~Chapter 5~
“……”
“Hah!”
Mikhail let out a dry laugh and ran a hand through his hair.
His neat hair became messy from the irritated gesture, but he didn’t care.
“What exactly are they trying to do…?”
He muttered in annoyance and quickly walked past Ronwell.
“First, I need to check Lin’s condition. Ronwell Bryce, follow me.”
His cloak fluttered as he crossed the office.
As he headed toward the Empress’s palace, Ronwell hesitated before speaking.
“Your Majesty… Lin has already removed all her belongings from the Empress’s palace. I will guide you.”
Mikhail stopped.
“Removed her belongings? What do you mean? Lin is still the one using that palace.”
Ronwell lowered his head.
“The Empress and her maids decided to use it starting today… and removed her things without permission.”
“…I see.”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
Mikhail walked past him.
“Head attendant, take me to Lin’s room.”
The head attendant, Robert, led Mikhail to a quiet corner of the palace.
It was so small, it was hardly worthy of being called a palace.
Inside, it felt cold and empty.
“This is it.”
As the door opened, Mikhail frowned.
Thick curtains blocked the large window.
The furniture was plain and lacked any elegance.
The carpet was old and faded.
The walls were empty.
And in one corner—
An old wardrobe and a worn-out bed.
Mikhail tilted his head slightly.
“Why is Lin lying in a place like this?”
The attendant bowed deeply.
“We were told that a sudden change in environment might harm her condition… so we placed her somewhere similar to her previous room.”
Mikhail’s anger flared.
“Do you think that’s an acceptable explanation?!”
He bit his lip.
He knew better than anyone that Lin lived simply.
No matter what he gave her, she always refused, saying it was too much.
At first, he thought she was pretending.
But now he knew—
She truly meant it.
And that made him even angrier.
Why hadn’t he taken better care of her?
“Even if Lin refused, you should have persuaded her!”
He scolded the attendant—
But in truth, he was ashamed of himself.
Lin had no one to rely on but me…
With guilt in his heart, he stepped closer—
Then suddenly stopped.
There was a woman lying on the bed.
A stranger.
Mikhail instinctively stepped back, alert.
“Who is this?”
“…It is Lin.”
Even after hearing Ronwell’s answer, he couldn’t believe it.
This… is Lin?
In his memory, her hair was black.
But now—
Her hair was a pale silver, like its color had been drained.
Her skin was much paler than he remembered.
He looked again.
“Are you certain… this is Lin?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
With trembling hands, Mikhail gently lifted her hand.
He remembered—
Two days ago, she had cut her finger while handling documents.
There it was.
A small wound that had not yet healed.
He dropped her hand in shock.
It really is her…
He knew Lin had tried to resemble Eunsu in appearance, to avoid confusing the child.
But—
He never imagined her true appearance would be this beautiful.
Mikhail was shaken.
He had survived alone from the previous Emperor’s massacre.
The nobles constantly pressured him to take an Empress or concubines—
Not out of concern, but to gain power through him.
They sent beautifully dressed women.
They made schemes.
They openly tried to seduce him.
But never once had his heart been moved.
And yet now—
“What is this…?”
He pressed his chest, trying to calm his racing heart.
The more he looked at her, the more mysterious she seemed.
She hid all this… for the sake of a child.
And what have I done for her?
He clenched his fist.
“Where is the palace physician?”
“He is waiting, Your Majesty.”
Just then, the physician entered.
“I, Hushidon, greet the light of Krelas, His Majesty the Emperor.”
Mikhail didn’t even look at him.
“How is the patient?”
The physician bowed.
“To make a proper diagnosis, I need to know what she usually eats and her symptoms. Is there anyone who knows her daily life?”
Silence filled the room.
No one knew.
No one knew what she ate.
No one knew how she suffered.
Mikhail frowned.
“Then tell me what you can determine right now.”
The physician hesitated, then spoke carefully.
“Her breathing is unstable, and her complexion is pale. I suspect malnutrition… possibly anemia.”
“Malnutrition? Anemia? That makes her cough blood?”
“I cannot be certain… but her pulse is unusually erratic, and her skin has a bluish tint…”
He paused.
“It may be a problem with the flow of mana in her body.”
“Mana flow…?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. However, I am not an expert in magic. It would be best to consult a specialist.”
At that moment, Mikhail remembered—
What she had once said.
“There’s a small problem with my mana flow, so I take medicine.”
In Krelas, physical strength was valued more than magic.
Very few physicians studied mana flow.
Mikhail turned sharply.
“Ronwell! Bring the doctor Lin has been seeing. You remember the place, don’t you?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Bring him immediately!”
Ronwell rushed out like the wind.
When I slowly opened my eyes, I saw a white ceiling.
The room was bright, even though no lights were on.
Is it daytime?
I blinked and turned my head.
Bright sunlight poured in.
“Too bright…”
As soon as I spoke, the light suddenly dimmed.
…Or at least, it felt like it did.
“What…?”
I lowered my hand.
“You’re awake?”
A voice.
I turned toward it.
By the half-open window, beneath the fluttering curtain—
Someone was sitting.
Dark blue hair like the deep sea.
Soft, curved eyes.
A lazy smile.
Long arms resting elegantly.
It was someone I knew very well.
A man with a strangely seductive and dangerous aura.
Like a scene from a movie.
I stared blankly—
Then suddenly sat up.
“Cassian? How did you get in here?!”
Even as I spoke, I glanced at the door, checking if anyone was listening.
“I think I know what you’re thinking, but no—I didn’t sneak in. The Emperor sent for me.”
“The Emperor? Why?”
“My patient collapsed, so I was told to come.”
“What time is it?”
Cassian looked outside and stood up.
“Morning. I’ve been taking care of you for 12 hours.”
That was a relief.
It hadn’t even been a full day.
“What is with your expression?” he said.
“Did you even hear me?”
Suddenly, his face came close.
I flinched.
His light blue eyes looked drowsy.
Cassian was always like this—
Lazy, uninterested in everything.
But when he spoke, he was sharp.
Then he said—
“By the way… since when do you call the Emperor by his name?”
His tone was strange.
Almost like jealousy.
I pushed his face away with one hand.
“It just slipped out! You know how people talk behind someone’s back. It’s not a big deal.”
It wasn’t even an excuse.
I had called him “Mikhail” countless times while playing the game.
Cassian sat on the bed and leaned closer again.
“That aside… why is the Emperor so worried about you?”
His voice was flat.
But his eyes—
They were strangely persistent.
I avoided his gaze and thought for a moment.
Why does he feel different today…?
Then it hit me.
Wait… is Cassian interested in Mikhail?
?????
What -_-