Chapter 86

'I can't do this. I can't stand it with him next to me.'

Even though Kalain is a stranger, if Aini keeps acting like this, it will only take a moment for strange rumors to start. Aini is the empress of a country. Latil didn't want to hear rumors about the Empress of Karisen and the concubine Talium.

"Your Majesty, excuse me."

As soon as he made up his mind, Latil slipped naturally between Aini and Kalain, separating them.

"Excuse me, excuse me."

He passed between them like water, gently pushing them apart. Aini, who had been sobbing pitifully, stepped back without realizing it. She wiped her tears and looked at Latil with a questioning gaze. 'What are you doing?' Latil grumbled to himself, 'What else? This guy is my boyfriend.' He pointed in the direction of their quarters with both hands.

"Your Majesty, you seem to have a lot to talk about with Kalain. Why don't you go inside and talk? It's causing a lot of misunderstandings, and I'm worried watching from the side."

Aini pursed her lips and nodded.

'She seems so calm when she sees things like this...'

"I don't want to go inside."

What are you talking about, Kalain? You should go in too. Don't draw the line. If it's a misunderstanding, say it's a misunderstanding. Where does it start? Explain it properly! Latil pushed Kalain in the direction of the quarters without a word. * * * Once they were seated inside the quarters, Aini became much calmer. However, she sat silently with a straight posture, her eyes still full of confusion. Her sudden actions had left everyone stunned. She probably didn't know what was going on herself. How she ended up like this, Latil didn't know, but...

"Here, the tea is ready."

Latil placed a warm cup of tea in front of Aini.

"I'll do it."

Kalain tried to get up and help, but Latil shook his head and gestured for him to sit down. It would be strange for the emperor's envoy to sit and be served by a concubine. So, Latil arranged a simple meal on the table. Three cups of lavender-scented tea and a few pieces of not-so-good-looking cookies from the palace.

'The cookies look stale, but that's not my responsibility.'

"The cookies..."

"The maids brought these to apologize for the argument. I don't like cookies, but it's fortunate that I can serve them to Your Majesty."

As Latil explained with a smile, Aini sighed and looked outside, probably where the maids were.

"I've been rude to the envoy sent by the Emperor of Latrasil. I'm sorry. Since I'm not here officially, my maids... have some misunderstandings about you."

She couldn't bring herself to say what kind of misunderstandings. Latil knew anyway. Still, he nodded to Kalain, thinking, 'See? He's not a bad person. Try talking to him.' Reluctantly, Kalain asked Aini.

"Why do you keep acting so strangely?"

The moment Kalain spoke, the calm empress, who had been apologizing for her subordinates' mistakes, instantly turned into a sad person with a pitiful look.

"I've been having dreams about you ever since I saw you."

The heartfelt words were about a dream. What kind of story is this? What kind of story could make her so affected by Kalain's every word? Latil, thinking it must be a very sad and intense story, opened his mouth wide. A dream?

'What? Is this empress in love with Kalain in her dreams? Or is this person...?'

Kalain also looked bewildered. But Aini continued.

"I think it's... my past life."

Kalain frowned.

"Are you saying that in your past life, you and I were lovers?"

Aini hesitated, then tilted her head.

'Why is she doing that? Is she suddenly thinking it's absurd?'

"Your Majesty. I am not your past life's lover. Even if I were, I'm living in this life now, and it doesn't feel like anything to me."

"It's not that, it's just you... not in the past life, but only to me..."

Aini stopped speaking again. She probably thought it was strange even to herself.

'Right. If only Aini was reincarnated and Kalain wasn't, it wouldn't make sense.'

Aini and Kalain weren't that much different in age. For Aini to have been Kalain's lover in a past life, how old would Kalain have to be? The atmosphere became awkward. Aini, who had been talking the most, fell silent. Kalain sat like a statue, looking down without saying a word. After about thirty minutes of this, Aini finally stood up.

"I'll be going now."

Aini, finding it hard to find more to say, got up. As soon as she left, Latil asked Kalain again.

"Are you sure you don't know her?"

Kalain sighed heavily, as if it was too troublesome to answer.

"I really don't know her."

"Right. You did seem like you didn't know her. ...But is there anything you suspect?"

"No."

"Alright."

* * * Midnight. Haeum appeared again. Aini, who had been a little relieved because the Emperor of Latrasil's envoy had arrived and Haeum hadn't shown up for a few days, felt distressed again when she saw Haeum standing by the window.

Haeum was a warm person. He was polite not only to Aini but also to her friends. That's why when Aini began to suspect that Haeum had killed her friend Redler, she could draw a line and believe that the resurrected Haeum wasn't the real Haeum. However, even while looking for a way to eliminate the resurrected Haeum, her heart raced and her chest felt tight whenever she saw him. Moreover... there were now two men who made her feel this way, driving her to the brink of madness.

"Why do you keep coming to see me?"

"Because I miss you."

"Then watch from a distance."

"Is that okay?"

"No, it's not. Don't come anymore."

"Then what do you do when you miss me?"

"Just remember the time we spent together."

Aini, gauging Haeum's reaction and the current situation, where a dead person was walking around, added,

"Things that are over should be left in the past."

Haeum, understanding her intention, sat by the window and fiddled with the curtain, then smiled faintly.

"Once, you asked me if my love for you was greater or if your love for me was greater. Now, the answer is clear."

Aini's eyes wavered at his words. Haeum sighed and turned around. It always ended like this. He didn't stay long. Just then,

"Wait a moment."

Aini called out to him from a distance. Though she only called out, Haeum stopped immediately and turned around. Aini, hesitating, asked,

"Is there anyone else in this palace who is not a person, besides the prince?"

Haeum tilted his head at Aini's question.

"Why are you asking about that?"

His voice was cold and suspicious.

"Are you looking for a way to get rid of me?"

It was true, but such a question from a lover was painful to hear. Because of this, Aini deliberately avoided answering and changed the subject.

"I saw a strange person."

The 'strange person' Aini was talking about was Kalain. A few hours earlier, while talking to Kalain, Aini had noticed something odd. She had started to vividly remember Kalain, but hadn't noticed it at first. However, as she spoke, she realized that the Kalain in her past life's memories looked exactly the same as the Kalain now. It wasn't just a similar appearance; he was exactly the same person. Even if reincarnated, shouldn't his appearance change because his parents would be different? How was this possible? It was impossible by common sense. Unless Kalain had been alive from that time until now. And if someone had lived such a long life while staying young...

"There is a monster among the guests."

At that moment, Haeum's muttering as he left echoed in her ears. Aini's eyes widened. So, Kalain really was...! * * *

"Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

The Duke of Artax, who visited Lord Chancellor early in the morning, laughed when he heard the story that 'the current emperor is fake, and the exiled emperor is the real one.' The chancellor, irritated by the mocking laughter, snapped.

"Are you doubting my son's words?"

The Duke of Artax, surprised, shook his head.

"Why would I doubt your son? He's a kind and gentle boy, unlike you."

"Then why are you asking if it's a mistake?"

"I'm doubting the mind you passed down to your son."

"Artax!"

The chancellor roared, and the duke calmly pretended to drink tea. The chancellor glared at him and explained.

"Your son is stuck in the harem, knowing nothing, so of course, you don't want to believe me. My son figured it out, even though your son has no idea! But Artax, my son has been in love with the emperor for a long time. Unlike others who seek the throne, my son genuinely loves only the emperor."

"Stop insulting your son."

"Hmph. Even a foolish son is dear to his father, I see."

"No, stop insulting my son. Is it pure to love sincerely while arranging a political marriage? It's foolish."

"You scoundrel, Artax!"

The chancellor kept comparing his son Lamanwen to Gestah, belittling him, and the duke didn't back down, making their conversation drag on longer than expected. But by the end, they agreed to find the exiled fake emperor. Before leaving, the duke sternly instructed the chancellor.

"First, make sure Gestah is careful. He mustn't let on that he knows the emperor is fake. Instead, he should stick close to the fake emperor."

"Why?"

"So the fake emperor won't suspect him!"

"Understood. I'll make sure he's careful."

The duke, calmly leaving, immediately instructed his people to investigate where the exiled fake emperor had gone once he returned home. He also had his butler send a letter to Lamanwen. * * *

"Why are you doing this, young master?"

When Lamanwen unfolded the letter from the Duke of Artax and frowned, the attendant asked. But Lamanwen didn't budge at the attendant's question. After standing there for a while, he finally folded the letter and muttered.

"I don't understand what my father is thinking."

"What do you mean?"

Seeing Lamanwen seemed to have regained his composure, the attendant quickly asked again. At first, it was just a casual question, but now he was genuinely curious about what the Duke of Artax had written.

"The current emperor is fake. My father will find the real one, so I should keep my distance from the fake one and show it to people."

Lamanwen tore the letter into pieces and burned it, answering coldly.