I’m in Trouble Because The Emperor Thinks My Time is Limited - Chapter 69

“Answer me.”

“Urgh!”

“What was your reason for approaching Lindel?”

The incredible pressure made a groan escape Laroche’s mouth.

She tried to endure, clenching her teeth, but there was no way to withstand the strength that was squeezing her jaw as if to crush it.

“L-Lindel, what happened to Lindel?”

A day had passed since Lindel collapsed, covered in blood.

From the cold dungeon, Laroche had repeatedly asked the guards for news of Lindel, but they didn’t bother answering a prisoner.

In truth, if they wished, Laroche and Tumel could easily escape this dungeon. But if that would harm Lindel?

Already burdened because of her contract with her, Laroche couldn’t impose more weight on Lindel.

Then Sionel’s unexpected words came.

“You made a contract.”

“What?”

Had Lindel told him? Laroche momentarily denied the thought. The Lindel she knew wouldn’t have revealed the contract to this man.

“What nonsense.”

“It’s better not to lie.”

The forcefully lifted jaw made Laroche’s head twist.

Laroche shook her head, trying to escape Sionel’s grip, but her body wouldn’t move, as if shackled in chains, just like Tumel before her.

“I don’t have much patience.”

From the opposite cell, Tumel struck the iron bars and shouted, “Don’t lay a hand on Laroche!”

“What a touching sight.”

Sionel released Laroche’s face as if throwing it away and turned to look at Tumel.

Static gaze. His cold, emotionless eyes hardly seemed human.

“If you touch Laroche, I won’t sit idly by.”

Tumel’s pupils elongated vertically. The eyes of a dragon. Just by looking at them, ordinary humans would feel fear.

But Sionel was different.

“It seems Lindel doesn’t know about you.”

He looked over Tumel’s face, as if evaluating an object rather than a living being. The gaze that calculated value, not life, made Tumel’s body tense.

“Melaine.”

Melaine, who had been silently leaning against the cell wall, raised his head at Sionel’s call.

A faint annoyance lingered on Melaine’s hardened face.

“If I kill that one now, will Lindel hate me?”

“……”

Melaine silently stared at Sionel, who spoke of killing a dragon without hesitation. Sionel then shifted his gaze toward Melaine.

Though Sionel had human eyes and scent, there was an uncanny aura about him.

Sionel let out a small laugh at Melaine’s reaction, avoiding his gaze. He spoke again, with a hint of laughter in his voice, addressing Tumel.

“Do you think Lindel would be kind to you? Something weak or young. You’re neither of those, are you?”

“…You madman.”

At Tumel’s muttered words, Sionel smiled brightly.

“I know.”

He had been mad for a long time. When he lost everything, he willingly chose madness.

Right now, Sionel had only one criterion. Lindel. She was both the most absolute and the most difficult standard for him.

The smile that lazily hung at the corner of his lips slowly disappeared. As if already bored by the situation, his face became devoid of expression.

The hand that he raised slowly moved towards Tumel.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the stairs of the dungeon.

The sound reverberated quickly, drawing near.

“Sioneeeel!”

A voice that did not suit the tense situation shouted the madman’s name.

***

“Ugh, urgh—!”

Leaning against the wall, I struggled to catch my breath, bending over even more. It probably looked pathetic, but I felt like I was about to die, so I couldn’t care less.

“Lindel…?”

The people who saw me seemed to be reminded of previous events, and their faces hardened. But I’m sorry to say, this was different from back then.

“Just one minute, just one minute.”

My heart was pounding like crazy, and my legs were shaking.

“I-it’s because I lack exercise.”

As soon as I heard Hasina’s words, I had run straight to the dungeon without looking back. Those who found me were alarmed and followed, but they couldn’t stop me.

However, there was a problem. Running nonstop, the distance from the Empress’s Palace to the dungeon was quite far.

“Ugh, I almost died.”

“……”

As a result, I announced my arrival, panting with exhaustion.

“Lindel.”

Sionel called my name cautiously.

It had only been a day since he had cried like a rain-soaked puppy, yet Sionel had already returned to his former demeanor.

He didn’t approach me rashly, just stood still and looked at me from afar, as if dealing with fragile glass that might shatter.

“Come here, Sionel.”

When I called his name confidently, a fierce ripple spread through his blue eyes.

“Hurry.”

As I opened my arms, his hesitant steps gradually sped up. In the end, he came running to me, stopping just one step away, looking down at me.

His trembling hands hesitated, as if unsure whether to hold me.

Without saying a word, I waved my arms. He immediately knelt and embraced me.

‘Uh, I didn’t mean for you to hug me; I wanted you to help me stand.’

A little flustered, I ended up wrapping my arms around his back. But those watching us had quite the peculiar expressions.

“…Quite the difference from earlier.”

Tumel muttered something under his breath, looking incredulous, but just then, Sionel spoke to me, so I didn’t hear what he said.

“Why did you come all the way here?”

His voice was closer to half-sobbing than to scolding.

I hesitated briefly.

‘It’s because I thought you’d half-kill Laroche.’

That was why I had run here like a madwoman. But I was a rational being.

“I just missed you.”

I answered Sionel, hiding part of the truth. But his reaction was more than I expected.

Sionel slowly pulled away from me, his face lifted, struggling to hold back tears. Without a word, he stood up and lifted me into his arms.

Before I knew it, my feet had left the ground, and I was already in his arms. Holding me like that, he tried to leave, but I struggled.

“W-wait a minute! Wait! I came here because I have something to say!”

I hurriedly pounded on his shoulder and pointed towards Laroche’s direction, and only then did he stop walking.

Sionel turned his body and approached Laroche’s cell.

“……”

No one said a word. Everyone exchanged glances, looking between Sionel and me.

“…Could you put me down?”

“Just like this.”

A curt response.

“Talk like this? In this position?”

He wanted me to talk to a dragon locked behind iron bars while being carried like a princess. Was this even real?

But Sionel stood his ground.

“No, this is a bit…”

“Lindel, are you okay? Are you alright now?”

“Wait, Laroche. Why are you acting like you didn’t see anything? Isn’t this position weird?”

“Lindel, why did you come here in that condition? You must’ve been shocked; you should be resting more.”

“Melaine, you too, stop pretending you don’t see this!”

Only Tumel, who was locked in the opposite cell, looked at us with an exasperated expression.

It pained me to know that the only one who understood me here was that prisoner.

“If you keep this up, I’ll really talk like this!”

I yelled, trying to threaten them, but no one stopped me.

“…Alright then.”

I was about to talk about something very important now. Even though the position made everything awkward, I had to pretend I didn’t notice.

I resolved myself with a determined face, but my voice wavered.

“So.”

Everyone’s eyes focused on me, cradled in Sionel’s arms. It was truly mortifying.

“Please, can you put me down?”

Half-crying, I pleaded, and finally, Sionel put me down with a deep sigh.

He sighed, even though he was the one at fault, and I felt frustrated.

Anyway, now standing on solid ground as I had wished, I cleared my throat as if nothing had happened.

What mattered was what came next.

“I heard from Hasina. That you know about the contract between Laroche and me.”

At my serious, low voice, Sionel only nodded.

Melaine, apparently already informed by Sionel, didn’t seem too surprised. He merely looked at me with pity in his eyes.

“I’m sorry for not telling you. And I’m sorry to you too, Melaine.”

I deeply bowed.

“No matter how my circumstances have changed, that doesn’t matter. I truly apologize.”

They must have suffered emotionally because of me, so I had to sincerely apologize.

I had kept silent for too long out of fear of being hated. I should have confessed sooner. If I had, we wouldn’t have had to take this long, winding road.

“Lindel, raise your head. We’re fine.”

Melaine seemed at a loss, but I didn’t raise my head. At that moment, Sionel’s voice reached my ears.

“That dragon knew about your condition.”

I flinched and turned my head sideways. Since I was bowing, my eyes met Laroche’s directly. Her trembling pink eyes were distorted with anguish.

“And yet, she deceived you and made a contract. Even if she didn’t know initially, she must have realized it the moment the contract was made.”

Sionel’s hand gently held my shoulder and helped me stand up. He wasn’t angry.

At least, not with me.

“And yet, she said nothing to you.”

Laroche hung her head.

Seeing her remain silent, I already had my answer. Laroche had known about me.

“That bastard deceived you, Lindel.”

I met Sionel’s gaze.

“…It wasn’t just Laroche’s fault. I made a wish, too.”

Her expression faltered. But right now, the one trembling the most was me.

“…What did you wish for?”

I closed my eyes. Finally, this moment had come.

I had always feared this. The moment when I would have to tell Sionel the truth. I constantly agonized over it.

It wasn’t just the problem of making a contract with a dragon, which Sionel despised. The content of the wish was also an issue. Because I couldn’t say it, I had worked even harder to hide it.

Even when Hasina had asked me about the content of the contract, I had refused to open my mouth.

“What was that desperate wish that you were willing to make a contract with a dragon for?”

“I can’t hide it any longer.”

“Lindel.”

Everyone’s eyes were on me.

Only after exhaling a shaky breath did I barely muster the courage. But I couldn’t look at Sionel’s expression.

With my eyes closed, I spoke, “[Please make me Sionel’s ideal type.]”

“What?”

“…That was the wish I made.”

Even without looking in the mirror, I knew. My face must be flushed bright red right now.

“Th-there were circumstances.”

I felt like dying of embarrassment, but I had an explanation.

“It was just…”

That day… I was very drunk. I wasn’t in my right mind.