What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 89
“It is not possible. Return to Uzephia.”
Ysaris’s voice was resolute. The time she had taken to respond was solely to grasp Kazhan’s intentions, and her reply carried an unyielding determination never to allow his proposal.
“The Empire needs you, Your Majesty. The nobles will never accept the end of the imperial line, which has only ever been sustained by Tennilath’s blood. If Uzephia collapses, the continent’s balance will shatter, and rivers of blood will flow. I do not wish to be the cause of such a tragedy.”
Her words were flawless, delivered with a calm demeanor that left no room for Kazhan to argue. Ysaris continued speaking, giving him no chance to interject.
“Even setting aside the broader circumstances, I’ll add my personal thoughts: I don’t want to see you, Your Majesty. Regardless of whether or not I believe your feelings for me, the truth is that I simply do not want to face you.”
“Ysaris.”
“Don’t impose your feelings on me, Your Majesty. Don’t expect me to understand you. To me, you are nothing but the murderer of my betrothed, the usurper of my country, the beast who embraced me by force whenever he pleased, and now, a thief who seeks to rob me of my last shred of happiness.”
Kazhan looked at Ysaris in stunned silence. Her unrestrained words slashed at his heart repeatedly, leaving deep scars.
His lips parted slightly, then closed again. He was at a loss for words, wandering in a fog of pain before finally managing to extract a single response.
“…I see.”
“Yes, so please leave. I hope never to see you again.”
Her relentless, cold words offered no respite. Kazhan ran a hand over his face, as though wiping away the bitter sting of her rejection. The metallic tang of blood seemed to rise from his own chest, filling the air.
But of course, leaving like this was impossible for him. To walk away from Ysaris forever was no different than choosing to end his own life.
If only she could kill him herself—there would be no regrets. Just as the faces of those he had slain haunted his dreams, he could live on, immortalized in her memories.
But judging by her words, it was clear she wouldn’t harm him directly. Perhaps it was because of her values, not him. Ysaris was a woman who had always sacrificed herself for the greater good, as she had for Pyrein. She sought fairness and the happiness of the many.
Ultimately, Kazhan could do nothing. He repeatedly ran his hands over his face, then, with a voice that cracked but was carefully refined, he asked:
“What must I do… what can I possibly do to change your heart?”
‘Do I truly have no chance? You’ve always forgiven me for my mistakes before, haven’t you? Whatever I’ve done wrong, if I admit it and apologize, won’t you accept me?’
Kazhan was still lost in the past. And because of that, he failed to see the Ysaris standing before him now.
“As I said yesterday, Your Majesty.”
And so, Kazhan was handed his sentence.
“The only thing you can do for me is to return to the Empire and never come here again.”
* * *
Chirrup… Chirrup…
Kazhan lay blankly on the forest floor, listening to the midday sound of insects. The thick canopy of trees cast dappled shadows, shielding his eyes from the sun as he stared at the sky.
If only it would rain. Unlike the stormy weather when he first arrived, the skies now were painfully clear. Watching the leisurely clouds drift above, their carefree nature starkly contrasted his gloom, deepening his melancholy.
<I’ll come back at night.>
<I told you not to come back.>
<You injured your stomach. At least let me look after you until you can move around properly.>
Just a few hours ago, he had declared this unilaterally and left Ysaris’s house. As though fleeing from her angry protests about why he bothered asking for her opinion if he intended to ignore it anyway, he had retreated to the forest behind her cottage.
If he had to justify himself, he would say that he wasn’t obliged to meet all of Ysaris’s demands. As long as he upheld his promise not to force her, he had the right to make his case.
The problem was that he knew she could easily take herself hostage again to keep him in check.
“Not that she’d actually die,” Kazhan muttered under his breath. Mikael was alive and well, so Ysaris wouldn’t throw away her life so easily. Unless both their lives were on the line, she wouldn’t risk herself merely to avoid seeing him. He was sure of that.
But the truth was, Kazhan couldn’t bear to witness another one of Ysaris’s self-destructive acts. The memory of blood gushing from her stomach was so harrowing that even thinking about it made him break into a cold sweat.
Therefore, he resolved to win her over without provoking her further. However, with only a week—the time he had promised the sages and ministers—on his side, the urgency gnawed at him.
“Still…”
Would it be strange to say he felt good? That he was happy to see Ysaris again, to talk to her, and to be able to help treat her injuries?
“Ridiculous.”
