I'm Stuck on a Remote Island With the Male Leads - Chapter 162

The contract also stipulates that each time those involved in the experiment are killed, Jenas’ soul will be torn to shreds, so it may be possible to eliminate all remnants of Jenas’ soul in Kayden without directly crushing every grain of the soul.

Of course, since the contract was stacked against him, it was clear that Jenas would not be cooperative in finding the forces involved in the experiment. So the third clause was created: ‘He can never lie to Kayden.’

“I’ll tell them, but not now. Especially Margaret, she’ll be shocked.”

He could see how devastated Margaret would be if he told her that Jenas wasn’t dead. So Kayden wanted her to get over the aftermath of escaping the island first.

[Do you really think that’s for her sake? That’s foolish, she’ll be even more devastated if she finds out later, and she’ll probably blame herself, but that’s none of my business.]

When he felt a little better, Jenas spoke to Kayden again, this time with words of advice. Kayden lay still, listening to him, then slowly spoke, “Balhyeon.”

[Argh-!]

Jenas’ agonized groan echoed loudly in his head. Sleeping seemed like a bad idea.

And when he did sleep, Jenas often tried to take over his body. Even if he could, the soul-binding contract would prevent him from doing anything that would break the mold of Kayden’s will or behavioral patterns, so it was a futile effort.

Kayden pressed his temples tiredly.

I’ll just have to stamp the seal down so hard that he can’t do anything. It’s the only way I’ll be able to sleep peacefully.

***

It’s been a long time since tea time at the Imperial Palace.

It was hosted by the Empress, and those who had refrained from luxury in the midst of the horrors of war were anxious to attend.

Innis Belgrim Floné. The heir to House Floné and Margaret’s older sister, Innis sighed as she watched the madams and young ladies, more excited than usual.

The Empress, seated at the head of the table, quickly scanned the complexion of Innis, who sat closest to her, and smiled.

“Congratulations, Lady Floné. This seat is reserved for you today. You know what that means, right?”

No sooner had the Empress spoken than everyone was clapping and congratulating Innis.

“I hear that you have finally found your sister, and that she is now safe in the Holy Land of Romalizan with the Langridge’s troops.”

“Yes. I’ve heard that as well. Thank you for your congratulations, Your Majesty,” Innis replied, putting on her best smile.

She may be a troublemaker and a pain in the ass, but Margaret is still my sister. How could I not be glad to see my missing sister back?

But even given the Empress’ friendship with the Duchess of Floné, Innis hadn’t expected her to organize such a grand tea party just for her.

With her platinum hair, like Margaret’s, neatly coiffed, Innis stroked her hair back.

“I heard she appeared from the sky?”

“I heard that she appeared riding a divine beast, and that His Highness Crown Prince Enoch and His Highness the Crown Prince of Hestia were with her.”

But instead of concern for their safety, the young ladies seemed to be filled with envy for Margaret, who had appeared with two crown princes.

“Oh my. By the way, doesn’t Crown Prince Enoch dislike Lady Floné? How terrible for him to have been with her all this time……”

A young lady who was listening to the conversation spoke up in horror. Then, someone sitting next to her quickly pressed her side with her elbow. The panicked young ladies looked at Innis.

She remained silent, not saying a word. It was an undeniable fact that Enoch found Margaret intolerable.

At that time, one of the ladies asked in the awkward atmosphere, “Where have they been all this time?”

Hearing the question, the Empress smiled and replied, “Perhaps they were taken away by God for a while. They were chosen by God for the sake of peace in this world. There is no other explanation, is there?”

Hearing this, the ladies began to discuss the revelations of God. The Empress watched, and Innis caught the subtle curl of her brow.

“Well,” she said, “the powerful people of a nation, or even a continent, are gone in a single day, and it’s not a good thing, to say the least.”

The Empress did not make a direct accusation, but raised the doubt with vague and implied words. It had the effect of a stone thrown on a calm surface.

Innis suddenly realized why the Empress had arranged this tea party. She must have wanted to nip something in the bud.

After all, it was the Empress who had fully supported the deposed Crown Prince Rodvan’s efforts to have his crimes pardoned and reinstated so he could lead the war.

It was no secret that Rodvan wanted to take the vacant seat of Crown Prince Enoch.

That would be possible if he returned victorious from this war. Assuming Enoch remained missing until then.

“Regardless of the truth, though, I can’t tell you how happy I am that they’re all alive and well, so I’ve decided to throw a big welcome home party for the Crown Prince upon his return.”

A welcome home party. Innis wondered if the returnees would enjoy it. If their disappearance had been involuntary, they might be more in need of rest than a party.

“I hope they all return soon!”

“I’m so glad that this horrible war has stopped.” 

“I can’t wait to hear what on earth has been going on all this time!”

The conversation went on and on as they responded to the Empress’ words with anticipation in their voices.

Innis sat there for the rest of the tea hour, uncomfortable, and was finally released after three or four hours.

Screw them.

Now that she knew the real reason the Empress had invited her to tea, she didn’t like their congratulations at all.

After teatime, as she walked through the corridor of the palace, someone caught her stride.

“Lady Floné.”

The person seemed to be a temporary aide to the deposed Crown Prince Rodvan.

Innis glanced at him, and her aide, Jayden, stepped forward to block his path.

Then he asked on Innis’s behalf, “What’s going on?”

Jayden was a man of great stature and strength, even if he had never practiced physical fitness in his life, and it made the temporary aide to the deposed Crown Prince Rodvan look a little intimidated.

“H- His Highness Prince Rodvan wants to see you.”

“I thought he was on the battlefield, how could he be looking for me?”

“He will talk to you through the video sphere.”

Innis scrunched up her face in annoyance at the aide’s words. “The Floné family also has a video sphere, so why are you blocking my path here? Do you want to die?” 

The aide looked puzzled at Innis’s fierce glare, and Jayden filled in his answer with menace once more. “Lady Floné asks you a question. Answer her.”

“His Highness said it would be more convenient for you to use the Imperial Palace’s video sphere……”

-snap. The identity badge in Innis’s hand broke.

How selfish.

After the disappearance of Crown Prince Enoch, the deposed Crown Prince Rodvan regained his prince title and approached Innis, claimed to have fallen in love with her at first sight, and flirted with her relentlessly.

He had attempted to murder Crown Prince Enoch upon his return from a battlefield victory and had been caught, disqualified, and exiled for his shamelessness.

Rodvan was never really a crown prince, for he was shallow in his thinking and simple enough to be easily read.

But his position was growing stronger and stronger as the Empress and the Emperor began to favor him.

Innis gritted her teeth and followed her aide to the imperial palace again to face the disgusting face of Rodvan through the video sphere.

[Wait a moment, and I will return safely and take you as my wife.]

“Have you not heard the news? His Highness the Crown Prince has returned.”

[I’ll take care of that, this place is full of my people, and do you know what that means? I’ll soon have them all out of the way and will be sitting on the crown prince’s throne safely.]

“Who says I’m marrying you? I’m the next in line to the House of Floné. Please stop being so rude. If you go any further, I will take it as an insult to the family name.”

[Hahahaha, what are you angry about this time? Your angry face is beautiful, but now I’m tired, please wait a bit.]

As soon as the video sphere turned off and that sickening face disappeared, Innis threw it straight to the ground.

‘You son of a bxtch! As soon as Prince Enoch and Margaret are back, you’re finished.’

As she thought about it, Innis remembered the words that Prince Rodvan had said earlier, ‘This place is full of my people, do you know what that means?’

That fool isn’t even careful. No wonder he’s been dethroned and exiled.

Innis moved quickly. I’ll have to break the news to my family.

I’ll tell them to flatten that bastard Rodvan’s nose. So that he never dreams of winning the lottery again.

***

It was the middle of the night.

I was fast asleep and narrowed my eyebrows at the tickling sensation on my face. It felt like someone was caressing my cheek.

“Cough…… phew…… cocky bxstard. You’ve turned my whole body into a tiny piece of rag.”

I heard a familiar voice in my ear. My eyes snapped open. Then Kayden’s face came into view.

“Are you awake?”

“Kayden?”

“I must look like Kayden. Unfortunately, I’m not Kayden.”

I scrambled out of my bed. Eunji, who had fallen asleep on my bedside table, opened her eyes dazedly.

“Who are you?!”

I quickly lit the lantern. To my surprise, there was Kayden sitting in front of me. Silver hair, red eyes. An earring in his right ear. That’s definitely Kayden.

“No way…… Jenas?”