episode_0023

Are you back too?

you also… Are you back… ?

you also… … .

Ludine’s voice pierced my eardrums like tinnitus.

My brain was pounding and my eyes were tingling.

“Huh? Kyle?”

As her face got closer and stopped in front of me, I couldn’t move as if I was tied by a rope.

“Kyle.”

Ludine’s voice, full of confidence, reached all the way to my head.

I barely managed to restore my graying complexion.

“I missed you, Kyle.”

Ludine’s voice was watery.

It was a voice tinged with affection, longing, and a bit of rebuke.

‘I’m screwed.’

Ludine never reveals her hand first if she is not sure.

Revealing the fact that he has returned so naturally means that there is something hidden.

In an instant, my mind became clear.

You must remain calm.

Wasn’t even this situation predicted to some extent the moment the penalty was revealed?

There are only two choices.

Either accept it obediently or turn it off.

Among them, there is only one option I can choose.

“Rudine.”

I blinked my eyes with an innocent face.

“What on earth do you mean, you’re back?”

“What?”

“Is it because you broke your promise to visit the imperial palace often? Sorry. I also had unavoidable circumstances.”

“Ah.”

Ludine muttered in a sad voice.

“This is not it… There’s no need to hide it from me… ”

I take an exaggerated deep breath and sniffle artificially.

Meanwhile, her eyes were still fixed on me.

Soon, as if he realized something, he let out an exasperated sigh.

“Oh, I see.”

She sighed as if she was reproaching herself.

“Sorry, was I too hasty? Kyle, you must still be confused about everything.”

Ludine asked cautiously.

“But there’s something so good, right? Because I can see you like this.”

“Good?”

“Okay then! I told you earlier. I’ve been waiting for this moment.”

Ludine started making incomprehensible sounds.

Saying that it was nice to be able to see me was not something that would come out of the mouth of a woman who plotted to kill Kyle whenever she got the chance.

Is this really a warning that he will kill Kyle with his own hands this time?

At that moment, certain scenes passed through my mind.

‘Come to think of it… ‘

Yes, if you think about it, it’s not just Ludine.

Isabel, and Luna.

At some point, they also started begging for my affection for some reason.

A question mark appeared in my mind.

For what reason would she beg for affection from the man she hated so much?

Is this a possibility that can be understood simply through the inheritance of memory?

“Kyle, even when you finally ended your relationship with that stupid woman Isabel and left the Duke’s residence.”

“… ”

“When I heard that your sister and her ex-fiancee were holding hands and heading to the imperial capital.”

Ludine continued as if she had been waiting.

“My heart was shaking.”

As she continued speaking, her face turned red like a ripe apple.

“My coming-of-age ceremony is the place I finally came to, after resolving past relationships stained with hurt.”

Is that how it can be interpreted?

… Yeah, that’s misleading.

I could barely suppress the unpleasant emotions that were boiling over me.

For now, the best thing to do is just act stupid and blink.

“Ah, I finally have a chance.”

Ludine wiped away her tears and smiled pitifully.

“I always missed you.”

“… ”

“I only have you, Kyle.”

A horrifying sensation burned all the way to the top of my head, like a fuse on fire.

But at the same time, I suddenly felt fortunate.

‘If this happens… … It actually got easier?’

My goal is not to run away from crazy people who inherited my memories.

The goal is to quickly secure the relic and tear the dimension apart.

The twisted emotions that grew black in Ludine’s heart?

I can withstand it.

There is no better excuse to build a relationship with Rudine in the future.

Only one.

If there’s anything wrong…

‘How much do you know?’

Is it simply regression?

Or maybe I’m also doubting the fact that I’m not Kyle.

The former has solid grounds for inference, but the latter is truly the realm of delusion.

Ludine is not a woman who can be buried in such vain delusions.

“Rudine.”

But why?

I just couldn’t be sure.

Maybe it’s an intuition close to instinct.

Above all.

“What on earth do you mean… Also, I don’t know how you know about the auction… ”

The guilt that remained in my heart pierced my heart.

The question that there might be another way other than killing him briefly crossed my mind.

However, there are no other options for me anymore.

I desperately miss hearing my parents’ voices calling my name.

I have no confidence in remaining in this world.

“Me too.”

therefore.

“I missed you.”

This is unavoidable.

“Thank you for saying that, Rudine.”

I smiled brightly.

It was then.

“Be quiet!”

The shouts of the servant waiting at the gate echoed throughout the ceremony hall.

All kinds of brilliant epithets followed, such as the heart of the empire or the protector.

There are only two people in this empire who can put such a modifier next to their name.

“His Majesty Emperor Aleoth and the Empress are entering!”

A heavy silence fell over the ceremony hall.

You can’t even hear the usual applause.

This is because it is the etiquette and custom of the imperial family to bow their heads and remain silent when it comes to the emperor and empress.

The Emperor and Empress passed the ceremony hall at a leisurely pace and headed in this direction.

After a while.

“It’s beautiful, Rudine.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Even Your Majesty is dazzlingly beautiful.”

Ludine stood up and exchanged greetings with the Empress.

After a brief greeting, the Empress’s gaze suddenly turned to me.

“… … Rudine, it looks like you need an explanation.”

The Empress asked Ludine in a shaky voice.

Rudine smiled brightly at that question.

“Kyle Winfred, who served as my escort today.”

“I’m not asking that. In the place where you should shine the most, why did you place someone next to you who eats away your light?”

The Empress waved her hands and spat harshly.

Rudine smiled brightly as if she didn’t care.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It is not a problem that can be ignored.”

“His Majesty ordered me to choose the partner I wanted, so I just chose it arbitrarily.”

The Empress clicked her tongue once, then turned her gaze to me.

“Did you say Kyle Winfred?”

“See the sun of the empire.”

“Pretending is enough. Well, you answer for me. Why didn’t you just reject the escort application that didn’t fit the topic?”

I want to kidnap the relic because I need it.

There was already a clear answer, but I took the trouble to give the answer the Empress wanted.

“How dare I refuse the imperial command.”

The Empress’s mouth, which opened to answer, was closed as if she was lying.

The emperor, who was watching the situation, smiled and intervened.

“That’s about it.”

“Your Majesty!”

“The ceremony is not over yet. I’ll talk to Ludine separately.”

“… I understand.”

The Empress clenched her fists with a smile on her face.

I already knew that there were no normal people in the imperial family, but I was impressed in many ways.

After a brief scuffle, the emperor and empress also sat down.

“Princess, Rose’s daughter of the Marquis Trevian has come to visit.”

“Let’s go down right now.”

Rudine, the main character of the coming-of-age ceremony, left for a moment after hearing the servant’s report.

I looked down at the floor blankly and raised my head.

Soon, my eyes met with the emperor, who was looking at me with interest.

According to imperial etiquette, a person of lower status does not greet someone of higher status first.

I waited quietly for the emperor’s greeting.

After a while, the emperor’s mouth, which had been tightly closed, opened.

“Kyle Winfred.”

“See the sun of the empire.”

“Okay, when was the last time I saw your face in the imperial palace? My memory is already fading.”

“8 years ago, Your Majesty.”

The emperor rested his chin with an ordinary expression on his face.

“I heard you recently broke off your engagement with Justia’s daughter.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know how many businesses were involved in the marriage talks between Winfred and Justia?”

Business, this is the topic I’ve been waiting for.

I lowered my head with an indescribable expression on my face.

“I feel a deep sense of responsibility.”

Emperor, master of this land and protector of the empire.

You must somehow impress the emperor.

This is because free entry and exit from the imperial palace must be permitted in order to have an opportunity to seize sacred relics.

At that time, the emperor’s mouth twitched.

“Among them, there were some projects that involved the imperial family’s investment funds.”

His eyes were stained with boredom and irritation.

Eyes like that are troubling.

In order to visit the imperial palace as if it were your own home, the emperor’s favor is unconditionally necessary.

The method is simple.

A possessed person should be a possessed person, and a returner should be a returner.

All you have to do is use future information.

And, now that Rudine is away for a while is the right time.

“I know how to make up for the loss.”

The emperor’s eyes widened slightly.

He gestured for me to speak straight away.

“Isn’t the loss of the imperial family solely caused by me?”

“You know very well.”

“As a member of Winfred, I feel a deep responsibility for it.”

I took out everything I had prepared in my jacket.

“Losses, and compensation for all serial damages caused by project delays.”

A check fluttered in his right hand.

“The full amount will be compensated by Winfred.”

blank check.

Literally, it is a check with no amount written down.

In general, when it comes to blank checks, there is an upper limit to the amount.

However, the blank checks of this world have slightly different contents.

The family’s official seal.

and notarization of the imperial family.

A blank check, which can be issued only when two conditions are met, literally has no upper limit on the amount.

Therefore, blank checks are generally not issued.

Unless something ‘special event’ occurs.

‘Yeah, it’s not my part-time job.’

It is a blank check torn with blood, but it is clearly a blank check with Winfred’s seal and the imperial family’s notarization imprinted on it.

That means that with just one piece of this, you can completely rip out Winfred’s spine.

“… What?”

The emperor’s surprised face shook.

I added calmly with a faint smile.

“This is Winfred’s loyalty to the imperial family.”

“Are you serious now?”

“Of course.”

Winfred is a key member of the noble faction.

In other words, to the imperial family, Winfred is a kind of thorn in their eyes.

However, as they are the guardian family of the northern continent, it is impossible to impose sanctions without justification.

Winfred also knows this and has been careful for a long time.

But now the story is different.

What if a clear loss occurred due to Winfred’s arbitrariness, and a blank check with Winfred’s seal was placed in the hands of the imperial family as an excuse?

‘I was actually caught by a leash.’

It’s not my money anyway, so there’s nothing to avoid.

Isn’t the most thrilling way to show off with someone else’s money?

“Heh, heh heh.”

The Emperor burst into laughter with a blank face.

Soon, a smile appeared on his face.

It was the face of someone who had received financial treatment.

It’s still not enough.

The imperial family is not easy to make a mark with just a blank check.

Above all, there is a separate reason for handing over a blank check to the imperial family.

I opened my mouth cautiously.

“Coincidentally, I heard about the outline of a project in which the imperial family had invested money. It is a study for permanent improvement of trichiasis.”

“… … I know it well.”

Tuberculosis, literally hair loss.

This is a phenomenon in which hair gradually falls out.

I glanced at the top of the Emperor’s head out of the corner of my eye.

At first glance, it looks rich, but that is a wig.

The love affair with the emperor is simple.

That’s right.

“I know the treatment for trichiasis.”