~Chapter 5~
“Your Highness… that sofa looks way too small for you to sleep on…”
Leah mumbled, glancing back and forth between the sofa and Edward.
“I’ll just sleep sitting up. It’s fine.”
So much for resting comfortably…
Leah stared at him quietly, then looked at the big, empty bed.
“Let’s just… sleep on the bed together.”
She said it casually.
“…Together?”
“Oh—I mean, not together together! Just… use the same bed!”
She waved her hands in panic, smiling awkwardly.
“It’s big enough for both of us anyway.”
She patted the mattress, her cheeks a little red. She looked so cute and clumsy—like a baby bird trying to flap its wings—that Edward couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“…”
Leah blinked, stunned. It felt like she’d just seen his real face for the first time.
Edward himself was surprised at how relaxed he’d suddenly become.
“If you don’t mind… let’s share the bed.”
Leah smiled shyly and moved over to make space for him.
Edward looked at her for a moment, then smiled faintly and climbed onto the bed.
When he was settled, Leah lay down first with a relieved sigh. Edward followed, lying beside her.
“…Good night.”
Leah pulled up the blanket and said softly.
“You too.”
His deep, calm voice lingered by her ear like honey.
Even though she’d just woken up not long ago, Leah soon felt drowsy again and drifted off.
***
…Meanwhile…
[Did you finish reading the last chapter? Cedric finally became emperor!]
Her friend Yeonju’s excited voice echoed like she was the one who’d just become empress.
[Yeah, I read it too.]
Yerin nodded while sitting at her desk, solving problems from her workbook.
[And he even spared the former empress and Prince Harry! So merciful and cool, right?]
[Hmm… maybe. But didn’t he kill Crown Prince Edward? And framed another woman for it?]
[Well… that couldn’t be helped.]
[Ha. Really? That’s your excuse?]
Yerin chuckled, happy to see her friend again in this lucid dream.
But wait… Edward… Crown Prince…?
It was that novel Yeonju had forced her to read back in senior year of high school. She’d barely had time for it. She couldn’t even remember the title now.
The story’s main character was Grand Duke Cedric Frederick, and it was set in an empire.
The book had started with a shocking event — the execution of Crown Princess Leah, who had been accused of assassinating Crown Prince Edward.
After that, the Emperor acknowledged his illegitimate son, Grand Duke Cedric Frederick, and granted him the right to inherit the throne.
The former Crown Princess Leah’s homeland, the Kingdom of Trans, was then declared an enemy, and under Cedric’s command, it was destroyed.
Its rich mines became property of the Cloister Empire.
In the end, Cedric fought political battles against the Empress and her son, Prince Harry, until he became the next Emperor.
No way… that can’t be real…
Yerin shook her head, trying to deny everything.
But a sinking feeling grew stronger and stronger inside her chest.
And unfortunately… that bad feeling turned out to be right.
She woke up from the dream, gasping.
***
Leah sat up straight in bed.
She tried to calm down, telling herself it was just a dream—but her racing heartbeat felt like an alarm inside her skull.
Her sudden movement made Edward open his eyes. He looked at her calmly.
“Can’t sleep?”
His deep, sleepy voice brushed past her ear.
Since he was awake anyway, Leah decided to ask.
“Your Highness.”
She turned toward him, looking down at his face on the pillow.
Sensing something odd in her eyes, Edward sat up too. He rubbed his tired eyes lightly, then looked back at her.
“Go ahead.”
“Do you… know someone named Grand Duke Cedric?”
“…”
He gave her a puzzled look, silent for a moment. Then,
“Yes.”
He answered simply.
But Leah noticed the slight furrow in his brow.
“Then… Prince Harry? Do you know him too?”
“I do.”
Her heart sank.
He just said he knows them. Maybe they’re from a past generation… yeah, maybe.
She clasped her hands tightly, trying to steady her nerves.
But his next words crushed her hope.
“You came to this empire without knowing about my brothers or the royal family?”
He sounded mildly irritated.
“…Brothers?”
Leah’s face went pale.
“Harry is my younger brother. And Grand Duke Cedric Frederick is a member of the imperial family.”
“…”
Oh no… I’m doomed…
Leah grabbed her hair in despair.
Edward sighed softly.
“You really… came here without knowing anything, didn’t you?”
He now realized how little she knew about the imperial family—and began to worry about what trouble that might cause later.
“But why are you suddenly asking about Cedric and Harry?”
“Uh…”
She quickly let go of her hair and scrambled for an excuse.
“I just… remembered something from my lessons before… so I wanted to double-check!”
“…”
“Just curiosity, haha.”
Her laugh was awkward enough to make anyone cringe.
“…All of a sudden?”
“Yes! I’m just the curious type. Sorry for waking you up, Your Highness…”
Edward decided not to press further.
Leah got up from the bed.
He looked at her, confused.
“I… I’ll go to the chapel for a bit.”
“At this hour?”
“Yes…”
“That doesn’t sound like a good idea.”
“Why not?”
He rubbed the back of his neck a few times, then looked at her with an awkward expression.
“Because tonight… is our wedding night. Going to the chapel right now might seem… strange.”
Leah froze, processing his words—then suddenly turned red.
“Oh…”
They both looked away at the same time.
“T-then… I’ll just go tomorrow before we leave.”
She spoke fast and immediately dove back under the blanket, covering her head.
Edward sighed quietly and lay back down too.
Well… so much for sleeping again tonight.
***
The next morning
When Edward opened his eyes, the spot beside him was empty.
Did she actually go to the chapel?
He frowned slightly.
He hadn’t even noticed her getting up. Normally, he was so alert he could never sleep deeply.
Why did I sleep so soundly last night? Even with a stranger next to me…
He shook his head, oddly refreshed, and got up.
***
Meanwhile
Leah, who hadn’t slept a single minute, sat slumped in the chapel.
“Did you bring me here just to mess with me?”
She muttered toward the ceiling, her face full of despair.
“Elroy! You’re listening, right? Say something!”
[…Sorry… I really just wanted to repay you…]
“You didn’t know? Really?”
[I thought if I sent you somewhere nice, you’d live happily with your parents again…]
“You could’ve at least checked properly!”
[You died so suddenly, I didn’t have time to figure everything out… I’m sorry…]
Leah sighed deeply, too drained to stay mad.
“Send me back.”
She said firmly.
[I wish I could… but to go back, you have to live out Leah’s entire life here.]
“So… I have to die by execution?!”
[Um… yeah, that would be faster.]
Ugh!
Leah groaned, regretting ever getting involved in someone else’s mess.
[But… maybe there’s another way.]
“What?”
[If you just don’t die until the Crown Prince becomes Emperor… wouldn’t that work?]
“Ah!”
Leah’s eyes widened—like a light had just flicked on in her mind.
