Chapter 14
“Duke, come closer to me.”
The voice, dripping with seduction, snapped Bihan back to his senses. It hit him like being yanked out of deep water.
“Wha…”
What was happening? A flash burst across his vision. His head throbbed as if it would split open, and his body refused to obey him. Memories poured into his mind like a flood, and to make matters worse, a woman was draped around him, tempting him.
The woman’s hands slowly caressed his body. Her nails, painted blood-red, slid dangerously close to his center.
“I was so happy when you reached out to me first, my lord.”
Her eyes, filled with greed and ambition, bored into him. Bihan wanted to push her away, but even his voice wouldn’t come out.
Is this the side effect of the regression spell?
His mind was so clouded that even thinking felt painful. He deliberately sent me to this moment. Even in the end, Vihan had been toyed with by Kyle.
“…Ge…t… a…way…”
He barely managed to part his lips and let out a broken sound that wasn’t even recognizable as speech. The woman, stroking his shoulder with her other hand, only mistook it for a sound of pleasure and became bolder with her touch.
I have to hurry.
Bit by bit, Bihan moved his mouth and bit down hard on his tongue.
Crunch.
The taste of blood filled his mouth, jolting his mind awake. With the brief surge of strength, he slurred out the words with difficulty:
“Back off, lady.”
“Oh my, Duke. That’s no way to treat a lady. You were the one who invited me here in the first place—how can you be so rude?”
Her wide eyes flashed in protest. Feeling genuinely sorry, Bihan apologized.
“I’m sorry. I simply don’t feel in the mood tonight.”
Though he thought she’d cling to him longer, she instead snorted in disdain and stood up, dressing in a flurry of indignant movements. There was a trace of lingering desire in her, but her wounded pride seemed far greater.
“To humiliate me like this… I will remember your insult.”
The door slammed shut behind her. Watching her storm out, Bihan let out a sigh of relief. His body was still weak, but at least he’d avoided disaster.
Judging from his grown body, his thicker knuckles, and the fact that the woman had been tempting him the moment he came to, Bihan could roughly gauge when he’d returned to.
“Mother… Father…”
His voice trembled with sorrow. The woman had addressed him as duke—that meant he had already inherited the title.
In the Empire, it was custom that power was not passed on while the predecessor still lived. If he was Duke now, his parents were already gone.
So that’s why he lured me with sweet promises of regression.
He’d come back, but his parents were gone. The cursed sword was absent, so at least he hadn’t committed the sin of killing them with his own hands. But their absence was the same. Grief struck him hard.
Is there even any meaning to this return? I have nothing left now.
In the corner of despair, one name barely surfaced in his mind—his only hope.
“Luen…”
Other than her, there was nothing left for Vihan in life. The thought that she might still be alive somewhere in the world was the only thing keeping him standing.
Moonlight gently wrapped around his tear-stained cheeks.
Why is the Emperor acting like this toward me?
As I danced, I racked my brain, but I couldn’t explain his sudden, strange behavior. Passing it off as mere concern for his friend’s wife didn’t fit—it was far too persistent, far too odd.
“Your Majesty, I’m grateful for your concern, but I worry I may hinder you when you have much greater duties to attend to.”
In other words: Stop bothering with me and focus on your own business.
But I couldn’t say it outright, so I wrapped my words in courtesy.
“As the ruler of the Empire, it is my duty to care for each of my people. But, as a man, I find myself just a little more attentive to the wife of a dear friend.”
So basically: I am doing my duty right now.
True to his reputation as an Emperor who could outmaneuver even the most cunning ministers in council, he dodged the point with ease.
Not an easy man to shake. I was about to question him again when the music ended. He released me with a sly, ambiguous smile.
“Then, I wish you safe return to your longing duke.”
Now he was feigning concern? Pretending courtesy? The audacity left me speechless. But this was the Emperor. Best not to test his temper. Grinding my teeth, I forced a smile.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
As I turned, I caught sight of Duke Fiar watching me from nearby, worry written all over his face as if I were a child left alone by the water.
Luen.
He mouthed my name silently.
Relief washed over me at the sight of him. Compared to the Emperor, the Duke was so much easier to bear.
As I started toward him, laughter rang out behind me—loud, grating. I glanced back. The Emperor was clutching his stomach, laughing uproariously.
That man—truly…
He had a knack for getting under one’s skin. He was testing me, prodding me again and again. If he poked this way, how would I react? If that way? To him, it was just harmless fun, but to me, every jab set my heart racing.
Should I snap back and tell him I wasn’t some soup to keep tasting? No. Even if it was filthy, I’d swallow it. The damned hierarchy. That insufferable Emperor.
If I lost my temper, he’d probably only enjoy it more.
I was biting back my anger when a shadow fell over me.
“Luen, are you alright?”
“What happened in those few minutes? You don’t look well.”
But his face—Duke Fiar’s face—was even paler than mine. He looked like he could hardly breathe.
“I’m fine, but…”
What about you?
Seeing that I was unharmed, he let out a deep sigh of relief. I wanted to press him about his own health, but the timing wasn’t right. Even now, he was worrying about me. What a fool.
“No… I do feel a little dizzy. I’d like to rest.”
“Really? I’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner. Let’s get you somewhere comfortable right away.”
The one who needed to lie down was clearly him, yet he was fussing over me. Beads of sweat glistened on his straight brow. I took his hand and guided him.
“Yes. Please take me.”
Whatever words he wanted to say, he swallowed them and simply followed. At moments like this, he was like a loyal hound, blindly devoted to his master.
“Luen should be the one lying down.”
He still worried for me.
“No, if I lie down right after eating, it’ll only make me feel worse. Once my food digests, I’ll rest too.”
The guest chamber prepared for visitors to the Imperial Palace was lavish, containing everything one might need to live comfortably. Without needing to gather anything, I laid the Duke onto the bed.
“Alright. But you must promise to rest as well.”
I pulled the blanket over him. He looked displeased that I wouldn’t lie down beside him, but when I reminded him I had just eaten, he conceded.
So considerate, even now. Neglecting his own body to worry about others. And yet people had the gall to call him cold-blooded, to say blue blood ran in his veins?
I’ve never seen this side of him before.
I found a cloth to wipe the sweat from his brow. With his eyes closed, half-asleep, the strongest man in the world looked vulnerable.
“Luen…”
He murmured weakly in his sleep. Pitiful. In truth, the name he ought to be calling was Sophia’s, not mine.
Ah, Sophia!
Another idea struck me—another way to bring Duke Fiar and Sophia together.
Right now, the Duke was ill and bedridden. And we were in the Imperial Palace, where Sophia served as a maid.
I’ll summon Sophia to nurse him.
At first, filled with anger and resentment, Sophia would soften when she saw his condition. With her kind heart, she could never abandon a sick man alone. She would devote herself to caring for him.
—Why are you doing this for me?
—I couldn’t possibly leave a sick person by himself.
—Unbelievable. My wife abandoned me, after all I’ve done for her. Yet you stayed.
When the Duke regained his strength and opened his eyes, he would see Sophia, asleep at his bedside, exhausted from tending him. He’d feel disappointed in me for leaving him alone and, at the same time, a new affection would blossom for Sophia.
—No one has ever cared for me so sincerely before, Sophia.
—Oh, stop it, my lord.
It was perfect. The most plausible, foolproof plan I had ever devised. All I had to do was call for Sophia.
I rose to summon her.
Huh?
But I couldn’t. Warmth encircled my wrist.
“Don’t go.”
The Duke’s weak plea stopped me.
But leaving now would be for your sake. It would open the door to your true love.
This was your chance. You’d regret missing it. Quietly, I argued back.
“Don’t go, Luen.”
The earnestness in his voice froze me in place. After a long hesitation, I pulled up a chair and sat.
Somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to leave him alone just now.
When did I fall asleep?
It was such a cliché moment that I almost laughed, but I kept it in. The last thing I remembered was being by Duke Fiar’s side.
So why was I lying somewhere soft?
The realization hit me, and I opened my eyes wide. Duke Fiar was watching me with a gentle smile.
“Luen, you’re awake?”
“Wait—why am I here? You’re the one who should be lying down.”
“I’m fine. I only broke into a sweat remembering something unpleasant. But are you alright? You looked exhausted.”
It wasn’t a lie—he did seem recovered. I’d lost the perfect chance to link him with Sophia, but I didn’t feel too bad about it.
Another opportunity will come.
I comforted myself with that thought.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Good. Then shall we head back? The banquet has already ended.”
See? Even the Imperial gala passed without incident. I didn’t need to fret so much—things unfolded in their own course.
With his support, I rose. After that short but deep sleep, I felt refreshed.
“Yes, let’s go. …Back to our home.”
The Duke caught even my small murmur at the end, and his face lit up with a radiant smile as he nodded. When he smiled, it was as if the world grew brighter.
I heard him softly echo my words—our home.
And somehow, my heart warmed.
