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Chapter 9
After Isaac stormed out in pursuit of Ludwig, Allen finally turned beneath the weight of Ren’s unwavering stare.
“Haah…”
Ren let out a slow sigh.
“I definitely know less about you than Isaac does.”
Allen gave a dry laugh.
“Isaac doesn’t know everything either.”
“Maybe not,” Ren replied coolly, “but he knows far more than we do.”
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
“The former Duke of Philemon may have handed his title to his son, but everyone knows he’s still very much active within the family. A man like that doesn’t seem the type to simply relinquish succession… not considering that family’s history.”
Allen’s bitter smile deepened.
“He really is persistent.”
Then his tone turned sharp.
“At this point, he’ll have to choose one of two things—either let us leave quietly… or stop making noise.”
Allen glanced once more at the deeply sleeping Elenoa before standing.
Ren and Kyle exchanged looks, then nodded and followed him out.
“Your Highness.”
The moment the three stepped outside, a man in black knight’s uniform approached.
He had black hair.
And an eyepatch over one eye.
“Sir Killian.”
He was Hugo Killian—Commander of the First Knight Order of House Ainhardt and the Royal Castle.
“A message has arrived from the capital.”
Ren frowned.
“Is something wrong?”
Kyle and Ren exchanged a glance before turning back.
“It seems Lady Chloe has returned.”
“…Chloe?”
“Yes.”
Ren’s expression immediately shifted.
“That’s strange. It’s not time for Chloe to return.”
Kyle frowned as well.
“Did the Academy change its schedule?”
“That shouldn’t be possible,” Kyle replied. “If that were the case, they would have informed you first, as her guardian.”
Chloe’s father had died before she was even born.
Her mother had passed shortly after giving birth.
So the former Grand Duke and Duchess had taken her in and raised her alongside Ren like his own sister.
And after the former Grand Duke couple died in a landslide on a stormy day—
Ren became Chloe’s legal guardian.
There was no way the Academy would alter anything without notifying him.
Ren exhaled heavily.
“…I can’t return right now. His Majesty is here.”
He looked to Killian.
“Assign Sir Castrian to escort Chloe.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Allen, who had been listening quietly, finally asked—
“Who’s Chloe?”
Kyle blinked.
“Ah. You and Isaac wouldn’t know.”
He shrugged.
“She’s someone who grew up with Ren like family. Younger than your sister.”
Allen raised a brow.
“There was someone like that?”
“…Yes.”
Then Allen added casually—
“Wouldn’t it be faster to send Ruby first?”
Ren looked at Kyle.
“You go.”
Kyle’s brows twitched.
“…And what exactly am I supposed to do if I leave?”
The irritated crease between Kyle’s brows must have amused Ren, because he let out a rare snort of laughter.
“Sir Killian.”
Ren waved a hand dismissively.
“Find Ludwig and tell him to report to me.”
Then, as though remembering something, he glanced back at Allen.
“Oh, right.”
His voice turned deceptively casual.
“His Majesty says he’d like to meet your sister once she wakes.”
Allen’s face immediately hardened.
…When was the last time I saw that bastard genuinely smile?
Kyle gave him a sideways glance.
“Don’t look at me like that. Ren personally met with His Majesty and even summoned the imperial physician to treat your sister.”
He crossed his arms.
“The nobles are already making noise—asking where she found the Emperor, why she was disguised as a man, whether she was hiding something…”
Allen’s voice dropped.
“Among those nobles… is there anyone connected?”
Kyle’s answer was immediate.
“There are suspects.”
His eyes sharpened.
“Some seem very eager to pin this on your sister, despite her obvious irrelevance.”
Allen’s jaw clenched.
“Evidence?”
“That’s the problem.”
Kyle sighed.
“They don’t know she’s your sister.”
A pause.
“Isaac already warned Duke Retron that you won’t stay quiet.”
Retron.
Commander of the Imperial Knights.
Allen’s gaze turned cold.
“Duke Retron.”
“There’s no proven connection yet,” Kyle warned. “Stay out of it.”
Allen’s answer was immediate.
“I’ll decide that after I see for myself.”
Kyle frowned.
“Ren will be there when you meet His Majesty.”
Allen scoffed.
“Elenoa is a disaster magnet.”
His voice was dry.
“Who knows what kind of chaos she’ll cause in front of the Emperor?”
That was what he said aloud.
But inwardly—
It wasn’t Elenoa’s recklessness he feared.
It was whether the Emperor saw her as an assassin.
Meanwhile—
Elenoa was dreaming.
No…
She was reliving.
She stood once more in the body of Empress Elenoa.
Across from her stood Elizabeth—
Her twin.
And now—
The Empress.
[Why did you call me here?]
Though I was inside Elenoa’s body, my mouth moved on its own.
[For your sake, of course.]
Elizabeth smiled beautifully.
[You liked His Majesty too, didn’t you? No… you still do.]
Her smile widened.
“And I do feel guilty.”
…Guilty?
For what?
[What exactly are you guilty for?]
[You were the one who saved His Majesty.]
…What?
[You remember.]
Elizabeth’s voice was almost playful.
[I thought perhaps you’d forgotten again.]
[How could I forget?]
She smiled smugly.
“Thanks to you… I became Empress.”
“And His Majesty loves me.”
Elenoa bit her lip so hard it nearly bled.
[Did you summon me here just to boast?]
Her voice trembled.
[You only sit there because of your lies… and Mother’s.]
…Lies?
Wait.
That wasn’t in the book.
What lie?
[You became the savior of the Emperor.]
…So that’s it.
Elizabeth stole Elenoa’s deed.
But then—
Why had Elenoa stayed silent?
[You begged me.]
Elenoa’s voice was bitter.
[You said if I revealed the truth, deceiving the Emperor would become fraud against the Crown… and neither of us would survive.]
My breath caught.
So that was how she trapped her.
[You think I didn’t know why you truly made me Imperial Consort?]
Elizabeth’s smile faltered.
[What do you mean?]
[I promised to take the truth—that I saved him, not you—to my grave.]
Elenoa’s eyes darkened.
“But you were afraid.”
Her voice sharpened.
“When ministers pressured His Majesty to take a concubine… rather than let another noblewoman enter, you offered me instead.”
A cold laugh.
“You used my love for him.”
Elizabeth’s face paled.
[No, that’s not—]
[You wanted me close so you could watch me.]
Silence.
Then—
[His Majesty told me.]
Elenoa’s voice cracked.
“He said you suggested me because I loved him.”
Not because he loved her.
Not because he chose her.
Because Elizabeth cried.
Because Elizabeth asked.
[Do you know… how utterly miserable that made me feel?]
…This wasn’t the novel.
This was worse.
Much worse.
Then—
A tiny clear vial appeared in Elenoa’s hand.
Powder.
[What is this, Elly?]
Elizabeth sneered.
[Still pretending not to know?]
Her voice dripped poison.
“This is what you secretly fed me.”
[If I take it… I can never conceive.]
…What?
My entire body froze.
Elizabeth had poisoned her.
Not enough to kill.
Just enough to make sure Elenoa could never bear a child.
[You made me barren.]
Elizabeth gently touched her own stomach.
“And now… you get to conceive.”
I felt sick.
[Even if I tell anyone… no one will believe me, will they?]
Because Elizabeth would make sure of that.
[Still…]
Elenoa’s voice became terrifyingly calm.
“Shouldn’t you at least feel a fraction of my pain?”
Then she turned.
[Elly—wait!]
Elizabeth grabbed her wrist.
[I just want to ask… one last question.]
A struggle.
Bodies slammed into walls.
Furniture.
The vanity.
The bedpost.
Then—
The terrace doors.
They flew open.
…Wait.
I saw it clearly.
Elizabeth opened them herself.
She twisted the handle.
On purpose.
Why?
[Elly, stop this!]
Suddenly—
Elizabeth’s tone changed.
…What?
[Why won’t you listen to my advice?]
Advice?!
What advice?!
[You are the Imperial Consort! A scandal involving secret meetings with Grand Duke Ainhardt would ruin you!]
…What?
I froze.
This—
This was a setup.
[Why is Ainhardt suddenly involved?!]
[Why? Does that worry you?]
No.
No no no.
Elizabeth—
She was framing her.
The struggle twisted.
Suddenly Elizabeth shifted her grip—
And pulled Elenoa toward the railing.
Then—
She let go.
Elizabeth fell backward.
Her body plummeted.
For a split second, Elenoa’s face turned deathly white—
Then—
Golden eyes.
The Emperor.
Kneeling below.
Holding Elizabeth.
And beside him—
Ainhardt.
They had seen everything.
Or rather—
They had seen exactly what Elizabeth wanted them to see.
…She’s insane.
She could have died.
She really could have died.
She was completely insane.
And in that instant—
I understood.
This world…
Was not exactly the novel I had read.
Or perhaps—
This was the hidden truth.
The real memories Elenoa had given me.
Not fiction.
Reality.
[Your Majesty!]
[Enough.]
The Emperor’s cold voice echoed.
The scene shifted.
Now I was seventeen-year-old Elenoa again—
An invisible observer.
Not the Imperial Consort.
A ghost.
[It may have been an accident.]
Ainhardt’s voice.
He was defending her.
The Emperor’s voice turned glacial.
“An accident?”
“The Empress said she was merely giving sisterly advice.”
…Advice?
Even now?
[Should you not hear the Imperial Consort’s side as well?]
Yes!
Exactly!
Finally!
But—
[Are you not curious what advice she gave?]
The Emperor’s voice darkened.
“You know what I know.”
Ainhardt stiffened.
[That is not true.]
[Then if such rumors spread… it means you and she behaved in ways that invited them.]
…Unbelievable.
[Your Majesty!]
[When you come to the palace, do you not encounter her once or twice?]
[Brother!]
Brother…?
My heart dropped.
Cousins.
They were cousins.
[Do not go near her tower.]
The Emperor’s voice became absolute.
“And return to Astrian.”
“If you truly feel nothing for the Imperial Consort…”
“It is my imperial command.”
Ainhardt closed his eyes.
Then opened them.
[…As you command.]
But before leaving—
He spoke one final time.
[Her Majesty the Empress is truly remarkable.]
His voice was razor-sharp.
“What exactly does she say… to blind your eyes and ears so thoroughly?”
My breath caught.
[The brother I knew… would have uncovered the truth.]
His expression was bitter.
“How unfortunate.”
Then—
[Do you know… the nobles you recently executed for treason?]
His voice turned deadly.
“They were once your people too.]
Silence.
Then—
“Leave.”
The Emperor’s voice cracked like steel.
“I do not even wish to see your face.”
Ainhardt bowed.
And left.
…I hate you.
Even though Elenoa chose death herself—
Now I understood why.
If this was truly what she endured…
Then perhaps throwing herself from that tower had felt less humiliating than dying by the Emperor’s hand.
When I read the novel—
I thought her death was tragic.
But this?
This was unbearable.
No wonder she was exhausted.
No wonder she broke.
But me?
No.
Absolutely not.
I will never become Imperial Consort.
Never.
I’ve already met them—
The Emperor.
Ainhardt.
But that changes nothing.
The Emperor won’t stay in Astrian forever.
And I—
I am never going to Roland.
