IBPOFCP 67

Chapter 67

It had been quite a while since I last heard that name. When was the last time I saw him? It had been more than a week since we set off by ship, and life here had passed roughly the same amount of time, so it had been at least a week since I last saw him. Honestly, it would be a lie to say I hadn’t thought of Deon even once during that time.

There was no way I could forget him. For better or worse, Deon was an unforgettable man.

“I suppose I jumped straight to the point, didn’t I?”

Had my expression unconsciously tensed up? The emperor chuckled broadly as he sipped his tea, perhaps noticing my surprise at his sudden proposal.

“…No, it’s just that I’m curious why I need to meet that person,” I said cautiously, my hand clutching the hem of my dress, sweat beginning to form. Beside me, Duke Christina watched anxiously, probably worried that his daughter might respond to the emperor without permission.

“Shall I explain it to the princess?”

“No. I’ll explain it myself. The princess, being both a survivor and a former guard of Drais Prison, should know the situation firsthand,” the emperor said. He put down his teacup after taking a sip, and I swallowed nervously at the same time. If he personally came all the way to the duke’s mansion, he must have a clear purpose.

“I apologize for making such a request so soon after your return, but I’m sure you’re aware that the incident at Drais Prison was the doing of the Western Empire,” he continued.

“Yes,” I replied.

“They took one of the leaders of the Khan Federation and transformed him into a monstrosity,” he said.

My eyebrows furrowed instinctively, stiffened by the tension.

“…Excuse me?”

“They say he was of the Orc race, but that’s not the main point. When Deon was imprisoned in Drais, the Western Empire announced his fake death to the Khan Federation. When the other races refused to accept it, they turned an Orc into a monstrosity. Once a being becomes a monstrosity—human or otherwise—it’s neither truly dead nor truly alive, losing all rationality. Seeing that, the other races finally accepted Deon’s death, and the Duchy of Ermenst became the official leader of the Khan Federation. In short, the responsibility for relations between humans and monsters now lies with a single ducal house, not the imperial court. It’s hardly a favorable situation for the Southern Empire.”

The cool wind blowing in from the garden had cooled my tea slightly. Why hadn’t I realized sooner? The events at the prison, which I had felt were over and distant, were still very much ongoing.

“The divine beasts and other races are secretly preparing for war. Of course, the Southern Empire will participate as well,” he said, looking up from his tea toward me.

“So, they want the representatives of the monsters and the key figures of the Southern Empire to hold a brief meeting. Deon’s side requested that Princess Lemoni of Duke Christina’s house accompany them,” the emperor explained.

What did that mean? I frowned for the first time in front of the emperor.

“…Excuse me? I won’t be of any help in a war.”

“I was surprised too. Although you are a prison guard, the reason you came to work at the prison—”

The emperor looked at Duke Christina with a questioning gaze. So he already knew that I had ended up working at the prison somewhat by chance.

“Anyway, Deon insists he won’t attend unless you do,” the emperor added.

“…Really? He said that?”

I jumped to my feet, and my teacup fell under the table. Only then did I realize I had raised my voice in front of the emperor. Murmuring an apology, I sat back down. A shadowy attendant quietly cleaned up the spilled tea and disappeared.

“…Are you alright?”

“I’m sorry. I was just too surprised…”

Seeing the new teacup brought by the attendant, I hastily drank my tea. Now that I understood why the emperor had come all the way to the duke’s mansion, my face flushed and a hot, restless feeling churned inside me.

“Apologize,” the emperor said.

“I refuse,” I replied.

“Apologize sincerely, one more time,” he commanded.

“Will you give up if I refuse?”

“No. Stand up first,” he said.

Suddenly, memories I had thought distant came vividly back. I knew Deon didn’t give up easily. But could the head of a faction drag me into such an important meeting just for personal reasons? Especially one involving high-ranking officials concerning a war?

I had expected he would try to meet me somehow, but I never imagined it would unfold like this.

“Princess?”

“Yes?”

My thoughts ended there. Meeting the emperor’s gaze, I noticed a gentle but slightly coercive kindness in his eyes. Since he had personally visited the duke’s mansion, he clearly expected me to accept the proposal. In fact, it was almost like an order.

The emperor asking a favor here was something unimaginable.

“Of course, I’m not saying the princess must fight in the war. Worry not, just attend the meeting. In a sense, the fate of the Southern Empire may hinge on it,” he said, his tone more serious. Cold sweat ran down my back, and the carefully styled updo of my hair felt like it was falling apart. A brief, uncomfortable silence passed, and Duke Christina turned her head slightly, anxiously waiting for my answer.

I had no choice. If the reputation of Lemoni circulating in the mansion was truly due to her, then my involvement with Deon was something I had to take responsibility for.

“Then, of course, I must attend,” I said.

With that, I had to take responsibility for finishing the matter myself.

“I’ll attend as well,” I added.

“…Really? Cedric too?”

The emperor, having finally gotten my agreement, left the duke’s mansion looking relieved. After the uncomfortable meal, I ran into Cedric in the hallway. He shrugged as if it were obvious.

“Clerics are necessary everywhere, but especially in war. And a saint who can heal with just a gesture is required to participate. Not to mention someone who has firsthand experience with the monstrosities of Drais Prison. It was already decided,” he explained.

The idea of that coward going to war worried me slightly, but I also felt reassured to have him as a companion at the meeting. Unlike Cedric, Reilia wore an uneasy expression.

“Why is that bastard looking for you?” she asked, loaded with meaning.

“I don’t know yet, so I have to go. Besides, it would have been awkward to refuse the emperor’s proposal. Ultimately, I decided to attend the meeting…”

My thoughts were in turmoil. If the war broke out in earnest, it would be best for both Lemoni and me to get out of here.

But was leaving really the right choice? What about Deon, who would participate in the war? What about the suddenly missing Ian? Returning to reality was something I had wanted since being imprisoned. And now, I had no reason to stay here. No loved ones, no attachments. When I thought about returning to reality, the two men crossed my mind, but I deliberately ignored them and continued.

“You’re coming to the meeting too. You’ll have a final conversation with Deon and exchange souls there,” I said.

“Really? So now that the war’s starting, you finally want to leave that body and return to reality?” Reilia said, covering her mouth with her hand. She seemed worried my words might be misunderstood.

“There’s no one here, so what’s there to be careful about? Just live as usual,” I said.

“You, however, should watch your behavior. Speak up immediately if anything strange happens,” I added teasingly. Reilia sighed in displeasure, glared at me briefly, and left the room. It felt strange. The real Lemoni wasn’t normally so cautious. Especially since this was my room, and the maid had been told to leave. She had no reason to be careful.

“Fine, then.”

I stretched nonchalantly and met a pair of dark eyes outside the door. Ah, Kais. He was here. I tried to rise awkwardly with a smile, but noticed something off and looked back at my bodyguard.

I remembered receiving a note in the prison telling me to be careful with a certain book. That note had come from this very duke’s mansion.

Who could have sent it? Seeing Kais’ cold face brought back a memory I had completely forgotten.

“Did you send this to me?” I asked almost instinctively. He immediately stepped closer, and I extended the note I had been holding.

“Why do you think it was me?”

He neither seemed puzzled nor flustered.

“I was curious. It was the only note I received from the duke’s mansion while at the prison…”

“And where did you learn to keep speaking formally?”

I was merely asking. He interrupted me mid-sentence.

He wouldn’t ask again if he had already questioned me before, unless he had dementia or was clueless. A strange, tense atmosphere enveloped us.

“…At the prison,” I replied weakly.

For a moment, I sensed something like anger flicker in his dark eyes.

“My apologies. Anyway, I don’t know much about that note.”

Yet Kais immediately regained his composed, cold expression, bowed slightly, and melted back into the shadows. This confirmed it: there was something about him I didn’t know.

But what exactly was it?

The next day, I went to Duke Christina, using the excuse of changing my bodyguard to obtain Kais’ personal information.