Chapter 75
Fejin hated sailing in winter.
The strait between the Right Island and the Left Island had relatively calm waters and was a short distance.
Still, he hated it. Crossing the sea meant likely encountering large waves.
In the past, the people of the Right Island routinely navigated these winter waters with their waves, using barely more than ten oars. The steering consisted of just a single right-handed oar mounted at the stern.
The helmsman was also the captain, and if they encountered a rip current, this helmsman-captain alone had to save the crew while straddling the line between life and death.
Why not just sail when the waves are calm?
He thought only fools would choose the difficult path when easier options existed.
April Lunos was like that too. With that pretty face, she could use her charm. There were plenty of foolish police officers in the Grand Duchy who would fall for it.
Or she could use it on me.
Since I’m one of those fools too.
Anyway, he couldn’t understand why he had crossed that winter sea he so despised.
Perhaps because it felt like he was being sold to the Empire, carried on one of the Right Island’s last remaining straw-roofed boats.
He knew better than anyone that April Lunos didn’t possess any ability to control gas lamps.
Yet when he looked at her, he was reminded of the haunted flames of the Lunos territory, and then she herself would feel like a flame.
Fejin arrived at the Left Island before April and had an audience with the Emperor.
The Emperor welcomed Fejin as always.
“I thought I wouldn’t see you until summer, what brings…”
And there, Fejin dropped to his knees.
Though the Emperor still considered Fejin his arms and legs, that characteristic roughness was something the Emperor had grown accustomed to while raising him.
Never having expected such a person to drop to his knees first like this, the Emperor momentarily stopped speaking.
Fejin bowed his head and spoke.
“I apologize.”
“For what?”
“I don’t know. But since you gave orders to the Grand Duchy police while excluding me, I must have done something wrong.”
The Emperor recalled what kind of boy Fejin Deus had been.
When he arrived in the Lasa Empire, Fejin was smaller than others his age. Nevertheless, the boy would challenge not only his larger peers but even his seniors.
Only after countless beatings from the military academy instructors, citing that police officers who don’t follow orders from above were unnecessary, did he somewhat correct that temperament. In truth, it wasn’t even corrected—just temporarily suppressed.
Everyone who knew Fejin Deus understood that he was difficult to handle.
So few could have predicted that he would appear of his own accord and immediately drop to his knees.
Though it was somewhat true that they had intended to shock Fejin.
The Emperor spoke.
“This was a matter that didn’t require your involvement. That’s why I ordered the Grand Duchy police; it wasn’t to rebuke you.”
Both men wanted to know exactly what the other was thinking.
Yet they both knew the day when either would sincerely reveal their inner thoughts would never come.
Looking at Fejin, the Emperor felt as though he was looking in a mirror.
Though he knew he should discard dangerous cards, the Emperor couldn’t.
He had long since come to love Fejin Deus, who resembled himself more than his own son.
Love ruins everything. The Emperor needed to close off his loving heart.
As the Emperor pondered this, an urgent voice of a police officer was heard from outside the office. It was about April Lunos escaping on her own and discovering the room where the mist had been created.
The Emperor furrowed his brow.
If April Lunos returned to the Right Island and spread nonsense, he couldn’t predict how the people there would react.
He wanted to avoid war if possible. He desired a humanitarian occupation.
Though faded now, weren’t the people of the Right Island originally exceptionally skilled in combat?
Though they would win the war easily, they would suffer massive losses even in that brief conflict.
He looked at Fejin. This young beast kneeling before him would never gain the Emperor’s complete trust.
Nevertheless, he spoke.
“Handle this. Make sure to persuade Miss Lunos not to spread nonsense about the Empire.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Fejin accepted the order as if he had been waiting for it. The Emperor continued.
“And stay here throughout the Founding Festival period. I want to show you to many people.”
“Yes, I will remain by Your Majesty’s side during the Founding Festival.”
Fejin, who was about to leave immediately, turned back to the Emperor and spoke again.
“There is no future between April Lunos and me.”
“…Indeed.”
“Sometimes it might appear as though I love her, to keep her quiet. But I don’t do complicated things with no future. You know that.”
“I know. Yes, I know you.”
The Emperor nodded.
Fejin Deus enjoyed simple things. Whether that applied to love as well, he wasn’t sure.
Stroking Fejin’s hair with both hands, he said,
“Don’t jump into winter seas. You hate winter seas, don’t you?”
Fejin looked up at the Emperor and answered.
“Yes, I won’t do it again.”
❖ ❖ ❖
He had no answer to April’s question about why he was here. Even he didn’t know the reason.
More curious was how she had recognized him in this mist.
April had recognized him even with his mask on. It was remarkable observational skills. He even thought perhaps she should be scouted for the police force.
April grabbed Fejin’s arm, which had been silent for too long, and said,
“Tell me how you’re here.”
“I heard. That you were here. Anyway, someone saw the police arrest you, and if you were to die here, it would cause big trouble.”
At Fejin’s words, April nodded, then in her dazed state, grabbed and pulled at his clothes.
As Fejin instinctively bent down, April said,
“These people seem to know the cause of the mist.”
“…What?”
“They must know, to be able to create such an identical environment.”
At her words, Fejin looked at the mist filling the room.
Fejin answered,
“I’ll look into it. I don’t know anything about what’s happening here either.”
“Don’t ask directly. They won’t tell you. Investigate secretly.”
“Okay. I will.”
Fejin agreed readily.
It bothered him that April, who had been isolated in the Lunos mansion for seven years, was unnecessarily perceptive.
Moreover, despite being so perceptive, she had not a single doubt about him.
Fejin’s complicated thoughts cleared instantly when he felt the heat from April’s body. Supporting April’s waist with one arm, as she seemed likely to collapse if he let go, he turned to look at the scholar.
“How much longer will this take?”
“We need to observe how long Miss April can withstand the mist!”
“So it won’t end until there’s a problem.”
Fejin said this while seating her in a chair and checking his watch.
April lifted her heavy head to look up at him.
Fejin stepped back from her and leaned against the wall at an angle, waiting for the experiment to end.
Not long after, April brought her hand to her face as blood suddenly dripped.
Her nose was bleeding.
Between the blood drawing and the mist, and now with blood starting to flow again, April could no longer keep her eyes from closing.
Her strength-drained body slumped sideways. Even as she lost consciousness, she could hear Fejin running over.
She gave a wry smile and became honest.
“It’s good to see you here.”
She muttered this and lost consciousness.
When she regained consciousness, she was in an unfamiliar space. Certainly not the place she had escaped from.
