Chapter 12
Lia had no choice but to have a meal together with Yusian.
The Emperor, Cartian, had strongly opposed it as well, but after suffering such a fatal “terror,” it seemed better to just eat together. It looked like Yusian would not back down until then.
That man really is the Prime Minister…
Lia shook her head as if she were fed up.
In the novel, he had been described as someone whose actions were completely unpredictable, but she had never imagined it would be to this extent.
This was a very different side from the one he had shown her just a while ago.
For a moment, Lia’s gaze turned toward Cartian.
Perhaps there were still traces of the past left in him.
What the Prime Minister had done was not just shocking—it was also disrespectful toward the Emperor.
Even after Emperor Cartian clearly refused, he had stubbornly pushed and pressured him, almost throwing a tantrum.
From his perspective, Cartian was a longtime friend, and because Cartian usually let many things slide, he had been able to behave that way.
The problem was that Cartian had lost his memory.
He did not even know that Yusian was his close friend.
Because of that, it was behavior that could have been taken issue with. Yet Cartian did not do so.
Though Cartian frowned deeply, clearly displeased, he did not hold Yusian accountable.
And so, thanks to all this, Lia ended up having a meal with the two of them.
“Eat a lot.”
Cartian gently said as he pushed all the dishes toward Lia.
“This is way beyond ‘eat a lot,’ you know?”
If she ate all of that, she would not just be full—her stomach would burst.
“Lia needs to gain weight. You’re too thin.”
Cartian looked at her with pity, as if she might break if he held her with even a little strength.
Indeed, Lia’s body was thin. Whether it was the trend of this era or not, she was so skinny that it felt like she had no flesh on her bones at all.
“If I eat all of this, I’ll die from my stomach bursting before I gain weight.”
Did he think eating a lot all at once would magically make someone gain weight? A stomach had its limits.
Lia spoke indifferently, as if she were exasperated.
At her words, Cartian dropped the spoon he was holding with a clatter, his face filled with shock.
“T-that… I didn’t… mean…”
He spoke pitifully, his face crumpling.
“I just… wanted you to gain a little weight.”
“I know.”
“Mm.”
Even as he nodded at Lia’s reply, Cartian did not relax his expression.
He truly had not imagined that his actions could lead to such a result.
Killing her—he had never thought of such a thing, not even in his dreams, and it was something he should never think of.
He had not even properly received a single fragment of her affection yet.
And even if she were to give him affection, no matter how much, she must never die.
“If someone saw you, they’d think I made you cry. Relax your face, will you?”
Lia spoke coldly as Cartian continued to look like he was on the verge of tears.
“I really didn’t think that way. Not even a little.”
“I said I know.”
From the start, Lia had not thought that he meant it that way.
She had only said it to let him know she could not eat all of that.
Normally, when someone spoke like that, it would just be taken as a figure of speech and brushed off.
Seeing how strongly he reacted to just one sentence, she wondered how she could ever speak freely around him.
“I really know. It was just a metaphor. I just meant there was too much food.”
Ha… seriously.
With a sigh, Lia spoke as if soothing him.
“Enough. You eat my share too, Tian.”
“Mm.”
At the fact that Lia was paying attention to him, Cartian’s mood instantly lifted again. He nodded and smiled.
How can a person be that simple?
Lia was amazed.
Just moments ago, he had looked like he was about to cry, insisting it wasn’t like that at all. Now, with just one sentence from her, he was smiling happily again.
It was a strange feeling.
For someone to react to every small word she said in real time.
For a moment, she wondered if she really meant that much to him—but Lia quickly steadied her softening heart.
This was nothing more than a fleeting spring dream.
Even if it was not a dream, Lia had no intention of accepting his feelings.
So no matter how much he thought of her, or how much he cared about her, it had nothing to do with her.
Meanwhile, Yusian, who had been reduced to little more than a folding screen, frowned at the atmosphere between the two.
What Cartian had shown in Lia’s room earlier now felt like only the tip of the iceberg—what he was seeing now was even more shocking.
The way Cartian swung between joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure at a single word from Lia, and the way he showed such uncharacteristic weakness.
Even when he was gentle with Freya, he had never forgotten his dignity as Emperor.
But the Cartian now seemed to care nothing at all about imperial dignity or bearing.
And calling him Tian—what kind of sweet nickname was that?
He had only allowed Freya to call his name, not even a nickname.
Testing the waters, Yusian opened his mouth.
“Come to think of it, this is quite refreshing. We’ve eaten together like this before, but back then, it was with Lady Freya, not Her Majesty the Empress.”
Yusian said with a smile, as if he had simply been reminded of the past, as if there were no ulterior motive at all.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Lia frowned irritably, as if thinking, Here he goes again. Cartian’s face, meanwhile, twisted savagely—making Lia’s irritation look almost cute by comparison.
It was something he could not even remember, and bringing up Freya while Lia was present was truly inappropriate.
Cartian felt anger rise beyond mere irritation.
He already disliked being here together with Lia, so why did everything this man did annoy him even more?
Even if he was the Prime Minister, his rude behavior crossed the line—and this remark, in particular, could not be overlooked.
There were already things he could not remember that were interfering between himself and Lia.
Unable to erase them, he was trying even harder to treat her well.
Cartian slammed the spoon he had just picked up back onto the table. In the suddenly quiet space, the sound rang out loudly.
“What is your intention in saying that? Are you daring to disgrace Lia?”
Why bring up that woman?
Was he trying to pressure Lia?
To imply that this was not her place?
Or did he want Lia to be hurt by those past memories?
At Cartian’s icy expression, Yusian flinched.
He had not expected Cartian to react so fiercely—especially not to show such clear disgust at hearing that name.
Even if his attitude toward the Empress had changed, he had not thought Cartian’s affection for Freya would disappear.
No—this was beyond affection disappearing.
It was clear hostility.
Cartian was showing hostility toward Freya.
“I… I just remembered the past, that’s all.”
Yusian said with an awkward smile, as if flustered by the sudden change in mood.
“Not even a little.”
Cartian spoke coldly.
“I don’t want to remember it.”
“Ha ha… I see.”
Yusian smiled, trying to ease the tension, but it had no effect.
“Why? You might just be missing those meals with Freya. Why don’t you eat together later?”
With that guy.
Lia spoke, not to side with Yusian, but simply because the situation irritated her.
“Lia, why would you say…?”
Cartian hid his fierce expression and looked gloomy again. Yet toward Yusian, he did not withdraw that cold stare.
“I don’t remember anything. I don’t want to remember. I only have Lia. I don’t need another woman. I don’t want to be with anyone else.”
He spoke desperately, as if clinging to her.
“Then don’t.”
At Lia’s indifferent reply, Cartian’s mood sank even further.
“Don’t you believe me?”
He spoke as if begging, as if he truly meant it.
“I just said, if you don’t want to, then don’t. Why are you talking about belief?”
Lia frowned, genuinely confused.
“But…”
You don’t care at all about what I say.
Even if I really eat with Freya and grow close to her, you wouldn’t stop me.
Cartian muttered gloomily.
He was right.
That was exactly what Lia’s words implied.
“People’s hearts are like reeds. Just like how you didn’t expect things to turn out this way before you lost your memory, you don’t know what will happen later either.”
“That won’t happen. I told you it wouldn’t.”
Cartian said, his expression no longer just gloomy, but wounded.
“If people’s futures and hearts went exactly as they wanted, life would be so easy.”
Then no one would suffer.
Just like Liarnah had, before Lia entered this body.
Knowing her feelings would never be returned, yet unable to let them go, she had suffered all the same.
“So you really have no intention of believing me. You don’t care about my words at all.”
It was something he already knew, yet realizing it again hurt all the same.
With this feeling, he could not continue eating with Lia.
He wanted to act like everything was fine, like nothing was wrong—but his heart hurt too much for that.
Even if he stormed out, she would not stop him.
Even if she would not care at all.
Still, Cartian could not endure the pain flooding his chest.
This was not what he had hoped for when he suggested eating together.
This was not why he had pushed himself so hard to finish his work.
Did she know?
How his heart had raced when she suggested eating together for the first time in a long while.
How excited he had been.
How he could not focus on anything because he was looking forward to this moment.
How he had finished all his work, no matter what, just to be with her.
With a deeply wounded expression, Cartian stood up and left.
As he left, Cartian knew it himself.
Whether or not she believed him, her words were true.
A person’s heart did not always flow as one wished.
But even so, if she cared about him even a little, she would not have said such things.
At the very least, she would not have spoken them out loud.
After Cartian disappeared, only Lia and Yusian remained in the dining room.
Lia’s expression was dark.
Even though she tried not to care, tried not to waver, seeing Cartian leave with such a hurt expression kept bothering her.
She wondered if she had gone too far.
If she should have hidden it a little.
But what had already happened could not be undone.
Ha, seriously.
Lia irritably ran a hand through her hair.
Why did things end up like this again?
This body was Liarnah’s body, after all, and the remnants of her feelings for Cartian still remained.
Even though Lia did not want it, her heart urged her to go comfort him.
“This got strange because of me, didn’t it?”
Yusian said with an awkward smile, as if apologizing.
“If you’re not sorry, don’t pretend to be.”
That just made it more irritating.
Even if he had not intended for things to turn out this way, Lia knew his intentions were far from good.
“No. I really am sorry.”
“If you want to pretend, then fine. Say whatever you want, act however you like. That’s your heart.”
Seeing him still hiding his true feelings even now, Lia spoke coldly, too annoyed to say more.
It might have been simple venting.
Cartian’s wounded expression kept flashing before her eyes, and the fact that it bothered her annoyed her even more.
Since she could not bring herself to stop Cartian, her irritation might have been directed at Yusian instead.
Still, he was clearly at fault.
He must have known the mood would sour when he brought that up—and he said it anyway. Even if he had not expected things to go this far.
“Ha ha. But you see.”
Despite Lia’s cold reply, Yusian continued speaking in a playful tone.
If you’d just shut your mouth, I’d really appreciate it.
Lia thought to herself as she looked at him.
He truly had no consideration for others at all.
Perhaps it was worse because that “other” was her.
“I heard something I can’t ignore. Has His Majesty lost his memory?”
Yes. A person’s attitude could not change so drastically just because they were injured. There had to be more.
Yusian asked, still smiling.
“Yes. He has. You’re smart, so you know why it was being hidden, right?”
And you also know that you should keep it hidden.
Lia replied coldly.
To her, he was just an annoying man—but since he was the Emperor’s close friend, she would not do anything to harm him.
Knowing that, she answered honestly instead of denying it.
“I see. One surprising thing after another.”
There was an edge to his words.
Yusian’s mouth was smiling, but his eyes were not.
“May I ask—this wasn’t intentional, was it?”
Of course, you said it happened in his sleep, so it can’t be… but still.
Despite adding that it probably wasn’t, Yusian was convinced that Lia had wanted this.
Ha. How ridiculous.
Now it was no longer irritation—it was anger.
You might wish someone would lose their memory and hit their head, but no one could know how they would change afterward—not the one who hit them, nor the one who was hit.
So why would she deliberately make him lose his memory?
She wanted to ask what she would even gain from that—but she knew it was pointless.
There was nothing for Lia to gain.
That made sense, because Lia did not want the Emperor’s love.
But Liarnah, as Yusian knew her, might have something to gain.
Resetting everything and building a new relationship from scratch.
Because of that, Lia said nothing.
“Your Majesty, I say this for your own sake. It would be best not to expect too much. As you know, this situation cannot last forever.”
So before you regret it later, it would be better not to entertain useless thoughts.
His Majesty will never truly come to love Your Majesty.
Yusian said with a smile.
He was smiling just like before, but this was no longer a friendly smile—it was a cold one.
“In a way, this is better.”
Not beating around the bush and just speaking honestly.
Even though he still added that useless line about doing it “for her sake,” these were his true feelings laid bare.
Not disguised with shallow sweet words.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Watching you act friendly and caring, so unlike yourself, was really unpleasant.”
Especially when he was not even that careless of a person, yet pretended to be to lower others’ guard.
As she spoke, Lia stood up.
The one who had invited her to eat—Cartian—was gone, so there was no reason to keep sitting here and eat with Yusian.
Spending time with someone who clearly disliked her was stressful in itself.
She was still hungry, having barely eaten, but she had no appetite. She did not want to eat anything.
