What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 3
Ysaris quickly scanned her surroundings. Fortunately, when the servant entered the reception room and ordered snacks with a glance, the room was empty.
However, it was not appropriate to speak loudly, even if there were no people around, especially in the ears of the palace, where there were many listeners.
“This doesn’t seem like the right place for casual talk, Duke.”
“Then, would you like me to escort you to Your Majesty’s chamber?”
“Duke Kelloden.”
“It’s a joke. I’m so terrified I can’t even say a word.”
Mikelun chuckled with a chilling look of contempt in his eyes. Then, with languid bravado, he took out the ring from his pocket and tossed it up, showing his leisurely demeanor as he caught it.
“Who would have known? The two protagonists of the passionate love affair that set Uzephia ablaze were actually in a contractual relationship.”
“…….”
Ysaris looked at Mikelun with a stern face. Of all people, the one she least wanted to know the truth had found out.
As he said, it was a false engagement formed by each party’s circumstances. Bariteon, in need of a shield and a noble position, was the one who proposed first.
Ysaris needed a way to escape from the threats of her abusive brothers. Since she also wanted to continue the Kelloden lineage, she took his hand.
Since their relationship was bound to break, they did not make material promises on official engagement documents. Instead, they did their best to make people believe in their love.
As she had known and interacted with her childhood friend for a long time, it was easy to portray an affectionate demeanor. The help of Selena, who was both a maid and a lover of Bariteon, could not be ignored.
<Although I feel a little jealous… I know it’s for my sake. I’m not so foolish as to not understand even this much.>
As Ysaris pondered the voice of the shyly smiling woman, she paused.
“…Did you say Selena died?”
Wasn’t she supposed to have come to deliver the ring she had lost earlier?
Mikelun responded obediently to Ysaris’s question.
“She was found dead in front of my brother’s grave last month. It seemed to be suicide based on the circumstances.”
The shocking news made her bite her lip.
Suicide. No matter how she thought about it, it felt like someone who couldn’t forget the deceased Bariteon had miserably lived and then ended his own life.
Someone innocent died because of me again. Because of me, Bariteon died, and now Selena is gone too.
Rationally, she knew. It wasn’t her fault that Bariteon was murdered, that the Uzephia Kingdom was conquered, or that Selena committed suicide.
But…
<Is it love, or a contract?>
The mad Emperor.
<Then you have to die.>
Everything seemed to turn against her as if it were her fault.
“Haa…”
Ysaris clasped her slightly trembling hands behind her back. Her thoughts were still tangled, but she couldn’t show weakness in front of the man trying to break her down.
As she struggled to maintain her composure with slow breaths, Mikelun stepped closer.
“I found many interesting things while tracking Selena’s traces. Even though I set aside these trivial items like this ring, there were truly intriguing stories written in her diary.”
“Duke.”
“It’s the truth about the three of us. I didn’t realize that the fair princess would deceive the whole world.”
“Stop it.”
Ysaris calmly interrupted the conversation, but Mikelun didn’t cease. With a smile on his face, he glared at her fiercely with sharp eyes.
“Are you going to keep pretending not to know, even after arranging a heartless engagement to restrain me? You must be very disappointed that instead of my brother, I would become the lord of Kelloden.”
“Duke Kelloden.”
“Pretending to love, pretending to be in love. If you hadn’t falsely engaged from the beginning, everything would have been much better now. Oh, would you prefer it now that your status has risen?”
“Mikelun Kelloden!”
Ka-chak.
As Ysaris was about to raise her voice, the door opened. Reflexively turning, she saw a maid hesitantly holding a tray with tea and snacks.
“I apolo…”
“Come in.”
Ignoring the maid’s attempt to apologize, Ysaris swiftly cut in and brought Mikelun into the parlor, ignoring her pounding heart as she stared sternly at him.
She subtly twisted the topic, hiding her anxious thoughts about how much the maid might have overheard while quietly setting up the refreshments on the table.
“Is the only item you’ve brought this ring?”
“Why, do you desire something else?”
It was a sour attitude, fortunately, Mikelun matched the tone.
Initially, if rumors spread, it would be the Kelloden family rather than her who would suffer more.
They had more to lose, both in terms of entanglement and assets.
With that in mind, Ysaris calmly extended her hand.
“The ring will suffice.”
“That’s a relief. I actually burned everything else.”
“…”
Mikelun shrugged in response to Ysaris’s gaze and offered a large jeweled ring. The full name of Bariteon engraved inside glimmered as it caught the light.
“At first, I intended to burn this as well, but my dear brother cast an expensive spell on it, so it’s in perfect condition. But because it’s engraved with his own name, I can’t sell it so it’s become a nuisance.
It’s a waste to get rid of it, and it’s useless to keep it. It was clearly seen in Ysaris’ eyes that he brought it only for that reason.
It wasn’t particularly useful to her, but it was a memento from an old friend.
Ysaris accepted the ring without a word. She intended to treasure it, if only to mourn Bariteon.
“I accept it well.”
“I originally intended to demand payment, but you resolved the tax issue on my behalf, so I’ll give it as a gift.”
“Well, thank you.”
“If it has been of help to Her Majesty, then it is an honor.”
Their exchange lacked any genuine sentiment.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, Ysaris fiddled with the ring in her hand.
At that moment, she didn’t realize she shouldn’t have received it.
By the time she did, it was already too late, after everything had unraveled.
