What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 69

“Your Majesty, I’ve finally found it and brought it to you. This is the magical artifact I mentioned before—the Eye of the Sage.”
Kazhan gazed down at the cloudy crystal ball that Temisian had carefully placed on the reception table. Resting on the cushion, it swirled with smoke-like mist inside, as if to prove its significance.
“What does it do again?”
“It shows the user what they wish to know. However, it can only be used once per person, and you can’t directly choose what you’ll see, so it’s a bit tricky to use.”
“Is the effect guaranteed?”
“When I tested it myself, it worked properly. Unfortunately, I saw something other than the Empress’s whereabouts…”
Temisian went on to explain how to use the artifact and the precautions involved. He added that it was a rare treasure he had borrowed from its owner and would need to return it by the end of the day.
“So, will you use it right away?”
“Hmm.”
Kazhan tilted his head, observing the crystal ball before shifting his eyes to Temisian. His expression was unreadable, and what followed wasn’t exactly a confirmation or rejection, but a command nonetheless.
“Leave it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll come to retrieve it this evening.”
Temisian wasn’t fazed by the abrupt dismissal and bowed politely. He had anticipated this outcome, so his exit from the reception room was smooth, as if water flowing.
Click.
As the door closed, Kazhan, now alone, lowered his gaze back to the crystal ball. After staring at it for a long moment, he finally moved his hand.
But instead of reaching for the crystal ball, his hand went to the ring around his neck. Kazhan rubbed the ring with his thumb, a habitual gesture, as he became lost in thought.
“What do I want to know…”
There was only one wish in his heart. So he could predict what the crystal ball would show him.
Ysaris’s whereabouts. Or, her final trace.
…But was it truly the right thing to confirm the truth?
If Ysaris really had died—if the final moment he saw in his dreams was real—if it wasn’t just speculation, but he saw the worst reality with his own eyes…
What would he do then?
“……”
Kazhan gripped the ring so tightly it seemed as though it might shatter.
The reason he had searched so desperately for Ysaris wasn’t to confirm her death. He had been raging against the world, declaring with his whole being that she was still alive.
Because that was the only way he could keep breathing. The only way he had found the strength to keep moving.
But now, there was no escape. The box of truth he had been too afraid to open was now right in front of him.
Kazhan, standing there frozen, unable to either ignore it or reach out for it, closed his eyes as if resigning himself to his fate.
“Nothing’s going to change now.”
Perhaps the timing was right. He was already heading toward ruin.
If this was merely the final trigger, then there was no reason to be afraid.
“Yeah…”
Kazhan ran a weary hand down his face and, with a firm resolve, reached out.
The moment his large hand covered the crystal ball, it began to change…
And the shadowy red light in his eyes rapidly expanded.

* * *

“Liz, take this with you, too. I’ll give it to you as a bonus. Didn’t Mikael like it the last time?”
“Thank you, Madam Verin. I’ll make sure Mikael knows who gave it to him.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. As long as the little one likes it, that’s enough for me. Come back again soon, and bring the baby if you can!”
“I will if he’s not napping like today. Have a nice day!”
Ysaris smiled faintly as she walked away, her arms full of provisions that made her heart feel content.
At first, she had struggled with the life of a commoner, where she had to do everything herself. But now, she had grown quite accustomed to it. Shopping for groceries, dealing with people, managing a household—she had become rather skilled at it all.
She owed much of this to the people of the mountain village where she lived. Though anyone could see she wasn’t of ordinary status, they treated her kindly and taught her many things, helping her adjust quickly.
What Ysaris didn’t know was that this was the result of Lena half-threatening the villagers.

The village owner’s warning had been quite effective. Despite being a beautiful woman raising a child alone in an isolated place, Ysaris was able to live peacefully without any problems, proving the power of that threat.
“It took longer than I thought.”
Ysaris, upon reaching home, noticed the direction of the shadows and realized how much time had passed. She had been wandering further than usual, trying to gather ingredients for a new recipe she’d learned from a book, and lost track of time.
‘Could Mikael be awake by now?