Chapter 42

“Your Highness! Ugh!”

“…”

“Ah, I must have seen something… It seems my eyesight is getting worse lately.”

The old knight raised both hands, correcting his words.

Helios shoved him aside and took a step forward, clutching his side. His brows furrowed, and his teeth ground together.

It wasn’t from the pain; it was from frustration.

Frustration.

He hated seeing Berieta desperately searching for Roy. He despised seeing Roy, who had deeply embraced Berieta, even more. The idea of tearing them apart before they could run away made him feel a twisted sense of satisfaction.

No, it still wouldn’t be enough. What really irritated him was that Tessarion was standing in their way. He had clung to Roy Dover, protecting him as if he was more important than his own fiancée, Berieta.

Berieta and Tessarion.

Had they really put honey in that insignificant squire’s hands?

“Tessarion… because of that bastard…”

Helios gripped his burning side tightly.

Whether good or bad, Tessarion and Helios’s paths had always been compared.

Tessarion had arrived in the capital at the age of fifteen. At that time, Helios was a fourteen-year-old prince who had just enrolled in the Imperial Academy, full of dreams.

When Tessarion, at sixteen, went off to war as the representative of the North, Helios, at fifteen, had topped his classes in tactics and swordsmanship, garnering the attention and expectations of the entire Empire.

But the next year, when Tessarion, at seventeen, became the youngest swordmaster and brought back victory after victory, Helios’s coronation as Crown Prince passed without much fanfare.

Even when Helios graduated with honors from the Imperial Academy and was appointed commander of the First Imperial Knights, the talk of the Empire was all about Tessarion, who had become the new ruler of the North after the tragic death of the Claremont Duke and his wife.

Everywhere in the capital, there were songs and grand portraits of Tessarion, praising him as the embodiment of war and victory. On the other hand, in dark alleys, there were leaflets that slandered him as a bloodthirsty war demon.

For the next ten years, Helios chased after Tessarion’s shadow. Through tireless efforts, he became a swordmaster, and he thought he had finally caught up.

But then, Berieta announcing her marriage to Tessarion was shocking enough. And that bastard hadn’t even noticed that he had used sword energy to attack me?

Was it true that after nine lifetimes of returning to the past, focusing on swords, and trying to dissuade Berieta, I still couldn’t surpass Tessarion?

Helios let out a hollow laugh, then clenched his teeth in pain.

…Crack.

Boom!

Helios, glaring at Tessarion’s back, slammed his fist onto the platform’s railing. The moss-covered marble caved in and crumbled with a sharp sound.

“Herman, we’re leaving.”

He said, trying to swallow his anger. The old knight ordered the dispersal, and the Black Wolf Knights and the First Imperial Knights swiftly exited through different exits.

Helios, stomping on the scorched feathers that had scattered at his feet, growled.

“What happened with what I asked you to look into?”

One of the knights standing beside him answered.

“We managed to get a servant from the main estate. They are in charge of cleaning the Duke’s chambers.”

“You didn’t just buy one, did you?”

“An external musician who frequently visits the estate is very interested in the Imperial Academy’s opera position. If we persuade him, he should come over.”

“The more evidence, the better. Whether it’s a recording of them engaging in love acts, tools they used, letters exchanged, or jewelry given as tokens of affection—get everything we can! We need the decisive evidence to annul the engagement!”

The knight nodded and stepped back.

Helios raised his gaze, his eyes filled with jealousy and inferiority.

He anxiously looked out the window. Where Berieta had been standing, the window was wide open, with white curtains fluttering in the breeze. Since she hated the cold, if she had gone inside, the window would have been closed. Helios quickly scanned the surroundings.

As expected, Berieta, leaning on her cane, was heading toward the Duke’s residence.

I knew it.

Helios clicked his tongue and pressed his aching side.

“Really, nothing is going right today.”

“I think I had a dream about Princess Berieta…”

I muttered to myself as I rubbed my eyes. The fading crimson light from the setting sun filtered through the curtains, casting a more vintage and luxurious glow over the master’s bedroom.

Tessarion, sitting on the large sofa in front of the fireplace, was reading a report. On the table, there were two teacups, leftover pastries, and a full ashtray, suggesting he had entertained a guest or conducted some business.

While I was left lying in the Duke’s bed.

“Haa.”

If only this were a dream.

I could have just ignored this reckless Duke and lived freely…

I pressed my eyelids shut and sighed. I steadied my mind to face the grim reality ahead and got out of bed, straightening the covers.

“Roy, rest some more.”

Tessarion, flipping through a document, spoke softly. I lowered my head and pouted, mumbling quietly under my breath.

Would he lie down if His Majesty the Emperor said, “Duke, rest comfortably in my bed~ ho ho ho,” and Tessarion would reply, “Yes, Your Majesty. I will lie down comfortably, as commanded”? Ugh!

I forced a smile and bowed.

“I’ve rested enough. Thank you.”

My head still ached, and every muscle in my body felt tightly knotted, screaming in protest, but I was not so immobile that I couldn’t move. I picked up the cold teacup and placed it on the tray.

Who could it be? Who came by here?

I hoped it was the doctor, Captain Winston, or Mrs. Moress…

I carefully tidied the table so I wouldn’t disturb Tessarion, who was working, and hesitated before cautiously asking.

“Duke, did a guest come while I was sleeping?”

“…?”

Tessarion glanced up from his documents and looked at me.

“Did you call for the doctor again because of me? Or did Captain Winston come because of today’s joint training…?”

I was growing anxious as I waited for an answer, but Tessarion casually spoke as though it was no big deal.

“Berieta came.”

“…”

Who came?

The cup slipped from my hand, and at the same moment, Tessarion stretched out his long arm and caught it before it hit the floor.

“Careful.”

“…”

He gently took the tray from my trembling hands and placed it back on the table. With a soft sigh, he pulled me toward the sofa, urging me to sit.

“No need to clean up. I’ll have someone come and do it. You just sit and rest.”

I was still too confused to make sense of what had just happened.

Could it be… that dream wasn’t a dream?

My mouth felt dry and parched, my heart was pounding.

What had I said, or done, while I was half asleep? I think… I touched her face… no, did I touch her lips? Ah, I think I even hugged her. No, no, that can’t be right. It shouldn’t be…

The scenes from that embarrassing dream played out vividly in my mind.

Beeep The ringing in my ears grew louder, and my face turned hot. Even though the death flag was flapping in my mind, that strange dream kept replaying in my head.

Crazy.

I’m crazy. Kim Roy.

“…You’re saying Princess Berieta came and left? You mean… she saw me sleeping on the Duke’s bed with her own eyes?”

Tessarion grabbed me as I babbled, stumbling over my words.

“Roy.”

“I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry… I thought it was a dream… I committed a great disrespect to the Princess. Ugh… Ugh, and in front of you, Duke, I was completely out of my mind… because of me, the two of you…”

“You were burning up. Your body was too cold, and you were moaning with a pale face. You were in no condition to think clearly. It was a good thing that Berieta used vitality magic to help you.”