What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 96
“If I had known from the beginning that you were alive… things wouldn’t have ended up this way.”
“…Ysa.”
“If only you had spoken to me properly… If only we had cleared up the misunderstanding sooner…”
The clear blue sky in her eyes was overtaken by storm clouds. Tears pooled pitifully and rolled down her pale cheeks.
A silent drop of water collected at her chin and fell.
It was Ysaris’s tear that had fallen, yet Kazhan felt as if his heart had crashed to the ground.
He could have explained. He could have said that she had sealed their blood pact at the cost of her memories. That he had believed she broke her vow when she failed to recognize him. That he refrained from speaking of their past because it was his burden to bear alone.
But he didn’t.
And now, he couldn’t even reach out to wipe away her tears. He stood frozen, breath held, as the tragedy unfolded in front of him. He could only watch helplessly as Ysaris spoke her final words.
“I no longer love you, Cain.”
Crash!
The sound of something breaking echoed. Ysaris’s wide, shocked eyes slowly fluttered shut.
Her collapsing body was caught by Kazhan, who pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly, burying his face in her hair as he whispered.
“Goodbye, Ysa.”
It was a farewell meant for no one’s ears but his own. A final goodbye to the lover he had now irreversibly lost and the precious memories that had vanished with her.
“Goodbye…”
Drip. Rain began to fall. Drip, drip, regret spilled from Kazhan onto Ysaris’s ears.
<I, Ysaris Chernian, swear on all my memories tied to Cain Jenut that I shall never betray his love nor reveal his true identity to anyone.>
The vow, once sworn, now dissolved into the torrential rain. It was a broken promise, and a past that could never be undone.
* * *
Morning.
The chirping of birds heralding the start of the day seeped through the window. Sunlight streamed in through the drawn curtains, spreading across the bedroom floor.
The light slowly crept across the room until it reached the edge of the large bed. It illuminated fingers poking out from beneath the blanket, causing the pale hand to twitch slightly as if tickled.
“Mm… ah!”
Ysaris stirred but froze as sharp pain lanced through her abdomen. Grimacing, she opened her eyes to a blurry yet familiar sight.
It was her room. A lovingly decorated space that bore traces of life shared with a child.
But the warmth of the person who should have been beside her was missing.
“Mikael?”
‘Where could he have gone? Why am I hurt?’
‘Where is Mikael? Is he safe?’
“Mikael, hic!”
She instinctively tried to get up and look for him, only to topple to the side. Trembling from unfamiliar pain, she managed to lift her upper body slightly. Just then—
Click.
“…!”
The sound of the door opening made Ysaris’s head snap around. A man entered, carrying herbs, bandages, and various medical supplies. He froze when their eyes met.
Black hair and crimson eyes—a combination so rare it could only belong to one person.
Ysaris’s eyes widened.
“Tennilath…?”
Why was a member of Uzephia’s Imperial Family here? And why did it seem like he was here to tend to her wounds?
While she reeled in confusion, the man stepped closer to the bed. His face, which had briefly flickered with emotion, settled into a calm expression as he set the items down beside her.
“It’s fortunate you’ve woken. You’ve been unconscious for two days, and I was concerned.”
“…Who are you? No, wait—do you know what happened to Mikael? A child with platinum-blond hair and red eyes… I woke up injured and alone, so—”
“Ysa.”
The nickname, which she hadn’t heard in years, brought her words to an abrupt halt. The moment it dawned on her that he knew her true identity, countless questions surged forward.
Why had she been living under the name Liz? Wasn’t she a princess of Pyrein?
When had she become pregnant, given birth to Mikael, and ended up in this injured state?
Pressing a hand to her forehead, Ysaris tried to make sense of her scattered thoughts. It wasn’t just the past few days she couldn’t remember; she had seemingly lost years of her life. Panic began to creep in, but a low voice cut through her spiraling thoughts.
“The child is safe, so there’s no need to worry. I know you must have many questions, but let me treat your wounds first.”
