Chapter 88
The time of war was steadily drawing closer with each passing day.
There was not yet a specific date that had been decided, but judging by the speed at which forces were gathering and preparations were progressing, everyone was certain that it would not be long.
Perhaps because of that, Raymond seemed increasingly anxious; his words had gradually grown fewer. As the leader, he must have been feeling the weight of responsibility more deeply with each day. It was unavoidable.
One night, under dim moonlight,
Raymond quietly called me out, suggesting we take a walk.
When I went down to the garden, he was already there waiting for me.
In the darkness, I couldn’t clearly see his face, but there was a deep shadow settled in his blue eyes. The faint smile he gave me looked somewhat lonely.
“Shall we go?”
When Raymond held out his hand to me, I nodded and took his large hand.
Hand in hand, we strolled through the garden of the estate. It wasn’t as lavishly decorated as those in the capital, but it was a modest, lovely path—pleasant enough to walk and look around.
Rather than discussing work or anything serious, we continued with ordinary conversation. We shared our impressions of the flowers and trees and talked about the weather. Just like people who weren’t on the brink of war, like people who believed peace would continue forever.
But in truth, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. I was increasingly certain—without any clear reason—that Raymond had something he wanted to say, and it was around then that…
“Aileen.”
We had reached the wall at the far end of the garden and were on our way back when he casually called my name. I could vaguely sense that he was finally about to get to the point.
“Yes, Raymond.”
“Have you had any dreams about me recently?”
Ah, so that’s what he wanted to ask.
When people face something momentous, their anxiety inevitably intensifies. No matter how thoroughly they prepare, there are limits to what effort can cover. The more so, the more they end up relying on divine powers—seeking fortunes, horoscopes, tarot readings. It seemed Raymond, too, might be holding onto such hope.
But unfortunately, I don’t have prophetic dreams. Not in the past, not now, and not in the future. It had only been an excuse I’d invented to help him using my knowledge of the original novel. In that moment, I truly wished I could possess real foresight for his sake, but it was as meaningless a wish as trying to grasp flowing water.
“No. I haven’t.”
“I see.”
When I shook my head, Raymond nodded as if he understood.
I carried a burden in my heart. I knew that because of my supposed foresight, Raymond trusted me deeply. Now that our relationship had grown closer, I no longer had the confidence to keep lying to him.
“Raymond. The truth is…”
“What is it?”
“I… I don’t dream about you anymore.”
“I thought as much.”
His reaction was calmer than I expected, as though he had already anticipated it. Perhaps because if I’d had prophetic dreams, I would have told him—and my long silence had said enough.
He must have been disappointed.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why would that be something to apologize for?”
“Because I want to help you, but I can’t. If I knew the path, I could guide you.”
Hearing the desperation in my voice, Raymond suddenly stopped walking. He turned to face me, holding both of my hands in his.
With a faint smile on his lips, he gently shook his head.
“Don’t think like that, Aileen.”
“But…”
“From now on, let’s get lost together.”
At that moment, a breeze passed over us, wrapping around our bodies. His black hair and my pink hair fluttered and danced under the faint moonlight.
In that instant, I understood. The desire to help one another was something we both shared. And I knew—Raymond, too, was mustering the courage to confess this feeling, perhaps even this selfish wish.
He was acknowledging that he was nothing more than a fragile human standing before the immense wall of history. Instead of saying he would protect me, he was saying that even if we were swept up in the vortex, we would hold hands and endure it together.
“Alright.”
I lifted my head and looked straight into Raymond’s blue eyes. Overwhelmed with emotion, I squeezed his hands tightly.
As the night deepened and the darkness grew thicker, the moonlight shone all the more brightly upon the two of us.
Is there really such a thing as perfect preparation?
Surely, there isn’t.
All one can do is hope to be as close to perfect as possible when the time comes to act.
The emperor, who had been crouching quietly until now, finally seemed ready to move. He distributed throughout the entire Frales Empire newspapers filled with articles written to suit his own agenda. The front page was plastered with the news that Duke Ruslo had kidnapped Lady Cowet, the fiancée of the Great Empire’s emperor.
<The Thief Who Stole the Future Empress: Duke Ruslo>
It has been a month since Lady Cowet was kidnapped and disappeared.
Despite thoroughly searching every corner of the empire, she has not been found. The only place remaining is Duke Ruslo’s territory. His Majesty ordered that the gates be opened for inspection, but Duke Ruslo refused—effectively admitting that he himself is the kidnapper.
Before the full-scale war began, the Duke gathered his forces.
He convened a meeting with the major powers that had joined him so far. Because it was an important meeting held on the eve of war, everyone assembled in utmost secrecy.
Representatives of the noble factions supporting the Duke from each region gathered there: Navien and Adrien of Count Run’s family from the south; Count Delus from the west; Marquess Gnar from the east; and Count Imac from the north.
In addition, Nyan, who had barely managed to escape the imperial palace; Jetren, the head of the Night Watch; and Raymond, Melas, and I were also present.
On the table in the center of the room lay a newspaper spread wide open. After reading through the front-page article, Raymond let out a self-mocking smile.
“Seems I’ve given him a convenient justification.”
The emperor’s sly actions revealed his clear intent: he coveted my healing ability.
But this was something we had anticipated Kyle would do. In fact, this worked in our favor.
“At least this way, the young lady’s parents will be safe.”
As long as the emperor was acting under the guise of justice, he wouldn’t be able to touch the Duke of Cowet’s family. In moments like this, I almost felt grateful for Kyle’s obsession with appearances. No matter how trash he was, he was still the male lead of the original story—apparently written with a minimum level of morality.
I was quietly thankful that Raymond’s first concern was for my parents’ safety.
“He’s always been one to seize opportunities,” I said.
As Melas nodded along with the Duke’s words, Count Delus and Marquess Gnar chimed in one after another.
“Frankly, this is for the best. It’s better that such things come to light from the beginning. When the emperor falls, his justification will collapse along with him.”
“Indeed. Once we claim victory and the young lady explains that this was her own choice, both nobles and commoners will understand and follow.”
The two nobles looked to be in their forties, relatively young. Younger people tended not to fear change as much, so it was only natural that they had sided with the Duke.
“Is the training progressing well?” Raymond asked.
“We sent several people in advance from our family. As far as I know, they are working as instructors.”
It was Count Imac who answered promptly.
“Oh, thank you. That’s reassuring.”
“It is my honor.”
Count Imac lived in a remote border region, guarding the frontier. Though he had fallen out of favor with the late emperor and been exiled to the outskirts, he had survived. Because many there lived on the front lines, they possessed strong combat experience, and many had been appointed as unit leaders.
The strategy meeting continued for some time afterward.
The broad framework had already been decided. From the moment they chose the small fortress-like city of Rus, the basic board had been set. Nothing of importance remained in the capital, which had now become enemy territory; most things had been moved here instead. Since the full list of noble families who had joined the Duke was not yet known, some troops had been deliberately left behind, posing as imperial soldiers or remaining in the capital to strike from the rear. The Night Watch, too, was scattered throughout the capital in small cells, tasked with carrying information during the war.
“Your Grace, please say a few words.”
As the meeting drew to a close, Melas asked the Duke to conclude.
With everyone waiting, Raymond stood and looked over each person gathered before him.
Even his mere gaze carried an overwhelming charisma.
“What is now ravaging the Great Empire of Frales is a corrupt emperor and corrupt nobles. They have left the people—who have suffered under tyranny since the late emperor’s reign—to their fate. I can no longer stand by and watch. So I have decided to act… by taking the throne.”
The weight and force of his words left everyone holding their breath.
“I will become emperor. So I ask you all to believe in me and follow me.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Long live His Majesty the Emperor!!”
At last, Raymond declared his cause. With one voice, everyone cried out in unison. From this moment on, to them, Raymond was already emperor.
The declaration of the second claimant to the throne—this was the beginning of the war.
Tension coiled around my body, making me tremble faintly. There was fear, but not only fear. Confidence that we could do this—and the determination that we must—burned in everyone present.
Please… let this end well.
Clenching my fist tightly, I steeled my resolve.
