Chapter 88

“…….”

Why isn't there a response? Are you upset? Well, it wasn't exactly a pleasant thing to say. But it wasn't something I couldn't say either. After all, Kalain is a concubine, and Latil himself is the emperor's special envoy. How much time had passed? Aini stared at Latil for a while. Finally, she spoke.

“Have you ever loved someone so much that you would die for them?”

“Huh?”

What is this? Is Kalain suggesting that I am such a person? No, when have I ever seen her? Latil, feeling bewildered, asked bluntly.

“Are you saying that I love Kalain to the point of death?”

While asking, Latil thought Aini would say no. However, Aini couldn't answer immediately and fell into deep thought. Just when it seemed like she had fallen in love at first sight, she spoke heavily.

“It might be so.”

“Is this another story from your past life?”

“I don’t have a complete memory, but... probably.”

“Isn’t it possible that the memory is wrong?”

“Is it?”

“Huh?”

“Then... whose memory is this?”

“!”

Latil couldn't say anything more, seeing the dark expression on the person speaking. If she had cursed and said, “What’s it to you?” Latil could have vented his frustration together. But Latil watched Aini's retreating back with a bitter feeling. Kalain, too, frowned and watched the two from a distance, suddenly remembering something Domic had said.

“Master... I hope you haven’t done anything foolish.”

* * * Meanwhile, Tashir was having a meal with Ranawen and the High Priest, and they had started a serious conversation.

“Fakes imitate the real thing because there is a benefit in doing so.”

“Isn’t that too mercantile a way of thinking? There are people who act based on belief, pride, or a sense of justice without any benefit.”

“Yes, as a merchant, I see those as benefits too. The sense of achievement one gets from following what they believe in, that kind of mental benefit.”

“Mental benefit...”

Instead of joining the conversation between Ranawen and Tashir, the High Priest quietly ate while thinking about when the emperor had been replaced by a fake. There was a point he could guess. When the fake emperor appeared and was driven away. It must have been then.

“Anyway, my point is this. Fakes imitate the real thing because there is a benefit in doing so. So, to make the fake stop imitating, we need to cut off that benefit.”

“Aren’t you going to rescue His Majesty?”

“We need to bring him back, but just bringing him back won’t solve anything. Prince Leian is protecting the fake.”

The High Priest subtly looked back and forth between the two, then cautiously raised his large hand.

“What plan do you have to make the fake stop imitating?”

Tashir smiled broadly in response to the High Priest’s question.

“That’s why I called you, High Priest.”

“You called me?”

“I would like to ask for some help with your alchemy.”

“Why not the Holy Knights...?”

“Before that, Ranawen.”

“Speak.”

“Does Duke Artaxis know about this matter?”

* * * One day, while waiting for a message from Tashir, Latil decided to tell Haysin about the monster he had seen at night.

‘Maybe that monster is Prince Heum. If not, it’s still a problem.’

After making up his mind, Latil left the guest palace to find Haysin in the main palace. But as Latil was climbing the stairs, someone called him in a friendly voice.

“Miss Sadie.”

Turning around, Latil saw the maid who had accused him of being the culprit when Aini fainted. Her name was Louise, if he remembered correctly.

‘What’s this? Why is she here?’

Since they hadn’t had a good interaction, Latil looked at her with a sour expression. But he couldn’t just ignore her, so he stopped.

“I’m really sorry for what happened before.”

As Latil stood there, Louise approached and apologized with a very sincere expression. However, Latil couldn’t trust her sincere expression at all. After all, Louise had sent him dry cookies before, saying she was sorry. Now she was saying sorry again and approaching him so kindly...

‘What’s her game?’

“Oh, it’s fine.”

Of course, he understood. He had cleared up the misunderstanding with Aini by lying about being a secret envoy, but the maids still suspected his fake identity, ‘Sadie,’ of being involved with Haysin.

“Did you like the cookies?”

“I gave them to Her Majesty the Empress, so I didn’t get to eat any.”

“!”

“I’m sure Her Majesty enjoyed them, so they must have been good.”

It was a lie. Latil had given the cookies back to Aini, and Aini hadn’t eaten any of the dry cookies either. But when Latil deliberately said that Aini had eaten them, Louise’s controlled lips couldn’t hold back for a moment. However, she quickly regained her composure and smiled again.

“It’s a shame you couldn’t eat the cookies I prepared with care. I’ll send you some more.”

“It’s fine. I don’t really like cookies, so I always use them to entertain guests.”

Hearing about the guest entertainment, Louise’s expression wavered again, but Latil pretended not to notice and looked up the stairs.

“Anyway, why did you call me? I have something to do and need to go quickly.”

At this, Louise smiled and said,

“It’s the festival coming up.”

Latil immediately understood Louise’s intentions. She was inviting him to the festival to embarrass him.

“Miss Sadie is staying here as a guest of His Majesty, so you will naturally attend the party on the festival day, right?”

“I’ll have to if I’m invited.”

While planning to use the party to carry out her scheme, Louise frowned, seemingly unhappy that Latil would attend the party, but quickly recovered. Latil sighed inwardly. You don’t want me at your party? I don’t want to go either. I just want to finish my business and go home. Please.

“Why? Is there something you want to tell me about the party...?”

“I wanted to apologize for what happened before and offer you a dress to borrow.”

“A dress?”

“I heard that Miss Sadie didn’t bring any clothes with her.”

What are you planning to do with the dress? When Latil hesitated to answer, Louise added with a friendly smile.

“If you’re worried, you can see the design first. It’s fine.”

Despite her reassurances, Louise kept pushing, and Latil eventually agreed to meet her to choose a dress. After parting ways, Latil went to find Haysin. Haysin, who seemed to have already heard about the conversation, asked with a sour expression as soon as she saw Latil.

“Really going to wear a dress chosen by the Empress’s maid? I don’t think she has good intentions.”

“I can’t say no while I’m here as a guest.”

“Just say no. I’ll send you one.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just go along with it and avoid conflict. I don’t want to draw attention by fighting with the maids. If I wear a dress you send, the rumors will only get bigger.”

This way, after the matter is resolved and he returns, there won’t be any stories about ‘Sadie’ left here. Haysin seemed to understand Latil’s intentions but didn’t press further, instead getting straight to the point.

“Anyway, you said you had something to ask me. What is it?”

“I saw a strange monster wandering around here at night.”

“A monster?”

“At first, it wasn’t a monster. It was wearing fancy clothes, and fog would rise from its feet as it walked, but it looked human. Then it noticed me, opened its huge mouth, and lunged at me. The mouth was enormous. Do you know this monster?”

“I don’t know a monster like that.”

As Haysin tilted her head, Latil borrowed paper and a pen to quickly sketch the monster he had seen.

“I asked because the Empress keeps saying that Prince Heum appears to her. I thought it might be this monster.”

The drawing wasn’t very detailed or precise, but it was enough to recognize the physical features. Haysin carefully examined the drawing Latil had made, then crumpled the paper and muttered.

“So, it’s Heum.”

“What’s his purpose?”

“Probably to get to me. Or Aini. Maybe both.”

“Do we need to capture him? He’s been wandering around here every night. Isn’t it creepy? Who knows what he’s planning.”

“No one else has seen him. Other people don’t even believe the Empress when she says Heum is wandering around.”

“So you’re just going to leave it like this?”

“If your side’s black magic or related issues become public, we’ll make it public too. What about you?”

“I’m waiting for someone who can help me return.”

Latil frowned and grumbled, “I hope they come before the party.”

Haysin laughed, understanding what he meant.

“You boldly said you would wear the dress the maid gave you, but you’re still worried, aren’t you?”

“Of course.”

Latil grumbled and told Haysin about the dry cookies Louise had given him. Haysin just watched as Latil rambled on. At first, Latil didn’t care whether Haysin was watching or not. But as Haysin continued to stare without saying a word, Latil’s voice gradually lowered. Eventually, he stopped talking and looked at Haysin, reading affection in his eyes. Just by looking at him. There was a warm glow in his eyes. Latil hesitated and finally stood up.

“I’ve said what I needed to say, so I’m leaving.”

Latil quickly turned around.

“I’ll see you out.”

“It’s fine.”

Latil firmly said, but Haysin followed him.

“It’s fine, right?”

“I have to go down to the lower floor too.”

“...”

“Special Envoy, are you going to tell the Emperor to follow you from behind?”

Latil glared, and Haysin smiled, folding his arms and stepping aside.

“Is this distance okay?”

Latil started walking without answering, and Haysin interpreted it as a sign that it was fine and walked in the same direction, maintaining the distance. Their walking speeds were the same, so their footsteps echoed in unison. Latil looked down at the ground and walked silently. But why were there so many stairs and such long corridors? Why did their footsteps match so well? After walking for a while, Haysin muttered to himself in a resigned voice.

“We were together every day during our studies. How did we end up like this?”

“You betrayed me.”

“I still think about it. If you had received all the letters I sent you, would things be different now?”

Letters. Come to think of it, someone had intercepted the letters in the middle. It was a huge event that he had forgotten about. Latil smiled bitterly and asked,

“Did you find out who intercepted them on your side?”

“Duke Daga. What about you?”

“I was still investigating. During the investigation, things...”

Just as Latil was about to say that things had exploded and he couldn’t keep track of the progress, he suddenly remembered something his mother had said while explaining the situation, which he had found strange at the time, and he stopped abruptly.