Hierarchy

I did say some harsh things to Bella, telling her to watch Hyung suffer, but as I said before, I don’t want to see Hyung acting like a criminal.

It was just something I intentionally thought up and threw out there to take the lead in the conversation with Bella.

It worked as effectively as I expected on Bella, who would gladly give her life for Roel.

Looking at her with her head bowed and biting her lip, I slyly left room for negotiation.

“But like you said, I don’t want to see my innocent Hyung get hurt because of the evil deeds you committed.”

Bella quickly raised her head. Knowing that I was serious, her golden eyes shone like a snake as usual.

“Let’s make a deal. No, I misspoke. It’s not a deal. Because you have no choice. Follow my orders, Bella.”

At those words, Bella twisted her lips.

“Yeah, you wanted that after all.”

Bella, who was looking at me with strange eyes, suddenly started unbuttoning her school uniform.

I was taken aback by her actions and grabbed Bella’s wrist.

“What are you doing?”

Bella said, as if to reassure me at my flustered voice.

“Don’t worry. No one will come to the ward. And I, who has been caught with a weakness, won’t tell anyone about this.”

As Bella started unbuttoning again, I sighed and forcibly pulled Bella’s wrist down.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. I don’t want your body. I want someone who can help me in the direction I want by Hyung’s side.”

Reading the sincerity in my voice and realizing her misunderstanding, I smirked at Bella’s wavering gaze.

“I didn’t expect you to be so full of yourself.”

At my sarcasm, Bella asked in a serious voice.

“What do you mean by helping in the direction you want?”

I brought my face closer to Bella. It was an act I did because I wanted my sincerity to be conveyed to Bella even a little more.

Staring into her beautifully shining golden eyes at a distance where our breaths mingled, I whispered in a low voice.

“I will make you the Emperor. And by your side will be Hyung, who has become the greatest warrior on the continent.”

Bella’s ability to discern people’s sincerity is a powerful ability, but it had one drawback.

Bella’s ability is not to determine the truth.

It only discerns the sincerity contained in the other person’s words. And I sincerely want Bella to become the Emperor.

Because I know that the end of Bella, who becomes the Emperor, is destruction.

Watching Bella’s eyes shake violently at the sincerity in my voice, without grasping my intentions, I smiled and silently turned around, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Bella, who had been silent with her eyes downcast, shone her eyes like a snake and said in a dry voice.

“Do you know that your lifespan has been reduced by eight years?”

“…?”

At the irrelevant words, I frowned and looked at Bella. At my reaction, Bella smiled for the first time today and said.

“Benedicto used a lot of potions to heal your body after the interrogation. As a side effect, your lifespan must have been reduced by about eight years.”

It was the first time I had heard of this. I knew that potions had been used to heal my body, but I had no idea that my lifespan had been reduced.

The torture I received from Benedicto felt like a fragmented dream to me, lacking a sense of reality. I didn’t even remember if he used potions on me.

I sighed and ran a hand over my face. I instinctively felt that if Roel found out that Bella had cut eight years off my lifespan, this matter would become uncontrollable.

I felt anger rising towards Bella, but I suppressed my emotions and organized my thoughts.

Why did Bella reveal her mistake at this important moment? If I get angry after hearing those words, it won’t be beneficial to her.

Could it be that she didn’t want to hide anything from me, who wants her to become the Emperor? No, if it’s Bella that I know, that’s definitely not it.

Even in this situation, Bella is deliberately provoking my emotions with shocking words for Roel’s sake.

Even though she knew with her innate ability that the sincerity in my words for her and Hyung was the truth, she doesn’t let her guard down, suspects me, and observes what kind of reaction I will show.

“Then you’ll have to follow my orders more sincerely. My thoughts haven’t changed. You will become the Emperor, and Hyung will become the hero.”

When I spoke in an indifferent voice, having grasped Bella’s intentions, the smile disappeared from Bella’s face.

“Wh-What the hell….”

Watching Bella mutter to herself, looking at me as if she couldn’t understand, I gave a crooked smile.

Bella’s intention was obvious. She wanted to confirm if I still wanted her to become the Emperor even after hearing that my lifespan had been reduced by eight years.

But even after hearing those words, my sincerity didn’t change. Even if my lifespan has been reduced, the fact that Bella must become the Emperor for everyone’s sake doesn’t change.

That’s why it will be even harder for Bella to understand my intentions.

“Let’s solve this matter first. I’ll take care of explaining it to Hyung, so if Hyung or I ask, you just have to answer that it’s the truth no matter what.”

“Even if it’s a lie?”

“Of course. This is my first order. Don’t worry. It’s a lie for you and Hyung. Bring Hyung quickly before the closing ceremony starts.”

At my words, Bella nodded weakly and left the ward.

A little later, Bella returned with Roel.

“You’re awake…. Are you okay?”

Seeing Roel, who couldn’t cling to me as usual and gave an awkward smile, perhaps because of what happened last time, I sighed and nodded.

“I’m okay. And Hyung. I have something to say.”

At my words, Roel bit his lip and bowed his head like a sinner.

“I’m sorry, I know you’ve already heard it from Bella. You suffered because of me.”

“Raise your head, Hyung. I told you, I have something to say. Have you decided to ignore your younger brother’s words now?”

I deliberately asked in a playful voice to change the atmosphere, and Roel raised his head, gave an awkward smile, and glanced at me. I didn’t dislike that look.

“No, I’m sorry. I was a little hasty.”

Seeing Roel scratching the back of his head awkwardly, I stroked my chin and asked.

“What do you think is the reason I saved Bella, who made Luna and Ellie outcasts?”

Perhaps because it was an unexpected question, Roel was flustered and rolled his eyes.

Roel, who seemed to be contemplating with his eyes closed for a moment, soon met my gaze with a bright smile and answered in a confident voice.

“Maybe it’s because you’re a hero who takes up the spear for others? No matter what Bella did, you couldn’t just leave her in a dangerous situation. Because you’re kind. Even knowing it’s dangerous, you jumped in. Just like in Destin Village.”

This time, I was taken aback. I thought a simple answer like, ‘Because she’s Hyung’s girlfriend?’ would come back, but Roel seriously thought about me, whom he had been watching all along, and pondered the answer.

I felt strangely embarrassed at the clear voice that showed Roel’s sincerity in how he had been thinking of me all along.

“Well, there’s some of that too… I found out the reason why Bella misunderstood me.”

At my words, Roel looked puzzled. Bella also tilted her head slightly at my words, but didn’t show it when Roel looked back.

“Because of the encounter with the black magician in Destin Village and the academy attack, Bella thought I was related to the Order. Thanks to Headmaster Nelson, the misunderstanding was cleared up before I went to the interrogation room, but Bella didn’t let go of her suspicion of me. That’s why she messed with Luna and Ellie. She was trying to observe how I would react to messing with the people around me.”

“I see. That was the reason….”

Seeing Roel nodding with an understanding expression, I secretly sighed in relief that my lie had worked.

“After the academy attack, I’ve been investigating alone at the academy. I thought there must be someone inside the academy who gave the black magician information so that he could enter the academy through the sewers.”

“…You thought it was Dwin?”

“I can’t confirm it, but I think it’s probably right.”

In fact, I don’t know the answer. It could be a coincidence, or Dwin really gave the information about the sewers. It’s a lie that’s been pieced together, but a lie cleverly mixed with the truth always shows a power similar to the truth.

“With the help of the Messiah club members, I found an impure artifact that the Order had hidden in the academy.”

Perhaps interested in my words, Roel asked with an amused expression.

“An impure artifact?”

“It was targeting academy students who happened to pick up the artifact. The purpose was to corrupt and manipulate the owner. Professor Leora handled the artifact we found. Bella will know this too.”

When I gestured with my chin, Bella, who had been quietly watching the conversation, opened her mouth.

“It’s true. After that, the knights checked every corner of the academy one more time.”

Looking at Roel stroking his chin after hearing those words, I lightly cleared my throat.

From now on, this is the main point of this lie.

Turning the blade of this whole situation away from Bella to somewhere else.

I said in a slightly lower voice.

“The Order is after my head.”