TRIML (SSS-47)

“After you prepare yourself? You’ll grant my wish…?”

“Yes. I will.”

“…?!”

“It won’t take long.”

I was so surprised by Enoch’s answer that I froze. There was no reason for me to refuse waiting now.

In truth, I already felt a strong sense of guilt toward him. It was more like a debt I owed him.

I wanted to make him happy. That feeling had taken root inside me.

Enoch. My husband. If I truly brought him back, then this man would also be able to be happy, right?

If Kayden’s theory was correct, then that would definitely be the case.

So I should trust it. Trust everything and do my best.

Come to think of it, I had kept the communication channel turned off all this time.

Since I hadn’t activated privacy mode, the people in the original world must have been seeing all of this.

I opened the communication channel for the first time in a while.

[Kayden: Wow, you cleared it pretty quickly. I thought it would take longer.]

[Asdal: As expected. He’s always an easy man in front of Margaret.]

[Rosemary: So our emperor is a “love-at-first-sight guy.”]

[Innis: What does that mean?]

[Rosemary: A man who falls in love quickly. The saint told me.]

[Yuanna: I learned that word from Meg.]

[Connection unstable. Some text data only partially received.]

I regretted opening the communication channel again.

I made a firm decision.

Next time, I would activate privacy mode before any kissing attempt.

Thus began my resolve.

My temporary residence was the imperial palace.

A very grand temporary residence.

But to publicly clear my name and ensure my safety, it was best for me to stay near Enoch.

Everyone agreed.

So I stayed in the room next to Enoch’s bedroom. Normally, it was the Crown Princess’s quarters.

I stood quietly on the terrace of that room, organizing my thoughts.

No. I didn’t expect Enoch to act like this the moment he realized his feelings. He was way too bold. He didn’t care at all about public opinion.

I couldn’t become a Crown Princess anyway. I had already been married before.

And since Enoch would soon become emperor, even if I became anything, it wouldn’t be Crown Princess but Empress.

No. I never intended to marry again here in the first place. I needed to stay rational.

Still, I was frustrated.

It had already been four days since I came here. My name should have been cleared by now.

He told me to wait. He said it wouldn’t take long!

I escaped the isolated island only to end up imprisoned in the palace instead.

If I could just meet Enoch, I could at least persuade him, but I hadn’t even seen his face.

Damn it.

He was clearly avoiding me out of fear—fear that I would disappear, and fear that he himself would disappear.

That won’t happen. We share the same soul.

Besides, even if the dimension disappears, Enoch would still remember everything that happened here.

There was no need for such worries.

In the end, I decided to take drastic action.

I stepped onto the terrace and gauged the distance to the adjacent room’s terrace.

That was presumably Enoch’s bedroom.

Late at night.

I was going to infiltrate his room.

No, it made sense. People need to talk face-to-face.

Only then could the mood be set for kissing or anything else.

I climbed onto the railing of the terrace wall.

The entire imperial palace was silent. Only moonlight watched over me.

I stepped onto a marble ornament connecting the terraces and pressed my back against the wall.

The terraces of my room and Enoch’s room were connected by a narrow protruding stone decoration. Barely enough for my feet.

“I’ve really lost it…”

But I had no choice.

I took off my indoor slippers and stepped onto the stone ledge connecting the terraces.

The cold marble crept up through the soles of my feet.

One step. Then another.

My heart pounded every time my foot hit a bump in the stone.

Below was the imperial garden. I wouldn’t necessarily die if I fell, but I doubted I’d have any bones left intact.

Still, the distance wasn’t too far.

Soon, I finally reached the adjacent terrace railing.

My fingers trembled, but I grabbed it firmly and pulled myself across.

Thud.

My feet landed safely on the terrace.

“Phew…”

A sigh of relief escaped my lips.

The terrace door was locked. Of course it was. He was the Crown Prince after all.

But Enoch didn’t know how smart my system window was.

I memorized the unlocking instructions displayed in diagrams by the system. Then I pulled out a hairpin, inserted it into the lock, and twisted gently.

Click.

“Good.”

I opened the door silently and slipped inside.

The room wasn’t dark.

A faint candle burned near the window, casting long shadows over documents, gloves, and torn reports on the desk.

The bed was neatly made. No signs of someone lying in it. The sheets were cold.

Huh? No signs of use?

Was Enoch not here?

I quickly looked around.

“Where did he go…”

At that moment, the air shifted slightly.

A subtle ripple passed through the room.

Then a low voice came from behind me.

“…My lady.”

My breath stopped.

I turned around.

Enoch was sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed, emerging from behind the curtain.

He rubbed his brow tiredly, then let out a short laugh.

“I thought you were a stray cat.”

“Then why did you make me wait so long?”

He had nothing to say to that and fell silent.

He looked at me quietly, stroking his chin.

Then suddenly, as if spitting out words, he confessed something completely unrelated.

“I love my ex-wife.”

He didn’t look like it, though.

“I’m also very jealous.”

That part did show.

“Even though I know the other version of me is still me, I’m jealous of him.”

“So you’re jealous of yourself.”

Instead of answering, Enoch stood up slowly.

He walked toward me.

“If I had waited for you to come like this, would you hate me?”

I was slightly taken aback.

“You were waiting for me?”

“I’ve been waiting.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you more.”

His voice was low and careful.

As if speaking too loudly might make me disappear again.

“So I wanted you to come to me like this. I’m sorry for testing you, my lady.”

The word “my lady” sounded different now. Like something a husband would call his wife.

It made me hold my breath.

Then.

His hand touched my cheek lightly.

I stood frozen for a moment, then forced myself to speak.

“So I passed the test?”

He smiled faintly.

“Then will you grant my wish?”

He nodded again.

“You won’t regret it?”

“No. I cannot guarantee I won’t regret it.”

“Then…?”

“But I still want to do it regardless.”

It would be nice if he specified the subject.

“Please allow me to kiss you, my lady.”

He lifted my hand and pressed a desperate kiss to its back.

He was now using that cat-like charm skill himself.

And I finally understood why I always fell for it.

That pleading gaze.

I was completely ensnared.

“Margaret.”

His lips pressed against my hand again.

“Please allow me.”