I’m in Trouble Because The Emperor Thinks My Time is Limited - Chapter 3

“I gave you a week to gather your thoughts. And yet, you come back to me with nonsense like this.”

Even with my eyes closed, Sionel’s voice still sounded sweet. Even when he was suppressing his anger, it sounded that way to me.

He might have been mad, but to me, Sionel’s anger was still endearing. The dragon was right—I was a lost cause.

But there was no time to indulge in these emotional thoughts anymore.

“It’s only because that priest is incompetent that he hasn’t found a way to heal you yet. I’ll search the entire country—no, the entire world—to find someone who can cure you. So stop thinking crazy things and stay put.”

“Please, abandon me, Your Majesty.”

I tried my best to appear calm. My heart pounded as I lied to him, but now was the time to pretend I was being reasonable.

“My role is already over. You were once a prince, but now you’ve become emperor. The nation’s foundations are solid, and the people follow you. There’s no longer anyone who can challenge you, so I have no reason to stay by your side.”

Sionel remained silent.

I kept my eyes closed, struggling to stop myself from trembling. I never thought the day would come when I would be the one to turn him away.

It had always been me chasing after Sionel, ever since he was very young.

He had always found me annoying, but my exceptional skills made it impossible for him to discard me. I was like a piece of gristle stuck in his throat.

Perhaps that’s why he was clinging to me now—because I, the one who always followed him, was finally trying to leave. That little temper of his had probably flared up.

After all, he’d been a brat since childhood, so this reasoning made sense.

If I gave him the right excuse, he would toss me aside, just as he had always wanted.

“You’ve always wanted this, haven’t you? Now I’ll step down on my own.”

Of course, I didn’t plan to step aside for good.

But to solve this situation, I had to be away from him for a while. Shamelessness was my specialty.

Once I fulfilled the contract, I would return, pretending nothing had happened. There was no way I would give up the wealth and glory that awaited me as the emperor’s trusted companion and founding hero.

Pretending to be humble and pitiful like this felt so awkward I could barely stand it.

‘This should be enough.’

I finally opened my eyes, which I had kept closed for dramatic effect. I had forced myself to think of something sad, and fortunately, I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

But as soon as I looked up and met his icy blue gaze, I knew something had gone terribly wrong.

Sionel’s blue eyes were blazing like fire.

The tears that had been forming quickly retreated.

“Uh, um…”

“Everyone, out.”

Without turning his head, Sionel gave the low command, and everyone fled as if they had been waiting for the chance.

Luna, who always claimed to be on my side, was the first to leave. Once again, I was reminded that no one in this world was truly loyal forever.

The priest, who had looked at me like I was his savior moments earlier, quickly followed behind Luna.

The knights, who only ever obeyed the emperor’s commands, went without a word.

‘Traitors!’

I wished someone would take me with them, but all that remained was Sionel, glaring at me.

At this rate, I was going to die by his hand, contract or no contract.

“You say your role is over?”

His gaze was as crazed as it had been a week ago. Something was seriously wrong.

“You were the one who made me emperor.”

“That’s—”

“And now, after all this time, you say you’re leaving? Abandoning me?”

Something was off about his tone.

I had told him to abandon me, yet he was acting as if I were the one abandoning him.

When I planned all of this, I had been certain that he wouldn’t care about someone like me.

So this situation was entirely unexpected.

“You’re abandoning me. You are.”

The way he spat out the words made it clear he was furious. His blue eyes bore into me, freezing me in place.

My heart started to race.

Suddenly, Sionel raised his hand and brought it close to my face. I flinched, and his hand hesitated. His expression twisted.

“Are you afraid of me?”

His words were more of a mutter to himself. At the same time, tears began to flow from his eyes.

Seeing him cry for the second time in my life was just as shocking as the first.

His face, a mix of anger and sadness, was complicated.

“Why are you afraid of me?”

He even looked hurt. I had no idea why he was acting like this, why he would feel hurt because of me.

“If you were hurting, you should have said something. You should have asked me to save you, to help you.”

Sionel’s voice trembled.

But I wanted to protest. I wasn’t sick, and I was leaving to save myself.

I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Sionel’s voice grew more intense.

“You should have stayed by my side!”

Tears welled up and dripped onto his clothes.

“With that brazen face of yours, you should have told me you loved me, just like always.”

I had always chased after him, always telling him I loved him. The entire palace staff knew it. Even the citizens knew that Lindel Bodebachne loved the emperor.

But Sionel never loved me.

So why was he saying this?

“Tell me you need me. Promise me you’ll stay by my side forever.”

His trembling hand, which had failed to reach me, clenched into a fist. His knuckles turned white, but all I could say was one thing.

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?!”

“Because Your Majesty doesn’t love me.”

My voice was calm. It was the simple truth.

But Sionel’s face filled with shock.

I furrowed my brows, confused by his reaction.

“I…”

“I’m not blaming you.”

I dropped the formal tone and spoke the way I had when we were younger. I wasn’t trying to accuse him, and my voice reflected that.

“But if I stay by your side, it will only cause problems for you. You don’t like me…”

Sionel lowered his head.

His expression was hidden behind his fallen bangs, but his trembling lips were visible beneath the shadow.

Something was definitely wrong with him. I started to wonder how I should handle this.

Then, Sionel burst out laughing.

“Y-Your Majesty?”

His shoulders shook as he laughed, covering his face with both hands. I watched him as if he were insane, and suddenly, his laughter stopped.

Had he truly lost his mind?

His drastic reaction made me instinctively take a step back.

When he lowered his hands, his face was twisted in a strange expression. His eyes were red.

“You think I don’t like you?”

His words were filled with mockery, though it didn’t seem directed at me.

Once the mocking laughter subsided, Sionel slowly approached me.

Despite my flinch, this time, he didn’t hesitate.

Sionel walked toward me with only me in his sights, and before I could react, he wrapped his arms around me.

Because I was sitting on the bed, he had to half-kneel to embrace me.

Being suddenly pulled into his arms sent me into a state of shock.

His voice, fragile as if it might shatter, escaped him.

“I was wrong.”

‘What?’

I thought I had misheard him.

When I tried to push him away in surprise, he tightened his grip, as if terrified I might escape.

Sionel clung to me desperately, like he would never let go.

“I was wrong, Lindel.”

“Your Majesty?”

“I was wrong about everything.”

The arrogant emperor I had known was nowhere to be found.

Sionel trembled pitifully, his tears soaking my shoulder.

I froze, unable to move.

‘Is this man actually apologizing to me?!’

Memories of the countless battles we had fought flashed through my mind.

The man who had always looked at me with cold indifference was now acting like this!

Sometimes, when he was being particularly infuriating, I had imagined him kneeling before me, begging for forgiveness.

But now that something similar was happening, instead of feeling smug, I was thrown into an even deeper panic.

And the shocks didn’t stop there.

“Hate me. Resent me. Curse me if you want. But don’t leave.”

“Your Majesty…”

“I can’t let you go.”

His voice, soaked in tears, stirred something in me.

I never imagined that Sionel would care about me leaving this much.

Overcome with pity, guilt, and a hint of gratitude, I hesitantly wrapped my arms around his back.

But at that moment, Sionel spoke again.

“I love you.”

My mind went blank.

“I love you, Lindel.”

“What… did you just say?”

His voice trembled as he emphasized every word.

Ignoring my confusion, Sionel slowly pulled back and cupped my face with his shaking hands. He gazed at me with heart-wrenching eyes.

We were so close that I could see my tiny reflection in his blue eyes.

My expression, frozen in shock, didn’t match the gravity of the situation.

“I know it’s too late for this to matter now.”

His voice, filled with self-mockery, cut through the fog in my mind.

“Wh-what did you just say?”

“I know I can’t keep you with words like this.”

Sionel let out a hollow laugh.

But that wasn’t what mattered. I was still trying to figure out if I had understood him correctly.

“No, no! Who—who do you say you love? You’re saying… you love me?”

“Yes.”

“Are you crazy?!”

I shoved him away and jumped to my feet.

He stumbled but didn’t fall. Not that I cared.

“This is crazy!” I shouted, my face twisted with shock.