Ch.276To the Edge of the Cliff (16)

‘…I still have to go.’

But I can’t just stay like this. No matter how much I dread facing her, it’s been a week.

Besides, Chloe took those actions to comfort me and apologize in her own way. At the time, I saw it not as an apology but as a ploy to justify her actions, but would she have done those things if she didn’t feel sorry toward me?

Of course, I become afraid when I imagine what she might say or do when we meet, but…

‘I can’t avoid it just because I’m scared.’

Before being an emperor, I am Chloe’s husband, and before being her husband, I am Chloe’s older brother.

…Putting it together like that sounds awkward, but anyway, as her brother, I can’t leave my sister Chloe suffering like this.

Above all, Chloe listens to me too well, so if I don’t approach her first, she’ll likely take what I said in anger literally and stay away from me for the rest of her life.

I can’t let that happen. Absolutely not.

“Is anyone out there?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Would you prefer wine or beer—”

“No, prepare a carriage. I’m returning to the palace.”

“…!”

Perhaps because I’ve been asking for alcohol every time I called for an attendant since I arrived here, the servant was about to bring me a drink even though I just called, then was startled by my actual request.

…Well, I understand, but isn’t that a bit much?

“Your Majesty, you can depart right away.”

“Right away?”

“The carriage has been on standby at all times, so you can head straight to the palace without any special arrangements, just by boarding.”

“I see. Understood. I’ll go now.”

I don’t remember giving any orders about this, yet they had a carriage prepared in advance, even ready to depart at any time?

Ugh… these guys must have really hated having me here.

Of course, it’s not that they disliked it, but rather took these measures out of concern for me, but it still irks me a little.

……….

“Chloe…?”

But that’s…

Chloe, who I assumed would be staying put at the palace, is clearly entering my field of vision.

It’s not a hallucination. No matter how mentally exhausted I am, I wouldn’t mistake Chloe.

“Uh…”

The door of the carriage Chloe is riding in opens, and she slowly walks out.

She’s wearing completely different clothes from that night.

The subtle and elegant dress is nowhere to be seen; now she’s dressed simply, but Chloe’s beauty hasn’t diminished at all.

“…”

With all eyes of the surrounding soldiers and attendants on her, Chloe silently approaches me step by step, then stops abruptly in front of my carriage door.

Normally, the attendants and soldiers should have stopped Chloe at this point, but until then, no one had restrained her.

Of course, I don’t feel any displeasure about that.

Rather, I’m grateful they didn’t stop her.

“Your Maj—”

Creeeeak—

“—esty…”

Chloe calling out to me and me opening the carriage door happen simultaneously.

…Both of us arriving by carriage at the same time, and now acting in unison.

Really, it’s funny how we’re only in sync at times like this.

“Um… I…”

After facing me, Chloe freezes slightly, then hesitates, seemingly unsure what to say. It’s completely opposite to that night when she spoke confidently about various things.

…Her eyes are very red.

“Chloe, come in first.”

“Yes…!”

From tears to smiles, her expression is exactly the same as that night, but the emotion it conveys is completely different.

Looking back now, I really did behave in a most immature way.

……….

“Um… well…”

What should I… what should I say?

Should I prostrate myself and apologize? But if I apologize hastily without properly mentioning what I did wrong, it might make him even more upset.

Then about killing Father? But since there are outsiders here, mentioning that risks being overheard by attendants or soldiers—

Squeeze—

“Mmph…”

My body tightens slightly, and suddenly everything goes dark. But that’s not all.

It’s warm.

A sensation I haven’t felt in a very long time.

“Your Maj…”

As my vision momentarily returns from sudden darkness, all I can see is my brother’s face.

This is what I’ve been wanting all along, what I’ve been dreaming about every night…

I have mountains of things I’ve thought about saying when I meet my brother…

But I can’t say anything. I can’t utter a single word.

If I choose my words carelessly, I might hurt my brother again like that night.

“You can call me ‘oppa’ here.”

“But…”

“It’s okay. This carriage is completely soundproof.”

—Anyone, come in.

After saying that, my brother calls for an attendant, but as he just said, the attendant outside doesn’t seem to hear him and doesn’t enter the carriage.

“See? I told you. You can call me oppa.”

While it might look like a scene from a comedy at first glance, I don’t feel any humor from it.

Rather, it feels reassuring.

Here, I can call him oppa freely without causing any harm.

Here, it’s okay even if he scolds me harshly.

“Op… pa…”

“Yes, Chloe.”

Some might call it just a week, but I don’t feel that way.

It’s been a whole week.

A week since I incurred my brother’s anger.

Being able to call him “oppa” after such a long time and not being rejected is truly calming for my mind and body. It feels like the fog that’s been filling my head is completely clearing away.

“Oppa… oppa… oppa…”

“…I’m sorry.”

The warm apology coming from my brother’s lips pierces my ears and confuses my mind.

This isn’t right.

I should be the one apologizing, not him.

Why is he apologizing? I’m the one who did wrong.

I’m the one who killed him.

I’m the one who was too calculating to apologize to him.

Drip—

“No, I’m… I’m sorry… I…”

“…Chloe.”

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

I need to apologize… I need to apologize properly…

The words won’t come out right. The more I speak, the more slurred my pronunciation becomes. The world is blurring, and I can’t see my brother’s face clearly.

“I… *hic*… I…”

“It’s okay, I understand everything. So… cry all you want. Like I said, this carriage has good soundproofing.”

“*sob*… *hic*…”

I can’t. Crying freely? How could I do something so embarrassing?

Besides, I’m the one who did wrong.

I must hold it in. I must hold it in somehow… I need to hold it in… but it won’t stop.

“Come here.”

“*sob*… *hic*… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… I… did such a thing…”

“I know, so we can talk about that later. And… Chloe, lift your head for a moment.”

“What… mmph…”

As I slightly raise my head at my brother’s words, my lips suddenly meet his.

We’ve kissed countless times, but this kiss is very different.

Yes… it’s more like exchanging hearts rather than exchanging affection.

“Feeling better now?”

“Mmm…”

The world that had been so blurry until just now has cleared up as if it had never been cloudy.

And in that clear world… there is my brother.

……….

“Your Majesty, what on earth… huh?”

As soon as we enter the palace, Ines greets me coldly as if she had been waiting, then sighs in disbelief when she sees Chloe on my back.

“I was so worried when you suddenly didn’t want any contact for a whole week… but it seems Your Majesty prefers Chloe over me? Even telling her your location.”

“That’s not it. Chloe just followed the attendants on her own; I never told her where I was.”

“Then why did you meet her? You didn’t grant a single one of my requests…!”

Ugh… this is giving me a headache.

Ines’s words are irrefutable truth. Assuming Chloe didn’t tell anyone about meeting me, from Ines’s perspective, she must have felt completely left out.

It’s not just Ines.

Jeanne and Ellen probably feel much the same way.

“…Well, I was going to say that, but… no, what exactly happened?”

“Huh?”

“Well, looking at Chloe’s expression, I can tell this wasn’t just Your Majesty’s whim or escapade. What happened between you and Chloe?”

Hearing that, I turn my head to look at Chloe on my back, and her appearance is quite a sight.

Her eyes are completely red, and her hair, which is always beautifully arranged, is completely disheveled.

Her clothes are also too plain to be something Chloe would normally wear.

But… Chloe’s face is smiling with satisfaction nonetheless.

Smiling even while sleeping—was she that relieved?

“Well… many things happened.”

“…Is that so? Well, let’s go inside for now.”

The perceptive Ines senses that a conversation not meant for other attendants’ ears might follow and wants to go inside first.

Ines, who has never once been concerned about the surrounding attendants until now, is now being mindful of them—unexpectedly cute.