Chapter 8
Luan hid on the balcony of the warehouse and looked outside. The Emperor was holding the unconscious Aura in his arms and urgently gave some orders to the patrolmen.
Soon after, the patrolmen brought a carriage. The Emperor and Aura calmly left Ansena in the carriage.
Only then did Luan understand why Aura had done such a thing.
She looked like a proud princess ready to die beside the fallen people. The Emperor would no longer question her reasons for coming to Ansena. For Aura, who was going to the palace to find Finn, it was the best choice.
Except for the fact that she almost died herself.
That’s why it was the worst decision for Luan. He hadn’t been able to stop her fall.
He leaned against the wall and sank down. Then he opened his palm.
“If only I could use magic…”
After losing his magical power, he had trained hard in swordsmanship as a second option. As a high-ranking noble, he had always been skilled with the sword and soon became an excellent knight. But it wasn’t as useful as magic—especially when it came to protecting someone.
A little later, the patrolmen came up to the warehouse.
“Captain, what are you doing here?”
“Yeah, the Princess and the Emperor already left.”
Luan asked them,
“No trouble after that?”
“No. Thankfully, they only took the Princess. They didn’t seem to have time to question us.”
“I never thought the Emperor would come himself. It was terrifying.”
“Captain, what do we do now?”
One patrolman sat in front of him and asked seriously.
“We said we’d sneak into the palace to find Finn if the chance came.”
Luan rubbed his face dry.
“We’ll put that plan on hold for now.”
“So the Princess is going to act herself?”
Luan shook his head.
“Watch your mouth. If rumors spread, Aura—no, Her Highness—could be in danger. Keep everyone quiet.”
“Ah, yes, Captain. Understood.”
He could understand why the patrolmen had high hopes. Having someone inside the Imperial family was a great chance to find Finn. The problem was, that someone was Aura.
Luan suddenly remembered her words.
“Yeah. You should come help me too.”
He clenched his fist and stood up.
“Forget about Finn for now. If you act carelessly, everything will go wrong.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Got it.”
Luan put his hand in his pocket. He grabbed two gold buttons but took out only one.
“Use this to help the poor people start some small businesses.”
“That’s gold, isn’t it? The Princess gave it to you!”
“She did, but keep it secret. She came here to die but failed and left. Got it?”
“Ah… yes, understood.”
“And I’ll be leaving this place now. You all take care of Ansena.”
“…What?”
“All of a sudden? Where are you going?”
Luan looked out from the balcony. The plains beyond Ansena stretched far into the distance.
He spoke softly,
“To the palace.”
Clatter.
Aura opened her eyes at the jolt of the carriage. She sat up, surprised by the unfamiliar scenery.
“…Ah.”
Karl was sitting beside her. She must have been sleeping with her head on his lap.
The two looked at each other in silence. Aura tightly gripped her skirt.
“Did he believe me?”
It looked like they had left Ansena right away, since it was still bright outside. It didn’t seem like the Xenians were in trouble, but she couldn’t be sure yet.
“Did you trust me that much?”
Karl asked a strange question. Aura only blinked.
“Enough to throw yourself off a building?”
“…”
“Or were you really trying to die?”
Now she understood the meaning behind his question. If he was asking whether she truly trusted him, the answer was yes. That trust was what allowed her to attempt the trick. But now she had to answer differently.
Aura nodded. It meant she had tried to die.
Karl reached his hand toward her. Aura flinched and leaned back.
His hand touched her neck. His thumb slid over the spot where she had stabbed herself to threaten Josh. The sting made Aura frown slightly.
“What were you thinking when you ran? Did you really believe you could hide forever?”
“That’s why I tried to die.”
He looked at her quietly. In his eyes was the same anger she had seen before losing consciousness.
“And why spend the night with me?”
“To hurt you. Looks like it worked.”
Instead of denying it, he gave a cold smile.
“While we were heading to Ansena, I thought about it… Maybe I should increase the guards around you when we return to the palace.”
“…”
“Or maybe I should prepare a space just for you. Doesn’t have to be a tower.”
“Is he planning to lock me up?”
Aura felt a chill. She couldn’t tell if he was joking to scare her or being serious.
She felt like she was on the edge of a cliff—behind her was a drop, and in front of her was Karl.
And Finn was said to be in the palace. If he had been with the Crown Prince…
“Then most likely, Karl has him now.”
No matter how she thought about it, she had only one answer.
Karl Casa. His current obsession with Aura—put bluntly, it was possessiveness.
Aura had to use that feeling. She needed to keep their relationship at just the right distance, sometimes pulling him in, sometimes pushing him away.
Aura grabbed Karl’s arm.
“When did you say the coronation was?”
He tilted his head slightly at the unexpected question.
“I’ll become Empress. Just like you want.”
At that moment, Karl slowly pulled her toward him. His dark eyes seemed to pierce through her, as if searching inside her.
As their faces got close enough to share breath, he asked,
“What are you up to?”
“…You’re the one who said no before. Now you ask that?”
“You said you’d rather die. That’s why you went to Ansena, didn’t you?”
His thumb kept pressing on her neck wound. Aura endured the pain and stared straight at him.
“What deal did you make with the Xenians in Ansena?”
Of course, he wouldn’t just let it go.
“I didn’t make a deal. I just watched. Their miserable state.”
“And so, you tried to die and leave them behind?”
“There’s nothing I can do for them.”
Aura held the back of Karl’s hand.
“You’re the only one who can do something.”
“You say you hate me, but now you want to use me?”
“Seems like you’d chase me wherever I go. Even if I try to die, you’d save me.”
Aura’s eyes curved slightly.
“So I’ll use you a bit. Is that so bad?”
“So I’ll make use of your bloodline if I have to. Is that so bad?”
That was what Karl once said to her. She was throwing his words right back at him. It might annoy him, but whatever she said, she was already standing at the edge. So she had to throw everything she could.
“Raise the Xenians from second-class citizens to regular citizens. Like the Casas. If you promise me that, I’ll stay quietly in the palace.”
It was a burdensome proposal for Karl, who had just taken the throne. Helping the Xenians would stir up complaints from the Casas.
Karl turned her hand and held it.
“How can I trust you?”
“…”
“How do I know you won’t leave me again?”
A fair question. It was also a conditional acceptance of her offer. If she promised not to leave, he’d raise the Xenians’ status.
Aura gently touched his earlobe with her fingertip.
“There are two reasons.”
“Let’s hear them.”
“First, like I said, I don’t think I can get away from you.”
“And?”
“Second… hurting you. It’s kind of fun, so I want to keep doing it.”
“…”
“What? You don’t like it?”
She let go of his ear. His earlobe had turned red.
Karl moved closer and kissed her. Aura was startled for a moment but let him. While his kiss was soft, his eyes were sharp as if they were reading her soul.
When the brief kiss ended, Karl smiled.
“Alright. Let’s do it.”
“…”
“I don’t hate it. You, and the way you hurt me.”
Aura felt goosebumps. It was as if he was saying he’d accept everything about her—even her hatred.
Karl took out a necklace from under his shirt. He tugged it hard, and the chain broke with a snap. Two rings hung from it.
“This is…”
“You remember, right?”
Of course she did. They were their wedding rings.
“The guards took them when I was locked up…”
Karl didn’t explain how he got them. He simply slid one onto her ring finger. The ring that once fit perfectly was now loose.
“He kept it all this time?”
“Get your hand back to fit the ring. There’s a week left before the coronation.”
“…That’s impossible in a week.”
Aura mumbled while looking at her hand.
She never thought she’d wear a wedding ring again. The shining ring on her thin, bony finger felt awkward—and strangely emotional.
“No. If I’m doing this, I’ll do it right. I need to look like a proper Empress on the outside.”
Aura wrapped her right hand over her left.
“…Still, I’ll try.”
“Good. Do that.”
Satisfied with her answer, Karl lightly kissed the back of her hand. Then he placed her hand on his forehead and closed his eyes. He was praying.
The sun was setting outside the window. The sunset lit up his shoulder and cheek. Time felt like it was moving very slowly.
Karl opened his eyes. Aura gently pulled her hand away and asked,
“What were you praying for?”
Karl smiled and turned his gaze outside.
“Not telling you.”
