I’m in Trouble Because The Emperor Thinks My Time is Limited - Chapter 32

That day was an ordinary one.

My half-brother, who had newly ascended to the throne, invited me to a banquet to mock me. It was nothing out of the ordinary. I simply had to play the puppet and do what the emperor wanted at the banquet. That was all. Yes, I foolishly believed that was all.

“No, no! Please, no! Please!”

Ah… Ah…!

I prayed for all of this to be just a dream. The price of my foolishness was you.

Hot blood ran down your pale face and dripped onto the ground. Your bloodstained armor had long lost its purpose. You, whom everyone once praised, were dying in my arms.

“No! Please, no…!”

“Cough!”

Your trembling lips silently mouthed my name, and that alone caused you to cough weakly. Blood surged endlessly from the wound where the sword had pierced your chest. Everything was terrifying.

“R-Run… Run away, quickly.”

“I can’t leave you. Somebody, bring a priest! Somebody, get a priest!”

Amidst the chaos, no one heard my desperate cries. No matter how loudly I shouted for a priest, no one looked in our direction. Blood splattered everywhere, and the sounds of explosions filled the air. Even as dust clouds obscured my vision, I could still see you clearly.

All I could do was watch you die.

“I-It’s alright. I’ll be fine. Cough! Don’t worry.”

Don’t cry.

Your words were interrupted by blood foam bubbling from your mouth. You reached out as if to wipe away my tears, but your hand, trembling from weakness, fell to the ground. My sobbing was pathetic. The promise that you would never leave my side had been broken.

I love you.

With no strength left to speak, you mouthed your final words. My sobs turned into screams, but nothing could bring you back. That’s how I lost you.

That’s why, willingly, I chose madness.

***

A sharply honed sword flew toward me. Even though I saw it coming, I didn’t think to move. A small scream came from someone nearby as the sword closed in. Still, I blinked dumbly.

Clang!

With a sharp, metallic sound, the sword that had been flying at me clattered to the ground. I only stared at it with dazed eyes. It wasn’t surprising, though…

“That was dangerous.”

Even though I was out of it, there was no real danger.

“Let’s stop for today and spend some time with me.”

“We’re already together right now.”

His arm wrapped naturally around my waist as he sat beside me, causing a ripple of murmurs among the onlookers. I sighed at their constant surprise, even though they had been watching us for a while.

“I mean, play with me properly. Don’t just ignore me like this.”

He rested his chin on my shoulder, pouting as if throwing a tantrum. The reactions of the people around us grew even more intense.

With a smooth gesture, he pointed at the knight standing awkwardly before me.

“You’re not even concentrating. You’ll get hurt like that.”

“If I could concentrate in this situation, that would be impressive.”

“Why?”

“…You can’t seriously be asking that, can you?”

Seeing my disgruntled expression, Sionel laughed, his eyes curving playfully. Since that day, his laughter had become more generous, causing no small amount of trouble for me. Around us, people gasped for breath, swallowing their surprise.

Some even whispered about whether the world was about to end. However, I was the most flustered of all. His smoothly curved red lips caused my face to flush bright red in an instant.

“Oh, you’re turning red.”

His lips, pointing out my embarrassment, were so annoying I could barely stand it, but I couldn’t say anything and just looked away.

‘Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it.’

I desperately tried to tear my gaze away from his red, moist lips. I hated myself for even thinking about how his lips looked. My thoughts must have shown clearly on my face because Sionel burst out laughing.

At the sight of the emperor laughing, the onlookers’ faces turned pale. They all trembled as if they had seen a ghost. But our great emperor paid no attention to them.

“Don’t laugh!”

“Alright.”

For someone who often didn’t listen to me, he quickly pretended to zip his lips. I opened my mouth, dumbfounded, and Sionel grinned.

“Now that I’ve listened, will you come play with me?”

His red lips, which had swallowed my words, whispered seductively again. I was sure he was doing it on purpose, knowing exactly how I felt. In the end, I plopped down on the ground, hiding my flushed face as I shouted angrily.

“You said you were busy!”

“Not really.”

“But the Founding Festival is coming up—!”

“As you saw, my capable chancellor is handling everything.”

You know that capable right-hand man is secretly plotting rebellion! Just a moment ago, I had seen Cassius glaring at us from the window with a stack of papers in his arms. When we crossed paths earlier, he hadn’t bothered hiding his frustration.

“Your Majesty. Do you know what I’m holding in my hands right now?”

“You’re working hard.”

“…I didn’t mean that as a compliment. Where are you going, Your Majesty?”

Sionel, too lazy to answer, had simply gestured toward the training grounds with his chin. The murderous look Cassius had given him back then had been chilling. His sunken cheeks only added to the terrifying image.

“And you can still say that after seeing him like that?”

Sionel shrugged as if it didn’t matter and crouched down in front of me. His sudden proximity nearly made me fall backward, but he caught me before I could.

“Besides, I think that’s enough training for today.”

“I didn’t even get to do anything, thanks to you!”

“How about we take a break and visit the greenhouse?”

“You’re not listening to me, are you?!”

This was how things were between us these days. Since that early morning when I sought him out, Sionel had kept his word. He had rescinded his order to confine me, and the excess guards were all dismissed.

Though I still wasn’t allowed outside the palace, I was finally free from the emperor’s quarters. My new residence was in the empress’s palace. It was an obvious hint for me to become empress, but I didn’t mind. In fact, I had briefly felt a twinge of regret, thinking I wouldn’t see Sionel as often anymore.

But that was only because I didn’t yet understand him well enough. Though I was no longer confined to the emperor’s chambers, I hadn’t truly regained my freedom.

“Can you just leave me alone for a bit?!”

Since that day, Sionel had followed me everywhere like a shadow.

“You don’t like being with me?”

Suddenly, his voice dropped. It wasn’t the usual angry or threatening tone he used with others. It sounded fragile, like a candle flickering in the wind, as if he were hurt.

I shouldn’t have fallen for it. He was pretending to be pitiful. When I kept glaring at him, refusing to lower my guard, Sionel’s face crumpled further into a pout. I had never imagined Sionel could make such an expression. Truly, he was an extraordinary man. How had he managed to hide this side of himself for so long?

“I’m not falling for it! And for the record, I haven’t even started training properly!”

“I see I’ve been a bother to you again.”

His shoulders slumped as he stood up. He turned his head just enough to cast a shadow over his face, making him look even more melancholic.

“I’m sorry. I’ll restrain myself from now on.”

The people around us gasped in shock, some even stomping their feet. When Sionel bit his lip as if overwhelmed by emotion, it only added to the tragic image. His clenched fists under his long sleeves made him look pitiful. Even the general, who had earlier worried about the emperor going mad and the world ending, was now on the verge of tears.

I had recently realized that the general was far too emotional for his role. He wasn’t of any help at all.

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know what you mean. But if my presence is bothersome, I suppose I can’t help it.”

Sionel’s expression was that of a wounded man, lingering as if waiting for me to stop him. By now, everyone around us was giving me pleading looks. These were the same people who had been trembling in fear moments ago, and now they were all enthralled by Sionel.

“…Alright, fine. Let’s go.”

“But—”

“I’ll go. I said I’ll go! To the greenhouse.”

Sionel finally smiled, satisfied, and it was the most devilish smile I had ever seen.

“I’m ruined…,” I muttered gloomily, but Sionel, seemingly in high spirits, lifted me up with ease.

As he moved, the attendants, maids, and knights all hurriedly followed. The sight made me sigh. Sionel had clearly planned this. If I had known he was so cunning, I would have made more specific conditions for my supposed freedom. If it had been anyone other than Sionel, I would have overturned this arrangement long ago.

“Shall we go?”

I nodded weakly. My grand plan to prove my health and dispel the rumors of my impending death had long since crumbled. The situation had already shifted in his favor, and there was nothing left for me to do but accept it.

And more than anything, I couldn’t even focus on training anymore.

‘It’s all ruined!’

I flushed again as Sionel stuck close to me. Of course, I couldn’t bring myself to look at his lips. The real problem was me. I couldn’t believe I found his teasing endearing.

“Ha! I’m really only enduring this because you’re cute!”

Grumbling under my breath, I reached out to him. Sionel, who had once looked puzzled the first time I offered my hand, now took it quietly. Whenever our hands touched, Sionel’s eyes crinkled with a smile. My heart thumped loudly again at the sight.

I grumbled even louder, hoping no one could hear my pounding heart. I didn’t want anyone to notice my embarrassing reaction.

“You look so happy, Lindel.”

“Did you hear that? She said she’s enduring it because I’m cute.”

“Look at Lindel’s face turn red. I think she’s even cuter.”

Little did I know, my embarrassing thoughts had already been exposed.