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Chapter 8
I said with a trembling voice,
“How could I not worry about you?”
I can’t be at ease until I’ve perfectly carried out your revenge and placed you on a path filled with flowers!
Harnen, hearing my words, gave a lazy smile.
“I’m glad, Einra.”
Was it because he had been an emperor in his past life?
That drowsy smile of Harnen’s carried the aura of a well-fed predator.
Sob, my beloved. No matter what you do, you’re cool, adorable, beautiful—everything.
As I wiped away imaginary tears in my heart, I suddenly lifted my head.
“Right, Harnen. How’s the search for evidence going? Is there anything more I can do to help?”
The only people who currently knew that Harnen was once the Emperor of the Belzesti Empire were me, Archduke Aques of Serenia, and the Emperor of Elberk.
Since Harnen himself had confessed this, there was no need for me to hide the fact that I knew.
Of course, because he hadn’t told me everything about his past, I still had to be careful with my words.
When I reminded myself that Harnen was currently searching for the evidence needed to bring down Belzesti’s nobles and asked him, he shook his head to show he was fine.
“No, it’s fine. The Quiels you sent me last time are enough.”
Quiels were small, blue, mermaid-shaped water spirits—low-ranked elementals I had sent to assist him.
If Harnen was going to stay long in the capital, it was best to send Quiels, since summoning them required less power.
They mainly took on surveillance of Belzesti’s nobles, but it seemed they were also helping him with gathering evidence these days.
‘If I went to the capital myself, I could be even more helpful…’
That thought lingered, but still, I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud.
If I went to the capital, I’d inevitably have to visit the Imperial Palace often.
And that meant I’d have a much higher chance of running into Aques.
Until he departed for the war against the Semel tribe—the people of the wastelands—Aques had avoided me so much after that “dark history” incident that he even wore a mask again.
And now, having just returned and basking in his victory, if I suddenly showed up before Aques, his mood would definitely plummet.
What’s more, tomorrow, when the acacia blossoms began to bloom, was Aques’s birthday.
Going to the capital right away really wasn’t a good idea.
‘Still, since I’m a water elementalist, I can’t avoid going to the capital forever. Before that, I need to make sure Aques doesn’t dislike me anymore…’
“Hey, Harnen.”
“Yes, Einra.”
I cleared my throat and asked the question I’d long been holding back.
“…Is Aques doing well?”
For a moment, irritation flickered across Harnen’s handsome face, which had been smiling all along.
“Ah… that Archduke bastard.”
“Harnen! How could you call him that!”
Aques is your patron, your superior, and one of your few allies!
When I scolded him, Harnen’s face instantly softened into something as warm as spring blossoms.
“You don’t need to worry at all about His Highness, Einra. He’s doing very, very well right now.”
“Really? Is he still wearing the mask?”
“He puts it on when he wants, takes it off when he wants.”
Harnen answered gently, his face looking like he couldn’t care less whether Aques wore the mask, took it off, or even danced around with it.
“So there’s no need for you to worry about him. Just worry about me, alright?”
He spoke softly, as if coaxing me.
I gazed at him with hazy eyes.
Oh, my precious beloved Harnen, Aques is your ally, you know…
As I was dazedly thinking that, another thought suddenly came to me.
“By the way, Harnen. Do you know any noble boy with black hair and red eyes? Around ten years old.”
“Black hair and red eyes? Hmm, not a common combination.”
“His hair’s a little curly and reaches down to his waist, and his face is ridiculously cute. His name is Asre.”
“…As?”
Harnen froze for a moment.
I nodded.
“A few days ago, he collapsed in front of my house, covered in wounds, so I healed him. Then, when I tried to send him home, he said he couldn’t remember where he lived…”
“Damn it.”
Harnen’s face instantly turned grim as he shot up from his seat.
I pretended not to notice this glimpse of my beloved’s true personality, gazing at him with misty eyes.
Of course.
A favorite is a favorite, and personality is personality.
I never claimed my favorite had a good personality…
Cursing under his breath, Harnen looked ready to storm off, but then a voice stopped him.
It was Count Chevila, Aques’s aide.
“Harnen, I trust you haven’t forgotten about your audience with His Majesty the Emperor at 8 p.m. today.”
“…Ah, damn it, this is driving me crazy.”
Running a rough hand through his hair, Harnen let out a breath and sat back down.
When he turned his face toward me again, it was radiant, like sunshine in spring.
His split-second switch in demeanor brought tears to my eyes.
My poor beloved.
How much suffering must you have endured as an emperor to be able to switch masks this smoothly, this quickly…
“Einra, it looks like I’ll be heading your way sooner than planned.”
My eyes sparkled.
“Really? When?”
“I should be able to arrive before the month is over.”
“Yes!”
Finally, after nearly a month of not being able to see my beloved because he was too busy!
Grinning ear to ear, I cheered, and Harnen watched me fondly before continuing.
“Until then, be careful of that As kid.”
“Huh? As? Why suddenly?”
“He’s a nasty little wolf cub. You can tell just by looking.”
He spat the words, then softened his gaze again and asked gently, “Okay?”
For a moment, I blinked, not understanding his words, then suddenly furrowed my brows.
“Did you just call that child a nasty wolf cub?”
“Einra, that boy is—”
“That’s terrible! How could you say something so harsh about a kid? Take it back, right now!”
“…Ha.”
Harnen pressed his brow like he had a headache, sighed, then brushed back his hair and looked up.
Smiling sweetly as if to reassure me, he said,
“If that makes you feel better, I’ll take it back.”
“Mm, thank you!”
“But since you only just met him, it would still be good to keep some distance. Be a little cautious.”
He added.
I nodded reluctantly, a bit downcast, then suddenly a thought struck me and I snapped my head up.
‘Wait.’
Even if Harnen’s personality was bad enough that I couldn’t defend it, he wasn’t shameless enough to curse a stranger for no reason.
Which meant… he knew As.
“Harnen, do you actually know who As is?”
I asked with wide eyes.
He studied me quietly for a moment, as if weighing something, then nodded.
“Yes, I know.”
The answer I’d hoped for made my eyes sparkle.
“Who is he?”
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Harnen leaned back in his chair.
“A very high-ranking noble young master.”
“A high-ranking noble…?”
I tilted my head.
‘I thought I knew most of the high-born nobles…’
Even though I was currently staying in the Haila County, I was the only elementalist in the world contracted to a Spirit King.
The influence of such a contract was immense.
Naturally, nobles scrambled to form connections with me, and I ended up learning about them, whether I wanted to or not.
And yet, in just five years, a young master of some lofty noble house had appeared—one I knew nothing about.
‘Which house could it be?’
As I scratched my cheek in thought, Harnen’s voice continued.
“Just leave it at that. I’ll take care of everything regarding that young master. There’s nothing good for you in finding out more.”
A crooked smile tugged at his lips.
That arrogant, insolent smile made me avert my eyes, scratching my cheek awkwardly.
Could it be that Harnen had some bad history with As’s family…?
