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chapter 15
A Madman, A Man Going Mad
“Ah… alone.”
“Yes. I went into the water intending to defeat Artemis myself, but I was swept away by the current and nearly got into serious danger.”
“Ah… really?”
The parade of soulless “really?” responses continued.
Since it was a tale she already knew well, Miren propped her chin on her hand and offered plausible answers to Hegel’s story.
When this continued for a while, Hegel seemed to finally sense the atmosphere. He let go of his hands briefly and looked up at her.
Kneeling, he gazed at Miren with his violet eyes and then said,
“You don’t seem very interested in these kinds of stories, Your Highness.”
Hegel gave a slight chuckle, stood up, and handed Artemis over to Maria.
After receiving some explanation, Maria bowed her head slightly and stepped back to leave the room.
Thud.
As the heavy door closed, only the two of them remained in the room.
It was then that Hegel, who had been turned away watching Maria leave, finally turned toward Miren.
“Hey.”
“…Hey?”
“I’m tired of using formal speech.”
“Ah… very well.”
The smile disappeared from Hegel’s face as he brushed his hair behind his ear.
The gesture was oddly elegant for a man who seemed completely insane, and Miren remembered why Hegel was such an extraordinary person.
He was, after all, an Archmage.
And yet, who on earth had been crazy enough to pay him a million gold each to go rescue Artemis? It turned out it was her husband.
Miren let out a long sigh at the absurd coincidence.
“Why the sigh?”
“Well… I’m exhausted. My body’s already broken to the point of collapse.”
“Ah… really?”
Her answer carried a faint hint of a smile.
Sensing her unease, Hegel grinned and took a step closer.
Looking down at the seated Miren, he asked,
“I’m used to informal speech. You must be used to formal speech, huh?”
“…”
Like a knight who has earned distinction, a mage is granted a basic title.
Besides, Hegel was four years older than Miren.
So while Miren Wood had been accustomed to using formal speech as a commoner, things were different now.
The Empress never used honorifics for anyone except the Emperor.
Adjusting to this after becoming Empress had been one of the most challenging things for her. She had to constantly correct her attendants when she slipped up.
Meeting someone who knew both versions of Miren was a first, so she momentarily made a mistake.
After hesitating, Miren finally spoke.
“Yes. I often use formal speech with the attendants as well.”
“Oh, really? You didn’t with that maid earlier, though.”
“I pay attention when others are watching.”
Hmm.
Hegel studied Miren with a scrutinizing gaze.
An awkward silence hung between them, and just as Miren was about to speak, Hegel took a step forward.
Their toes touched.
Because he was standing, she had to look up, but instinctively curled inward to avoid their knees accidentally touching.
“But…”
“…Yes?”
“Do you know me?”
His hands rested on the armrests of the chair she sat in.
He leaned forward, bringing himself level with her eyes.
Miren flinched at the closeness and quickly turned her head aside.
Hegel only looked down at her, dark lashes shadowing his eyes.
“…Of course not. I don’t know you.”
“Then why are you avoiding my gaze?”
“If anyone were this close, they would avoid it. It’s… uncomfortable.”
“Oh, really?”
Somehow, the closer their conversation got, the more amused Hegel became.
Still bent at the waist and too close for comfort, she instinctively tried to push against his chest.
Before she could, Hegel muttered,
“Then how do you know my name?”
The fingers of her hand resting on her lap trembled slightly.
She covered them with her other hand to hide it.
Hegel tilted his head, and when Miren turned sideways, their eyes met.
In his violet gaze, he saw the awkward face of someone who had just flinched.
“The Emperor only called me by my family name yesterday…”
“…”
“But you called me Hegel.”
Strange, wasn’t it?
That single, playful remark made Miren’s heart drop.
Was Hegel teasing her knowingly, or did he truly not know?
Please, she prayed he hadn’t recognized her. Something like that had never happened to anyone.
Just as she swallowed and tried to calmly gauge his intentions, a loud sound rang out behind Hegel—the door burst open.
“Miren, you just got up—!”
It was a familiar voice.
Ryan’s low but urgent tone echoed from behind Hegel.
Miren quickly pushed Hegel away to create some space between them, but it was already too late.
Ryan had entered, his expression hardening as he saw everything.
“Hegel, Karner.”
“Ah, wait, give me a chance to explain—! Ugh!”
A sword swept past Hegel’s ear.
Snipping a few strands of his hair, the blade hit the wall above his shoulder, and Hegel’s eyes widened.
“Wait, hey—!”
Ignoring Hegel’s raised hands as he pleaded innocence, Ryan approached, lifting a chair with one hand.
“Even in novels, you get time to transform! Let me cast my spell at least!”
The chair Ryan lifted was specially made by the royal household, entirely of gold. It looked impossibly heavy at first glance, but he wielded it effortlessly in one hand.
He lightly tossed it at Hegel.
Leaning against the wall, Hegel instinctively sat down to dodge it.
The chair bounced off the wall and tumbled aside.
Its size and weight were enough to crush a person’s head if it hit.
As Hegel slumped dazedly, Miren immediately stood.
Ryan was already advancing on Hegel.
If he reached him, it would have been a rare sight—seeing a man capable of killing someone with a single punch.
Miren urgently called out from behind,
“Ryan, stop—!”
Amid the chaos, she forgot her own frail condition.
Instinctively standing too quickly, her leg gave way, and she nearly fell forward.
Ryan, somehow knowing, had already grabbed her waist.
Miren only realized it was his hand after she instinctively grabbed whatever was in front of her.
Looking up, she saw Ryan frowning down at her.
“Why did you stand so hastily? What if I hadn’t heard you? I told you even falling is dangerous enough.”
“…The situation seemed urgent. I thought you couldn’t hear me.”
“Your voice has never failed to reach me.”
Not once.
His unwavering gaze was on her.
He had never ignored her voice—not once.
So earlier, he had surely returned immediately upon hearing her voice cut off, taking her into his care.
Miren knew Ryan too well.
“It was fine this time because I was here, but what if I hadn’t been? Maria as well… Where did Maria go?”
“Ryan.”
“This won’t do. I’ve been reducing attendants, but now I need to increase them…”
“You were always there when I fell.”
Ryan’s words cut off abruptly.
His face, once tense, began to flush.
He couldn’t meet her eyes and turned his head aside.
Even avoiding her gaze, he tightened his hold on her waist.
Seeing this, Miren realized he had returned to his usual self.
Ryan—the man who always became shy when standing before her—had returned.
“Why were you acting like that just now?”
“Hegel, you mean?”
Miren turned her head sideways, likely toward where Hegel had been sitting.
But there was only the chair on the floor—Hegel was gone.
She looked toward the door, but there were no signs of it opening.
Muttering under her breath, she said,
“…Hegel?”
If he had gone through the door or window, she would have noticed, so he must have used magic to leave.
Frowning in thought, Ryan gently turned her head.
“Have you already reached the point of calling him by name?”
“My name? Ah…”
Miren realized she had unintentionally called him “Hegel.”
From Ryan’s perspective, it must have seemed odd to call someone they’d only been speaking to for a few hours by name.
Miren shook her head.
“No. I called him that without realizing it…”
She had to lie to Ryan, averting her gaze.
She didn’t see his face—cold and calculating eyes were on her.
The Ryan who had been shy moments ago now displayed a reaction that was anything but shy.
Still holding her waist, he had to restrain his strength carefully.
Finally, he pulled her completely into his embrace.
Miren, caught off guard, rested her head on his shoulder, eyes wide.
“Ryan?”
“Sorry. It took over a year for you to call me Ryan instead of Your Majesty or Thor, and I couldn’t help feeling jealous… I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
His voice trembled slightly.
Knowing he only showed such weakness to her, Miren carefully patted his back.
“It’s alright.”
As she patted him, a long breath escaped above her head.
He relaxed completely, shoulders slumping.
“…Miren, if I ever make things difficult for you—”
“Yes?”
“Then you must stop me.”
“Ryan, I don’t think you’d ever make things difficult for me.”
Today was the first time she had seen his full strength.
She knew he was the Emperor, a remarkable swordsman, but she had rarely witnessed it firsthand.
He had never used power or force against her before.
So she didn’t know…
That his eyes, as he held her, were icy cold.
Yet his voice, full of heated desire, spoke firmly:
“You must stop me.”
You must. Absolutely.
