¡¯t need a blanket, but he remained still because Helen preferred him to be like that. He could smell Helen¡¯s scent occasionally which helped him feel better. ¡°Thank you. For covering me.¡± He showed his gratitude to her very often. As if it was the man¡¯s habit. He would say thank you whenever she did something for him. The problem was that she felt a slight happiness when he said so. ¡°And then, this one.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± A round box sat on Helen¡¯s hand. Helen chuckled when she realized the man¡¯s gaze and opened its lid. There was a medicine inside, which seemed similar to a sticky gel. It has an unpleasant smell. ¡°It¡¯s medicine. You were hurt yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The man acted as if he had forgotten it. Helen asked back with a stunned expression. ¡°How can you forget that you were hurt? Did you not feel it was hurt?¡± Helen put the box down and lifted his left arm. His left arm, where she was sure it was the place he got injured, was flawless. ¡°Huh? Wasn¡¯t it here?¡± This time, Helen lifted up his right arm. That side was flawless too. If the wound had healed, there should¡¯ve been a scar, but there was no scar either. There was only one thing that could heal him like this. If he ever received a sacred power. The wound was severe, and it must have required tremendous power to heal such a severe wound. Did a high-ranking priest have healed him¡­? Why¡­? The sudden question made Helen spaced out in her spot. She had known one more thing. That he was not just a member of a small family. The man hurriedly covered his wrist with his sleeve after pulling away his hand which was previously held by Helen. Helen came out of her thoughts with a somewhat anxious look on her face. ¡°Do I look like a monster?¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°Right. I think I¡¯m a monster.¡± ¡°Why do you think so? Rather than a monster, you seem normal¡­.¡± And handsome. Helen suddenly realized what she was trying to say and swallowed it back. When he realized Helen¡¯s hesitation, the man avoided her gaze. ¡°I know I¡¯m weird. I¡¯m not like others.¡± Because she couldn¡¯t find his injury anywhere. Rather, she was convinced. Even if he bled severely because of a knife, get a large burn on his arm, kicked the desk and got a large bruise on his foot, or even if he lost his arms while dealing with assassins. The next day, he would be unscathed. With those horrible words in his arm. [Do not let yourself get caught by others. Do not leave the library.] Each time, she was suspicious whether he was a normal person or not. ¡°You must think I¡¯m weird, too.¡± The man let go of Helen¡¯s hand first. Huh¡­? The red eyes of the offended man shut slowly. He was afraid she would leave, but he didn¡¯t have the courage to look at Helen either. Helen was a little bewildered when she found out why the man seemed so anxious. Mon¡­ster¡­? To her, the man didn¡¯t even look like a monster. He looked too humane to be a monster, had a very beautiful appearance, and a strong physique. And on top of that, he had a personality, right? Helen finally stopped hesitating and grabbed the man¡¯s hand. ¡°You are not a monster.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a monster. You¡¯re the same as me.¡± The man slowly opened his eyes at Helen¡¯s words. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve seen countless people who look like you.¡± ¡°Like me¡­.¡± But they were not as handsome as him. Humans with eyes, nose, and mouth overflowed the entire world. So they had a great amount of resemblance with each other. ¡°Am I a human being? What if I turned out to be a ghost, a vampire, or even a zombie¡­.?¡± ¡°What book did you read?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read all the books in this library.¡± ¡°¡­Wow¡­ I envy you for that.¡± Helen let out a guileless exclamation. Her ridiculous expression caused the man to burst into a small laugh. He seemed to like books so much until this time that he even forgot to comfort himself. The man tucked Helen¡¯s hair to the back of her ears, which was disheveled because she had to bring all of those things earlier while watching Helen with sparkling eyes. It was a friendly and attentive gesture. ¡°You said you came to the library for books¡­ I¡¯m glad you like books. I almost didn¡¯t expect it.¡± ¡°I know.¡± There were days when she thought it might have been better not to come to the library. On the first day. It was because she thought he was strange. Such a thought was still valid, but the meaning changed slightly. Helen felt indebted to the man who needed her and asked for her help. She somehow could relate to him in a certain way. ¡®If only I had the kind of person like myself¡­.¡¯ ¡°You will never be ghosts or other things like that.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°It was said that ghosts couldn¡¯t hold hands like this, and you never tried to drink my blood if you were a vampire. And zombies¡­.¡± He once said that he came back to life. Perhaps it fit him the best. ¡°But you bled. Zombies were said to have no blood because they were already dead.¡± Helen finished speaking with a small smile. He looked at her with his distinctive crimson eyes while listening to her words. His gaze was so heated that his eyes seemed to be burning. However, if she were to avoid it, he might close his eyes again and avoid her. He was similar to a kid, as he needed attentive care. The man, who had not opened his mouth for a while, finally opened his mouth with a hoarse voice. ¡°Are you not scared of me?¡± At first, she was scared. Because he put a sword on her neck. But¡­. ¡°Now I¡¯m not.¡± The man¡¯s eyes trembled slightly. But shortly after, he seemed relieved and held Helen¡¯s hand firmly. It was a desperate touch as if he didn¡¯t want it to slip out from his grasp. Chapter 11 The man himself clearly knew why she was scared at first. Carmun was angry with himself in the past and nipped at his teeth roughly. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± The man slowly grabbed her hands and pulled it toward him. He did it slowly, as if giving her a chance to refuse if she didn¡¯t like it. Helen agonized for a while, but she actually didn¡¯t hate it. She also wanted to comfort the man who was having a hard time by himself. And just like that, she got into the man¡¯s arms again. ¡°Hang in there¡­.¡± This was the only thing she could say to him. Helen patted the man on his back with her hands. The more she patted him, the man¡¯s hug also got even stronger. ¡°I-I can¡¯t breathe.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­.¡± He was the kind of man who hurriedly apologized just like he thought. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the last thing I brought here?¡± ¡°A pen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Because I promised to bring it.¡± The man let go of Helen. [t/n: omg pls keep hugging a little bit moreee] His eyes subsided when he finally calmed down a little. ¡°Here you go. You said you¡¯d write your question to that person, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He wanted to yell at the emperor and called him a total jerk, but the face of a woman who was very confused last night came back to his mind. But he must quench the rising anger inside of him for now. ¡°But this is the only thing I have. It¡¯s pen and ink¡­ I don¡¯t think I can write it on your arm like this person did. It will become runny.¡± The words on the man¡¯s arm were not written using ink. It seemed to be engraved with magic. No matter what she did, it didn¡¯t come off or disappear. Helen held out a pen and ink to the man worriedly. The man looked at the ink for a moment before taking off his shirt without hesitation. ¡°Why, why, why¡­ Why are you taking off your clothes¡­!¡± Helen cried out in great embarrassment. And to make matters worse, Helen freaked out and jumped out from her seat when the man, who had been attached to her since earlier, suddenly took off his clothes in the dark library. ¡°It will most likely become runny if you write on my body. You said so.¡± The man asked back calmly, as if wondering why she acted like that. ¡°A-ah, right¡­¡± Helen fanned her burning cheeks with her hands. Did this man really know nothing? As if a child who didn¡¯t know anything and let her take a clear look at his naked body is just too¡­ He looked exactly like a sculpture. On her way to her father¡¯s palace back then, she thought she saw several sculptures that looked just like his body. She pouted while looking at the man doing such a thing. It was unfair that she was the only one who was in such a difficult situation when the man didn¡¯t even pay attention to anything. The man put his shirt on the desk and picked up a pen. ¡°What should I write?¡± ¡°You can write down anything you want.¡± Helen pulled the blanket to his shoulder. Other than being concerned that he might feel cold, she kept being enamored by his upper body. She was surprised to see his flawless body without a single wound even though he said he was a knight. And¡­. Had he trained in the library all this time? How did his muscles¡­. ¡°Uh¡­ Whatever I want¡­.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°What are you staring at that makes you seem so dumbfounded like that?¡± The man asked back and wrinkled his nose at her. Helen seemed suspicious because she just disregarded his question. ¡°A-ah, nothing.¡± ¡°Is it too cold? Are you hurt somewhere?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s really nothing.¡± ¡°Your cheeks are flushed.¡± ¡°M-more like hot. It¡¯s pretty hot here. In the library.¡± Helen fanned herself with her hands while approaching the window to open it. The cold wind caressed Helen¡¯s cheeks. The man looked at Helen figures and just like that, he raised the pen again. What should I write? How could he think of anything to say in this situation? The man agonized for a while. His shirt looked small because there were so many things he wanted to write. After a long time, the man who had been staring at his white shirt finally moved his hand. [Who are you? Why did you confine me here?] The shirt was too small for him to write all of the things he wanted to say. When he was staring at the shirt with a frustrated look, Helen approached the man after the heat on her cheeks subsided. ¡°Are you done?¡± The man¡¯s face looked somewhat uneasy. He had been looking at the words written on his shirt for a long time. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ Helen suddenly felt a strange feeling of deja vu when she checked what the man had written on his shirt. [Who are you? Why did you confine me here?] [Do not let yourself get caught by others. Do not leave the library.] Helen grabbed the man¡¯s arm and looked at the two writings alternately. And soon after, she realized the real reason behind it. ¡®The handwriting¡­ why does it look so similar¡­¡­?¡¯ *** ¡°Why are you returning so suddenly? Is it because I took off my clothes without telling you before?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± There was still a long time left before the sun rose. When I saw Helen packing her luggage while saying she suddenly had to return, the man asked with a sullen face. ¡°Then why¡­ Why did you decide to return so suddenly?¡± ¡°I got caught on my way to the library by my maid today, but then I said it was just a night stroll. Who knows if she would come to check on me.¡± ¡°Maid?¡± He looked as if he didn¡¯t know what a maid is. How far did this man lose his memories¡­. Helen hurriedly added. ¡°The person who looks after me.¡± ¡°Look after you? Then can I also be your maid if I can leave the library?¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me, what?¡± Helen bursted into laughter when the man suddenly said random things, he was cute and funny at the same time. It was so funny that tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t imagine the huge man becoming a maid. The maid¡¯s clothes which were usually worn by the maids would¡¯ve squeezed him. It was even funnier when she thought about the man cleaning the dust around the room in a maid¡¯s uniform. ¡°Haha.¡± Helen wiped away the tears on her eyes after laughing for a while. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s so funny if I become a maid?¡± ¡°Yes, a lot. If you found out what a maid was, you would be shocked and immediately hate it.¡± Watching the face of a woman he liked while she was laughing, he actually thought that it wouldn¡¯t be bad if he tried to do it once. Unaware of the man¡¯s thought, instead Helen caught the sword hanging on his waist. ¡°You look better as a knight rather than a maid. I heard you¡¯re actually good at using swords.¡± ¡°Then how about becoming a knight?¡± ¡°A knight¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t think it was a bad idea to become a knight and stay by the woman¡¯s side. Because it was the same as standing next to her anyways. ¡°Fine. It will do.¡± Helen nodded when the man obediently answered her. I told Ellie that I met a puppy in the library, but he looked more like a huge puppy. Didn¡¯t he look more like a¡­. Dog? He wagged his tail whenever he caught sight of her¡­ he looked undeniably cute. That writing on the shirt was really bothering her, but she reminded herself that it would not have meant anything. ¡®It won¡¯t mean anything¡­ It¡¯s not supposed to mean anything.¡¯ Helen reluctantly raised the corners of her mouth and said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now.¡± The man hurriedly held onto Helen¡¯s hand when she was about to turn around. ¡°Will you come again tomorrow?¡± The man looked sad. He looked worried thinking that she would not come again. The dark library could be seen behind him. ¡®This guy is waiting for me in the library.¡¯ Her situation seemed to overlap with him. Just like her who lived confined on the top of a tower far away from the Imperial Family. The corner of Helen¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t rise anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely come again. Certainly.¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± The man tried to say something. Helen turned around and walked away from the library because she felt like crying. If she got away from this door, the man would have not been able to see her. She didn¡¯t want to show her tear-stained face toward him. With that thought, she shut the door and immediately slid down to the floor. ¡°Sigh¡­..¡± She let out a deep sigh. All this time, she had been deceived and forgotten due to the peaceful day. She wondered why she came all the way here in the first place, even though her pathetic life would probably be taken away according to her father¡¯s order at any time. Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°What did I do wrong¡­.¡± She was abused ever since the day she was born. Trapped in a castle and longing for having the chance to go outside, her father sometimes invited her to the party in the Imperial City if it was necessary. Whenever people looked at her suspiciously, she would refrained from stepping her feet in society using the excuse that she was sick. Other than that, she couldn¡¯t leave the room. Even though her body was gradually growing, her mind was still immature. She was only beaten up by her father who came to pay a visit sometimes, but if he didn¡¯t come, she would go crazy because she felt really lonely, so she used to hold him and begged him not to leave whenever he visited. Just a little bit more¡­. Her situation at that time was similar to the man¡¯s condition now. The reason why she couldn¡¯t let go of the hands that were attached and desperate for her wasn¡¯t because she felt sorry for him. It was because she felt sorry for herself. Back then, she always hoped that there would be someone who would hold her parched hands like that. ¡°Sorry¡­.¡± Helen kept crying for a long time as she sat down at the door. She didn¡¯t want to cry in front of him, but she was certain that he was standing over this door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­. Really¡­.¡± ¡®There¡¯s literally nothing I can do for you¡­. Nothing¡­.¡¯ Since it would be difficult for her to save her own life, therefore she came all the way here after accepting her father¡¯s order. If she failed to kill the Emperor as her father commanded her, he would send someone to kill her or expose her to the Emperor of Idelberg by saying that she was a spy. Someone who would do anything to achieve whatever they want. He was that kind of person. Her father. Helen rubbed her eyes roughly with the back of her hand without realizing that her eyes were swelling. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ah. What should I do? ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The low voice of the man could be heard through the door. Her hunch was entirely correct, that he would be standing behind the door. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The man only repeated the words ¡®You¡¯ll be fine¡¯ to her. He comforted her awkwardly, but was somehow able to cheer her up. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Did the man understand her? ¡®You¡¯re the first person to tell me that I would be fine¡­.¡¯ Helen¡¯s eyes trembled intensely. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Helen crouched in front of the door and cried for a long time. [t/n: my heart literally shattered to pieces while translating this scene. Gladly they can find comfort in each other for now.] Listening to the repeated voice of the man, She buried her face in her knees while listening to the man repeated his words over and over. She couldn¡¯t stop crying because she felt that it was unfair for him and pitied herself because she couldn¡¯t hear this until she turned twenty. *** Helen left and the man just stood at the door blankly. If she walked off, there should¡¯ve been the sound of feet stepping down the stairs, but he couldn¡¯t hear any noise. It seemed like she didn¡¯t go away. If you didn¡¯t go, please stay here with me a little longer. He was greedy. If he was greedy, he thought the woman was frightened of him, but he couldn¡¯t help but be greedy of her. The man stared blankly at the door where Helen left earlier, as he closed and opened his hand repeatedly in regret. Until a moment ago, he was holding the woman¡¯s hand with it. He could still feel the warmth that was enveloping his hands. ¡®Should I call out to her? Will she answer me if I call out to her?¡¯ The woman¡¯s face looked bothered by something before she left. She somehow looked sad and uneasy. She said she was leaving because of the maid, but it seemed like a lie. The man was anxious, thinking that she might have left because of him. Then he heard a faint sound of someone crying outside the door. She was crying there. She tried hard to stifle it, but he was able to hear a small sound that came out through the gaps of her mouth. The sound of her crying was making the man even angrier. If she ever cried in front of him, he would have hugged and comforted her. He would have listened and asked why she seemed so sad. He hated the fact that he couldn¡¯t approach the woman because she was crying right outside the library door. And he felt useless. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± To hear that. He had no idea how desperate she was all this time to hear those words from him. Fortunately, Helen¡¯s crying stopped for a moment, most likely because she heard the man¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The man said it over and over again. Chapter 12 - The Identity Of The Man Translated by Rae *** The woman¡¯s cry grew louder each time the man said so, but she was supposed to cry when she felt sad. She had to let out sadness as much as she could in order to stand back on her feet again. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The man wanted the woman to open the door and come back inside, but she didn¡¯t. The sound of her cry outside the door gradually stopped. Why did she cry? For what reason¡­. The man clenched his fist. He clenched it so tight that his veins protrude out on the wrist. ¡®Why am I so angry? Why am I so curious about the reason why she¡¯s crying?¡¯ ¡°Sigh¡­ Are you okay?¡± The man eventually asked. He couldn¡¯t do what the woman did to him before, comforting her continuously while saying she would be fine. He was worried about a woman he couldn¡¯t even see right at that moment. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to answer me?¡± The woman didn¡¯t answer. She didn¡¯t cry anymore, but the sound of something moving could still be heard. The man nervously swept his hair up at the sound of something rustling outside. ¡°Do whatever you want. Because I¡¯m going to do whatever I want, too.¡± The man grabbed the doorknob right away without thinking any further. Also, a strong spark began to occur and the wind blew. There was a great wave as if not letting the man go out of the room. At that time, Helen felt strange as she stayed outside the door. When she was looking at the door, it began to squeak. As if the man was grabbing the doorknob. Helen sprang up to her feet and opened the door, forgetting the fact that she was still in a state of crying. ¡°N-No way¡­.¡± Did he do it again even when he knew his hands would be burned and looked unsightly? When the door opened, she caught sight of the weak man, and then the library which was already in a mess. Did he really try to open the door? ¡°I can see you now.¡± The man let out a faint chuckle. What is he smiling at? ¡°H-H-How can you smile right now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The man reached out and grabbed Helen¡¯s hand. He was only touching her weakly, but Helen easily followed suit. She was actually surprised and dumbfounded at the same time. ¡°Why did you do that? Your hands will be hurting again!¡± Helen asked worriedly. A man frowned as he looked at Helen¡¯s face, which was stained by tears. ¡°Why did you cry? Why didn¡¯t you cry in front of me and go outside instead?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Helen was nervous. Is this guy really out of his mind? Or is it me who had gone crazy because my heart was pounding for a man I¡¯ve just met three times? Helen looked at him as she was trapped in her arms, surprised by the man¡¯s words, and he raised his hand to sweep away her tear-stained cheeks, unaware of Helen¡¯s stiffened body. ¡°If you want to cry, do it in front of me. I¡¯ll comfort you. Because you just walked out of the door recklessly, I had no choice but to open it.¡± The man smiled mischievously and wiped off Helen¡¯s face. It didn¡¯t feel like a smooth and gentle handkerchief, but the man¡¯s harsh hand treated Helen¡¯s face as if a pottery that was about to break at any time. After wiping her cheeks off, his hand slowly came up and eventually wiped her eyes off as well. The man¡¯s hand stopped when he was trying to wipe off the tears that gathered around her lips. Uh¡­ Helen¡¯s heart began to pound so fast that she thought it could not beat normally anymore after this. She was so close to the man, their faces were too close with each other. Helen felt dizzy. ¡°You comforted me. Now it¡¯s my turn to comfort you.¡± Helen stiffened when she realized that she had forgotten the fact that she was crying a moment ago, but the man hugged Helen tightly and put his head on top of Helen¡¯s head. He didn¡¯t mean to put his head on top of her head, but it was just because of the height difference between them. H-He¡¯s too close¡­! She tried to push him, but the man didn¡¯t budge. She pushed his arm, and even tapped his back to ask him to let go, but he just ignored it. She was stunned by the man¡¯s remark. ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t bring yourself to say it?¡± This time, Helen couldn¡¯t answer again. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk, do it only when you want to.¡± The man patted Helen on her back. Like she did it to him the other day. Pat pat. Helen calmed down a little due to the constant pats on her back. She eventually neglected the idea to get out of the man¡¯s arms and wriggled her hand quietly in his embrace. ¡®What is he up to? Why is this guy acting so affectionate towards me?¡± When she didn¡¯t even visit him a few times in the past days. It was more difficult for her to push him away heartlessly because he was being so affectionate towards her. ¡°You promised me. Let¡¯s talk properly next time.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± The man chuckled and smiled, feeling delighted when she promised him next time. *** ¡°You eventually use this medicine¡­.¡± She sat back on the sofa and opened the lid of the box which contained medicine in it. She scooped up a spoonful of medicine before holding the man¡¯s left hand, and applied it on his hand. ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong? Does it hurt?¡± ¡°It feels cold.¡± The man frowned. She couldn¡¯t tell whether it was really cold or he was just holding back because of how painful it was. She knew for sure that the man was tough. ¡°Were you trying to break through it just because you can¡¯t see me? Even though you clearly know you¡¯re going to get hurt!¡± Helen applied the medicine neatly while scolding the man. She had never wished to help someone applying medicine in their hand before. The cold medicine eventually felt warm and mild. The bitter smell of medicine stung my nose. She felt strange when applying the medicine on the man¡¯s hand, which was burning. His fingers were entwined and there were medicines in between. ¡°Euh¡­.¡± The man suddenly let out an erotic sound. He seemed to be surprised by the strange sound that was coming from his own mouth. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t let it out on purpose¡­.¡± ¡°Stupid¡­.¡± Helen muttered, but the man was too flustered by himself. In other words, this was the first time he felt this sort of feeling. The feeling of her blood rushing fast where he touched made her feel dizzy. She even imagined there was a spark in the place he touched. ¡°Sigh¡­..¡± The man couldn¡¯t figure out the meaning behind this sort of feeling, so he only let out a deep sigh. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± The woman must have applied the medicine on his hands, so she was now applying the medicine to his wrist. She liked his gentle voice, and also his clumsy hands that seemed to have never been treated by anyone else. ¡°It hurts.¡± ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Yeah. Very much.¡± Actually, it didn¡¯t hurt that much. He thought it was the same reason as why he didn¡¯t really feel cold. His senses had become dull. It wouldn¡¯t even hurt when he was stabbed, so he thought something was wrong with his body. He already knew his body didn¡¯t feel like a normal human being in many ways, but the woman worried a lot about him when she looked at her because she didn¡¯t know that. He liked that gaze. And if he could touch it a bit more¡­. With insidious greed in mind, the man grabbed Helen¡¯s fingertips slightly. Helen was startled by his craving touch and pulled her hand away. The man¡¯s disappointed gaze landed on her hand. ¡°D-Don¡¯t do it next time!¡± ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°It was because you seemed to be in pain¡­.¡± The man also liked it when she cried for him. Cute. She was so cute. She looked cute when attempting to talk back to him because she looked so small, and he was also amazed when the woman immediately felt dejected when he said something. It amazed him how he was able to act like he was hurting because the real problem was that he didn¡¯t know how it felt to be in pain. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯ll get better by tomorrow.¡± The man stroked Helen¡¯s head with his right hand, the one which wasn¡¯t injured. He even tickled her chin, as if stroking a pet bird gently. ¡°What are you¡­. doing¡­.¡± At this rate, she clearly looked like a little girl playing house with a man. She really has to go back now. Helen returned completely to her senses because of the faint sunshine that came through the window. ¡°I should get going now.¡± Actually, she wasn¡¯t willing to leave the hurting man here, but there was nothing she could do about that. A contented smile spread across the man¡¯s mouth when he found her stealing a glance toward him several times. He thought it was worth it to hurt his hand over and over again because it made the woman only look at him the entire time. Watching Helen, who was gathering her things hurriedly, the man hid his disappointment. ¡°Okay.¡± She was starting to get sleepy by now. She was supposed to be asleep at this time. After packing her things, Helen waved her hands before leaving the library. The man stood at the door while listening to Helen¡¯s footsteps, then he ran straight to the window. Throughout the window, he could see Helen running and stepping on the grass. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Helen didn¡¯t even look back. It would¡¯ve been nice if she looked at him even just for once. He was disappointed, but Helen never showed her face until she disappeared from his sight. The man clenched his fist and swallowed his disappointment. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± *** The man, who fell asleep as if he was losing consciousness in the library, opened his eyes again. His eyes were so empty that they couldn¡¯t even be compared to the middle of the night. His eyebrows were furrowed in an irritated manner, weary expression, and drowsy eyes which were still half-opened. Furthermore, the man got up and immediately began to fix his manner, he seemed very different from last night. ¡°Sigh¡­ Why do I keep sleeping on the floor?¡± He didn¡¯t even want to sleep on the sofa either. But at least he should stay seated. He couldn¡¯t understand why he found himself falling down on the floor in front of the window and sleeping there. The man, who let out an irritated sigh, then found a strange medicine with a lot of stuff on his left hand out of nowhere when he was about to run hand through his hair roughly. His hand was injured again, and what he assumed as medicine was applied all over it. He scooped up the medicine with his right hand and rubbed it against his thumb and forefinger. ¡°What is this?¡± He really had no idea. Moreover, his arm was not the only thing that looked different. The messy library, a pen and ink on the sofa, cookie crumbs remained on the sofa, and empty bottles of medicine. And then there was also something which he assumed as a burlap bag. ¡°And what¡¯s this?¡± Then, he finally saw the message left on the shirt he was currently wearing. [Who are you? Why did you lock me up?] ¡°Ha¡­. Haha¡­.¡± The man, who was bewildered, burst into laughter. Did his night self think that someone else had locked him up in the library? ¡°Stupid.¡± Tsk, he clicked his tongue and got up from his position. He couldn¡¯t believe that he was sleeping on the floor, rather than the sofa he had prepared. The man looked around coldly once again. ¡°There seemed to be someone who was helping me¡­.¡± The man¡¯s eyes moved around coldly. His dry eyes changed as if the sun were rising early in the morning. Who was helping him? They had been stepping their feet into the Emperor¡¯s library. They seemed to have a big guts. They were definitely not an assassin because it seemed like there was no wound on his body except for his hand. And because he didn¡¯t find any dead bodies, that person must have left some time ago. Did he let them escape? He was confused because this kind of incident never happened before. The man swept his chin with a suspicious gaze. ¡°Oh, a candlestick.¡± A few days ago, a candlestick was placed on the table. He seemed to have forgotten about it after bringing it to the library. ¡°He never thought that someone else had come in.¡± It¡¯s been as many as ten years. It¡¯s not like he hadn¡¯t met anyone else while doing this thing repeatedly for nearly a decade. But it¡¯s been a long time since then, so no wonder he had never thought about it. ¡°I have to find that person.¡± The man left the library after spitting out his words without having any particular expression on his face. He held the door of the library, but nothing happened, so he headed toward the Lion Palace. Sir Viester, who was waiting in front of the library, greeted him. ¡°You come.¡± He draped the embroidered outer garment, which was owned by the Emperor, around his shoulder. ¡°For a simple breakfast. Let¡¯s go to my office.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± As the Emperor¡¯s aide, he answered once again. Viester, who was following the emperor, realized that the Emperor¡¯s left arm was blackened, as if it had been burned. ¡°I will call for the priest.¡± Hearing Viester, the Emperor rubbed his left arm which was injured. The Emperor stopped and spoke up again. ¡°Get the Commander to come as well.¡± The security had been weakened lately. When the Emperor spoke up again, Viester suddenly had a sweat running down his back. He found it difficult to play up to the very sharp Emperor in this particular morning. The Emperor frowned and had an unpleasant look on his face. Viester had a hunch that the palace would be in a turmoil. Chapter 13 ¡°I told you to keep the library forbidden from anyone.¡± The Emperor didn¡¯t even think of dropping the frown off his face. Was that all they could do for him? He even let them take over the position, only for them to receive the pay without working properly and let him be killed? They have to do their work. That¡¯s why he felt so angry. The Emperor said while holding back his boiling anger with one deep breath. ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I called for you.¡± The Emperor sat himself on the throne and looked down at the Knight Commander, who knelt down in front of him while giving him a domineering gaze. Resting his chin on one hand, he only did a little to hide the dissatisfaction on his face. ¡°In this palace, you¡¯re the one who got the highest salary among others.¡± It was quite ridiculous to hear that he was suddenly called by the Emperor. At first, he thought there was a problem with the security of the Capital City, but the Emperor suddenly mentioned his salary. ¡°May I ask why you are talking about this?¡± The Knight Commander sweated while observing the Emperor¡¯s face. He wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if the Emperor had told him to leave for war. The intimidating attitude of the Emperor made him sweat even after rolling over in all kinds of war fields. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. There was an intruder in the library at night. Who did you think was responsible for this?¡± ¡°!¡± There was a small wrinkle on the Knight¡¯s face. Obviously, there was a strict order that prohibited everyone from entering, but who dared to step into the Emperor¡¯s library? It was clear the Commander Knight would get severe punishment, but from the Emperor¡¯s expression, he would¡¯ve been given a separate punishment from others. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You have to pay me back for that. Isn¡¯t that why I pay you with a high salary?¡± The Commander Knight let out a shallow breath. The Emperor couldn¡¯t hold back his anger. Even though he was the type of person who had keen senses, he had never been so angry before. ¡°I will search around the area and arrest the culprit right away.¡± Arrest the culprit. Would it solve the problem? The culprit was the person who knew about his secret. The Emperor remained silent for a moment. As the Emperor was agonizing after he ordered him to catch the culprit right away, the Knight Commander lifted up his lowered head cautiously. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Viester, his aide, also looked at the Emperor suspiciously while sticking to his side. ¡°There¡¯s no need to find them. Since I have already found and have to punish you properly, I want you to tighten the security not just around the Imperial Palace, but in the Capital City as well. This is definitely your fault.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very ashamed, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll make sure not to let this happen again.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better be.¡± The Knight Commander bowed his head with a troubled face. The Emperor¡¯s expression while looking down at him was cold. ¡°I will take over all of the night shifts that were assigned to my men for a month, and my salary would be reduced by half.¡± He hated people who couldn¡¯t do their work properly. This incident was very disappointing because he trusted the knight¡¯s skills and took charge of the expenses. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The commander of the knight bit his teeth hard. I was very angry with myself that my emperor¡¯s Majesty was disappointed by my mistake. ¡°You can go now.¡± After the Knight Commander left, Viester came to the Emperor¡¯s side. ¡°You went too far. I can¡¯t believe you reduced his salary by half.¡± ¡°Then he shouldn¡¯t have made such a mistake. By letting anyone step into the library.¡± The eyes of the Emperor, Carmun, were filled with irritation. The reason why he had no choice other than doing this was because of his curse. *** When the morning came by, he didn¡¯t remember what happened to his other self at night. And it seemed like his other self didn¡¯t remember what happened to his other self at day either. Therefore, why didn¡¯t he say so in his shirt? ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is the last thing I need to figure out.¡± He felt pathetic to himself. Moreover, who the h*ll has helped him, considering the medicine was cheap and blankets, which were covering him, usually used among the maids. Did the one and only Emperor of the Idelberg Empire get help from a maid? Besides, what¡¯s with the candlestick? It was difficult to just point out a specific person since it was commonly used in the Imperial Palace. ¡°Medicine and blanket.¡± If he were to make assumptions from these things, it seemed like the culprit was one of the maids¡­. The Emperor looked alternately at the two items with a cold gaze. -Knock knock. ¡°The priest has arrived.¡± ¡°Let him in.¡± The door opened right after the Emperor ordered so, and a high-ranking priest came in traditional attire. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. I am the Mooge of the Acro Temple.¡± Mooge was the highest position for a priest in the temple. Besides, he was the type of person who could only be moved around by the Emperor¡¯s order. The mooge had a neutral appearance because they usually dressed ambiguously so that nobody knew his age nor gender. Dressed in a white uniform, they entered the Emperor¡¯s room and naturally checked on Carmun with their eyes. ¡°Did you get injured again?¡± His left hand that had been treated just a few days ago seemed to be badly burned again. ¡°What did you do lately¡­? How come each time your hands are burned like this, Your Majesty?¡± Mogue scolded worriedly. ¡°¡­it just needed some treatment.¡± The Emperor couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak. He did it in the middle of the night when he lost my memory, and he didn¡¯t even know what he did to himself at that time. Carmun grinded his teeth, feeling angry to his other self at night. D*mn¡­!¡± When the priest started the treatment by drawing a bright light, he felt like his skin was tingling slightly. During the treatment, the Emperor¡¯s forehead didn¡¯t even think to straighten his brow. His lips was bitten gently as well. Viester asked in a subdued voice while watching the sight of the Emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, is it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re that curious, should I burn your flesh as well?¡± The priest instantly flinched when the Emperor spat out those words in a terrifying voice. The divine power emanating from his hand was cut off as well. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Several drops of sweat fell from Mooge¡¯s forehead at the Emperor¡¯s rebuke. When the treatment began again, Viester said with a slightly stiff look. ¡°¡­Your joke has gone too far.¡± ¡°Then what do you mean by asking me that?¡± Carmun was being sarcastic. He couldn¡¯t figure out the reason behind why they asked him if he was hurting or not, even though they couldn¡¯t do anything to help relieve the pain. After answering irritatedly, the Emperor leaned his back against the sofa. His entire body was aching probably because he slept lying on the hard floor. Suddenly, he was seething in rage toward his other self at night. Even though it was his own body, he always messed up each time and made a mess of himself. That¡¯s why he locked himself in the library. He had no other choices because he was using the body of the Emperor of this country, at his own will. Rubbing his forehead and putting his anger aside, the Emperor dropped his hand and beckoned to Viester. He was the only one who knew about the curse. He whispered in Viester¡¯s ear so that the priest could not hear them. ¡°To have intruders enter the library is not a mere joke for everyone. The items would still be there if you go to the library now. Bring those here.¡± Viester nodded and went out to look for the items, meanwhile the Mooge was sweating when there were just two of them in the room. ¡°Do you need more time to do this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then how is it now?¡± ¡°Five minutes hasn¡¯t even passed yet, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Five minutes has passed.¡± The Emperor¡¯s patience was extremely short. He thought the burnt candles would last longer than the Emperor¡¯s patience, but he decided to just shut his mouth as he didn¡¯t want to die right away. ¡°It is much harder to treat the injury in the same place each time. If it happens regularly¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your job to treat me. Is that really what you are about to say to the injured person like me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty.¡± The priest just wanted to cry. The Emperor, who was usually as harsh as sandpaper, was particularly harsh today. There are a few more people other than him who have high divine power like him, but why does His Majesty keep summoning him and making him tired by working restlessly like this? Suddenly, the priest¡¯s lips protruded out as the resentment arose inside. After some time passed, the Emperor¡¯s hand finally returned back to how it looked before it got injured. ¡°The treatment is over, Your Majesty.¡± After finishing the treatment, Mooge¡¯s face became thinner than earlier. The Emperor answered after he was done checking his hands. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, t-there is also a limit in treating someone using divine power. ¡­It¡¯s better for you to not be injured and treated in the same place anymore.¡± The Emperor¡¯s face hardened each time he heard the words coming out of the priest¡¯s mouth. It took no more than one minute to treat when his hand was burned for the first time. Then it took five minutes, ten minutes, and thirty minutes yesterday. The treatment took an hour today. The time required to complete the treatment gradually increased. Like what the priest said earlier, this sort of treatment might not be possible as it was. The Emperor replied while fiddling with his left hand which had been cured. ¡°I get it.¡± Limit? Suddenly, Carmun felt terrified as he looked at his own hand. ¡°Then what if I go past that limit?¡± ¡°You may not be able to treat it, and it will leave a huge scar on your body.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ I understand. You can go.¡± Even though the priest had gotten really exhausted from the treatment, he also sweated a lot when trying hard to keep up with the fussy Emperor. He said farewell with a nod toward the Emperor before leaving the room with a more haggard look than the look when he came in earlier. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going now.¡± After the priest left, the emperor who remained alone felt extremely annoyed. He couldn¡¯t even figure out what his other self was doing at night, that¡¯s his biggest concern. Also, he didn¡¯t know if he was going to injure his hand again, or he might try to kill himself next time. He could only prevent it from happening once or twice, but he couldn¡¯t do that all the time. Soon after, Viester returned with several items. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ve fetched the items in the library for you.¡± There were blankets, medicine box, pen, and ink in his arms. After putting down all those things on the table, Viester tilted his head. ¡°But it didn¡¯t seem like this person had a high status¡­. But how could they get close to the main palace?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re going to find out now.¡± The Emperor also had his own doubts. A person with a low status dared to set foot into the Emperor¡¯s library, they must¡¯ve had so much courage to do that. None of the people who had set foot in the Emperor¡¯s private library ever survived. He thought there wouldn¡¯t be anyone who could survive after that because it¡¯s always been like that since then. ¡°Why do I even have to clean up the Knight Commander¡¯s mess?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± That was to hide His Majesty¡¯s curse. Viester tried to open his mouth but then shut it tightly. ¡°That¡¯s what? Answer me, Viester.¡± If he didn¡¯t watch his mouth when speaking to His Majesty, he might not be able to talk again afterwards. The Emperor seemed to be in a bad mood today. ¡°I made a mistake.¡± The Emperor¡¯s cold gaze landed on Viester and averted away again. The Emperor was particularly sensitive today. ¡°Looking more into it doesn¡¯t bring us any good. If the rumor regarding the Emperor¡¯s curse spreads around, the opposing country will probably invade us in the middle of the night.¡± The Emperor ran over his hands on his hair with an annoyed look. His seemingly nice hair was arranged neatly. The Emperor was so angry that he couldn¡¯t let this slide. Until when did he have to do this? He was struggling to solve the curse for ten years. When the night came by, he lost his memory and turned into a different person. He became a moron who didn¡¯t even remember his identity or his status as an emperor. If someone happened to find out about his secret¡­. He might have been dethroned and he would¡¯ve ended up in the mental hospital. ¡°There should be one or two ba***rd who managed to survive.¡± Tsk- The Emperor turned his head while clicking his tongue. Meanwhile, after the maid informed him that the water for bathing had been prepared, the Emperor took off his shirt and headed to the bathroom. ¡°Meanwhile I¡¯m in the bathroom, you have to look into those things.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± When Viester bowed his head, his purple hair fell to his shoulder. The Emperor entered the bathroom with an arrogant expression after watching him intently. Viester was left alone while sitting on the sofa inside the Emperor¡¯s room as he gathered things that he brought from the library earlier. Chapter 14 Blankets, candlesticks, and ink as well as a pen. Then what is this medicine box? No one dared to step their feet into the library at night. The knights had protected the place from outside, and there was even magic that prevented him from coming out. ¡°If his hand was burnt¡­ He must have tried to get out.¡± A few years ago, his Majesty¡¯s whole body had burned out because of his other side at night. He wasn¡¯t sure if the Emperor was trying to kill himself or get out of the library. And after that, His Majesty had to receive treatment for the whole day. And he went back to the library¡­. Ever since then, the man had been quiet. He didn¡¯t try to open the door again or try to kill himself. But then he suddenly tried to open the door again after a few years had passed. Using these meaningless things. ¡°Who the hell entered the library¡­?¡± Right at that moment, the bathroom door opened as if the Emperor¡¯s bath had come to an end. The foggy steam began to waft through the door, and the Emperor came out with just a towel draped around his important part. The Emperor¡¯s black hair was dripping down to the floor. Viester bowed his head deeply because he couldn¡¯t bear to see the Emperor¡¯s naked body. There was a rustling sound, and the Emperor showed up after dressing himself properly. His hair was still left. Due to the wetness, his hair that took the light of the chandelier was shining like the stars, his wide forehead and dark eyebrows which made him look aggressive. If he were to include the Emperor¡¯s pointed nose and red lips, even though Viester was a man, he stopped in his tracks. ¡°You have to dry your hair first.¡± ¡°No need.¡± The Emperor shook his head in annoyance. He took a big stride, as if he had something to do with the things found in the library. His eyes landed on the things placed on the table. He carefully examined the shirt in particular. It was his first time seeing this writing. He thought that a different spirit might have entered was a total opposite with the fact that the handwriting looked so similar. No, it looked exactly the same. The Emperor rubbed his forehead in frustration as he looked at the shirt. He wondered how he was supposed to solve the problem with this person? The Emperor held up the pen after contemplating for a while. And this time, he wrote down his words on the paper, not on his shirt. [Where did you get a pen?] *** The other side of the Emperor opened his eyes slowly and sat on the sofa. The weird feeling that always appeared whenever he opened his eyes, washed over him again. At the same place and time. But there was something different. There was a pen, ink, and next to them was a piece of paper which was placed neatly on the table. [Where did you get a pen?] ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Right after he read the words written on the paper, he bursted into laughter. Was this all? This is ridiculous. Just ridiculous. They didn¡¯t answer his question. The man slammed his hands against the table with all his strength out of anger. The table was split in half, but the man¡¯s anger didn¡¯t stop there. He was so irritated to the point that he went crazy. He was wearing clean clothes, and his hands had returned to normal. Did this person treat him again? Did he do some sort of magic or something? Was that the reason why they were able to set up a shield at the library and treat him? Numerous question marks flashed across the man¡¯s head. ¡°Just why¡­?¡± He was asking why they locked him up in this place. The man shot a murderous look to his surroundings. The man had grown up during ten years of being trapped in the library. It wasn¡¯t just his body. His swordsmanship, which was awkward at first, has been improving significantly. Maybe it would be enough to break the shield. The man slowly picked up the paper that had fallen to the floor. [Where did you get a pen?] Were they looking for that woman? Everything she left here last night had disappeared. Maybe they took it along with them. ¡°Oh, no¡­..¡± The man let out a groan, his mind was flooded with worry. She might be in danger because of him. ¡®She might be in danger¡­.¡¯ He was locked up by the Emperor, so he could not ensure the woman¡¯s life. Because he asked about the person who gave him a pen, he probably hasn¡¯t found out about her just yet. Looking around the cluttered library quickly, the man then headed straight for the window. The night has come, so if he were to wait for a little bit, a woman would come. He should tell her not to come to the library for a while. ¡®I have to tell her when she comes here today.¡¯ The man just waited unconditionally for her until he forgot what made him so upset. ¡°Hurry and come.¡± The full moon rose above his head. It was already late at night, and he assumed that she might come much later than usual. The man stared intently through the window to check the numbers of knights outside the wall were increasing today. ¡°D**n¡­.¡± Then it would be difficult for the woman to sneak in. If she happened to get caught while sneaking in¡­. The man paced around near the window while biting his nails, feeling impatient on his own. And the time passed again. The woman came really late. After an hour or two, the man¡¯s mind was split into two thoughts. The relief when knowing the woman was safe because she didn¡¯t come, the fear that she might get involved in some sort of trouble, and next he was angry at the Emperor because he had already taken action about this. And the last, a fear that she might have abandoned him. Eventually, the woman didn¡¯t come to the library that day. *** Helen, who had been getting up late these few days, woke up in a hurry today. ¡®I¡­ I can¡¯t sleep.¡¯ She had been anxious ever since she saw his handwriting last night. How could two different people have similar handwriting? It was strange if he thought rationally about it. Each person has a distinctive handwriting. Obviously, it was different for everyone, but how could their handwriting resemble each other so much¡­. The man didn¡¯t seem to notice it. She was right when thinking that the man didn¡¯t find it strange. ¡°Yeah¡­ The man doesn¡¯t know either.¡± The twins wouldn¡¯t even resemble each other that much, but Helen could barely squeeze her anxiousness into the back of her mind. ¡°Huft¡­.¡± She took a deep breath to regain her composure. But instead of calming down, she could hear her heart beating more precipitously than before. ¡°I-I guess I should read a book¡­.¡± Strangely, she started to feel uneasy ever since last night. She thought it was because of his handwriting, but she didn¡¯t know why. Helen took out a book to soothe herself. She took out a book named ¡®The History of Idelberg II¡¯ without even looking at the title beforehand. It was a book that recorded the year and what happened in that year tediously, but Helen thought it was enough to calm her mind. /In 563, Idelberg was founded. The Empire was named after Cavond de Idelberg, the First Emperor. /In 564, ¡­./ The more Helen turned the pages, she felt even calmer. ¡°That¡¯s why I love books so much¡­.¡± Helen buried her face in the books and took a deep breath without reading it. The good thing about living in Idelberg was that she could read books as much as she wanted. When she was busy sniffing and smelling it, Ellie entered the room to bring lunch for her. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Ellie was embarrassed and couldn¡¯t let out any words for a moment. When Ellie entered, she didn¡¯t expect to see Helen, who was very happy on her own while burying her face in the book. Oops, she got caught. She caught the sight of Helen smelling the book for sure. Helen was ashamed, her cheeks turned red. ¡°A-ah, you¡¯re here?¡± She knew Her Highness was fond of books, but she didn¡¯t expect to find out her master loved books that much. ¡°Your highness, are you reading a book again?¡± She asked while staring at the books piled up like a mountain beside her bed. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Ellie asked purely out of curiosity, but Helen began to feel uncomfortable hearing her maid¡¯s question. ¡®Is it weird that I¡­ read a book?¡¯ Helen only had a few books back when she was in Cordelia. The number of books she had was less than the number of her fingers. Most of the books even came off and really worn-out, Edith would also occasionally throw a few books to her, as if sharing it with her. -How would you read a book if it wasn¡¯t because of me? Be grateful to me!- On the day she couldn¡¯t hide the book when her father came for a visit, he used to be angry and tore it into pieces, even though that was the only thing she could do. ¡®Perhaps she noticed that a princess like me is not supposed to read a book¡­.¡¯ She recalled herself feeling as if she had found the most mysterious treasure in the world when she began to read a book, as if to satisfy her hunger. When Helen¡¯s face slowly became nervous, Ellie hastily made an excuse out of confusion. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that because it looks like you are reading a book! I didn¡¯t mean to say it in a sarcastic way or in a negative way.¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­.¡± However, Helen¡¯s discouraged face didn¡¯t easily return to normal. Ellie looked at Helen¡¯s surroundings while feeling bad at her master, not knowing what to do. She felt like she would¡¯ve rolled over on the bare floor if her master promised her to smile again. ¡°Are you telling the truth¡­.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you are, please don¡¯t be impassive¡­. I feel so guilty¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sorry.¡± There was no way Ellie would¡¯ve said it in a negative way. Ellie¡¯s heart felt a bit relieved when Helen reluctantly raised the corner of her mouth and smiled. ¡°Please eat this meal.¡± She set up the meal in front of Helen. Each concubine was provided with a settled budget and it was reduced gradually until the last concubine. Because Helen occupied the last turn, she was provided with less money than the average budget for the youngest member of the Knightage. Even though she was titled as a concubine, actually she felt more like a prisoner here. Other concubines seemed to have an abundance of money sent from their respective countries, but the Princess somehow had no funt sent to her. Ellie noticed it secretly. Helen had been abandoned by her homeland. In order to save their money, Ellie often pocketed the things used by the maids. Because it was free. The food was plain, but Helen was always grateful for that. ¡°Thank you, I will enjoy the food.¡± ¡°Sure, Your Highness.¡± Helen picked up the spoon delightedly. The food today was so delicious. ¡°Compared to Cordelia¡­.¡± Back when she was trapped in the castle, meals didn¡¯t come in regularly. The maids often forgot to do that countless times, and the meal that was occasionally delivered to her was hard bread, red rice, or fruits that were about to rot. Compared to that, the meal that had been prepared by Ellie was already splendid. Ellie, who usually served meals and cleaned up the surroundings after Helen finished her meal, was still contemplating beside her, as if she wanted to inform something to her master. ¡°Do you want to talk about something¡­.?¡± Ellie answered hesitatingly. ¡°Your Highness, a letter has arrived from Cordelia.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Helen let out a loud scream. Ellie¡¯s expression also became serious seeing the panic expression on her master¡¯s face. ¡°P-please open the letter.¡± She was going crazy inside, but she couldn¡¯t let Ellie get suspicious so she pretended like it was nothing and received the letter. She couldn¡¯t open the letter because her hands were trembling so much. ¡®I think I¡¯ll read it later after Ellie leaves the room.¡¯ Putting back the letter on the table, she continued to scoop up the soup again, and swallowed it. The soup, which tasted sweet earlier, didn¡¯t taste like anything this time. Instead, she was anxious and didn¡¯t feel like eating anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now. Your Highness. If there¡¯s anything I can do for you, please ring the bell.¡± Ellie clasped her hands at the sight of Helen¡¯s figure with the letter she had received just now. She was convinced that her master had a past which was unknown to her. After that, Ellie bowed her head before walking out of the room. Helen carefully opened the letter after Ellie left. While holding a letter with Cordelia¡¯s seal embedded on it, she controlled her breathing to soothe herself beforehand. She could feel her heart begin to race wildly again. She finally figured out the reason she felt very anxious ever since this morning. The handwriting? It wasn¡¯t because of that. It was just a sign before receiving this letter. Badump badump. She held into her pounding heart. She almost broke into a cold sweat. When she opened the letter, she was greeted by the beautiful handwriting on the high-quality paper, which indicated that my father had written it with his own hands. Chapter 15 [The winter has passed and the weather has gotten warmer lately. How have you been? I miss you so much, my daughter. I hope you will always be happy there. However, as your father, I am so disappointed that nothing has happened between you and His Majesty the Emperor. I hope your relationship with His Majesty the Emperor will improve soon.] It wasn¡¯t a long letter. As soon as she finished reading, Helen wanted to crumple up the letter, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to do that. She felt like she would definitely get into trouble by being an insolent child toward her father. All gifts and letters that were sent into the Imperial Palace usually would go through the inspections. Surely, this letter was also included for the inspections right after it came into the Imperial Palace, so she couldn¡¯t just write down about her father¡¯s scheme openly in the letter. While preparing to become a concubine back in Cordelia, the first thing that she learned was cryptography. There was another way to decipher the letter of her father. Even though it only contained friendly words at the first glance, if she looked closely for the secret code, it was actually a reminder about her relationship with the Emperor and to push the assassionation plan soon. [Don¡¯t forget your duty.] What was her duty¡­? She wondered about her actual role that she had in here. Helen stared at the letter with a frown while holding back her quivering eyelashes. The woman¡¯s face looked like she was about to burst into tears. After coming to Idelberg, she occasionally received letters from her father. When she received the first letter, she expected that her father would have been worried about her. When she received the second letter, she thought she should have tolerated him just for once because he sent me the same letter. It has been a year since she came to Idelberg, but she only received three letters so far, and she had never received a single letter stating his concern for Helen. ¡®Just for once¡­.¡¯ If only she got the chance to feel her father¡¯s affection toward her. Tears eventually fell down from Helen¡¯s eyes and soaked the letter. Tears blocked her eyes which caused his vision to be blurry. She felt guilty toward her father because she had been holding herself for a year. She felt guilty of being sent under her father¡¯s order but ended up living an easy life here. At least, he found out that she was useful. She couldn¡¯t carry out the order from her father because she didn¡¯t have any courage to murder people. Guilty feelings always lingered in Helen¡¯s mind knowing she might have become a bad daughter because she couldn¡¯t follow her father¡¯s order. However, when she received the letter, a sting of hatred suddenly arose in her heart. She hated her father so much. ¡®Does my father really need me?¡¯ Why was he being so harsh if he needed her? If only he gave her a warm hug and told her that she was his daughter. She prayed all her life for it to happen. But her father only did that right before he sent her toward her own death. God was heartless. They¡¯ve always given Helen this awful feeling. Helen was dying once again today after she felt herself craving affection from her family again. *** [Don¡¯t forget your duty.] Helen couldn¡¯t get those words out of her mind. After she received the letter in the morning, even until afternoon came around. Ellie immediately noticed Helen¡¯s strange behaviour. ¡®What was written in the letter¡­.¡¯ Ellie bit her lower lip slightly. Helen¡¯s face looked miserable as she rested her chin on the round table in front of the window. Her eyes were red and wet, perhaps because she had been crying for quite a while. She looked fragile, as if she would collapse quickly if the wind blew over her. ¡°Your Highness¡­.¡± Ellie felt like her puffy eyelids were going to be wet because of tears for no reason. And when she realized it, she immediately hit her cheeks with both hands. Her Highness was currently feeling down, so she shouldn¡¯t let her stay on her own. Having thought so, Ellie smiled exaggeratedly and spoke to Helen. ¡°Your Highness, how about going out for a walk in the front yard since you are not in a good mood today? I can also bring you some snacks!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Helen didn¡¯t really want to move around. She just wanted to do nothing for the rest of her life, just like now. ¡®I want to be that stone.¡¯ What Helen saw in the distance was a stone placed on the ground that resembled a tombstone. Helen wanted to be that stone, doing nothing but only staying firmly in its place. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do that.¡± However, Helen¡¯s answer was the opposite of her mind. I knew that Ellie was thinking hard about something she could do for her. She didn¡¯t have much courage to break the maid¡¯s heart. ¡®Then what if Ellie doesn¡¯t like me? How will she make friends again?¡¯ Helen hated it more than the thought of dying. She forced herself to get up from her seat with a smile. Ellie trailed behind him. Then, the awkward stroll began. The sunlight was strong. It was now at the beginning of spring. The weather in Idelberg was much warmer than in Cordelia, which was located in the northwest. To the point that she could feel her cheeks burning under the sunlight. The courtyard came into view after they passed by a well-groomed garden at the concubine quarters. Ellie ran ahead of her to pull out the seat so she could sit on it. Ellie looked like a rabbit as she ran through the grass. ¡°Your Highness! Come here, please!¡± Ellie waved her hands. ¡°Okay. ¡­Huh?¡± She couldn¡¯t breathe again. She knew this feeling. It was the same like how she felt on the day when her father visited her and almost died because she was unable to breathe properly. ¡°Haah¡­.¡± Helen suddenly collapsed to the ground with shallow breathing. Ellie shouted loudly as she watched Helen holding her heart and gasping for breath. ¡°Your Highness!¡± She could feel Ellie running toward her as well. Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­ She was gasping for air, but she still couldn¡¯t breathe properly. It felt like someone was clenching her neck tightly and banging on it. Her sight became hazy when her airway was blocked and the air failed to enter through it. Was she going to die just like this¡­? Even so, she wasn¡¯t scared to die. She just felt guilty for Ellie, who was extremely worried about her, and she was also worried about the man who was busy waiting for her. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ wait¡­¡­.for me¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t wait for me.¡¯ She has to tell the man that. He must¡¯ve been waiting for her in the dark library. Helen closed her eyes and recalled the man¡¯s face. She cherished his hand as if it was a treasure, and she came into his arms and burrowed herself in it, treating his body as if it was her dear mother. ¡°Your Highness! Please open your eyes!¡± Ellie¡¯s screams were over. It was when Helen finally lost consciousness. *** She had a dream. It was a dream where her father smiled brightly and hugged her in his arms. ¡°Helen, come over here.¡± She felt like on the verge of tears when seeing her father¡¯s kind smile for the first time. ¡°Why are you crying like this¡­. My heart hurts even more. Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Yes¡­. Yes. Father.¡± ¡°Helen, My daughter.¡± Her father patted her on the back. He also patted her on the head and continued to say warm words for her. Funny enough, after that she realized that seeing her father being kind toward was just a mere dream. She didn¡¯t want to wake up from this dream even though she clearly knew it was just a dream. It was so exciting and warming her heart that she felt like she would¡¯ve gotten addicted to it. ¡°Dad, do you think I¡¯m useful for you?¡± When Helen asked carefully, the father in her dream smiled brightly before giving an answer. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­.If I kill the Emperor, will my father acknowledge me?¡± She knew she wouldn¡¯t get an answer because she asked the father in her dream but¡­. She felt like she was being pushed forward toward a dead-end path. A place where she couldn¡¯t turn around or went over this wall. Somehow, Helen would die in Idelberg. Whether the Emperor of Idelberg would be killed by her or her father. She was destined to be killed. Helen bit her lips and frowned. ¡°Ah, Helen.¡± Then, his father pulled Helen from his arms and tapped her nose bridge softly. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t, you¡¯re still my daughter.¡± My father was endlessly kind as he smiled at her. She once saw this side of him. He always acted like that whenever he faced Edith, not Helen. Neither of his habit of tapping on her nose bridge or saying she was his daughter with a smile applied to her. So she got the answer to it instead. Because the father in her dream said all of the opposite things to her. Therefore, even if she managed to kill the Emperor, she still wouldn¡¯t be his daughter. The father in her dream had given her love just like what she wished all her life, but strangely, she craved it even more now. ¡®This is a nightmare.¡¯ A kind father? Helen threw herself in her father¡¯s arms again, but her heart grew cold, puckering her mouth and clenched her teeth tightly. *** Ellie was sitting next to the bed while crying because of Helen, who suddenly collapsed a while ago. She put a wet towel on her master¡¯s forehead, but the towel quickly heated up due to how hot she was. A physician dropped by earlier, but they said she didn¡¯t suffer from any illness. They said she was just suffering from extreme stress¡­. What was the reason for her being so stressed out like this? ¡°F¡­¡­ Father¡­ I failed¡­.¡± That remark escaped Helen¡¯s mouth as she let out a groan. ¡®Poor Your Highness¡­.¡¯ Ellie bit her lower lip tightly because she felt like she was on the verge of crying. Ellie never left Helen¡¯s side because her master was tossing and turning desperately even though she was asleep. ¡°Your Highness¡­.¡± She continued to change the towels on her forehead, spreading the sweaty clothes slightly before wiping her body. Hoping at the very least that Helen would feel comfortable after that. ¡°Your Highness Edith¡­ Please wake up as soon as possible¡­.¡± Helen was sweating profusely while muttering whatever she was dreaming about. She was frowning in pain and couldn¡¯t even think of opening her eyes. Realizing she was having difficulty in breathing, Ellie grabbed Helen¡¯s hand and shook it in the air. ¡°Please¡­.?¡± Ellie was so busy looking after Helen that she didn¡¯t have time to return to the place where the maids lived on that day. *** Around that time, there was a commotion in the concubine¡¯s garden. The aide of the Emperor appeared after not paying a visit for over a year. Even though the Emperor did not appear, the appearance of the one and only aid of the Emperor clearly caused disturbance among the concubines. ¡°I-I wonder if His Majesty is looking for the concubines today?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t looked for one in over a year.¡± ¡°Otherwise, why would he send Sir Viester?¡± ¡°I see.¡± All the maids working in the concubine quarters were the noble children in the Idelberg. There were children of those who came from not-really-prestigious families, but they knew how hard it was for them to see Viester and how high his position was at the same time. ¡°Have all the maids working in the concubine quarters gathered here?¡± Viester looked at the Head Maid, his purple eyes gleaming. ¡°Yes. everyone has gathered here.¡± The maid answered while looking through them with her eyes. Since hundreds of people had gathered there, she could hardly tell if someone was missing. However, the place where the maids lived was already empty, and all of the concubines knew Sir Viester was coming, so they would have come out unless they were sent out on purpose. It was very uncommon for the Emperor¡¯s aide to pay a visit to this place. They thought they shouldn¡¯t have done any foolish things to miss out this opportunity. In response to the maid¡¯s answer, Viester gathered in front of the small crowds which were divided into twos and threes and glanced at the maid with sparkling eyes. There were no maids who were frightened or intentionally avoiding his gaze. ¡®If she had entered the Emperor¡¯s Library, there¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t be scared of me¡­.¡¯ Viester tilted his head slightly. The blankets found in the Emperor¡¯s Library were typically used by the maids, but the blanket itself was not really good in terms of quality. And candlesticks, ink, and pens were the items which were provided for free to the maids. Thus, he decided to narrow down the target, thinking that person must be a maid. And among them, the best hint was ¡®medicine tube¡¯. A few days ago, there was a maid saying that the person who took that medicine was someone who came from the concubine quarters. He heard from the maid of the dispensary who secretly confessed to him that she didn¡¯t give the maid expensive medicine because she seemed like someone of high status. ¡®So, she¡¯s probably here.¡¯ Viester took out the medicine tube that he brought in his arms and showed it towards the maids. ¡°Have you ever seen this medicine tube?¡± At that moment, the hundreds of maids began to murmur with each other. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? I think it¡¯s for medicine¡­ It¡¯s different from what His Majesty usually uses.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen it being used at home. I think it¡¯s used to store medicine?¡± ¡°But why does Sir Viester show that to us?¡± When no one raised their hands in the midst of the chatter, Viester opened his mouth once again with a slight frown. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the maid who brought this medicine container from the dispensary a few days ago. If you know anything related to this, inform me.¡± Dozens of murmurs arose once again after Viester finished his words. Now they began to talk about the correlation between the medicine, Sir Viester and His Majesty the Emperor. ¡°Did the maid make a mistake when she brought that medicine?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that, but¡­ Seeing Sir Viester come to find her by himself, she might have worked well, or she might have caught His Majesty¡¯s eyes¡­.¡± ¡°Did he come here under the order of His Majesty?¡± ¡°Kyaa! How I wish I was the owner of that medicine tube!¡± One of the ladies turned red and spoke out about her imagination. ¡°Does no one know who that was?¡± In the dispensary, Viester was told clearly that she was the maid of a concubine, but he was confused because no one raised their hands. ¡°I know.¡± Then someone raised their hand. Silence lingered in the air for a moment, and the person who raised her hand spoke up once again. ¡°I took it. It was in the morning, two days ago, right?¡± The one who raised her hand was a maid named Velly, who served Cecilia, the Third Concubine. ¡°Okay. Come to the front.¡± Velly pushed her way through the group of maids and walked forward in the direction of Viester. Two days ago, it must have been around that time. When her words coincided with the woman in the dispensary, Viester¡¯s suspicion decreased a little. Except for Velly, all of the maids quietly whispered with each other. ¡°Is it her?¡± ¡°Why did she go to the clinic? She looks healthy.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have given such a cheap medicine to the concubine¡­.¡± The Third Concubine, Cecilia, came from the third powerful empire, so she would have lived and spent as much as she wanted. But they didn¡¯t think she would have used such a cheap medicine for herself. That means Velly has used it. At that moment, all the maids were doubting it since they had never heard that Velly was injured as they spent all of their time together. At that time, Asta, a maid who shared the same room with Velly, muttered quietly. ¡°If it was two days ago in the morning¡­ I think she had tea with me¡­.¡± It was a dreamy break granted by their master after working nonstop for a while. That was the reason they drank tea together¡­. Asta muttered to herself unknowingly. She hurriedly closed her mouth. Then she looked around to see if anyone happened to hear it. Fortunately, no one heard her mutter because they were distracted by Sir Viester and Velly. ¡°What are you planning to do¡­.¡± Asta bit her lips hard, worried for the fate of her friend. *** Viester took Velly to the drawing room. Since there were also separate drawing rooms at the concubine palace. Velly quickly tried to think of an idea as she followed Viester from behind. He asked without waiting to arrive at the drawing room first because he felt as though he could hear the sound of her racking brain all the way here. ¡°So you know.¡± Velly nodded at the Viester who remained calm as he asked her. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did you take this medicine from the dispensary?¡± Viester asked while maintaining a casual gesture as he walked ahead. Viester already remembered and looked at Velly¡¯s appearance, eye contact, minor changes of her facial expression, hand movements, even until the shaking of her shoulder, but Velly didn¡¯t notice that Viester was looking at her observingly. A faint hint of concern flashed across Velly¡¯s face which was full of freckles. ¡°It was¡­ when I walked with Her Highness¡­ I saw a dog.¡± She remained silent for a while before continuing her words, and contemplating for a bit before she decided to say it was a puppy. ¡®A dog¡­ How could someone dare to call His Majesty a dog?¡¯ Viester didn¡¯t fully believe Velly. ¡°I see.¡± He just answered calmly before opening the door to the drawing room. He arrived at the drawing room and led Velly in, pulling out the chair for her to sit. Velly sat there with an impressed look shown on her face. After taking a seat across from her, Viester gave a faint smile to Velly. ¡°I would like you to tell me more about the medicine tube.¡± ¡°S-sure.¡± Viester¡¯s gentle smile made Velly¡¯s face heated up. Everyone surely chose the Emperor as the most handsome man in the Idelberg, but the perfect husband title was definitely owned by Sir Viester. He has a very high position as an aide of the Emperor and a duke, not to mention, his wealth as well. Furthermore, women couldn¡¯t help being fascinated because of his gentle appearance if he was to be compared with His Majesty¡¯s aggressive appearance. Velly seemed to tremble a bit when he spoke so gently to her. After taking a short breath, Velly talked in detail about what happened two days ago. ¡°I was taking a night walk with Her Highness the night before. Because Her Highness said she couldn¡¯t sleep. Although it was dark, the sound of something whimpering from a distance could still be heard by anyone, right? The tender-hearted Her Highness decided to take a look at it, and she spotted an injured dog when she sought through the bush.¡± ¡°So you said there is a puppy in the capital?¡± ¡°Yes. Its fur was black and its body was big. I¡¯ve only heard rumors regarding His Majesty¡¯s dog, but it was my first time seeing it.¡± ¡°What does it look like?¡± ¡°It¡­ It had black and long fur, it was also very big. When we were unsure whether he liked people, it clung to Her Highness as soon as it saw her. If they were talking about Louie, the Emperor¡¯s pet dog, she was right. Because Louie had a black and long fur, it was a noticeable feature of the dog. ¡°Although she hurt her foot, she was surprised and took a liking to the dog. Perhaps she felt sorry for the dog, so Her Highness came back with the medicine the next day.¡± Viester felt uneasy about a few things. Firstly, she put aside what she was supposed to do which was calling a knight right away to treat Louie and chose to come back with a medicine the next day. Secondly, she prescribed cheap medicine for Concubine Cecillia at the dispensary. And lastly, Louie had never gotten injured. ¡®Why is she lying?¡¯ And to make it more suspicious, it was a seemingly half-right statement. Even though it sounded so poorly, how did she even know it happened two days ago, and she even told him the excuse that she took the medicine from the dispensary to treat a dog. It was similar to the hints, so Viester decided to listen to Velly¡¯s excuse silently. ¡°So she used it to treat a dog¡­ Concubine Cecillia surely has a kind heart.¡± ¡°I know it!¡± Velly clapped her hands delightedly when Viester agreed with her. Things were going well for her. ¡°Perhaps, I¡¯m not sure if I would be able to keep the promise which had been entrusted by Her Highness¡­!¡± Berry seemed to get lost in her thoughts when she recalled something. A few days ago, or two days ago in the morning, to be precise. On her way back to Her Highness Cecillia after drinking tea with Asta, she was happy to run into her fellow, Ellie. ¡°Velly! It¡¯s been a while since we last met! Why is it so hard for us to see each other even if we are living in the same palace?¡± It had been a while since she met Ellie, but Ellie seemed reluctant to see Velly, meanwhile Velly was happy to see her. Due to her having to serve the Third Concubine, she had gotten many unexpected profits. Her salary was higher, even her clothes were far better. From Velly¡¯s perspective, Ellie¡¯s attire wasn¡¯t different from light rags. The maids who served the concubine were also divided based on the rank of their master. So they were in third place and 27th place respectively. She thought Ellie was disrespectful for calling her only by her name. And at that time, she spotted the medicine tube in Ellie¡¯s hand. It was such a cheap medicine that Concubine Cecillia wouldn¡¯t even use it for her pet dog. Velly automatically let out a scornful laugh. ¡°What are you going to do with that medicine?¡± ¡°This? Her Highness asked me to get this¡­ She said she met a dog last night. The dog got injured.¡± A dog in the capital? There was no dog other than the pet dog owned by His Majesty. ¡°That dog¡­.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s Louie.¡± Just like what she expected. Velly was at a loss for words because she was surprised. Ellie said shyly with a smile. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t His Majesty be pleased to hear that she treated Louie? I hope Her Highness and His Majesty can improve their relationship¡­.¡± Velly quickly turned her head and watched Ellie who was engulfed in happiness, as if she was the one who experienced it. If she let this one slide, Her Highness Edith would have caught the eyes of His Majesty the Emperor before Her Highness Cecilia. No way she would let that happen! ¡°You didn¡¯t hear the news, did you?¡± Velly asked in a hushed tone. Ellie tilted her head curiously. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t talk about this to anyone else. I¡¯m telling you because it¡¯s for your sake.¡± Velly waved her hands so that Ellie would come near her, as if she was about to tell Ellie a secret. After Ellie came closer to Velly, she whispered in a hushed voice. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that Louie had been sent to the villa. He has been out of everyone¡¯s sight lately.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m telling this to you for your sake.¡± ¡°Then what about the puppy that had been seen by Her Highness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably a different puppy. It¡¯s not His Majesty¡¯s dog. If there¡¯s an injured dog in the capital¡­ I think it¡¯s not a good sign. It might be a hunted dog.¡± ¡°A hunted dog?¡± ¡°Hm. So don¡¯t tell anyone that Her Highness had been treating the dog. The dog might get caught again and die.¡± Ellie¡¯s face immediately became sullen. Guilt pricked on Velly¡¯s heart, but then she thought the water had been spilled. ¡°I see¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so upset. There will be another opportunity next time.¡± Velly patted Ellie on the shoulder. ¡°Yes! Thank you for letting me know!¡± ¡°No problem. I should be more grateful toward you. For telling me.¡± ¡°Why should you feel grateful to me? We¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°Friend¡­ Sure. Thanks.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Ellie held the medicine tube in her hand and headed to Her Highness Edith¡¯s living quarter. Velly was left alone while looking at Ellie, then she turned around and headed to Concubine Cecillia¡¯s palace. She had something to say to her master. Velly closed her lips firmly. This had to be a secret that she kept for the rest of her life. Perhaps this opportunity would have made Cecillia the first concubine to meet His Majesty. Velly¡¯s steps got increasingly faster as she approached the palace. *** That day, she had a long conversation with Her Highness Cecillia. As a result of discussion, Imperial Concubine Cecillia decided that her maid would tell others that she was the one who did it, not Royal Concubine Edith. Concubine Edith rarely came out of her palace, so if they did this secretly, she wouldn¡¯t know about this for the rest of her life. Sir Viester came to the concubine¡¯s palace district directly and things became more hectic than she thought, but luckily the news wasn¡¯t conveyed to Concubine Edith herself. It was Velly who had been told to tell her about the matter. Velly reported that she had conveyed the message, but actually, she didn¡¯t tell her anything. Today the timing was nice because the Concubine Edith collapsed today, so she would never know about this. ¡°You called for me.¡± After Concubine Cecillia entered the drawing room, she greeted him while putting her hand on her chest and her other hand lifted up her skirt lightly. As the person who received the greeting, Viester bowed his head and accepted it. ¡°I request your presence to ask you regarding the medicine tube.¡± ¡°Yes, you can ask as much as you want.¡± Chapter 17 Cecillia smiled confidently. At that moment, she exchanged slight glances with her maid, Velly. ¡®You aren¡¯t making any mistakes by doing this, are you?¡¯ Velly blinked her eyes hurriedly when she saw her master¡¯s keen gaze. ¡®Of course.¡¯ That¡¯s what it meant. She wasn¡¯t sure if the meaning behind her gaze was conveyed properly, but the face of Imperial Concubine Cecillia became slightly relaxed after that. Velly moved up from her place and assisted Cecillia. Viester took out his pocket watch and checked the time. He seemed a bit fazed just by looking at his expression. ¡°I deeply apologise, but would you like to go to the Lion Palace with me? It would be faster to talk to His Majesty directly rather than talking with me regarding the medicine tube.¡± Cecillia screamed inside. She didn¡¯t know things would be so easy for her. As soon as she heard that Viester visited the palace district for concubines, she ordered all the maids to dress her up. The white gold high-quality embroidered dress that was done just a few days ago seemed small, but the white-golden colors matched well with it, and her neckline was exposed because her hair was tied up nicely. She wore accessories on her head and put on makeup as well. It was a dazzling makeup that showcased Cecillia¡¯s seductive appearance. Cecilia was confident with herself. If His Majesty looked at her even just once, of course he would be enthralled by her charm. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± *** Cecillia¡¯s arrogance was soaring high to the sky as she walked toward the Lion Palace. Cecillia was the first concubine to be called to the Lion Palace. Moreover, it was quite honorable that the one who picked her up was not a servant, but the aide, Viester. The eyes of the maids grew wide, as if they were about to fall from their original places when they saw her heading to the Lion Palace along with Viester. Each of the concubines was anxious, meanwhile Helen was still wandering in her dream. Velly followed Cecillia from behind while dreaming for a pink future together with her master. It was because Cecillia had promised her that. ¡®If I get to become the Empress of the Emperor, I will help you marry Viester.¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t believe that the dazzling Viester would become her husband soon¡­! Velly felt like flying and floating in the air from joy. She got even more greedy watching Viester pull out the chair for her today. ¡®I think it¡¯s a good decision that I pretended to know something about the medicine tube.¡¯ Otherwise, she would never have any sort of contact with His Majesty the Emperor for the rest of her life. Although she felt bad for Ellie, it was a mistake to be naive in the Imperial Palace which was like a wilderness to everyone. Therefore, she decided to take it for granted. This wasn¡¯t her fault. That was what she said to herself. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived here. Only His Highness Cecilia and the handmaiden are allowed to enter further.¡± The maids, who came from the concubine¡¯ palace district with her, followed one after another and stopped in front of the Lion Palace. After leaving the message to wait for them, he finally entered the Lion Palace only with Cecillia and Velly. This was the first time for Cecilia and Velly to be here. Despite the name, Lion Palace, where the Emperor resided, didn¡¯t mean there was just one palace. There was a castle inside the massive wall, and another wall inside the castle itself. Lion Palace was a small castle which was the residence for the Emperor, and it also consisted of a drawing room, a garden, a restaurant, as well as a party hall. He set up this Lion Palace and called it an Impenetrable Fortress. Cecillia¡¯s mind swelled up even more with pride. She finally got the chance to meet His Majesty! Cecillia tightened her jaw nervously. It was such a great opportunity. It has been well-known that His Majesty cares so much about his pet dog who was named ¡®Louie¡¯. Therefore, it might have worked because her maid said that she had saved the dog. Badump badump. Cecillia and Velly¡¯s hearts pounded loudly. When they looked at the different men. ¡°You can take a seat here.¡± Once they entered the Lion Palace, she was brought to His Majesty¡¯s drawing room. The exterior was magnificent and couldn¡¯t be compared to the drawing room in the concubine palace district. It was very spacious and passable enough to be called a party hall of noble mansions. Each of the furniture was luxurious and delicate. Cecillia tried hard to not show her gasp, and Viester left the room after saying he would fetch His Majesty and escorted him there. Cecillia hurriedly called Velly after confirming only her and Velly were left in the room. ¡°What did you say to him?¡± ¡°Her Highness stumbled upon his dog while taking a nightwalk around the palace, and since the dog got injured, then I went to the dispensary to get the medicine so you can treat the dog. I told him exactly everything which I had heard from Ellie.¡± ¡°Okay. Good job.¡± Things would work out easily for her. A smile spread across Cecillia¡¯s lips. She even looked foolish when she was contemplating on her own whether it was a good idea to listen to her maid and went along with her plan. She couldn¡¯t believe things would¡¯ve gone really well for her. Cecillia tapped Velly¡¯s cheek with her finger, as it flush slightly due to her growing excitement. ¡°If everything goes well for me, you know what is waiting for you, right?¡± ¡°O-of course.¡± ¡°Any sort of mistakes are unacceptable. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Even though Velly¡¯s smile might¡¯ve seemed innocent due to her freckles, she wasn¡¯t an easy woman to deal with. She was the type of woman who would use every way to get her husband material in her hands, even if it meant she must have betrayed her friend in the process. But that¡¯s what Cecillia liked about her. Then the door opened and His Majesty finally appeared from behind the door. He appeared with a veil from white fabric covering his face, which he always used when he made an appearance in front of people. As soon as the Emperor made an entrance in the drawing room, a cold atmosphere engulfed the whole room. Cecillia¡¯s mouth went dry for no absolute reason. She only hoped that her lies would also work well for the Emperor. ¡°Is that you?¡± The Emperor, Carmun, looked up and down at the concubine and her maid thoroughly. Carmun only looked them up and down, but Cecillia and Velly already got terrified by the intimidating atmosphere which emanated from him. ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Her voice was barely audible in his ears. Hearing the faint voice, Carmun closed his lips disapprovingly. ¡®Why does she look so scared?¡¯ What did he do to her? All of the people in the palace showed that kind of attitude whenever they saw him. As if he was about to kill them all. -tsk. When the Emperor clicked his tongue, the chilly atmosphere suddenly became cold, as if they were staying in the midst of the winter on an ice island. Even Velly could hear herself swallowing her own saliva nervously. ¡°So I¡¯ve been told that you know the whereabouts of the medicine tube.¡± ¡°Yes. I ordered the maid to prescribe it at the dispensary.¡± Cecillia spoke as she barely pulled herself together. She thought he would thank her, but he didn¡¯t say anything after that. Moreover, he covered his face, so she couldn¡¯t tell what kind of expression he had or what was on his mind at that moment. And right after that, Viester lowered his head before whispering something to the ears of His Majesty the Emperor. ¡®He¡­ must be saying something nice about me.¡¯ Viester smiled slightly at Cecillia when he finished whispering to the Emperor¡¯s ears. Cecillia eased up a little when she saw it, as if his smile was reassuring her. ¡°I treated Your Majesty¡¯s dog. Because ¡®Louie¡¯ is the only black dog that roams around the Imperial Palace.¡± Cecillia said with a sense of pride. Her attitude was laced with confidence. Behind the white cloth of the veil, Carmun was seething. He glared at Cecillia, holding back a scoff from escaping through his lips. ¡®Worthless thing¡­¡¯ Louie had never been injured, and that medicine tube was smeared thickly on his injured arm. Carmun¡¯s red eyes, which were looking at Cecillia, changed slightly. ¡®What kind of punishment does she deserve for this?¡¯ After contemplating for a while, he propped her chin with her hand on the arm of the chair and spoke nonchalantly. ¡°Yeah. Twenty-seven is a bit much.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Carmun¡¯s murmur made the smile that hung on Cecillia¡¯s lips quivered anxiously. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you have been spending 27 days in the concubine residences where no one is looking for you. It must be uncomfortable.¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty. I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± Cecillia bowed her head toward Carmun. Velly also bowed her head all along. Contrary to her words, Cecillia had a bright smile on her mouth. After all, she was right when telling her to answer that she had treated Louie! The Emperor, who had never cared about everything, mentioned directly regarding Cecillia¡¯s inconvenience. Cecillia was obsessed with the expectation that His Majesty would grant her a separate palace by this opportunity because she felt uncomfortable living in the concubine residence while being treated worse than when she was still living in her homeland. He raised her head again, maintaining an elegant expression while raising expectations as high as she could. She would never forget the day when she finally got to see his face behind the veil, even if she had to die after that. Even if the Goddess of Beauty descended to earth, she thought it couldn¡¯t have been any worse than that. His thick eyebrows and protruding brow bones gave off a strong impression, and his red eyes that were different from others, inheriting the foreigner¡¯s blood that gave off a distinctive feeling. Then, his red lips that always spat out fierce remarks, although it looked extremely beautiful. She saw him before he ascended the throne and became the Emperor, but one single encounter was all it took to make Cecillia fall in love with him. ¡°When did I ask about your comfort?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling very uncomfortable because the budget for the concubines has increased ever since you settled here.¡± He didn¡¯t hold back his temper by saying he was uncomfortable because of her. Cecillia could not hide her bewildered expression, stunned at Carmun¡¯s response. ¡°The thing is I hate to hear critical remarks coming from my ministers because I haven¡¯t had a successor despite having many concubines.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s for the better.¡± Cecillia was at a loss for words. The Emperor¡¯s words were sarcastic to anyone who heard it. How were concubines going to have babies on their own when the Emperor never came to visit them? Cecillia was puzzled at his remark, as if it was the concubines¡¯ fault for not being able to give him heirs. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to thank her for treating Louie? ¡°You must be so naive that you think life would be so easy for you.¡± Carmun chuckled and showed a sneer on his lips. The meaning of his chuckle was so obvious, so Cecillia¡¯s face was filled with shame. She came to realize one thing. The fact that the Emperor wasn¡¯t grateful or thankful to her. Moreover, he seemed very disgusted by her. Why¡­? Even before she got the chance to ask, an angry remark escaped the Emperor¡¯s mouth. ¡°Viester, inform the Direxion Empire regarding the deposal of Concubine Cecillia.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Your Majesty!¡± Cecillia spat out in seething rage when she jumped up from her seat and slammed her desk. The chair where she was seated was tumbling backward and made a loud noise due to her jumping up so hard from it. ¡°What kind of disrespect do you think you are doing in my presence?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s with this sudden deposition!¡± Cecilia completely forgot her intention and let out a loud shriek. Rather than attempting to seduce the Emperor, it turned out that she was about to be kicked out from the palace. She knew that he was not the type of person who would talk about such things as a joke. Because he was a merciless man. Cecillia¡¯s hands trembled. Deposal? Was there anything worse than suffering from that kind of shame for the women who have been born in the Imperial Family? Cecillia was highly embarrassed and pissed off at the same time. ¡°I saved Your Majesty¡¯s pet dog. How¡­ How can you return the favor by saying this kind of insult?¡± Cecilia¡¯s eyes were filled with absolute anger. Carmun looked carefully at Cecillia from behind the veil. Her pink hair really looked like cherry blossoms with a cute face. However, everything that she said were pure lies. Seeing her speak with so much confidence made his stomach churned again. ¡°Concubine, no¡­ I mean, Princess Cecilia.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Carmun spoke out very honestly, and he had no intention of recognizing Cecillia as his concubine anymore. The same goes for the twenty-six concubines. ¡°I hate pathological liars.¡± Cecillia felt like a rock had just fallen on her after hearing the Emperor¡¯s remark. But Cecillia was not a foolish woman either. She listened to Velly, her maid and conducted an investigation right away. Indeed, there was a rumor that Louie was really injured, therefore the said dog didn¡¯t appear around the palace lately. And the medicine tube. She found out that a little maid whose name was unknown to her had received the medicine tube. That was the reason why she didn¡¯t think her lies would have been caught because she just changed the person who did it. Concubine Edith, who originally told about this false truth, was currently sick so she didn¡¯t hear about the news. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve never told a single lie.¡± Cecillia, who had nothing to lose here, looked the Emperor straight in the eye. Carmun crumpled his eyebrows at Cecillia¡¯s stubborn remark that made him feel sick in the stomach. Chapter 18 *** ¡°How ridiculous.¡± Carmun¡¯s suspicious gaze was aimed toward Cecillia. ¡°Why do you think my dog got injured? Is it because you saw him directly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± To be precise, she heard it from the maid in the Lion Palace. Cecillia nervously clenched her trembling hands. She could not bear the thought of returning to her homeland after being abandoned. She didn¡¯t know what her father would have said to her, and if she was not divorced but being expelled from her position, she was pretty sure that she would be sold to an old man with a big and bumpy belly in her next marriage. ¡°Haha¡­ You are a very ridiculous woman.¡± The ridiculous laughter of the Emperor filled the drawing room. Cecillia couldn¡¯t calm down because she felt the chilly atmosphere inside the room. She was overwhelmed with anxiety. ¡°Viester.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Bring it.¡± When Carmun gave a command, Viester quickly understood and went out of the drawing room. When no one spoke out, Carmun stared at Cecillia in the midst of the quiet drawing room. What kind of expression this woman was going to make the moment she saw that Louie is completely uninjured? He frowned slightly. Shortly after, the door opened and Viester returned with Louie. ¡°!¡± At that moment, Cecilia¡¯s eyes grew wide until they nearly fell from their places. After checking that Louie was completely uninjured, Cecillia looked at her maid, Velly, the look that said she was going to kill her for this. Cecillia¡¯s palms were pressed against her curled nails and blood escaped from the cutted flash. ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­ I, I really didn¡¯t know¡­!¡± Velly sensed that something was wrong and clung on to her master. When the deposal had been confirmed, she might even die. He personally knew that Cecillia¡¯s personality just wasn¡¯t beautiful. Velly¡¯s body trembled like a leaf. ¡°The reason why Louie couldn¡¯t go out lately was because he grew old and his knees had gotten weak.¡± He stroked Louie gently on its head when the dog approached him with a pant. Louie rubbed his face against his hand, perhaps because the touch felt pleasant to him while waving his long and soft tail. Unlike people who would have freaked out when he looked at them coldly, the animals followed Carmun around a lot. There was a faint smile on Carmun¡¯s face when he looked at Louie, but it was too faint unrecognizable to everyone because he was wearing a veil. ¡°It seems like you know Louie better than its owner.¡± Cecillia¡¯s face seemed to crumble when she finally learned the reason why Carmun was being so sarcastic toward her. ¡°Your, Your Majesty¡­.¡± Cecilia¡¯s gaze changed. She gave a piercing look at her maid, as if she was blaming the poor girl. ¡°Velly¡­.¡± It felt like there was fire in her eyes. Velly noticed that my path was now very dark, and tears flowed down. Tears welled up in Velly¡¯s eyes when she realized that the path ahead of her had become very dark. ¡°Should I punish you?¡± ¡°I apologize. Your Majesty, I have committed a mistake.¡± Carmun got angry again when Cecillia quickly apologized to him. He wondered if he should accept it when she apologized to him like that? It would be so easy for her. She must¡¯ve gossiped about him behind his back for having a terrible personality sometimes because he was a warmonger. ¡°Mistake? I thought I already gave you a chance.¡± Carmun gently rubbed his chin using his hand. Cecillia¡¯s eyes trembled nervously. She didn¡¯t know what kind of words were going to escape the Emperor¡¯s mouth. ¡°If you know anything about the medicine tube, confess to me.¡± What¡¯s with the medicine container¡­ Did the Emperor really want to know about it so much? Did the owner of that medicine container really have the Emperor¡¯s heart? Cecillia was upset because it looked like she was chasing the traces left behind by the Emperor¡¯s lover. The thought of the Emperor rolling around in bed with another woman made him angry again. Concubine Edith and the young maid. She didn¡¯t want to tell him if she was going to die soon. When neither Cecillia nor Velly decided to speak, Carmun looked at the Viester and gave a reply. ¡°Return Concubine Cecilia to her homeland and lock the maid in a dungeon. She will be released if she confesses.¡± Carmun decided on the two precisely. Although Cecillia said it casually, he didn¡¯t seem to have it. However, there was something bizarre about the medicine tube. Those were probably the answers that came from the maid¡¯s mouth. Carmun looked at Velly with a cold gaze before leaving the drawing room. That was the end of the situation. He was a heartless man who prevented her from clinging to her desire as a concubine. Viester called in the knights and passed over Cecillia and Velly to him. Right before the knights led them to separate the two, Cecillia raised her hand to stop the knights. ¡°I have something to say to my maid for a moment.¡± ¡°That is impossible.¡± ¡°She has been serving as my hands and feet for a long time without muttering any complaints. Can¡¯t we at least say farewell to each other? I will have to leave this place and return to my homeland, so I can¡¯t see Velly after she comes out. So please do a little favor for me.¡± The knights hesitated at Cecilia¡¯s sincere words. They were even more moved by Cecillia¡¯s appearance, who looked really delicate. ¡°Just for a moment.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Cecillia showed a beautiful smile before looking back to Velly. Velly was already trembling in fear. ¡°Velly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m really sorry, Your Highness¡­. I, I have committed a mortal sin. Please forgive me¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Cecillia pulled the frightened Berry into her arms. Her well-managed pink hair gave off the unique smell that was originally owned by Concubine Cecillia. When she relaxed a little, Cecillia murmured softly in her ear. It was a voice that wouldn¡¯t be heard by anyone else but Velly. ¡°Suicide. If you tell His Majesty anything regarding the medicine tube, he will kill you. Not just you. Your family as well, this room is the place to dry poisonous herbs and use it as medication, right? The herbs here can slowly kill a person if they use the strong one.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­.¡± ¡°You will be able to leave this world easily if you die.¡± Tears eventually fell from Velly¡¯s eyes. The knights tilted their heads when the streams of tears constantly fell down. ¡°Your Highness Cecillia¡­. H-hukh¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You should go now.¡± Then, Velly cried as she got separated from Cecillia. Cecilia turned around with a cold expression on her face after looking at Velly, who was being taken to the dungeon, and went back to her palace to prepare for her return to the homeland. *** It wasn¡¯t until late that day when Helen finally opened her eyes to find herself lying down on the bed. Ellie hurriedly helped Helen by supporting on her shoulder when she saw Helen struggling to get up by herself. ¡°I-If you still don¡¯t feel well, please lie down a little more.¡± Helen shook her head. Her body was stiff, and my head felt like it was almost broken. She needed fresh air and water. Ellie quickly reacted when Helen reached out her hand to drink water. ¡°D-do you know how panicked I was? If you were sick, you should¡¯ve told me that you were sick!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Helen¡¯s cheeks heated up for no reason seeing Ellie spitting out words full of concern about her. Forgetting that she still had a headache, she just stared blankly at Ellie. ¡°Are you still sick? You have a fever¡­.¡± ¡°No¡­.¡± Helen stared at Ellie as she spoke, meanwhile the maid lowered her head. Ellie felt awkward at her gaze, but now she knew that she shouldn¡¯t have avoided it anymore. Because she knew her master was just like an injured kitten. Helen opened her eyes wide and looked at Ellie, even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t have done this, she kept feeling sick and gradually became weaker each day. She wanted to behave like a spoiled child and rely on someone else. ¡®This is exactly why I liked it when the man stroked my hair.¡¯ Then, she remembered the man who was trapped in the library. The man who didn¡¯t like to be left behind as he tried to hold onto her for a little more. ¡®He must have gotten hurt as well.¡¯ Somehow Helen was able to understand his feelings, so she missed him even more. She felt weird. Her fingers were numb because her heart fluttered. ¡°How strange¡­.¡± According to Ellie, she had been sick all night long. The maid didn¡¯t know what she was dreaming about, but she let out a series of groans for a while in her sleep. ¡®It was a dream about my father.¡¯ The dream was warm enough to be considered a nightmare, but then it felt more like a nightmare. Her father would never show her that kind of smile. If her father found out that she didn¡¯t obey her father¡¯s order¡­ He might kill her for real this time. Thinking so, she made up her mind. Helen was not afraid of death. She already ran through it several times, and there were many times when I wished that I would have died instead. But not now. She wanted to put off her death a little more. ¡®I want to live a little longer¡­.¡¯ [t/n: this is so sad, imagine hoping that you just wanted to live a little longer¡­] It was because of the man and Ellie. She didn¡¯t want to see Ellie cry as she watched her master die, and she didn¡¯t want to know the sorrowful face of a man who was just waiting for her. ¡®Just until this winter goes by¡­ Let¡¯s stay a little longer.¡¯ Helen prayed desperately as she saw the moonlight coming through the window. God somehow listened to his prayers. But she wanted a harsh reward. He allowed me to leave the palace, which was her wish, and he wanted her life in return. Therefore, please listen to my prayer again this time. Helen prayed in front of the window with both of her hands clasped against each other. ¡°Please let me live a little longer¡­.¡± Ever since she was born, there have never been days when she felt as comfortable as the last one year she lived here. She was happy and was able to experience a little joy in her life. So she got greedy. Soon after, the door opened and Ellie came in. She must have thought that Helen was lying on the bed. She seemed to be taken aback when her master stood in front of the window. ¡°You have woken up? How¡¯s your head? Is it fine now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But the air is cold. Please cover yourself with something.¡± When Ellie covered her with a blanket, Helen felt warm again. She felt like she wanted to live again and again. ¡°Thank you¡­.¡± Ellie¡¯s expression seemed a bit gloomy when Helen muttered softly. Helen, who always says thank you for the trivial care, was strange. She found it strange that Helen would always be grateful and appreciate even the slightest care that others did to her. If she were born as a princess, she would have gotten used to it. Helen¡¯s gratitude reminded her of an important matter that she had forgotten for a while. Ellie¡¯s face changed quickly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Helen was quick on the draw once she realized that Ellie¡¯s expression had changed. She wondered if this was because of her. ¡®Is it because I got up from bed despite her telling me to stay in bed¡­?¡¯ Helen returned to bed with a discouraged face. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Ellie. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry, really¡­.¡± Ellie waved her hand, saying it wouldn¡¯t have happened. However, there was a sad look on his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m afraid Your Highness will be offended if you hear it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I want to hear Ellie out.¡± Helen said while shaking her head. Contradictory to her sick state, both of her cheeks seemed to be tinged with bright pink like peaches. Ellie thought while scrunching up her nose. It was quite bad news. It may be a bit too much for the innocent and fragile princess to hear this as soon as she woke up after collapsing on the bed. ¡°Ellie. Hurry.¡± However, there was no way Helen would let her go without saying anything. ¡°If you don¡¯t feel comfortable while listening to this, you have to tell me quickly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Really. Don¡¯t worry if it will offend me, you just have to let me know if you feel that way.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ellie finally spoke out after she made a firm promise with Helen. ¡°That¡­. I heard that the Emperor¡¯s aide, Sir Viester, had come this afternoon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Why was it considered bad news? Helen¡¯s head tilted to the side. ¡°Sir Viester asked if there was someone who knew anything about the medicine tube. It was the prescribed medicine tube that I brought from the dispensary.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Your Majesty said he was looking for it.¡± Helen felt a big pressure weighing on her chest. It felt like someone had prevented her from breathing properly. Ellie nibbled on her lips while checking on Helen, who was slightly petrified. Chapter 19 *** ¡°I was told a little bit about Velly, one of my friends on my way here, and I think Lord Viester and His Majesty were mistaken.¡± ¡°What mistake?¡± Helen felt as if an unpleasant taste was surrounding her mouth. She asked, barely opening her dry mouth. After that, Ellie avoided making eye contact with her. The eyes of Ellie who was talking seemed desperate. ¡°They must have thought that the medicine was owned by Velly, who serves Concubine Cecillia.¡± ¡°Is that medicine such a big deal?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. However¡­ Cecillia was immediately deposed from her position and kicked out of the palace, meanwhile Velly, after she was taken out of the dungeon¡­ She ended her own life.¡± ¡°Is she dead?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ellie was extremely shocked that her friend, Velly, had died. The friend whom she had gone through thick and thin with. She thought that Velly probably confessed on behalf of her who wasn¡¯t present there since she knew quite a lot about it. Then, she even died in her stead¡­. Ellie nibbled on her lips in despair. ¡°Why does Your Majesty¡­.¡± Was Velly killed? Ellie just couldn¡¯t get the words out properly. Because Helen¡¯s face was already in a deep shock. Ellie puckered her lips and tightened her jaw. She had to pull herself together. Both her and Concubine Edith might have been killed as well. ¡°Was that medicine such an important matter? I don¡¯t know why Her Highness was deposed. She hasn¡¯t even got the attention from His Majesty yet¡­.¡± While talking, Ellie suddenly found Helen frozen like ice in her spot. She seemed scared. ¡°Your Highness¡­.?¡± Helen came back to her senses at Ellie¡¯s question which was filled with doubt. ¡°H¡­uh?¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Y-yeah. I¡¯m alright.¡± She didn¡¯t really seem to be alright. The corner of her eyes and pupil that fell as if they were terrified, they were also shaking as if an earthquake had just occurred. The beads of sweat formed on her forehead dripped down and ran through her cheeks. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re still sick, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get a wet towel. Please take a rest.¡± Helen grabbed Ellie, who was about to turn around and brought the wet towel as well as water for her. When Ellie looked back, Helen still looked at Ellie in surprise even though she was the one who grabbed her. And she spat out her words instinctively. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. This is my duty.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Helen was at a loss for words as she returned with a wet towel. Helen felt indescribably devastated. It was because of her. That she had treated the man related to the Emperor. The Emperor is looking for her because she had laid a hand on the man. Because of her, the maid, Ellie¡¯s friend, died, and Concubine Cecillia was deposed from her position. If only she didn¡¯t get sick today¡­. Both her and Ellie might have died. She heard a lot about the atrocious temper of the Emperor. He was battailous and crazy for blood. That person was related to such a man. She felt bad seeing him trapped in the library, but she didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this serious. ¡°N¡­ Now¡­. What should we do¡­.?¡± One night has already passed. The man must have waited for her in the library last night. He might have attempted to open the door again since she didn¡¯t visit him without saying any reason. Also, he might have been assaulted, or even got injured. When the serene face of the man came to mind, her mind was filled with concern. ¡®What should I do¡­.¡¯ At the same time when she was worried about the man, she was also worried about Ellie¡¯s safety. It would have been fine if she had died. But the man and Ellie¡­. Helen was resentful at the moon that shone high in the sky. When she prayed to live until winter, it seemed like she was forced to choose whether to abandon the man so she could be spared, or get caught and killed by the Emperor because she had treated him. He was heartless. She always knew that God didn¡¯t take her side, but she still clung fatuously to God. Helen was filled with resentment and tears ran down her cheeks. She didn¡¯t weep. However, the tears that flowed down her eyes was because she couldn¡¯t stand this kind of unfairness in her life. Wiping off the tears with the back of her hand, Helen opened the window once again. The man might be looking at this place through the window of the library. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Helen made up her mind. She decided not to step into the library anymore. Not just for a while, but she would never go there anymore in the future. Helen stood in front of the window, carrying a candlestick while her mind was filled with much consideration. She was reminded of the conversation in the library for a moment. ¡®Do you know this?¡¯ ¡®Because I have read all of the books in the library.¡¯ ¡°This is a coded message.¡¯ The man knew the sign. It was also a code that allowed people to exchange secret codes with light from faraway. The words changed depending on the speed, number, and time of the blinking light. Even though she was only able to convey simple things, she could fully convey what she wanted to say to the man. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­.¡± Helen was teary as she held up the candlestick, covered the fire with her palm and removed it repeatedly. /I don¡¯t think I can go to you. There are a lot of people for the time being. I¡¯m sorry./ She repeated those few words. Helen repeated the lights a few times toward the library where the man resided. Blink blink. Only the lights looked pretty, the conveyed message was not pleasant. ¡®Did he see it¡­?¡¯ Looking at the dark library, she thought the man probably didn¡¯t see it. She couldn¡¯t let him wait for her again today¡­. While thinking so, Helen bit hard on her lower lip. Until it was bleeding, however she had chosen herself and Ellie¡¯s safety instead of the man. Tears didn¡¯t stop falling from her eyes because her decision was considered hypocritical. ¡®I was supposed to help him¡­¡¯ She recalled her promise with the man. She was being hypocritical, saying that she would help him escape from the library and that things would get better. There was nothing she could do for the man. My hand, which had been repeatedly sending the lights, suddenly came to a halt. ¡®What does this all mean¡­. The man can¡¯t get out of the library and I can¡¯t go to the library anymore.¡¯ The Emperor noticed something strange. It seemed that he also knew it was a concubine who helped the man. Guards have been tightened around the library, and the man was still inside. Lonely and desolate. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­. I¡¯m sorry, really.¡± Helen mumbled, as if she was apologizing. The light flickered for quite a while, however there wasn¡¯t any reaction from the library. I guess he didn¡¯t see it. It was also her mere guess thinking that the man was looking at her spot. He has been depending on her, but he still¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Huh¡­?¡± At that moment, a light came from the library. Small lights, similar to her, was moving repeatedly. Helen hurriedly tried to figure it out. ¡°¡­It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s alright.¡± The man said it was alright. What did he mean by that? Did he think she would come back soon? The light didn¡¯t stop there. Shortly after, the man began to signal something again. ¡°Are¡­ you¡­.o¡­kay?¡± ¡®What should I say?¡¯ She had given up on the man, but at the same time, the man was still worried about her. ¡°Stupid¡­.¡± Helen muttered while putting up both of her legs on the chair in front of the window, and wrapped them around herself. Although she didn¡¯t send any signal, the man kept talking with a sloppy gesture. /Where did you get injured?/ /Hurts. Are you?/ /Bad. People./ The sentences turned much shorter and easier, but it seemed that Helen was comforting herself with that. Looking at the man who flickered lights repeatedly, Helen lowered her head onto both of her knees. If she kept crying, her eyes might become swollen and she would end up becoming a carp tomorrow, but her tears just didn¡¯t stop. I was so sad and sorry that I had to let go of such a sweet man now. She felt so sad and guilty for letting go of such a sweet man now. ¡°Sorry¡­.¡± He might not have heard it, but Helen continued to apologize to him. While hoping that he could hear this apology coming from her. ¡°Are you going to be okay¡­.?¡± The man in the library looked out the window absentmindedly. Until a moment ago, he could see Helen¡¯s abode, which had been sending him light signals repeatedly. It was very small and hard to spot, but he could tell where it was because the man always looked in that direction the moment he opened his eyes. It was a very small signal coming from Helen. /I don¡¯t think I can go. In the meantime. There are a lot of people. I¡¯m sorry./ He almost overlooked it without figuring out the meaning of the light. The repeated lights suddenly reminded him of what the woman said. ¡®How do you know about the light signal?¡¯ He didn¡¯t even know it. He actually already knew, but he came to realize that he knew about it when the woman held out a book to him. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± He wouldn¡¯t have known if he overlooked it. He didn¡¯t even want to think about it. It was such a nightmare. Last night, he stared at it until the sun rose. The place where Helen told him that it was her place. But Helen didn¡¯t seem to come out nor seen there. It was so far that Helen would have looked like an ant if he spotted her. He was certain to recognize her right away as she had gorgeous golden hair. The man clenched his fist without even knowing that he was digging his fingernails into his own flesh. According to his observation, the number of guards near the wall surrounding the library has increased. ¡°Sh*tty b*st**d¡­.¡± He was frustrated again. Did the increasing number of these people have something to do with the Emperor¡¯s order? Why did the Emperor lock him up in this place? He was concerned about the woman. She said she couldn¡¯t come due to the guards, but he suddenly became worried when he spotted the lights flickering. What if she was hurt somewhere? What if the Emperor threatened her? So if she doesn¡¯t come to see me. Then, what should I do? ¡°Sigh¡­¡­.¡± The man¡¯s sigh became deeper. Looking at Helen¡¯s place where the light didn¡¯t flicker anymore, the man put the candlestick down on the table. He would not have been able to talk to the woman without this candlestick. When he opened his eyes again today, there were candlesticks, a new piece of paper, and a pen in front of him. He tore the paper apart last night. [Where did you get the pen?] He had enough of this. He didn¡¯t answer any of his questions, but he only asked him these kinds of questions. ¡°Annoying.¡± The man tore up all the paper again. Moreover, he knew by instinct that even if he asked a question, the Emperor wasn¡¯t a human being who would answer it. He suspected that he might have sent assassins whom he sent almost everyday. ¡®No, they¡¯ve always used swords.¡¯ It was also funny how the Emperor let him hold a sword while sending assassins to him. Then what the hell was this¡­. The man buried his face in his hands. He had never been in such a dilemma lately¡­. It was thanks to her that he was able to come out of such a deep and dark place for a while. ¡°Did she say her name¡­ was Edith?¡± The man muttered as he looked out the window toward Helen¡¯s place with an absentminded gaze. ¡°Edith¡­ Edith¡­ Edith¡­¡­¡­.¡± I murmured her name for quite a while, but he was displeased by the way it came out of his mouth. It was because she had a name, but he didn¡¯t even have one. That was the reason he hasn¡¯t called her name yet. ¡°Edith, I miss you¡­.¡± The man could not take his eyes off Helen¡¯s abode through the window. There was a powerful urge. That he wanted to run away from this place and meet her right away. It¡¯d be nice if we could meet once and come back. It would be nice if she was able to come back and meet him even just for once¡­. While staring blankly at the woman¡¯s abode, he suddenly sensed the presence of someone outside the door. It couldn¡¯t be her. He had been looking at her abode this whole time. But there was no way she could have appeared here all of a sudden. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Was that the assassin again? Shiing. The sharp sword escaped from the scabbard and made that kind of sound. The man took out the sword and headed slowly toward the door. His eyes gleamed terrifyingly, just like a wolf who was about to go hunting. The library was dark, but the moonlight came through and was reflected by the light. The man grasped the sword in his hand and swerved the blade. The man, whose build was as big as the door, stood in front of it and waited for the assassins to make their way inside. Chapter 20 *** The assassin, who was expected to enter in no time, didn¡¯t come in. No, was it really an assassin? They were making some sort of bustling noise to the point that it was clearly noticeable. What was it? The man¡¯s voice softened a little, just in case it was someone who had been sent by her. ¡°Who is it?¡± When he asked while trying to hide his murderous look, the noise stopped came to an halt just outside the door. ¡°I asked who is it?¡± He asked again, however he got no response either. It wasn¡¯t someone who was sent by her. But he didn¡¯t think they were assassins either. Because what they did was very sloppy to be considered as an assassin. He had this particular experience in the past. It¡¯s been seven years since then. ¡°You¡­¡­¡­ Are you still alive?¡± The man let out a growling noise. He seemed really angry. Why did he come back? He wasn¡¯t sure because it was a long time ago, but the man returned in a half-dead state. It was a violet-haired and purple eyed weakling who had never even held a sword. ¡°Did you come here because you wanted to die again?¡± The man, who was mocking, did not stop speaking rudely. The man didn¡¯t stop giving insultory remarks to mock them. He acted completely different from when Helen was there. The other man who just arrived outside the door swallowed his saliva due to the man who considered him a threat. ¡®He¡­ He remained the same¡­!¡¯ His purple eyes shook violently. It was all because of the Emperor¡¯s order that he snuck into the library at this time of night. Today, he was ordered to wait for the woman who brought the medicine container in the library. Because of all people, he had to be the only one who the Emperor shared secrets with, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet. -Clank! ¡°Answer me. Can¡¯t you hear me?¡± His voice was filled with anger while spitting out such an arrogant remark. It was such a shame to see his master losing his memory when the night came by. Viester agonized whether to answer or not. The man at night was not an Emperor. The Emperor also did not consider himself as the man at night. He thought it was such an awful disease, a terrible curse, where another soul stayed inside his master¡¯s body. Viester agreed. His face, voice, tone, and behavior was the same with the Emperor, but most importantly, he had no recollection of being one. The man who lost his memory was getting aggressive day by day. He seemed to want to find his lost memories, but he wasn¡¯t able to do so. Because the man inside that door looked like a person who just suddenly appeared in a day. Viester retracted from outside the door and hid his anxious feeling. What was he supposed to do? ¡°That¡­.¡± Viester, who was about to talk, suddenly closed his mouth. The threatening aura he felt from outside the door wasn¡¯t just a joke, but he was scared even to sink down on the ground. Ten years ago, he appeared in front of that man under the Emperor¡¯s order. He was very young and his build was smaller than now, but he was more like an edgy animal at that time. Shrinking down and on a high alert, he mistook Viester as the Emperor who locked him up and lunged on him. He tried to cut off Viester¡¯s neck with a sword that was given to him on purpose to deal with the assassins. Luckily, the sun rose shortly after and he ended up not killing Viester. After that, the Emperor prohibited the library from anyone and drew a barrier before locking the man there. He reasoned that the man was someone who could hurt others any time. Those memories with Viester remained horrific until now. After that, the Emperor admitted his fault and never issued an order for him again, but today was an exception. The Emperor said he didn¡¯t have to go in and he was asked to sacrifice himself just for once. Viester nodded at the rare request of the arrogant Emperor. ¡°Huft¡­.¡± Perhaps frustrated, the man at the door let out a long sigh. ¡°Do you refuse to talk with me?¡± No. Viester tried to answer, but he just couldn¡¯t let that word out. It was because that event remained as a trauma for him. Moreover, the sharp noise from earlier was definitely the sound of him taking out the sword. When he realized his thought had gone that far, he shut his mouth even tighter. He only came here by His Majesty¡¯s order! Viester just wanted to cry. That time, there was a loud noise again. Clank! This time, the sound was a little more violent. He had no time to think about what the man was doing inside before the sound continued. Viester looked at the door as he distanced himself from it. The shaking door soon made a sound as if it was going to break, and each time it let out a pounding noise, gray dust came through it. Viester¡¯s heart began to beat as fast as the pounding sound. He knew the man couldn¡¯t get out of the place which had been drawn with a barrier, but it wasn¡¯t strange if he would break it soon when he heard the sound again. ¡°Please stop!¡± The man did not stop his conduct even when Viester shouted at him. The man was anxious. That path was frequently used by her. Even if she came to see him tonight out of concern by any chance, you shouldn¡¯t get caught by that man. So that she would avoid this place once she heard this commotion. The man¡¯s hand was holding the pierced sword, and he held it even tighter. When he pounded at the door with the sword once again, it made a clunking sound and also a light crack on the sword. The man scowled as he ran his hands roughly through his head in annoyance when the cracked sword let out a cracking sound again. ¡°What kind of sword is this?¡± He thought it was a good sword, but it couldn¡¯t even break a single wooden door. The man threw his sword out of anger just like that. Viester was very perplexed from the other side of the door. ¡®He definitely strengthened the barrier¡­.¡¯ Far from being unscathed, the back of the door was smashed badly. Just before it was broken down, the barrier was visible through the cracks of the wooden door. When he saw the man struggling through the cracks, Viester felt the chill in his spine. The man wouldn¡¯t let go of him as he considered him as a spy of someone who locked him up here. After he almost got killed in the man¡¯s hand, he learned the sword on his own, but he still couldn¡¯t beat or win over His Majesty the Emperor who was naturally born to be good at it. But one good thing was the fact that the sword held by a man was not as strong as the door. ¡°What kind of sword is this?¡± The sharp sound of a sword falling to the floor followed suit after the man¡¯s voice. ¡®Such a relief.¡¯ Viester was greatly relieved. His trembling legs gave in. Viester struggled to hold onto the stairway when he felt like he was about to collapse on the ground. He could sense another commotion in the room. As if he was looking for something to replace the sword. Viester quickly tried to think of something. ¡°I, I found someone who brought medicine to you!¡± The man¡¯s conduct was cut off by Viester¡¯s remark. He stopped as if he had become a stone, tightened his jaw and looked at the man over the door threateningly. ¡°Are you threatening me now?¡± Was he planning to touch her? He thought that he was able to hear a growling noise from within his throat. Viester recalled the man who acted like a wild animal when they met for the first time. The man became enraged that his neck turned stiff. He wanted to break this door right away and strangle that guy. How dare he¡­ She was his only savior. It was too hard for him to get himself together when that guy wanted to touch her. The man forgot that his sword was broken and grabbed the handle. His hands had turned red from earlier and swelled up, but it didn¡¯t matter. Because it was more important for him to catch that guy right away and beat him. Viester felt something was wrong when he heard the man¡¯s words which were filled with anger. He couldn¡¯t believe the man would have gotten so angry like this¡­! Soon, the door shook precariously, as if it was going to break. -Slam! Slam! The noise repeated until the door eventually opened. The man could not come out as the barrier was not broken, but in conclusion, a small hole was formed on the door. Through the hole, he was able to see the murderous eyes of the man. ¡°Say it¡­ Again¡­.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were popping out frighteningly. There was an unfamiliar madness in it like someone who was out of his mind. Viester held onto the railing and took a step back. The barrier has not yet to be broken. But he thought it wasn¡¯t perfect. When did he¡­ He was similar to a monster. It wasn¡¯t enough to restore and fix the barrier as it grew weaker each year. ¡°Say it again. What did you do to her? Her? Viester gained a single conviction from the verbal slip of the enraged man. It was the fact that the person who stepped into this library was a woman. ¡®It must be either a concubine or maid.¡¯ Viester racked his brain even if his life was at stake. ¡°If you touch her, you won¡¯t get to see the morning sun tomorrow.¡± ¡°Haha¡­.¡± A preposterous laugh escaped Viester¡¯s mouth. ¡°You¡¯re laughing¡­?¡± The man stared at Viester with an angry look. With a narrow frown, he acted as if Viester was his enemy. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too easy to find out your weaknesses?¡±¡± Viester racked his brain in a brief moment and got an answer. He didn¡¯t know why this man was so excited about this ¡®woman¡¯ they were talking about, so it seemed that she was a very important person to him. He had a light smile on his lips only after he came up with a way to save his life. ¡°About that woman, I won¡¯t lay a hand on her as long as you remain quiet.¡± Grrtak. His teeth were grinding against each other and there was a tumultuous noise. The terrifying sound echoed through the library, which was built solidly from old wood. Viester pretended to be fine, but he wanted to curse his master, who ordered him to find the person who gave the medicine box to the man in the library. He was trying to kill himself by doing this, but! ¡°¡­I promise.¡± The lump in Viester¡¯s throat was very nauseating. When he managed to hide his anxiousness and answered so, the man turned around with a vicious expression. ¡°¡­Keep your promise.¡± He could hear a light sound of cotton sunk down, as if the quiet man was taking a seat on the sofa. Only after the commotion had passed that Viester clutched onto his chest. ¡°I, I almost died for real.¡¯ Viester closed his eyes tightly and waited for his heart to stop beating precipitously. He was similar to someone who just got a heart attack. His chest hurt, as if he got beaten for real earlier. The door barrier was stronger than the iron door. It was not like a standard metal material. It was a barrier that the claws of Hochi, which is large and ferocious in the deep mountains, are also strong. It was the kind of barrier that would be immune to the big and ferocious claws of Hochi which resided deep in the mountain. When he tried to break through the barrier and stuck his eyes out, he thought his pounding heart would fall to the ground. ¡®Euh¡­ I will definitely tell him about this¡­ I should ask for a long-term vacation or treatment expenses.¡¯ Viester suddenly became irritated and wrinkled his eyebrows. What was the point of being praised as the only aide of the Emperor, but he was bullied by the Emperor during the day and his life was threatened during the night? He just wanted to quit his job¡­ Left from the palace¡­. Viester, who worked all day and night, was eagerly hoping to leave from his job in the palace. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t come true because His Majesty didn¡¯t even accept his resignation letter. Viester stood close to the door and peeked into the inside of the room to look at the Emperor. A man who wasn¡¯t aware that he was an Emperor, and he actually thought that the Emperor locked him up in this place. ¡°What kind of woman would he treat so preciously like that?¡± The man sat still on the couch and didn¡¯t even budge. He could only see the man¡¯s back as he sat quietly. He didn¡¯t expect the man to become so obedient. It was stupid to be worried that he would go wild again. There was no barrier anymore. The barrier that required the presence of a high priest had been busted by him. If I had swung the sword a bit more, it might have completely broken if he had swung his sword a little more¡­ But luckily, when he saw him immediately taking a submissive attitude after hearing something related to her, Viester quickly put his brilliant brain to work. ¡°Perhaps¡­.¡± It seemed that he had found a very good leash to tame that ferocious beastly man. Chapter 21 *** ¡°I almost died.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Your Majesty definitely tried to kill me.¡± As soon as the morning sun rose, Viester stood and opened the library door before rushing in. He started the conversation while waiting for the Emperor to open his eyes. The Emperor, who hadn¡¯t fully regained his consciousness, narrowed his eyes due to headache. ¡°¡­.¡± The Emperor had nothing to say as well. He knew that his night self despised Viester. Because he already tried to kill the guy once in the past. But he had no one to ask, so he asked one more time. ¡°But I told you to stay outside the door. How come I almost killed you?¡± ¡°Because you almost came out of the door.¡± ¡°Ha¡­!¡± A crooked smile was caught around the Emperor¡¯s lips, as if he was taken aback after hearing sheer nonsense. ¡°Take a look here.¡± The Emperor was dragged by him not long after he regained his consciousness toward the other side of the door. The door, which seemed just fine from the inside, was on the verge of being destroyed. ¡°If you hit it one more time, the door would most likely fall apart. And I would¡¯ve died as well.¡± In the first place, Viester was a civil servant who didn¡¯t know anything about swords. The reason why the man who started his career as a secretary and became an aide learned the sword was because of the Emperor. ¡°The sword was useless. Just because I¡¯m learning swords, it doesn¡¯t mean that I can injure or beat Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor swallowed and remained deep in his thoughts. It was true that he was good at swords. It was true that he was also superior in terms of physical strength and stronger than others. But he had never used a sword this way before. His night self carried the sword obstinately on the thing that he had no memory of, as if the man laughed mockingly at himself. Now it turned out that the sword hanging around his waist was spread on the floor in half. ¡®The heirloom¡­..¡¯ It was a very valuable heirloom that was passed down within the Empire from generation to generation. The decoration was completed with the pattern of the country engraved in the handle, but the blade was sharp and heavy. It was said to be a gift crafted by the blacksmith for the First Emperor in the past. Yesterday, the man broke it. But the sword was not important. An uncrushable fine sword had been broken, and even the barrier, famous for absolute defense, was only one step from being destroyed. This library could no longer stop him. ¡°You have to come up with a plan.¡± For the first time, the Emperor agreed with Viester who spoke in a serious voice. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± What was he supposed to do? Viester suggested secretly at Carmun¡¯s absentminded look. ¡°I have a good plan, but¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The Emperor¡¯s eyes held a gaze full of curiosity. If only there was a way to deal with that beastly man¡­! However, Viester did not simply open his mouth. The Emperor did not approve of his resignation. A long vacation? Not even close. He had never rested more than two days ever since he got a job in the palace. Viester spoke gently with an ulterior motive in mind. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if you give me a week off.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°A week. Just a week.¡± ¡°No way. What would happen with your work if you aren¡¯t here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that as well.¡± The Emperor refused firmly. He turned back toward the palace, lightly fixing his disorganized appearance and disheveled hair. [t/n: no carmun, that¡¯s such a sexy gesture in my imagination ?_?] Viester continued to beg while following behind him. ¡°Just a week is enough! A week! I nearly died again this time. Don¡¯t you think I should go to the hospital?¡± ¡°Huh? You didn¡¯t even get hurt, b**t*rd¡­¡± Carmun flicked his eyes upwards while looking at Viester, as if it was a ridiculous thing to say. Then Viester dramatically pointed to his chest with his finger. The Emperor¡¯s gaze followed where his finger headed to. It was a gaze that stated ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ ¡°My heart was greatly hurt yesterday. Do you know how surprised I was? That¡¯s why I have a doubt that I might suffer from an irregular heartbeat. ¡°I¡­Irregular heartbeat?¡± ¡°Yes. They say it¡¯s likely to be the disease if your heart hurts a lot.¡± Carmun frowned, he didn¡¯t know anything about such a disease. ¡°If I fall ill, I can¡¯t work anymore, right? I¡¯ll be back after taking a rest and get myself examined for the disease.¡± Carmun nodded forcefully. Viester was a talented person in many aspects. In particular, he was even more precious to him because the guy was one of the few people that were stuck around him. He clicked his tongue and said. ¡°I¡¯ll put you into the Imperial Pharmacy. And then, a week is too long, I¡¯ll give you five days.¡± Viester had a bright smile on his face. He also thought it was likely to be reduced to five days anyway. That was the reason why I pleaded for one week off. Viester showed a timid smile on his lips when things went according to his plan. The eyes that carried the purple pupil were bent beautifully. The Emperor frowned, the sight was so annoying to him. It was because he never had such a thing called vacation. He was swamped by political affairs everyday, and his only aide, who hung onto him this whole time, was asking for a vacation. This punk and that punk, all of them tried to torment him. Carmun, who had become slightly petulant, turned his heavy head. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it after the morning assembly is over. If I¡¯m not pleased with things, you have to return from your vacation.¡± He had to return from his vacation, what? Viester gulped. *** The morning assembly began. Twenty ministers sat on the left and right sides of the long table, meanwhile the Emperor sat in the centre seat at the top of the table. The first seat on the left side of the emperor was occupied by the aide and the duke, Viester, on the right seat was seated by the father of the Empress and the Emperor¡¯s father-in-law, Duke Torre. Below it were occupied by the nobles and they brought up the agendas to be discussed in today¡¯s meeting. He thought it was the same as usual. Except for two things. The first of which was regarding Cecillia, the Third Concubine who was kicked out flatly by the Emperor without any doubt last night, and the other was the concern that there was not even one descendant who was going to succeed the country. There was a probability that they read the same script together while waiting for his presence, that¡¯s why they all said the same thing. ¡°What did she do wrong to be kicked out from the palace without doubt?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you¡¯ve sinned, you should¡¯ve punished her properly.¡± ¡°The Direxion Empire won¡¯t stay put either.¡± Carmun frowned in return for an answer. Did they think he only wanted to do that according to his own will? If she was sent to trial, there might be a series of stories about medicine containers and books, and it all would have been intertwined with her. Starting with the topic about Direxion, the ministers continued to recite what they had held back since earlier. ¡°It won¡¯t look good to other countries if you treat your concubines so cold-heartedly like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s your duty to spend the night once a month with each of them, but now¡­.¡± One year has passed by, but he had never met a concubine personally, let alone once a month. The people gossiping about the Emperor¡¯s lower part would¡¯ve been likely to intensify. Carmun couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and opened his red eyes furiously. ¡°Then. Are you saying that you¡¯re dissatisfied with my way of punishing a war prisoner?¡± ¡°N-no¡­. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m¡­.¡± ¡°She is a war prisoner. She might have been called a concubine on the surface, but to me, she¡¯s not more than that. She became a war prisoner due to her fault, so why do I have to spend my precious time and money to send her to trial?¡± They wanted to say that it was etiquette and the law of the court, but when Carmun spat out those harsh words, the ministers shut their mouths tightly. Usually, he was a snappy Emperor, but he had never interfered too much in political affairs nor ignored his ministers¡¯ opinions. Asking them this way was his way of giving warning in some sort so they wouldn¡¯t bother him with this kind of stuff again. The ministers noticed it right away and shut their mouths tightly. It was when all of them avoided eye contact with Carmun that he finally raised the corner of his mouth, as if he was satisfied at the sight. ¡°You¡¯re the ones who suggested bringing princesses from each country as concubines instead of war prisoners. Not me.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± The ministers nodded their heads slowly. ¡°So you don¡¯t have to say anything about it. Because I had approved your request.¡± Carmun snorted as he glared at his ministers. The reason why the ministers suggested that he should have received them as concubines was that the number of concubines increased compared to the prisoners was good to showcase the country¡¯s strength, but they could also prepare for another possible war. Who would have been willing to start war when their daughters¡¯ lives were at stake? Besides that, some empires even handed a considerable amount of money to the high-ranking nobles. It was meant to show his Majesty well, but it wasn¡¯t really effective. Both the concubines that were delivered with money and those who didn¡¯t were treated the same way, and also the residence for concubines was located in the furthest corner of Imperial Castle. They were concubines who arose to the position due to war, and solely for war. Therefore, he wasn¡¯t interested in any of them, and because of that, the settled budget for the concubines was also small. Still, because they were princesses of each country from the beginning, they would lead a luxurious life on their own. ¡®They seem greedy.¡¯ Viester broke out in a cold sweat seeing Carmun¡¯s keen gaze. The ministers didn¡¯t gain any benefit by pretending in the presence of the Emperor. Viester clapped his hands and spoke brightly. ¡°So now, shall we move on to the next agenda?¡± The atmosphere eased up a little when Viester, who was considered young among the ministers, said so. At that time, someone, who seemed to lack common sense, spoke out. ¡°I heard that the maid who served Concubine Cecillia died in the dungeon at dawn¡­.¡± At that moment, the eyes of the ministers were all fixed toward Carmun. ¡°Huh?¡± His gaze seemed overbearing, as if he was the one who truly killed her. Carmun was overwhelmed with annoyance. Because the ministers whom he should have trusted the most were certain that he had killed her. Carmun was suspicious that it was them who probably spread rumors about him being a crazy warmonger. No one opened their mouths. They only exchange glances. Carmun eventually opened his mouth first as he faced the ministers who had been silent for some time. ¡°Why don¡¯t you spread rumors that I killed her everywhere?¡± He gave a sarcastic remark with honorifics which was unlike him. The ministers hurriedly lowered their eyes at his sharp gaze. Carmun¡¯s temper grew while looking at the sight. Each time he spoke, they trembled as if they were scared to death. But at the same time, they often spread rumors that the Emperor is a tyrant and he had a vicious nature. What did they want him to do? Did they expect him to treat people who debut into society and even politics like a baby? He couldn¡¯t stand them when he heard the word ¡®tyrant¡¯. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her. The maid committed suicide at dawn.¡± ¡°¡­.Ah¡­.¡± The words ¡®suicide¡¯ made the murmur of the ministers intensified. Some people said that bad luck would come to Imperial Castle because clearly it wasn¡¯t a good word to be said. ¡°Please remain quiet.¡± The Emperor was also questioned regarding it. He had never threatened that he would kill her. He intended to let her go secretly soon after she confessed. He just sent her to the dungeon because he thought about separating the concubine and her maid. She probably became terrified, and a sudden sad news arrived unexpectedly at down. He didn¡¯t expect her to be so scared. I ended up making a mistake. Cecillia was already on her way back to her home country, Direxion. Rumors regarding the medicine tube had eased out at the concubine residence. On the contrary, no one even mentioned it. Who would easily let that topic come out of their lips when they were certain that they would have ended up dying? Therefore, this was completely his mistake. Chapter 22 *** Suddenly, the irritated feeling welled up inside him, and he undone the button of his neat uniform. The collar of his shirt was also loosened, and the cuff hung on his sleeve was removed as if he tore them apart. The ministers, who were looking at the Emperor who gradually lost grip of himself, were intimidated as they observed his expression. Feeling of uncomfort was visible on the Emperor¡¯s face. The ministers quickly averted his gaze due to his slightly exposed neck and collarbone. ¡°Huh¡­.¡± It was difficult to continue the meeting due to his bizarre temper. Instead of immediately worrying about negotiations with Direxion, he was thinking about his night self who broke the barrier until the morning came. He didn¡¯t like all of them. Especially the disrespectful gaze of the ministers. His unchanging gaze, acting as an emperor for 10 years, was very angry. Their gaze remained unchanged during ten years of his reign which pissed him very much. ¡°Let¡¯s stop the meeting today¡­.¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Carmun¡¯s voice coincided with one particular minister. Carmun wanted to end the meeting right away, but he suppressed his annoyance and let him talk because he thought it was rude to ignore his words, and there would be rumors about him being rude, frank, terrible, and so on. ¡°Speak.¡± It was his consideration toward them. He never saw this person before. There was one empty seat, but it seemed to have been filled just recently. ¡°Are you dissatisfied with your current concubines?¡± Carmun was taken aback at the sudden question. Weren¡¯t they talking about the Direxion Empire until a moment ago? When Carmun raised his eyebrow questioningly, his subordinate continued his speech cluelessly. ¡°Your Majesty must work hard to get the heir who will inherit the country in the future. Since the seat of the heir is empty, the country is in a whirl and the public sentiment is in chaos¡­.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± He actually wanted to say something, but it was hidden under the excuse of the heir. Even after the Emperor gave him an order to stop talking, he opened his mouth cautiously again. ¡°Marquess Hesty¡¯s daughter had come of age recently. If it¡¯s Marquess Hesty who made a huge contribution to the war, he deserves it, doesn¡¯t he? His daughter had a remarkably pretty face, so His Majesty will surely like her.¡± It wasn¡¯t even his daughter who abruptly came out from his subordinate¡¯s mouth, but the daughter of Marquis Hesty. Carmun narrowed his eyes while looking at Marquis Hesty. Then, Duke Hesty audaciously gave a calm smile, as if he had seen it coming. ¡°Thank you very much for noticing my daughter. According to the rumor, I heard that the third daughter of Baron is also pretty like a spring flower.¡± Spring flowers? Weren¡¯t all the flowers frozen to death? Looking at the Baron¡¯s face, he seemed to think that their daughters were all pretty. Starting with a praise toward Marquess Hesty, soon after they started praising both of their daughters as if the candlesticks had been caught on fire. Carmun, who had been acting sarcastic like it was his habit, only recognized his ministers¡¯ intention after that. The Baron, who thought he was oblivious, in fact wasn¡¯t oblivious. He just pretended to be tactless to speak out what he intended to say. ¡°Haha¡­..¡± Carmun¡¯s ridiculous laugh spread quietly through the room. Then all of the ministers immediately shut their mouths. It was time to lash out again. It was good to get scolded once. If it meant their daughters could enter the palace as the Emperor¡¯s concubine. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re offering your daughters to become my concubines¡­ Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­T-that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°You have a lot of concubines, but it seems like they are not in your favor¡­.¡± ¡°This is the expostulation that I was concerned about.¡± At the words of the ministers, the corner of Carmun¡¯s mouth curved upward slightly. ¡°Expostulation?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Is it an expostulation for me so that I will receive your daughters as my concubine?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Expostulation? B**ls*it. When he ascended the Imperial Throne by dethroning the previous Emperor, either they hid their daughters as much as they could or sent them to marriage quickly, while hoping for the replacement of the Emperor. Then, when the throne was settled, they offered their daughters to be his concubines? It sounded no different than the sound of a grazing dog. Obviously, it was their intention to let their daughters enter the Imperial Castle and have a chance to give birth to the heir who would succeed the country. Their hidden intention was so obvious that it was hard to pretend not to see anything. Viester spoke in a low voice while looking back and forth at the Emperor and the ministers who kept confronting each other. ¡°Your Majesty¡­.¡± He was telling the man to restrain himself. How could this guy tell him to restrain himself even after hearing this? Carmun slightly wrinkled his eyebrows and met the gaze of Viester. ¡®Please hold yourself back.¡¯ Viester looked at the Emperor pleadingly, but Carmun snorted and pretended to not hear it. ¡°It¡¯s not even possible, even if you bring the beauty of the century, she would still resemble you. Even now, the rumor that I¡¯m impotent is still circulating around, so aren¡¯t you going to strengthen that rumor?¡± The ministers looked at each other¡¯s faces. The minister who understood what the Emperor meant, raised his flushed face. The daughters would have resembled their fathers¡¯ faces. He wouldn¡¯t want to have liaison with their daughters, who shared the resemblances with them. The Emperor spoke in a calm manner, but the Emperor sounded strange because his characteristic way of talking still remained sarcastic as it was. ¡°But the heir¡­.¡± Among them was the Baron, who brought up the topic about the heir, muttering quietly. He was such a persistent man. He seemed not to have any other hidden agenda while saying so, but his words were concerning from another perspective. In fact, for Emperor Carmoon, the topic about heirs was taboo to be discussed openly like this. He had been urged by them several times until now, but he pretended not to hear them all, so the person who brought up the topic about ¡®the heir¡¯ had to be punished at some point in order to warn them. Whether they were assigned with a really difficult job, or given a mission to go to the Empire across the sea as envoys. All of those ministers who did the same in the past had suffered that kind of petty payback once. Therefore, all the ministers were taken aback and looked at the subordinate with eyes that almost popped out of their heads. ¡°Why¡­. Why ¡­ so?¡± When the minister also got surprised, a hoarse voice was heard from somewhere. ¡°Did you just talk about heirs?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± The minister hurriedly nodded his head. This minister, who seemed a little overwhelmed, was a newcomer among the nobles who had only attended the regular meeting today. So it was because he hadn¡¯t heard the rumor yet. The rumor regarding the Emperor who was extremely sensitive about his family and didn¡¯t like anyone to meddle in it. ¡°It¡¯s very surprising to hear you talking about heirs. Are you married?¡± The minister raised his eyebrows slightly at the Emperor¡¯s question. Were there any nobles who hadn¡¯t gotten married at this age? ¡°Yes. I¡¯m married. I have two children who look just like bunnies.¡± He knew that the ministers¡¯ expressions surrounding him were shaking like a leaf, but this ignorant minister couldn¡¯t even figure out why they all were shaking and only looked at the Emperor in wonder. Just like bunnies. The Emperor whispered quietly. ¡°Are you blaming me because I don¡¯t have children right now?¡± ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s not¡­.¡± ¡°So if I don¡¯t have an heir, you mean I¡¯m a useless emperor?¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t mean that¡­.¡± ¡°Then why do you keep talking about heirs? How old do you think I am? The Empress is not that old either. I didn¡¯t even think that concubines were my wives from the beginning, but you want to force me to sleep with them for the sake of heirs?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Only then did the tactless minister realize something was wrong. With the Emperor, whose eyes were filled with rage even though he still remained calm, the ministers who sat around him urged him to shut his mouth. The minister, who sat right beside him, shook his head in disapproval and pulled his sleeve slightly as if telling him to shut up already. What? Isn¡¯t it the Emperor¡¯s duty to have an heir who would succeed the throne? The Previous Emperor alone had so many children, he had more than thirty children. How much the people in the Empire praised that kind of emperor. The ministers looked at the Baron, whose eyes were wide open, with helpless gazes. Of all things, one of the matters on the agenda that had been prepared for today was discussing the negotiations with Cordelia, the faraway empire. ¡°That¡¯s good. How can I do that to my country? You can make a choice without worrying about me.¡± At the Emperor¡¯s words, the baron had a look of confusion on his face. ¡°What¡­.?¡± The man¡¯s question made the laughter flow among the ministers. That matter was put off due to the lack of people who wanted to go forward to say that, but it turned out well. The ministers hurriedly applauded and praised the baron¡¯s allegiance. ¡°You¡¯re really incredible. How great you are that you even want to serve your country.¡± ¡°Your Majesty will be really proud of you.¡± It was when the baron secretly showed a pleasant smile on his face among the ministers who praised him. ¡°I think you are qualified as an envoy to Cordelia.¡± ¡°E-Envoy?¡± Cordelia is also the farthest country from Idelberg, so it required about a month to cross the mountain and the sea in order to arrive there. And he even had to go there by himself. The baron, whose body was usually weak, was said to hate it so much. Right before he could let out any words of refusal, Carmun quickly beat him to talk. ¡°I really want you to go. I ask you a favour.¡± The baron had no choice but to nod helplessly. After that, Carmun finally showed a satisfied smile. Viester thought that Carmun had gone way too much, but it was a sin to be tactless among the ministers. They probably used him as soon as they noticed his tactless nature¡­ so he felt sorry for the baron. He seemed weak, so he might have to rest at home for a long time after arriving back from Cordelia. Viester sighed briefly. However, the Emperor didn¡¯t stop there. He immediately looked at Duke Torre who sat on the right, as he was going to make the ministers never bring up such topics as the heir and concubines again. ¡°What do you think? Do you want me to receive your daughter as a concubine?¡± The corner of Carmun¡¯s mouth was tilted slightly while he talked. Duke Torre was not pleased with the Emperor¡¯s question toward him. The way he asked that while pretending not knowing that her daughter was the Empress didn¡¯t sit right with him. The faces of other ministers turned deadly pale when the Emperor frankly asked Duke Torre. Because Duke Torre¡¯s power was scary. Among the nobles, Duke Torre¡¯s daughter was the only one who managed to become an empress. There wasn¡¯t anyone who entered without becoming a concubine. It was because of the influence of Duke Torre. At that time, the Emperor had just recently ascended the throne, and it was when Duke Torre was more terrifying than the Emperor himself. No less than ten years have passed since then. The Emperor had grown tremendously, and could no longer be controlled by the duke¡¯s power. And same with the Empress. Ten years have passed, but she still couldn¡¯t give birth to an heir, there were even ugly rumors in the society that the Empress was still a virgin. ¡°What do you mean by a concubine? Even now, they are still hard to manage because there are a lot of them. Your Majesty, take care of your body, moreover you are still young, so you can think carefully about your heir. There are many problems within the country other than the heirs of Your Majesty, but when I only listen to the discussion of these noblemen, I think they are supposed to be blamed for it.¡± Duke Torre spat out his words and threw a sharp glance at the ministers with his unique eyes. He swept his gaze to every single minister who talked about his daughter¡¯s position as the Empress without missing one person. Those who knew his daughter obtained the position of Empress were obviously the ones whose daughters just became concubines, and they still had the audacity to talk about heirs and didn¡¯t care at all about the fuss they caused. The duke had seen with both of his eyes, so he wasn¡¯t going to let it slide. ¡°Ehem¡­ I see. After hearing the duke¡¯s opinion, it seems likely to be the case. What do you all think?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a reasonable opinion.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± The ministers cowered and only nodded their heads. Carmun incited the fight between the ministers and then smiled secretly, as if he was satisfied at the sight. Even if he didn¡¯t step up, Duke Torre would come out sooner or later and catch his ministers one by one. Ha. How simple. Carmun stood up from his seat with a much more relieved look. ¡°This is the end of today¡¯s meeting.¡± Chapter 23 *** 03. The Way to Control Him *** Viester scolded him on his way back to the Lion Palace. ¡°You had gone too far.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Do you think the baron is just a 20 years old man? He will turn sixty soon.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you go to another country when you turn sixty?¡± Carmun spat out grumpily. This was because Viester also took part by scolding him like this. ¡°It will take longer to manage things, moreover he will need a long vacation before he can come back to work again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of an urgent matter, about Cordelia¡­.¡± Carmun muttered all of a sudden and seemed to be genuinely curious about the place. It was a very small country. The country which was created by a group of immigrants on the periphery. As a result, it was still a developing country that was noisy and lacked faith in the emperor. The situation within the developing country was still clamorous and had a lack of faith in the Emperor. Many private things happened due to the unity of many immigrants, and there was a reason why Cordelia was more popular than a bunch of those people. ¡°Does he really love his daughter that much?¡± Carmun wasn¡¯t paying attention to the rumors. Of all things that became topics for people, only a few of them reached his ears. But rumor about the daughter who was doted so much by her father that came from Cordelia Empire, which was faraway from here, was just stupid. Moreover, other words didn¡¯t spread around well. Even from the way Idelberg looked at them, Cordelia was a strange community. They were not a trading partner, nor a country who sent envoys frequently. On the contrary, they both had a very bad relationship. It was astonishing that they were able to end the war and have a proper contact with each other. ¡°Are you beating around the bush?¡± Carmun¡¯s eyebrows were raised slightly at Viester¡¯ question. Viester pursed his lips at the unconventional raise of his eyebrows with the intention of saying, ¡®Did I? Me?¡¯ His lips seemed like they had many things to say, but he didn¡¯t open them again. ¡°I admit I have gone too far. Even so, it still wasn¡¯t enough. At this point, I already let him off the hook.¡± Carmun seemed much more relaxed than when he was handling his ministers. Cool breeze blew past them on their way to Lion Palace. It has been a decade ever since the last time he witnessed the nighttime, but he thought the daytime was better than night. He liked everything about it, from the cool breeze, the blooming sunflower which was looking at the sun, the typical warmth in the daytime. The man would like it too. If he had the same body and mind as him, He must¡¯ve not really liked the coolness of the night. Because it made him feel like he was alone in this world. [t/n: here, he was referring to his night self.] Thinking about him quickly made him feel bad. After kicking the pebbles on the road in an irritated manner, he quickened his steps. He was curious about how to control the man, just like what Viester said. One day, he suddenly appeared and changed his life. It was like taking away all the nighttime he was supposed to have. His works were overflowing, but he always didn¡¯t have enough time to finish it, and it was impossible for him to attend parties if they were held at night. He solely blamed him because of that. Who should he blame if not him? Carmun knew that his patience was noticeably shortened and that it was as short as candle wick which had been burnt. It took him ten years to figure out whether it was a curse or a disease, and he even spent the last ten years searching for every way to get rid of the curse. However, he hasn¡¯t found any lead to take out the curse from himself. They no longer could stop the man by locking him up as he was getting stronger day by day. He was getting impatient and could not be stopped anymore. The Emperor looked at the servants who lined up and shouted as soon as he entered the Lion Palace. ¡°I wanna be alone with Viester, so don¡¯t disturb me.¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­!¡± At that moment, Viester shouted in embarrassment. ¡°Is there any problem with that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem¡­.¡± Viester couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak any longer. There weren¡¯t just one or two servants who looked at him curiously when he spoke. Other than the rumor of the Emperor who was said to be impotent, there was also a secret rumor. It was because there was no one who had the chance to always stay beside the Emperor other than him. Perhaps the Emperor was gay? Those kinds of dirty rumors always circulated around the Emperor. The Emperor was not the only one who was labelled as gay. The same thing happened to Viester. The Emperor laughed scornfully seeing Viester who was embarrassed, as if it entertained him a lot. ¡°Oh my.¡± A maid ended up gasping. She didn¡¯t even cover her mouth, therefore she was caught by Viester. Viester rubbed his forehead. ¡°Sigh¡­¡­¡± Viester¡¯s face was very gloomy, but he managed his expression and followed Carmun who headed for the room and having fun with himself. It would be nice if they were heading to the study or the drawing room, but Carmun definitely preferred his own room. As a result, the intensity of their promiscuous rumors increased. Carmun took off the surcoat over his uniform as soon as he stepped into the room and handed it over to the Emperor¡¯s attendants. The maid, who was cleaning the room, accepted the clothes and attempted to take care of His Majesty. But Carmun stopped her from doing that. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Get out.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°And make sure everyone is away and empty the entire floor, including the rooms in this floor, so there is no one here.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± Viester¡¯s sigh became deeper after hearing the Emperor¡¯s order. He seemed so determined in blocking the future ahead of him. He still liked girls! He just couldn¡¯t date one because of His Majesty the Emperor who was setting him up so he wouldn¡¯t have time to date! When he looked at Carmun with his eyes full of grudge, Carmun pretended to not know anything and turned his head while covering his mouth with his hands to hold back his laughter. Carmun immediately bursted into laughter right after the maid left. The angry look of Viester was something worth-seeing. He didn¡¯t expect his purple eyes would shake like that. ¡°Why are you laughing comfortably right now? Is it because I lost the path to the future ahead of me?¡± ¡°Since you lost it, now you can work harder.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such a horrible thing. As soon as your curse is lifted, I will leave the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only thinking about leaving because you don¡¯t like being in a high-rank position. If others hear you, they will say you¡¯re arrogant.¡± ¡°It actually sounds good being called arrogant. They will also beg to Your Majesty with both their hands in the air to let them leave after a week serving you.¡± Heum¡­. Carmun shrugged his shoulders and let out an incoherent noise. Firstly, he never thought about leaving the person who said he was arrogant, secondly, he had no intention of letting him step down from his position as the aide, and lastly, he was surprised thinking about why he appointed Viester who he called arrogant as his aide. He just made a short sound which conveyed a lot of meaning. He had another thing that was more important than this. ¡°So. What¡¯s the method to control him?¡± The method was the most important thing for him at the moment. He didn¡¯t know anything about this kind of curse, and doctors said it was even their first time hearing this as a disease. All the priests also said they didn¡¯t know about it¡­. There was only one thing he needed to learn about this curse. It was the day when this curse occurred. Carmun asked with eyes glinting in full interest. He bent over on the sofa and put his arms on his knees while facing Viester. As the Emperor put all of his attention toward him, Viester suddenly hesitated for no reason. ¡°It¡­ It happened when I visited Your Majesty last night.¡± Viester explained the whole event with as many details as possible. As soon as he noticed his presence, he made a loud noise and ruckus on purpose. After that, when he bragged about knowing the woman¡¯s existence, the man desperately tried to kill him. And when he threatened him by touching the woman if he kept doing that, the man became quite obedient. ¡°I think that ¡®woman¡¯ is someone important to him.¡± ¡°Woman?¡± ¡°Oh, I left out the explanation regarding that. The man accidentally said ¡®woman¡¯ when he was enraged.¡± ¡°Is there any possibility that he¡¯s lying?¡± ¡°¡­As His Majesty knows, he¡¯s just a man with a lump of instinct¡­.¡± He should have turned around when his other self was being insulted like that. Did he still beat around the bush just because he was under the guise of the Emperor? Carmun thought carefully with his half-closed eyelids. He questioned over and over again about the woman¡¯s worth to him. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to kill her or to make her on my side? ¡°Are you planning to kill that woman?¡± ¡°If he knew I killed her, he wouldn¡¯t stay still. It¡¯s too risky.¡± He might break the barrier and rush out. ¡°Will you keep her alive?¡± ¡°She knew my secret, so I can¡¯t let her go.¡± Carmun was in the midst of a dilemma. Although he wasn¡¯t in a rush, he felt suffocated. Is this how it feels to be stuck in a certain situation? He couldn¡¯t think of any good answer. ¡°First of all, finding her is going to be our main priority.¡± ¡°She might be a concubine or a maid.¡± Carmun opened his eyes slowly and reckoned the days. Then, he was reminded about the upcoming hunting festival. *** Carmun sent Viester back and drew the man¡¯s letter that he kept under his arms. For a moment, he was happy that the man left the letter for him, although what¡¯s written in the letter was really absurd. [I¡¯m going to kill you.] ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Ridiculous. Who are you killing or whether you know the right person. He wasn¡¯t sure if he knew who the man was going to kill. He didn¡¯t even know that the man could never kill him, because he was the Emperor the moment he opened his eyes again in the morning. Such an idiot. The man seemed to be rushing to kill him. He was the one who tried to kill Viester. He promised not to ask this kind of favor to Viester ever again. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose a good aide like him. ¡°You act gentle toward the woman¡­.¡± Did I do that? Carmun tilted his head. He had no memory of being captivated once by a woman ever since he was born. I saw many women being called the beauty of the century, but he didn¡¯t feel attracted to any of them. It just felt like he was seeing pretty potteries. But he had never been attracted to a pretty man either, so he just thought he didn¡¯t want to like people. People assumed he was impotent, and Carmun had never really thought about that. He didn¡¯t have any curiosity toward anybody else. ¡°But how can he like a woman?¡± And that he used his body. He must have met a woman whose face he didn¡¯t even know and he grew a pretty deep affection for her. He didn¡¯t feel good thinking about it with his face, so he opened his eyes slowly and gently tapped his cheeks with his long, elegant finger. Moving his fingers leisurely yet repeatedly, Carmun began to fall into his own imagination. The imagination of himself trapped inside the library. The door opened and a woman came in. What did he say? He was a man in the Emperor¡¯s library, so did he ever think about him being the Emperor himself? That¡¯s why he was so fierce and mean. Then, what possibly made them get along so well? ¡®She must be crazy as well.¡¯ Viester, a realistic and quite promising aide, almost got strangled to death once by him. He was not the type of person who would consider a life of a woman. It wasn¡¯t like there weren¡¯t any women in life. It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t have any woman in his life. Why did he only act gentle to her? Carmun suddenly became curious about her. ¡°The hunting festival¡­.¡± Should he order her to attend the hunting festival? If she was a concubine or a maid of the concubine¡­ It was impossible for him to not see her there. The Hunting Festival of Idelberg was held on the largest scale in the Empire. It was going to be held for three days and they even invited important guests from each country. It seemed like they were going to drink all day and night, although the repose was a charity event. There were many times when the New Year Festival ran into trouble since all of the sacred ceremonies were held at night. The time of ceremony was moved to the early night, as it was common for the people to be absent so they could enjoy the night party. It was because he couldn¡¯t attend if it was held late at night. He couldn¡¯t let the b*st**d out and tried to hurt people at the party without knowing who he really was. However, the hunting festival was different. It began early in the morning and continued until the afternoon. Throughout the three days. And although the drinking was held at night, he wasn¡¯t forced to attend. The important guests were served by the Empress, and it was the day when the nobles made silent promises to meet their respective lovers. They would give something that they caught in the hunting ground as gifts to their lovers while whispering sweet nothings. How romantic is it? And because of that, it was the only festival where the Emperor could enjoy it to the fullest on his own. He had never invited the concubines to the hunting festival, but¡­. ¡®There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡¯ Carmun¡¯s mouth went up slightly. It was the time when his languid afternoon began. A cool wind blew through the open window. This body should move personally in order to take control of the man who broke the barrier. Strangely, Carmun found this situation very amusing. Chapter 24 *** Around that time, after the morning assembly, the ministers gathered at one of the nobleman¡¯s mansions to discuss a few things. In the drawing room, all the curtains were closed and it made the room appear to be dark, and then they gathered at the table in the middle of the room together. One of the nobles gulped. ¡°Did you see it?¡± What? The ministers nodded at the ambiguous questions that didn¡¯t indicate any concerned subject or object. All of them saw it today. That scene. ¡°This morning¡­..¡± The nobleman, who brought it up first, felt the heat on his cheeks and couldn¡¯t bring himself to continue. It was a bit¡­ embarrassing to say. ¡°Do you mean Sir Viester?¡± Another nobleman spoke on his behalf. The man, whose cheeks blushed brightly, nodded after that. The name of the blushing man was Sir Theo. He was a loyal person, but upright. He was a person who had never suggested or opposed a big matter which was presented at the regular assembly, but it was difficult to let this one slide. Your Majesty is gay! ¡°The two headed for the Lion Palace as soon as the assembly ended¡­. I heard that according to a maid, they went inside the room and he kicked out all of the servants. And then, they didn¡¯t come out for a while ¡­.¡± Theo¡¯s face turned red at the nobleman who passed the maid¡¯s words to them. Theo was the second oldest after Viester in terms of age, but he was still being treated like a rookie. When Theo¡¯s face turned red, he heard snickers around him. Theo clenched his fist and tried to pretend nothing happened while relieving the heat on his cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s not only that. They made it seem like something had happened this morning¡­.¡± ¡°Right! His Majesty was late for today¡¯s meeting, so I wondered if there was any reason for that, but when I saw them walk in together, I almost let out a slight gasp. Her cheeks were red¡­ Like someone who had just done something¡­.¡± He shut his mouth in fear of someone hearing him actually insulting His Majesty if he spoke more. Silence engulfed the entire drawing room at the same time as the man closed his mouth. No one was able to apprehend this situation, and it made it even more awkward. Is His Majesty really gay? If that was the case, having the heir would be impossible even if they were to send their daughters to him. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to send their sons instead?! [t/n: Lmao I lost it here] At that time, a nobleman, who was thinking about whether to speak out or not, opened his mouth while reading his countenance furtively. ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t you see Viester¡¯s clothes today?¡± ¡°Clothes?¡± It should be an attire¡­. The ministers, who didn¡¯t think that far, tilted their heads. ¡°Sir Viester¡¯s clothes were still the same as yesterday.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°D-Do you mean he didn¡¯t get to change his clothes!¡± All the nobles seemed surprised and looked at the man who spoke for the first time with eyes that were similar to an astonished rabbit. The same look was shown on Theo¡¯s face as he looked at the man. ¡°It seems like¡­. Both of them are lovers.¡± The eyes of the nobles were shaken by the man¡¯s gaze that shone with confidence. Silence lingered in the air for a while before the room filled with murmur almost immediately. Your Majesty is gay! And his lover is Viester! The nobles were in an uproar. The nobles, who were thinking of sending their daughters to the Emperor, were greatly relieved and felt rather fortunate that their offer to send their daughters as concubines for the Emperor was turned down this morning. Some even spoke out about bringing men who have similar appearance with Viester to seduce His Majesty. Among them, Theo was the only one who tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what His Majesty¡¯s preference is¡­ but I think Sir Viester would prefer women.¡¯ Theo used to work in the aide¡¯s office. Technically, he was also the direct subordinate of Viester. We spent a lot of time together and even talked a lot about personal things. He had said many times that he would date and get married if it weren¡¯t for the Emperor. What did they mean by suddenly saying that he was the lover of the Emperor? It was said that a human¡¯s heart was capable of changing easily, but he didn¡¯t believe it. Viester¡¯s remark when saying that he liked women didn¡¯t feel like a lie at all. Theo quickly racked his brain and he suddenly came up with a ridiculous answer. ¡®Perhaps¡­ His Majesty the Emperor is the one who¡¯s clinging to him?¡¯ He thought that the one-sided love of His Majesty the Emperor was directed at Viester. In Theo¡¯s head, he imagined Viester was trapped in the Emperor¡¯s arms and crying out loud. Viester was weeping as he showed a frail and miserable look on his face. His purple eyes added such a neutral impression as Viester also had a soft and delicate line. [t/n: I guess the author means bodyline here.] ¡°What¡­ am I thinking!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe that he was thinking such things about his immediate superior! The nobles saw Theo suddenly jumped up from his seats and slapped his cheek hard, but soon lost interest in him and carried on with their conversation. Theo didn¡¯t matter to them at this moment. Theo, who had lost the attention of the nobles, paced out of the drawing room quickly. ¡°What¡­ What should I do about this¡­.¡± He might have to report it to his superior. Or he wondered if he should hold back from talking about it with his superior and pretend he didn¡¯t know about the secret preference of his superior. *** The heated discussion was still carried on inside the room. ¡°Do you really think Viester is his lover?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think his delicate posture gives off a weird vibe!¡± ¡°People who give off that kind of vibe are all gays! It¡¯s a prejudice! We are supposed to discuss seriously right now, yet you¡¯re only arguing over that?¡± The red-haired nobleman gave a response, as if the whole topic was ridiculous to him. He was right. Now they were betting on life and death. It was sort of a lottery. People who gathered in this room today were those who debated about the matter regarding concubines to His Majesty at today¡¯s regular assembly without even consulting Duke Torre in advance. Perhaps soon, Duke Torre would exert his evil influence. Soon, he might fall apart and break into pieces. Before that happens, they have to step up their games. It¡¯s not like they didn¡¯t trust him. What¡¯s the use of an Empress if her Majesty was gay? It was not unreasonable that she would have to be put away from the center* because she was an Empress who had been an empress for 10 years and still had no descendants. [* it is the situation where someone has to be put aside because they lost their power/dignity within a group (the court, if based on this situation).] Therefore, naturally they would have to deal with Duke Torre. Today, they have to make the sleeping lion angry. ¡°For the past ten years, His Majesty has favored and cherished Sir Viester over the Empress¡­.¡± There was no place to run away already. They tried to make their daughters become concubines, but the nobles changed their minds. ¡°Everyone should gather. Because our political lives are at stake.¡± They exchanged brief glances with each other. Due to the Emperor¡¯s peculiar preference, they were allowed to dig a hole and have a chance to breathe. The small hole might turn into a larger hole and increase their chances. ¡°Wish us good luck.¡± The debate of the nobles was over with a huge misunderstanding. They thought they already found the right answer to His Majesty¡¯s sexual preference, but it was just a huge misunderstanding. The nobles just took a very long time to realize it. [t/n: these fools-] *** It was such a peaceful day. The cool wind, the approaching summer, and the shining sun. The bright sun rose above her head and the flowers in the garden seemed to be in joy. However, Helen actually couldn¡¯t concentrate on her favorite book. She sat on the chair with her chin resting on her hands, and heaved a sigh while fiddling blankly with the candlestick. Sometimes, she blankly looked at the Emperor¡¯s library. When she looked through the window where the light came from, she could see the illusion of the man waving to her. Yeah. It must have been her fantasy. The man couldn¡¯t even leave the library, and he would have been sleeping during the day. What is this feeling? Her heart felt like it was pricked by a sharp nail. Helen quietly placed her hand on her chest. Thump thump Her heart beat faster and louder when she thought of him. She imagined the stars even rose during the day, like in the middle of the night when she met him. ¡°Am I drunk¡­?¡± She¡¯s not even drunk, but her mind was hazy. It has already been a week since she started to feel this way. She was just frustrated with the emotions that she couldn¡¯t even resolve herself. She was so distracted by him that she couldn¡¯t even read books peacefully. Then the door opened and Ellie returned. ¡°I¡¯ve returned!¡± Ellie¡¯s bright voice reminded her of his faint smile. ¡°You¡¯ve come back?¡± ¡°Were you staying there again? You¡¯ve been there for a few days now.¡± Ellie tilted her head. ¡°Did you see anything?¡± Ellie stuck her head out of the window. However, all she could see was dense trees, fences, and the corner of the middle part of Lion Palace in the distance. ¡°Nothing.¡± Helen smiled awkwardly and covered up the situation. ¡°Did you eat the snack I gave you?¡± ¡°Eung.¡± Helen¡¯s eyes faltered. She tried to speak vaguely, but she was caught by Ellie. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat again!¡± Snacks? It was her first time hearing it. It has always been like this lately. She wasn¡¯t interested in anything else. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m going to eat it now.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been too skinny lately¡­ You skipped your meals¡­ What happened?¡± Ellie shouted, she seemed to be almost on the verge of tears. Would it be too sad for me to starve? Did she feel so sad to see her starving like this? Her cheeks had gotten a bit flushed for no absolute reason. ¡°Thank you for the food.¡± ¡°You must.¡± Ellie received about two or three appointments. She looked at it and narrowed her eyes to see if it was reliable or not. She could eat her snacks only after Helen promised to eat it. ¡®I must have been thinking about him too much.¡¯ Even she thought to herself that she was ridiculous. She didn¡¯t know that she had been starving too much. While looking at her arms, it seemed that she lost a bit of weight. She thought her clothes were originally loose, but that was because she lost weight. Still¡­ She felt guilty thinking that he might starve in the library, meanwhile she ate comfortably and slept well on her own. She didn¡¯t know the guilt of abandoning him was so great. She reached out her hand into the snack basket and picked up a cookie. It was a chocolate chip cookie which she had shared with him. ¡°Oh.¡± Helen unconsciously spoke out a short exclamation. He begged to hold it for him so he could eat the cookie in one bite. What if he found out that she couldn¡¯t see him because she abandoned him? Will he get angry with her when they meet again next time? Next time? Is there even a next time for both of them? Tears welled up in Helen¡¯s eyes and dripped down her cheeks as she held the cookies. ¡°Y-Your Highness!¡± When Helen suddenly bursted into tears, Ellie opened her eyes in surprise and walked to her side. ¡°T-the cookie¡­.¡± Helen couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak. The cookie reminded her of him, but Ellie didn¡¯t know that. If she told her about him and the medicine tube, she would know the reason behind Velly¡¯s death. It lingered in her mind, she even lacked sleep and had a series of nightmares due to the sense of guilt, but she couldn¡¯t let Ellie jump into the slough of guilt along with her. Helen shut her mouth tightly. ¡°Why, why, what happened! What¡¯s with the cookie¡­!¡± ¡°No¡­.¡± Ellie was heartbroken to see the thick drops of tears running down her face. ¡°If Your Highness cries, it would be hard for me too. Please don¡¯t cry.¡± Ellie wiped away the tears under Helen¡¯s eyes with a handkerchief. ¡®He also wiped away my tears. You told me not to cry alone. He was the one who tried to break the door while also telling her not to cry on her own¡­.¡¯ The feeling of guilt inside her grew like a snowball everyday. He probably realized her excuse that she couldn¡¯t go because of the knights. He might be crying the moment he realized that she had abandoned him. Or did he get angry? However¡­. ¡®I miss you¡­.¡¯ Chapter 25 *** *** ¡°I miss you¡­.¡± She felt sorry for Helen, who cried while only muttering a series of meaningless words. She missed cookies? Did it mean that she wanted to eat more cookies? Or, did she grow sick and tired of eating cookies? Or was it too little? Ellie waited for Helen to stop crying with a bewildered face, as she had no idea why her master was crying. She could hear nothing other than the occasional sob from how much she endured the tears from dripping down her face. Ellie looked pitiful when she stayed beside Helen, who lowered her head, and waited until her cry stopped. After that, Ellie baked macadamia cookies, green tea cookies, and almond cookies to be brought to Helen. ¡°I¡¯m sure she will be happy this time!¡± However, it remained a secret between both of them that Helen eventually cried after receiving the cookie. *** These days, no one in the concubine residence has ever mentioned His Majesty the Emperor, Viester, as well as the medicine, Velly, or Cecillia. They all referred to those matters as ¡®that¡¯ while acting as if those words must not escape from their mouths. This was because Velly¡¯s death was considered not as a small shock to them. The maid saved themselves in fear of ending up in the same way, the concubines were also afraid that they would be kicked out. Divorce and deposal were very different. The deposal meant that they kicked out unilaterally and didn¡¯t have any right to receive the wedding gift they brought when they got married. Moreover, they didn¡¯t get settlement money, and due to their reputation as the Emperor¡¯s abandoned women, they had to lower themselves in their next marriage in the future. Because of that, the concubines had no choice but to play safe. People stopped taking a walk to the concubine¡¯s garden, which was always full of people before. Helen has been walking to the garden by herself lately. She had always wanted to take a walk, but she didn¡¯t want to attract unnecessary attention since all the concubines here have social status as princesses before. Elegant paces, arrogant gazes, confident gestures, dignified shoulders¡­ Helen was envious of everything they had. Now she only wanted to see him. He filled Helen¡¯s mind. Helen¡¯s eyes were barely in focus until she thought it was the backyard because there were no people there, without knowing that she had stepped in the front garden which she wouldn¡¯t normally do. At that moment, Ellie was seen running from far away searching for Helen. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Impatient filled her face with a hint of joy as she held the letter in her hand. Ellie was out of breath, perhaps because she just ran in a hurry. Why was she in such a hurry? Besides, the entire residence of concubines has become loud ever since just now. She couldn¡¯t hear the commotion because she was too indulged in her mind. Ellie, who saw Helen¡¯s incredulous look, exclaimed happily. ¡°The servant from the Lion Palace just came by to drop some news! His Majesty is inviting all concubines to attend the upcoming hunting festival!¡± ¡°Why, why all of a sudden¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It must be the whims of His Majesty.¡± Ellie smiled happily without knowing Helen¡¯s feelings. ¡°Perhaps God help us since it¡¯s sunny today?¡± No way. God didn¡¯t help her this way. Clearly, he wanted to test her again with this. She didn¡¯t want to be seen by His Majesty¡­! She never wanted to see him as much as possible, even if just once. She prayed like that, and neither did she go to see a man. If he found out that she was the one who took medicine to the library¡­! Helen seemed to feel a spark in her head for a moment. ¡°E-Elly! D-did anyone talk to you about medicine? Huh?¡± Helen immediately grabbed Ellie¡¯s shoulder and urged her for an answer. Helen¡¯s eyes burned furiously, which was unusual of her. ¡°That¡­ you said you ran into Velly on your way to the medicine tube¡­ Did you talk about that?¡± ¡°To others?¡± ¡°No.¡± That was a relief. Helen was relieved while caressing her chest. It meant no one knew that he and Ellie were related to the medicine tube. He could have questioned the maid of the dispensary, but the Emperor did not do anything conspicuous. For example, sending palace guards to search through the concubine residence. Only by looking at the increasing number of palace guards near the library, she realized there was only one thing the Emperor wished for. It was to protect the man inside the library. ¡°Then promise me. Pretend that you don¡¯t know and you won¡¯t answer when anyone asks you about that.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± ¡°You promised me. Don¡¯t break it.¡± Ellie was puzzled by Helen¡¯s strict promise. Whenever she talked about the Emperor, her eyes would light up like that. ¡®You¡¯re a concubine, but both of you are married regardless.¡¯ Ellie thought this hunting festival was a very good opportunity for her master. Objectively speaking, Edith was a pretty concubine. She thought His Majesty would fall in love immediately just by looking at her. He might be a bit cruel. There was nothing special about the concubine¡¯s life. The concubines were divided into two, whether they were loved by the Emperor or not. They could only get better treatment and receive individual surnames. Ellie wanted Helen to be favored by the Emperor for better treatment. Helen turned around and headed to her abode. She was nervous. She didn¡¯t have the courage to encounter the terrifying Emperor at the hunting festival. She wouldn¡¯t expect him to be as kind and sweet as the man¡­! Helen felt the Emperor¡¯s intention was very transparent. It was a trick to find out about her. Helen made a plan so she couldn¡¯t fall for his trick. ¡®I should try not to stand out while being under the Emperor¡¯s watch!¡¯ *** ¡°Are you really going to leave like this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Helen smiled as if she liked it. It was bright on the day of the hunting festival. It was the first time for other concubines to be so busy and loud from such an early morning. The concubine residence was full of energy. The maids were very busy serving their respective concubines. However, Helen actually woke up rather late and didn¡¯t bother to wash her face until an hour before they left. After Helen was urged by Ellie, who hurriedly took out her dress and cosmetics, the clothes she put on was not a pretty dress, but black tunics that most likely be the reason for her to leave the hunting ground immediately. When she appeared confidently in her pants, Ellie stopped Helen because she was tired of contemplating. ¡°You can¡¯t look like this!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°T-that¡­.¡± ¡°Why, do I look ugly?¡± She also put on light makeup. She was embarrassed to go with her bare face, so she decided to apply only a little bit on her skin and lips. Was that not enough? When Helen tilted her head, Ellie couldn¡¯t bring herself to say that her master looked ugly. ¡°Of course¡­ Your Highness is the prettiest, but¡­ Other concubines will dress up much more gorgeously.¡± ¡°I see. Do I look okay now? We¡¯re going to the mountain, so it will be such a hassle if I wear a long dress.¡± Actually, it was an excuse. Would someone wear a black tunic to see His Majesty? But all the dresses I had were out of date and so old-fashioned. No wonder because those dresses were brought from Cordelia. Would she have attracted the Emperor if she wore that yellow dress with garish decorations? ¡®Uh¡­..¡¯ Just thinking about it made her feel cool around her neck. Helen shook her head stubbornly. ¡°I¡¯m going to wear this.¡± ¡°Your Highness, please? Yeah? Would you like to change your mind?¡± ¡°No way, I¡¯m going now. Ellie should be here.¡± It was a firm voice which sounded like a mother who appeased her child. ¡®I better not get caught by the Emperor¡¯s eye.¡¯ With that in mind, Helen headed to the carriage which would bring them to the forest where the hunting festival was going to be held. Twenty-six carriages sent by the Emperor have been prepared in the concubine¡¯s garden. Other concubines, who wore fancy dresses, were also heading to the entrance of the concubine residence to enter the carriage. Other concubines stared intently at Helen, who appeared in black tunic. If she went while dressed like that, she would have been called rude and had no chance to capture the Emperor¡¯s attention. But no one stopped Helen. It would also be ridiculous if they helped each other while they were rivals. Helen felt a light sneer in other concubines¡¯ eyes. But she already expected this. He slightly straightened her drooping shoulders and climbed the carriage. This time, it was really the beginning of the hunting festival. *** The hunting ground was set in the middle of the forest. It was said to block the mountain and gather the prey. She heard that since the mountain was steep, there were also big bears and wolves there. However, only a minority of people managed to catch bears or wolves. There was an unwritten rule that said they were not supposed to catch bigger prey than their superior, so they usually caught a small fox or rabbit because they just didn¡¯t know what else to catch. And one sword was too simple to be used to hunt either bears or wolves. It was possible to catch a bear only if one group of palace guards did so¡­ It was best to avoid bears if someone ever encountered them. ¡°The weather is so nice today. Ah, should we treat today as a nice day because it¡¯s the day of the hunting festival?¡± Her heart was pounding. When she woke up early this morning and had a big fight with Ellie, she didn¡¯t really think of this as a hunting festival. As she climbed up the carriage that would bring her to the mountain, she felt a gentle spring breeze blow inside her mind. It also reminded her of the first day when she came to Idelberg for the first time. She also remembered the face of the girl who had a naive smile on her face back then. She had a very cute smile. ¡°Ellie?¡± Ellie, who climbed onto the wagon with her, still had a frantic look on her face. Ellie must have been shocked seeing her master being ridiculed by the concubines earlier. ¡°I¡¯m fine. For real. Are you really that upset?¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t have any clothes or anyone to dress you up¡­.¡± ¡°Ellie. There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t said to you yet¡­.¡± The girl still seemed upset because she still hasn¡¯t made any eye contact with her yet. The sight was cute, so she let out a little laugh. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m already relieved.¡± ¡°Fine. Aren¡¯t you curious about what I¡¯m going to say?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯m curious.¡± The carriage rattled and shook when it passed over the small stones. Inside the carriage, Ellie¡¯s hair fluttered along with it. The light breeze was coming through the window, the mountain¡¯s trees, the voices of knights escorting and walking along with several carriages, and the sound of hooves of the horse which was being ridden by the knights. She would probably remember this scene the moment before she died. So she didn¡¯t want to regret this. Even more if she really didn¡¯t have much time left to live. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the lover of the Emperor.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ellie replied with a voice that indicated slight bewilderment. She opened her eyes wide and looked at her master, as if it was her first time to hear that kind of remark. ¡°I don¡¯t want to attract the Emperor. I¡¯m sorry to say this to you, but¡­.¡± The maids who served the concubines have lower rank than those in the Emperor¡¯s Palace and Empress¡¯ Palace. They were mainly the children of the fallen nobles or the children of the low-ranking nobles. Even if most of them were nobles, they were unable to enjoy the appropriated luxury of becoming one. They were considered as successful if they got married well or when the concubine they served was favored by the Emperor. The concubine of Idelberg had no chance of bumping against each other due to its structure. That was the reason why concubines and maids hang onto the Emperor. ¡®If I give up on the Emperor¡­ It means Ellie can¡¯t succeed in the future either.¡¯ She had thought about it for a long time before coming up with this decision. Should she even say this? Wouldn¡¯t Elly get disappointed afterwards? Wouldn¡¯t she look down on her while saying that she has done something worthless? ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Helen let out a short remark after pondering for a long time. There was nothing she could do even if the girl cursed at her. ¡®Because this is my fault.¡¯ Helen clasped her hands against each other in a circle. She already expected that Ellie might hate her after knowing her decision. Even if Ellie hated her, Helen liked Ellie the best in the world. She felt so dizzy that she closed her eyes after thinking that a friendly and warm-hearted Ellie would glared coldly at her. Chapter 26 *** Ellie was caught looking absentmindedly at Helen. Did she hear it right? She was a concubine who wasn¡¯t interested in the Emperor? So she didn¡¯t want to be his lover? She was a little puzzled while looking at Helen, she was already frightened and shut her eyes. ¡°I-If you wish, you can be a maid for another¡­ the maid for another concubine.¡± Helen was already afraid that Ellie would leave her. She didn¡¯t know what kind of courage she had to be able to say so with her small shoulders shook in fear. ¡°Your Highness, It all¡­. doesn¡¯t matter. It doesn¡¯t matter whether Your Highness likes His Majesty or not.¡± Ellie smiled gently and took Helen¡¯s hand in hers. She thought it would be considered rude to hold the hand of Her Highness the Concubine first, but she was confident that her master wouldn¡¯t send her away just because she did that. Ellie smiled, the corner of her mouth lifted up with twinkle appearing in her eyes. ¡°I feel even more sorry to see Your Highness trembling and feeling uncomfortable like this. I just want you to have a little more joy in your life. If you think that you won¡¯t be happy by staying in His Majesty¡¯s side, then it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ You know what I mean, right? There is no hope of your success in your life¡­.¡± ¡°From the beginning, success doesn¡¯t matter after all. I¡¯ll be happy if I¡¯m allowed to stay by your side.¡± After they held hands together, thick drops of tears escaped Helen¡¯s eyes. Ellie said she would stay with her even if it meant she won¡¯t be successful in her career. So, how could she not let tears flow down her face? ¡°Don¡¯t cry. What if it gets to your light makeup?¡± It was also a sniff of Helen¡¯s shoulders. She patted Helen, who was sniffing, on her shoulder. It was so touching that her tears continued to flow down her face. She was happy and touched to have such a good friend. ¡®I have to hide well. So I.¡¯¡¯ never get caught by the Emperor¡¯s eyes.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t put Ellie in danger. Because it was her fault and she was the one who caused this. Helen cried in Ellie¡¯s arms. The more she cried, the more she recalled the man in the library. So this was how it felt not wanting to be abandoned. Her guilt toward the man doubled again as she realized how this feeling that she just felt. *** Around that time, the Imperial couple also sat in the carriage that looked incomparably glamorous and durable. The Emperor didn¡¯t let go of the documents on his hands while looking at the general affairs. The Empress scowled seeing how serious the Emperor looked. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± It¡¯s already been a long time since the last time she left the palace. Long enough that it left traces on the chair seat of the carriage which was covered with lovely cloth. The two haven¡¯t exchanged a single word with each other, hence disregarding the term ¡®married couple¡¯ attached to them. The Empress, Josephine, casually started the conversation. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s only between us, but please at least be supportive of me in front of others. Do you need to let other countries know that we are not close to each other?¡± Even though she finished talking, Carmun still focused his attention on the paper and didn¡¯t utter any answers. Josephine eventually had a slight scowl on her face, feeling offended. ¡°I don¡¯t even ask you to smile. I¡¯m just asking you to be supportive and treat me properly like a person.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± That was the answer. Josephine nibbled on her lower lip. She didn¡¯t want to talk to that man because he made her angry. The fact that she nibbled on her lips and even got upset, but unfortunately it still wasn¡¯t enough to get her husband¡¯s attention. They were a married couple in name only. It¡¯s already been 10 years! Did it make sense to say that even a single conversation felt awkward? Moreover, even she was prohibited from entering the Lion Palace, except during the time when she had to attend to state affairs. They couldn¡¯t even be called a married couple. ¡®What is he looking at?¡¯ Carmun, who she thought was just looking at documents, raised his head and looked out the window. It seemed like he was staring intently into something. ¡®He had been distracted since a moment ago.¡¯ She was so annoyed because she realized that he even pretended to not hear what she said. Carmun was looking at the carriage filled with a ridiculous amount of the Emperor¡¯s other women as well as the concubines. For a moment, Josephine felt like the lid of her head was popped open. She looked at the Emperor with a menacing look. ¡°Now that I think about it, so about the concubine.¡± The Emperor¡¯s eyes immediately turned to her when he heard the word ¡®concubine¡¯. Ha¡­.! She was taken aback by that. When she was talking about herself, he treated her like a wet blanket, but his eyes immediately changed when she talked about his concubines. She felt like being disgraced while looking at the sight, so Josephine crossed her arms and held her chin up in the air. Carmun looked displeased when the Empress had such an arrogant posture. ¡°May I ask why you invited me to such a big event when you weren¡¯t even interested in me? We have to match our stories with each other.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for a year, so we should meet at least once, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Shouldn¡¯t he pull up more effort to make up any excuses? Josephine was quite surprised at the Emperor¡¯s remark. He had a precarious smile on his face before continuing. ¡°You know that I manage the inner palace, right?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about that?¡± ¡°When I manage the inner palace, it¡¯s natural for me to know where Your Majesty¡¯s attention is focused. I can see at a glance where the finances flow.¡± ¡°Cut to the chase.¡± This was how Josephine usually talked. If there was anything that she wanted, she would turn her words around and make the person look like a fool so they would tell the answer with their own mouth. Josephine, who was very pleased seeing Carmun¡¯s dissatisfaction, raised one corner of her mouth high. ¡°Do you know how much the budget is set for each concubine? I get paid less than the rookie who comes into the aide¡¯s office. Then the one who captured Your Majesty¡¯s attention?¡± Please say something that makes sense. Josephine, who spoke thoughtlessly in a gentle manner, seemed satisfied with herself. The Emperor¡¯s face, ruined by irritation, was Josephine¡¯s favorite. Carmun ruffled his hair slightly, as if facing Josephine irritated him a lot. He took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. Josephine bit her lips at his undisguised annoyance. She couldn¡¯t be worthless like this. ¡°Do I have to justify to you? I mean between us.¡± ¡°What do you think of our relationship? Aren¡¯t we married?¡± She already knew the answer, but Josephine kept picking at what he said and stretched it even more. She knew this would only end up as a dirty fight, but she was eager to offend Carmun every time they spoke with each other. If she didn¡¯t do this, he would never look at her. He wouldn¡¯t talk to her, nor even let her hear his voice. It was just her face that looked angry, but she liked the way Carmun gazed at her during this moment. His red eyes made her feel suffocated. ¡®Ah, he¡¯s offended.¡¯ Carmun¡¯s smile, which was somewhat fishy, was spread across his lips. He seemed much angrier than his usual expressionless face. ¡°Oh, right. Wife, does your dad know? That we have never held hands before.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Josephine screamed in embarrassment. She was afraid that anyone could¡¯ve heard it. Josephine looked around hastily as the Empress¡¯ position could have shrunk even further. Carmun just couldn¡¯t understand this woman. She was someone who had received many kinds of insulting remarks but still hasn¡¯t shed even a single tear. She knew it was not a marriage due to love from the beginning, but she kept arguing with him about this. ¡®How long do I have to hold back for this kind of disrespect?¡¯ He knew he could have ignored her, but Josephine would go too far if he ignored her even more. Like usual. If he blatantly ignored her, she could possibly make a big deal out of the imperial journal. Carmun had a lot to say, but he only kept it to himself. The Emperor couldn¡¯t do anything to act on his own accord for this one. After letting out a long sigh, Carmun spoke to Josephine with a cold and menacing look. ¡°I always say this, but there is no love between us. It means that you have no right to say anything even if I get caught with another man or see my concubines.¡± ¡°We are clearly a married couple who received the blessing of the temple.¡± Well, absolutely. Carmun couldn¡¯t understand why Josephine was so obsessed with the word ¡®married couple¡¯. Didn¡¯t the button get stuck in the wrong way from the beginning? ¡°You must have lost all your memories from the past. Did you suffer from memory loss?¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Stop calling me. There is no one here who doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m the Emperor of Idelberg even if you don¡¯t call me out like that.¡± The first button. Maybe it was just that they weren¡¯t meant for each other in the first place. Josephine Torre. She was Carmun¡¯s younger sister as well as Onderon¡¯s fianc¨¦e in the past. Even though they were currently married, it was extremely ironic considering her past. ¡°If you want to act like a married couple, find a lover and I don¡¯t care whether you do it with him or not. I¡¯m telling you to not be attracted in me just like I¡¯m not attracted to you.¡± Carmun looked Josephine up and down with a cold gaze. He couldn¡¯t understand the woman at all. She was the daughter of Duke Torre, but he thought her personality would have been different. He thought so because he knew nearly nothing about Josephine. She was just like the image of Duke Torre who finished off with just a few words. Carmun averted his eyes away from Josephine and looked at the documents again. He didn¡¯t have enough time to split since he only got time to take care of the state affairs before night fell. ¡°I¡¯m more curious because now that you have rasped my nerves. Why did you invite the concubines?¡± Josephine¡¯s voice shook with anger. The Emperor would never know how much she was holding back throughout the time. She desperately wanted to take away those documents immediately, tore them apart, and threw them out of the window. ¡°Would you become satisfied when I¡¯m treated poorly like a fool by the women who were technically my subordinate and being put aside because I wasn¡¯t favored by Your Majesty?¡± Josephine¡¯s voice was filled with so much anger. The muscles around her mouth and face stiffened from how tight she clenched her jaw. Contrary to Josephine, who was very angry, Carmun¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change that much. One of his eyebrows came down obliquely in an annoying way. ¡°I have no grudge against you. As long as you remain quiet.¡± Is there no one who would do that? Josephine sarcastically said to herself. However, she felt so drained that she was unable to spit that remark from her mouth. It would have been more comfortable if she went to the wall and let out all of her emotions there on her own. The fact that her husband wasn¡¯t attracted to her made Josephine feel sad rather than not treated properly as an Empress within the Imperial Family. Even though the veins on her neck protruded out, she chose to turn her head away and looked out the window, pretending that nothing had happened. The Imperial couple didn¡¯t say anything to each other until they arrived at the hunting ground. Arriving in the middle of the mountain, the carriage slowly came to a halt. Then Carmun suddenly spoke up. ¡°Does it still hold true?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That we have to look like in good terms in front of others. I don¡¯t think I have to do that anymore.¡± ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Eventually, Josephine let out a short sigh. She glared at Carmun angrily while clenching her teeth. Despite the sharp gaze she sent to him, Carmun smiled and got off the carriage. ¡°Then enjoy your time well at this hunting festival, Empress.¡± The last remark was quite hollow. Chapter 27 *** Helen spotted the Emperor greeting the knights from a far distance. The woman who walked away from the Emperor must be the Empress. ¡®Wow¡­.¡¯ The Empress was so pretty that she exclaimed in astonishment. It was said that the Empress was smart and attended all sorts of occasions¡­ Elegantness was presented in each of her steps. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a woman who is prettier than my sister.¡± Helen muttered unconsciously. Then she was surprised upon realizing it and shut her mouth. Her sister? Here, I¡¯m the older sister now! Her face was ashen as she looked around, but luckily, no one was taking interest in Helen because all eyes were focused on the Imperial couple. She was highly relieved and looked at the Imperial couple again. Other concubines seemed to be satisfied while looking at the Imperial couple, who were far from being affectionate with each other. They assumed that they also had a chance. However, Helen was actually glad that she decided to give up. If he wasn¡¯t attracted to such a beautiful woman beside him, she would definitely never attract the Emperor. Helen suddenly felt a sense of relief after thinking that way. She even let out a slight smile. The lighthearted Helen only came to a realization that the Emperor was wearing a white veil. ¡°What is that¡­?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the veil. Why is His Majesty covering his face?¡± ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s your first time seeing His Majesty, Your Highness.¡± Ellie replied, as if she was already familiar with it. ¡°His Majesty makes sure to wear a veil when he appears in front of others.¡± Ellie was originally from Idelberg. Judging from how she was accustomed to such a fact, it seemed like this already happened a long time ago. Clearly, she had never been interested in the Emperor even until now. The Imperial couple climbed to the podium which had been prepared beforehand. The Emperor was much more built than she thought. His large hands looked just like a cauldron lid. ¡®¡­Huh? I think I¡¯ve thought about similar things before.¡¯ The Emperor began his greeting speech with his head tilted to the side. In other words, he was pleased to welcome the delegations who were present at this event. ¡°!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.am truly delighted to welcome you all.¡± The Emperor ended his greeting speech with that remark. ¡­How?¡­??? Helen felt like she heard the Emperor¡¯s voice on an occasional basis. It¡¯s because she was shocked. She felt so dizzy that she nearly collapsed right at that spot. ¡®D-Does this even make sense? It¡¯s exactly the same!¡¯ Helen swallowed her saliva in bewilderment. Her throat felt overly nauseous. The voice of the Emperor. His voice was very similar to the voice of the man she heard before. She even thought the word ¡®similar¡¯ wasn¡¯t enough to say because they really resemble each other. Although the atmosphere was very different. ¡®Oh, maybe not¡­.¡¯ The man¡¯s voice would be warmer than the sunshine on a spring day. Soft and kind. On the contrary, the Emperor¡¯s voice was too cold. Besides, he even looked indifferent, so his personality was too different from the man¡¯s voice to be assumed as the same person. But it was odd if he could become like another person. ¡®Who is he? What is the man¡¯s true identity¡­.¡¯ She found it suspicious how the Emperor was looking for her desperately with all his might. Perhaps¡­. She might be involved in some crazy things. Helen looked like she was on the verge of tears in shock. His face was full of pain. She clearly didn¡¯t want to be involved with the Emperor, but somehow she had an ominous feeling. She had such a sorrowful hunch that she might have already been terribly involved in something. ¡°Your Highness, are you alright?¡± Ellie quickly sensed Helen¡¯s mood. ¡°I-I¡¯m alright.¡± Ellie frowned slightly at her clumsy lie. ¡°Should I bring you some water?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Please wait for a bit.¡± Ellie went to get some water only after secretly entrusting Helen to the maid who served another concubine beside her. It was very unusual. Her cheeks heated up a little for no particular reason. The embarrassment she felt when crying in the carriage still remained until now. Her heart ached because it seemed as if she kept relying on Ellie. At that moment, the Emperor blew the flare as the beginning of the hunting festival. She didn¡¯t expect that the ceremony had already progressed this far. Helen exclaimed in a daze at the sight of red flare spreading in the sky. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a thing before¡­.¡± It was her first time knowing that there could be red in the sky other than the sun itself. In the midst of her staring at it blankly, the knights suddenly began to move rushingly. She realized belatedly what they were going to do after tilting her head. It was said that they swear to offer the prey that they caught from the hunting ground to their lover. Therefore, they would have to swear as a knight before leaving for hunting. They would have to give a kiss as an oath to their lover or the lady who they served. Beside her, the noble lady¡¯s face was full of expectations as if she was waiting for her lover. Now she realized that the woman was wearing a ring on her left ring finger. ¡®So she¡¯s waiting for her fianc¨¦e.¡¯ Soon, knight with a sturdy build appeared. He was dressed in a light attire, but the armor wrapped around his shoulder caught her eye at first glance. The knight knelt down in front of the next young lady. ¡°Will you accept my oath?¡± A broad smile was spread across the knight¡¯s face. His face looked happy as he had a hunch that his lover would naturally accept it. ¡°Of course!¡± When the young lady accepted it, she kissed his lips briefly before taking them away from his¡­ Huh? No, it wasn¡¯t. Her kiss landed on the side of his arms before it gradually rose upwards just like that. Oh god. Helen was astounded and took her gaze away in a hurry. Her cheeks were burning really hot, so she was desperately in need of some water. How could they do that kind of physical affection in a public place? It was such a blatant act. Or were the people in Idelberg not really mind that sort of thing? She let out a low scream inwardly. -Hic. Suddenly Helen started to hiccup. Helen, who noticed the knight and young lady was looking at her, became embarrassed and took a couple of steps backward. ¡°Your Highness?¡± Then Helen appeared just in time. Like a savior that appeared at the right moment, Helen grabbed Ellie¡¯s shoulder and turned her around. She held her breath and waited for the hiccup to stop all the while hiding behind Ellie¡¯s small back. ¡°Please drink some water.¡± It was the moment when she looked so distressed. She drank the water in a rush and ended up swallowing it the wrong way that led her to let out a big cough. ¡°Drink slowly.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah¡­.¡± She was so embarrassed. Helen¡¯s face must have immediately turned even redder than before. Fortunately, it was said that a separate tent had been prepared for concubines at that time. ¡°L-Let¡¯s go.¡± Usually, she would have hesitated after hearing there were other concubines around, but now anywhere was alright for her. She led Ellie to the concubine tent. Taking a look inside the tent, she spotted chairs and temporary tables. She was eager to think about enjoying this unexpected luxury when seeing wine and finger food* were prepared on the side. [*food that could be taken easily to the events without on-site cooking and not much dishware required.] ¡®This all would be nice if only the Emperor didn¡¯t come.¡¯ After thinking so, Helen hurriedly got rid of her thoughts. She was afraid that God would hear her thoughts again. Because God always did the opposite of her thoughts, so just thinking about it already made her terrified. Behind Helen flapping alone, Ellie tilted her head doubtfully. ¡®I¡¯m glad she has regained her energy¡­. But she seems very embarrassed today.¡¯ After making sure that the Emperor was nowhere to be found inside the tent, Helen went in comfortably and took a seat in a corner. It was just five minutes that she felt relieved before it got shattered. The Emperor¡¯s servant came in and suddenly announced the Emperor¡¯s visit. At that moment, Helen and other concubines have bittersweet feelings in response to the news. ¡®God, I¡¯m doomed¡­!¡¯ Helen was so upset. *** The veil draped over the Emperor¡¯s face as he sat in the middle, making it impossible to find out what was on the Emperor¡¯s mind. The Emperor looked at the concubines with a wandering look at what he was thinking. Whenever the Emperor¡¯s gaze reached each one of them, the concubines smiled beautifully at him. From the 1st concubine to the last 26th concubine, Carmun slowly scanned over them with his eyes. ¡®Who the h*ll stepped into my library?¡¯ It was an important matter for Carmun that he even committed this kind of annoying work. The Emperor¡¯s eyes took a good look at each of them before they suddenly stopped at Helen. ¡®Tunic¡­?¡¯ Everyone was dressed nicely and they looked like colorful peacocks. Carmun frowned behind his invisible veil. The shawl wrapped around her neck was too much that it looked like she was given treatment for broken neck, even her clothes were so out of place to be worn in the hunting ground. It was just disgusting. On the contrary, she preferred simple and plain clothes. Carmun¡¯s gaze quickly averted to person beside her. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Then, the last person that caught his eyes was not a concubine, but a maid who was mistaken as a concubine. The concubine in black tunic looked just like an ugly duckling. Although he didn¡¯t find what he was wishing for, Carmun was so bewildered that he didn¡¯t even realize he was looking at the concubine for quite a while already. ¡®W-What? Why, why! Why does he keep looking at me?¡¯ Helen grew weary in contemplating on her own when the Emperor didn¡¯t avert his gaze at all. Her makeup was plain, and the clothes she wore were really simple. Also, she just tied her hair up without any accessories. Contrary to the plan, the Emperor did not take his eyes off her. It was not because she¡¯s pretty¡­. right? Or maybe¡­ Have they found out that she was the one who stepped into the library? Helen¡¯s eyes shook violently at that moment. Helen closed her eyes tightly in an attempt to hide her shaking eyes like a ship that ran into the storm. ¡®Right. It¡¯s not like the Emperor can read my mind, so I¡¯m just overthinking here.¡¯ Helen pulled herself together before opening her eyes again. The envious stare that came from the concubines around her seemed to make her feel intimidated again, but she straightened her shoulders as confident as she could. Until then, the Emperor¡¯s gaze was still fixed toward Helen. ¡®What¡­. What¡¯s wrong with him¡­!¡¯ If the situation gave her the chance, she wanted to ask what happened to him. Could it be that the black tunic made her stand out even more? Silence engulfed the tent because the Emperor didn¡¯t open his mouth easily. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Right at that moment, the Emperor¡¯s servant, who found it odd, called out to the Emperor. ¡°¡­bring the tea.¡± The servant moved quickly right after the Emperor ordered her. Other servants who were waiting for her signals, then put down the tea in front of the concubines. Carmun didn¡¯t exactly recognize their faces or who was who. Just like the concubines, who never saw the Emperor before, so did he. He didn¡¯t come all the way here to have an awkward tea time with the concubines whom he just saw for the first time now. Carmun¡¯s gaze quickly looked around his surroundings. No one looked particularly suspicious. However, there was someone in particular who distracted him. If they all sat in order, the name of the concubine at the end was Edith Cordelia. While wearing a black tunic, she maintained a completely different attitude from other concubines. She has never made eye contact with him ever since he came into the tent. It was like she avoided him on purpose. Other concubines made eye contact with him every time he looked at them. Because they looked at him as an Emperor from the moment he came into the tent. Because of the unique attire and attitude of Concubine Edith, she was noticed by the Emperor. ¡°The tea is really good. Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°We really appreciate that you prepared this tea for us.¡± When Ersa, the First Concubine, said that, each of the concubines helped by muttering a word or two. At that moment, Concubine Edith didn¡¯t even mutter any word. Rather, she had her nose buried in the teacup and only stared at it with her head bowed down, as if she was about to die any time. ¡°Seems like Concubine Edith doesn¡¯t enjoy the tea.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Or am I wrong?¡± How did the Emperor know her name? Helen had sweat dripping down her back. Her shoulders stiffened nervously and her eyes was shaking, as if there was an earthquake. Chapter 28 *** ¡°I-It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Seems like you are saying it forcefully.¡± ¡°¡­A-Absolutely not! I-I really like tea¡­.¡± Helen was embarrassed and stuttered repeatedly. Helen couldn¡¯t finish her words and her voice crawled back into her mouth when the concubines around her giggled and chuckled because they heard her stutter. ¡°Is that your habit?¡± Helen nibbled on her lips while nodding her head. Her plan where she must remain unnoticed by the Emperor was a huge disaster. Not only was she already noticed by the Emperor, but he already knew her too. Oh s**t¡­! Helen bit hard on her lips as if she would break it, and she felt a bloody taste in her mouth. Only then did the Emperor avert his gaze away. At first, the eyes of the concubines were unwelcoming once they realized the Emperor¡¯s gaze was directed toward her, but after they turned away from her, she felt kind of relieved. ¡®No wonder.¡¯ She could feel that kind of remark in the eyes of the concubines. Helen thought she was quite fortunate that her momentum had ended. The Emperor grabbed the teacup and drank a slurp of tea. She could see the black hair of the Emperor between the veil which was opened slightly. ¡®Black-colored hair¡­. It¡¯s the same as him¡­.¡¯ As Helen suffered from some kind of withdrawal symptoms because she hasn¡¯t seen the man in the past few days, just by seeing the things related to him has made her mind dizzy. Wasn¡¯t he a knight? He seemed to be really good at handling swords. She hadn¡¯t seen him handling the sword directly, but he showed up behind her without any forewarning, he even knocked off the assassins who came after him. He must have been an outstanding knight. If he was a knight¡­ Did he also make an oath to another young lady by kissing her in his memories? Such a thought suddenly made her feel strange. She didn¡¯t feel good to imagine him acting like a puppy who came to her when he was alone while being completely affectionate to others on the outside. Helen stirred the tea nervously with a small teaspoon placed beside the teacup. ¡®Or will he do it for me too?¡¯ She imagined him holding her hand while kissing her lips at the hunting ground. Like the man from earlier, I naturally remembered the appearance of climbing up and coming right in front of me. Similar to the man from earlier, the image of him running up to her and standing in front of her naturally came to mind. ¡®I-I must have gone crazy!¡¯ It is said that there are countless men in life, but it was not that man. He only clung to her while thinking that she was his savior. It wasn¡¯t love, and moreover, she was married. I-I have to pull myself together. Helen shook her head lightly and tried to shake off the imagination from her mind. ¡°Seems like Concubine Edith doesn¡¯t really have fun in this teatime with me.¡± ¡°!¡± She was so immersed in my imagination that I forgot where I was now. Helen, whose cheeks were still heated slightly, desperately looking for a way to cool them down. Everyone looked at Helen as the atmosphere became chilly in an instant. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Helen could barely spit that word out in a subdued voice. It was also difficult that she immediately gathered the attention of around thirty people, and she was distracted by the fact that there was an Emperor among them. When Edith¡¯s name was repeatedly mentioned by the Emperor, the eyes of the concubines changed to triangular-shaped eyes. When Helen was about to take a sip of tea to calm herself down from sweating profusely. ¡°Edith Cordelia. N-No. Now that you¡¯re married to me, you must be Edith Idelberg.¡± ¡°Puft.¡± Helen spat out the tea she was drinking at the Emperor¡¯s words that came out of nowhere. Fortunately, no one sat beside her. The tea was dripping from Helen¡¯s chin and tainted her black tunic. The tea that dripped down from the teacup was already soaked in the tunic, exposing the curve of her body. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overreacting considering that I only called out your name?¡± The Emperor seemed genuinely flustered. Her reaction ended with a slight tremble as his voice reached the end of his words, but the fact that his always-discerning appearance cracked up a bit due to the great reaction. ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Helen just wanted to pass out. Somehow, it was uncomfortable to deal with the Emperor who kept nitpicking about everything, and it was even more difficult to get angry while looking at him with the concubine around. She just wanted to disappear. Not just her cheeks, but her upper body, wrist, until her neck, which weren¡¯t covered by the tunic were already flushed as well, making her look like a human tomato. Carmun giggled inwardly as he saw Helen like that. She was such a fun woman to tease. If he teased her more, she would gnaw on her lips right before him if he teased her more, so he raised his hand and called for the servant. ¡°Give Concubine Edith extra clothes.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The servant stood in front of Helen after bowing his head in courtesy to the Emperor. Helen took out a handkerchief from her pocket and used it to wipe off her face, and headed out of the tent following her servant. She couldn¡¯t see the Emperor¡¯s eyes because it was covered by the veil but she could feel the Emperor¡¯s gaze persistently following her throughout the time. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± She was able to breathe right after she came out of the tent. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if she did this earlier? Even though Helen got her clothes soaked, she felt great and smiled brightly. ¡°I should¡¯ve knocked the tea over.¡± She walked behind the servant all the while having such a relaxed thought in her mind. As she took the further steps from the Emperor, she felt even better, and later on, she felt as if she could hear the sound of her footsteps at last. *** ¡°Why did you throw your clothes away?¡± Ellie was shocked when she entered the tent. The servant must have called Ellie to bring an extra dress. ¡°Oh, that¡­.¡± Because she spat the tea out of bewilderment at the Emperor¡¯s words? If she spoke out, she would¡¯ve gotten more nagging from Ellie, so Helen decided to shut her mouth because she didn¡¯t think it would decrease this time. ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable to wear it¡­ Maybe it¡¯s because I don¡¯t usually wear this kind of style¡­.?¡± Ellie narrowed her eyes and glared at Helen whose words were contradictory from earlier. She didn¡¯t even bat an eye at the dress that she suggested, but she ended up wearing it. ¡°What if Your Majesty, as well as other concubines, were disappointed?¡± Helen brightened up at Ellie¡¯s remark. ¡°Is that really the case?¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t be too pleased. You¡¯ll be hated by other concubines.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s scarier when Your Majesty is interested in me.¡± Helen finally replied while tucking her arm inside the dress. Thereupon, Ellie felt bad. Regardless of being afraid that the Emperor would be interested in her, she shouldn¡¯t have been ignored by the people around her in the palace. Her Highness Concubine Edith was still being ostracised, and she was worried that they would make fun of her about this incident. Helen came out of the tent after changing into a light green dress. Upon that, concubines who were supposed to be drinking tea with the Emperor were scattered outside the tent and headed somewhere. ¡°Is tea time over?¡± As Helen¡¯s cheeks reddened and rejoiced at the sight, Ellie stopped the passing servant and asked. ¡°Can I know where the other concubines are heading to?¡± ¡°Are you Your Highness Concubine Edith by any chance?¡± Helen nodded. ¡°Ah, As a matter of fact, I was looking for you as well! His Majesty gathered the concubines in the forest down there.¡± ¡°In¡­the forest?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Helen was slightly petrified at the word forest. Didn¡¯t they say there are scary Hochi that come out of the forest and bears that bite people? Helen was shocked and took a step backward. ¡°¡­F-For what?¡± ¡°He plays hide-and-seek with his concubines.¡± Thereupon, the words that came out of the servant¡¯s mouth sounded even more bizarre. Playing hide-and-seek all of a sudden? *** The Emperor took off his troublesome formal attire and stepped into the forest dressed in a light attire. He took a turn into the hunting ground with his coat in his hand. Carmun was already convinced. Concubine Edith was the one who stepped into his library. This was the moment he had a hunch, but there was no physical evidence yet. Therefore, he had to make sure. It was a little annoying for him, but there was definitely a way to find out. The Emperor climbed a large and dense tree in the forest and spotted concubines hiding on the safe and fenced path along the forest. There was also a concubine hidden at the bottom of a large tree, hidden behind a tree, and one who was hiding behind a rock. Most of the concubines¡¯ faces were filled with annoyance, as if they were scared and despised to be in the forest. It was quite difficult to walk through the forest path with a heavy dress which was out of place. The last person to enter the forest was Concubine Edith, who had changed into a green dress. With a slight curiosity displayed on her face, she peeked at her surroundings, trees, stones with eyes opened wide. It¡¯s not like there was no forest back in Cordelia, what was she so excited about? The Emperor unconsciously noticed Concubine Edith. Edith, the daughter from Cordelia, was a famous woman known for her name, but not her face. The woman who received overwhelming love from her father. It didn¡¯t look like she grew up being loved and having a father who acted like an idiot for her daughter. Concubine Edith grabbed the dress and held it roughly with one of her hands and it was enough to reveal her knees clearly, and she moved quickly. Carmun averted his eyes in surprise at the exposed leg. ¡®So sudden¡­.¡¯ [t/n: LOL] He stroked his face with her hands out of embarrassment. Concubine Edith followed the butterfly in front of her, as if she was bewitched by it. The gentle sway in her steps seemed to represent her mind. She looked like a child in the middle of a field trip. Carmun thought she was unique at first sight. He followed her, even if she didn¡¯t steer him to do so, walked along her footsteps that headed to an uncommonly-travelled place on his own accord. Helen seemed to be bewitched not just by the butterfly in front of her, but the magnificent forest as well. She heard that there were forests where fairies live in other regions. Could they possibly be here? It was her second time seeing a forest in her entire life. The first was when she went to Idelberg. The second was today, which was due to the Emperor¡¯s wish. It was difficult for her to see because of the carriage in the memory of her first time since she was only able to see from the carriage, but she never climbed the forest on her own. As she walked on her feet, she enjoyed the soft sensation of sand felt through the bottom part of her shoes and the existence of rocks that she could feel occasionally. Besides, she smelled the cool air and light woody scents through her nose, and she could also feel the green shade of trees in the forest which was filled with complete joy with her eyes. Helen felt quite a lot of happiness being in the forest. At that moment, the butterfly made a turn. At that time, the squirrel that was climbing up the tree could feel Helen¡¯s existence and was startled and froze in its spot. As soon as their eyes met, the startled squirrel squeaked! It climbed the tree and ran away after releasing squeaking noise. ¡°Cute!¡± Helen adored the sight and clapped her hands. She had left the Emperor behind for quite some time. She didn¡¯t think she would be able to come along with them because she had come deep in the forest. At the entrance, she could see a lot of concubines waiting for the Emperor. Helen headed even deeper into the forest, hoping that the Emperor still played around with them. He said that this place was very secure because fences have been installed surrounding it, overshadowing her concern that she was entering the forest in this moment. Helen looked around the forest in ease, since it was said that Idelberg¡¯s capital knights were evenly distributed to protect the forest. It was then. Black hair was slightly visible from behind the tree in the deepness of the forest where it was supposed to be uninhabited. ¡®T-The Emperor¡­.?¡¯ The only person with black hair in this place was the Emperor. The colour was a mix with the bloodline from foreign country. As soon as she was about to take a step back from the black hair which she had seen from behind the tree, she eyed the clothes of the person which was much taller than her. It was very simple for the Emperor to wear it, and his attire was different from before. He was wearing a light shirt. Like a man in the library. ¡°Huh¡­.?¡± At that moment, Helen forgot that she was supposed to take a step back due to her being stunned in her spot and instead, swinging her feet to slowly approach him. Chapter 29 *** The mysterious man turned his head, perhaps because he heard the sound of footsteps approaching him. He didn¡¯t turn back completely, therefore she could only see a little bit of his side profile, but Helen immediately realized it. He was really the man from the library! ¡°Excuse me!¡± Helen hurriedly rushed toward the man. She grasped the dress up to her knees with both hands and ran quickly. The man, who she thought would recognize her and happy to see her, somehow hid behind the tree. ¡®Is he avoiding me because he thought I abandoned him?¡¯ Helen became cold, as if her heart was frozen at that moment. The sense of regret and guilt were entangled together and her heart ached as if it was stabbed by a sharp nail. She had to apologize! Without wasting any time to think, Helen ran behind the tree and confronted the man over it. He was behind this tree! She reached out to the tree and let out a deep breath. Although she could barely pick up her breath, she stuck her head out slightly and wondered just in case if the man ran away from her at this moment. She saw the man leaning against the tree. ¡°I-It¡¯s true¡­.¡± Helen looked up at the man with eyes widened in surprise. Helen grabbed the man¡¯s arm and turned him around. She kept the man standing upright and checked on him. The man was dragged along without any words and stood beside her. ¡°I mean it.¡± Looking at the man in broad daylight felt like a dream. Helen¡¯s eyes slid over the man¡¯s body. ¡°¡­¡­.¡¯¡¯ He didn¡¯t say anything. He only looked down at her while staring blankly at her. The reason why she felt that gaze was colder than usual might be because she had done something terrible to him. ¡°¡­How did you get out of the library?¡± Helen asked, trying to read him through his expression. She probably would have teared up if she didn¡¯t get any answer again this time. However, the man smiled with the corner of his lips raised slightly. It was not a starry smile as beautiful as usual. It was a scary smile which had a slight sense of coldness and her heart nearly fell to the ground at that. ¡°I-Is it my fault? I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Helen whined and apologized in front of him. The man, who would have clung and hugged her almost immediately, showed no response at Helen whose face was wet with tears. She was so embarrassed that she even put her face in both hands. He must have been really mad at her! Honestly, he had the right to be mad. She said she would help him, but she ended up not going there for days. Helen has yet to forget the warm energy she felt while exchanging light codes with a man. ¡®I have to apologize. If I apologize sincerely, I¡¯m sure he will accept it.¡¯ Helen looked up at him. She meant that she was about to look at him. ¡°Where did he go¡­?¡± Her face was messy and wet because of tears as she looked around. Surely, the man who was there just now had disappeared. It felt like it was just a dream. She looked around hastily, but it was obvious that the man had gone no matter how hard she looked for him, as if he just disappeared to the ground. ¡®¡­Was¡­ Was I dreaming? I really wanted to meet him¡­.¡¯ She was really frustrated. Even if she only touched and smelled him, it didn¡¯t feel like an illusion to her. However, the man who disappeared didn¡¯t come back. ¡°W-What is happening¡­.¡± It was really confusing that she even slid down onto the ground while leaning against the tree. Helen had to accept it when she had been crouching down for a while and buried her face between her knees. ¡°I miss the man so badly¡­.¡± She missed the man so badly despite the fact that she didn¡¯t even know his name. The way he smiled sweetly and comforted her not to cry anymore. The way he treated her hands as if they were treasures. Even the way he came to her side and said that he wanted to cling to her. ¡°I miss him so badly¡­.¡± Perhaps because she thought there was no one around, she was able to express her feelings easily. She wanted to scream, but then the Emperor might hear and approached her. ¡®Why is he locked up by the Emperor?¡¯ He was a scary person. In fact, he looked scarier to see in person. His shoulders were wide and his build was bigger than most knights, and it seemed like he would kill someone if he was really determined in doing it. Moreover, Helen got goosebumps on the back of her neck and arms when she talked to the Emperor because of her cold voice and arrogant tone. She was sweating profusely to the point that her body felt uncomfortable. She was nervous even when she just imagined it, so she clenched her hand tightly until her vein protruded. She could feel her pulse fluctuating. He was so different from the man. The man was big, but wasn¡¯t as scary as him. It was obvious that the Emperor considered himself useless just like his father. Because she could tell that he was sarcastic even from the way he spoke. She wondered how such a pathetic thing like her could become his concubine. Now Helen felt even more down as she wanted to see the man. Then she heard rustling behind the bushes. The thumping sound that sounded a little loud was similar to the sound of footsteps. Did the man return? Did he become concerned about leaving her alone? Helen quickly jumped up from her spot with a delighted face. The man obviously would feel sad as well if she said that she was crying because of him. ¡°I¡¯m alright¡­!¡± Helen hurriedly spread out the bushes on her own accord. It was because she feared that he would walk away again. However, it was not him who appeared from behind the bushes. A terrifying bear, which was also said to tear people apart, drooled while looking for food and turned its head in the direction of the sound. The bear¡¯s eyes flashed when it encountered the terrified Helen. ¡°AKH!¡± Helen gasped in surprise as she tumbled backward. She had to run away! That thought dominated her head, but her frail body did not budge. Her legs were stiff as if they were immobilized. She could barely take a step back with the support of her hands, but the bear was quicker to squeeze its head through the bushes than her who headed back in that way. O-Of course the knights were going to protect her! It was said there were knights standing over the fence, but they must¡¯ve already left the fence to look for the man. Helen saw the bear¡¯s mouth drooling. The saliva that dripped down its legs was sticky and cold. If she remained like this, she would be eaten up in no time! Helen¡¯s breath grew rougher as her jaw and lips trembled. She was so terrified that she couldn¡¯t even blink. O-Oh, no! When Helen didn¡¯t move an inch, the bear approached her side easily like a predator who had already won in the hunt. Helen, who was going to be bitten on the head, almost fainted right away. She got so panicked. Also, her breath was caught up in her throat again on that day. Helen grabbed her chest with her hand as her eyesight turned hazy because she was unable to breathe properly. If you lose your mind, you¡¯ll really die. If she didn¡¯t get a hold of herself, she would really die this time. With a wry smile on her face, Helen quickly grabbed a handful of sand on the ground with her hands and sprayed it toward the eyes of the bear. -Boom boom! The bear made a loud noise while throwing a fit. She almost died right after being stepped on by the huge foot of the bear, but fortunately, she was able to escape from it. It was because she hurriedly took a step backward. In a rush to get out of the bear¡¯s menace, she held on her troublesome dress and began to run without looking back. -Boom boom. Helen¡¯s heart beat erratically as the bear¡¯s footsteps that followed behind her shook the ground. -Boom boom boom boom! Helen ran like her life depended on it, but then she saw the bear¡¯s shadow overlapped the shadow of her body. Ah, she was going to die like this. There was nothing she could do with the bear, the beast of the mountain. Sensing that she was going to be dead at that moment, Helen closed her eyes tightly. The lantern flashed across Helen whose eyes had been closed. The first day she met Ellie, the days when Ellie cried because of her as she looked cute just like a rabbit, and the days when she met the man in the library and being comforted by him. She just missed Ellie and the man so badly. ¡®Come to think of it, I don¡¯t even know his name.¡¯ At the moment of her death, that truth was really unfair to her. Boom! It fell on the ground with a loud noise. Helen, who was sure that the bear would attack her, couldn¡¯t even think of opening her eyes. If she opened her eyes while it fell on the ground, she was afraid there would be a bear with big teeth revealed over her head. Her body might be ripped apart into pieces with its sharp claws. Helen couldn¡¯t open her eyes as her body trembled at the chilling imagination. ¡°How long are you going to be like that?¡± Then she heard a certain voice. ¡®Is it already dead?¡¯ Did the bear also kill her in a gentle way? While she was thinking so, she heard that irritating voice once again. ¡°Were you really thinking about dying? Surely, you¡¯re going to die after provoking the anger of a quiet bear.¡± Only then did Helen open her eyes out of surprise. He said that it was a quiet bear despite it obviously licking its lips while looking at her. Helen was slightly offended because she did try her best to get away from it. However, the opponent was ferocious, but he was the savior who had saved her. Helen expressed her gratitude while trying to bow down. ¡°Thank¡­¡­.¡± If the person she saw as soon as she got up wasn¡¯t the Emperor who was dressed in his uniform and veil that covered his face. As soon as she looked at the Emperor, Helen stiffened just like that. Her heart began to beat faster. Now she couldn¡¯t even breathe because she felt sick. ¡°!¡± And just like that, Helen swiftly toppled forward. The Emperor, who caught Helen as she accidentally fell into his arms, spit out a short ¡®Huh?¡¯. No one could tell that she was like that because of him, right? Carmun parted the veil that blocked his view with his long finger and watched Helen who collapsed toward him with a pale face. His face was darker than when he saw the bear. When she encountered him while seeing a bear and thought about how to run away, she toppled forward as if she was meeting a grim reaper. What was he supposed to think in this situation? Until earlier, he was pleased when she was able to recognize him as the man. He smiled in delight. She seemed so bewildered that he burst out laughing. ¡®I definitely enjoy this so much.¡¯ He guessed she didn¡¯t know the true nature of the person who she liked until now. Though it was understandable because he had never shown his face publicly. The Emperor held Helen in his arms with one hand and pulled out the sword stuck from the bear with his other hand. The woman was so light that he didn¡¯t even think that she ate well. He had expected it because she seemed short and small, but he didn¡¯t expect she would be this light. The bear¡¯s blood splattered all over the place as well as the sword. He couldn¡¯t even wipe off his sword. He couldn¡¯t abandon Concubine Edith, so he just gave up halfway and put the sword back in the sheath. ¡®His skills have definitely improved.¡¯ He didn¡¯t even train that much, but his skills kept getting sharp, perhaps because of him who practiced it at night. That was his one and only advantage. The knights came as they were late in recognizing the commotion. ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± An emperor covered with a lot of bear¡¯s blood all the while holding a woman in his arms. Even in my opinion, Carmoon frowned at the strange painting. Even when he thought about it, Carmun scowled at the bizarre situation. He was annoyed at the way they made useless excuses. ¡°I saved a concubine because she was being chased by a bear.¡± The knights¡¯ eyes moved briskly. This was because it was entirely the knights¡¯ responsibilities to set up fences and protect the outside. Moreover, they were late to notice that a commotion had occurred, and had no idea that the concubine had passed over it. Their fault was caught directly by the most powerful individual within the Empire. ¡®I-I f**ked up!¡¯ The knights, who had just been knighted, felt like hearing the sound of a firm twist in their path. In fact, the Emperor looked like he was in a bad mood. The Emperor stood up before the knight who was one head smaller from him and kicked him in the shin. The beaten knight wasn¡¯t able to scream and bit his lips with a muffled groan. Carmun¡¯s ferocious swept through the knights. Chapter 30 Sponsored chapters by Cat mama =^^= (1/2) *** ¡°Lately, I often notice people don¡¯t do their job properly. Especially among the guards.¡± A few days ago, someone snuck into the library and he even heard that he called the Knight Commander. Although at that time, the Emperor did not punish them. But of course, the hell training of the Knight Commander awaited them. However, the Emperor¡¯s eyes were filled with rage, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t let this one slide as they had expected before. ¡°Don¡¯t let me go to the Drill Hall.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The voices of the knights were full of spirit. On the day they entered after being appointed, the senior knights only told them one thing. Don¡¯t let yourself fall into the disfavour of His Majesty, and anyone would be dead on the day His Majesty comes to the Drill Hall, therefore you should never let it happen. The faces of the senior knights who were spitting out the words looked pale. There was also a senior who shook his arm. The senior knight¡¯s face who spat out those words seemed pale. There was also one senior whose arms were trembling. As if it was a horrible memory for them. The knights were curious but they didn¡¯t want to experience it directly so they pledged to be wary. They never wanted to be kicked by the Emperor on their shin again. ¡°The hunting festival is not over yet, so don¡¯t loosen your guards and stay vigilant.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The Emperor walked past them with a short sigh. They couldn¡¯t ask what they were about to ask because they had to keep answering him. One of the knights among them quickly walked behind Carmun and asked. ¡°I-I will carry Her Highness the Concubine.¡± ¡°I told you to stay vigilant while doing your job.¡± ¡°Yes, understood!¡± The knight was very nervous when he replied quickly and straightened himself. Carmun left without having to say it twice. The knights stared blankly at him from behind. His Majesty the Emperor was going to carry a lovely woman in his arms? ¡®What¡¯s with Sir Viester¡­!¡¯ It was an admitted fact that the Emperor and his aide, Viester, were lovers among the knights. This was because they met the Emperor much more often than other nobles did, so they also witnessed their relationship more often. The two openly touched and faced each other, there were also many weird things happening between them just because they worked with each other. As if they were ¡®talking about the secret between them¡¯. The knights, who were thinking about Viester, looked at the Emperor¡¯s back while feeling sorry for the man. ¡®He might be abandoned¡­.¡¯ The Knights were contemplating whether they should tell Viester about this or not. While they were gathering and grumbling among themselves, the Emperor suddenly looked behind him. Seeing the knights standing in their spots with all their might, the Emperor gestured at the bear with his hands. ¡°Keep it. That thing.¡± After returning to the hunting ground, the Emperor ordered the servants to tell the concubines who had spread out in the forest to return. If the huge trumpet were to be blown, it indicated that the game was over, so they would eventually come back on their own. The servant proceeded to turn around after looking back one more time. At the same time, he glanced briefly at Concubine Edith who was still in his arms. That servant wasn¡¯t the only one. From the ministers who were invited to the hunting festival until some of the servants, maids, and knights who returned from hunting looked at the Emperor with widened eyes. He felt like almost bursting into laughter at the way they looked at him as if wondering and seeking for the explanation of the current situation. Among them, the person who had the most ridiculous expression was obviously his wife, Josephine, as well as his father-in-law, Duke Torre. Duke Torre couldn¡¯t endure the sight and gripped the wine glass he was holding in his hand. Tiny pieces of the wine glass fell down with a sharp crashing sound. It was only natural that it stuck on his hand, so the blood that dripped down his hand looked terrible. At that moment, he saw the knights who returned late while carrying the bear, and they shamefully answered. ¡°Your Majesty has caught it. His Majesty saved Concubine Edith from almost getting hurt.¡± The knights¡¯ explanation about the situation eased the situation that was stiffened due to Josephine¡¯s expression. Some were busy kissing at Josephine¡¯s arse, saying it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Duke Torre turned his stiff head away because he didn¡¯t want to watch the sight before him any further. ¡°I humbly present myself to Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Duke, I think you should prioritize treating your hands first.¡± ¡°I have something to ask you beforehand, so I presented myself as humble as possible in front of Your Majesty.¡± The eyes of Duke Torre were full of irritation. Do those gaze deserve to be shown in front of the Emperor? At the time when he met him as a child, Duke Torre had already taken the lead of the political world. He wouldn¡¯t be pleased to be pushed back by a little b***ard like this. But he unbelievably showed his true feelings while looking at the Emperor. ¡®So you¡¯re being disrespectful toward me.¡¯ Carmun was also annoyed that he felt like his stomach was twisted. ¡°I¡¯m very curious about the one who you will receive the pray that you caught today, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­ Why are you curious about that?¡± Was the man asking it in advance because he feared that the pray wouldn¡¯t be given to his daughter? If so, it would have been so ridiculous. The owner of the prey who caught it hasn¡¯t even opened his mouth yet, but the man already thought about claiming it before him. Carmun chuckled from behind the veil. It was a slight mockery, but Duke Torre, who was standing close to him, could not unhear that sound. As expected, his face hardened as if he had heard it. ¡°By the way, what are the servants doing right now? They didn¡¯t even take the concubine away!¡± The servants came closer as they were embarrassed after hearing the sharp tone of Duke Torre. When one of the servants reached out to Concubine Edith as if they were about to take her away, Carmun held Concubine Edith in his arms even more. ¡°Oh my.¡± Among them, a surprised nobleman unconsciously spat out that single word. Carmun really enjoyed this situation. Josephine judged that the situation would turn bad if other countries found out that the Emperor and the Empress weren¡¯t on good terms, even if the situation weren¡¯t exactly like that. First of all, it was such a great pleasure for him to be able to see the sour expression of Duke Torre because this woman was going to become a very important lady for him in the future. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± When the Emperor refused the assistance which was provided by the servant, they stepped back. Duke Torre¡¯s face turned red, but he didn¡¯t say anything. The Emperor refused and throwing up wasn¡¯t an option right now. ¡°About the prey¡­.¡± Carmun made eye contact with Josephine before she got the chance to talk further. He saw the Empress clenching her fists firmly as her face turned red because she couldn¡¯t overcome the sense of humiliation. He could see the veins protruding on the side of her face that indicated how hard she tried to not let any words escape from her lips. And a glimpse of hope flashed across his eyes for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll give the prey that I caught to Concubine Edith. I¡¯m sure you must have been really exhausted.¡± The atmosphere changed right when the Emperor said that in a friendly manner. The nobles, who had been sticking to Josephine, were so embarrassed that they couldn¡¯t say anything. The Emperor enjoyed the atmosphere so much and quickly got into the tent. He still held Concubine Edith in his arms. The Empress and nobles of Idelberg couldn¡¯t speak out rashly, but nobles from several other countries gathered with each other to spark up a conversation. She thought the situation in Idelberg would change. It was a topic which has been known by everyone that their mouths hurt if they talked about it more. In other words, the Emperor has no intention of letting the Empress¡¯ belly carry an heir and giving birth to it. That unknown concubine, who entered the tent just now, would produce an heir for the great empire, Idelberg. When they thought about it that far, nobles¡¯ faces changed. Those who were loyal to the Empress would also drift away while pretentiously making various kinds of excuses. Because she was no longer useful to them. The Empress, where she lived, felt like hell. Carmun, who humiliated her like that, and Concubine Edith, who passed out in his arms, unaware of everything. She wanted to tear them to death. ¡®I wish she had been taken and killed by that bear.¡¯ Josephine¡¯s eyes gleamed furiously. *** Carmun entered the tent with Helen in his arms, but when he came in, he actually had no idea on what to do. It was a good attempt to embarrass Josephine and Duke Torre, but he was bothered at the way he took advantage of the fainted woman. Moreover, she fainted after looking at him. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± The woman wriggling around in his arms was undoubtedly small. He thought she was even smaller than his pet dog, Louie. There were just chairs in the tent, and no space for the sick person to lie down. Table¡­? The bone of a woman would naturally break if she lay down on top of it and rolled off it. ¡°So irritating.¡± He should have just handed her over to the servant. The Emperor sat on the chair and leaned on his back while still holding Helen in his arms in an uncomfortable position. Helen seemed to like his broad shoulder so she unconsciously tried to hug him more. ¡®She will probably faint again after realizing whose arms she was hugging.¡¯ He thought the woman would be shocked, but he didn¡¯t expect her to faint. It was really unexpected seeing her terrified face. Helen fell asleep while clutching tightly on the hem of his clothes, and in the midst of that, she frowned as if she was having a nightmare. Just like a baby panda. She looked like a panda that was hanging onto a bamboo tree. The Emperor lifted up his finger while still looking at Helen and poked it in the centre of her forehead. Poke, poke. He unwittingly poked her a few more times. Then she rubbed her face against Carmun¡¯s chest and avoided his touch. Carmun just looked at the woman, who remained quiet. Her curly blonde hair, which glistened each time she moved her head around, looked great but seemed not well-maintained, and her rough skin seemed to indicate that she hadn¡¯t slept well recently. Moreover, she was too small for her age, which made her wonder. Why is she so small? The hand holding the hem of his uniform seemed to be smaller than when he was still ten years old back then. That was why she didn¡¯t feel like a woman at all. But, only a little kid? Carmun held Helen who was lying in his arms, feeling as if he was taking care of a little kid. Perhaps because they shared each other¡¯s warmth, the feeling of coziness made him drift off to sleep. ¡®Should I sleep¡­?¡¯ It has been a long time since he slept during the day. His night self would take a rest, and there would be a flood of political affairs to deal with during the day. The Emperor, who had never taken a break properly even just once, unexpectedly got the chance to rest. With Helen in his arms. ¡°Concubine Edith, were you really the one who stepped into the library?¡± The Emperor recited in a low voice. He thought everything would have gone smoothly after finding out about the woman. He wondered if she would suit his plan because she was so afraid of him. Once he started to feel sleepy, his eyelids were too heavy to remain open. ¡®I¡¯m sleepy, sleepy.¡¯ At the languid noon, the sun was intense. Carmun eventually called the servant who stood outside as he began to feel drowsy with Helen fainting in his arms. ¡°What do you¡­¡­ need¡­?¡± The servant turned their head as if he was embarrassed seeing the sight of the Emperor holding his concubine in his arms. He didn¡¯t even care in the slightest about the servant¡¯s face which turned red. ¡°Call the maid of Concubine Edith.¡± ¡°To here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They bowed their head in courtesy and said that they understood before going out in a haste. The servant was busy looking for Concubine Edith¡¯s maid. They wandered around, but in fact, it was very difficult to find a single maid in the vast hunting ground. ¡°The servant is late¡­.¡± The Emperor, who had been contemplating on sending Helen back and taking a nap, gave up halfway and closed his eyes due to the servant who was late. He thought about Helen being in his arms for a little more, but then he just chose to fall asleep. As his head leaned on the back of the chair, his head slowly slipped down lower and came in contact with Helen¡¯s head. ¡®How many years has it been since I fell asleep properly¡­.¡¯ Carmun unconsciously fell into a deep sleep. Chapter 31 *** Sponsored chapters by Cat mama =^^= (2/2) *** Ellie, who entered with the servant, gasped the moment she came in. ¡®D-Did I hear it wrong?¡¯ The Emperor¡¯s servant also blushed out of embarrassment and not knowing what to do there. Concubine Edith was hugged by the Emperor who lay on the back of the chair. She was clutching onto His Majesty¡¯s uniform tightly with her cute hands and breathed evenly. ¡°Are you¡­ sleeping, Your Majesty?¡± The Emperor didn¡¯t answer when the servant called him. Seeing how he asked the servant to bring the maid there, it was possible that he was trying to send Concubine Edith back to her place, but they didn¡¯t expect him to fall asleep during that time. They couldn¡¯t take care of things in their own way, and they must not wake up the sleeping Emperor as well. After a lot of contemplation, the servant went to the Emperor¡¯s side and whispered quietly. ¡°Your Majesty¡­. Your Majesty, please wake up.¡± When the King¡¯s servant whispered, the Emperor¡¯s head turned slightly. He raised his head that previously leaned against Helen and gathered back the rest of his senses. ¡®Did I just fall asleep¡­.¡¯ Carmun was also taken aback at himself. How long has it been since he fell asleep properly like earlier¡­.. He beckoned to the servant, who he had seen through the veil with slightly hazy eyes. ¡°The maid?¡± When he asked in a low voice, the servant extended her hand toward the door. ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± It was just then that a maid, who had a slightly baffled expression, appeared in his sight. ¡®Why does she seem surprised?¡¯ Come to think of it, she somehow looked bewildered as well. Thinking about it for a moment, Carmun suddenly realized the reason was because of the small head that could be seen below his sight. He put her on his lap and slept along with her, but he forgot for a moment that she was there. ¡®Why is it so comfortable here?¡¯ It was so funny. The woman fainted after seeing him even if they only met for the first time and then fell asleep while being held in his arms? He opened his mouth slightly out of embarrassment and turned his head away after staring blankly at the sleeping face of Edith. ¡°Take her back.¡± ¡°Ah, sure.¡± The maid looked hesitant to walk closer. As he waited quietly, the maid contemplated before deciding to walk closer. She soon stood beside her master and shook Concubine Edith¡¯s body to wake her up. ¡°What are you doing? Are you going to wake her up?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t just fall asleep, but Concubine Edith had fainted.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Taken aback, the maid opened her eyes wide. What are all these people so surprised about? She looked exactly like the maid who served Concubine Edith. ¡°I¡¯ll provide you with a knight so that you can return to your abode safely.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Ellie responded anxiously with a nod. After beckoning the servant to bring in the knight, he handed over Concubine Edith to the knight. Concubine Edith didn¡¯t even wake up while she was being passed over to the knight¡¯s arms. When he looked at the woman¡¯s face who was still asleep, he wondered if she wouldn¡¯t open her eyes to wake up because she was settled in his arms. ¡®Well, it¡¯s quite right, though.¡¯ He noticed it right from when she passed out after looking at him. Concubine Edith was very afraid of him. At that point, I suddenly felt offended and frowned. ¡°Now you can go.¡± Then, the knight, who had taken Concubine Edith in his arms, bowed his head before walking out. The maid followed closely behind them. The servant blinked their eyes in an absentminded manner. He would have been scolded by his master since he usually observed him, but he had another matter that needs to be done today.¡± ¡°Call the priest.¡± ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± The servant leapt up from their place while saying that question. He seemed fine, but they thought it would have been serious if he decided to call the priest. ¡°It¡¯s not for me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for that¡­.¡± The Emperor¡¯s long fingers were pointed toward the door. Since it was impossible for the door to get hurt, he probably referred to Concubine Edith who left earlier. ¡°I¡¯ll send the priest to Concubine Edith¡¯s abode.¡± The servant quickly replied all the while controlling his expression. It hasn¡¯t been long since the bomb was dropped in front of everyone on the hunting ground. The Emperor was most likely to win the hunting festival since he caught the bear that was as big as a single house, and at the end, it was also said that the bear was dedicated to an unknown concubine, not to the Empress. That one was enough to make the Empress angry. But if the priest were called¡­¡­ He wasn¡¯t in the position to care about this matter, but he became nervous and swallowed his saliva. The Emperor, who was the one who actually dropped the bomb, looked indifferent. He didn¡¯t know what kind of expression displayed behind the veil, but from earlier, did he fall asleep along with a concubine in the tent? ¡°H-He¡¯s in love!¡¯ The servant couldn¡¯t grasp the situation without completely excluding love at this point. *** It wasn¡¯t until the night passed by when Helen finally managed to wake up. She didn¡¯t expect how uncomfortable her pajamas felt on her body right after she woke up. Due to the nightmare that she experienced, her pajamas clung tightly to her body due to sweat that came out of her body. ¡®Did Ellie change my clothes?¡¯ She left the bed and lost in her thoughts while looking over her attire that had been changed. So¡­ when she thought that she¡­. was going to die when being chased by the bear¡­T-The Emperor¡­! Yes, the Emperor saved her! Helen suddenly started to shake at the flashes of memories that appeared on her mind while letting out a yawn. ¡°When did I return to my room?¡± She was stunned and got goosebumps all over her body at the same time. That man, The Emperor, made her shudder. From the coldness laced on his voice, she knew at once that he thought poorly of her. ¡°Besides, I felt like he knew that I was the one who went into the library¡­¡¯ Helen¡¯s hand trembled out of shock. She held it with her other hand so that it wouldn¡¯t tremble, but it was useless. ¡°Sigh¡­ Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± He doesn¡¯t know about it yet. Maybe it¡¯s just because he doesn¡¯t like me. ¡®Let¡¯s not think too much about it.¡¯ Helen took a deep breath by herself and tried to catch her breath. When she was sitting on the bed and exhaling slowly, the sound of music was heard from the Lion Palace through the open window. The sound was very small, but it surely sounded like the party was currently in full-swing. Right after that, the door suddenly opened and Ellie entered. As soon as Ellie saw Helen who had awoken, she opened her eyes wide like a startled rabbit. ¡°Your Highness!¡± She smiled brightly as if she was relieved, but the smile suddenly disappeared. ¡°Why, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Helen was embarrassed when Ellie¡¯s expression changed abruptly like that. ¡°As expected, you were the one who saved His Majesty¡¯s dog, right?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If not, then it¡¯s weird.¡± What is she suddenly talking about? Helen asked with her eyes wide open. While she was asleep, Ellie had a look of confusion on her face about what happened. ¡°I encountered a bear in the forest and fell down¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard it from His Majesty.¡± ¡°Y-You met the Emperor, too?¡± Helen asked, her eyes shook slightly. My hands, that had stopped, started to shake again. H-How did Ellie meet the Emperor? Why? For what? ¡°T-The Emperor didn¡¯t try to hurt you, did he?¡± ¡°What? Hurt? Me?¡± Ellie had a clueless look on her face. T-That¡¯s a relief. Helen¡¯s expression became less serious, feeling relieved without Ellie¡¯s acknowledgement. ¡°Did His Majesty save me when I fainted? Did he hand me over to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was scary for her to know about that. Helen felt a little guilty because she only viewed the Emperor in a bad way. Murderer, warmonger, crazy ruler, the bloodthirsty ruler¡­. Not only her, but everyone also saw the Emperor as a crazy man. There were also a lot of rumors about him being known as a traveller on various occasions. Helen has heard countless rumors over time, but today was her first time to actually see it. In reality, the Emperor looked very scary, but still, he was the one who had saved her. ¡°I should thank him when we meet again next time. Ah, we probably won¡¯t see each other ever again¡­.¡± Ellie tilted her head while looking at Helen who murmured to herself. ¡°Why did you keep it from me? You seem to owe me a lot of stories.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about His Majesty. When did you become so close with him? As expected, you were the one who treated the injured dog, right?¡± Helen asked with a frown. ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± Helen smiled sulkily while throwing her question about what had happened. Ellie blinked both of her eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you treat Louis?¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Then why did His Majesty do it? Why did you ask me for a medicine tube?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the Emperor?¡± At the way Helen asked bewilderingly, Ellie frowned as if she had no idea about it. Helen was nervous at Ellie¡¯s face which reddened slightly due to whatever she was thinking about. From the moment the Emperor was mentioned by Ellie, all kinds of thoughts rushed into her mind and overwhelmed her. ¡°I heard you fainted after encountering a bear on the hunting ground.¡± She couldn¡¯t say that she actually fainted when looking at the Emperor, not a bear. So she had no choice but to only nod quietly. ¡°So that¡¯s why you came back while being carried by His Majesty in his arms. It was seen by all the people on the hunting ground. Her Majesty the Empress also saw it¡­ Anyway, do you know what His Majesty did after that? He held you in his arms and treated you like someone precious to him! He didn¡¯t pass you over to the servant and went straight into the tent! When I entered, you fell asleep while hugging each other tightly.¡± ¡°What, what, what¡­? You¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying! I¡¯ve seen it directly with my own eyes!¡± ¡°There was no way that His Majesty would have done that¡­¡­¡­.¡± She felt bad at the slight tremble in her voice. ¡°D-Don¡¯t joke with me! This kind of joke isn¡¯t funny at all¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. Your Highness, please tell me the truth. What really happened? Your Majesty isn¡¯t the type of person who would do that¡­.¡± Ellie nibbled on her lips. Right after she said about not wanting to be the lover of His Majesty on their way to the hunting ground earlier, she suddenly found out that her master actually had a relationship with the Emperor. Moreover, he was being so affectionate by carrying her in his arms!¡± Helen¡¯s face would¡¯ve turned even more terrified if only she saw the vicious expression of the Empress. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± ¡°Really? S-So the Emperor did that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°..Pardon me?¡± ¡°Why did he do that? You said he isn¡¯t the kind of person who would do that.¡± When Helen was taken aback and asked for the reason, Ellie was at a loss for words. She would have known the answer the best, but Her Highness didn¡¯t seem to figure out the reason. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because¡­. he fell in love with you? After all, you look really beautiful, Your Highness.¡± Her master was so innocent that she couldn¡¯t believe it was someone who just woke up after losing consciousness. A pair of big eyes, sharp nose, and soft mouth reminded her of a deer. Her appearance, which seemed like a deer, stood out even more because of his droopy eyes that were on the verge of pouring out more tears. Helen¡¯s long and wavy hair was currently in such a mess. ¡°Haha¡­.¡± Love? It would never be anywhere close to love. The Emperor, who she met in a brief moment, already gave off a very ferocious vibe. He killed a huge bear that could have thrown him away in just one swing. There was completely no hesitation in that single swing. That alone wasn¡¯t the reason why she judged the Emperor as a cruel person. However, his character was very challenging, and at the same time, she was originally afraid of him as well because he was stated to be cruel according to the rumor. ¡°What if I also die? Not only me but also Ellie¡­¡­.¡± He even killed one maid already. Gulp. The sound of gulping was heard loudly from Helen¡¯s throat. The Emperor already figured it out. That she was the one who entered the library. So this was an example for her. Killing a bear right in front of her¡­ The ultimate end of Concubine Cecillia and Velly, who were called instead of her, was also messed up. She was the third concubine, three times close to 30 by three numbers. And it was something that might have made my neck snap out of its place. The chilly energy spread across his neck, and Helen caressed his neck with her hands. Chapter 32 Sponsored chapters by Mar (1/2) *** ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­ Why do you look so serious?¡± Ellie seemed to have no idea about how serious this situation was. How could she say that they were about to die because the Emperor was threatening their lives? Helen gave up on her desire to speak as she was speechless and only fidgeting on her own. She swept away Ellie¡¯s hair that came out with her fragile hand. ¡°I will protect you.¡± I couldn¡¯t protect him, but if it¡¯s you¡­. Helen adamantly vowed to herself. She couldn¡¯t let Ellie die because of the sins which were committed by her. Therefore, she had to confess. She had to confess and apologize for what she had done. She should have accidentally told her about his secret before they both got killed. Then Ellie would leave her. ¡°Ellie, you don¡¯t know anything. Understand?¡± Helen pressed the end of her words as if demanding her to answer. As she continued to demand an answer, Ellie nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll do that.¡± She didn¡¯t know what her master was planning to do when she said so, but Helen¡¯s face seemed slightly relaxed when she answered that way. Helen was so pretty as her eyes bent slightly when she had a thin smile on her face. Just like her shining blonde hair, there was a twinkle in her eyes everytime she smiled which led to her thinking there were indeed stars in her eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± Helen buried her head on Ellie¡¯s shoulder like a pampered kid. Even though it was her first time to touch her master like this, Ellie hugged Helen as if it was natural for her to do that. Helen felt a deep sense of relief in Ellie¡¯s assuring embrace. And the sense of responsibility inside her grew bigger. ¡®I¡¯ll definitely protect you.¡¯ The thought of not being able to help the man made her heart ache, forming another guilt in her already shattered heart. People became unfortunate whenever they met her. She meant the man and Ellie¡­ Perhaps it was my fault¡­? Just like what my father said, it¡¯s because I was a misfortune. Because I¡¯m ugly. No, it¡¯s not the time to feel discouraged. She had to meet the Emperor. ¡®I have to protect Elly.¡¯ Ellie asked about the medicine, but Helen had no intention of telling the matter to her. She couldn¡¯t say that she didn¡¯t treat the dog, but the man who was trapped in the Emperor¡¯s library. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you about that, sorry.¡± ¡°Do you not really want to tell me? I¡¯m really worried for you¡­.¡± Helen shook her head. Her hair tickled Ellie¡¯s neck because she buried her head in her maid¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Sorry.¡¯ She bit hard on her lips. Ellie gave up on her attempt to ask because it was difficult for her to take a proper look at her master and only caressed Helen on the back of her head. ¡®It wasn¡¯t that serious. His Majesty would obviously like her as well¡­ What is Her Highness thinking about?¡¯ Love was a little bit like a spring breeze, but Helen¡¯s head was a bloody brutal thriller. Ellie thought that love felt a bit similar to a spring breeze, but it was like a bloody cruel thriller for Helen in her mind. They were hugging each other for a while while having different thoughts. *** The next morning, the concubine¡¯s residence was filled with a chilly atmosphere. Among all of them, the concubine who caught the Emperor¡¯s interest was the last and the one who had been shunned by them. Especially Ersa, the First Concubine, was worried because it was clearly known that she led other concubines to do that. What if Concubine Edith, who was favored by His Majesty, asked him to depose her? She didn¡¯t want to be kicked out from the palace just like Cecillia. She would never be able to return to her homeland and justify everything. Ersa, nibbled hard on her lips, and eventually beckoned to the maid. ¡°Go and tell Concubine Edith to have a meeting with me.¡± The maid opened her eyes wide, as if she was slightly surprised at that. She also felt embarrassed. She completely ignored her and now she had to find her. Her circumstance was so funny and she was displeased at that. Since she was the First Concubine, she thought the Emperor¡¯s affection would naturally turn toward her. Ersa anxiously chewed on her nails. *** ¡°I heard that you requested my presence.¡± Helen appeared in the private garden placed in the backyard of Ersa¡¯s abode. She seemed to be curious about the reason why she called her with a look that didn¡¯t show any signs of bewilderment. ¡°First of all, please take a seat.¡± Ersa stood up and greeted Helen. Of all people, it was Ersa who called her today, even though the woman had ignored and avoided her until earlier, so Hazel was curious about the reason. ¡®Do we have any relation with each other?¡¯ Moreover, only those who were specifically chosen by Ersa could enter this private garden. It was the first time for Helen to pay a visit here. Well no, it was their first time talking to each other. After Helen sat on the chair, Ersa¡¯s maid brought refreshments and black tea. Cake, cookies, and pudding were served on the table. Helen caught something with her eyes that she had never seen before. She pretended to be as suspicious as she could, but Helen was distracted by the yellow soft pudding. ¡°Take a bite. I have prepared this for you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. If you wish to say something, please do.¡± Helen wanted to take a bite of the pudding, but looking at Ersa who only took a sip of the black tea without touching the dessert even after filling the table with it, she came to realize the situation she was currently in. Although they were both princesses, she was born differently. Ersa, who shows elegance in her every single gesture at just a glance, and herself who were swayed like a reed at the sight of pudding. She suddenly lost her appetite and pushed the pudding away with her hand. ¡°I will be honest with you.¡± Ersa¡¯s tranquil eyes came in contact with Helen. ¡°I¡¯m just curious about how you won His Majesty¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You did.¡± ¡°N-No¡­.¡± Her habit while speaking, which she tried hard to hold back, unconsciously came out again. Because Ersa¡¯s obstinate eyes were terrifying. Ersa said while looking at Helen, who quickly covered her mouth with her hands. ¡°You did. You fainted that day so you might have not seen it and didn¡¯t know, but you definitely won his heart.¡± Ersa chewed on her lips after finishing her words. After she realized that Helen was in front of her, she hurriedly controlled her expression. Arrogant Princess. She had probably never been treated this way in her country. When she asked this sort of question, her pride was hurt and Ersa¡¯s face turned red. She only wanted to win the Emperor¡¯s heart. ¡®The situation can turn out to be different like this.¡¯ Inside her mind, she was mad at God and nibbled on her lips while just fiddling with the teacup. Last night, Ellie also asked this question. How did she get close with His Majesty? So she became more wary of other concubines. She was still sparkling even when she was dying. ¡°I was wondering why His Majesty kept you by his side.¡± Ersa let out a deep sigh. She acted like a fool. She didn¡¯t expect the absent minded woman would meet the Emperor when she was being carried away by that small rumor. ¡°Did you hear that rumor?¡± ¡°Rumor?¡± ¡°Yes. I thought you didn¡¯t know.¡± So it¡¯s your turn now. I will make you as shocked as me. The corner of Ersa¡¯s eyes were bent upward with a very precious smile that could have deserved to be called as the manners of a noble. ¡°It is said that His Majesty¡¯s a gay.¡± ¡°So?¡± What did the Emperor¡¯s sexual preferences has to do with her? Helen¡¯s eyes seemed as thoughtless as a dead snakehead. Ersa looked very bewildered from her gaze. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it a very important issue especially because you are the concubine of the Emperor?¡± ¡°It is.¡± Helen¡¯s answer was enough to drain Ersa¡¯s energy. It sounded like an important matter from the way she told about that information with a lot of energy, but Helen was calm as if she just heard something that she had nothing to do with. Was it because she was curious and she acted as if she knew the Emperor had set up a visible wall between him and his concubines? But that was a misunderstanding. It was just the ¡®man¡¯ who got involved between the Emperor and himself. Others misunderstood because they didn¡¯t know about it. Helen brought the teacup near her lips and took a sip of black tea to moisten her mouth, which had been drying up continuously since earlier. It had a deep and warm taste that she had never tried back in her abode. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried to seduce him, and I¡¯ve never even had that kind of thought before. Last night was just a misunderstanding.¡± Helen tried to speak as calmly as possible. She thought that she would stutter again when she made eye contact with Ersa, therefore Helen continued to talk while staring at the leaves floating inside the teacup. ¡°I see.¡± Ersa answered in a calm manner, but her mind wasn¡¯t. She was a woman who had been annoying to her from the first time they met. Her face was serene, the way she acted seemed a bit naive, but she was pretty. Yeah, this was how the unprocessed diamond looked like. She looked like a stone, but she was actually a gem. If she was dressed-up beautifully, treated properly, and pampered well, she would be a million times prettier than this. Looking at who smiled even at the petty things, Ersa was overwhelmed with the terrible sense of compulsion. If the diamond couldn¡¯t be processed, it was just a stone. Ersa wanted to have all of the Emperor¡¯s attention just for herself. If the treatment of her, who previously became a princess, had been relegated once she became a concubine, she had to return to the position that she was supposed to get. ¡®I must become an Empress. That¡¯s what I have to do¡­!¡¯ In Idelberg, she knew that the concubine wasn¡¯t simply a concubine, but they were actually war prisoners. Did she really have nothing to do with the Emperor, just like what she said? Even if nothing happened between them, how could she not be bothered by the fact that the Emperor was gay when everything about the Emperor was the concubine¡¯s concern? If the Emperor was gay, the road ahead of them who became the concubine was clearly stuck. Or did she have any convincing reason to believe that the Emperor was not gay? Ersa¡¯s face became stiff. Helen got up first because she didn¡¯t want to keep sitting on her seat anymore. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything more to say, I will be returning to my now.¡± ¡°¡­Feel free to do so.¡± A little wrinkle appeared between Ersa¡¯s forehead. The woman had a placid face and she couldn¡¯t guess what the hell the woman was thinking. He shrugged her shoulders and casually brought up her words in a calm manner. Even if it was in front of the Emperor, or her. Helen bowed her head and bid her goodbye before turning around. *** She couldn¡¯t believe that she was called and was asked how to win the Emperor¡¯s heart and that the Emperor was gay. ¡®Disappointing¡­.¡¯ She turned around with subdued gaze and headed back to her room. Throughout her way back, Helen¡¯s head was full of concern related to the Emperor. So he was the one who saved her back in the hunting ground? Since there was a bear in front of them, it would have been hard for him to pretend not knowing anything regardless of him being an emperor. ¡®But he carried me in his arms and acted sweetly in front of people.¡¯ That was the hardest thing for her to believe. The last time she saw the Emperor, he was a man who was far from being sweet. The man had a formidable spirit. It was difficult to say something due to the cold aura that surrounded him. She was so embarrassed at the way her voice trembled when she was helped by him. ¡®Is he trying to stop me from speaking out about it?¡¯ Her step came to a halt on her way back to her abode. ¡®Would he even bother to stop me from speaking out?¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t he just have to kill the 27th, no, the 26th concubine who didn¡¯t even become anyone¡¯s interest from the beginning? Gulp. When she imagined the blood splashing everywhere, Helen¡¯s eyes shook violently and her mouth dried up. ¡®I-if he doesn¡¯t want to kill me and is asking me to keep it a secret by stopping me from speaking out, I have to respond by not saying any unnecessary things.¡¯ Helen stumbled and could barely make it back to her abode. The distance between the First Concubine¡¯s abode, Ersa, was so far that it made her legs tremble. When she returned, she saw Ellie standing idly at the entrance and randomly biting on her nails. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Ellie immediately rushed to her as soon as she spotted her. ¡°Why, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ellie¡¯s nails looked like a mess. She held Ellie¡¯s hand and looked at it while Ellie was speaking. It didn¡¯t bleed¡­. [t/n: she¡¯s so pure and innocent, protect this gurl omg] Ellie wasn¡¯t just flustered. She might also have broken into a cold sweat because her hair was stuck to her forehead and flowed down to her neck. ¡°In¡­ In¡­ your room¡­.¡± ¡°What is happening? Why are you so nervous?¡± Ellie looked around and beckoned as if telling her to lower her head. When she bowed her head a bit, she whispered in a hushed voice in her master¡¯s ears. ¡°Your Majesty is in the room.¡± ¡°!¡± At that moment, she felt like her back was protruding out. Finally, the moment has come. The day has come, when she couldn¡¯t avoid this any longer. Chapter 33 Sponsored chapters by Mar (2/2) *** Helen stood in front of her room and was busy struggling with the handle. ¡®Should I open this or not¡­!¡¯ When she opened the door, she would immediately see the Emperor. She had nowhere to hide inside the room which was about the size of a bean. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± She was in such a dilemma. What should she say the moment she made eye contact with the Emperor? Should she apologize for finding out about his secret? And that she had committed a mortal sin? And ask him to kill her? Then the Emperor would smile and draw out the sword, granting her wishes. ¡®I got goosebumps¡­.¡¯ Right now, what bothered her greatly was her father. What would he say if he heard about the incident in the hunting ground? Would he still urge her, or praise her for doing such a great job? The fear that she didn¡¯t feel anymore because she didn¡¯t meet her father recently, struck her again. She grabbed her hand that began to tremble a bit with her other hand and let out a short breath. ¡®It-It will be fine. I can do this!¡¯ It was when she convinced herself and exhaled repeatedly. Suddenly, the door opened from inside first. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come in? Did you forget your room as well?¡± At that moment,she looked up to the Emperor and lost her sense momentarily at the Emperor¡¯s sarcastic remark. The veil was still covering his face, but he smelled familiar. It was the scent of the man in the library. ¡®Why on earth¡­.¡¯ She recalled the feeling of deja vu the moment she looked at the man¡¯s handwriting, and her heart suddenly began to race anxiously. When she belatedly realized that she just stared up to the Emperor, she hurriedly dropped her gaze. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You still have that habit while talking.¡± Helen gasped and inhaled, her shoulders trembled in contemplation at the Emperor¡¯s brief sarcasm. Carmun sighed briefly at her small trembling shoulders. ¡°The reason why I come here¡­.¡± The moment Carmun opened his mouth, he turned his words while looking at Helen who was sitting in front of me in displeasure. ¡°Until when are you going to be so nervous like that? I didn¡¯t come here to prey on you like a bear.¡± He felt sorry for Helen after realizing that she was still trembling, as if she was about to faint again. And Carmun frowned, feeling dissatisfied at the sight. ¡®She must be thinking about the right time to run away.¡¯ As a matter of fact, he felt sorry for the woman who knew about his night side and smiled while clinging to him because she seemed lovely. However, he was annoyed at the sight of her who trembled as if she was going to die in front of him. ¡®Why should I feel bad for her?¡¯ When he saw the serene face of the woman, he had to feel the emotion he had never felt in his life before. Although it was still weak, he hadn¡¯t gotten used to it yet, so he felt hurt for no reason. His heart beat a little faster which gave him a pleasant sense of warmth. His fingertips might feel numb if it comes in contact by any chance with her even in the slightest. Moreover, she smelled good whether she wore any perfume or not. In his opinion, she was unconditionally favorable. She was uncomfortable being in this kind of situation, but not for Carmun as he was inherently dissatisfied at her reaction. Besides, the reason why he felt annoyed was that she didn¡¯t know him at all but she was so scared that she trembled at the sight of him. ¡°I¡­ I apologize¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you are sorry, stop trembling like that.¡± Carmun definitely promised to himself to not be angry, but in the end he became furious at the woman¡¯s reaction. ¡°Huft¡­¡­¡± He promised to himself once again while releasing a long sigh. ¡®Okay. Let¡¯s behave like a gentleman.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if he had already gone too far, but he should be careful this time. Because it was true that she was an important person. Carmun stroked his hair while clearing up his thoughts. It was at that moment. Helen suddenly got up and knelt on the floor. ¡®What the hell does she think about me¡­.¡¯ As soon as he saw Concubine Edith, who was pale and looked as if she was about to die at any moment, he strangely felt like the blood in the corner of his heart was cooling down. He was so disturbed by this woman that he wondered. Just, why? Carmun¡¯s eyes were filled with rage at the unknown emotion. He quickly gave up on the idea of being kind to her. When he looked at the pale face of the woman, he became offended. ¡°I¡¯ve committed a grave sin¡­.¡± While saying so, she trembled and her voice was shaking pitifully. Why did he look pitifully at the woman who he tried to kill and get rid of in the first place? ¡°W-What should I do¡­ I-I¡¯m so scared that I couldn¡¯t even say it!¡¯ Helen didn¡¯t even think about opening her eyes while she was on her knees. What kind of expression did he have? Would the Emperor look at her as if she was acting ridiculous from behind his veil? Questions arose in her mind, but she didn¡¯t dare to see the Emperor. Seeing that he came all the way here by himself, it seemed like he was clearly determined. He was a man who was capable of slaying a wild animal with one stroke of a sword. Besides, it seemed that he had trained because he was more built than most knights. Considering how tall and big he was, Helen was third time less than the Emperor¡¯s height and size from the back. The man gave off such a coercive aura and looked at her unfavorably. S-she had to apologize! He was definitely angry because she visited the library. Helen decided to apologize before the Emperor even uttered any words. Wouldn¡¯t he feel sorry for her and consider not giving her any punishment? Even if in the end, she would be given punishment, Ellie wouldn¡¯t be punished too. After shaking and wrapping up her thoughts, Helen clenched her hands and lifted up her head slightly. Then the Emperor exhaled more ferociously than before and briefly expressed his anger. ¡°You¡­!¡± His voice trembled slightly as if he was upset. W-Why all of a sudden¡­! Was she too late to apologize? ¡°You always look terrified every time you see me. As if you have done something wrong to me.¡± The Emperor spoke up first. He crumpled his face severely, as if he was satisfied, but his face was invisible because of the veil. However, there were many other conditions that would lead the Emperor to get angry. Whether it was because his voice blended with his breathing, or his arms that were crossed arrogantly. Due to that, Helen cowered even more. ¡°I¡¯ve made a mistake. I entered the Emperor¡¯s library without permission, but I was just curious about the book there¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I met that man there.¡± ¡°¡­I¡­.¡± When Helen nodded her head back and forth gently, Carmun gulped briefly while running his hand over his face. ¡°So you want to apologize to me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even if you were just curious, you know that entering the Emperor¡¯s library is a serious crime, right?¡± The Emperor¡¯s library stored a lot of forbidden books, so it was a very important and furtive place. Among all of them, she didn¡¯t expect that the most important secret would be that man. If she had known that she would be involved with the Emperor like this, she would never have gone there in the first place. Helen¡¯s face changed when ¡®he¡¯ came to her mind. Her eyes dropped in a pitiful manner and the terrified look on her face changed, she calmed down slightly and didn¡¯t say anything after that. The man¡¯s heart was not one-sided, but rather fortunate, but his stomach twisted and slightly heated. Luckily the man¡¯s feeling wasn¡¯t just a one-sided thing, but he felt like his inside was twisted and a little upset. ¡®It would be quite a view when she knew who he actually was.¡¯ Carmun laughed inwardly while watching her, who didn¡¯t acknowledge his face that was covered by a veil. Her appearance was both absurd and ridiculous. Did it mean that she didn¡¯t recognize him at all even if there were already so many noticeable hints such as his voice, body, and others? It turned out that the woman was quite obtuse. ¡°How?¡± Carmun bent over slightly and drew close to Helen. Carmun didn¡¯t hide his fierce eyes which resembled a wild animal in front of its prey when Helen inhaled as she sensed him leaning close. ¡°What can you do to apologize to me?¡± ¡°¡­ T-That¡­.¡± ¡°Did you do it just as an excuse?¡± ¡°I would never!¡± ¡°Then how are you going to do it?¡± Helen quickly put her brain to work when the Emperor smirked and finished his words with an apparent sneer. Is there any way to please the Emperor so that he would accept my apology¡­. No, is there even such a thing? She was just a lowly concubine who had been abandoned by her own homeland. She nibbled on her lower lip slightly. No matter how hard she tried, she didn¡¯t get any answer in return. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have anything to give you.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t do as you wish either. Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± Although arrogant, he was the Emperor of Idelberg. There was no doubt that stupidity existed in him. Helen nodded in agreement and continued. ¡°If there is anything that I can do for you, I will do it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ How can you say so, what do you think I will ask from you?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so audacious of you to say that. If the ministers heard it, they would have passed out while leaning on their back.¡± She swallowed nervously at the intimidating words of the Emperor. When she was a little distracted at his mean smile while looking up at the Emperor, he suddenly reached out and raised her chin which was lowered slightly. Her gaze seemed to meet the Emperor through his veil when her eyes flicked up on its own. Her heart was racing and there were sweats on her hands. Her body naturally stiffened by itself because she was nervous. At this moment, she shut her mouth nervously so that she wouldn¡¯t scream. ¡°I¡­ I¡­.¡± The Emperor didn¡¯t say anything and simply stared at her. The Emperor¡¯s gaze scanned through his body, as if he was looking her up and down. All of her nerves stood timorously and responded keenly to him. She couldn¡¯t avoid the Emperor¡¯s touch, so she just waited while standing still and hoping for the time to pass quickly. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I really need.¡± ¡°W-What is it?¡± ¡°Will you listen to me if I tell you? You said you¡¯d listen to anything that I say.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Then the Emperor smiled while lifting up the corner of his lips. ¡°I need you. Very much.¡± Helen was slightly surprised to hear the playfulness in the Emperor¡¯s voice. This was because the Emperor, who was just unfriendly, sounded a bit like the man every single time. A kind man and a cold emperor who resembled each other. This was the same as cold and hot water! It was similar to that. It didn¡¯t mean that they were the same person just because they have similar eyes, nose, and mouth. [t/n: sigh¡­] Helen clutched onto her head which was in a turmoil and opened her mouth. ¡°Is there anything that you wish to do in your pastime?¡± *** Carmun was lying on his bed in broad daylight and spending his leisure time. There was a lot of work to be done, but he kept on piling it all up. Viester came and kept asking about the paperworks while sending him a look that demanded him to work, but he didn¡¯t even raise his body. ¡®What a strange woman.¡¯ It was ridiculous how he thought about her again even after coming all the way to her room to meet her a moment ago. But the woman¡¯s answer was even more ridiculous. She casually spat out a funny question which led him to show a face as if he just heard something ridiculous. -Is there anything that you wish to do in your pastime? She said it in a very quiet tone. The important thing was that he answered with a formal voice, as if he didn¡¯t feel any sexual nuance at that. ¡®Okay. It was better that way.¡¯ She was better than women who made him tired by talking about love over and over again. Because this was an act close to a contract. A contract where they only took advantage of each other. At first, he thought it was a one-sided thing for his other self, but he was completely convinced after seeing the expression she had on her face when she mistook him for his night self and the short conversation they had today. ¡®She is interested in him as well.¡¯ It was funny how her heart was swayed by someone else even though the woman was his concubine. She was quite daring even as a concubine because the other guy in this case was his other self. She was openly having an affair with another man, but that man was him. It was like a novel which turned out to be worse than expected. Carmun was lying on his bed and let out a low chuckle, he covered his mouth with his hand to hide his amused smile. Viester looked at him weirdly while still standing at the other side of the room. Chapter 34 Sponsored chapters by Nova (1/2) Thank you for your support! *** ¡°What¡¯s the matter¡­?¡± ¡°Did you have a pleasant vacation?¡± ¡°Yes. You had a huge problem while I was away. Can¡¯t you wait for me while I¡¯m away?¡± ¡°Are you scolding me now?¡± While laying on the bed, he looked at Viester languidly. Viester, who was holding the paper beside him, met his gaze and gave him a strange look. Viester slightly raised the glasses he usually wore again to avoid that gaze. ¡°Yes, I scolded you. And that expression doesn¡¯t work on me. Your Majesty, if you did something, doesn¡¯t it seem like I¡¯m the one who cleans it out?¡± He effortlessly got up from the bed. As the evening was approaching, there were a lot of things that needed to be done. Before that, he had something to talk about with Viester¡­. However, Viester seemed agitated because of the ¡®problem¡¯ caused by the Emperor. ¡°What did you think when you offended Duke Torre at the hunting ground? After all, he is still the head of the nobility. It¡¯s true that you need to keep him in check several times, but you know if you cross the line, it will result in the collapsing boundaries.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You do know that, right? Your Majesty, why are you so eager to harass Duke Torre every time you two meet?¡± Viester shook his head, as if he didn¡¯t really understand. Duke Torre had a bad relationship with Carmun that lasted for a long time until now. Ever since he was still a child, even until now when he had become an emperor. Carmun, who had been lost in his thoughts for a while, got up and changed the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± The constantly calm expression on Carmun¡¯s face was not good. Viester, who almost couldn¡¯t bear the look on his master¡¯s face, brought up what he originally wanted to say after contemplating for a moment. ¡°¡­please fill the staff in the aide¡¯s office with the appropriate number of people.¡± ¡°How many people are working there?¡± ¡°There are only two. Does it make sense that there are only two immediate aides, me and Sir Theo, to assist Your Majesty?¡± ¡°You must have been thoroughly prepared for this vacation. Seeing how much you pester me like this.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, if you open up a little, things will be easier. Do I have to attend to you personally as well?¡± As they both headed to the private office which was attached to the room, he received the documents handed by Viester and quickly scanned only the titles with his eyes. There was also a report regarding the Baron and the delegation who recently left for Cordelia. As he handled everything through the documents, he naturally frowned after looking at the huge amount of papers. Viester muttered frustratingly while following him from behind. ¡°It¡¯s not just about attending to Your Majesty. I don¡¯t want to hear any more scandal between Your Majesty and me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve set the date quickly.¡± Because of Viester who kept muttering to himself annoyingly, he stopped what he was doing and turned his head. It was when he finally arrived at the office. ¡°Please resolve it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Why? There is nothing between us, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯re just very close and even shared secrets with each other.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it became a problem! Isn¡¯t there a rumor about you who¡¯s only close to me even though you had plenty of concubines? Will you feel better after blocking my way to marriage and giving me plenty of work?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He thought he would feel better that way. At the Emperor¡¯s remark, Viester couldn¡¯t hide his sour face and just like that, he was frozen in his spot. Upon seeing that, the Emperor smiled and whispered quietly in Viester¡¯s ears. ¡°If you are thinking about dating someone, you¡¯d better get rid of it.¡± ¡°Why¡­ Why¡­! Why do you always say things that can be easily misunderstood by others? Why didn¡¯t you talk carefully in front of others?¡± ¡°Viester. I have no plan to do that. Every time there is a scandal between you and me, I feel comfortable.¡± It was true. Whenever rumors circulated around about how he enjoyed being gay, the conversation related to the heir would come out from the mouth of ministers. Did they thought if he enjoyed being a gay, there would be no heir for the Empire? They seemed to be mistaken for having a very ardent love between them. In reality, they were simply master and subordinate. It was him who held Viester back forcefully to stay with him. Because Viester himself had constantly handed in his resignation letter in the past. ¡®In some ways, it does look ardent. But it¡¯s mostly me, though.¡¯ After thinking about it for some time, Carmun laughed at his own thoughts. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing. Why don¡¯t you keep talking about what we were talking about?¡± ¡°About the scandal?¡± When Carmun nodded, Viester¡¯s face was noticeably crumpled. It was hard to produce an heir at the moment. He had no intention of using Josephine, the daughter of Duke Torre, to give birth to an heir, and the concubines are simply prisoners, so it would be difficult to have a baby with them. Besides, how was he supposed to do such an important thing when he was not even in a good condition at night? If he did the deed during the day, others would have said all kinds of promiscuous remarks. ¡®It¡¯s embarrassing, and difficult.¡¯ Carmun looked tired while sitting on the chair in his office. ¡°So about that, why are you using me as a shield¡­.¡± Viester dropped his eyes, feeling completely chagrined. He deserved to be depressed. He suddenly turned from an ordinary and normal man who indulged in a gay relationship with the Emperor. ¡°My parents don¡¯t say anything about it, but do you know how much they send eye signals to me every time they see me? They only throw me a glance because they don¡¯t even dare to ask me¡­!¡± He knew that Viester¡¯s parents were grand nobles. Whenever the former Duke saw him recently, the man looked at him as if he were a scoundrel. It was because of that. ¡®He must have blubbered because he thought that I hooked up with his son¡­.¡¯ Guilt creeped into his heart for no exact reason. ¡°When my curse is lifted, I¡¯ll grant you a small part of land. You will live comfortably there if you can manage it.¡± ¡°!¡± At that moment, Viester looked at the Emperor grimly, contemplating whether he heard it correctly or not. The appearance of him snickering and giggling made it seem that he wasn¡¯t completely sincere, but he knew well that the Emperor always kept his words. ¡°How? Isn¡¯t it a good deal?¡± Gulp. Viester¡¯s throat was fluctuating greatly. After he suffered for 10 years, he could leave this dirty political world, and at the same time he could gain wealth that he couldn¡¯t get even if he worked for the rest of his life. Was it just wealth? He was going to be granted a principality. It was to raise the pride and honor of the family. ¡°I¡­ I will follow Your Majesty¡¯s order.¡± As Viester answered calmly, Carmun nodded. He thought that no matter what his master wanted him to do, he wouldn¡¯t feel pressured at all. It seemed like he was trying hard to not show it, but the corner of his mouth was twitching uncontrollably. However, there was something in his words earlier that Viester didn¡¯t pay attention to. ¡®But only when the curse is lifted, Viester.¡¯ He hasn¡¯t found a single clue about the curse yet. The curse had lasted for decades now. When does he think the curse will be lifted and granti the future he had promised to his aide? Looking at the starry-eyed Viester, Carmun kept the smile to himself. He spoke solemnly with a quite serious look on his face. ¡°Take a seat. I have something to talk about with you.¡± Viester sat on the chair at full speed. It looked like he was exactly three times faster than usual. He thought about telling his aide about it earlier, but it turned out that he enjoyed the current situation and led him to wanting to make fun of his aide again. He whispered in a low voice while looking at Viester, whose eyes were twinkling if compared to his usual grim eyes. ¡°Viester, from today onwards, Concubine Edith will come to my room in the Lion Palace every night.¡± *** ¡°Your Highness, I will make the bed for you.¡± Ellie smiled gently and paced around the bed. Ellie¡¯s eyes glistened and she had an awkward smile while taking the nicely spread bed sheet in her hand again. Ugh¡­. Ellie has been in this state lately. To be exact, after the Emperor came to visit her. As she couldn¡¯t ask her master about it, she just lingered around like that with a very curious expression on her face. ¡®But I promised the Emperor not to talk about it to anyone.¡¯ She felt guilty toward Ellie. She smiled awkwardly and shook her hands. ¡°I¡¯m going to go to bed now. Thank you for today, Ellie.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± She noticed that she (Ellie) didn¡¯t ask any further and skipped any opportunities to have a conversation with her, just like a ghost. She turned off all of the lights upon hearing that she (Helen) wanted to sleep and only turned on the light beside her bed before going out. ¡°Your Highness, you must turn off the lights before you go to sleep.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Alright then, have a good night.¡± -tuck. She heard the door closing and concentrating on the sound of Ellie¡¯s footsteps moving further and further away from her room. She kicked her blanket to the side and got up from the bed only after making sure that she could no longer hear the sound of footsteps. She blew out the light she (Ellie) told her to turn off just now, and then she took out the robe which had hidden under the bed, and put it on her body. Ellie, I¡¯m sorry¡­! She wondered if she had to hide this from Ellie, but if she were to talk about it to her (Ellie), she had to explain several things regarding the man in the library, but it was a troublesome thing to do. ¡®I have to keep it a secret.¡¯ The Emperor¡¯s characteristically cold voice ended the conversation, but it felt like Helen had heard the unspoken words from him. Unless you wanted to die. She covered herself with the robe and tied up the string tightly. Then, she opened the back door, not the main gate, before walking through the backyard. She was also curious about this, but this was also what the Emperor ordered her to do. ¡°I have something that you have to do. You have to come out every night¡­ You must have gotten used to it since you¡¯ve done it before, right? Cover your face and come out to the backyard. And tapped on the wall.¡¯ Helen headed toward the wall just like what the Emperor told her to do. She stood in front of the huge wall that divided the concubine¡¯s quarter and contemplated on her own for a while. Does this have magic in it? Was there any difference if she tapped here¡­ She thought she might have been fooled, but she still decided to tap lightly on the brick on the wall. Tok tok. ¡°Is this not the proper way to do it? Did I tap too lightly?¡¯ She tilted her head slightly while thinking to herself. She tapped on the wall once again. ¡°H-He said to tap the wall over here¡­.¡± Actually, she knew it didn¡¯t make sense, but she was anxious. If she didn¡¯t come out today, she didn¡¯t know what the Emperor was going to say to her. She was so bewildered that she muttered with a voice that was on the verge of crying. ¡°Hello¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t tell if the Emperor was here, and she also couldn¡¯t figure out the reason why she was doing this. Mr. Wall, please give me a way¡­.! She didn¡¯t know why the Emperor told her to tap the wall here. Was he just making fun of her? She felt like a mongrel pup in the middle of the night. It was the moment she glared at the gigantic wall and had a sullen look on her face. Swish. Someone climbed over the wall and crossed it like a cat. The person was so quick and smooth that she thought it was just a huge cat. That gray hair in particular¡­! It was the first time she saw such a hair color in her life. It was a man, he wore a black uniform with a large knife placed on his waist. When she stepped back out of fright, the cold wall greeted her back. ¡°W-Who are you?¡± The gray-haired man gracefully put his hand on his chest and bowed his head. ¡°Nice to meet you, Her Highness the Concubine. I am His Majesty¡¯s right-hand man, Van. His Majesty ordered me to bring Your Highness.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­? But how can we do that if there is a wall here¡­!¡± AGH! The man suddenly brought Helen into his arms and jumped over to the other side of the wall again. It was the highest climb that she went through ever since she was born, so she almost strangled the neck of the knight beside her. She was going to die if they fell! She shut her eyes tightly and swallowed the scream that seemed to escape from her mouth continuously. ¡°Shh, if you make a huge noise, we¡¯ll get caught.¡± Unlike Helen, whose eyes kept spinning, Van¡¯s eyes were calm. Chapter 35 Sponsored chapters by Nova (2/2) Thank you for your support! *** He didn¡¯t say that he was going to hug her! He didn¡¯t tell her beforehand that they were going to jump this high! Maybe if both of her feet were on the ground, she would¡¯ve grabbed his neck and shook it aggressively. That was how much Helen had gone out of her mind. Did the Emperor expect this kind of moment to happen when he told her to go to the front wall? That was the reason why his voice sounded so playful! Helen bit her lower lip tightly at the feeling of the strange betrayal creeped up inside her. ¡°We¡¯ll be there soon. Please hold tighter onto my robe.¡± She couldn¡¯t even answer, therefore she just nodded quickly. She was experiencing a heart-wrenching event at night in the arms of a man she has never met before. She wanted to open her eyes, but she didn¡¯t dare to do that due to the fear of falling. However, the hem of the robe that constantly fluttered, the light smell of the cold night air, and the man¡¯s high movement in the sky as well as his poor breathing. It was an experience that made her feel as if she was in a dream. She eventually felt like the gray-haired knight had come to a halt. When she opened her eyes slightly, she was still in the knight¡¯s arms. ¡°We¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Although the man didn¡¯t say it sweetly, his hands wrapped around her shoulders were firm. She was a little relieved at the hand as if it assured her that she wouldn¡¯t fall down. She was surprised and blushed slightly at the sudden thought of the man whose name was unknown when he wrapped his hands tightly around her shoulders. ¡®I hope everything will go well with the Emperor, just like with the man¡­.¡¯ She must ask the man to bring her again if they were going to meet each other next time. At that time, his movement stopped with a snapping sound. When she gently opened her eyes, they had already entered the building and stood with their feet on the window frame. ¡®He¡­ He¡¯s really similar to a cat.¡¯ The gray-haired man lowered his head once again to take a bow. ¡°You did well.¡± He should¡¯ve deserved those words more than her after doing such a complicated job. It felt awkward for her even if she was just being held in his arms. Unlike Helen, who was panting to catch her breath with a flushed face, his complexion remained calm. He looked refreshed as if he had just returned from a morning walk. The knight extended his hand and pointed it out to the left. ¡°Go straight down the hallway from here and stop at the last room. You can go in there.¡± Helen, who was completely dumbfounded, looked to the left in a bewildered manner. ¡°Will I go on my own there?¡± The knight nodded. ¡®I-I think I¡¯m not in my right mind. Is this really the Lion Palace¡­?¡¯ When she pointed to the left with a puzzled look on her face, the knight nodded again. She turned her back slightly only after she got a definite answer from him. The knight stood still in his spot while looking at Helen, which then led her to think that he would probably leave after her. Helen turned around but walked ahead slowly before she suddenly came to a halt and turned around again. ¡°Thank you for taking me here.¡± Then he bowed his head again. The gray-haired knight looked at Helen with a slightly puzzled look. If she was a concubine, obviously she must have been a princess from an Empire, and if she really was one before, he thought she would have acted like someone who was a sh** on wheels. [t/n: arrogant people who are popular and think highly of themselves but are actually not.] Although the man just followed the Emperor¡¯s order, he looked puzzled for a moment since he didn¡¯t expect to receive such an answer in return. ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Helen turned around so she didn¡¯t hear the knight¡¯s faint murmur, and headed toward the end of the hallway on the left like the knight said earlier. Walking through the dark hallway without any light made her mind pounded anxiously without any particular reason. Thump, thump. Upon hearing the Emperor¡¯s order, only suspicious things had happened, so she was worried that something unexpected would suddenly happen. She thought it was weird to tap on the front of the wall, but¡­. Wouldn¡¯t it be good if he had told her beforehand that the knight would come to pick her up¡­.! The Emperor almost didn¡¯t explain anything to her. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t believe he demanded her to come to the Lion Palace every night to do what he wanted her to do in his pastime. ¡®What is he going to make me do¡­.¡¯ While her heart was pounding nervously, the last words of the Emperor came to mind. ¡®When you come into the room, you will know what I mean. What you need to do is to come into my room every night.¡¯ Said him in a quiet voice. Did he try to unintentionally seduce her? His voice made her feel dizzy. But she had already known and heard about the rumor. The Emperor was gay, and had a charming lover. ¡®It was said that he is the Emperor¡¯s aide.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t the only one who heard the rumor. The concubines also knew, and even Ellie seemed to know about it, but she didn¡¯t say anything. She only overheard the conversation of other concubines, but if she, who was just stuck in her abode all day, knew about it, then everyone in the palace must have known about it. ¡®Let¡¯s not misunderstand him.¡¯ Then, why did she have to come to the Emperor¡¯s place every night? Walking through the hallway, she walked by the window where the moonlight shone through. The sky wasn¡¯t dark due to the moonlight, but it was dark because there was no one around. It was filled only with the sound of her trudging footsteps and her heavy breathing which was filled with anxiety. She walked by herself through the hallway and reached the end of it. She was greeted by a huge door. ¡®I ended up coming in.¡¯ It was fronted with marble, even a door handle was embedded with gold. The yellow house pattern is embedded in detail, so none of the doors are private. There was no door engraved by the imperial pattern in detail except this one. This is the Emperor¡¯s room. Gulp. Helen unconsciously swallowed on her own. She lingered in front of the door and contemplated without even knowing what to do. ¡°Your Majesty¡­.¡± She was hesitant because she couldn¡¯t just open the door carelessly. Her voice resonated in the hallway. ¡°E-Excuse me, Your Majesty¡­.¡± She called again just in case he didn¡¯t hear it, but her voice was as small as an ant. She knew the Emperor was inside the room from the light that was seen from under the door. She had to go in no matter what. After letting out a long sigh, she applied the strength to the hand placed on the handle and pushed it. ¡°Your Majesty, I-I¡¯m coming in¡­¡­¡­¡± She opened the door quietly. The door opened with a squeak. The lights were on when she came in. It was a living room with sofa and table. The living room itself was bigger than her abode, so her eyes were opened slightly in surprise. Where is His Majesty¡­? While peeping around, she saw a room connected to the living room. It was when she spotted an edge of a bed and stuck out her head slightly to see if someone was there. Whip, I hugged my neck in my protruding arm. Suddenly, she was hugged in the neck by a pair of arms that stuck out of nowhere. Huck! She was caught off guard and had to take a deep breath. She thought he was the Emperor because it was the Emperor¡¯s room, but his firm back and familiar voices were indicating that he was not the Emperor. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± She was so surprised that she froze in her spot. Why is he here? He grabbed the man¡¯s arm that was wrapped around her neck and couldn¡¯t even speak as she was frozen in her spot. When she was unable to breathe and gave a proper response because she was so surprised, the man spoke in a slightly trembling voice and hugged her even more tightly. ¡°I really missed you.¡± He knew she couldn¡¯t say anything when she was surprised. More like her mouth was gagged because there were so many things that she wanted to say. She wanted to turn her head a little bit to see him, but this time she suppressed the desire to do so. He hugged her from behind and tightened his arms around her neck as if he intended not to let her go. ¡°Stay like this for a little longer¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t even ask him to release his arms because his voice sounded desperate. Being held in his arms made her feel like they were in the library. ¡®I missed you too. I want to say that I missed you.¡¯ She wanted to say that¡­ but she couldn¡¯t just say it so hastily. If he appeared to be here, did it mean his curse had been lifted? Did he finally manage to get out of the library? Then, was the man that she saw back in the hunting ground really him? ¡­what if he¡¯s still mad at me? Her worries were growing bigger and made her uneasy. She bit her lower lip and repressed her anxiety. I shouldn¡¯t cry. If his curse had been lifted, it was supposed to be something that should have been celebrated. It wasn¡¯t something to cry about. While trying hard to hold back his tears, the man slowly turned her around. ¡°I missed you.¡± The red eyes of the man was curved upward and turned into a half-moon shape. Has this guy ever smiled like this? It was full of affection, delight, and joy. There was no hate and anger no matter how hard she was looking for it. Then what about at the hunting ground¡­? Did I really dream such a dream? The strange thing was that the man smiled for a moment before pulling her hand gently and settled in his arms. She buried her face in his arms and spoke out unconsciously. ¡°Me too. I missed you so much.¡± She felt bad that her voice was shaking while talking. The man¡¯s body stiffened at her voice. His breathing came to a halt and he stayed still, as if time had stopped at that exact moment. ¡°I missed you so much that I had gone crazy.¡± She unraveled her true feelings without knowing how to suppress them all. She leaned her forehead on the man¡¯s chest while grasping his collar with both of her hands. He wasn¡¯t the only one who didn¡¯t want to fall. *** -She will be shocked. Probably. ¡®Indeed, I was so surprised.¡¯ Helen, who thought about the words of the calm Emperor and the gray-haired knight, flickered her eyes and stared at the man who was holding her. She still remained in his arms. ¡®Ten minutes? Or, has it been longer than that?¡¯ The man had a pleasant smell and his clothes were smooth, so she wanted to rub her cheeks against it for no particular reason. He hugged Helen and caressed her head. She liked that affectionate touch and wanted to whine even more for no particular reason. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would accept it (the Emperor¡¯s order). I was going to turn it down but you accepted it¡­.¡± Accepted it? The man seemed to already know about the Emperor¡¯s plan. ¡®Does he think I¡¯m going to refuse?¡¯ A faint concern passed through his face when she looked up at him. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t intend to refuse.¡± ¡®How can I refuse you?¡¯ She thought that he was mad at her, so when she was ready to cry, the man poked my cheek with his finger. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Just like the day when she cried, the voice of the kind man led her to burst into tears. ¡°How am I supposed to accept this?¡± Sitting on a huge sofa in the bright room, the man snickered and spoke in a jovial manner. Helen reddened because she was embarrassed at herself for crying. ¡®That was too much¡­ It has been a while before I knew it.¡¯ When she turned her head slightly out of embarrassment because of her swollen eyes from crying, the man pulled her chin with his finger and turned her head. She could have resisted his touch because it wasn¡¯t strong, but she didn¡¯t want to. The warmth of the man that touched her chin was pleasant, and perhaps since it has been a while, the warm atmosphere tickled her heart. When her gaze met the man, she couldn¡¯t bear the ticklish feeling at her toes. ¡®Looking at me so sweetly like that¡­.¡¯ The man¡¯s eyes were as sweet as honey. The honey was dripping down as he looked at her like a precious jewel and she couldn¡¯t help but let her heart get tickled by that. ¡°Please don¡¯t tease me¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t raise her head out of embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t believe that she burst into a flood of tears after saying that she missed a grown-up man. She didn¡¯t even think about relieving the redness on her cheeks. In the midst of that, his gaze didn¡¯t even budge at all, giving no time for her to relieve her red cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. Aren¡¯t you going to show us your face to me? You said you missed me.¡± The man never intended to stop teasing her. When she lowered her head because he said that she missed him, her face turned red again as if it was going to burst, the man cackled and laughed again. It was nice to hear his refreshing laughter. *** [t/n: guys we finally got to see some sweet moments here!!] Chapter 36 She had never seen a man in a bright place except now. She saw him like an illusion in the forest, his face was dark and extremely cold because it was engulfed by the shade of trees. ¡®It will only remain as a dream. There¡¯s no way he is going to treat me like that.¡¯ Helen glanced at his face while thinking so. He looked like an aggressively handsome man due to the corner of his mouth that raised beautifully, his eyes which were bent upward, his wide shoulders as well as his solid body. He deserved to be called that because he put a blade on her neck on their first meeting. When she looked up slightly, she met his gaze. Then the man bent his eyes upward and gave a pleasant smile. Badump badump. She took a deep breath when her heart rate increased rapidly. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me¡­?¡¯ She felt as if her eyes were rolling around in embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t look at his eyes, making it difficult to interact with him like they usually did. She wanted to say a lot of things¡­! ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to look at me?¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡± When he asked that, his voice was full of mischief. She wanted to ask why he smelled similar to the Emperor, they have similar writing styles, even the tone of their voice were so similar. How he got rid of the curse, why he was in the Emperor¡¯s room if the curse had been removed, and moreover, why the Emperor called him to this place rather than interrogating him. And, was it him whom she ran into on the day when she was in the forest? She wanted to ask him about many things but first, she needed time to catch her shallow breath. In the place where she could escape from his gaze and wouldn¡¯t fall for his gaze at the same time. ¡°Just stay like this for a little more.¡± Helen buried herself into the man¡¯s arms and wrapped her hand around his waist to hug him tightly. His body was stiffened at the firm hands, as if it was begging him to not run away from her. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Helen smiled and laughed slightly upon hearing the stunned voice of the man that she had never heard before. ¡°You were clinging to me as much as you wanted back at the library. So I also wanted us to stay like this for a little more.¡± At Helen¡¯s remark, he remained still in his awkward position. He wondered how many minutes have passed ever since his hand lingered in the air, contemplating whether to wrap it around her shoulders or not? Feeling his outstretched hand, Helen ended up bursting into laughter. ¡®I¡¯m enjoying this because he kept on teasing me.¡¯ It was hard to believe that she could really understand the man¡¯s feelings to this extent. Even though he was annoying, she¡¯s still able to understand him. Because she wanted to tease him so much right now. Helen smiled brightly and hugged his waist tightly. ¡®I missed you so much.¡¯ She swallowed back the embarrassing words that she couldn¡¯t say to him and chuckled. The look on his face was beyond words because Helen snuggled into his arms. She was embarrassed and happy at the same time. He stood still as various emotions inside him mingled together, bracing himself by giving strength to his body which remained in an awkward posture. Besides, the lower half of his body that pressed against her felt particularly uncomfortable. What¡¯s wrong with me¡­? He wanted to get away from Helen for a bit because it was his first time feeling uncomfortable with her. ¡°It¡¯s a bit embarrassing¡­.¡± He muttered quietly, palming his disheveled hair because she just rubbed her face against his chest. Helen was so happy that she couldn¡¯t hear the man mumbling to himself about her touch. *** It was when he stayed in the library alone. To be precise, it was one week since he didn¡¯t meet Edith anymore. ¡°Edith¡­. Edith¡­.¡± When the man was on his own, he muttered her name for a long time. As if he never wanted to forget it, that blind murmur was like the only thing he wanted to remember. ¡®I was left alone in this library again.¡¯ The library was terribly cold after the warmth exuded from her disappeared. Because his body wasn¡¯t the one that felt the coldness, but she made him recognize the definition of warmth and coldness. From that day, the woman hasn¡¯t sent any light signals again. Did she abandon me¡­? Or was she in a situation where she couldn¡¯t even send any light signals? Anxiousness and worries surged up inside him at the same time. ¡°I miss you.¡± He knew it was greed, but he shamelessly wanted to hold onto her. Upon seeing the Emperor¡¯s letter, he missed her even more. He was excited at the faint hope that he might have a chance to see her again, however his hope was soon blown out due to the thought that there was no way she would agree to it. His heart was beyond excited only to be completely dejected afterwards, and he waited for another hope to grow again. He sat down on the sofa and mumbled with an exhausted face. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t want to only look fine. He has to be alright. He didn¡¯t want to be hated by forcing her to agree on anything. What if the Emperor forced her to come? No, I¡¯m not that important anyway. ¡°But I still want to see her¡­.¡± The man got up from his seat and walked toward the window. Perhaps she might have sent the light signal which he hadn¡¯t seen for a while. And letting him know that he wasn¡¯t the only one who wanted to see her again. While waiting for the light signal that didn¡¯t even come that night, the man remained there until he collapsed. *** It surely would have been supposed to be like that, but now she was in his arms again. She was crying while hugging him tightly, saying that she missed him and hugged her more tightly without even thinking about letting go of him. Rather than wanting to think about how his body felt sort of uncomfortable, he wanted to hold the woman tightly, chew on her and swallow her whole because he was glad that she felt the same way as him. How beautiful. Her existence itself was the light to him. He wondered if the woman would know that. When he touched her soft hair gently and played with it, she raised her head slightly and tried to read his expression. He didn¡¯t mind whatever she did to him, whether she hugged him too tightly or not because he was happy to hear the voice that occasionally asked him if he was uncomfortable or not by what she did in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°You always say you are alright.¡± She protested while muttering a complaint. He¡¯s really alright. If she found out about his thoughts back when he was in the library, would she run away in fright? Inside the dark library, he actually wanted to hold her, locked her up, and didn¡¯t let her go. He wanted her to stay in the library for the rest of her life with him, even if he had to cry and beg her for it. He thought about doing all kinds of ways, even if it was childish. He felt like it was fine if she got angry or even hit him because he wanted to beg her to just stay by his side. The woman in his imagination was kind, but soft-hearted, and had an unexpectedly decisive side too. She was really soft-hearted, so he thought by doing so, she would come again to meet him even if it was just out of pity. If she ever found out about his murky and dark thoughts, she would have freaked out and ran away in terror. ¡®So things like this are really nice.¡¯ When she sat while leaning into him, as if he was the back of a sofa, and checked on him every five minutes to make sure he was alright. He could feel her warmth in the place where she touched him. Let¡¯s try to pull her arms furtively and put it around his neck, and she didn¡¯t show any signs of refusal when he pulled her even closer. ¡°It¡¯s really nice.¡± No matter what you did to me. The thought about Helen leaving him made the man¡¯s chest ache, as if he just swallowed a rock. He secretly tightened his hug so he was hugging Helen more tightly than before. ¡®Then, I will hide my thoughts for a little longer. So that you won¡¯t leave me.¡¯ *** Helen, who didn¡¯t say anything, gradually felt weird to be affectionate with the man in the Emperor¡¯s room. Where was the Emperor and why couldn¡¯t she find him anywhere? She was suspicious that he called her while there was a man in his room in the first place. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s supporting an affair to happen. Although being a concubine was just a title, Helen and the Emperor were definitely a married couple which was validated by the temple. As the longing feelings of wanting to see the man subsided calmly, questions began to take over her. ¡°Where is the Emperor?¡± ¡°Emperor? Why are you suddenly looking for the Emperor?¡± There was a slight vigilance in his voice. ¡°This is the Emperor¡¯s chamber. The Emperor is the one who called both of us here.¡± ¡°This room?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man seemed to have no idea about it. Wait¡­ Did that mean he didn¡¯t come here on his own? ¡°Hasn¡¯t your curse been removed?¡± When Helen was taken aback and asked, the man turned away, avoiding her so he didn¡¯t feel the need to answer her. Seeing him avoiding her and not giving any answer, she had a hunch that the curse had not yet been removed and was depressed about it. He was here not because the curse has been removed. Only the place where he was confined has changed, from the library to the Emperor¡¯s chamber. ¡°¡­Oh my¡­.¡± Helen, who noticed, muttered and made the man grumble. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? You wanted to escape from the library and regain your memory! Then, why¡­!¡± -did you come here? When Helen looked at the man while anger was slightly shown on her face, she saw his eyes were filled with concern. ¡°Perhaps, is it because of me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Silence that came from him was like an unspoken affirmation. Such a stupid man! Does this mean he is planning to watch him after moving him to a different place? Moving from the library to the Imperial Palace was not a problem. However, she was annoyed by the fact that the Emperor didn¡¯t seem to have taken him here nicely. ¡°Did he mention any other condition? Did he say that he would let you see me?¡± ¡®He¡¯ was the Emperor. The Emperor who caused all kinds of trouble! Moreover, the Emperor tried hard to hide him in a bizarre way so there was no way he would have listened to him. However, the man shut his mouth and did not intend to give any answer. Why the h*ll¡­. ¡°He didn¡¯t say if there were any conditions?¡± When she asked anxiously while having a faint hope of it, his eyelashes were trembling slightly. ¡°Hurry up and talk.¡± When she held onto the man¡¯s arms, he released a sigh and eventually opened his mouth to talk. ¡°He told me to give up on regaining my memories and don¡¯t even think about leaving this room.¡± ¡°¡­ My goodness!¡± It meant that he must give up on what he was planning to do. ¡°But why did he say he¡¯d come? Why!¡± Helen was terribly mad at the Emperor. She had never felt so upset since she was born. Back when she met the man for the first time in the library, he acted like a huge and wild animal, but he turned out to have been hurt a lot and in danger. He was the type of person who terribly craved affection from others and desperately clinging onto her from the first time they met each other, he even used a light signal to relieve the worries he felt for her. The Emperor turned him to be like who he was now. But he broke the last hope of the man just like that¡­! What a horrid person he was. ¡°¡­Because you are here. You¡¯re here now. I can see you again.¡± Is he aware of the words that escaped his mouth now? I¡¯m the one who gave up my life and barely chose. He gave up his life and finally chose her. ¡°I missed you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Helen felt bad for him until the tears flowed from her eyes. She couldn¡¯t hold back her tears because she felt so bad for him who just became a rotten rope after giving up on his life and chose her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Helen muttered her apology to him after a while. The answer she got from him was only ¡®It¡¯s alright.¡¯ *** ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± The man gently swept under her eyes with his thumb. Tears formed under her eyes ran down his fingers and disappeared. ¡°How can you expect me not to cry¡­ I feel so bad for you.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯m sorry for making you feel like that.¡± His face was teary. Why did he apologize to her? He is like a mystery to her. When she saw him in the library, he looked like a wild animal. Under the bright light in this room, he really looked like a human, no matter how he thought that he wasn¡¯t one. Chapter 37 ¡°Are you done crying?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± She was crying and ran out of breath, but that was it. She couldn¡¯t cry anymore. When she wiped off her eyes with the back of her hand, he held her hand and prevented her from doing so. She couldn¡¯t believe he touched her so casually like that. As soon as she thought they were completely open to each other, she heard a small laugh next to her. He had a faint smile on his face, whether he was unaware of the situation or was not entirely in his right mind. ¡°Why are you laughing happily like that?¡± When she asked with a glance, the man smiled and raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re angry at me now. I guess you¡¯re getting more comfortable with me now.¡± ¡°¡­ Weren¡¯t we close with each other?¡± She was a little taken aback by his words and answered with that. She thought they were in a state where they had gotten more than just comfortable with each other. Even though his face was close enough to reach her, no one was taking the initiative to withdraw. They were holding hands and their shoulders were brushing against each other. ¡°Right.¡± The man nodded in affirmation. Seeing that, Hazel felt relieved on her own and heaved a sigh of relief. Though, she felt guilty to be sorry for him. The man added that he was okay because he chose her on his own accord, but he was sure that he would have made a different choice if she had not entered the library and he wouldn¡¯t have seen her as well. She just realized why the Emperor summoned her here. In a word, I was the bait to catch him. In short, she was bait to catch him. She wondered why he locked up the man in this room. ¡°The sun is rising.¡± His murmur made her jump up from her position quickly. When she looked at the window, the sun was really rising. As the world started to brighten slightly, they thought about the same thing simultaneously. It was time to bid farewell to each other. Leaving behind the feeling of disappointment, they made a brief eye contact. In the end, Helen was the one who got up first. ¡°Then, see you tomorrow night.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± His voice was filled with sorrow. Helen put back the robe on her body and opened the door. The man, who she thought would cling onto her, followed her suit and didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°There is something I want to ask you¡­.¡± Helen, who almost walked out of the room, suddenly turned around. She didn¡¯t want to leave with the unanswered question lingering uncomfortably in her mind. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°In the forest¡­ So¡­.¡± Helen was unconsciously hesitant to ask him. ¡®Did you happen to meet me in the forest?¡¯ The reason why it was so hard for her to ask this was¡­ because the behavior of the man she saw back in the forest was strange, as if he was a different person. Eventually, a different question came out of Helen¡¯s mouth instead. ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± ¡°No.¡± The man¡¯s answer came out fast. Moreover, it sounded certain. ¡°Why are you so fast to answer it?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not angry.¡± The man seemed to be curious and wondered why she thought that way. So, is the encounter in the forest really just my imagination? But then, it was difficult to imagine that he treated her that way. It¡¯s nice to see you. It¡¯s a man who even shakes his tail in the fantasy. He was the man who would wag his tail in joy in her imagination when seeing her. ¡°Don¡¯t think like that. I¡¯ve never been angry at you.¡± The man carefully raised his hand and caressed Helen¡¯s face. The man had a hunch. That he has to make it through the day with this one last touch. That might be the reason he touched Helen¡¯s face with a more earnest touch. ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything and return safely. When you have time on your way back, wave your hand at the window, I¡¯ll be there.¡± The man, who had been holding her as if he wasn¡¯t going to let her go, took off his hand first. Helen let out words of protest after contemplating for a bit due to the guilty feeling she felt inside. ¡°You didn¡¯t see me.¡± She waved a few times ever since she met him in the library. But she has never seen him. He spoke as if he was ashamed. ¡°¡­Right. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The man blushed slightly for some reason when he answered her. It was her first time seeing him again since he had been out of her sight for a while, and now it was too late to postpone her departure even for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll go now.¡± Helen put on the robe again and left the room. The sound of footsteps running through the hallway echoed, and the man put his forehead on the door to concentrate on the sound. Step, step, step. Listening to the sound of the small footsteps running away, the man kept back his sorrow. Meanwhile, Helen held the robe tightly with her hands, keeping the hood on her head. She pressed her cheeks, which were burning pleasantly with the back of her hand. ¡°Why are you acting so sweetly like this¡­.¡± He really didn¡¯t know the boundary. There was a boundary for acting sweet too¡­! Helen stopped running and turned around, looking at the empty hallway where there was no one and waved her hand. ¡°See you.¡± She didn¡¯t see him again this time, but today she believed that he was listening to her. *** It became a milieu where she was able to meet him comfortably during the night. Although it felt awkward to come all the way here while being in the arms of a stranger. [t/n: she most likely refers to the knight who help her cross the wall.] Nonetheless, she was lucky to be able to avoid people¡¯s watch. She also already learned about the name of the knight. His name was ¡®Van¡¯. He didn¡¯t say anything about what the Emperor did. Other than telling her that she shouldn¡¯t leave this room for sure. ¡°Are you really fine with this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± While sitting on the sofa like usual, the man asked Helen while twisting her hair in his finger. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°You are alone in a room with a stranger.¡± At that moment, he grinned when Hazel stiffened. It was a captivating smile which was enough to hypnotize others, but Helen was taken aback for a different reason. ¡°How can I consider you as a stranger?¡± The man was speechless for a moment. Did she have no idea what he was trying to say? He knew that the woman was slow-witted, but he had a strong hunch that he would have to try hard to make her realize it. ¡°¡­You have a knack for making people speechless.¡± Helen tilted her head because she didn¡¯t understand what he said. Then he let out a brief sigh. ¡°What if it¡¯s not in the library? You said you liked books.¡± Oh, that¡¯s what he was trying to say. So the point wasn¡¯t about a stranger, but the room. Helen thought about that while shaking her head from side to side. ¡°I¡¯m fine with this place, too. If it¡¯s books, there are ones over there as well ¡­.¡± And because you are here, too. Moreover, it was bright here so the assassins wouldn¡¯t be able to come. She didn¡¯t have the courage to spit out the last word, so she tried hard to suppress it and kept it back only to herself. When her soft cheeks turned red at the thought known only by her, he poked at her cheek with his finger. ¡°What are you thinking that makes your cheeks turn red like that?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ Book? You¡¯re thinking about books, right?¡± She was appalled and shouted at him when he was going to set fire in the library. He remembered a memory of a quiet, fragile, vulnerable and sickly woman who was suddenly appalled and shouted at him. She really liked books. She couldn¡¯t even read the books inside the library because she had to help him. Due to that, he felt kind of guilty for her having to go against her own wishes. ¡°I liked books but¡­.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I also like other things now.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Helen¡¯s eyes shook at the man¡¯s question. During the brief moment, the spring breeze blew gently through his heart. ¡°You¡¯re not talking about me, are you?¡± She turned her head away because she didn¡¯t know how to respond to the man who had a bright smile on his face while asking so. ¡°S-Shall we talk about something else instead?¡± ¡°Talking about what?¡± Why did he keep moving closer to her? The man smirked while effortlessly leaned closer to her. Now there wasn¡¯t even a small gap between them. The man stared at her and urged her for an answer. ¡°Hm? About what?¡± As he pushed her as if trying to make her speak, Helen felt like her sight was spinning. Why is this guy acting so sly like this¡­! It wasn¡¯t really difficult to deal with him when he lost his temper, or clinging childishly to her. Instead, the sight of his smiling face while asking her if she liked him made her speechless and her face heated up. ¡°I like you too.¡± ¡°!¡± Helen opened her eyes wide in surprise at the sudden confession. Then the man smiled, lightly gathered Helen¡¯s hands, clenched them, and kissed her on the back of her hand. Then, he smiled and gathered both of Helen¡¯s hands together with his hands before pressing his lips on the back of her hand. ¡°I like you.¡± It was a young love confession. Helen¡¯s face heated up helplessly. She never told him about her feelings, but he acted as if he had received the answer to his confession. ¡°I really like you.¡± The man kissed the back of her hand once again. And repeatedly. Helen was completely swayed because he seemed so sincere while saying that. A handsome and gorgeous man pressed his lips on the back of her hand while confessing to her. It felt like something that would only appear in the fairy tales. Their eyes collided with each other when he raised his head slightly. It seemed like his eyes were naturally asking, ¡®We share the same feeling, right?¡¯. ¡°¡­.¡± Helen couldn¡¯t answer it. It was because she felt guilty. However, the least of her conscience was telling her that she couldn¡¯t nod here. Because she was married. She never saw her husband¡¯s face, but she was obviously a married woman. She didn¡¯t quite remember, but he might not be married¡­. The problem would have been bigger if he was married. In Helen¡¯s head, the image of the Emperor was becoming a scum that went beyond the worst and couldn¡¯t be discarded. She was a scum, too. She seemed to have become a louse who hit on a clueless man. It was when he touched and kissed each one of her fingers. ¡°Let¡¯s choose your name!¡± Helen pretended not to know and pulled away her hand. ¡°¡­.¡± The man¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. His feelings were hurt when she took away his hand, but he didn¡¯t have the heart to ask. He knew what made Helen unable to accept him. Besides, he too. He didn¡¯t intend to hold her back because he still couldn¡¯t escape this room. Yet. ¡°Name?¡± He replied apathetically. ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary, I would prefer you to approach and poked me with your finger because I don¡¯t have a name for you to address me, but I would like it if you give one.¡± Helen¡¯s cheeks turned bright red at his words. She didn¡¯t know how to relieve the heat on her cheeks due to the man who said that he would like whatever name she would give him. ¡°What does your name mean?¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± At that moment, Helen¡¯s expression darkened. Helen, according to the language of her homeland, meant ¡®fallen star¡¯. It didn¡¯t have a good meaning. Even worse because it was the name given to the Emperor¡¯s daughter. The star that was supposed to be high in the sky, but fell to the ground instead. ¡°Edith means the one and only sun.¡± ¡°That sounds grand.¡± Helen didn¡¯t sound pleased when talking about her name. He noticed it sooner and held Helen¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t really like your name.¡± ¡°No way. The meaning behind it is great.¡± It was her sister¡¯s name. The one and only sun. Anyone could tell that she was born as a blessing from the moment she came out to the world. To her father, and mother. Edith was showered with gratuitous affection. Even now, she was filling the position of her sister in this palace. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t even receive any affection in return. ¡°It seems like your name represents your homeland, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Right. My father named me that way.¡± ¡°Then you should choose a name for me.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea about names, so how can I choose one for you?¡± Ah. Helen added while considering carefully, trying to think of any ideas. The name that suited him. ¡°Then¡­.¡± His real name would be different, so she decided to choose a nickname for him to be used for the time being until she found the suitable one. He seemed naive with a tall and huge body, and at the same time he also seemed good at using swords. His hand was rough and filled with calluses every time she touched it. He had firm muscles that she once saw when he took off his shirt last time. He must have trained consistently. Moreover, his appearance, seen under the bright chandelier, was extraordinary. He had thick eyebrows and sharp yet big eyes that made him seem like a warmonger, and she never saw a man with a more prominent nose than him in the capital. Moreover¡­ even his skin was pale. Helen, who had been staring at him for quite a while, suddenly came up with one name. ¡°Mars¡­ How about Mars?¡± Chapter 38 *** Mars, it was a name that belonged to God of War. She thought it was too much, but at the same time, how many people know about the God of War in Cordelia¡¯s mythology? Helen looked at the man while fiddling with her fingers, wondering what if he didn¡¯t like the name she chose for him. ¡°Mar¡­ Nice. It sounds good.¡± Only then was Helen relieved at the faint smile of satisfaction across his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that, Mar.¡± A smile spread across Mar¡¯s face when she shyly called him with the name she chose for him. His smile was so adorable that Helen even had her mouth opened because she was taken aback for a moment. ¡®Cute¡­.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe such a big-built guy could look cute. While Helen was taken aback on her own, he was very satisfied after hearing Helen¡¯s voice that called out his name, his heart felt warm. ¡°Call me one more time.¡± ¡°Mar.¡± ¡°One more time.¡± ¡°¡­Mar.¡± ¡°One more time.¡± ¡°Until when do you want me to do this?¡± ¡°Because I really like that name.¡± Helen gave him a sideways glare when he asked her to keep calling him Mar. She didn¡¯t even know what he was thinking and contemplating about the idea of strangling him. ¡°Mar, please stop.¡± As she said that with a sulky smile, Mar hugged Helen who sat on his lap with a delightful grin. Helen screamed in surprise, but soon covered her mouth. They shouldn¡¯t get caught because this was the Emperor¡¯s room. When Helen looked at Mar and gave him a look as if begging him to stop, Mar tilted his head. ¡°We have done more than this.¡± ¡°¡­What, what have we ever done!!¡± Helen¡¯s face turned red as if it would explode at his words which were full of misunderstandings. *** Helen woke up from her nap and ate her meal later than usual. Ellie, who saw Helen¡¯s bright face which was filled with laughter after a while, spoke with a smile. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve been feeling great lately.¡± Helen touched her cheek with both hands, wondering if it was really apparent. ¡°You read books that you haven¡¯t read before.¡± Helen covered the book that was opened on the desk when her maid tried to sneak a glance at it. ¡°You can read it! I told you to not mind about me.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m more relaxed now.¡± Helen murmured an answer, and a glint of mischief flashed momentarily across Ellie¡¯s eyes. ¡°Relaxed about what? Having a secret relaxed time with His Majesty?¡± ¡°Ellie!¡± Helen suddenly exclaimed in embarrassment and looked bewildered. Helen screamed and scolded Ellie, the fact that she seemed more surprised than Ellie made her maid¡¯s eyes roll. Then, when she tried to read Ellie¡¯s countenance, her maid shrugged her shoulders. It seemed that she didn¡¯t really mind getting scolded. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you wouldn¡¯t talk to me. Are you afraid that I will make fun out of it and couldn¡¯t keep it to myself?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, but¡­.¡± She said no, but she was right to think that she couldn¡¯t keep on hiding everything from Ellie. Helen still remembered the Emperor¡¯s words that ordered her to keep it a secret. Even his cold voice was laced with sternness. She wanted to make sure that Ellie would never be injured, but Ellie said it in a joking manner excitedly without knowing what she felt. ¡°It was His Majesty¡¯s order! Right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I can¡¯t tell her. Ellie let out a brief sigh when shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t ask any more questions. So please don¡¯t make that face.¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡­Thank you for understanding me.¡± She must have a lot of questions. Because she was also curious why the Emperor did this. She felt guilty for not being able to answer. Helen was originally a soft-hearted person, but the fact that she must not felt that way to Ellie bothered her a lot. That moment, he opened the basket Ellie had brought earlier, and then took out a book. As soon as Helen saw the new book, all of her attention was poured into it. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A present.¡± ¡°Present?¡± A present, all of a sudden? When her wide open eyes were directed at the unexpected present, Ellie pulled the book toward Helen with a smile. The book in her arms was titled ¡®The Teacher and Student¡¯ which was covered with leather and tied with strings. ¡°It¡¯s a short story. Your Highness said that you love books very much. It¡¯s very difficult to get them.¡± Leather books were more expensive than other books. Helen¡¯s eyes were tinged with red upon hearing that her maid bought her a gift, although it meant that she would receive less salary than the other maids who were working in other palaces. ¡°It¡¯s not even my birthday so what¡¯s with the sudden present¡­.¡± Ellie tilted her head as if thinking about Helen¡¯s words. ¡°Your birthday is near.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I know that Your Highness Edith¡¯s birthday is coming up soon. Or did I get it wrong?¡± ¡°!¡± She also made a mistake because she was negligent again. When would she get used to being her older sister, Edith, and not Helen? Helen spoke with a smile, hiding the awkwardness that she felt deep down as best as she could. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re right. I remembered it wrong.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ellie responded brightly while clapping her hands together. She couldn¡¯t believe it was enough to make a fool of Ellie, who was closest to her. Her deceiving skill must have improved for quite a bit. ¡°Think of it as a birthday present and take it comfortably. Please consider it as a birthday present from me and accept it.¡± ¡°Sure, thank you.¡± She has never really taken care of herself. Her tearful eyes nearly turned red mixed with regret and embarrassment. She stopped Ellie from opening the book when she couldn¡¯t endure the atmosphere and turned her head to the window. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to read it?¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m going to read it later.¡± ¡°Indeed. You better read it at night.¡± Helen tilted her head when Ellie whispered softly in her ears. ¡°At night?¡± Was it a good book to read at night? Did she mean that kind of book existed? She had read quite a number of books, but nothing has made her find enlightenment or more interesting, especially when she read them at night. She has always liked books. ¡°Everything that you gain from it will be very helpful and useful for you.¡± But she seemed so certain that Helen just nodded quietly in response. For Helen, Ellie was someone who she trusted even if she said that red beans would come if she sowed beans. ¡°I will take my leave now.¡± Ellie left the room with a smile. His waving hands were sly. Despite her appearance, which was full of mischief, Helen still didn¡¯t get what she was trying to say. ¡°What?¡± She was bewildered with her hand holding the book Ellie gave her. *** It was late in the evening on that day. She grabbed the book that would become the source of the problem a little early because she wouldn¡¯t have time to read it at night. Helen settled herself by leaning against the head of the bed and brought the book Ellie gave her before to her lap. [The Teacher and Student.] From the title, it seemed that the book was about teaching. Helen flipped through the pages in the book. She was skimming through it quickly and took a brief look at them. She picked up the page in the middle and opened it. The book told the story of Potra, the private tutor, who taught the adopted daughter of the duke. However, the way he taught his student was strange. ** ¡°Teacher, is this how you do it?¡± ¡°Yes. Like this.¡± Potra¡¯s hand felt like a huge snake that wrapped its body around the fence. The hand wrapped around her gradually went down. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°No. It feels good.¡± Hat¨¦¡¯s cheeks turned red. Her back trembled slightly the moment she let out her breath. ¡°Teacher¡­.¡± She was embarrassed for making any mistake under the watchful eyes of Teacher Potra. ¡°Shh. It¡¯s alright.¡± Mr. Potra smiled with his eyes curved upward. ** ¡°!¡± Helen hurriedly closed the book. She didn¡¯t know this book contained such shameful stuff! Helen tossed the book away in a haste, as if it was such a terrifying object and she needed to get away from it. Helen let out a loud scream, her wide-trembling eyes directed at the book. ¡°Ellie!¡± What the h*ll was in Ellie¡¯s mind when she gave her this book? She even woke up from her sleep which was filled with all sorts of questions. Moreover, she didn¡¯t even think her maid would come back without complete embarrassment. She blushed and thought about how to get rid of that book. *** The next day, Ellie entered the room excitedly, she even whistled. Looking at Helen¡¯s face was the first thing Ellie did after she came into the room. When she saw her disheveled face, Ellie was beaming in happiness. ¡°Did you read the book? You read it, right? How was it?¡± When Ellie spat out the deadly question, Helen glared at her with squinted eyes. ¡°You read it.¡± When Ellie giggled as if it was funny. Helen let out a deep sigh. She was really upset, but she couldn¡¯t express it with words when her maid looked genuinely happy. ¡°How was it? It was satisfying, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ellie!¡± Helen was blushing so much that she shouted her maid¡¯s name out of embarrassment. It seemed that they already agreed to not talking about anything that was related to it. Helen¡¯s eyes trembled as if they were struck by an earthquake, but Ellie didn¡¯t let it slide easily. ¡°Don¡¯t be so embarrassed. I read all of it, too.¡± Helen decided to just run away from Ellie. There was just a table one step away from the bed as the place she ran to inside the room which was as small as a bean. Ellie blabbered while following her around. ¡°Your Highness needs to know, too.¡± Ellie said teasingly. ¡°You probably will do it soon.¡± ¡°Ellie!¡± Helen turned around grimly while fanning her face with her hands that turned helplessly red. Then she saw Ellie¡¯s face, which she thought was just smiling brightly, looked different. ¡°I said, please don¡¯t be embarrassed. His Majesty even came to meet you, do you think I didn¡¯t know? Now, you must be prepared, Your Highness.¡± Ellie replied with a solemn expression. She didn¡¯t expect Ellie would think that way. Helen blamed herself for the most part because she didn¡¯t give her a proper explanation. ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t forget what I said before, right?¡± Recalling what she said to her maid in the carriage, Helen hinted that the Emperor and her weren¡¯t in any sort of relationship. ¡°You don¡¯t wish to be His Majesty¡¯s lover?¡± However, she didn¡¯t seem to gain any enlightenment by the look on her face. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a flummery. I meant it.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Ellie got lost in her thoughts for a moment while biting her lips. By the look on her face, Helen felt as if there were butterflies in her stomach without any reason when thinking about the kind of situation she was in. She didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood as his real lover. She never wanted to have that kind of relationship with the Emperor. ¡°Then you really don¡¯t have to¡­ hide from His Majesty out of embarrassment if that is the case.¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s not like that. I really meant it.¡± ¡°But that won¡¯t change my mind.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Helen was speechless. What, she still wouldn¡¯t change her mind? Did she mean Helen must be prepared to have children even if she didn¡¯t have any intention to be near him? Hazel frowned, she couldn¡¯t completely understand what Helen was trying to say. ¡°You do know what it means to be a concubine in the Imperial City of Idelberg, right?¡± Helen nodded weakly. Concubine, a war prisoner in disguise. It might be different in other countries, but in Idelberg, she was just a war prisoner. They weren¡¯t allowed to go out and meet their family even just once a year. The budget provided for them was very small as well, so it was hard to survive without getting supplies from their homeland. The nobles openly ignored the concubines, and no one expected the Emperor to take pity on some of them. Furthermore, they were even unconcerned when the Emperor neglected his concubines. This place was such a difficult environment to live as a concubine in various ways. Ellie, who was about to disclose the things she had been trying to hide, hesitated for a moment. ¡°Moreover, His Majesty¡­. Is, is¡­.¡± ¡°Gay?¡± ¡°H-How did you know?¡± Chapter 39 He nodded. The nod was more convincing than before. ¡°How can I not know when everyone is talking about that?¡± Not only her, but also those in the capital could have not known about it. She was just saving her breath because she might have lost her neck by tomorrow morning if she talked openly about it. Ellie whispered after peeking around carefully even though they were inside the room where no one was around except them. ¡°So that¡¯s why. Her Majesty can¡¯t bear an heir for the Empire.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Ellie¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Your Highness can¡¯t just live like this for the rest of your life. You can¡¯t even live like a common noble, let alone getting recognition from others. You should enjoy what you are supposed to have¡­.¡± No, she didn¡¯t have anything to enjoy in the first place. Helen secretly drew a faint smile on her face. She completely understood Ellie¡¯s remarks now. ¡°So you were worried about me.¡± Bringing up such a book to her, and even talking about this topic secretly. Helen stroked Ellie¡¯s hair slightly. ¡°I get what you were trying to say.¡± ¡°I really apologize if you consider it rude. I¡¯ll comply wholeheartedly if you decide to punish me.¡± ¡°No, Ellie.¡± She liked that her maid was worried about her, but she also hated it. Even if it was a good thing that she secretly planned all this out of concern for her master, but she hated the fact that she couldn¡¯t turn the situation to be better without having to bear the child of the Emperor. Furthermore, she was currently being threatened by his father with her life as a guarantee, let alone having the Emperor¡¯s child. In the midst of all this, how much better did she think this would be? Helen never thought of running away from this situation. Just like a bird that was born trapped in a cage and never knew about the world outside the cage. ¡®Still, it¡¯s a bit upsetting.¡¯ Helen didn¡¯t even think of raising the corner of her lips at all. *** It was late at night when Helen was walking through the familiar hallway to meet Mar. Mar was already behind the door when she knocked on it, opening it for her with a bright smile. Afterwards, they seemed to have a light conversation as she read a book. ¡°What¡¯s in your mind? You said we¡¯d read books as soon as you came, but now you don¡¯t ¡­.¡± As if he was basked in shame, Mar held his face in his hands. ¡°You only look at my face.¡± Mar eventually rested his chin on the desk and glanced sideways. While still wondering what she was thinking, he opened his drowsy eyes and looked at her over the book. Blink, blink. Helen felt extremely embarrassed by Mar¡¯s question. ¡®Did I stare at Mar a lot?¡¯ She thought he just looked beautiful. His long eyelashes would flutter every time he closed his eyes. I repeatedly showed. It seemed as if his eyes were filled with the glow of the setting sun that disappeared and appeared again each time he blinked. ¡°It¡¯s just, I think your eyes are beautiful.¡± Mar¡¯s face turned red when she calmly spoke out about the objective facts she felt. ¡°It¡¯s not just your eyes that turned red.¡± Helen spoke mischievously with a low chuckle. This kind of situation was unusual to her because she was the only one who always teased Mar. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make fun of you. I mean it when I said it¡¯s pretty.¡± Rather than saying it¡¯s pretty, isn¡¯t it handsome? Cool? Like a statue? He didn¡¯t look like a human being. He looked more like a God than a human being. ¡°I think I have a talent for choosing names.¡± Mar looked at her with a confused gaze. Mar, the God of War was said to appear as a very good-looking male, and it seemed like he resembled Mar perfectly. Helen began to read again with a smile full of satisfaction lingered on her lips. It was when one of the phrases in the book caught her eyes. -Teacher, is this how you do it? ¡®Of, of all things¡­¡¯ Helen couldn¡¯t stop her face from heating up. She just wanted to stop her pounding heart by clutching it with her hands. It was when her eyes happened to collide against Mar. When she lowered her head without saying anything and avoided his gaze, Mar took the book away. ¡°Why are you avoiding me?¡± There was irritation in Mar¡¯s voice when he said that. ¡°When, when did I say I avoided you¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re also avoiding me this time. I thought it was just me, but it wasn¡¯t. What¡¯s the matter?¡± The book which Ellie gave her made her face turn bright red! She couldn¡¯t forget the contents of the book. She was in a state of shock after skimming through one of the pages, but then she swallowed nervously before opening the first page. It was because she was really curious. How did the two end up in such a relationship, and why? Helen, who had never received sex education before, was drawn even more like a magnet. After seeing him, she started reading the book, and stayed up all night. And¡­ Tonight, it was her first time seeing Mar after reading the book. ¡®I think we are too close¡­!¡¯ It was even more difficult for her because Mar didn¡¯t have any sense of distance. When she imagined the content of the book, which was full of skin, Mar¡¯s face naturally came to her mind. Because the only face of the man she knew was Mar. She couldn¡¯t raise her face due to the feeling of shame for having imagined such a thing with an innocent person. ¡°¡­Really, what¡¯s the matter? Your face is red. Do you have a fever?¡± Mar approached her and put his hand on Helen¡¯s forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have a fever.¡± Then, he put his forehead against hers, as if he wasn¡¯t sure with his hands. ¡°M-Mar!¡± Helen felt like her sight was spinning. Mar was too close to her. She was so surprised that she shoved Mar on the shoulder. He didn¡¯t even budge even after being shoved away, instead it was Helen, who pushed him, wobbled in her chair with a bounce. How? Did I hit him too hard? At that moment, Helen¡¯s vision was abruptly turned upside down. ¡®I¡¯m falling!¡¯ Helen closed her eyes in surprise. She expected the pain, but she got none and only heard a loud sound of chair tumbling over. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She heard Mar¡¯s voice right in front of her. Helen opened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Why are you suddenly like this?¡± He was less than a span away from her, supporting her head gently with his hands and had a little frown on his face. It was thanks to Mar that she fell from the chair to the floor, yet didn¡¯t feel any pain. He was hugging her with both of his hands. ¡°¡­You, you¡¯re too close¡­.¡± Since her voice was too small when she muttered it, he couldn¡¯t hear her well. ¡°What did you say again?¡± Mar asked gently and put his ears close to her. Helen was dazed by the smell of Mar¡¯s body that she sensed momentarily. ¡°I said, y-you¡¯re too close.¡± It was only after Helen¡¯s exclamation that he realized his body was undoubtedly close to Helen. Mar¡¯s body also heated up at the belated realization. ¡°Oh.¡± Mar spat out a brief exclamation out of surprise. She was right in front of him. His favorite light ocean-blue eyes are swaying like waves. ¡®It would be great if this is because of me.¡¯ Mar took a hold of Helen¡¯s hands on both sides of her face. Her hands would begin to sweat somehow whenever she got nervous. The same thing happened in this atmosphere which made her feel embarrassed. Somehow, she stiffened while pinned down under Mar, but she didn¡¯t want to avoid his gaze. If she avoided this gaze, he might find out that she had feelings for him. Her heart has crossed the line from a long time ago. She eventually became aware of it the moment she saw him in the forest, despite doubting it when she couldn¡¯t meet him before that. ¡®I like Mar, too.¡¯ She liked the red eyes of Mar. Because it seemed that his eyes contained the exact opposite of his burning passion. She liked him, who was dynamic and brave, which was the opposite of her, who was always afraid and lacking. It felt like a long time had passed since the moment they maintained eye contacts. It felt pleasant just by looking at each other. The cold night wind seemed to be able to cool off the heat, but it just grew even more between both of them. ¡°If you don¡¯t want this¡­ Push me away.¡± Helen suddenly became nervous at Mar¡¯s low voice. He approached step by step. She didn¡¯t find his clumsy gesture to be totally ridiculous. She was so nervous that she thought her whole body would become shaky. The lips that eventually touched hers felt like burning. ¡°Hah¡­.¡± A faint exhale escaped from her lips. ¡°Umph¡­ Ma, Mar¡­!¡± She was acting awkward for a moment. But it grew to be passionate in no time, just like the color of his eyes. Mar was holding onto Helen as if he was about to devour her whole, and Helen, who was overwhelmed, accepted it. The two lost track of time in their first kiss. The two, who had been longing for each other for a long time, parted only after seeing the sunrise. *** She ended up having swollen lips. It was the traces of intense kiss they¡¯ve shared. She couldn¡¯t tell how embarrassed she was because Ellie kept looking at her lips. When she sneaked a sideways glance at Mar, her eyes collided against Mar, who was drawing a smile on his face. It was no wonder that he kept looking only at Helen. As soon as Mar smiled as soon as his eyes met, Helen put on a blank look on her face as if she was lost in his red eyes. Because Mar was so handsome. Helen¡¯s heart kept pounding loudly because the first man she was close with in her entire life was just too handsome. Even the chandelier on the ceiling would die when he smiled. ¡®What can I do¡­.¡¯ She was swept up in the moment when kissing him last night, but that was wrong. Because she was married and has a husband! Just because she didn¡¯t know her husband¡¯s face, still she couldn¡¯t use it as an excuse. ¡°Edith. Why are you not looking at me?¡± At that moment, Helen¡¯s eyes were shaking. The man, who was smiling, has never known her name until now. It was the same as her. She fell in love with a man she didn¡¯t even know anything about. Is that even possible? Helen¡¯s heart was heavy at the sudden uneasiness that surged through her. It was when he poked at Helen¡¯s cheek with his hand. Helen winced and stepped back in order to avoid his hand when he teased her like usual. His face stiffened at the action. ¡°¡­Ah¡­.¡± Helen was surprised by her own action and spat out a brief remark. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to make it so obvious¡­.¡¯ Not knowing the reason, Mar looked at Helen with a look that didn¡¯t seem too pleasant to the eyes. ¡°Talk to me. Do you have any problems?¡± Mar held Helen¡¯s hand with a serious look on his face. Mar¡¯s hand was holding her hands, which was shaking slightly. ¡°Mar¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You have to tell me. That way, I will know.¡± Mar, who had lost Helen once when he was still in the library back then, never wished to lose Helen ever again. If they were in a relationship due to the kiss that they shared last night, he would never have kissed her even if he wanted it so much. ¡°I¡¯m agitated.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so agitated because I don¡¯t know anything about you.¡± Helen let go of Mar, as if she felt guilty at him. Mar looked at his hand that hung down and bit on his lips hard. To Mar, Helen was just like a mother bird. From the moment he could remember, he was the first person to stay by his side. Just like a mother who perceived its first-born, that¡¯s how he saw Helen. He just wanted to keep her by his side and felt a strong desire to have her because he couldn¡¯t bear the thought of losing her. The only reason why he didn¡¯t do that was because he didn¡¯t want to be hated by Edith. If she already hated him¡­. ¡°But please don¡¯t hate me.¡± There was desperation in Mar¡¯s voice. Helen wrapped her arms around Mar¡¯s neck and caressed his back with an awkward gesture laced with guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What happened last night was a mistake.¡± ¡°Mistake¡­?¡± Chapter 40 Helen couldn¡¯t see Mar¡¯s face because she hugged him tightly. Mar¡¯s eyes began to sparkle with lunacy and intense obsession. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one to be blamed.¡± Mar could barely repress his feelings and wrapped his arms around Helen¡¯s waist, hugging her tightly. ¡°I understand¡­.¡± ¡°And it wasn¡¯t your mistake either.¡± Mar¡¯s voice was low, almost sounding like a growl. He was frustrated, but it seemed like he was doing his hardest to be patient. ¡®Right. If I had thought of it that way, it would have been silly.¡¯ She held onto him last night because she was enjoying it, but this time she was trying to justify it. But there was nothing she could do. The Emperor couldn¡¯t let it slide after he discovered the man was having an affair with one of his concubines. Or would he punish her for cheating and doing things she shouldn¡¯t? Either way, the outcome would have been disastrous. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We can¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Mar didn¡¯t seem to grasp the severity of the situation. That situation is happening now. She didn¡¯t expect lovers would be so attached to each other like this. Mar tightened her grip on her waist while she wrapped her arms around his neck. She let out a brief sigh as she fiddled with Mar¡¯s hair. Her heart was breaking as she secretly made her decision and softly twirled her hands around his hair. Should they just pretend to be clueless and continue to stay together like this? Mar didn¡¯t say anything in response to her innermost sentiments which had been carefully revealed. ¡°How can I lean into you, and make you regain your memory?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It would still be impossible even if I regained my memories back.¡± Mar¡¯s voice was quiet and frigid. She took a step back, trying to escape from his arms. It was her first time seeing the tough Mar, so she was taken aback, dropping her gaze and staring at the floor. ¡°We can¡¯t be lovers because of you. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Helen looked like she had been stabbed in the back and was bleeding profusely, but with that being said, she thought it would be better. ¡°T-That¡¯s the matter.¡± Helen stated while letting go of the man and withdrew herself from him. She was able to do so thanks to the man¡¯s loose arms that were loose which made it easy to be detached from her. ¡°From now on, let¡¯s not share any more contacts like this. Don¡¯t even try to hug me again. Let¡¯s just act like normal friends.¡± ¡°Normal friends?¡± Mar¡¯s voice was filled with irritation. His eyes, which have always been affectionate, were glaring at him with disapproval. She averted her sight because she was taken aback. ¡°Yes. I believe you¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t do all of this.¡± Actually, she did this for their own sake. If he regained his memory, he would leave her. That time, she¡¯d be able to get it off her chest by then, making it a little easier for him to leave her. ¡°After you regain your memory, it will be hard to manage.¡± He was going to find out who her husband was. They couldn¡¯t be the same as they used to be. Mar just hated and despised the Emperor. But then, so is she, the concubine of the Emperor. She¡¯s hiding it from him right now, but she will definitely get caught someday. Helen wished she had ended things sooner with him upon realizing this. Because she believed he would be freed from the Emperor¡¯s curse someday. ¡°It¡¯s a problem that I¡¯ll deal with later. What¡¯s the point of being concerned about that?¡± ¡°That¡­.¡± Because she couldn¡¯t just get it out of her head when it came to his problem. ¡®How can I say that I¡¯m also involved in the problem? After all, my husband is the Emperor himself¡­!¡¯ Helen didn¡¯t have the guts to talk, so she just moved her lips slowly and slightly. ¡°Edith, please.¡± Her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her throat when she saw Mar, who was distraught. She closed her mouth and stifled the feelings which she couldn¡¯t convey to him. She could feel a slight tremble in Mar¡¯s voice. Besides, she also nibbled on her bottom lips and avoided his gaze, which was unusual for her. She couldn¡¯t believe Mar was so disturbed. Without even realizing it. Mar and Helen had figured out each other¡¯s feelings. It was just too obvious, and no one was trying to hide it at the same time. They yearned for each other, but the situation was not in their favor. One was already married, meanwhile the other suffered from a memory less and didn¡¯t know whether he was married or not. As a result, they couldn¡¯t really embrace each other. Upon knowing the situation she was in, that Mar loved her. She just couldn¡¯t spit out any words recklessly. ¡°You must have had the same thought as me.¡± Mar¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion once he finished sorting his thoughts He couldn¡¯t escape Mar¡¯s hand, which was carefully trapping her as if she would fade away and vanish into the thin air. She couldn¡¯t contain everything she was feeling inside to herself and gazed down at the gentle touch of hand that barely touched her fingertips. Mar¡¯s large hands stayed there for a moment, gently stroking her fingertips and sharing the warmth with her. ¡°If I regain my memory, things will be very different than now.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Mar understood what she was trying to say to him. Helen just couldn¡¯t be happy. Did she expect Mar to despise and reject her when in reality he just continued clinging to her like this? Her heart ached like it had been pricked by a needle. She had a bright smile on her face and raised the corners of her mouth, pretending that nothing had happened. ¡®My lies have added up.¡¯ She laughed at herself for acting like she was whinging. Mar then grabbed her hand in a more daring manner. His finger, which touched her palm, softly stretched it, causing a tickling sensation rushing all the way from her hand. He pulled her hand firm enough as she tried to let go of his hand due to the strange sensation. He suddenly took another step forward, clinging to her. Mar opened his mouth as he looked at Helen. ¡°So things will change once I regain my memories back, not my feelings.¡± Mar smiled obliquely, one corner of his mouth lifted up. Helen was taken aback as the image of the Emperor with a somewhat cold smile flashed across her head. ¡®Why, why did I suddenly remember about him¡­?¡¯ Despite their similarities, both of them were two different people. Helen was extremely perplexed as her eyes collided with Mar¡¯s. ¡°It irritates me when you look so happy like that.¡± Mar seemed to be somehow in extreme distress. ¡°What if I said I¡¯d still like you even after I regained my memories back?¡± ¡°What ¡­ you like me¡­.¡± Helen shifted her gaze away from Mar as she pushed him, who tried to approach her. She didn¡¯t expect him to rush things like this. Mar¡¯s eyes were as red as a blazing sunset. Incredibly intense and hot. ¡°What are you going to do? Answer me.¡± Helen subconsciously stepped backward as he made another step forward. She was too far to hit her back against the wall, but she tripped over her skirt and nearly fell over when attempting to withdraw her steps. ¡°Huh?¡± Helen, who was apprehensive at the moment, reached out to Mar. She grabbed his shirt and clutched it tightly, and even though Mar was able to help her, he didn¡¯t catch her because he didn¡¯t like how she was trying to run away from him. As a result, they just fell to the ground together. Mar cupped Helen¡¯s head with his hand so that her head wouldn¡¯t get injured, but he couldn¡¯t stop her from falling on her back. ¡°Ouch¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your punishment for attempting to run away from me.¡± Helen narrowed her eyes and endured the pain, suddenly realizing that his voice was too close to her liking. When she opened her squinted eyes, she could see Mar¡¯s face, which was so close to her without having the time to run away. ¡°Is it that hard to answer about what you will do?¡± They both fell on the floor, and she had nowhere to run away because Mar was on top of her. Helen took a deep breath as soon as she realized what was going on. ¡®W-What should I do¡­!¡¯ Helen clutched her heart, which began to beat quickly while experiencing the funny feeling of butterflies in her stomach. ¡°If you regain your memories¡­. I¡¯m sure you will hate me.¡± ¡°There must be a reason. Right?¡± Helen¡¯s eyes were shaken with Mar¡¯s insistence. ¡®My husband is the Emperor. The one who you hate so terribly with all of your heart.¡¯ Helen swallowed back the words she couldn¡¯t say to him. Mar would¡¯ve hated her if she had spoken such things, yet she didn¡¯t have any courage to see Mar behaved like that toward her. Helen simply avoided Mar¡¯s gaze. ¡°What would you do if I still liked you even after I regained my memories?¡± ¡°¡­ That is not going to happen.¡± ¡°Answer me. Hm?¡± Helen was trapped in the man¡¯s arms so that she couldn¡¯t run away while he urged her for an answer. Helen was taken aback by his actions, but she was at a loss for words. She liked Mar just as much as Mar liked her, but she was married and it was impossible to have a divorce. No, theretofore, she wasn¡¯t even sure if she would still be alive until he could regain his memories. When Helen remained silent as if she had glued her mouth shut, Mar muttered with a small and dejected voice. ¡°It¡¯s because of your husband, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Looks like you love your husband.¡± It wasn¡¯t the case. There was no better reason to keep Mar away from her other than this. Helen was upset to herself, but she tried to hide it with a nod. ¡°Yes.¡± Mar looked shocked, as if what he had heard had come as a total surprise. It was because he definitely thought they were a married couple devoid of affection. Mar felt like he was burning inside when he regained his memories and proved himself to be a normal person, all the while helping Helen to stand back on her feet. It felt like a rock was hurting him, as if it was breaking his heart. ¡®I don¡¯t want to let you go. I want to hold onto you. You were supposed to be by my side¡­.¡¯ ¡°You promised to save me. So that I can get out of here¡­.¡± The words that came out of Mar¡¯s mouth took her by surprise. His heart was in a disaster of tangled obsession and desire, but even at this moment, he still thought about how to stop Hazel from leaving him rather than telling her about his genuine feelings. Helen couldn¡¯t even reach out indiscreetly to the man who looked sad. She was the one who originally suggested drawing the line between them, but if she crossed it so easily, it would confuse him even more. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get out of here. I promised you so.¡± ¡°Haah¡­.¡± The man felt as though his insides had been turned upside down. Helen captured his heart very effortlessly, and even as if she had been spoiled in his heart, she was cold toward him and would leave at any time. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far, for real.¡± His brief words were filled with a lot of emotion. He looked like he was distraught, desperate, and upset because it felt as though things were unfair for him. Would it end up like this if he hadn¡¯t tolerated the woman? They fell in love with each other too quickly. ¡°Sorry. I should have been more careful.¡± A married woman with a clueless man who lost his memories. It was obvious who should have been more careful here. Helen felt more guilty than ever because she believed it was her fault, despite the fact that the marriage didn¡¯t have any special meaning to her. Even after Helen muttered an apology, he still sat with his back turned toward her, something he had never done to her before. Helen felt like her throat had gone dry because it was her first time seeing him acting cold toward her. ¡°If my feelings don¡¯t change even after I regain my memories, you have to take responsibility for it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± That¡¯s so unreasonable. Helen tried to say so, but she was so terrified of the man¡¯s appearance as he turned his back at her and failed to answer quickly. ¡°All you have to do is comply.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take the responsibility.¡± Frankly speaking, she wouldn¡¯t have the chance to see him coming to her side after he regains his memories later on. He had to be a knight or nobleman in Idelberg, so he would have been able to figure out about her position and what it meant to be the Emperor¡¯s concubine. She wasn¡¯t sure how many times she¡¯d have to see the face of the man and showed a small amount of tenderness every time she came, but she assumed his feelings would diminish over time. ¡°I made a promise. Don¡¯t ever forget it.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± He turned his back nimbly only after she agreed to make a promise to him. I shed my eyes with sharp eyes. He looked angrily at her, his eyes were stern and sharp. ¡°How cruel.¡± Who¡¯s more cruel here? When he turned his back at her for a while, Helen felt like her blood was running cold. So this is how it feels to be ignored by someone I loved. She had a hard time thinking because both her blood and head had gone cold. She just wanted to apologize right away while clinging to him. But she wasn¡¯t ready to be dumped, so she decided to act like an unsympathetic crazy woman instead. ¡°Sorry¡­.¡± Helen tugged on the sleeve of the man¡¯s robe slightly. Mar covered his eyes with his hand and quickly turned away. I can¡¯t back down like this. ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, break up with your husband.¡± Chapter 41 Helen bit her lips in shame. Mar opened his cold stare when he noticed Helen averting her look, as if she was trying to avoid spitting out an answer. ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to say you¡¯re sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you so angry?¡± Did he expect her to reject his confession? However, there was nothing she could do. They would have had an affair if she had received his confession here. In other words, this room was the Emperor¡¯s, and in other words, her husband¡¯s room! How audacious. If the Emperor had known what had happened between them, he might have promptly ordered their execution. Helen caressed her cool neck, imagining it would be cut off in a snap. ¡°Do you think I would be happy when my last hope disappeared?¡± Helen exhaled briefly at Mar¡¯s voice as it remained cold. What the h*ll am I supposed to do with this? ¡°The reason why you feel like I mean so much to you is because you lost your memories. You said I was the first person you¡¯d ever met. Then you have to meet other people to figure it out.¡± Mar wanted to answer with something about how he met her, but he also knew Helen couldn¡¯t be persuaded with words alone. Words are trivial. He could only hold her by taking action. In particular, his current situation was not favorable. ¡®I¡¯m always waiting for you even before and after you come ¡­.¡¯ Even the moment before he fainted, he was worried whether Edith had come back safely, and he waited for Edith to return after he opened his eyes again. He thought about Edith every time he closed his eyes, and what was this if it wasn¡¯t love? He hated her for controlling her mind the way she wanted, but he just couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°You like me. Don¡¯t you?¡± His voice had a hopeful tone to it. Helen tried to avoid giving any answer, but when she was faced with his desperate gaze, her body froze as if she had been shackled and couldn¡¯t get away. ¡°Where are you going to escape after spending every night with me all this time?¡± Mar didn¡¯t seem to want an answer from her. He kept talking to himself, but he smiled in satisfaction while looking at Helen, who stood still in her spot like a stone. It was enough for him to not get flat rejection as an adequate answer in this very situation. Mar smiled with the corners of her mouth curved upward as he was a little relieved after teasing Helen. Both Helen¡¯s cheeks flushed, and she screamed. ¡°You¡¯re saying such misleading words again¡­!¡± She was afraid someone would hear it. It felt like her heart had dropped to the floor. The man gave a languid smile in delight, how she envied him for being able to say such a thing out loud. She vaguely felt that her unfortunate life oddly seemed more unfortunate after meeting him. She felt guilty for not being able to say a single word of love. She was a weak person who couldn¡¯t even protect her loved ones. Moreover, she was sure that he would leave her once he regained his memories. Everything about him made me miserable. ¡°S-Stop.¡± Helen¡¯s face stiffened slightly, and she avoided his gaze. Mar stiffened his shoulders nervously, fearing that she might somehow run away after seeing him like this. ¡°I was joking.¡± Helen¡¯s face brightened noticeably when she made an awkward excuse in a hurry. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, It¡¯s just a joke.¡± ¡®A joke? It¡¯s not even funny.¡¯ She wanted to force herself to smile, but she couldn¡¯t after seeing his delighted expression at the word of deceit that inquired if she liked him. The book beside them was wide enough to block Helen¡¯s view. Helen, who was abruptly blinded, held the book, but he didn¡¯t let go of it. Despite his claims that it was a joke, his expression didn¡¯t quite match. Helen was so preoccupied with the book that she couldn¡¯t even take a look at it. *** By the time Helen returned, she spent a bit of her remaining time immersed in her thoughts before going to bed. Her body is unusually exhausted today. He laid his back against the spacious sofa in anticipation and closed his eyes. He was too stupid to carry the role of pathetic Edith like this. He didn¡¯t even have any position, and she found it weird when she became a noble at first. Edith was definitely a noble, and besides, she was also married. In order to take such a woman, he must be at least in the same class as her in terms of nobility, particularly high in ranks among the nobles. Mar kept getting agitated in his head because it was the kind of information that he had knowledge about. ¡®I¡¯m in a position where I can¡¯t hold her right now. That¡¯s for sure.¡¯ Divorce? It sounds silly. He just spat it out in anger, but he quickly realized how silly he was acting when he saw Edith¡¯s bewildered expression at that moment. His nails were digging into his hands as he clenched them tightly, which resulted in them bleeding. He couldn¡¯t keep his sanity at bay anymore. He thought his life would become worthwhile once he managed to escape from that d*mn library, but not at all. This place was just a new prison for him. He felt happy when he spent time with her, but he quickly realized it as soon as she disappeared. ¡®I can¡¯t stay here any longer.¡¯ Mar once again understood the severity of the situation. His eyes subdued coldly as he got up and faced the situation. Among the many rooms there, he opened the door to the Emperor¡¯s office and walked closer to the desk. High-quality piled up papers, pens made of peacock feathers, and high-quality ink were laid there. Mar picked up the pen. *** Carmun got up from bed after a long time. He had slept everywhere other than in bed, and it¡¯s not like he was protesting when he found out that today he was lying down on the bed for whatever reason. Carmun, who ran his fingers through his hair with a puzzled look, stood up and picked up the shirt he had taken off beside him. He started his morning routine by heading to the office after fumbling with the button on his shirt, as if it was a natural thing to do. Rather than starting his daily routine at the library, he began it in his own room, which seemed more pleasant and comfortable. He was used to waking up in the library every morning and secretly returning to the Lion Palace on his own. When he entered the office to check it, there were two things that had changed from last night. Two books on the multi-person desk in the living room and a note on the desk inside the office. /Let¡¯s make a deal./ ¡®How bold.¡¯ Carmun burst into laughter as soon as he saw the notes. It seemed like the man didn¡¯t think about how he accommodated him. ¡°That spunk of his is commendable¡­.¡± Carmun crumpled up the letter with the same handwriting style as him and threw it to the floor. He has no reason to listen. He summoned the woman to calm the man down, and set the perfect shield once again at the Lion Palace. But should he be concerned about something so unimportant? For Carmun, his night self just meant as much as a ¡®disease¡¯. They were far from being fond of each other, as the two hated each other terribly. Knock, knock. ¡°Come on in.¡± Upon the Emperor bestowing him with such an order, Viester opened the door and entered. ¡°Good morning.¡± Viester offered him a morning greeting. In his arms were documents containing the agenda for today¡¯s regular assembly. Upon looking at the stack of documents, Carmun automatically let out a sigh. ¡°Please get yourself ready as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Carmun washed himself with the washing water brought by the maid before changing his clothes. He just put aside all the troublesome clothes and wore his regular attire, skipping the necessary clothing layers. ¡°No need for a meal, just add sugar to my coffee.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The maid bowed her head and left the room. Someone¡¯s eyes were piercing through him from behind Carmun, who was wearing his clothes. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sensing his gaze, Carmun looked back obliquely, and found Viester staring at him while sitting at the table checking the documents. With a disgruntled expression on his face. ¡°If you drink coffee on an empty stomach, it will hurt.¡± ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°¡­Please forget it.¡± Seeing Carmun¡¯s grinning expression, Viester decided to just close his mouth. It would have been fortunate if the maid didn¡¯t say anything silly by the time she returned, as he was just doing that to tease her. He was the type of person who didn¡¯t care about the rumors and seemed to want the unusual rumors to spread further and more quickly. It wasn¡¯t until he put on the cuffs that he finally finished changing. After calling the maid to deliver the coffee to the assembly hall, he left the room with Viester. On their way to the main palace where the regular assembly was held, he briefly discussed the agenda listed for today¡¯s meeting with Viester. The departure of the delegation to Cordelia, the library project being propelled as the city construction project, and how to use the collected money from the hunting festival for charitable purposes. Today was particularly filled with many important agendas. Carmun suddenly stroked his chin as they conversed. ¡°Let¡¯s add one more thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°How much is the budget for the concubines?¡± ¡°¡­Perhaps it¡¯s a hundred marks.¡± ¡°¡­The amount is too little.¡± ¡°Because concubines also get financial support from their homeland.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who originally thought of supporting such a ridiculous budget in the first place.¡± Viester shook his shoulders in embarrassment. ¡°I changed my mind. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s only 100 marks. Other countries might found our financial situation funny.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He almost dropped all of the documents in his grip to the floor. How could someone change like that in just one night? As he stared at the back of Carmun¡¯s head with an extremely baffled expression, Carmun stopped walking and turned around to face him. ¡°Then how come the ministers remain quiet about it?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you suddenly riled up about this¡­.¡± He seemed serious when saying that he would like the budget to be increased. After hesitating for a moment, Viester couldn¡¯t bottle up his curiosity and opened his mouth. ¡°What¡¯s suddenly gotten into you? A few days ago, Your Majesty clearly said that the concubines were just war prisoners. And then, why are you suddenly criticizing the ministers for assigning such a small amount of budget?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even he thought it was ridiculous. But it was actually not enough. Concubine Edith¡¯s room was especially shocking to him. He didn¡¯t expect her to settle into a smaller room than the one owned by Louis, his pet dog. Why did she even choose that small living quarter out of the numerous quarters here? No, did she make the right choice? Viester called Carmun, who was preoccupied while nibbling on his lower lips. ¡°Your Majesty¡­!¡± ¡°Why are you shouting all of a sudden?¡± ¡°What were you thinking until you didn¡¯t hear me calling you?¡± Carmun had a lot on his mind. He didn¡¯t know why she was so bothered about it in the first place. He couldn¡¯t concentrate on anything because it had been bothering him for a while now. ¡®In that small room, she knelt down to me and apologized for her fault. All the while begging him not to kill her.¡¯ He was obviously frustrated at her thought that he might kill her. Among the thriving rumors, he knew there was a rumor that he was ruthless, but he didn¡¯t expect her to really believe it. ¡°Your Majesty, why do your face look like that¡­?¡± ¡°Haah¡­.¡± Carmun sighed and ran his hair down to her forehead. ¡°Do you have any concerns?¡± When he looked at the calm face of Viester, Carmun suddenly spat out his innermost feelings. ¡°You know, it¡¯s about someone I know.¡± ¡°Someone you know? Who is it? Sir Theo? Or the knight, Van? Or the Knight Commander?¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know this person.¡± ¡°All right. I understand.¡± Viester immediately realized that this was about him. [t/n: ¡®him¡¯ refers to the Emperor.] Did Carmun know someone he didn¡¯t know? It was a lie in the beginning. ¡°And there¡¯s someone who¡¯s been bothering him lately¡­.¡± ¡°Bothering him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He continued to be bothered by this person. It¡¯s irritating the hell out of him.¡± Carmun scratched his cheeks with his fingers, seemingly perplexed. Chapter 42 Thank you for your Kofi support, Mar (1/4) ! *** Viester knew that His Majesty had recently moved his night self to His Majesty¡¯s residence, and that he was secretly bringing Concubine Edith over. ¡®Is Concubine Edith the one who makes His Majesty get bothered so much?¡¯ When that thought came to mind, Viester was frightened and shook his head in a daze. ¡®As much as I hope it¡¯s Concubine Edith, there¡¯s no way it¡¯s happening!¡¯ Viester¡¯s eyes began to tremble slightly. His Majesty must be fully aware of the reason why there was no way that would happen. ¡°Though it bothers me, I don¡¯t know the reason.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°She was so scared of him that she fainted just by looking at his face. Furthermore, she had never seen him before.¡± ¡°¡­Is h-he falling in love with her at first sight?¡± Viester gulped and asked, pretending to be clueless. ¡®Please don¡¯t.¡¯ Unaware of Viester¡¯s desperate wish, Carmun was lost in his own thoughts. ¡®Love?¡¯ What kind of feeling is that? No matter how much he thought about it, Carmun could not define love. He couldn¡¯t say that he felt an unknown feeling, but his feelings for Concubine Edith weren¡¯t that great. He was just a little concerned, and he also wanted to ask her why she fainted, then telling her that he wasn¡¯t that scary. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to do that because of his personality. He was concerned, knowing that he would definitely throw insults at her. He didn¡¯t even know why. Why was she bothering him? He just thought she was a little interesting. It was only a gut, but he wondered if this was his feelings as well because he was sharing a body with the man. ¡®I can¡¯t deny that I¡¯m in one body with him.¡¯ He was very convinced. Carmun answered the question with a mumble. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Most likely not.¡± Probably. He didn¡¯t know how the word made Viester so anxious. When he lifted his gaze to Carmun with a nervous expression, his face swayed as if it had been hit by a spring breeze. Oh. Maybe it¡¯s already started. Viester somehow had a bad hunch. ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± Carmun muttered softly while taking a step back. The road from Lion Palace to Main Palace was connected from the inside. The sun rose high over the pillars that stood between the large palaces. The sun was strong enough that he frowned while walking through the shaded hallway with pillars, but the weather was still nice. Carmun was distracted by his unknown feeling that he didn¡¯t even feel the burning sunlight on his cheeks. *** He encountered unexpected figures right in front of the Main Palace. Carmun frowned as soon as he spotted the two figures. ¡°Long time no see, Your Majesty.¡± Duke Torre, who he had been keeping an eye on strictly since the hunting competition, lowered his head as soon as spotted Carmun. Standing beside him was the Empress, Josephine, who lifted her dress slightly to greet her husband. ¡°Empress, it¡¯s very nice to accidentally see you around here.¡± Carmun didn¡¯t have the knack to talk back. Josephine wrinkled her forehead when he asked why she came here at the scheduled time of the regular assembly. ¡°When I asked her to meet me, she wasted no time running all the way here for her father.¡± ¡°Yes. The Empress must have time to spare for that.¡± Josephine breathed a short sigh, controlling the urge to argue. However, the hands that held the skirt were powerful, indicating that her pride was severely hurt. Carmun looked away after sparing a glance at her time once. ¡°Your Majesty¡­.¡± Viester looked pitifully at Josephine, who was afflicted with ill-treatment in front of the Duke Torre. Even Viester didn¡¯t know the reason why the Emperor hated the empress so much. Even though he confessed his curse, he kept everything tied up and didn¡¯t tell him other than that. At that moment, the fierce eyes of Duke Torre landed on Viester. They were very terrifying and cold, reminding him of the frost in the midst of winter. ¡°You¡¯re¡­.¡± It was the moment Duke Torre almost opened his mouth. Carmun, who suddenly took a step back and wrapped his arms around Viester¡¯s waist, as if showing off to them. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± When Viester screamed in surprise, Carmun smiled boldly and mouthed, ¡®it¡¯s a command¡¯. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± Viester was dumbfounded and at a loss for words, the same with Duke Torre and Josephine. It¡¯s practically him who put an end to the rumor. Even Duke Torre, who had been leading a tough political life, seemed very embarrassed and his complexion was red. ¡°Sir Viester, you can enter first.¡± Viester was perplexed, and his face turned red when he lowered his back to whisper. Regardless of whether the country was great or not, this shouldn¡¯t have happened. ¡°I should seriously tell him not to do this.¡± It was when Viester bowed his head while thinking that way. In Josephine¡¯s eyes, he seemed to be affectionate towards his lover, and she was trying her best to shoot a pointed look at them, as if the veins on her eyes were about to burst. ¡®How dare you act that way in front of me¡­.¡¯ It was the greatest insult she ever got in her life. Almost all of the insults she has received in her life have most likely come from her husband. Josephine gave a hollow smile. ¡°Haha¡­.¡± While Viester was running away to avoid them, he ran into Theo, who was standing with a shocked face in the distance. Theo was the only subsidiary aide who worked under him. He thought he just saw something, but it would be a disaster if the guy ran away. Because he was one of two aides who worked by the Emperor¡¯s side, which was supposed to be led by one department consisting of ten members. Viester, who was about to enter the Main Palace, turned around and approached Theo. ¡°Sir Theo.¡± It was at that moment. Theo suddenly began to agonize and ran away hesitatingly from him. ¡°Sir Theo?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know anything¡­!¡± He really started to run away. ¡°Sir Theo! Please don¡¯t run away from me! Or else, I won¡¯t approve your resignation letter!¡± Viester was frustrated because he couldn¡¯t keep up with Theo, who was running away from him. In front of him, there was Theo who ran away, meanwhile the Emperor, the Empress, and father-in-law of the Emperor were arguing behind him. A sigh already escaped his lips thinking how much attention he would get when attending the upcoming regular assembly. *** ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± Duke Torre opened his mouth in the midst of the awkward atmosphere. He didn¡¯t hide his displeasure while looking at Carmun, who acted perversely in everything. ¡°You¡¯ve even been ridiculous once. Don¡¯t you always hear from others that you¡¯re stronger than me, the Emperor?¡± Carmun said so with a slight frown on his face as he smiled only by just raising the corner of his mouth. When the time of regular assembly approached, several ministers stood at the entrance of the Main Palace. Moreover, the maids were moving around continuously, so Duke Torre could not act rashly. Carmun, the Emperor, did not seem to pay any attention at all. ¡°Your Majesty, you know that an empire with a firm nobility can become wealthy?¡± It was as if he was really thinking that he was giving advice by saying that. Carmun¡¯s forehead stiffened at Duke Torre¡¯s words. ¡®It¡¯s a relief that you can express it the right way.¡¯ Duke Torre was a powerful noble who had existed since the previous emperor ruled Idelberg. He, at that time, even until now, was the head of the nobility. The nobles were the most cautious about Duke Torre due to his strong power and family at the time when the Emperor was in a critical condition. Although now the man was pretending to have lost his claws, he knew that the man was just hiding his long claws under those feet of his. ¡°Right. It¡¯s a good thing for a wealthy country.¡± For some reason, Carmun had a broad smile while saying so. Carmun¡¯s smile brought chills down Duke Torre¡¯s spine as he gently shifted to stand in front of her daughter, blocking her. ¡°So is that why you chose the fiancee of my brother, Onderon, to be my wife instead? For the wealth of the country?¡± Duke Torre¡¯s face turned pale at the words which were followed by a chuckle. It was very easy for him to say things that no one dared to say so carelessly. When Duke Torre drew a deep breath, Josephine opened her mouth and spoke in an angry voice. ¡°¡­Your Majesty¡­!¡± ¡°Why are you calling me out like that? It seems like I¡¯ve been saying something I wasn¡¯t supposed to say.¡± Carmun¡¯s sarcasm didn¡¯t totally stop there. He didn¡¯t think of fixing the bad blood between the three of them. In particular, Carmun seemed to have no intention of fixing it. Rather, it seemed as if he was going to dig further into the wound and irritate the hell out of it. ¡°I think I misunderstand the meaning of firmness here.¡± ¡°Father, you can take your leave. You won¡¯t hear any good things by staying here.¡± Josephine felt the glances around them and tugged at her father¡¯s sleeves. Duke Torre realized that running into each other like this outside was unnecessary. However, he couldn¡¯t do anything because he recently turned down all meetings. Duke Torre clicked his tongue and bid the Emperor farewell. ¡°See you at the regular assembly soon.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Josephine bit her lower lip. It was none other than Carmun who caught onto Josephine¡¯s pace when she was about to return to the palace after separating from her father. ¡°Josephine.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± She turned around and gave an answer. Carmun¡¯s face didn¡¯t match the warm weather at all. Even the blizzard in the middle of winter felt warmer. ¡°I always say this, but I will grant you a divorce if you ever wish for it.¡± ¡­. Josephine turned around and was at a loss for words. She knew it would be rude to the Emperor, but all she could muster at this very moment was to act as polite as she could by not hitting Carmun straight in the face right away. ¡°¡­Thank you very much for saying that.¡± Ever since the hunting festival a few days ago, it seemed that he had gone too far. He seemed merciless, as if he had no intention of keeping up with her any longer. Even so, Josephine had no intention of stepping down from this position. Especially when she saw Concubine Edith in his arms, she was even more determined not to let go of him. ¡®Whom do I hand over this position to?¡¯ Josephine¡¯s face dilapidated horribly on her way back to the palace. Her hands shook, as if she was upset as she bit hard on her lower lips, like it was about to burst at any moment. ¡®You should have been prepared when you dragged me down.¡¯ Josephine, who couldn¡¯t endure her anger at all, shouted loudly as soon as she stepped into the palace where there was no one in sight. ¡°How could you¡­ How dare¡­.¡± The sight of Josephine trembling and lashing out her anger was extremely chilling. Looking at the Empress who was filled with rage, the maids watched her while secretly sneaking out of her sight. At that moment, Josephine¡¯s eyes suddenly opened. ¡°Call the First Concubine right now! Hurry!¡± As if fire had emerged on their feet, the maids rushed out to call for Ersa. *** Viester, who ran after Theo as he ran away from him, ran out of breath and stopped in his tracks to inhale. As expected, his physical strength was different just because he was a few years younger. He ran out of breath because he was stuck in the office every day only to manage paperwork, but he was keen on holding swords as a hobby. ¡°Theo!¡± Viester, who was unable to run any longer, called out Theo¡¯s name loudly. Upon leaving the Main Palace, they entered the garden on the side of Knight¡¯s Drill Hall. Did he even know where he was? This was the Emperor¡¯s private garden, but Theo seemed not to have yet noticed it. ¡®We have to leave as soon as possible.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what else he would hear if he happened to encounter others. ¡°Stop running away¡­.¡± Chapter 43 Thank you for your Kofi support, Mar (2/4) ! *** ¡°Why do you keep chasing me?!¡± How could he just wait and see when the man just ran away in misunderstanding? Viester crumpled his eyebrows and looked at him, as if he was depressed by the entire situation. Theo¡¯s eyes were shaking a lot as he stood in the distance. ¡°So you want me to just watch you run away like that?¡± What kind of rumor was he trying to spread¡­! Although it turned out better, he would get annoyed when the man got frightened away when their eyes happened to meet, and sometimes he would keep his mouth shut in an awkward manner despite having a look that seemed as if he wanted to say a lot of things. He was going to take this opportunity to solve everything. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken!¡± ¡°¡­Mistaken?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a different reason why His Majesty did that.¡± Viester said and walked forward one step carefully. As he drew closer little by little toward Theo, who was wary of him, Theo spoke after contemplating for a moment. ¡°¡­Is there a reason?¡± ¡°Okay. I will explain it to you, but we have to leave first. You came here not knowing this is His Majesty¡¯s private garden, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­..What?¡± Theo opened his eyes wide in surprise. Theo has always been like this. He didn¡¯t mind anything once he believed in one thing. What are you going to do about his life in the Imperial Palace if he was this stupid? ¡°First, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Viester took the lead, and they left the garden. He took out the pocket watch from his chest and checked the time. There wasn¡¯t much time left before the regular assembly began. It was obvious what Theo had misunderstood. He must have been walking on eggshells while wondering if he really had that kind of relationship with His Majesty. There was a misunderstanding because he openly put his arm around his waist. ¡°Why would His Majesty do that?¡± Viester was annoyed. As soon as they left the garden, Viester turned around and spoke curtly. ¡°Sir Theo, it¡¯s not like we have time, so let¡¯s just get to the point. All the scandals circulating around His Majesty and me are not true. There¡¯s not even a single hint of truth in it. His Majesty is just someone who doesn¡¯t get close to others easily, and we don¡¯t have that kind of relationship even though we are close.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®that kind of relationship¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m talking about lovers.¡± Theo¡¯s eyes were trembling when Viester said so with a slight frown. I already knew that Sir Theo was tactless. It was something that he could fully understand from the casual conversation they usually shared. -What? Do you mean that women go to such places these days? -My parents? I think I should take care of them as they get older. -I think it would be good to have a modest wife who is devoted to her family. ¡®There¡¯s a reason why he hasn¡¯t gotten married yet.¡¯ Although his reason was very different from him [Viester], Theo was quite interested in whether he thought of Viester as some kind of companion or not. He was grateful for being thoughtful, but he never wanted to hear him being gay as much as he did. It was because his mother was acknowledged as a loudmouth in society. ¡°So please don¡¯t even speak about this. It¡¯s because I don¡¯t want people to get the wrong idea.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Theo muttered quietly. It was because he felt like he was acting more suspicious by chasing him and trying to shut him up. ¡®His reaction is too much¡­.¡¯ As expected, he¡¯s flirting with His Majesty! Viester, who was standing in front of him, had a supple body with purple eyes and hair, which exuded a mysterious atmosphere. He was someone who possessed a different personality from the Emperor, who had a good look and a belligerent personality. There were more than just one or two people who had seen His Majesty¡¯s faint smile blooming as they stood together. He often makes lame jokes too, and is good at it. The more Viester made excuses, the more convinced and certain Theo was. Theo gulped, recalling the conversation he overheard among the nobles who had gathered together. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to keep it a secret.¡± Secret? It was strange, but Viester thought it simply meant to hide the fact that His Majesty had wrapped his arm on his waist. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you at the assembly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Viester left the place with a shameful look. He was followed by Theo. Theo¡¯s cheeks became red as he imagined his thought, then it turned pale back and forth. ¡®That child is always thinking too much.¡¯ Viester wished and hoped that the staff in the aide¡¯s office would be filled. *** ¡°Did you call for me?¡± When Ersa received the words that the Empress was calling her, she hurriedly prepared before coming to the Empress¡¯ castle. It couldn¡¯t be compared to her place, and it was much more extravagant than the room she used to stay in her home country. Starting with the gold statue in the entrance, all kinds of decorations caught her eyes in the hallway, and the smooth layer of marble was laid on the floor. She was amazed by the number of maids that could reach dozens of times the number of maids in her residence. After she opened the door of the drawing room and entered through it, Empress Josephine sat down while sipping her tea, most likely waiting for her arrival. Josephine, who didn¡¯t spare her a glance, spoke coldly. ¡°Take a seat.¡± Ersa was intimidated when Josephine, whom she had just met for the first time, treated her harshly rather than being kind. Seeing Josephine, who acted as if it was justifiable and overflowing with intimidation hurt her pride a bit, thus increasing her desire. She wanted to take that position. Masking her real expression, Ersa sat on the seat where Josephine¡¯s maid motioned to her. ¡°I called you because I had a big favor to ask you.¡± She was the perfect underdog. Ersa pushed aside her feelings about how the Empress acted toward her underling. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s going to sh*t where she eats. Josephine was not someone who would have been easy to deal with, especially now that she seemed seriously offended. Perhaps, it¡¯s because of the hunting festival? Ersa recalled the upset and ferocious look on Josephine¡¯s face on the day of the hunting festival. ¡°Please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± As Ersa presented herself humbly, one corner of Josephine¡¯s mouth lifted up. ¡°About Concubine Edith.¡± As she expected. Ersa was a little pleased, knowing that her expectations were right. It was once said that your enemy is your friend. Concubine Edith, who was deemed as an irritating sight to her, eventually caught His Majesty¡¯s attention. Josephine held out a small pocket to Ersa on the table as she added. ¡°Because I can¡¯t bear to wait and watch any longer. I trust you to take care of it.¡± She had no clue about what was in the pocket, but one thing for sure was that she had reached a crossroad which inquired her to choose. Eresa was going to act a bit bolder than before. ¡°What am I going to do with this?¡± Then it received slightly raised eyebrows from Josephine. *** Ersa returned to her residence with a small pocket, which was handed to her by Josephine, hidden in her arms. She carefully took out the pocket and opened it only after entering the quarter and ushering all the maids out. The scent that spread through the air at that moment was unfamiliar, so she hurriedly tied it close again. ¡®Isn¡¯t it a poisonous herb?¡¯ It¡¯s said that it was a rare herb from the East. She also heard that only a few people knew about it because it was a rare herb. It will help with digestion if someone takes it in a small amount, however, if they take it excessively, their internal organs will become runny¡­. Furthermore, one would be able to sleep well if they smelled the scent of the smoke after it was burnt. This could also cause them to sleep forever if it burnt too much. Ersa, who was imagining Concubine Edith died in a gruesome way after drinking tea mixed with poisonous herbs, shook her head slightly to put that thought aside. Ersa looked at the poisonous herb in her hand before summoning the maid who was waiting outside the room. *** Helen accepted a letter with a rough expression from the messenger who came to her residence early in the morning. ¡°His Majesty told me to deliver this to you.¡± It was a royal decree from the Emperor. She quickly woke up, despite the fact that it wasn¡¯t long after she fell asleep. ¡°Oh, yes¡­. Thank you.¡± When Helen bowed her head, the servant who came from the Lion Palace blinked her eyes as if she was in a trance. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re bowing like that. You are supposed to not do that.¡± The servant waved his sweat-drenched hands in surprise while speaking tenderly in a gentle manner. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry about that as well.¡± He was appalled because it was the first time he had ever heard of a noble speaking formally to their subordinates. Moreover, she had a humble attitude as if it was natural, which made her even more awkward and sweat profusely. In the Imperial Palace, the situation was so scary that with just one mistake, it would result in them losing their own neck. He wondered if Concubine Edith did that deliberately in front of him to make him feel awkward, but when he read Concubine Edith¡¯s expression, who just blinked innocently and realized her mistake, he stopped wondering once their eyes met. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± This was the 26th person he had handed the letter to, but he had never received such a reaction before. The details in the decree were about the gradual rise of the budget for the concubines in the future, clothes and accessories were excluded from the amount. The concubines who read the details didn¡¯t look satisfied. Except for the amount, there was nothing different than before. They still have to survive in limited circumstances, so it would be hardly possible for them to be happy with it. However, Concubine Edith, who opened it with clumsy movement and read it enthusiastically before giving a completely different response. ¡°¡­Excuse me¡­ I¡¯m sorry but¡­.¡± ¡°Yes. Please don¡¯t hesitate to ask about anything.¡± ¡°Does it matter if I¡¯m using the budget to buy whatever I want? Such as¡­ books?¡± Concubine Edith¡¯s face, as she talked, was filled with slight blush. Whether it was due to the hot summer day or because of Concubine Edith, who was too obvious, quickly nodded as if there was a wall pressing on his back. ¡°Yes, of course. That¡¯s what the budget is set up for.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And it would be better for you to stop using honorifics. His Majesty would probably not like it.¡± The servant who delivered the decree was the same as the one who suffered abuse for seeing Helen being carried in the hunting ground. The servant who witnessed the affectionate sight of the Emperor and Concubine Edith! Helen couldn¡¯t remember because she lost consciousness at that time, but the servant clearly remembered it, having his hands tremble slightly in anxiety while handling Concubine Edith. ¡°I hope¡­ I didn¡¯t offend Your Highness in any way.¡± ¡°No! I mean, no¡­.¡± [t/n: For the first ¡®no¡¯, Edith was using honorific, but then she corrected herself by saying ¡®no¡¯ in the second line in an informal way] Is this correct? Helen just decided to close her mouth because talking without honorifics appeared so trifling. She pondered about what to do if the servant thought it was strange, even though she was concerned, there was something she wanted to ask. ¡°So¡­ About the details in the decree. Does it mean that he will give different amounts to the concubines if they are paid according to the grade?¡± ¡°Yes. Correct.¡± The amount written for her was unexpectedly large. The amount couldn¡¯t even be exceeded by the total amount she received so far. She couldn¡¯t believe he gave her such a huge amount of money. ¡°Will he hand me the budget on a yearly basis?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯ll receive it monthly.¡± ¡°¡­every month?¡± Helen tilted her head. She didn¡¯t know why the budget was suddenly increased to the point she found it strange, as it had been set so low before. Moreover, if it comes to enemies, she would be the least one who had it, and she even wondered how much other concubines would receive. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any more questions, I will get going.¡± Helen nodded as his cue. When he had granted Helen¡¯s permission, the servant gave the most polite smile he could muster before running away from there. ¡°¡­I guess something urgent must have come up that needs to be taken care of.¡± Helen murmured when she saw the sight of the servant¡¯s hasty back. It was unexpected for her to see the servant run away in fear of hearing what she was going to say. Chapter 44 Thank you for your Kofi support, Mar (3/4) ! *** With the hunting festival as the starting point, there was a commotion outside the palace. After all, the Emperor was finally holding a woman in his arms for the first time in ten years. Because for the first time in ten years, the Emperor appeared with a woman in his arms. As he was known either for being a p***sless man or gay emperor, the rumor regarding his appearance with Edith at the hunting festival spread in an instant. Now everyone in the capital had known about the rumor involving the Emperor and Edith. Merchants in the market also said to the customers that they met, ¡°What if His Majesty has an eye on Concubine Edith?¡± It was no different with the nobles, as they gathered at social events and began to speak with each other, ¡°His Majesty must have come to gain interest in women.¡± The end of the talk about the rumor that had distended bit by bit always said, ¡°I wonder if Her Majesty the Empress will be going to sit down and just watch?¡± That was probably because of the position she had kept for ten years. People thought that the reason why Viester, who was said to be the Emperor¡¯s lover before, couldn¡¯t snatch the Empress¡¯ seat as he was a man. And then, suddenly a woman, whose former title was also a princess, appeared. ¡°The Empress will not let it slide.¡± ¡°Will not let it slide? Is Her Majesty going to get rid of Concubine Edith?¡± ¡°Of course, after all she¡¯s supposed to do that! If I were her, my inside would be burning in anger and I wouldn¡¯t let the rice go into my mouth! If he cheated on his great wife, he should be punished!¡± ¡°Great wife¡­? Her Majesty the Empress works hard on state affairs, but ¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The merchant¡¯s raised voice as he spoke for Josephine was silent. There was only one reason why the public couldn¡¯t agree. ¡°She was his brother¡¯s fiancee¡­.¡± Josephine was the fiancee of his brother, Onderon¡¯s fiancee, until just before she married Carmun. She was in a hurry to marry him as early as possible because she didn¡¯t know the Emperor would die when Idelberg was constantly at war. The reason Carmun was able to ascend the throne and get married was because he was not the crown prince. His younger brother, Onderon, the crown prince and the successor of the country. The people of his country still have not forgotten the rebellion that led to the sudden marriage of him and Josephine, the daughter of Duke Torre who helped the rebellion. People remembered that day as ¡®Rebellion Day¡¯ and no one ever brought it up, but it was imprinted in their minds and they refused to leave the memories of that day behind. ¡°What, according to the grade?¡± Viester, who came to see him after the regular assembly, asked with a glum look. It was not a lie when he said that Viester was competent when it comes to the meeting-related matters even though they have a lot of things to discuss first. ¡°Is that a difference in rank?¡± What do you mean, the later you go, the more budget you¡¯ll increase? Do you think other concubines would stay still if they knew? I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll stir-fry it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t stir-fry it.¡± Carmen smiled and patted Biesta on the shoulder. ¡°According to the grade, is it true? The lower their ranks are, the bigger their budgets are? Do you think other concubines would keep still when they find out about it? She will surely be harassed by them.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t get annoyed, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a problem because I¡¯m the one who will be harassed!¡± Viester frowned and looked at Carmun, who suddenly acted unexpectedly but didn¡¯t intend to change his mind, with a wry face. What grade is he talking about? Isn¡¯t this simply a discrimination? Viester pressed on his forehead as his head hurt thinking of when other concubines found out about this and pestered him excessively. At the same time, Carmun had a faint smile with a hint of satisfaction lingered on his lips, he wondered what made him seem pleased. He looked so happy for the first time in a long time that he couldn¡¯t even hide it. For the life of him, the discussion they had earlier in today¡¯s meeting bothered him. The fact that he had increased the budget for the concubine from the lowest rank, Concubine Edith, seemed to be the reason why he felt great. ¡°¡­How about at night?¡± Viester¡¯s voice spread through the hallway leading to the office. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure anyone would misunderstand if they heard you.¡± ¡°¡­ Does everything sound that way? Why in the world are you fretting about how they could not see you and me as lovers? Do you really like me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± Carmun replied sternly with contorted eyebrows. ¡°So, what is exactly your problem?¡± Looking at his sad expression, it seemed that Viester also hated it. ¡°Have I not told you?¡± Carmun kept walking without stopping his pace. Viester was on his heels, waiting for the words to come out of his mouth. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Whenever you pretend to be either my lover or indulge in an intimate relationship with me, I can keep Josephine away.¡± The Emperor was obligated to keep Josephine away for no solid reason. Obviously, having an heir to carry on the imperial throne would be a serious matter. However, it was funny enough that he even pretended to be gay, pretending that love has gone and that made him able to escape from his duty for a while. Even he was happy that people took pity on him and didn¡¯t press him about it, and as he postponed it just like that, ten years passed. ¡°I¡¯ve buttoned up the wrong one from the start. I didn¡¯t even realize it until ten years passed by.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Would you rather put it back in the wrong place again, or just tore it off and put on new clothing?¡± They finally arrived in front of the office, Carmun opened the door and answered in a calm manner. ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for that button to pop off by itself.¡± If Josephine had heard them, she would have thrown a fit, but Carmun had no intention of taking the plunge. To start off, he was planning to not accept Duke Torre¡¯s suggestion. ¡®Even though there were other reasons¡­¡¯ It just took him a long time to realize that the reason was wrong. It¡¯s time to take it back. ¡°Then are you going to set Concubine Edith for that position?¡± Why does he suddenly mention her name? Viester¡¯s expression was grim from the moment he subtly said that he would break off the marriage with Josephine. As soon as they entered the office, he couldn¡¯t hide his shaking eyes and exclaimed. ¡°There¡¯s no way it will happen!¡± Carmun tilted his head in Viester¡¯s stern manner. ¡°What?¡± He knew this discussion would end if he said he didn¡¯t consider it, but he wanted to know why the man reacted so firmly. Viester contemplated for a moment to answer. ¡°Well.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you remember how much the previous emperor lost the hearts of people in the nation caused by the matter?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°The fiancee of Emperor Cordelia.¡± Viester said, staring at Carmun. Carmun took a step back and looked at Viester in a relaxed manner. Because of that matter? He didn¡¯t expect him to think that far, so he secretly smiled and nodded his head, as if signaling him to continue. ¡°The Emperor, who won against Cordelia, brought Queen Ovia, who was the fiancee of Emperor Cordelia at that time, to Idelberg ostentatiously¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called kidnapping in general.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of being careful with what you¡¯re saying about the dead man? And I think he was insane to do that.¡± She kidnapped someone who had a well-off background and made her become a queen. After carrying out the extravagant wedding, he chose the son born from the queen, Onderon, as the next emperor. Everyone said the Emperor was crazy. The irrational behaviour of the Emperor made his people change their views of him, and he had to go to war himself before he died so that he could change the hearts of people around. Some of them clamored that the Emperor had found his true love. ¡°Love? What love is so irrational?¡± Carmun laughed and a cynical smile spread out on his lips. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me not to take Concubine Edith as an empress?¡± Carmun asked while rubbing her lower lip. He seemed to consider it seriously as he even mentioned the issue about the previous emperor. ¡°Yes. What kind of scandal are you going to make again this time?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a half-baked idea?¡± Viester¡¯s expression gradually brightened at Carmun¡¯s question. It was because he thought the Emperor denied what he said and meant that it was meaningless to make Concubine Edith as an empress. ¡°I don¡¯t think about it at all.¡± ¡°Oh, was I hasty? Your Majesty had no idea about it and I¡­.¡± Carmun cut off Viester who answered while beaming. ¡°No. I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°On the other side, Concubine Edith would say no.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°She fainted when she saw me. She was fine when she saw the bear, but fainted when she saw me.¡± Carmun raised the corner of his mouth as if he was imagining something funny. ¡°Such an interesting woman.¡± Carmun¡¯s mumble broke Viester¡¯s expression to dust. So it¡¯s unsuccessful¡­. Viester¡¯s mouth was filled to the brim with the words he couldn¡¯t say, and his hand quickly rubbed on his forehead. *** Helen stuck her head out at Ellie¡¯s call. It was because someone had come to her place to pay a visit. ¡°¡­ You came again.¡± It was the servant that she met last time. Helen smiled broadly at the familiar face. Since she only lived in the concubine residence, she only got to see the people she saw time after time. In particular, she only knew a few people, and the servant was one of them. ¡°His Majesty sent it to you.¡± Helen¡¯s face hardened at the mention of His Majesty. The servant brought his lips down, fearing that he might be the one who would be blamed. ¡°Thank you.¡± Before Helen managed to get the words out of her mouth, she remembered the servant¡¯s words regarding how he did not wish for her to speak formally to him. I wiggled my hands for no reason at all at the awkward bottom. She fidgeted with her hands for no reason at all when she thanked him in an informal way. ¡°Bear¡­.¡± Ellie, who stood beside her, accepted the coat that was made of bear fur. It was so heavy that Ellie staggered while holding it. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a great bear fur in my life! The designer who made this out of the finest leather must be so proud!¡± The attendant, who had been chattering about why the leather was considered as a fine quality for long, was taken aback by Helen¡¯s tired expression and closed her mouth. Oops. Old habits die hard. She was excited and chattered again. Helen, who had been listening to her without saying anything, opened her mouth only after that as soon as the attendant shut up. ¡°Please tell him I¡¯m really grateful for this.¡± Helen¡¯s beaming smile made the servant bewildered the whole time. ¡°Yes.¡± In fact, he was fascinated by Helen¡¯s appearance and wasn¡¯t even aware of what he said. Helen sent Ellie to the room in the back and entered after her. She then turned around and asked with a serious look. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not comfortable speaking informally, can we make ourselves comfortable when we¡¯re alone?¡± ¡°Usually it¡¯s the other way around.¡± ¡°Does that mean no?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay with it. However, you have to keep it a secret from His Majesty.¡± Helen¡¯s face was filled with a smile when she was granted the servant¡¯s approval. ¡°Yes. Sure thing.¡± The person, who was originally pretty, laughed, and the stone wall was on the verge of collapsing. ¡°You¡¯re a very good man.¡± When Helen returned to the room, Ellie was examining the bear fur thoroughly. She quietly approached Ellie and examined the bear fur as well. ¡°The bear¡­. It was really huge and scary.¡± Now that she was looking at it like this, it didn¡¯t matter anymore. She thought she was going to die when the bear lunged at her. The Emperor saved him, but at that moment what she saw was death throes. ¡®It reminded me of Mar.¡¯ When she recalled that day, the forest and Mar naturally came up on her mind. Mar, who was standing in the forest, looked like a fairy. ¡°I miss you.¡¯ Chapter 45 Thank you for your Kofi support, Mar (4/4) ! *** ¡°It¡¯s a really nice coat!¡± Ellie¡¯s cry broke Helen from her imagination. ¡°¡­But I wonder when I will wear it.¡± Helen widened her triangular eyes and looked at the black-fur bear coat. ¡®Does he give me a bear that almost killed me as a present?¡¯ The Emperor inside Helen¡¯s mind was very scary and fierce. With ¡®Bullying Mar¡¯ as the recently added information in her mind. There was no way she could be happy knowing the coat was given by such a man. However, Ellie was different, she beamed and arranged the coat with a beaming smile. ¡°Winter in Idelberg is severe. It¡¯s useless now because it¡¯s currently summer, but it¡¯ll be very handy during winter.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­.¡± Not wanting to spoil Ellie, who was in a good mood, Helen answered irresolutely and ignored her. She attempted to read a new book she bought this time. After the Emperor suddenly increased her budget, Helen bought a lot of new books with it. It was to relieve the feeling of resentment when she wasn¡¯t able to go to the library and read books. When she was eyeing for the book to read, Ellie stepped closer and stood beside her. ¡°Your Highness, I apologize for giving you that kind of book last time. Were you surprised by that?¡± Book? What kind of book? ¡­ Oh! Helen¡¯s face turned red when she recalled which book the maid meant. ¡°You¡¯re flushed again. If you find it pleasant, would you like me to give you another book?¡± ¡°Ellie!¡± Ellie chuckled lowly as if she was amused by Helen¡¯s flustered reaction. She fanned herself with both hands, but she was at the end of her wits. ¡°I was joking.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about books¡­.¡± When Helen mumbled a question, Ellie¡¯s eyes were filled with worry. ¡°But His Majesty definitely felt something. Even with what happened at the hunting festival, the bear fur, he would never do those kinds of things without feeling anything.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not because of feelings.¡± It was a secret that was only known by her. She knew that Ellie would find it weird. ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me again, right?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Huft, I don¡¯t mind at all si don¡¯t make such a face!¡± Ellie, who couldn¡¯t stand it seeing Helen¡¯s face, hit on her own chest and spoke. She hit so hard that Helen opened her eyes wide and looked at her in surprise. ¡°Your Highness, everything is going good, why are you so easily discouraged? I¡¯m completely in distress because of it.¡± ¡°Yeah. I know, so stop hitting yourself. It must have hurt.¡± ¡°Are you concerned about me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Helen nodded as if it were a matter of course. Helen nodded as if it was obvious. She was afraid that Ellie might hit hard on her chest again. Ellie etched a slight frown on her face. ¡°I¡¯m concerned about you, Your Highness.¡± The more she got involved with the emperor, the less beautiful her circumstances would be. In other words, the 26th concubine, Edith, had 26 mountains to climb ahead of her. Twenty-five concubines and one empress. However, Ellie¡¯s mind failed to be at peace when she looked at Helen, who always read books. Moreover, she had always wondered. Why did Her Highness Edith seem to have a low self-esteem? Knowing the place where she grew up and her background, she shouldn¡¯t have acted that way. ¡°Do you know the wide-spread rumor about how devoted His Majesty the Emperor of Cordelia was in terms of raising his daughter?¡± Is it because the rumor grew too wild? ¡°Now that I think about it, he sent his beloved daughter away, but you haven¡¯t even heard anything from him.¡± ¡°I have, once¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only once. Her daughter is worth his every day.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Helen¡¯s expression rapidly alluded. As she watched the change of expression from her facade, Ellie realized she had stepped on the minefield. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted today, so can you leave?¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± Ellie was forced to leave as if she was kicked out of the room. Helen, who remained alone in the room, shrugged her shoulders and took a deep sigh. ¡°Huft¡­.¡± Ellie and Mar were the last people she wanted to find out the fact that she was Helen. At the same time, they were the people who she wanted to tell the most about her real identity being Helen. It was such a weird feeling. She thought she was doing a good job at hiding the ugly Helen, and Helen was wondering if Mar would be surprised once he found out about it. ¡®Perhaps, is it too obvious that she¡¯s an ugly daughter?¡¯ The trembling that had reduced after meeting Mar, returned again. ¡°Please¡­.¡± She held her trembling hand and waited until the tremble subsided. After this moment passed, she hoped the night would come by soon. It¡¯s the only time she could see Mar. *** She opened the door of the Emperor¡¯s room. Mar stood right in front of the door like he was supposed to be. ¡®Did he wait for me again?¡¯ She felt both grateful and guilty to him. However, Helen couldn¡¯t bring herself to say thank you as well as usual. ¡°Edith?¡± Mar asked curiously, realizing Helen was in a terrible mood. Helen was startled and flinched by Mar¡¯s voice, her eyes widened slightly. It was reasonable for Mar to grow suspicious of her unusual behavior. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered about this before. Do you hate your name?¡± When Mar asked her carefully, Helen swiftly shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just startled.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve felt it. Your eyes get twisted every time I call your name.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Helen dropped her head and secretly avoided his gaze, but Mar persistently attached his eyes on her and tried to initiate eye contact with her again. Helen eventually closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Look at me.¡± Marl¡¯s voice was uncharacteristically bewildered. Helen knew how she didn¡¯t act like usual, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to open her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She hated when people called her by her sister¡¯s name, especially if it was Mar. She tried hard to hide it, but she ended up showing it again. Helen twitched her eyelashes in dismay. ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed. It¡¯s all right.¡± Mar¡¯s tender voice made Helen feel like the stone on her chest fell on her feet. It¡¯s always like this each time. This feeling didn¡¯t matter to him. As soon as she secretly opened her eyes, which had been closed, her eyes met Mar¡¯s eyes. ¡°Come here.¡± As he smiled with his eyes bent into half-moon shaped, red demilune showed up on her face. She forgot to refuse when her hands were pulled by Mar who flashed a pretty smile toward her, and she ended up embracing him without realizing it. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t hold each other like this.¡± Helen was taken aback by how complaining her tone was and closed her mouth. Then, she heard an unexpected voice in her head. ¡°You said we should comfort friends when they are sad. I think this is also the way to comfort them.¡± Friends? Even if they decided to stay as friends, even if she obviously was the one who had brought it up first. When the word ¡®friend¡¯ escaped his mouth, she felt her heart ache and sank. Why is she sad? Helen held onto his collar with a slight frown in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s because I am tired today. So, let me use it as an excuse.¡± Tired. It was just an excuse to console herself, but Helen was hoping he wouldn¡¯t ask the reason, which was to no avail. ¡°Why are you tired?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re late.¡± Helen¡¯s face turned red as if it was about to burst at Mar¡¯s sly reply. Her grip on his collar seemed to give a lot of strength to herself. The sound of her beating heart fluttered in her ears. Helen maintained a distance between their slightly touching bodies so that her voice couldn¡¯t be heard by Mar. Mar hugged Helen and gently caressed her long hair. What¡¯s with that long face today? He didn¡¯t know anything beyond his control. Whether about her husband¡¯s identity, the girl that she called maid, was it pleasant to live during the day without him, and what made her in such a dismay all the time? There were a lot of things he wanted to ask, but he didn¡¯t want to. He thought that if he asked, the boundaries between them would become obvious. He just hated the thought of her leaving¡­. with the same assumption. ¡°Let¡¯s quickly find a way to restore your memories.¡± Helen¡¯s murmur resonated across Mar¡¯s chest. The hand that was playing with Helen¡¯s hair stopped in the air. ¡°¡­Will I be able to find my memories?¡± There was no certainty in Mar¡¯s voice. ¡®What if I actually don¡¯t have any memories?¡¯ He had begun to realize what has changed from him bit by bit in the past few days. The most suspicious thing was the Emperor and him that shared similarities in their handwriting. Even the clothing in the dressing room fit perfectly to him, as if they were tailored specifically for him. The room appeared to be strangely familiar, and he even naturally knew where the things were placed. Those were the suspicious aspects that he learned after he was moved from the library to the Emperor¡¯s room. ¡®Is there any connection between me and the Emperor?¡¯ He wanted to ask Helen about it, but there was no way he could do that. Since Helen hated and feared the Emperor as much as he did. -The Emperor? I¡¯m not really sure¡­. He¡¯s a scary person. ¨C I don¡¯t know a lot about him. I don¡¯t want to know either. -Moreover he¡¯s¡­. Ehem, anyway I don¡¯t want to have any business with the Emperor. Mar remembered everything Helen had said in his heart. ¡°Don¡¯t be doubtful. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to.¡± When she opened the door and entered the room, it seemed like she was lying about being in a terrible mood. When he smiled and stared at Helen, who raised her head as she settled in his arms, there was an intangible hope in Mar¡¯s heart. ¡°Right. Let¡¯s find my memories.¡± *** Ersa carefully set the date. Since she had to create a circumstance where she couldn¡¯t be pointed out as a suspect. She called in a maid who had always moved around well and brisk, to sit down with her as she sipped on her tea calmly. Ersa stopped the maid¡¯s hand that was attempting to pour tea into the empty cup. ¡°Can you have a drink with me?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! O-of course.¡± Ersa poured the tea into the teacup for the maid with a kind gaze. The maid was so nervous that her face was ashen, even her hand that held the teacup was shaking. The maid gulped, her throat wavered heavily. ¡°I¡¯ve always kept an eye on you. How smart you are at doing your work ¡­.¡± ¡°T-Thank you.¡± The maid quickly drank tea once Ersa gave a gesture with her hand. Ersa looked over the teacup to stare at the nervous maid. It was a puzzling call, but the maid quickly remembered there must be a reason considering her usual character, she wouldn¡¯t have been called for no absolute reason. What she thought to be the wisest answer was there must be something she wanted her to do secretly. ¡°M-Maybe, if there is something you would like me to do¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a quick-witted girl.¡± Ersa¡¯s eyes sparkled like a poisonous snake. Bringing the pocket of money which had been prepared earlier to the table, Ersa put it down hard enough to produce a sound on purpose. The maid¡¯s eyes began to grow larger as the pocket, which was full of gold coins inside of it, laid on the table with a pleasant noise. ¡°I¡¯ve put a lot of money in it. I¡¯ll give ten times this amount of money if you manage to finish your job well.¡± Gulp. The maid¡¯s neck was once again wavering heavily. ¡°If you do this well and leave the palace, I¡¯ll find a house and business for you to lead a life with. How long are you going to live while taking care of others? You have to do your thing. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± The maid¡¯s eyes once again shook greatly when she heard that the pocket of money wasn¡¯t the final thing she was going to receive. Nonetheless, Ersa smiled pleasantly in secret when she saw the maid nibbling on her lower lip and didn¡¯t talk gibberish. Among all the servants working under her, she was the most loyal maid who was worthy of being summoned for this kind of task. It wasn¡¯t a lie that she had been keeping an eye on her, she put the pocket of money in the maid¡¯s hand and whispered subtly. ¡°If you overlook this just for once, I¡¯ll let you lead a well-off life without having to envy others. How does it sound?¡± Chapter 46 *** Ersa¡¯s maid spent a few days observing Concubine Edith. There was nothing unusual except that she went to bed early and woke up very late. ¡°It was said that beauty sleeps a lot.¡± The maid, who was secretly observing Concubine Edith¡¯s abode, let out a murmur. There was very little information about her as she didn¡¯t come out of her quarter all the time. Wouldn¡¯t it be too obvious if she were to stop the maid and ask about her master¡¯s routine? With that in mind, she was sneaking into the backyard in Concubine Edith¡¯s abode when a black shadow blocked the maid¡¯s way. ¡°Holy cats!¡± The large shadow, which she thought was a black animal, turned out to be a man dressed in suspicious clothes. The prime minister? The man with a sword in the concubine abode? And he¡¯s wearing a black-colored knight¡¯s attire! His attire was undoubtedly suspicious. The maid momentarily forgot that she had snuck in, and looked at the man, who startled her in bewilderment. When she glanced up at the man who was two-heads bigger than her, the knight, Van, asked in a low voice. ¡°What brought you here?¡± ¡°W-well, w-why is sir Knight here¡­! I almost had a heart attack.¡± Black-colored knight attire, gray hair. Although he had a rough-looking appearance, the maid¡¯s voice gradually died down at Van¡¯s expressionless face. ¡°Really, why are you here¡­?¡± The maid asked as she stroked the area near her chest with her hand, Van¡¯s gaze scanned the maid up and down. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. You¡¯d better return.¡± He seemed adamant, as if he had no intention to give out an answer to her. Overwhelmed by Van¡¯s look, the maid retracted her steps, and by the time she realized it, she was already outside of Concubine Edith¡¯s abode. She couldn¡¯t see the knight, but she had a strong hunch about it. The backyard of Concubine Edith¡¯s abode was blocked by him. ¡°That¡¯s weird¡­.¡± Why is a knight in black-colored knight attire guarding the backyard of the abode where Concubine Edith, whom no one paid attention to, lived? The situation was very suspicious. *** ¡°What¡­?¡± Ersa frowned, finding it hard to believe what her maid had said. There¡¯s a knight in the backyard. ¡°I saw it myself. He was guarding the backyard in a black-colored knight attire.¡± She doesn¡¯t seem to lie. ¡®Her eyes are sparkling as if wanting me to be convinced, she shouldn¡¯t be a maid if this is a lie, but a theater actress.¡¯ Ersa bit her lower lip slightly. ¡®It seems like she¡¯s messing with me.¡¯ If he wore a black-colored knight attire, he would likely belong to chivalry under the Emperor. Why is such a knight guarding in Concubine Edith¡¯s backyard? ¡®Is it on the order of His Majesty¡­?¡¯ If so, it would be a big problem. However, she can¡¯t just wait and see. If one of the 26 concubines became the Emperor¡¯s lover, it had to be her. [refer to herself, Ersa.] Ersa, who had been chewing on her lower lip for quite a while, ended the string of her thoughts with gleaming eyes. ¡°Lit the candle tonight.¡± In the end, she decided to do it. *** It was late in the evening. It¡¯s when the sun sets and sleepy hours begin. It wasn¡¯t really hard because lately, the day and night have changed. She had to meet Mar at night, so she had to sleep now. She closed her drowsy eyelids, which kept drooping after laying down on the bed. He seemed to fall asleep as soon as she laid down, perhaps due to the new, soft quilt that had been bought for her thanks to the budget that was recently increased by the Emperor. She wondered if it¡¯s probably because she was still light asleep. -Creak Her ears pricked up at the slightest sound of the door opening carefully. She could hear the sound of cautious footsteps. Moreover, the faint scent similar to herbal medicine pierced her nose. ¡°Ellie?¡± She asked, unable to open her eyes. Ellie was the only one who would enter the room, so she pulled up the quilt to hide her face. After coming in, Ellie immediately left in a hurry after placing the candle. Did the maid feel guilty for waking her up? ¡°It¡¯s okay to talk¡­.¡± Lifting her body slightly, she saw the scented candle that Ellie had left behind. It was not a scented candle, but the burned leaf on the tray that had a unique scent. The more she smelled it, the more drowsy she felt. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy¡­.¡± Helen rubbed her eyes and slid down to the bed as if she had fallen. She had never been so sleepy before. Helen fell asleep as if her consciousness had submitted to the dizziness. Due to the dizziness, she let something slip as she couldn¡¯t think properly. That Ellie would never enter the room because she would have been asleep. That she would never come during the night. *** The agreed time had passed, but Helen didn¡¯t come, and Van rushed into the residence looking for Helen. Van, who opened the window without difficulty and entered the room, immediately held his breath once the stinging smell pricked his nose and looked for the source of the smell. ¡®There it is.¡¯ The burning leaf behind the livingroom table. What is this? It was unusual that his sight was shaking slightly. Rather than burnt leaves, Ellie would always pour tea that had been prepared for her. Shriks. Even though the crushed leaf were mangled with the tea, the strong scent did not just go away. When Van took a look at the leaf with a frown etched on his face, he heard a very drowsy voice behind him. ¡°Van?¡± Helen sat up in bed and wobbled. She rubbed her eyes as if feeling very sleepy, but she couldn¡¯t wake up. ¡°We must get going.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sleepy¡­. Give me a second¡­.¡± Helen yawned, her mouth was wide open. ¡°I¡¯ll take you in my arms.¡± Van had a calm look on his face and kept his extremely brisk attitude, so she knew he didn¡¯t mean it like that. However, Van thought she was going to reject the offer. This was because Helen didn¡¯t prefer being in his arms every night when they were heading there. However, Helen answered while dozing off, perhaps she was really too sleepy today that she couldn¡¯t recover from the drowsiness. ¡°Yes.¡± Van took Helen, and she quickly fell asleep in his arms. Van couldn¡¯t shake off the memories of the suspicious leaf he had seen in her room. It was when he realized Hazel, who was laid in his arms, looked weaker than a sickly person. ¡°Can you go on your own?¡± When they reached the corridor, Van put her on her feet while wrinkling his eyebrows edgily. Van had been keeping himself from showing as little expression as possible, so when he showed a frown, there was a huge change in his expression. ¡°Of course¡­.¡± However, Helen wasn¡¯t able to get a hold of herself. She shook her head from side to side and pinched her cheek, but her body kept losing strength as if she was in a sleeping state. However, lies escaped her mouth consistently. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now¡­.¡± Stumbling on her feet and holding the window, when Helen looked like she was going to lose her consciousness at any moment, Van supported her shoulder slightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Helen¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t look normal, even though she was smiling. ¡°Your eyes are only half-opened.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± After expressing her gratitude, Helen slapped her palm against her cheek. She¡¯s so dizzy. What¡¯s wrong with her? She was wondering about that, but her head couldn¡¯t work properly. She stopped thinking and could barely take a single step at a time. Van was looking at her back for some time. Helen finally reached the Emperor¡¯s chamber with difficulty and knocked on the door. At that moment, she felt as if she was so drunk because of alcohol that she couldn¡¯t get herself together. She had seen alcohol mentioned in books, but she now knew this was exactly how it felt to be drunk. ¡°Huh, ah¡­.¡± As soon as she opened her mouth and breathed out heavily as if she was really drunk, the door opened and Mar greeted Helen. From Helen¡¯s strange perspective, Mar¡¯s head was tilted at 45 degrees. ¡°Hehe, Mar.¡± Helen chuckled softly and snuggled into Mar¡¯s arms. ¡°Huh?¡± A muffled sound broke out from Mar, who was bewildered. Helen, who would have stepped back because she felt guilty like usual, now was rubbing her face against Mar¡¯s chest as if it was a natural thing to do. ¡°Why is Mar so pretty?¡± ¡°¡­Edith?¡± Mar had no clue on what he should do and was frozen in his spot. Helen hugged him tightly in his waist and didn¡¯t let him go, as if she never realized her actions. Mar felt like he had gotten into an unexpected accident. He felt as if being beaten by a fist as he stood still in his spot. His heart kept pounding that the throbbing pain might go through his head as well. ¡°Hehe.¡± She lifted her head slightly and smiled, that was when their eyes met. The way she acted was a little strange today. Mar covered his flushed face with her hand as he didn¡¯t think it couldn¡¯t turn even redder, and pushed Helen away slightly with his hands. ¡°It¡¯s better for you to retreat a little bit.¡± ¡°¡­Why? You said you wanted to stick with me.¡± Helen¡¯s voice suddenly sounded dejected. ¡°Huh? No?¡± He thought she would come off him if he pushed her away, but he didn¡¯t think she would end up clinging more to him. Mar felt his whole body become heavy. His body was uncomfortable, but his heart was content. ¡°Yes¡­. why don¡¯t you want to?¡± In the end, Mar also burst into laughter. Although she was wearing a light smile on her face, it was very hard for him. Especially the lower part of his body. ¡°Mar, I¡¯m so sleepy¡­.¡± Helen staggered like a drunken person. As he didn¡¯t have any clue about Helen¡¯s condition, he picked Helen up off the floor and headed to bed. He laid her down carefully and covered her with a quilt that reached under her neck. After carefully arranging her disheveled hair, he sat down beside the bed. ¡°There. I¡¯ll wake up in a bit.¡± ¡°¡­Okay. Mar should rest, too. I¡¯ll sleep and wake up later.¡± Helen took a deep breath after she finished talking. It hasn¡¯t been long since she laid down there, but it seemed that she managed to fall asleep right away. When Mar saw Helen casually sleeping beside him, all sorts of thoughts came to his mind. He had never felt such a long and painful night before. ¡°Huft¡­ Why are you doing this to me.¡± She said to keep the boundaries between them while she¡­. He poked Helen, who was sleeping with a serene face, cheekily in the cheek. He poked her soft cheeks several times and smiled mischievously at the fact that he was bothering a sleeping person. He felt guilty for Hazel, who seemingly fell into a deep sleep without tossing and turning around. As she had to come here at night for him. Mar looked at the sleeping Helen, stroking her hair, and put his finger on her opened palm. The long nights were always lonely for him, but Helen¡¯s presence alone could fill him. Mar followed Helen laid down in bed. It felt different when he looked at Helen¡¯s face while lying down beside her. ¡®I wished this was my place.¡¯ At their first meeting, she revealed that she had a husband. Keep away from her. Don¡¯t make her have hard times. He knew that, but he wanted to keep crossing the line between them. ¡°So pretty¡­.¡± Her fine and mystic golden hair, face with sharp jawline and large, doe, blue eyes that he saw every time she blinked made him know that there was a sea which he had never seen yet. Her voice was also beautiful, and he liked her small body, which was less than half as big as he was. She was able to make him tremble with only her breath and she didn¡¯t seem to be aware of that. He tried to hide it because he thought she would run away if he said that to her. The closer he got, the more he craved for her, and the more anxious he was in case of making a muff. Mar carefully pressed his lips on Helen¡¯s palm, which was in front of him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep your promise. Just stay like this. Okay?¡± Mar¡¯s eyes were gleaming dangerously with a strong possessive desire in it. Then, Helen exhaled and inhaled softly. ¡°Answer me.¡± Mar smiled with his eyes curved upward. Along with the small smile, his slightly raised chin and good-looking exposed neckline accentuated his handsome appearance. The strong possessiveness in Mar¡¯s eyes gradually subsided when he wore an intense and pleased smile. -Chup. After pressing his lips on it again, he whispered cheesily. ¡°Good night, Edith.¡± Through the long night, he stayed by Helen¡¯s side, waiting for her to wake up. Chapter 47 *** It¡¯s morning. He felt great even before he opened his eyes. For some unknown reason, Carmun didn¡¯t want to open his eyes just yet, so he just tossed and turned around in bed even after the morning came. ¡­What is that? He had never bumped into anything in his spacious bed, but something brushed against his arms when he tossed and turned around. When Carmun opened his eyes, a random stranger suddenly appeared in his sight. ¡°¡­Why is she still here?¡± It was Concubine Edith. While she was sleeping, her chest was slightly visible in her disheveled clothing. What about her legs? Carmun pulled and rolled the quilt in panic. He covered his face with his hand, trying to reduce the blush tainted on it. He hurriedly tried to observe his own demeanor. She remained unscathed even though he was attracted to her. ¡°I think nothing happened¡­.¡± Once realizing that nothing had happened, Carmun eventually let his body relax, and turned around to look at Concubine Edith, who was still asleep. She was in a deep slumber and had a serene look on her face. Now that he sees her, it seems like she was pretty much fast asleep. He thought she looked like a harmless herbivore as she would have been very sensitive to anything, but he was surprised by the sight. ¡®She had quite an insouciant face.¡¯ People of different sexes shared the same bed at night, and nothing happened. ¡®Am I the problem or you?¡¯ Carmun looked down at Helen silently. Bound by the quilt, only her face was protruding out. Carmun, who stared blankly at her, murmured with her chin propped up on his hand. ¡®Why am I okay with you?¡¯ It¡¯s not like he despised people, but he didn¡¯t have a kind of personality that could favor others unconditionally. However, he has favored her since he saw her for the first time. It was his first time experiencing this, so he just kept looking at her. ¡®It¡¯s really mysterious and bizarre.¡¯ His heart was throbbing pleasantly. He felt like his heart was pounding for unknown reasons and immediately withdrew his gaze. It didn¡¯t seem like he wasn¡¯t feeling very well. He found something strange in Concubine Edith while raking his hair in a seemingly irritated gesture. Isn¡¯t she too quiet while sleeping? ¡°Does she even breathe?¡± When he put his hand under her nose, her breath was very weak. ¡°Edith, wake up now.¡± Carmun was taken aback and shook Helen on the shoulder. The gesture was quite powerful, but Helen didn¡¯t budge. Carmun turned serious and quickly sprang to his feet. ¡°What did she do yesterday¡­.¡± Carmun frowned and went out into the hallway to call for the physician. Before he started to take care of the political affairs, he had no choice but to call everyone directly because he prevented everyone from entering. Just as he reached the end of the hallway, Viester and his servants rushed in to do their work. They seemed to be in a hurry. ¡°Your Majesty! We¡¯ve got a big problem!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Her Majesty has collapsed because of the poisonous candle!¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± Josephine collapsed? ¡°It¡¯s a rare poisonous herb, and we haven¡¯t been able to completely figure it out yet, but it¡¯s said she hasn¡¯t woken up.¡± It sounded exactly like Concubine Edith, who was also lying on the bed. Could it be that Concubine Edith was unable to get up, too? Carmun peeked out from behind the door to take a look at his bed. Then, he grabbed Viester by the shoulder. ¡°Viester. Don¡¯t be surprised and listen to me.¡± ¡°Yes, please tell me.¡± ¡°I think Concubine Edith was poisoned, too.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon me?¡± Viester asked, raising his eyebrow. Carmun, who was too lazy to explain the whole situation, opened the door a bit to let him see the end of the bed beyond the slightly opened door. When he saw the pair of small feet on the bed, Viester¡¯s face hardened out of confusion. ¡°¡­Your Majesty!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure. It happened at night.¡± He spoke so confidently that Viester couldn¡¯t even urge him. It was a serious matter that the Empress had collapsed, so he had to go right away. ¡°Go ask Van.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Van went to pick her up every day, so he probably knew something. Carmen could not get rid of the strange discomfort. Carmun couldn¡¯t shake off the strange feeling of discomfort settling in his chest. ¡°Your Majesty, we should go now.¡± However¡­ He felt it was difficult to move his feet somehow. ¡®Seriously. Why am I like this?¡¯ Carmun frowned and ran his hand over his face. ¡°We¡¯re going to the Empress Palace.¡± Deep wrinkles formed on the bridge of his nose as he moved forward. What just happened? His mood has turned bad since this morning. *** Josephine finally woke up in the late evening. During that time, Carmun handled the case and gathered evidence. There were only a few pieces that have been gathered so far. However, it was so detailed that he was able to point out a few suspicious people. Josephine was one of them. ¡°May I ask why you are here?¡± Josephine flickered her eyes in surprise when she discovered Carmun in her room, beside the bed. ¡°¡­That¡¯s because you collapsed.¡± At Carmun¡¯s words, Josephine¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to come because of such a reason.¡± Josephine¡¯s voice cracked due to the long hours of sleeping. Carmun handed her the cup without saying anything, and she accepted it. ¡°¡­¡­¡­ Did I collapse?¡± Josephine got up with a sickly face. ¡°Yeah.¡± At Carmun¡¯s low mumble, Josephine slightly bit on her lower lips. She was panting slightly after collapsing earlier, but Josephine¡¯s gleaming eyes were sparkling. ¡°Who did it?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t found out yet.¡± Carmun looked carefully at Josephine. He narrowed his eyes and had a slight frown on his face. ¡°It¡¯s a poisonous herb. Someone must have attempted to kill you.¡± To Concubine Edith as well. Why the h*ll would they want to kill both of them at the same time? Josephine stroked her chin slightly at Carmun¡¯s words. ¡°Poisonous herb¡­.¡± Josephine¡¯s hand trembled as she gripped the quilt slightly. She tried to hide her hand under the quilt, but Carmun had already seen it. Tsk. Carmun clicked his tongue inside her mouth. Josephine looked so miserable. Carmun frowned and rubbed his forehead with her fingers. Josephine didn¡¯t have any particular reaction except for gripping the quilt, despite the fact that she almost died. Her action was very docile compared to usual. ¡°Didn¡¯t you sense something strange?¡± ¡°¡­I heard Your Majesty is about to spend¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I would want to spend my time here.¡± ¡°What¡­.¡± As expected. She¡¯s being too docile. Did the near-death experience change her? Or was she hiding something that was tried to be revealed? She didn¡¯t feel so great about anything. ¡°Concubine Edith has been poisoned as well, just like you.¡± ¡°¡­Concubine Edith, too?¡± At the mention of Concubine Edith, Josephine¡¯s straight eyebrows immediately crumpled. She couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking as she dropped her gaze and wiggled her hands beyond the quilt. ¡°Do you know anything about this?¡± ¡°No.¡± Even if she knew something, she didn¡¯t intend to tell him. There was no way she would believe that he sent those. At least she attempted to confirm because she was wondering about it. He had never sent or presented any gifts to her before. Josephine, who was suspicious, could not easily accept them. ¡°If so, I have to look for the maid.¡± ¡°Yes. Please do.¡± Strangely, Carmun didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable at Josephine¡¯s reply. Just like the ¡®mal¡¯ put on top of a woven board. [t/n: A small object used in yunnori, a traditional Korean game, janggi, Korean chess, chess, etc., by carrying and moving it over the board to indicate the position according to the rules. Cr: Naver Dictionary] ¡°Sure. Get well soon.¡± Carmun rose from his seat without hesitation. Now that Josephine has woken up, he has no reason to be there anymore. Josephine¡¯s eyes trembled greatly at the sight of Carmun who was about to take his leave without an ounce of hesitation. She was not shaken even at the fact that she almost died. ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t leave.¡± Tugging the hem of his clothes on impulse, Josephine exclaimed desperately. ¡°Don¡¯t leave. You came all the way here to see me. A-at least stay until dinner¡­.¡± She was hastily attempting to get out of the bed, but ended up staggering and stumbling on the long blanket. Carmun let out a brief sigh as he supported Josephine. ¡°Josephine.¡± It¡¯s been a long time since he has called her by name without animosity. Josephine¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the short call of her name. Her golden eyes were filled with anticipations when she lifted her head, only for the light to crumble when she was met with the nonchalant expression on Carmun¡¯s face. Bite. The sound of Josephine biting on her lower lip gave him goosebumps. ¡°You should remain in bed since you just woken up.¡± Carmun gently pushed Josephine by her shoulder to settle back on the bed. Josephine¡¯s pride was offended by the obvious refusal. However, he was the man who wouldn¡¯t have shown this much consideration unless she was sick. Josephine couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity, so she didn¡¯t let go of his hem which she took a hold of earlier. ¡°As I always say, I don¡¯t hold any grudges toward you. Except the fact that you are the daughter of Duke Torre.¡± She thought she had persuaded him by saying good things, and when he saw Josephine¡¯s expression, who kept silent as if her pride was hurt, he secretly rubbed his eyebrows. This was the reason he thought she was troublesome in many ways. The relationship that he didn¡¯t want to happen. ¡°You also know it¡¯s hard for us to have a proper relationship.¡± Carmun firmly drew the boundary between them, but Josephine kept insisting. As if it were her last chance, she threw himself toward him and put her arms around Carmun¡¯s waist. ¡°Josephine.¡± Carmun called Josephine, who was clinging desperately on his waist. If Josephine¡¯s arms hadn¡¯t been trembling, he would have yanked them off right away. Why did he think about that woman at that moment? ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Over Josephine¡¯s figure, who said sorry to him, clashed with the figure of Concubine Edith, whom he had met in the forest. Edith apologized, thinking that he was the night guy. That was probably why he couldn¡¯t act cold like usual toward her. After noticing that Carmun had hesitated for a moment, Josephine recited in an impetuous and high-pitched voice. ¡°¡­Your Majesty¡­. It¡¯s too much. If it¡¯s hard to go ahead of this relationship, I¡¯ll cling onto your pants to make you feel pity toward me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I mean you should look at me with pity in your eyes.¡± Eventually, Josephine couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore. She turned her head to the right, not wanting him to see the straight stream of tears flowing down through her cheeks. There was not even a bit of weeping sound escaped because she would never give up on her pride, but she failed to hide her slightly trembling shoulders. ¡°¡­.¡± Carmun eventually shoved Josephine away by the shoulder. Accepting her carelessly meant he would hurt many people. But he didn¡¯t realize that fact until he made a mistake. It¡¯s because he was dense. He swore not to make such a mistake again. As Carmun shoved her away, Josephine widened her eyes and lifted her head with a screwed-up face. Her eyes, filled with rebuke, were glaring at Carmun as if saying how could he do that to her. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Carmun did not halt. When could he put this evil destiny to an end? He thought this was enough because Josephine usually had an extremely strong self-esteem in herself. She wouldn¡¯t be chasing him anymore. However, perhaps Josephine was determined today, she led her trembling body and chased Carmun, holding onto him. ¡°Carmun!¡± She eventually called him by name, which was unlike how she usually addressed him. Carmun, whose name was being called, was stunned for a moment and stopped in his tracks as if his feet were glued on the floor. His name, which came out of Josephine, made him recall a bad memory. The memory was about his brother, Onderon. ¡°Stop.¡± Carmun spread his hands all over his face, stiffened dangerously beyond his exhausted face. Whenever he was with Josephine, he inevitably thought about Onderon. That was the more reason why he had to distance himself from Josephine. ¡°We often met back when we were young. We have known each other since then, so you should not be this cold toward me.¡± ¡°When we were young?¡± Carmun wrinkled his nose, a small contemptuous smile appeared around his mouth. Chapter 48 *** 5. The Sick and Dying Woman ¡°I have been Onderon¡¯s fianc¨¦e since you were young. You probably didn¡¯t know how much Onderon liked you. He loved you, cherished you terribly¡­.meanwhile to me¡­!¡± To me¡­. Josephine knew everything about the story. It¡¯s been a long time so Josephine might be okay with it, but not with Carmun. It was a memorable event that left him in severe pain. Moreover, didn¡¯t he get the curse because of that? He couldn¡¯t accept Josephine even more when she seemed to forget it and said that she loved him. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here.¡± Carmun took Josephine¡¯s hand away harshly from him as if he was getting tired of the situation. Josephine squeezed her dropped hand and looked at Carmun with insulted gaze, but he never looked back at her. ¡°You¡¯re not a woman to me even if you were to die and be born again as one again.¡± Carmun opened the door and went out after spitting out those words. She could hear the maid murmuring outside. ¡°Haha¡­.¡± A dejected smile ran across Josephine¡¯s lips. Staring at the door with an embarrassed and grim expression, Josephine frowned at the feeling of blood flowing through her torn lower lip. Sweeping the blood with her palm and looked at it. ¡®I knew this wouldn¡¯t work either¡­.¡¯ Her eyes got colder. Her face was a mess with blood and tears, but there was lunacy in her eyes. The lunacy in her that Carmun had never seen. ¡°You will regret it. Your Majesty.¡± Josephine couldn¡¯t withstand the rising anger inside her. Ever since she was born, anything that she wanted was hers. The crown prince, the empress position, the precious treasure, wealth, and power. She could accomplish whatever it is. Only one thing. Carmun didn¡¯t behave as she wished him to. It made Josephine¡¯s stomach turn, and Josephine started to throw things inside her room as she couldn¡¯t relieve her anger. At that time, a maid entered Josephine¡¯s room, where she was taking out her anger on things while panting tremendously. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°¡­what¡¯s with the fuss?¡± Those words meant Josephine was strongly offended as going against Josephine¡¯s temper meant she had an important matter to inform. Josephine placed the cup she was holding back on the table, ruffling her hair nervously. ¡°I just stopped a doctor who came from the Lion Palace and asked him, he said that Concubine Edith is now in the Lion Palace!¡± ¡°¡­haha¡­¡­.¡± She could have been this miserable. He left her in this empress palace, and summoned Concubine Edith into his palace. He didn¡¯t even know who sent that poisonous herb. ¡°This is not worth it at all.¡± Pretending not to hear Josephine¡¯s murmur, the maid, who had investigated the whereabouts of Carmun and Concubine Edith, closed the door and walked away. Josephine trembled with anger. She couldn¡¯t get rid of the anger inside her. At first, it started with a mere curiosity. How would Carmun react if she got intoxicated by poisonous herb? Would he want to pay her a visit? Would he come to see her at this empress palace, where he had stopped visiting for the last ten years? She thought and fell asleep after getting drunk. When she opened her eyes, she imagined Carmun came to visit her and said he was worried. Funnily enough, there was really Carmun, who looked worried when she opened her eyes. Now that he had left, it made her feel more miserable than before. She made all sorts of fantasies for even one small act done by him. What am I to him? Staring at the Lion Palace that was a bit farther away, Josephine changed her mind. Let¡¯s just kill the annoying thing. *** Carmun let out a long sigh at his complicated thought. ¡®I just want to take a rest.¡¯ Since ascending the throne, he has been suffering from chronic fatigue. He couldn¡¯t have a rest during the night, therefore had to deal with everything during the twelve hours he was conscious. Her nerves were on edge day by day, and his personality was an absolute mess compared to when he was young. Just because he did his job well, it didn¡¯t mean that he was a great emperor. He could tell just by looking at himself. His father might bolt out of his coffin and strangle him seeing his son bringing along numerous scandals on his back. One great thing about becoming an emperor was that you didn¡¯t have to look at that d*mn old man¡¯s face. If he had known that d*mn old man was having his life perfectly under his control up until now, he would have preferred to die. He was unable to hide his exhausted face as he entered the Lion Palace and opened the door, Viester was taking care of the political affairs while sitting on the sofa inside the room. ¡°How¡¯s Concubine Edith?¡± ¡°Her breathing and pulse returned, but she¡¯s still unconscious.¡± Carmun turned around and headed to bed. She looked the same as she was in the morning. If he took a mere look at her, it would look like she was asleep. Carmun got goosebumps when she slept like she was dead. Carmun was lost in his thoughts for a moment, he then lifted his chin toward Viester. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon me?¡± Viester tilted his head as if he didn¡¯t hear him well. ¡°I said I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Carmen pointed his hand to the floor. ¡®Is it that surprising that I¡¯m going to stay in my room?¡¯ It would have been better if he could explain it in a simple way, but Carmun had no skill to be that way. It¡¯s also bothersome for him to explain. As today is a particularly tiring day. He pulled a chair near the bed and looked down at Concubine Edith¡¯s face with an exhausted look. While taking a close look at Concubine Edith, who was still fast asleep, he frowned and measured her forehead using his hand. He was wondering if she was asleep because of the fever. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Viester spoke with a bewildered tone after looking at him sideways, as if he had seen something ridiculous. He was so surprised that he almost dropped all the documents in his hold that he would have to report to the emperor. ¡°Attending her.¡± He almost thought how calm he had been most of the time. He wasn¡¯t fond of touching someone¡¯s body. Viester frowned at the bad hunch that passed through his mind. He really wished it wouldn¡¯t be her. He wasn¡¯t very delighted when Josephine settled in the empress¡¯ position. It¡¯s just that there was no second-best solution. Carmun, who had a weak political base and ascended the throne due to treason, had to gain recognition from the nobles so that he didn¡¯t have to meander in war. As if waiting for that moment, Duke Torre offered his daughter to him. If he walked on the same path as his father¡¯s, the public sentiment of the empire¡¯s people would be shaken. Viester didn¡¯t intend to see him become like that while he was working as his aide. Carmun squeezed the towel soaked in the basin and used it to wipe Concubine Edith¡¯s cheeks. ¡°So why are you like this, Your Majesty?¡± Viester snatched the towel held by Carmun. The act was crossing the line a lot more than usual, but Carmun didn¡¯t stop him. He only looked up at Viester with clear eyes. ¡°Because I want to.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Viester who crossed the line today. Carmun was also acting strange today. ¡®What had happened at the empress palace¡­¡¯ Viester shrunk back at Carmun¡¯s languid voice. He didn¡¯t seem scary when he [the emperor] lost his temper or if he was being shouted at. Actually, it was the most difficult sight to endure when seeing him so depressed and so tired. Knowing that I¡¯m weak at this look, I don¡¯t even have the power to hide it today. ¡°¡­.¡± Biesder let out a short sigh. Carmun didn¡¯t pay attention to Viester and picked up the towel again. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t she woken up yet?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure whether he was asking him or just muttering to himself. ¡°The doctor had come earlier. He said she¡¯d wake up tonight.¡± ¡°What kind of poisonous herb did she suffer from?¡± ¡°It seems the herb doesn¡¯t come from Idelberg. The doctor said he didn¡¯t know about it at all. And I heard from Van that the scent was very strong when he saw the burning leaf for the first time at Concubine Edith¡¯s abode.¡± Viester recited the information he had received while Carmun was in the Empress Palace. He handed over the papers that had been filled with written testimonies from the maids and testimonies from Van to Carmun, and he was looking through it. ¡°You must find them since it¡¯s not a light problem.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Empress and concubine were almost assassinated at the same time. Viester also knew this problem was not something to be taken lightly. However, what bothered him more than that was Carmun in front of him. He wiped off Concubine Edith¡¯s sweat with erratic hand, treating her like a delicate thing. His attitude was very different from the way he didn¡¯t wipe off the wetness that derived from his activity that washed her. ¡°If Her Majesty finds out about this, she¡¯s not going to let it slide.¡± ¡°I think you always say the same thing. Do you think I¡¯ll be scared of her?¡± ¡°No¡­.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just leave the papers here and go out? She will get up soon.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Carmun lifted his chin and wrinkled the bridge of his nose. As if it¡¯s troublesome to say anything more. Viester blinked and soon caught the meaning, he straightened his back that had bent slightly. She could see the sun setting through the window. The time for his night self to awaken soon. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be on my way now! See you tomorrow.¡± Viester hurriedly left the room after handing in the prepared documents and a list of political affairs. His night self was the scariest person for Viester. It became quiet when Viester, who had been tittle-tattling loudly, left the room. Inside the room where he was only able to hear Helen exhaling calmly, Carmun looked down at Helen with his chin resting on one hand. His red eyes were only filled by the sight of her. ¡°Get up quickly.¡± Carmun was rather distracted due to his tired body. He wondered why Concubine Edith kept making him concerned, but the answer was not important. That bothered him. It was important in itself. He had never been angry such as now when Viester almost died. Weirdly enough, he couldn¡¯t get himself to concentrate on work due to the twisted anger that rose from the depth of his stomach. He was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t wake up again. After meeting Josephine, it was easy for him to sort out his mind. ¡®It¡¯s really strange.¡¯ Carmun¡¯s veins were sticking out in worry. Looking at Helen with an empty gaze, he let out a long sigh out of frustration. It was at that time. When Helen stretched out her hand in the air while letting a weak sound escape her mouth. Carmun unconsciously offered his hand at the gesture that seemed like she was looking for something. Carmun unwittingly muttered nonsense when Helen¡¯s warm hands brushed against his. ¡°Oh¡­.¡± She extended them as if telling him to catch it, but he was embarrassed to really catch them. He held her hands, which were hanging in the air and kept the awkward posture for a moment since he didn¡¯t know what to do. Helen didn¡¯t open her eyes, she was just probably talking in her sleep. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He wondered if she was somniloquy. [t/n: somniloquy also known as sleep talking.] Carmun couldn¡¯t move as if his body was frozen in his spot until her hand, which he thought had stopped moving, gradually moved over his shoulders and face. ¡­ Such a brash woman. Carmun took Helen¡¯s hand that rested on his cheek and inhaled briefly. He almost got swooned by a woman who was currently sleeping. ¡®She fainted when she saw me.¡¯ Carmun frowned at the way his feeling was hurting upon thinking so. At the same time, he liked the sensation of Helen¡¯s touch on his face, so he took off the mask that covered his face. ¡°Wake up now. Before I do what I really wanted to do.¡± Knowing that night would be falling soon, Carmun couldn¡¯t endure the greediness inside of him. However, there was nothing he could do other than placing a brief kiss on Helen¡¯s hand. Chapter 49 Mar woke up when the night fell. There was a towel in his hand out of nowhere and Helen was lying beside him. He smiled in delight when spotting Helen, but immediately figured out the situation after a moment. Is she sick? ¡°Edith¡­!¡± It was normal. Mar hugged Helen¡¯s shoulder in a haste. He put his finger under her nose to check her breath. How about the fever? He put her hand on her forehead, but it also appeared to be normal. ¡°Edith? Wake up¡­.¡± Helen, who seemed as if she was dying, did not open her eyes, and Mar felt like his sight became hazy. She¡¯s going to be fine. She has to be fine¡­. If he messed up due to the confusion, he would be regretting it for the rest of his life. After lightly catching his breath, he looked around and saw a note left by someone who he believed to be the emperor. /Take care of her, she will wake up soon./ Mar¡¯s hand trembled slightly. She must have been really sick. He was unhappy with having to take orders from the Emperor, but there was nothing he could do. Edith comes first. Mar knelt down on the side of Helen¡¯s bed and stared at her. He took Helen¡¯s hand and put it between his hands as if making a gesture of praying. ¡°Edith¡­ wake up quickly.¡± He was staring at Helen for a long time, wiping her sweat with the towel, but she didn¡¯t open her eyes. As time passed, Mar became afraid. Even if her condition worsened, what could he do if he couldn¡¯t get out of the room? Mar was upset at his circumstance and gritted his teeth. He let out a bloody splitting sound, but Mar didn¡¯t mind it. Helen¡¯s pale, sickly-looking face made Mar¡¯s insides burn. ¡°Edith¡­ please open your eyes¡­.¡± Is it because he held her hands and prayed really hard? Just before the sun rose, Helen woke up. ¡°Mar?¡± It took her a while because she couldn¡¯t open her eyes properly. Her throat was completely dry and she sounded terrible, but at that moment, he felt like his wish had come true. He nearly burst into tears because she was so emotional. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a relief¡­.¡± Mar leaned Helen against his chest and passed over the water he had prepared before. ¡°Mar, how long have I been sleeping¡­.? Uhmm. My throat is really hoarse¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to speak. It¡¯s all right. Drink slowly.¡± She took a sip of water given by Mar. Helen had a pounding pain on her head and a sore throat. Her whole body was aching, perhaps because she had been asleep for too long. While moving around lightly, the thin sunlight was coming through the window that she was staring at. Morning was coming around. ¡°¡­Mar? It¡¯s morning, how about ¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a¡­. re¡­¡­¡­¡± Even before he managed to finish his words, Mar¡¯s eyes suddenly rolled in a flash and his body collapsed under the bed. ¡°AH!¡± Helen was so surprised and pulled Mar¡¯s sleeve in a haste, but he was so heavy that she just fell along with him. Her body was throbbing in pain as it was. Fortunately, his whole body was covering her face, so her head didn¡¯t seem to be injured, but¡­. They fell down in a rather awkward position. His back was leaning against the floor with his legs raised on the bed, while she was lying on her back on top of him and wrapped herself around his head. Her face was burning up while being in such a shameful position. Mar must have been taking care of her until he collapsed like that. When she carefully let go of herself around his head and took a look around only to see traces of nursing activity. ¡®Thank you¡­.¡¯ Helen shifted closer to Mar, who had collapsed, and pulled up his body with a groan. She wanted to make him a little more comfortable, so she lowered his legs to the floor and lifted her head slightly to put the pillow under his head. Mar, who she thought had collapsed, suddenly opened his eyes. ¡°UWAH!¡± Helen fell backward in surprise and fell on her bottom. Fortunately, she fell on the floor, so she wasn¡¯t severely injured, however her bottom did hurt a little. ¡°Mar!¡± Even so, she smiled widely and made eye contact with him, delighted that Mar woke up unscathed. It was at that moment. As soon as he opened his eyes and their eyes met, his pupil shook gravely. What¡¯s wrong with him? Mar was acting strange. His eyelashes trembled as if he was feeling uncomfortable somewhere. ¡°Mar? What¡¯s wrong? Where does it hurt?¡± Helen asked with the tilt of her head, only to see Mar¡¯s face hardened. He even took a step back as if he was scared. ¡°Mar¡­?¡± When Helen called his name out in a puzzled voice, Mar ignored her and covered his face with his hands, extremely confused about what to do. Why is he so surprised even though it¡¯s his first time seeing her in the morning? It was when she extended her hand a bit because she was concerned about Mar, who seemed disoriented. He stepped back as if he had just seen something scary and seemed anxious. ¡°¡­Mar, are you okay?¡± Helen retracted her hands in confusion and asked awkwardly. There was no answer from the morning Mar. He only nibbled on his lips and looked anxious. Helen whimpered, feeling uneasy about Mar when he didn¡¯t answer her at all. At the sight, Carmun realized it was too late to run away at that moment. When he saw the blindfold on the table, he put his hands over her forehead. ¡°Mar, what¡¯s wrong? Are you upset at me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He was unable to answer, so he only shook his head slightly, and Helen¡¯s face smoothened a bit. ¡°I thought you were upset at me¡­.¡± Worry disappeared from Helen¡¯s face and a slip of smile crept up on it. Carmun¡¯s heart began to beat precipitously at her pretty smile. ¡®Is there any reason for me to get upset at her?¡¯ He found out that their posture was a little strange after opening his eyes. Lying on the floor while hugging each other. What the h*ll are they up to? There were thin wrinkles between Carmun¡¯s eyebrows as he lost his mind after thinking that far. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking to me?¡± Helen asked while secretly trying to study his face, but Carmun wasn¡¯t able to come up with an answer. However, he felt strange seeing her smiling warmly, mistaking him as his night self. There was a ticklish feeling in his heart. ¡°I was worried that you might have gotten upset at me.¡± Helen smiled bristly and immediately held his hands. ¡°You¡¯ve taken care of me, right? Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Carmun nodded lightly. Her heart was tickling and he wanted to scratch it if he could. However, something seemed to rise from the depths of his inside, which was beyond his reach. ¡°¡­.¡± Carmun stared at Helen¡¯s face blankly. ¡®Mar is weird. I thought he would hug me right away.¡¯ Helen scratched her cheek awkwardly. ¡®Morning Mar didn¡¯t have anything to say.¡¯ Mar might not remember this happened because he said he was going to faint in the morning. ¡®I will have to tell him at night. That you were conscious in the morning.¡¯ Helen, who wanted to be of help to Mar, gave off a smile from her mouth. Carmun suffered from a sharp pain in his heart again. ¡®This was similar to the spring breeze.¡¯ Carmun pulled his hands away, lifted it in the air hesitatingly for a moment. ¡®What am I supposed to do?¡¯ It was not the time to play around peacefully with Concubine Edith. He needed to send the concubine back as soon as possible. Unlike his fast-progressing mind, Carmun¡¯s eyes were fixed on Helen¡¯s face. There was a feeling of his body unable to listen to his head. He just wanted to remain like this. While experiencing the situation for the first time, Carmun was opposing himself. Helen asked, tilting her head toward Carmun¡¯s face, which was filled with worries. ¡°Do you want us to hold hands?¡± Tilt. The way Helen tilted her head was so cute that Carmun unconsciously bit his lips at the sight. Although he turned his gaze and twisted his face obliquely, he was slightly intoxicated by Helen¡¯s scent. He knew Helen came into his room, but it felt very exciting to meet her directly. He wasn¡¯t shakened because he was scared, but because his heart swayed when she smiled while being affectionate to him. Carmun maintained fierce eye contact with her and in particular, he didn¡¯t even blink. He was intoxicated by Helen without realizing it with his mouth wide open. ¡°You¡¯ve been taking care of me, so I will have to give your hands a special hold.¡± She was holding his hands and smiled, as if they had a funny joke. ¡°!¡± Carmun¡¯s face was bright red. He was panting and his eyelashes quivering. ¡°Mar, thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± He fiddled with Helen¡¯s hand. He felt sick in the stomach. It feels as pleasant as flying at just one physical contact. He couldn¡¯t believe this. At the first sway of his heart which he never experienced before, Carmun realized his feelings for Concubine Edith. ¡°I¡¯ve already fallen hard for her.¡¯ *** Carmun mumbled with a frustrated look on his face, putting his chin on the desk and postponing his work, despite starting the national affairs work a little later than usual in the morning. ¡°Mar? Marrr?¡± Are they just deciding to play around for the name by themselves instead of using their normal name? D**n it. He felt miserable. It¡¯s only been three hours since he realized his feelings. During the past three hours, his mood swings fell down to the ground and then soared to the sky repeatedly. ¡°So annoying.¡± His voice came out mixed with a hint of jealousy in it. It¡¯s ridiculous that the object of his jealousy was himself, but the fact that he wasn¡¯t confident in beating the opponent also added much to his annoyance. Carmun got up from his seat and wandered around, because he couldn¡¯t get his hands on his work. ¡°¡­Your Majesty¡­.¡± Viester called Carmun, trying as hard as he could to hide the ridiculous expression on his face. Inside the office connected to Carmun¡¯s room, both of them usually solved the political affairs. It was to reduce his time moving around anywhere. Due to that, Viester had to go back and forth from the office and the main palace. Viester finally opened his mouth as he couldn¡¯t stand Carmun who was annoyed by all sorts of things today. ¡°Why are you so upset?¡± ¡°Am I upset?¡± ¡°¡­So, you¡¯re not upset?¡± Viester asked back with a feigned smile. Carmun¡¯s eyes followed the direction of Viester¡¯s gaze. On the messy desk of Karmun, the documents were crumpled up and unable to write, and only the pen stand that had been broken since earlier exceeded the row. On the Carmun¡¯s messy desk, the papers were crumpled up and couldn¡¯t be written on anymore, also there were ten broken pen holders. ¡°You¡¯re upset. For real.¡± It¡¯s ridiculous how he didn¡¯t realize it until now. Carmun covered his mouth in shock. ¡®Why am I angry? She¡¯s meeting the night man, so why am I¡­.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re acting very strange today.¡± Viester muttered as he looked at Carmun, who was full of confusion. ¡°Has Concubine Edith returned?¡± Carmun¡¯s expression was filled with even more confusion at the mention of Concubine Edith. He held his breath and opened his eyes a little wider. Viester shook his head slightly once he saw Carmun turned noticeably rigid. ¡°Do you feel sad?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Sad. It¡¯s too much. In the morning, he saw Concubine Edith lying in his bed and sensed an unknown thirst inside him. He couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. But how did Viester know? Carmun¡¯s eyebrows crumpled in suspicion. ¡°It¡¯s written on your face.¡± Viester replied while showing a smirk. How could he not notice when the man just acted like a young boy who fell in love? It seems that he even knows about it. Carmun avoided looking at Viester and felt his cheeks heated up slightly upon hearing his aide. His sheepish back gave Viester a hint of goosebumps. He was usually either composed or sly, so he couldn¡¯t help but get taken aback when he suddenly fell in love and behaved as if he was in his youth. ¡®So His Majesty was able to fall in love, too.¡¯ He didn¡¯t considered himself to be gay, but he was just skeptical in love. Twenty seven concubines, in fact other than them, there were also a lot of other women who would throw themselves at the Emperor. As a young emperor in an empire, anyone who knew how he looked when he was young would know that his face was perfect. There were plenty of women, but he didn¡¯t even meet any of them, despised the idea of touching others, parties, and never had an ordinary tea time. Therefore, it would have been understandable if this kind of situation made him feel awkward. It took him a lot of time to catch his opponent, and the princess of Cordelia Empire of all people, so he didn¡¯t have any intention to oppose it if he was able to turn to concubine. ¡®Then, I will be able to get myself out of the rumor, right?¡¯ Viester¡¯s cheeks were tinged with faint excitement. On that day, both of them were excited for separate reasons and put back their work for a while. Chapter 50 *** Helen headed back to her abode with a strangely stiff body. The knights, who were under the command of the Emperor, secretly followed her, but Helen, who was usually insensitive, failed to notice them beforehand. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little strange¡­. As if I¡¯ve been sleeping for a long time¡­.¡± Her body wasn¡¯t just a little stiff. Her whole body was throbbing and aching. Moreover, when Helen dragged her uncomfortable body back into the concubine¡¯s residence, her eyes grew big seeing the chaotic atmosphere. Besides, the ladies working at the concubine¡¯s residence trembled at the sight of her, or even when they were just making eye contact with her and ran away quickly. ¡®Why are they¡­. Like that?¡¯ Helen blinked in confusion. This was not the end of her confusion. Ellie¡¯s face was full of tears while waiting for her in front of her abode. ¡°Your Highness!¡± As soon as their eyes met, she ran over with tears dripping down her face, meanwhile Helen was very confused as she wiped off Ellie¡¯s tears. ¡°Why are you crying? What happened?¡± Helen asked seriously. ¡°Did anything happen yesterday?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Yesterday, the knight sent by His Majesty came and told me everything.¡± ¡°Tell you what?¡± ¡°I heard you fainted. He said you¡¯ve been poisoned by a poisonous herb¡­.!¡± ¡°A poisonous herb?¡± Helen¡¯s voice was full of curiosity. The corner of Ellie¡¯s lips drooped as if she was sad at her attitude that seemed to have no idea of what happened. ¡°Why are you pretending to be clueless¡­! Please tell me!¡± ¡°I seriously don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I was poisoned?¡± Helen blinked repeatedly, pointing her finger to herself. Ellie wiped off her tears and told her in detail about what happened once realizing that she seemed to be genuinely clueless about everything. ¡°¡­Yes. Van, the knight sent by His Majesty told me.¡± ¡°Van?¡± Van was the knight who took her to the Lion Palace every night. It was the name of someone she knew. When Van¡¯s name came out of Ellie¡¯s mouth, she began to understand the situation. Something had gone wrong. ¡°The knight is here now.¡± Ellie nodded her head and Helen¡¯s face stiffened noticeably. ¡°!¡± He was always wearing a black uniform as a knight! Helen bit her lip, it was so obvious. If Van was standing in front of her abode, she could understand why the maids had run away from her earlier. Because Van is the person of His Majesty! They must have misunderstood that there was something between the Emperor and her. Helen ran straight to her abode after her thought reached that conclusion. Then, she saw Van standing at the entrance of her abode while staring at the ladies passing by folded arms, as if it was a natural for him before catching her eyes. ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Putting the long sword near his waist, he looked around with his characteristically indifferent gaze. Then, he bowed his head when he spotted her. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you, Your Highness.¡± Why is he acting casually like this? ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Helen rushed over to him and spoke in a haste. ¡°G-Go back right now!¡± Helen¡¯s eyes began to shake as she looked everywhere. ¡®How long has he been here?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t wish the rumor wouldn¡¯t spread all the way to her father as she couldn¡¯t get out of the capital. She really wanted to have no contact with him! Now that she unexpectedly had contact with the emperor, she wanted to prevent the wrong rumor from spreading out. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. It is His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± Contrary to the distraught shown all over Helen¡¯s face, firm refusal came out of Van¡¯s mouth. ¡°T-then, stay out of sight!¡± ¡°That is also impossible. His Majesty has given me an order to protect Your Highness.¡± At Van¡¯s face who gave a firm refusal, Helen looked around with a very distressed face. Helen shut Van¡¯s mouth as she turned ashen at the sight of maids peeping them and wondered what was going on. ¡°Shh! Be quiet!¡± Van took Helen¡¯s hand off his mouth. ¡°¡­Your Highness is the loudest one here.¡± Helen pushed Van into the room without listening to what he said. If he didn¡¯t want to go back, she would have preferred him to stay in a place that made him less noticeable by others. Since he used to jump over the walls, she wished he would return over the wall leading to the backyard. ¡°This¡­ come this way!¡± When Helen pushed Van¡¯s broad back, he couldn¡¯t help but to comply. Van asked as he unexpectedly came into her room. ¡°Can I come into your room?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of prohibiting you?¡± At that, Van¡¯s eyebrows crumpled subtly. Van used to maintain a calm expression on his face, so she was amazed when he showed slight changes in his expression. ¡°You¡¯re His Majesty¡¯s concubine.¡± Did he mean that there was something wrong if she let a stranger enter her room? This time, Helen¡¯s forehead was crumpled slightly. ¡°After all, His Majesty sent you. I¡¯m sure he will overlook this.¡± Overlook? That man wouldn¡¯t have cared if she were to allow him into the room. Van¡¯s reaction was strange as he looked at Helen¡¯s convincing expression. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He stared at Helen with a dumb face, as if he was at a loss for words. She had never seen that kind of expression on Van¡¯s face before. Van was about to say something, but Helen held him back from speaking. ¡°What do you mean by poisonous herb?¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything other than falling asleep in His Majesty¡¯s room last night. I was so embarrassed when I came out of the Emperor¡¯s Palace this morning.¡± Helen has been confused since the moment she saw Mar at the Lion Palace this morning. She didn¡¯t expect Mar to be able to open his eyes in the morning! She believed Mar¡¯s words when saying he would faint, but when he woke up, he was conscious and capable of having a conversation with her. Although it¡¯s strange that he didn¡¯t speak. Van spoke in a puzzled voice as he watched Helen wondering by herself. ¡°It¡¯s not last night.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°To be precise, it was the day before yesterday.¡± ¡°The day before yesterday?¡± Helen asked back, reiterating what he just said. She wanted to confirm it once again. Helen¡¯s expression was crumpling horribly as she asked back. Helen opened her mouth wide in shock in astonishment when she saw Van nodded slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for a whole day. It is understandable that you don¡¯t have any clue about it.¡± ¡°I slept for a whole day?¡± It was surprising that she had slept for a whole day, but right at that moment, Helen was reminded of the place where she woke up this morning. Beyond astonishment, fear overcame Helen. ¡°¡­In His Majesty¡¯s room?¡± Helen started screaming without a sound. Ellie, who was standing behind Helen quietly with worry, eventually exclaimed as Helen slumped onto her seat. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Ellie, who was in shock, ran toward her. Helen, who was on the brink of collapsing again, barely had the time to collect her senses as she pushed Van¡¯s hand that supported her. ¡°¡­ I think I screwed up¡­¡­.¡± Helen just wanted to cry. *** Before the maid burnt the poisonous herb, she finished the reporting task to the empress. After the maid went back after burning the poisonous herb, she planned to hide herself. It was the empress who helped in this plan. The maid had done a great job, and she would sneak out from the palace and flee to the neighboring country by a carriage that had been prepared by the empress. She would live well there. That night, she really thought everything was going well. However, they had a problem the very next day. Concubine Edith¡¯s abode, which was expected to be in an uproar, was too quiet. As usual, she obviously misunderstood that the maid almost lied to her. However, she discovered that Edith wasn¡¯t in her abode after seeing the maid, who belonged directly to Concubine Edith, was looking for her master everywhere in confusion. ¡®She¡¯s gone! ¡­But where?¡¯ Where did she disappear to? The woman, who had fallen into a deep sleep because of the poisonous herb and wasn¡¯t supposed to wake up, disappeared as it was. After that, Concubine Edith didn¡¯t return to her abode for a day. Ersa was anxious that made her whole body stiffened. She was nervous and bit her nails out of habit. On the next day, the knight that worked directly under the Emperor along with the knights belonging to him came. The man who introduced himself as Van asked regarding Concubine Edith. ¡°¡­ Is there anything you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I went to bed early that day.¡± The maid has already taken care of it all. No one said they saw her. The empress did it, so of course it would be executed perfectly. She even prepared a perfect alibi in order to not get caught. Ersa replied confidently with a smile. Van bowed his head politely. ¡°Thank you for your cooperation. Tell me if you have any information regarding it later.¡± Ersa stiffened her face and bit her lip once Van turned around. She did it regardless. Ersa was restless and fussing around. ¡®Where did Concubine Edith disappear to?¡¯ Something was wrong. ¡®Why did they conduct such a huge investigation just because of Concubine Edith?¡¯ Another news arrived the next morning to Ersa, who had been unable to sleep for a while. It was reported that the empress collapsed after being poisoned similar to Concubine Edith. ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Ersa only realized it after that. That she was used as the empress¡¯ chess piece. She was played by her on the woven board. ¡®Did she just¡­ use me?¡¯ Ersa¡¯s flawless face fell apart. Her jaw and lips trembled when she realized she had been used. *** ¨C Cordelia Empire The Emperor of Cordelia, Arthur, was spending his leisure time by taking a walk in the afternoon. Looking at the carefully decorated garden, he cautiously picked each flower and tried to make it into a bouquet as pretty as possible. She remembered the first time he made a bouquet as a present to his partner. ¡®It was a mess¡­¡¯ It was when he trimmed it beautifully while recalling the joy of the first time doing it. The servant, who usually did not dare to interfere with his leisure time, approached him. ¡°The Idelberg¡¯s delegation has already come. You have to get ready to welcome them.¡± Has he already done this for quite a while? Arthur beckoned at his servant with his eyes wrinkled in displeasure. As if he wanted to return. He never wanted to be disturbed by anyone during this time. This was the time when he went to see his wife. The servant, who was standing far like Arthur had ordered earlier, noticed Arthur¡¯s countenance. He didn¡¯t want to know what kind of relation they would have to face if they made Idelberg¡¯s delegation disappointed. ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The servant, who came after receiving the order from the aide, returned his eyes with a worried look. Arthur¡¯s eyes have changed. He walked to the end of the garden and looked up at his office, which he then noticed the window had been opened. Arthur, who recalled that he had left it shut earlier, only realized that his right-hand man had returned. ¡°Poze.¡± His footsteps grew faster as he called his right-hand man¡¯s name. He was so curious about what Posay brought after he asked the man to seek information in Idelberg. His extremely urgent step came into a halt in front of the office. The woman, whose long black hair was tied in a high ponytail, knelt down toward the person who came from the opened door without even bothering to knock with eyes laid straight down. ¡°I¡¯m ready to receive your order.¡± ¡°Poze, you¡¯ve came back.¡± Arthur¡¯s face was beaming with smiles. When he smiled, he looked so similar that he couldn¡¯t deny the fact that he was the father of Edith and Helen. ¡°How much did you get when I asked you to find out?¡± Arthur¡¯s curiosity seemed to be the only one on his mind, so he asked for the main point right away without even asking how she had been doing. Chapter 51 *** Poze slowly began to talk at Arthur¡¯s eyes that had been glaring at her since a while ago. ¡°I¡¯ve heard most of the rumors, but it was difficult to know what was happening in the main palace. For now, the plan is going smoothly.¡± Arthur¡¯s mouth formed a faint smile when the ¡®plan¡¯ came out of her mouth. Poze hurriedly bowed her head as the corner of his mouth trembled in delight. ¡°Princess Helen seems to have received the emperor¡¯s favor.¡± ¡°¡­it¡¯s a relief.¡± Arthur inhaled as if he was thrilled. Then, he put down the bouquet he was holding dearly in his arms in front of the desk and stroked his chin. It resembled Edith, but that was all he thought about. ¡°It turns out even that lazybone has some talent.¡± Arthur¡¯s satisfied voice reverberated through the office. Helen might make her wish come true if she did well on this. Poze continued her report while staring at Arthur¡¯s eyes, which was full of expectation. ¡°According to the rumor, she was spotted in the emperor¡¯s arms and he even gave Princess Helen the pray that he had caught that day.¡± Arthur opened his eyes wide in pure disbelief upon hearing Poze¡¯s report. He ordered Helen to kill the emperor, but he didn¡¯t expect she would execute the plan this well. Carmun, the Emperor of Idelberg, was someone who had a distinctive side. Even though the man owned the largest empire, he was stoic, quiet on the surface, and was rumored to be vicious, but he didn¡¯t like war. The reason of him being rumored as vicious was because he annihilated his own family and the ruthless crime punishment for the sinner. Such a man favored Helen? This was something worthy of praise. A satisfied smile spread across Arthur¡¯s face. Poze sat on her knees in front of Arthur and looked around. Actually, the report about Princess Helen was easy to get. ¡°What else did I ask you to find out?¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes began to gleam fiercely. He closed the window where the only light was coming through and asked in a dark voice. ¡°The emperor¡¯s weakness.¡± Poze bit his lips as she spoke in a quiet voice as if it was a secret. ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t¡­..¡± Poze had done her best. She went all the way to Idelberg alone and investigated secretly, processing what Emperor Arthur had ordered. However, Arthur, who wasn¡¯t satisfied with Poze¡¯s answer, and he asked back while secretly rolling up his sleeve. ¡°The emperor is not leaving the main palace, is he?¡± His voice was pitiful, but that was all because as soon Arthur was done rolling up his sleeve, he took the vase that had been placed in front of his desk and threw it toward Poze, hitting her forehead without an ounce of hesitation. Crash! Her forehead was torn and blood flew out of it like water in the vase. Red blood dripped down from her forehead to the wet floor, but Arthur¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°You have to do what I told you. Got it?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Poze wiped her eyes with her sleeve, acting like she was used to Arthur¡¯s violence. As her hazy vision returned a little, she could see Arthur¡¯s enrage face. Even though he had hit her forehead, he was still panting as if his anger wouldn¡¯t go away. Poze was prepared to be hit more, but surprisingly, a flat remark followed after that. ¡°Yes. Go there again. Two months will be enough, right?¡± Today, at least she was hit less. She naturally had to be beaten like a dog if she failed to process her master¡¯s order. ¡®Because I couldn¡¯t get my job done properly.¡¯ Arthur despised useless people so much. Poze lowered his head deeply on the floor while murmuring words of gratitude. ¡°Yes. Your Majesty. I won¡¯t disappoint you this time.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re supposed to.¡± Poze breathed a brief sigh of relief when he spoke in a slightly relieved voice. ¡°Ah. Right.¡± Arthur added with a bright smile as if he had a good idea. ¡°Oh, Poze. This time, go along when the delegation returns.¡± ¡°With the delegation?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s not easy to get into Idelberg Palace. I can¡¯t believe you failed my order¡­..¡± His eyes looked as if they just saw a horrible thing, which was Poze, who failed her mission. Poze avoided eye contact with him and bit her lower lip. ¡°You will have to do it well this time. It¡¯s a must.¡± Arthur came closer and whispered to Poze in a gentle voice. Poze knew. This man before her already had a lot of right-hand men previously. His voice hinted that if she didn¡¯t do this properly, the next right-hand man would appear to replace her. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Poze¡¯s voice quivered slightly. Arthur¡¯s eyes that looked down at Poze, who bowed her head meekly, shone dangerously. By pretending to be a part of the delegation, he could send her to get in touch with Helen in the palace, and if things work out well, she would have a chance to see the emperor¡¯s weaknesses. He had no desire to put Idelberg in danger or wanting Idelberg¡¯s wealth. He just wanted Carmun to be dead. He didn¡¯t want to see the last remaining lineage of the previous emperor in this world. A lot of lineage left by the previous emperor were all killed by Carmun himself, so it was his turn to deal with the last remaining lineage. ¡®Now that she is indebted to him, it would be better to let her take care of him.¡¯ Helen would do it for him. ¡°Go and meet Helen. Ask her what she¡¯s thinking and what is her plan. When will she kill the emperor¡­¡­. You will have to find out his weaknesses as well.¡± Poze nodded, loyalty embodied her gaze. ¡°Leave.¡± Poze clenched her hands and placed it in front of her chest following Arthur¡¯s command. ¡°I¡¯m ready to receive your order.¡± She picked up the black uniform she had taken off to hide her face again. After that, she disappeared through the window where she had entered earlier. Arthur muttered quietly as he watched her move like the wind. ¡°I hope Poze will do her job well¡­.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t laced with worries. It¡¯s just that it would be trouble to look for the next right-hand man again. Arthur looked at the quiet room once and then closed the window where Poze had disappeared to. After making sure the room was perfectly closed, he picked up a bouquet of flowers that he had put on the desk earlier. It was still fresh, but when he realized it wasn¡¯t as good as earlier, he crumpled his face with a gaze flashed with annoyance. He wanted to give her the best. Arthur walked to the front of a huge portrait of Ovya inside the room with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He walked slowly, as if each step he took was precious. He moved forward until he stood in front of the 25-year-old portrait of Ovya when she was still in the young age. After losing Ovya in the past, he finally developed a foundation for revenge. But he was almost fifty by now. Arthur touched Ovya¡¯s portrait with his miserable finger. ¡°Ovya, our day is near. Isn¡¯t it, Ovya? You¡¯re expecting it as well, aren¡¯t you? That day¡­.¡± Arthur¡¯s voice trembled slightly as he continued speaking by himself. ¡°The day we will meet, when we will become perfect again. Ovya¡­¡­.¡± *** Helen tossed her body around uncomfortably, but she couldn¡¯t sleep. It was late at night, she felt awkward having to lie on her bed. ¡°Haah¡­.¡± Today, she lied down intending to sleep after Van suggested she take a rest, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She wasn¡¯t able to fall asleep because she felt uneasy. ¡®Isn¡¯t Mar waiting for me?¡¯ She had asked Van to do her a favor, which was informing him properly. ¡®I heard that Van was standing in front of the door all day yesterday¡­.¡¯ It would be nice if he could stand out of the maids¡¯ sight. Helen had no choice but to hide Van in her room because even the other concubines were peeping at them. Helen hugged herself as she circled around, biting her lips due to the rising anxiety inside her. ¡°What would father say if he finds out about this?¡± Would he compliment her for doing her work well? What if he orders her to kill the emperor after that? Gulp. The thought of having to kill someone was terrifying to her. But the scarier thing would be her father¡¯s reaction if she didn¡¯t listen to him. Father had no mercy and he thought horribly of me. Father wouldn¡¯t save me even if I died in front of him. He never fed me or helped me. I was responsible for the death of her mother, and he left me alone. If I don¡¯t listen to father, he will kill me without an ounce of hesitation. Helen couldn¡¯t breathe properly when her thoughts reached that far. To be precise, she was attempting to rest, but strangely, she felt choked as if someone was preventing her from breathing. ¡°¡­Ha, hakh¡­ Ukh¡­.¡± Thick beads of sweat ran down Hazel¡¯s forehead as she inhaled shallowly similar to the breath of a criminal. Her face was crumpled painfully as she moved her arms and legs wildly, yet she couldn¡¯t breathe. Helen struggled with the pain and hoped that her breath would return quickly. ¡®S, save me!¡¯ She thought it would be better if she distanced herself from it, but she felt like losing her mind due to the formless fear. Helen just couldn¡¯t resist that fear. L-Let¡¯s think about something else. Helen tried not to think about everything related to her father. Then a man came to her mind. ¡®Mar.¡¯ ¡°¡­Ma¡­. Ma¡­r¡­¡­¡­¡± Large drops of tears came out of Helen¡¯s eyes. Funnily enough, the moment she called out Mar¡¯s name, she managed to regain her breath. Helen cried for a while, hugging her knees while muttering Mar¡¯s name. I was scared of my father to the point where I wanted to die. She was so scared of her father that she just wanted to die. *** After spending a long time crying in bed, she opened the window leading to the backyard to clear up her head. As the cool breeze caressed her cheek, she felt the gloomy feeling inside her receding. ¡°Who put the poisonous herb here?¡± It¡¯s probably on that day. The person whom she mistook as Ellie. Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t Ellie. They entered quietly like a thief. ¡°Even if it¡¯s the concubine, the security is not that loose¡­.¡± Does it mean she¡¯s familiar with this person? ¡°Who would have attempted to kill me?¡± She didn¡¯t expect to be hated to that extent. She had mixed feelings. They even wanted her to be dead. ¡°Moreover, Her Majesty¡­.¡± At that moment, Helen was overcome with a strange feeling of similarity when she looked at the empress. The appearance of the empress, Josephine, at the hunting festival was perfect. It was her first time to see anyone prettier than her sister, and at the same time, she was dumbstruck seeing her elegant appearance. ¡®I won¡¯t be able to be such a pretty woman even if I continue to live¡­.¡¯ Helen recalled Josephine¡¯s terrifying eyes. Although she thought it was awesome. ¡®What should I do now?¡¯ Someone detested her terribly, meanwhile the emperor used her to hide his secret. Father will begin to urge her. In the meantime, she had two people who she needed to protect. Mar and Ellie. Helen pondered what I could do. It was an evening of gloom that nothing could be done. Helen thought about what she could possibly do. It was a gloomy evening where she ended up not doing anything. *** Early in the morning, half an hour before the sun would rise, Van headed out of the palace to do an investigation. The body of a maid, whom he believed to be the culprit, was found outside the capital. Van gathered evidence while taking a look at the body. First, a large cut at the stomach. He presumed that she had been stabbed. Then, a letter telling her to leave the palace was found in the pocket filled with gold coins until it was full. Van considered it rather suspicious when there was poisonous herb as if she was showing it proudly. ¡°Who would take these things when they¡¯re on the run? Was she trying to demonstrate what a criminal would look like?¡± It seemed that someone who did this wasn¡¯t good at dealing with these kinds of stuff. The maid, who died with a terrible expression etched on her face, was under the command of the first concubine. ¡®Did Concubine Ersa order this? Was it for the empress?¡¯ Van returned after collecting evidence. He planned to report to the emperor when the morning came around. *** Part 1 END [t/n: see you in Part 2 with more of the day-emperor and Helen moments XD !] Chapter 52 Mar woke up when the night fell. There was a letter from the emperor today. [Concubine Edith won¡¯t be coming over today.] Mar thought it would be better if Edith didn¡¯t come. He had something to do tonight. There was a sentence that came to his mind at this moment. [What should we do at night?] ¡°Why am I curious about that?¡± Mar¡¯s expression became strange. This was because of the emperor¡¯s ridiculous remark. Mar crumpled up the letter before tossing it to the floor. His letter must be treated like this and thrown away. It was ridiculous that he even wanted to answer his letter. Mar looked at the fallen letter and carefully unfolded it again. He needed to confirm something. ¡®How weird. This is¡­¡­¡¯ Mar wrote the same words as the emperor on the paper that has been prepared. Concubine Edith won¡¯t be coming today. As he expected, it¡¯s exactly the same. ¡°¡­Why? How come?¡± There were many things Mar was unaware of, but he knew that people¡¯s handwriting style was distinctive from each other. Helen¡¯s handwriting was very different from his. Mar began to wander the room curiously. Upon checking every nook and cranny of the room, he realized that he already knew the location of objects in the room. ¡®Why am I familiar with this?¡¯ The more he checked around, Mar¡¯s expression became even more grim. He felt like in the middle of a labyrinth. He didn¡¯t feel that way when he was still in the library. Mar finally opened the door to the office. Whenever he saw familiar objects, it was as if he couldn¡¯t remember it. His head began to throb. The office consisted of two desks and a bookcase that surrounded them. She stood in the middle of the carpeted room and looked around. ¡®What was the sense of deja vu that he felt every time I knew the emperor?¡¯ Mar agonized over it for a long time. The reason why I didn¡¯t have any memories of the past, and why the emperor was familiar with me. Edith, who I¡¯m sure I love, felt so unfamiliar to me, but why is the emperor¡­. It¡¯s been ten years. Ten years ago, he lived in the library like a soul that fell into an unknown place. What was the reason that he was able to live without losing all the desires that people generally need? What is my day-self doing? Is it true that the emperor locked me up? Perhaps the reason why I was able to keep living is because of the emperor? ¡°¡­That must not be it.¡± To think so gave him goosebumps. But then, why did the emperor keep me at his fingertips? He seemed to have no intention of giving him proper answers. ¡°I have no choice but to find it out on my own.¡± Mar searched every room. He looked like a thief. He suddenly found a letter. ¨C My one and only brother, Onderon And a portrait consisted of a woman and him together. Mar¡¯s face became noticeably rigid after he unfolded the letter calmly. The woman¡¯s face in the portrait really resembled Helen. Marr seemed to have run into an unexpected world. *** Helen had a dream a long time ago. It was a dream about when her mother was still alive. Unlike her father, her mother used to cherish and love her very greatly. The woman was the only one who said she was prettier than her sister. In her dream, she was sitting with her mother over the field and shared the story with each other in whispers. ¡°Mother! It, It¡¯s been so long¡­!¡± ¡°You still have the habit of stuttering when you¡¯re nervous.¡± Her mother smiled gently and stroked her hair. It¡¯s the touch that she hasn¡¯t felt in a long time. ¡°You grew up well. Pretty and brisk.¡± ¡°¡­Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Of course. My pretty daughter.¡± Her mother looked just like her. She had elegant blond curly hair paired with a bit of blue hues on her eyes. The color was very pretty, and she was a woman who could be called a beauty. There was someone regarded as her mother¡¯s older sister who she often heard from her mother since she was young. She heard that she looked just like her mother and they could be passed as identical twins. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡¯ She only heard that her mother¡¯s sister went through a bad situation and she couldn¡¯t see her anymore. Her mother¡¯s expression was not good whenever she talked about her sister. So, she didn¡¯t ask more. ¡°Come here.¡± Her mother smiled and pulled her hand. They were suddenly sitting next to each other on the ground and she opened her eyes wide while staring at her mother. ¡°Why are you so rigid? Are you embarrassed with your mother?¡± ¡°N, No¡­.¡± Her mother, whom she met for the first time in a while, looked around the same age as me as if she didn¡¯t age at all. She was just contemplating because she felt awkward for being such a baby to her mother like when she was young. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Mother¡­.¡± She rushed into her mother¡¯s arms and hugged her waist tightly. She couldn¡¯t feel it since it was merely a dream, yet she felt comfortable. ¡°I¡¯m all grown up.¡± Her mother scolded her, but her voice was full of affection. Back in Cordelia, she never showed up in her dreams no matter how bad she wanted to see her. ¡°I missed you. My daughter.¡± ¡°Me, too.¡± Her mother stroked her head gently. When her daughter¡¯s hair fell between her fingers when she raised her stroking hand on her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Is Edith doing well?¡± She felt stiff at the startling mention of Edith that escaped her mother¡¯s mouth. Mother, I became the concubine of the emperor in her stead. Father ordered me to kill the emperor, and I would probably die soon after. But she couldn¡¯t say this. Her mother was already dead, and she wanted her, who appeared in her dream, to remain peaceful for a while. ¡°¡­Yes, mother.¡± Hazel answered while smiling prettily. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll always be happy. Even if you are not on good terms with Edith as sisters, after all she¡¯s your family ¡­.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She was always left speechless whenever her mother talked about their family. Her mother knew it, too. Edith and her father hated me. Edith and her father also hated her mother. We¡¯re in the same family. Why did they¡­. On the day her mother passed away. She felt as if the hatred of the family seemed to have taken away her mother. After that, she was trapped in the castle tower and grew up being isolated from the world. However, the mother who came to her dream still told her to take care of their family. ¡°This is my dream.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You have to tell me what I want to hear in her dreams.¡± In the end, she failed to hold back her tears and burst out crying. ¡®The mother in my dream is simply a fiction I made with my imagination.¡¯ And worse, how miserable she must be to get angry at such a thing. ¡°If otherwise, how can I survive? I can¡¯t live because I¡¯m suffocated¡­.¡± When she looked at her mother with tears and pity in her gaze, she raised her hand and gently caressed her eyes. ¡°Live how you want to be. Don¡¯t listen to your family, do whatever you wish to do.¡± She looked up with widened eyes when she heard the words she heard for the first time in her life. The mother in her dream asked calmly. ¡°What do you wish to do?¡± ¡°I, I¡­.¡± What does she want to do? She never thought about such a thing. Because it was already hard for her to survive. However, there was one answer that came to her mind for her mother¡¯s question. ¡°I want to live. I don¡¯t wish you to die just yet.¡± She didn¡¯t want to listen to her father. She didn¡¯t want to part with Mar and Ellie. She didn¡¯t wish to kill the emperor either. ¡°Then.¡± Her mother smiled softly and caressed her hair. She remained the same as she was when she was still alive. ¡°I hope whatever you wish for will come true.¡± Her mother¡¯s figure gradually faded and disappeared. When the wind blew, her mother disappeared in a blink of an eye. ¡°Mother!¡± The moment she screamed in surprise, she woke up. It was late at night, she was in her room. ¡°¡­ Mom¡­¡­¡± The lingering image of her dream went on. It¡¯s been a really long time since she met her mom. She didn¡¯t know that her mother was still so young when she died because she was so young back then. She already missed her mom again. She got up from the bed. She was still in a wreck due to the poisonous herb. She didn¡¯t know if one day was enough for her to recover, but Van has been carrying a lot of stuff since yesterday. Medicine, maids, thick blankets, potions that were good for restoring your body energy, even Van himself. He had brought more while she was sleeping, but when she came out to the living room that was connected to her room, there was a pile of luggage. ¡°¡­That¡¯s too much.¡± Now she was really at loss. The reason why the emperor did this was her second question. If the talk about her got into her father¡¯s ears, he would want her to proceed with the next plan without hesitation, that was to kill the emperor. He really wanted her to kill the emperor. If he found out she was useless, someone else would replace her to do the task. Her shoulders trembled in fear. She got to know her feelings a little bit through her conversation with her mother in her dream. The first was because she began to fear death, despite being so calm before. The second was because she no longer wanted to be controlled by her father and sister just because they were her family. ¡°But what the heck should I do now?¡± She couldn¡¯t ask someone for help, but she didn¡¯t have enough confidence to get through it on her own either. She racked her brains, but in the end she came up with no conclusion. And the morning came. *** By dawn, Van headed straight to the Lion Palace. ¡°Your Majesty, this is Van.¡± When he knocked on the door, he heard a thud followed by a deep sigh from inside. Soon Carmun, who seemed to have just woken up, showed up. ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to report to you.¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± As soon as Carmun opened the door, Van was startled. ¡°¡­Have you been robbed?¡± ¡°I would have been relieved if I were robbed.¡± Van chuckled at Carmun¡¯s response. Like what Van said, the room looked like h*ll. All the drawers were opened and the inside scattered as well as other things. Carmun seemed like crap as well. Carmun, who was dressed in a not-fully-buttoned shirt as if he was exhausted to do the rest and he brushed his hair loosely with his hands. ¡°So what about your report?¡± Carmun¡¯s eyes became keen. ¡°There are several maids who said they saw a maid who brought the poisonous herb to Concubine Edith¡¯s abode heading toward the Empress Palace that evening.¡± ¡°Which palace does that maid belong to?¡± ¡°She belongs to the First Concubine, Ersa.¡± ¡°Do you think that maid is the culprit?¡± Carmun continued to talk as he walked through the cluttered room to his office. The office was similar to the room, which had already been a mess as soon as he woke up. ¡°Haah¡­.¡± Suddenly a bunch of curse words directed to the guy from the last night filled up his mind. Why did he do this? He raised his chin to suppress his anger, the look of annoyance was apparent on his face. When Van couldn¡¯t get the words out properly when seeing the angry Carmun, he shook his head as if signaling him to continue speaking. ¡°Keep talking. So I asked if she was the culprit.¡± There was a glint of anger in Carmun¡¯s eyes. He was holding himself. He still remembered what the doctor who examined Concubine Edith told him. ¡®She was lucky. If she were to inhale it a little more, her limbs would have been paralyzed or she wouldn¡¯t have been able to wake up anymore.¡¯ His blood ran cold thinking the moment she couldn¡¯t wake up anymore. ¡°Upon much consideration, it seems like someone had ordered her to do so. There are more than one suspicious person in this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I think so, too.¡± Carmun murmured while covering his mouth with his hand. ¡°But just keep the fact that the maid was killed in mind.¡± Carmun had no intention of overlooking the fact that the maid was killed. First of all, his priority was to find out who¡¯s behind this incident, so he would just leave it for the time being. ¡°Then check on Ersa first. She would have dropped something behind.¡± Chapter 53 *** ¡°And¡­¡­¡± Carmun just couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak and scratched his cheek awkwardly. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Is Concubine Edith alright?¡± Was that what he was curious about? He thought he could just ask, he seemed very nervous. Carmun¡¯s anger gradually decreased as soon as Edith came out of his mouth. Van replied, pretending to be clueless about what just saw. ¡°She¡¯s recovering. She sleeps properly and eats well.¡± ¡°Alright. Her medicine?¡± ¡°She¡¯s taking her medicine properly, too. But I guess she¡¯s a little uncomfortable.¡± It was understandable since she had to stay with Van inside the narrow abode. Now that he finally thinks about it, didn¡¯t Van use to go to pick her up every night? ¡®¡­.Annoying.¡¯ Thinking about Van who carried Edith in his arms made him feel something that was so close to jealousy. Carmun, who looked closely at Van¡¯s face, eventually turned his menacing gaze away. This is because Van¡¯s appearance seemed to hit it off with the young noble women. ¡°Is it uncomfortable to stay at the concubine¡¯s residence?¡± ¡°Are you asking for my opinion?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Carmun asked with an uncomfortable look that was just too obvious. Van thought about what Carmun was trying to say. ¡°If you¡¯re uncomfortable with that, I will move you somewhere else.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Carmun was as stiff as bone upon hearing Van¡¯s gauche answer. ¡°¡­¡­ Alright. As long as you¡¯re comfortable.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern. Your Majesty.¡± Van smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth awkwardly. He wanted to separate him from Helen by moving him somewhere else, but it was difficult to get a knight as skilled as him right away. ¡°I¡¯ll call you back to the main palace soon. You may go now.¡± Van left the Emperor¡¯s room after bowing politely in a knighted manner. Van might be gauche when managing people, but he was doing great on his job. That was the only thing Carmun liked from him. After Van left, Carmun looked around the messy room. He wondered what the actual s*it that guy had done during the night to turn the room into this mess. He pressed his thumb hard on the middle of his forehead in a tired manner. He picked up the scattered books, arranged them back in the drawer, and walked to the desk, wondering if he should go through the documents. The man¡¯s letter were left there. [I think I found something.] Find out what? The cocky man¡¯s attitude brought a smirk to his face. When he picked up the letter, something fluttered under it and fell to the floor. ¡®This is¡­.¡¯ It¡¯s been a long time since he looked at the portrait of Queen Ovya. It was made small in size so that it could be placed in the bosom. ¡®What¡¯s with this?¡¯ That man didn¡¯t even know Ovya. Carmun¡¯s eyebrows shrank in suspicion. After seeing Queen Ovya¡¯s face for the first time in a while, Carmun halted at the thought that suddenly came to his mind. When he picked up the portrait carefully, he couldn¡¯t connect the thought that came to his mind. When he flipped over the portrait, there was a note there. [Doesn¡¯t she look a lot like her?] Ha¡­.! His night self shared the same thought with him. ¡­What the h*ll¡­ How could this be? Queen Ovya¡¯s appearance looked a lot like Helen. They were really identical. Carmun recalled a piece of memory from his past. It was when he ran into Queen Ovya as a child. He didn¡¯t get along well with his brothers since he was young. He was very different in terms of appearance from his brothers who were all the direct heirs, but he was the one whose blood mixed with the blood from the foreign country. Black hair, red eyes, he really looked like his mother. However, he was even more envious because his appearance stood out by far than his brothers. ¡°The only useful thing about you is your attractive appearance. Just like your mother.¡± It was the limit of his brother¡¯s giggling and sneer that went into one ear. He only just lifted his hand to beat him hollow across his face, he raised the corner of his mouth and smirked. ¡°What a nice look to see you¡¯re beaten up by a little boy.¡± If she went back like this, his mother would scold him again. The brother whose face was beaten by him was the heir born from the Empress. He knew it was something beyond his control, but he couldn¡¯t overcome his anger. ¡°Please stop.¡± At that moment, someone appeared from behind the garden. No, she was there in the first place. Queen Ovya, who was leaning her back on the tree, woke up and opened her eyes. For a moment, he felt dizzy as if a fairy had appeared in front of him. Perhaps Carmun¡¯s brother also reacted like him, because the two boys who were fighting suddenly stopped and looked at Ovya. ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t fight.¡± There was no particular emotion in Ovya¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s probably because they disturbed her sleep and made her uncomfortable, hence she tried to stop them. Queen Ovya was the woman who came here as a war prisoner from the Cordelia Empire. But she caught the emperor¡¯s eyes, resulting in a huge commotion within the palace because her status was elevated just a few days after her arrival. Despite being the woman who received that, her eyes seemed to have no life in them. ¡°I will pretend I didn¡¯t see you two fought.¡± He thought she ran away in annoyance. She didn¡¯t show any sign of surprise even when she saw the princes fighting each other. He got up from his seat and had one thought as he looked at Queen Ovya¡¯s back. ¡®Such a strange woman.¡¯ *** He hasn¡¯t met Queen Ovya since then. The palace where he lived and the Lion Palace where Queen Ovya lived. Unexpectedly however, he heard Queen Ovya¡¯s name so many times that he had grown tired of it. Through his mother¡¯s mouth. ¡°He moved Queen Ovya to the Lion Palace. She¡¯s amazing.¡± His mother chewed her nails with a look of jealousy. ¡°Mother¡­.. Your hand will be wrecked.¡± He held her mother¡¯s hand to stop her, and her mother shook off his hand harshly. He stiffened for a moment upon the cloud of resentment in her eyes. ¡® if it wasn¡¯t only for you.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know the reason behind her resentment when he was young. His mother was the most cherished by the emperor among the concubines before Queen Ovya¡¯s arrival. It all began during her pregnancy period, her mother¡¯s abuse was poured into him when his father returned from the war in Cordelia and brought Queen Ovya with him. Her mother didn¡¯t say, ¡®It¡¯s your fault¡¯ but Carmun already got the hint. He felt sorry for his mother, all he could do at that time was to try to not be seen by his mother. She would calm down as the time went by. His mother would eventually come back to him. They could be happy together. He had such a foolish thought to soothe himself. And the problem occurred. Queen Ovya ended up having a baby. *** The child¡¯s name was Onderon, which meant the lantern of the empire. All of the nobles had changed their mind about Queen Ovya in the situation where anyone could tell who would become the next emperor. His mother couldn¡¯t accept the fact that the seat beside his father was hers no more, and her heart began to break. It was around this time when he found out. Love could be dangerous. ¡°Carmun¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, mother.¡± ¡°Go get me some wine. Hurry!¡± ¡°The doctor told you to stop drinking a few days ago. Try to cut down on alcohol. Yes?¡± His mother hated that she had to talk twice, so his forehead was hit by the glass thrown at him without an ounce of hesitation. ¡°You should have done as you were told.¡± Even after seeing the drops of blood dripping down his face, his mother still kicked him out by telling him to bring alcohol. Kicked out of the room, Carmun supported his hand with the other and endured it with all his might. In fact, he purposely allowed himself to be hit. He thought her mother would come back to him if he bled and got injured. But has it been broken for a long time? Carmun wiped away the blood and headed for the wine storage. As his father¡¯s interest faded away, the budget for her residence was reduced. There were fewer maids, so it was quiet at night. As he trudged along the way, he was unable to resist the dizziness that struck him and collapsed in front of the wine storage. When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was a fancy room. *** ¡°You¡¯re up?¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­.¡± Why is Queen Ovya in front of me? Carmun had a problem of identifying Ovya, so he stared at her for a long time. Then he dropped his gaze, belatedly realizing it was rude. Ovya smiled and showed the cute-looking Onderon, who was still a baby in her arms. ¡°Isn¡¯t he cute?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was so sudden, but Carmun saw Onderon for the first time in her arms. The child was smiling cheerily with a cute face that seemed to have bloomed from birth, his body was so small. ¡°Paa.¡± Carmun frowned at the sight of the child making a strange noise. This was because the child didn¡¯t look like a human. Is he a fairy? ¡°What do you think, is he cute?¡± Ovya chuckled while tickling his son¡¯s cheek as if she was overwhelmed by his cuteness. Her face was quite different from how he saw her for the first time. She seemed to be having a hard time that day and didn¡¯t have interest in living. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s cute.¡± ¡°Please look after him in the future.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Onderon.¡± Queen Ovya smiled softly. Look after him? Was she asking him because he will be the next emperor? Carmun tilted his head in confusion. Isn¡¯t he supposed to ask for such a favor? To not kill him if her child becomes the emperor. Ovya continued, perhaps sensing the question Carmun had in his mind. ¡°Back in my hometown, I had a younger brother. I was so happy to have him. I hope you also feel that way toward Onderon.¡± Although it sounded like nonsense, Ovya had a good eye for people. Ovya thought Carmun would be Onderon¡¯s strength as she had a good feeling about him. She couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry at the sight of Carmun lying down in front of the wine storage. When she saw the child lying down with an injured forehead, she almost dropped Onderon. ¡°Why did you injure your forehead?¡± Ovya ruffled Carmun¡¯s bangs with a gentle movement. Although it was already treated, the wound was big enough that it would leave a scar. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to. But, you can come to me if you need help.¡± Ovya spoke affectionately, but Carmun didn¡¯t believe Ovya. For Carmun, Ovya was a very detestable woman who stole the love her mother should have received. If Ovya hadn¡¯t taken it all away, he thought her mother would still have affection toward him. However, that also began to change as Onderon started to be able to wander around. ¡°Brother!¡± Once Onderon discovered him in the distance, he ran and hugged him. Everyone kept their distance from him, but it was different for Onderon. Onderon seemed to purify even his gloomy self with his characteristically bright atmosphere. ¡°Today is a good day!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good¡­.¡± Even if it was just for a second, but Carmun¡¯s lips was drawn with a faint smile. Just before his coming of age, Carmun had already grown up physically, but Onderon was the youngest of all princes. The youngest was always dotted by the emperor, but no one thought it was unfair. He could see that the emperor, who was still in healthy condition, was rooting for him. If his father was still alive, Onderon would naturally become the next emperor. ¡°Onderon, it¡¯s better to pretend you don¡¯t know me outside.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Onderon innocently asked. *** [I honestly feel really bad for Carmun. No one deserves to be treated like that. Although this is just a fiction, I somehow feel like this is all too realistic. The character development of Carmun, who became cold and indifferent once he became an adult, is the result of his mother¡¯s behavior toward him while growing up. I know she was stressed out after losing the emperor¡¯s favor, but it¡¯s still her own child. She should have braced herself and raised him with the affection and love he deserves. Sorry for the rant lol anyway i¡¯m gonna fetch a box of tissues brb] Chapter 54 Sponsored chapters by Ruru (1/2). Thank you! *** At times like this, he wondered if he was trying to make him feel guilty or if he was really clueless. ¡°¡­That won¡¯t bring any good for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you like pretending?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­.¡± ¡°Then it doesn¡¯t matter to me. Seeing you makes me happy.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Just a little older and he would avoid him as well. He knew what kind of path the powerless prince would take when he reached adulthood. Since there are a lot of his brothers who reached adulthood before him. The person who caused the rebellion in order to become emperor would die without a second of hesitation and if one of them showed a hint of greed, his father would get rid of them. Due to that, the emperor¡¯s path was decided for Onderon. However, Onderon sometimes complained, making his cheeks all puffed up. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be an emperor.¡± Onderon was fragile by nature. Just like the grown plants in the greenhouse that couldn¡¯t last in the wilderness, Onderon found it hard to slide into politics and met people. However, it was very ridiculous coming from the mouth of next emperor. ¡°¡­Even so, you still have to be one.¡± If his brothers who had been sent to another country for convalescence or had already been in the underworld heard that, they would have seethed in anger and came out of their coffins. Even the seemingly immature words suited Onderon well. ¡°I wish you¡¯d become the emperor instead. I¡¯ll be there to help you.¡± That¡¯s ridiculous. When Carmun refused him briefly, he babbled, asking why Carmun couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°It¡¯s your position in the first place.¡± He raised his hand and patted him (Onderon) on the head. The hand gesture was awkward, but Onderon let out a pleasant chuckle. Onderon laughed and babbled to Carmun, saying he had encountered a lot of hardships lately. For the most part, it was difficult to learn the strict imperialism, but sometimes he would talk about Lady Ovya as well. ¡°Mother seems to think that I¡¯m useless unless I become the emperor.¡± ¡°¡­That can¡¯t be.¡± Carmun knew how happy Lady Ovya got when Onderon was born. He flicked Onderon on the forehead while calling him childish. ¡°You¡¯re doing it again. Do you think I¡¯m still a kid?¡± ¡°Then what are you, a grown man?¡± ¡°Tcih.¡± Onderon really looked like a baby to him because he also sounded like one. A child who grew up with such love and affection must be naive and clueless of the world. That fact of Onderon sometimes exuded a hint of jealousy from the bottom of his heart. But he found it hard to dislike someone like Onderon. A lovely child who can make people happy just by looking at him. How can he hate it when he (Onderon) follows him around like this? ¡°Become an emperor and rule Idelberg well.¡± Carmun thought that Onderon would become an emperor, and there was not an ounce of lie in that thought. Carmun didn¡¯t want to be an emperor anyway. He simply hoped that the peaceful day in his life would continue on. But God was not on his side, either. The problem arose in the midst of the peaceful day of his life. *** An oracle suddenly descended. The whole Idelberg was shaken by the content of the oracle. -If someone who has a mix of foreign blood in his veins sows grains all over the country, there will be no poorly produced crops, and if he leads the country, it will be a great success. Someone who has a foreign blood in his veins! Of all the emperor¡¯s sons, Carmun was the only one who had a foreign blood in his veins. The nobles were quick to notice. Onderon, acknowledged by the emperor, or Carmun, the one who was chosen by the temple. The scale of the political arena varies depending on which of the two sons would become the emperor. The nobles were afraid of losing their source of income, so they didn¡¯t take a hasty action. Some of them who followed Onderon turned their backs upon believing the oracle and followed Carmun as the next in line for the throne. Carmun, the main character of this situation, wasn¡¯t a little bit interested in it. Onderon would become the emperor anyway. He was taking a peaceful walk while thinking complacently. It was today when he passed by while pretending not to see the maids and the knights bowing deeply at him. He could see Onderon¡¯s golden hair sticking out in the distance. ¡®I should greet him if I meet him today.¡¯ Onderon simply walked past Carmun, who was glad to see him, pretending not to see him (Carmun). Onderon slipped past Carmun swiftly with an awkward expression. There was no chance of not seeing Carmun, who had a large and strong back like that. He was simply ignored. Carmun was stunned at Onderon¡¯s attitude and couldn¡¯t bring himself to continue walking. Only then did he realize the situation had gotten serious. I have no intention to take your place. He would tell him (Onderon) this when he met him (Onderon) next time. However, the next opportunity didn¡¯t arise. This was because Onderon, whom he usually saw every day, had been hidden thoroughly. He just realized that Ondeon had been trying to see him in the meantime. Clicking his tongue, Carmun searched the whole palace for the sight of Onderon, but he was nowhere to be seen. He went to the lake where he (Onderon) used to go, but he (Onderon) wasn¡¯t there either. Growing frustrated, Carmun went to visit Lady Ovya. Lady Ovya, whom he met after a long time, had a different attitude on their second meeting. The hostility was obvious. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been granted the oracle¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be an emperor.¡± He spoke calmly despite Ovya¡¯s hostility. He has never been interested in the Crown Prince¡¯s position, let alone the Emperor¡¯s position. When he became an adult, he wanted to leave the palace and travel as much as he could. He also thought that when Onderon became an emperor, he (Carmun) was hoping to be given travel expenses, at least. If not, he would look for work. ¡°There¡¯s no way I would desire the position that is fit for Onderon now.¡± Carmun thought he had spoken the truth from his heart as best as he possibly could, but Ovya¡¯s hostility toward him did not disappear. The thought of his son, whom she gave birth to with a stomach ache, lost the position he rightfully had to someone like Carmun made her seething with rage. ¡°It¡¯s not a position you can refuse even if you don¡¯t wish for it. Just like how you can¡¯t have it just because you want it.¡± Carmun almost lost the grip of the cup he was holding. ¡°I can¡¯t have it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ovya put him by Onderon¡¯s side in the first place because Carmun was the worst candidate to be an emperor. His blood was mixed with a foreign blood and he didn¡¯t gain recognition from the ministers, moreover his mother didn¡¯t come from a noble family. She was a dancer in the past, wasn¡¯t she? Therefore, she thought he wouldn¡¯t be a threat to Onderon. But, Carmun suddenly had a chance to pursue the position of the emperor, despite being considered as the most inferior. ¡°If I had known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have saved you in the warehouse that day.¡± Ovya¡¯s voice was full of worries. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s a foregone conclusion that Onderon is going to be an emperor. I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± Carmen tried to speak as composedly as possible. Till now, he had no ill feelings about Ovya. Although she was a little unusual, she was still the mother of his brother. He didn¡¯t want to ruin his relationship with his brother, Onderon, so he spoke more carefully. However, Ovya¡¯s expression gradually became unpleasant. Ovya murmured something with her lifeless and dull eyes. ¡°¡­¡­Yeah. I suppose so. You should be. After everything I gave up and came all the way here¡­. I¡­.!¡± Ovya acted as if she was obsessed with something. She was already loved by the emperor and enjoyed a higher authority than the empress. The emperor even took the Lady everywhere and showed her obvious love. She gave birth to a son and he was even pointed out as the next in line to the throne, so what was she worried about? ¡°What are you worried about?¡± Ovya¡¯s eyes turned swiftly and shone viciously. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to ruin the future of my son! My perfect son!¡± Now that he saw it, Ovya was seemingly out of her mind. He suddenly recalled when Onderon said that he was worried about his mother. He felt useless if he didn¡¯t become an emperor. He thought he (Onderon) was probably right. ¡°Don¡¯t you need Onderon if he didn¡¯t become an emperor?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± To his surprise, Lady Ovya didn¡¯t answer. Carmun was so shocked that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to close his opened mouth. He was certain she was the one who smiled happily after giving birth to a son. ¡°What made you like this?¡± Lady Ovya slapped him across the cheek as she spoke in a trembling voice due to shock. It was the look of beyond hostility and held contempt in them. ¡°You have the temple on your back and there¡¯s nothing in your sight. What do you know?¡± Carmun was more surprised by Ovya in front of him rather than his swollen cheek. It was as if seeing someone went crazy for power right with his own eyes. ¡°Please don¡¯t bother Onderon. I can¡¯t let you do that. You¡¯re not going to let Onderon hit in the same way as you, are you?¡± Carmun held back at those words. When he was a child, his mother also took care and hugged him. However, when his father¡¯s interest disappeared when he grew up, his mother¡¯s affection also slipped away. Is Lady Ovya going to follow her steps? As soon as he imagined Ovya hitting Onderon, Carmun felt his blood boil. ¡°If you need someone to hit, just summon me. I will gladly receive it.¡± As long as it¡¯s not Onderon. Carmun spoke in a determined voice and got up from his seat. The ring attached in Ovya¡¯s caused a cut on his cheek and blood came out of it, but above anything, it would be a pity if Onderon was following his steps. He wanted Onderon to be raised happily as he wanted. Fortunately, after that day, Onderon stopped avoiding him. Even though there were days when he sometimes smiled awkwardly, it seemed that they were able to smoothly return to the old days again. *** ¡°Brother.¡± Onderon came and wept suddenly. Onderon came without notice and shed tears. Confused and not knowing what to do, he raised his hand and pulled his hair, the small Onderon still buried his face in his (Carmun) arms. ¡°It¡¯s so hard¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so hard?¡± The things said by the temple were brushed off. Due to the pressure from the emperor, the temple could no longer speak of the oracle, and the novels sensed the firmness of the emperor, so they knew there would be no change in the proclamation of the Crown Prince. ¡°I mean, what¡¯s so hard until you¡¯re crying like this?¡± Onderon¡¯s shoulder began to tremble even more when Carmun asked gently. Onderon was crying silently, and Carmun wondered about the reason, but all he could do was offer his shoulder. After crying for quite a while, Onderon left without saying anything. If he had known it was an earlier sign of symptoms after being hit, he would have prevented it. He would have grabbed him and told him not to do that even if he insisted. Onderon¡¯s face, which was weeping that day, drew a smile as if it would soon disappear, so there was no way he (Carmun) could have stopped him. Failing to stop him remained as the biggest regret in Carmun¡¯s entire life. ¨C End of Flashback *** Holding the portrait of Ovya, Carmun swallowed briefly. He didn¡¯t just put it in the remote spot for no reason. It was the memory he didn¡¯t wish to remember. But his anger rose because of the man who put it here as if wanting to show it off. Moreover, he thought the same thing, she looked so much like her (Helen). He felt like a fool to not notice it sooner. But how come they resemble each other so much? From hair, face, unique appearance, ambience, and even tone. They looked so alike as if she was Ovya¡¯s hidden daughter. ¡­Daughter? For a moment, he internally thought it might be possible. Chapter 55 Sponsored chapters by Ruru (2/2). Thank you! *** When Ovya became the king¡¯s wife, she was at the age where it wouldn¡¯t have been weird to already have two children. In her homeland, she was having an affair with the Emperor of Cordelia, and her daughter during that time might be Edith. So she left her daughter behind and came to Idelberg led by his father? ¡­She couldn¡¯t return even if she wanted to. His father wouldn¡¯t have let her go. The words that the Lady Ovya shouted to him suddenly came to his mind. -After I gave up everything and came all the way here¡­. I¡­.! The image of the Lady Ovya, who was obsessed with Onderon to claim the throne, looked as if she was being chased by something. She might be scared that Edith¡¯s existence would come into light and her position would be shaken. If that wasn¡¯t the case, he didn¡¯t understand how they looked alike. Edith¡¯s gentle face really resembled Ovya, except for her viciousness. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯m no different from Father.¡¯ Carmun¡¯s face looked as if he was sinking deep in the water. What he figured out might be a good clue. The reason he was cursed in the first place was because of Lady Ovya. ¡°I¡¯ll have to look into it.¡± Carmun hid Lady Ovya¡¯s portrait along with his note deep inside the drawer. I didn¡¯t want to see it again if I could. He didn¡¯t want to see it again if it¡¯s possible. *** Helen was frightened by the face she saw as soon as she woke up early in the morning and retreated to the bed like a cockroach that caught the sight of a human. ¡°Oi.¡± ¡°W-Why are you here¡­ Ah!¡± She retreated back too much that resulted in falling behind the bed with a thud. She grimaced at the severe pain that crept up from her bottom. ¡°You¡¯re so careless.¡± And who¡¯s to blame for that! Helen couldn¡¯t spit out the aggressive complaint coming from her mind and pursed her lips poorly. Even with this alone, she carried out her best to express her feelings. Helen was horrified by the emperor¡¯s gaze, which looked down on her in a frightening way, so she restored her lips to their original form. ¡°How long are you going to sit there like that?¡± The emperor walked up to her and held out his hand. However, she was too afraid to hold onto his hand, so Helen just jumped up and rearranged her sleep attire. It had been a long time since she overslept, so this morning felt strange for her because Ellie didn¡¯t wake her up despite knowing she overslept. She even tried to fall asleep because she wanted to get more sleep. She didn¡¯t sense the presence of someone when lying down on the bed comfortably, but she felt an exhilarating pain as if someone grabbed and shook her heart when catching the sight of the emperor as soon as she woke up. She almost died due to the heart attack in the early morning. Carmun glared at the sight of Helen avoiding her hand. ¡®Do I make her uncomfortable by any chance?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but be offended at how she treated him very differently from his night self. Retracting his hand, Carmun¡¯s eyes turned into a triangular shape, and Helen was sweating profusely while looking at him. ¡°Why, why, why¡­ are you here?¡± Helen appeared to be trembling at his words as she inhaled swiftly. She would be reprimanded again! That¡¯s when she covered her mouth with her hand. ¡°No need to be so nervous. I¡¯m not here to reprimand you.¡± Helen wasn¡¯t shocked, but she got a shock at the way Carmun spoke, that had become a little more gentle than ever. The, the emperor¡­. Looks like she finally lost her mind. Every time she met the emperor, he seemed to be someone who was unbefitting to the circulating rumor. That he¡¯s a warmonger and despises people¡­. ¡°Does your body feel sick, are you alright?¡± Did he ever care about his concubine falling ill? Helen simply blinked, it was such an unexpected question coming from the emperor himself. ¡°¡­Do you not hear me talking?¡± The emperor¡¯s eyes crumpled as he sat on the sofa across from her. Only one thing for sure, he had an extremely hot temper. ¡°I, I heard you.¡± ¡°Then you have to answer. Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Only then did the emperor have a satisfied smile hung on his mouth. Even though she didn¡¯t see it, she was able to sense it. ¡­He had come here before morning arose and made her nearly suffer from a heart attack, now he was asking if she felt hurt anywhere? ¡°¡­If you have anything to say, kindly say it now. I, I¡¯m prepared to listen.¡± Her voice, laced with anxiousness, was trembling as if she had prepared herself. The emperor chuckled as if he was confused at her response. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to take you.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon me?¡± She said that every time they met. Questioning it for a while, she came to realize that her voice kept trembling and her body cowered. But she couldn¡¯t help due to her nervousness. Because this guy is holding her life in his hand. ¡°If you felt uncomfortable somewhere, I, I would like to offer my apology!¡± When she lowered her head and apologized, the emperor¡¯s gaze was firmly fixated on her. Why do they keep looking at her? The emperor heaved a deep sigh as she began to tremble in shame. ¡°Lift your head.¡± After contemplating for a moment, she lifted her head and met his eyes. The emperor¡¯s gaze felt as if piercing her. ¡°Listen to me carefully. Don¡¯t ever apologize to me again. You¡¯ve never done anything wrong.¡± ¡°I, I sneaked into the library¡­¡­¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to behave like a criminal for your whole life?¡± For her whole life? That sounded strange, but she didn¡¯t make a retort. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you. I¡¯ll spare you. After all, you¡¯re devoting your night to me, so I can spare you in exchange for that.¡± Giving what to His Majesty? The emperor added as soon as he sensed his words sounded strange to her. ¡°¡­I mean that guy.¡± Oh, so that¡¯s what he meant. Helen gently nodded as if agreeing to him. ¡°Therefore, stop acting like a criminal. Every time I see you like that, I feel like I¡¯m about to die from annoyance.¡± Did he despise it so much that he no longer wanted to see it? The emperor must have despised her. Not to mention he was uncomfortable around her, but he also spoke in an angry voice laced with annoyance. He seemed to despise her. ¡°I understood, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes, as you should.¡± The emperor laughed satisfactorily. It¡¯s her first time seeing him laughing loudly so she opened her eyes wide out of surprise, and the emperor¡¯s laughter stopped at once. Ehem. The emperor controlled his breathing awkwardly with a small cough. Because it¡¯s surprising, indeed. ¡°I have a question.¡± The emperor spoke again and took out a small portrait he had brought from his pocket. After taking it out, he stared at it long enough, and even compared it to Helen¡¯s face while thinking on his own. ¡®What¡¯s with him?¡¯ Helen was facing a dilemma about the man in her own mind. ¡®Should I ask him about Mar? Why did he (the Emperor) lock him up?¡¯ Thinking that the emperor, whom she was scared of, might not be as scary as she thought, she really wanted to ask about Mar. She wanted to ask him to release Mar if it¡¯s possible. ¡®Would the emperor grant it? Will he blame me for saying absurd things?¡¯ It was when she spoke softly after much consideration. ¡°Pardon me¡­ Your Majesty¡­.¡± ¡°Do you have any information about this person?¡± Helen¡¯s small voice was suppressed by the emperor¡¯s voice who spoke at the same time as her. ¡®What is this?¡¯ When she looked at what the emperor had in his hand, she immediately knew it was a portrait. After all, it was a portrait of her mother. ¡°¡­How come Your Majesty has this?¡± ¡°¡­So you know her?¡± The emperor¡¯s mumble grew into an absurd laughter. ¡°Of course. This is my mother.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The emperor was quite baffled by Helen¡¯s confidence remark, but Helen seemed even more baffled by his reaction. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it so obvious? We really look alike.¡± Wavy blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair-skinned. That was definitely her mother. However, Helen gradually doubted her judgment as she spent more time looking closely at the portrait. There was something missing under her mother¡¯s eyes. Moreover, was she upset on the day she was painted? Her visage seemed a little grim and sharp in general. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to confide so obediently about Lady Ovya to me.¡± He spoke in a puzzled tone. ¡°Lady Ovya? Who is she?¡± ¡°¡­The one in the portrait.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon me?¡± Their eyes met and blinked simultaneously. A moment has passed, but no one took the chance to speak up first. They somehow felt like they couldn¡¯t communicate with each other. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Sevya Fault, that is my mother¡¯s name.¡± Oh, dear. Carmun¡¯s head was spinning rapidly. At that moment, he knew the Emperor of Cordelia was as crazy as his father. So after his fianc¨¦e left, he took her sister, who resembled her the most, as his empress? Carmun¡¯s face stiffened awkwardly as he felt repulsed beyond disgust. ¡°¡­Why are you doing this?¡± Helen asked anxiously. The emperor had a baffled look on his face. Even when she looked at the portrait as her daughter, this woman looked exactly like her mother. She knew through her senses that this was the person her mother would sometimes talk about her sister. The one who disappeared before she was born. She heard that she went through bad things, did it mean becoming the Concubine of Idelberg? ¡°She¡¯s your mother¡¯s sister, isn¡¯t she?¡± Is this her aunt? Actually, it was her first time seeing this woman. Helen blinked and engraved the portrait in her head? This woman really looked like her mother. The same with Edith and her. ¡°Yes.¡± She felt more complicated after confirming the emperor¡¯s remark. ¡®I really don¡¯t know anything.¡¯ The emperor asked cautiously. ¡°Do you know anything about Lady Ovya?¡± ¡°¡­.I¡¯ve never seen her face before.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I will ask you one more question. What year were you born?¡± The random question left her speechless for a moment. Don¡¯t make a mistake this time, too! ¡°Oh¡­. I, I was born in the summer of 596.¡± She recalled what Ellie asked her a few days ago, so she was able to avoid making mistakes. ¡°What about your younger sister?¡± ¡°¡­My sister was born in the Spring of 597.¡± ¡°She was born a little earlier.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± That¡¯s what she thought, too. She was born ten months just after her sister. The gap was so short. ¡°That¡¯s all of my questions. Can I ask why you have that look on your face?¡± ¡°My look?¡± her face with her hands in confusion upon the emperor¡¯s question. What¡¯s wrong with my face¡­. ¡°You don¡¯t look really well. You don¡¯t seem happy to know about a family you never knew before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to know about her.¡± The emperor paused and pondered for a moment. ¡°Then do you miss your little sister who you left in your hometown?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± That¡¯s impossible. Her sister wouldn¡¯t want to see her either. She (Helen) didn¡¯t want to see her sister (Edith) or her father either. However, he didn¡¯t know what¡¯s behind the screen, so the emperor spoke with a smirk. ¡°What a cold sister you are.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Carmun was trying to soften her, who somehow seemed in distress. But he realized once again that he, with that heinous mouth of his, didn¡¯t have a knack for that. ¡®I should have just shut up.¡¯ Belated regrets washed over her and wriggled his lips slightly. At that moment, an idea snapped up into his mind. ¡°Is it because you didn¡¯t get any birthday wishes?¡± ¡°¡­Pardon me?¡± ¡°I mean your birthday. You said it¡¯s in summer.¡± ¡°¡­You needn¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°Who takes care of my concubine¡¯s birthday if not me?¡± Since when did he care about such a thing? Helen looked up at the emperor with an impertinent look without realizing it. But then she came to her senses again and dropped her gaze. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re getting comfortable with me now. Or, do you feel comfortable around people that easily?¡± ¡°N-No!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry. Because I prefer it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Helen glanced at the emperor once more. Her face heated up in an instant and reddened at the slight smile on his face. ¡®Why, why do I¡­?¡¯ Helen fanned her heated face roughly with her hands, attempting to cool off. Carmun chuckled lowly at the sight of her and coughed in an attempt to recollect himself. ¡°Is there anything that you want?¡±