I’m in Trouble Because The Emperor Thinks My Time is Limited - Chapter 62

Bang!

With a loud noise, the boy burst through the door, panting heavily. His flushed cheeks made it clear just how excited he was.

The young man who had been quietly reading a book lifted his head towards the boy. But today, he wasn’t alone. A woman with striking yellow eyes, Muros, was sitting beside him. Muros frowned at the sudden intrusion, but the young man didn’t seem to care at all.

“You came back early, Ahin.”

“This is no joke! It was really amazing, Mimi!”

“Oh, please spare me that terrible nickname. What was so amazing?”

The young man asked, trying to calm down the excited boy, Ahin. At that, Ahin’s eyes sparkled as if stars were about to spill out.

“That woman! Lindel! She was incredible!”

Hearing Lindel’s name, Muros ground her teeth. The young man smiled as he calmed Muros down and then turned to Ahin.

“Did you kill her?”

He uttered such a terrifying question casually. However, neither Ahin nor Muros seemed fazed by it. Instead, the boy stomped his feet, still excited.

“No! No, I didn’t kill her! It was even more amazing than that!”

“That’s the first time I’ve seen this psycho get excited about something other than killing someone.”

“Muros.”

“Did I say anything wrong, Mikel?”

The young man called Mikel shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the boy.

“I saw Lindel in the streets today! I’ve been trying to figure out how to sneak into the imperial palace, but I got really lucky!”

“I heard she wasn’t leaving the palace. That’s unexpected.”

“Right? So I followed her immediately, and I saw something incredible!”

Ahin waved his arms excitedly. Wind gathered around him, swirling like a strong gust. Mikel and Muros instinctively held onto their belongings. Soon, the wind dissipated, and in the place where the boy had stood, a platinum-haired woman appeared. The woman swung her arms just as Ahin had, her rosy cheeks as adorable as the boy’s.

The woman shouted with an angelic face.

“XXXXXXXXXXX-!”

“……”

Mikel’s jaw dropped at the sudden outburst.

“…Ahin?”

Seeing Mikel genuinely bewildered was rare, but the woman had managed to accomplish it.

“Have you ever heard anything like that before?”

Mikel stared at Ahin, who was rejoicing after shouting such obscenities.

“…No?”

“Right? You’ve never heard anything like that, have you? It was amazing!”

Ahin cheered.

“That kind of cursing—I had never heard it in my entire life! Isn’t that amazing? Isn’t she incredible?”

“…And you came back just because you were impressed by that?”

“Yep!”

Ahin’s answer was innocent. Mikel fell silent, and Muros answered on his behalf.

“What a psycho.”

For once, Mikel agreed with Muros. Giving up on understanding Ahin’s peculiar way of thinking, the two returned to their own business, essentially ignoring him. Despite being ignored, Ahin still seemed excited.

“And there was something else interesting.”

“What is it? Did she break something this time?”

“Well, yeah, but it was different!”

Muros gave him an annoyed look as if she found his boasting tiresome, but Ahin’s next words were not as trivial as before.

“There was a dragon!”

Mikel, who had been engrossed in his book, showed interest again. A small ripple appeared in his eyes.

“A dragon, you say…”

“And it wasn’t just one.”

The smile on Ahin’s face remained childishly innocent.

***

I was now on my way to Sionel’s office. Even the people who usually insisted on following me had decided to let me go quietly, just this once.

“Ah, Lady Lindel…”

From afar, I saw a knight who recognized me and greeted me warmly, only to falter mid-sentence. Even so, I did not stop walking. I nodded to acknowledge the greeting, then continued on my way. As I walked with a grim determination, I could hear whispers behind me.

“Is something wrong? Why does Lady Lindel look like that…?”

“Shh! Haven’t you heard the rumors?”

Those damn rumors!

I didn’t even need to hear it to know what they’d say next. It was obvious. They’d bring up ‘that’ story.

Biting my lip, I stopped in my tracks, and the whispering stopped immediately as well. The people who met my eyes swallowed nervously.

“It’s a misunderstanding,” I spoke kindly, even smiling with my eyes, but their faces turned pale.

“O-of course! I apologize!”

They fled as if chased, and I held back a deep sigh.

‘Damn those ridiculous rumors!’

Yes, the cause of all this was those absurd rumors.

Two days ago, on my way back to the imperial palace, I was worried about Sionel’s reaction. I had visited a prison with the guards assigned to protect me, and I was sure Sionel wouldn’t take it lightly.

But surprisingly, Sionel showed no reaction. Even the guards, who had been just as tense as I was, were bewildered by the unexpected situation. It wasn’t just me who found it strange.

And at that very moment, we heard it. The infamous rumor.

“Lindel Bodebachne is gathering private soldiers and plotting rebellion!”

Because I had walked through the streets looking like a gang leader, strange rumors had started to spread. And after my time in jail, the story had been completely blown out of proportion.

When I first heard it, I just laughed it off. I thought it was just more nonsense floating around. But while I laughed, that damn rumor spread like wildfire.

And that wasn’t even the worst part. The rumors had begun to include Sionel as well.

“There’s a rift between the emperor and his lover!”

The fact that Sionel hadn’t come to see me that night had added fuel to the fire. The entire palace was abuzz with tales of conflict between the emperor and the future empress, and as Sionel continued to avoid me, the rumors only grew stronger.

It was driving me insane.

For now, it seemed like people were just using it to liven up their dull palace lives, but if left unchecked, it was bound to escalate. I knew this from experience.

That’s why I was on my way to see Sionel. And even if it wasn’t because of the rumors, the fact that Sionel hadn’t sought me out since was weighing on my mind.

‘He wouldn’t actually believe that ridiculous rumor, would he?’

It wasn’t like Sionel to be swayed by such nonsense, but my anxious heart couldn’t let go of the possibility.

My expression grew gloomier the closer I got to the imperial residence. But just then, I saw an unusual pairing.

‘Why are those two together?’

Lexus Giadel and Alita, captain of the White Knights, were leaving the imperial residence side by side.

***

“Why did you do it?”

“What do you mean?”

“The emperor’s orders. Why didn’t you inform me?”

Unlike the tense Lexus, Alita was smiling nonchalantly as usual. Lexus’s face hardened at that expression, but Alita seemed unfazed.

“Because I had no reason to?”

The casual answer, as if to provoke further, only heightened the tension. And I wasn’t the only one with a serious expression; Lexus looked equally grim.

‘What in the world is going on?’

I hid out of sight, feeling utterly confused.

Then I heard Alita’s voice.

“It seems you’re mistaken, Duke. I’m not under your command. We’re simply making a fair exchange.”

“You bastard!”

“Watch your words. Who knows who might be listening.”

I felt a pang of guilt, thinking his words might be directed at me, but there was no way they could have known I was hiding here.

When I first decided to follow the two of them, I hadn’t expected to witness anything like this. It wasn’t particularly unusual for a high-ranking noble like the duke to be seen with the captain of the imperial guard. But what made me follow them immediately was Alita’s appearance.

The voice was unmistakably Alita’s, but the appearance was completely different. Instead of dark skin and bright blonde hair, there was a pale complexion and ordinary brown hair. He hunched over to hide his stature. And above all, his altered facial features made it impossible to think of Alita.

Yet I could tell immediately that the stranger was Alita.

That disguise was one Alita used for undercover missions. As the former deputy captain of the guards, there was no way I wouldn’t recognize Alita Uwen, the captain of the White Knights, in disguise for a mission.

Seeing Alita in disguise, trailing behind Lexus in the imperial palace, was highly suspicious.

But what I overheard while hiding was even more shocking than I had imagined.

“You, of all people, need to understand this clearly. You don’t seem to grasp what it means to be in the same boat.”

“Hmm. I think I understand well enough.”

Lexus stepped closer to Alita and whispered. His sharp, murderous gaze was nothing like the usually composed Lexus Giadel. There was no trace of the polite duke he pretended to be.

“If I die, you die too. Don’t let your petty pride ruin things between us.”

With that, Lexus left Alita and walked away. I turned my head to watch his retreating figure, then leaned back against the wall where I had been hiding.

My mind was a mess, and I didn’t know how to process this.

‘Why Alita…?!’

Of all people, I never imagined Alita would be involved in something like this. The betrayal hurt more than I had expected. My heart pounded with a sense of betrayal, but my mind remained cold.

“In the same boat.”

As much as I wanted to deny it, there was no clearer evidence than what I had just seen.

Anyone could see it…

“How does it feel to witness a scene of treason from the perfect vantage point, our dear deputy captain?”

“Treason—ugh!”

Suddenly, a cheerful voice interrupted, and I screamed reflexively.

Alita was staring at me with wide eyes.

“You—!”

“Why, why are you so startled? What’s the matter? Did something happen?”

That’s what I should be saying, you bastard!