🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 9
Harriet tightened her grip around the notebook.
Inside it was everything about her next novel.
Including…
the villain modeled after the Emperor standing right in front of her.
If he opens this…
It would only be a matter of time before he discovered she was Elliot Dark.
And then?
She’d be dragged away for making a fool of the Emperor.
In her mind, she could already see the execution scaffold.
Finally hearing her answer, Kallis let out a quiet sigh.
“You were rather slow to respond.”
“I shall correct that, Your Majesty.”
“I asked why you were slow to respond.”
Then perhaps Your Majesty should have phrased it as a question.
Or studied grammar a little more.
Harriet answered with perfect composure despite the complaint raging inside her head.
“For the past week I have been unable to sleep properly. Forgive my discourtesy, but it took me some time to understand what Your Majesty was asking. The fault lies entirely with my own incompetence.”
“In that case, what were you doing here at this hour?”
“I was searching for a light so I could write a letter to a friend.”
“A notebook rather than letter paper?”
…
The notebook she was hugging made that lie painfully obvious.
What should she say?
She had already been caught in one lie.
Telling another felt dangerous.
If the Emperor decided to inspect the notebook…
Her life would be over.
But she couldn’t exactly tell the truth either.
“Actually, Your Majesty, I’m Elliot Dark, and I came out here to write my next novel—the one with a villain based on you.”
“I see. Off to the execution block.”
That would also end with her dying.
While desperately searching for an answer, Harriet realized something.
She had remained silent far too long.
“It truly is difficult getting an answer from you.”
“…Forgive me, Your Majesty.”
“If you’re going to begin with ‘forgive me,’ perhaps don’t speak at all.”
“Why does everyone claim to be ‘forgive me’ or ‘I beg your pardon,’ only to say whatever they please afterward?”
“Is it merely a habit?”
Because you asked me a question!
And because if I don’t answer, you’ll find fault with that instead!
Despite the storm inside her mind, Harriet’s outward reply remained calm.
By now, the playful curiosity had already faded from Kallis’s face.
He sighed inwardly.
There I go again.
Kallis knew his own flaws better than anyone.
He was naturally curious.
He enjoyed pushing conversations right to the edge.
His emotionless reprimands often resembled the gleam of a sharpened blade.
Except…
A paper sword never cut anyone.
It merely crumpled itself.
Normally he exercised perfect restraint, choosing his time and place carefully.
Tonight, however, exhaustion had eroded that restraint.
If this maid truly were an assassin…
Then every maid in this palace must belong to the same secret organization.
Her hesitant breathing…
The way her eyes blinked while searching desperately for the right answer…
Everything about her proclaimed her innocence.
Still…
There had been a reason he’d asked such an absurd question.
And he’d already achieved it.
I heard her voice.
It was slightly lower than he’d expected.
Probably because she was so exhausted.
Satisfied, Kallis decided to put away his paper-thin teasing.
The maid who answered every question honestly without backing down was interesting.
But his curiosity had been satisfied.
Now…
He was simply tired.
Right.
I should go back.
He handed the lamp to Elvin.
Darkness settled between him and Harriet once more.
“I’m exhausted and would like to return to Cinnia Palace as quickly as possible.”
“Would you guide me?”
The wording sounded as though he were asking for her opinion.
Harriet nearly laughed aloud.
Since when have people like him ever cared what I wanted?
It was merely an order disguised as a question.
Instead of laughing, she smiled politely.
“Would I truly be acceptable?”
“If Your Majesty is uneasy because my background is uncertain, I can summon another maid.”
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them.
That had been rather insolent.
Wasn’t this the same Emperor who had just criticized her for answering too slowly?
She expected him to explode in anger.
Instead…
His expression barely changed.
“Elvin.”
“If this maid suddenly transforms into an assassin and attempts to kill me…”
“You’ll save me, won’t you?”
“Your Majesty expects quite a lot from an old servant.”
“You won’t even promise to save me with words?”
“How disloyal.”
“Please execute me.”
“Is it my own failing that makes me want to take that statement literally?”
The contrast between Elvin’s respectful yet dry responses and the Emperor’s equally detached remarks was oddly amusing.
Harriet nearly burst out laughing.
Instead, she decided the safest option was to get this Emperor back to Cinnia Palace as quickly as possible.
“If Your Majesty truly doesn’t mind…”
“I shall guide you.”
She had already changed out of her maid’s uniform.
Technically, this was overtime.
Not that anyone above her station would ever care.
After picking up her pen, Harriet accepted the lamp from Elvin.
“Your Majesty, then… please take care on your way.”
“We’ll see each other again tomorrow.”
“That’s quite the grand farewell.”
Baron Bellen awkwardly bowed before taking his leave.
Three sets of footsteps echoed through the dark corridor.
Harriet walked first, carrying the lamp.
Its light stretched her shadow across the stone path.
Kallis followed behind.
Part of his silver-haired figure disappeared beneath her long shadow.
Elvin deliberately walked off to one side.
He would never dare step upon the Emperor’s shadow.
Kallis spoke again.
“So…”
What had her name been?
He had heard it only moments ago.
Already forgotten.
His gaze drifted toward her pale brown hair.
Hair the color of hazelnuts.
“Hazelnut.”
“Harriet Brown, Your Majesty.”
“Yes.”
“Hazelnut.”
Perhaps His Majesty has gone deaf.
“If my questions placed you in an uncomfortable position…”
“I apologize.”
Harriet almost stopped walking.
…Did I just receive an apology?
From the Emperor of the Empire?
Kallis nearly followed the apology with another teasing remark.
Instead…
He stopped himself.
He had already made things awkward enough.
To clear his mind, he looked around instead.
As befitted the palace furthest from the center, the road leading to Cinnia Palace was almost completely dark.
The lamp illuminated the stone pavement…
The weeds sprouting between broken stones…
The extinguished street lamps…
Then the light moved on, leaving each behind.
Like the final glow that disappeared from a forgotten labyrinth.
The Imperial Capital never allowed its streets to go dark.
This kingdom was very different.
For a brief moment, Kallis wondered whether Richella would have difficulty adapting after her marriage.
Trying to push thoughts of his sister away, he muttered,
“I lashed out because I wanted to think about something else.”
“I’ve had a headache.”
“It’s only from exhaustion.”
“Hazelnut…”
“I’ve said I’m tired so many times today that the phrase has practically attached itself to my tongue.”
Is he really that exhausted?
Harriet thought about it.
He certainly looked exhausted.
Every step seemed weighed down by fatigue.
How far was the Empire from the Kingdom?
About a week by carriage.
That reminded her of the day she’d traveled from her hometown to enter the Royal Academy.
It had only been a four-hour train ride.
Yet the moment she stepped off the train, she had collapsed.
The mixture of nerves and exhaustion had overwhelmed her.
She had barely sat down in the waiting room before falling asleep.
Without thinking, Harriet suddenly spoke.
“If Your Majesty promises not to become angry after hearing it…”
“I’ll tell you why I was wandering the palace so late.”
“You dare demand a promise from your Emperor?”
Although his words scolded her audacity…
His tone remained perfectly calm.
If anything…
There was the faintest trace of curiosity.
As though her proposal genuinely interested him.
Kallis kept his eyes fixed on Harriet’s back.
The pale brown hair that fluttered gently each time she walked scattered the lamplight around her.
He wondered, just a little…
What expression she would wear when she spoke.
Finally he answered.
“I promise.”
“Go on.”
Every impulse eventually brought regret.
Already regretting the decision, Harriet mixed truth with lies.
“The truth is…”
“I came out here to write a novel.”
“A novel?”
“In that notebook?”
“Yes.”
“Though I’m only an aspiring writer.”
She quickly added the lie.
She wasn’t an aspiring novelist at all.
She had already published several books.
But admitting that might somehow connect her to Elliot Dark.
That would be disastrous.
Kallis’s full attention settled on her.
“You write novels.”
“So why did you insist I promise not to become angry?”
“Have you written something insulting about me?”
Not exactly.
I’m still writing it.
Inside the notebook, a magnificent villain modeled after the Emperor was making the protagonist’s life miserable.
…Is this what it means to be an Emperor?
Is his intuition really this frightening?
