Under the Emperor's knife-sharp gaze, my lips froze.
As if an invisible red light was flashing a deadly warning.
'I have to say something, anything.'
Under normal circumstances, a slight sound with a “buzz” should have appeared by now, and the system would have taken control of my body.
But, for some reason, the system window was silent.
'Now when I need you, do you shut up?'
Even if I wasn't a guide, I could tell from the air alone.
The Emperor doubts me.
'And I'm highly suspected!'
He believes that there is a guide among the witches, and that Duchess Ariel, his enemy, possesses her and is deliberately hiding her.
‘When an awakened person meets someone who can guide him, he usually loses his mind.’
Especially for high-level awakened people who suffer from a lack of compatible mentors, their obsession is so intense that it is unimaginable.
In Korea, these concerns have caused tracking crimes that have led to quite a few problems.
So, despite the Emperor's expression as emotionless as a statue, his insides were certainly terrifyingly disturbed.
The Emperor, Caesis, spoke:
“Duchess, think carefully.
Aren’t you afraid of how I will interpret your silence now?”
“If you insist on being silent, what should I do?”
Oh, my God! but!
How can I say that the guide who ran away is actually me, and I am the Duchess Ariel whom she hates so much?
My mouth moved a little.
Especially in order to complete my mission, I must never reveal my identity, even if a knife is held at my neck.
I would really go crazy.
Why did you guide me through this mess?
No, at the time, this was the best option!
In this deadly atmosphere, I finally opened my mouth:
“If…”
The look of the Emperor, whose eyebrows only moved as if to say “speak,” was very arrogant.
But it was so scary that it made cold sweat run down my back.
'Damn this one who's awake.'
So, I save him and then he slaps me and demands my bag too.
I stared at him as if I were looking at an ungrateful person, and I opened my mouth as if I was chewing the words:
“If it is as your Majesty thinks it is, and the identity of that guide is one of our witches, what do you intend to do?”
I swallowed slowly, pretending to be the cold and composed Duchess.
“Wouldn’t this be an outcome you do not want, Your Majesty?
The moment I find her, the matter will become official among the magicians.
Even if you summon me specially and issue your orders as you are doing now.”
I hope he hasn't noticed the cold sweat gathering on my temples.
I saw Casey's beautiful lips curve in real time.
Well, it doesn't matter, she kept saying:
“Moreover, if that person is, as Your Majesty suspects, the first person to possess dual natures as a magician and a guide at the same time...”
“So what?”
“As the leader of the mages, I will protect him fiercely.”
The Emperor's eyebrows twitched.
I saw his hand, which was covering his smooth chin, slide down.
For an ordinary witch, it might not matter, but for me as a guide I could feel the aura of the awakened one, it was like someone seeing a powder keg about to explode.
His aura was fluctuating violently.
They rise like thorns and convulse.
The awakened person's aura coincides with his mental and emotional state.
In other words, this guy now wants to hit me really bad.
“So, what you say now, Duchess...”
As I expected, Casey's voice, along with the sound of the floor breaking, came out low and deep as if coming from hell.
“You mean you're going to hide it in the name of protection, away from my eyes and ears?”
I raised the hardened corner of my mouth, smiling in the most impudent way possible:
“It also means that I will not place it under your authority, Your Majesty.
So I say, wouldn’t it be better if you moved yourf as actively as you are doing now rather than leaving it to me?”
A knife-sharp aura gathered at the Emperor's fingertips for a moment and then dissipated.
My face was completely disfigured.
Oh my God, did he just try to kill me?
No matter what, his blue eyes shone clearly at me.
“You say don't mess around and make it complicated.
But, Duchess...”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“It's already too late.”
This man is smiling at me, but I know very well that he is not happy.
“I have revealed a very important truth to my enemy.
Once a word is said, it cannot be taken back.”
I felt a strange sensation.
Doesn't that mean...
That he is so desperate that he makes his enemy an accomplice in this matter?
And he trusts, even if just a little, that I am not the person who will exploit his weakness and shake him or put a chain around his neck?
But, the person he is searching for most... is me.
"Let's put things in order.
A guide has appeared who can hold the neck of the most powerful Awakened in the Empire.
That guide may be under your shadow."
“Yes, this has become a fatal weakness of yours, Your Majesty.
And today I can go out and pretend like I didn’t hear anything.”
“Stop pretending not to understand, Duchess Ariel.
Didn’t I tell you?
This is a warning to you as well.”
Damn, playing with words doesn't work.
I swallowed.
Maybe if I looked in a mirror right now, I would see a pale, luminous face, but since my face is usually pale, it wouldn't be very noticeable.
Casey ran his hand over his soft chin.
“The conflict between wizards and the awakened is nothing new.
However, the disturbing truth is that the peace in the empire is barely maintained because of the conflict of you and me.”
“Then what?”
“Do you want to break this balance?”
He threatens me himf.
I felt very wronged, but the Duchess under the Emperor is on the weaker end.
“You mean you'll give me a chance to avoid this?”
"Yes."
“If you bring that guide…”
“Peace will be maintained.”
I cursed the system that does not help me in such moments, and I began to say anything:
“What if it's beyond my control?
What if something unfortunate happens?”
Crack.
Its visible force tore the earth apart.
Literally, “I tore it apart.”
How crazy!
I wanted to scream, sit on the ground and crawl back, but the best I could do was do my best to keep my trembling legs from collapsing.
“I command you, Duchess.”
“...I'm listening.”
“Find my savior.
Introduce her to me yourf as if you were putting on a show.”
I felt as if my neck was choking.
Why did I so persistently read novels with a keyword about mentors to reach this fate?
"This is not a warning of the kind of evasion we are accustomed to, Duchess.
As you said, I am a mad monster who cannot give up the fruit I once tasted.
I want to remove anything that hinders me."
There was no choice.
Provoking this man more would not be a right choice.
Rather, it will sow more suspicion that I am trying to hide something.
The white flag was finally raised:
“I have always been an excellent servant of the empire.
I promise you the active cooperation and support of the magicians upon Your Majesty’s command.”
His aura was withdrawn.
At the same time, breathing became easier.
But seeing his downcast eyes as he enjoyed defeating the enemy was not comforting.
Damn you, does this please you?
Now I must continue a deadly mission, while my life is at stake!
“But...”
I threw a stone into the calm atmosphere:
“I can't completely guarantee that.”
His eyes, relaxed with relief, returned to coldness.
But there is no choice, I must prepare the ground somewhat.
The fact that the options in the mission were divided means that there is another guide in this world who is more suitable for the Emperor than Giri.
Even if the bright main heroine had disappeared as if she had evaporated without a trace easy to find!
So, I have to buy time.
“What does that mean?”
Knock, the fingertips of Caseys, who held the handle of the chair, were as soft and beautiful as a major hero, but the sight of it cracking and breaking with the movement of a small finger was not beautiful.
“Even Your Majesty’s ferocious hounds couldn’t find him easily, right?”
“What next?”
She stared directly into his cold eyes with an annoying disposition and pushed the nail:
“You must give me time.
Also, do not hold me responsible for the results of the research.”
The awake person, who had lost patience with my words, laughed nervously:
“How do I know if you're going to look or just pretend?”