Chapter 13
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“Can it be found?”
As soon as Louisville returned to the main palace, he asked Hilton if it was possible to find the diary that had fallen into the mountain behind the palace.
“If it’s in the back mountain, we can’t find it.”
Hilton answered firmly. Louisville stroked his chin, looking disappointed.
“She really didn’t want me to see it. But she still took it to the Empress’s palace.”
At the emperor’s irritated muttering, Hilton and Clark glanced at each other.
“What in the world could she have written…”
Louisville was curious about the diary’s contents, but now it was in the mountain—because he dropped it.
He thought he should make it up to Anier by treating her to a good meal.
“First, arrange a dinner with Anier.”
“Yes, understood.”
Hilton responded politely, and Louisville headed toward his bedroom.
Hilton and Clark followed him, whispering to each other, and their conversation reached Louisville’s ears.
“Could she have written about her feelings for His Majesty in the diary?”
“What? Feelings?”
“Yes. Like the moment she fell for him, or when her heart fluttered.”
“Ugh, nonsense.”
Louisville agreed with Clark and walked on quickly.
If the diary really said things like that, it would be a problem.
He had sworn never to fall in love. If someone had feelings for him, the result was obvious.
To Louisville, love was just a weakness. With the curse, it was already hard enough to protect himself. If he had someone he loved, life would be even more difficult.
Even without the prophecy that he’d die at the hands of someone he loved, Louisville simply didn’t want to fall in love.
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The emperor suddenly invited me to dinner.
He probably felt guilty because I lost my diary because of him.
The table was full of dishes—roast duck, grilled fish, vegetable stew, salad, various breads and fruits—but I had no appetite.
Still, I thought I should at least pretend to eat, so I picked up a piece of rye bread.
Just as I tore off a piece, I heard the emperor’s low voice from across the table.
“It’s too bad about the diary.”
I flinched. Was that his way of apologizing?
“I didn’t do it on purpose, so try to understand.”
It wasn’t a typical apology, but I figured it was the best I’d get from an emperor.
“Anyway, it all started because you took the diary to the Empress’s palace.”
His face seemed to ask, Why did you take it there?
So I brought out the excuse I had thought of the night before.
“I didn’t take it on purpose. I was afraid someone might secretly read it if I left it in my room, so I kept it with me and it fell out while I was moving.”
“Really?”
“Yes. The head maid saw it happen, so you can ask her.”
Only then did the emperor seem to accept the explanation. As he started eating, he asked casually:
“So, what did you write that you didn’t want anyone to see it?”
“That’s a secret. It’s a diary, after all.”
I grinned and popped the bread into my mouth.
“I hope there’s nothing in it about me.”
His words made me nervous, but he changed the subject naturally.
“Anyway, I heard there’s a prophetess living on an island in the eastern continent.”
I had heard there was no official religion in the Louis Empire, so I was a bit surprised.
Chewing slowly, I asked,
“There’s a prophetess in this country?”
If someone served a god, I wanted to ask them where the witch was.
“Well, to be exact, she claims to be a prophetess.”
“Ah…”
I chuckled at his answer. Come to think of it, I was like that too. And in South Korea, where I used to live, there were lots of people pretending to be shamans.
While I was thinking about my home country, the emperor wiped his mouth with a napkin and picked up his wine glass. He swirled it and continued.
“There’s a rumor that this prophetess might be a witch.”
“A witch?”
I almost jumped out of my seat. My mind instantly filled with questions.
Did the witch go into the prophetess’s body? To gain more powerful abilities?
“Where is she? I’ll go right away.”
I spoke quickly, thinking I had to meet this prophetess.
The emperor narrowed his eyes at me. I quickly added, in a smaller voice,
“We need to find the witch as soon as possible.”
“Why the sudden enthusiasm?”
He leaned his broad chest against the back of the chair and tilted his neat face.
“You didn’t seem this eager before.”
That was because I thought I already knew where the witch was. But now I had to truly find her, so I was desperate.
“Uh, well, that’s…”
When you’re in a corner, being shameless is best.
I stood up from my chair and boldly suggested,
“Strike while the iron’s hot! Let’s go tomorrow.”
“No, not tomorrow.”
The emperor shook his head firmly. I widened my eyes and asked,
“Why not?”
“Because Julia is coming back.”
“Who’s Julia…?”
Before I could finish asking, I realized it.
Gardener Julia. The emperor’s troublesome cousin. She caused so much trouble that her father, Grand Duke Jefferson, sent her abroad to study.
“Oh! That cousin who went overseas?”
The emperor raised his elegant brows in surprise.
“As expected of a prophetess.”
I gave an awkward smile and tried to recall more of the story.
Then suddenly, a wave of joy surged through me.
Why had I forgotten? If there’s a male lead, there’s always a female lead too.
Julia would return with Elizabeth, whom she became close to while studying abroad.
Rogers Elizabeth. The heroine of The Annoying Emperor and princess of the Soroso Kingdom.
Filled with emotion, I clenched my fists tightly.
Even if the emperor looked at me strangely, I didn’t care.
I had finally found a way to protect my belief in staying single.
Once Elizabeth arrived tomorrow, the emperor would surely take back his talk about marrying the witch—because he’d fall in love with Elizabeth at first sight.
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Prudence Harbor, the pride of the great western territory of Prudence, was the largest harbor in the Louis Empire.
Today, as always, countless ships came and went, cutting through the shimmering blue sea.
As passengers stepped off a just-departed ship, they kept glancing at one spot.
It was because of a beautiful woman whose looks could be called breathtaking.
Dressed in elegant clothes, she had drawn attention even inside the ship.
But she didn’t glance at a single person around her.
Holding a pure white parasol, the woman looked around.
It seemed she was looking for someone.
Suddenly, she ran diagonally across the harbor.
“Julia!”
Her long, light brown hair fluttered in the wind.
The woman she called Julia turned and swept back her blonde hair.
“Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth linked arms with Julia.
A bright smile lit up the young face of Julia, who had just turned twenty.
“It’s been a while since you came here, right?”
“Yes, it’s really been a long time.”
Elizabeth looked at the scattered houses in the distance, lost in emotion.
“But I’m so nervous.”
Seeing Elizabeth’s blushing face, Julia smirked and poked her in the side.
“How many years has it been since you last saw Brother Louisville?”
“Twelve years.”
“You first met him when you were ten, right?”
Elizabeth had met Louisville at a celebration when the Louis Empire and the Soroso Kingdom formed diplomatic ties—and fell in love.
“His Majesty is my first love.”
At her answer, Julia giggled and covered her mouth.
Elizabeth blushed and added,
“I’m sure we’re destined for each other.”
She had always believed it firmly.
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I gasped and suddenly opened my eyes.
It was still early morning, and the outside was full of fog.
I took deep breaths and touched my stomach.
I could still feel the cold sensation of being stabbed.
“Ugh… damn it.”
A curse escaped from my mouth.
Unbelievably, today—I would be stabbed.
That’s what happened in the dream.
“Haa…”
I sighed and got out of bed.
In the dream, I was attacked before I could react.
But now that I knew, I couldn’t let it happen the same way.
I looked down at my white chemise dress.
I had worn this in the dream too.
That meant it would probably happen at night.
I started pacing in my room, wondering how to avoid getting stabbed.
Then an idea hit me—
I could hide a thick book under my dress and carry it around.
Excited by the clever plan, I felt hopeful.
But just then, I saw a black shadow pass by the window.
I froze in shock.
Was it not night—but dawn already?
Crash—!
The window shattered, and three masked intruders jumped inside.
