# Chapter 80
Chapter 80
“…how could I call a duke by his name?
“You say that, but I think you used to call me Raphy quite easily.
Cayena looked at Raphael, who without hesitation brought up her dark story.
Beside her, Raphael knelt and looked at her.
“We don't have to be lovers.
Didn't I tell you?
Your Highness can do whatever you want.
“And you're also going to do whatever you want?
Raphael smiled and kissed her hand.
She wasn't wearing gloves, so the touch was strong against her bare hands.
Cayena flinched and frowned strangely.
Now that she thought about it, he was engaging in intense skinship with her like it was nothing.
“He’s not putting up with this stupidly, is he?”
Cayena reached down, grabbed Raphael's cheeks and examined his skin.
Raphael looked at her with a confused expression.
“Your skin looks normal.
This was even stranger.
“Are you well?
“… what do you mean?
“Do you feel sick?
Since I'm holding your face like this.
Raphael's eyes widened in surprise.
Cayena, as a precaution, removed her hands.
But Raphael grabbed her hands to keep them in place.
“I thought it was unusual how much you avoided me.
Turns out you already knew.
“…turns out I figured it out somehow.
Raphael was good at pretending he didn't mind the touch.
In fact, no one had ever noticed his condition except Jeremy.
He was touched by the fact that Cayena didn't take it badly and was instead taking care of him as if it were natural.
At the same time, he was relieved.
The person who discovered it was Cayena, and her touch did not repel him.
Thank you Lord.
Raphael said in a slightly lower voice: — It's okay when it's Your Highness.
This time, Cayena was surprised.
“Originally, he could only touch Olivia…”
Was this right?
Cayena didn't know.
Her guilty conscience bombarded her mind, scolding her because now wasn't the right time for this.
Raphael recognized her hesitation and unknown anguish.
He carefully cupped Cayena's face and kissed her above her eyelids.
Cayena gently closed her eyes and focused on the tickling sensation.
All the worries that were complicating his thoughts flew away in an instant.
“I am well aware that revealing my feelings will only incite external forces.
He kissed Cayena's forehead.
“It may be possible to join Prince Rezef's forces.
It was a cold calculation of the situation, not a serenade to the woman he loved.
However, his actions were sweet enough to soften his words.
Cayena suppressed a sigh.
Raphael looked into her eyes.
“I am going to wait.
Cayena frowned.
She hesitated, then put his name in her mouth.
“Raphael.
“Yes, Your Highness.
“…I may be unable to live up to your expectations.
“Then?
“I may die sooner than others.
She had said 'may', but in fact, it was a sure thing.
Raphael understood that if she lost the battle for the throne, she would face death.
Of course, he had no intention of allowing that to happen.
She continued: — You probably already know this, but I'm not a kind person.
I will enjoy the feelings you have for me.
“I understand.
Cayena was grateful for Raphael's feelings.
She never expected their feelings to be mutual.
But things were different now.
She didn't want to miss the chance to know his heart.
Even if his feelings passed, it would be okay.
Even if his feelings for her didn't grow anymore, it was okay.
That alone was good.
She couldn't take it anymore.
Cayena wouldn't live long.
This fact was a little unfortunate.
However, she did not regret fulfilling the magical contract.
The helplessness that pierced her heart was too terrible for her to regret.
At the same time, she never wanted him to experience something like the death of his first lover.
That would hurt him a lot.
Cayena persuaded: — I'm telling you to back off.
“Your Highness sometimes seems to consider me an inexperienced child.
“That's not it...
“You told me before that the unhappiness is yours.
Raphael looked at Cayena, his eyes steady.
“You don't care about me?
Or can't you trust me?
“It's not that.
“Then that's enough.
This time, he tenderly kissed Cayena's lips.
“Your Highness doesn't seem to realize this, but I have a terrible personality.
With these wordss, Cayena exhaled briefly.
“Yes, I think so.
Raphael gave a small smile at his agreement.
His hand gently caressed Cayena's soft cheek.
Instead of breaking free from his touch, Cayena allowed it to a certain extent.
If they tried to contain their rapidly blossoming feelings, those feelings would become more intense.
"If this is a momentary emotion for Raphael, shouldn't it be easy to overcome?
In any case, I'm the villain, not a hero..."
While she was silently allowing him to caress her, Raphael slowly narrowed the space between their lips.
That was when the breaths of the two were about to mix.
KNOW KNOW.
Startled by the sound, Cayena pushed Raphael away.
Raphael slowly walked away from Cayena with an unsatisfied expression.
“Come in.
The door opened and Jeremy entered.
He looked extremely serious.
“I'm sorry to interrupt your meal, but I received a report that the emperor's condition has become critical.
Cayena bit her lips slightly.
There wasn't much reason for the emperor's health to suddenly deteriorate.
“It’s Rezef’s work.”
“What do you mean by “critical”?
“He's coughing up blood.
“… I'm going back to the palace.
The emperor was suffering from complications.
Meanwhile, he continued to ingest small doses of poison, so that his condition slowly worsened.
And Rezef was very skillfully controlling the emperor's condition.
“Did he increase the dosage?”
Rezef must have seen that the emperor was now spitting blood.
However, neither Zenon Evans nor the others in Rezef's faction would like the emperor to be replaced now.
The Evans family's influence in the palace had diminished in recent years, so if the emperor died, it would be difficult to defeat Yester's faction.
“Did he do it himself?”
Cayena thought quickly.
“Well, in my original life, Rezef was never released on parole.”
The events that occurred because of Cayena's change, the things that didn't exist in the original, seemed to be the catalyst for Rezef's decision.
“The emperor cannot die so soon.”
Cayena ordered Vera to order several silver spoons to prevent Rezef from killing the emperor whenever he wanted.
Rezef had distorted her plans, but she originally intended to present the spoons to the emperor during his coming-of-age celebrations.
“I’m a month away from my majority.”
She felt strangely tired.
Where did it go wrong?
She had been trying to prevent things from happening like they had in the past.
However, the fact that his father abandoned and abused his children has not gone away.
Rezef was trying to kill a father like that.
No, he had already done that before she came back.
So what about her?
What should she do?
“Will things end up the same way again?”
Should she just run away?
Suddenly, Cayena felt like she wanted to run away.
But how could she get rid of the countless eyes that followed her every move?
“Should I steal a maid’s clothes?”
But the maids did not cover their faces.
There was no one in the courtroom who didn't know her face, so she would be promptly caught.
What if it was at night, when it was difficult to recognize faces?
But there would be even more problems if she managed to leave the imperial palace.
Everyone in the capital also knew the image of Cayena.
And she couldn't escape the capital without any help.
What should she do?
She remained a coveted target for everyone outside the palace.
Inside the palace, it was currently impossible to stay there and fight Rezef.
She also couldn't resolve the situation completely with her magic.
Could she fight elite knights and gunslingers with just telekinesis?
And what should she do with Olivia and Raphael?
Many thoughts filled his head in an instant.
Question after question popped into his head with no answer.
“Your Highness.
Cayena raised her head in surprise.
Raphael was looking at her without wavering.
“Don't worry.
Heat began to spread throughout his body, which was as cold as a sheet of ice.
“I had a faint thought for a moment.”
So far, everything had been resolved well without much difficulty.
This would also be true in the future.
Isn't that why she acquired magic?
The fight to conquer the throne had just begun.
Cayena was determined.
“…but when did he start holding my hand?”
She noticed that Raphael was holding his hand.your hand again.