Chapter 166 - North Korean rabbit

Chapter 166

Artanus wanted me to kill Arpad.

To that end, he even implanted a dagger made from a dragon heart into my hand.

-You will be able to draw that dagger whenever you wish.

In the end, he implanted the dagger to make it easy for me to kill him.

I threw the dagger before Artanus and raged.

"What you desire will never happen! Because I do not wish it! I will never harm him!"

-I told you. It is akin to fate.

To my horror, Artanus's true 'voice' reached me.

It was not to the degree that my body and mind resonated and took damage as they did in his true form.

But the overwhelming presence of a power from which no means of refusal or escape was visible was all too clear.

"Regardless of your will, when the time comes, you will kill Arpad and make him complete."

I realized. This is Dragon Speech.

An overwhelming and absolute decree that a human can never refuse.

To me, this was no different from a curse.

As he concluded that curse, Artanus sent Arpad and me back to our original location.

Toward the fading Artanus, I could only spit out meaningless curses.

"Damnable lizard...!"

Finishing the recollection, I opened my eyes.

My entire body felt as if it would melt from exhaustion. But I wanted to confirm Arpad was beside me.

I wanted to escape the foul feeling left by the words of that dragon, akin to a nightmare.

The moment I reached out.

Something hot and sticky touched my fingertips.

"Huh...?"

I realized belatedly. My hand felt heavy.

The dagger Artanus had given was clenched in it, and it was entirely red. Not because of the dragon heart's original color.

It was soaked with blood.

In shock and fear, I turned my head and called to him.

"Arpa...!"

Beside me lay Arpad, dead with his heart pierced.

"...!"

The reason I didn't scream and wake up was because my tongue had frozen.

When the peaceful ceiling covered my vision, my whole body was drenched in cold sweat.

I rolled my eyes to check the space beside me. My heart was pounding ominously.

Fortunately, Arpad was lying peacefully next to me.

With a tender look in his eyes, he held me, worried, and asked.

"What's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"

"...I had a nightmare."

Arpad gently soothed me.

"It's alright. Dreams and reality are opposites, you know."

I wished for that with all my heart.

But would it truly turn out as I wished?

My hands were stroking Arpad's back and shoulders.

He showed not a hint of wariness now.

I saw a red gleam form on my left hand.

The dagger Artanus had implanted still existed. So that I could draw it out whenever I wished.

'Even if I don't wish it, it might jump out on its own and harm Arpad.'

Arpad pulled me into a tighter embrace and asked.

"Are you really alright? Why are you so anxious?"

Burying my face in Arpad's chest, I asked.

"Do you love me?"

The corners of Arpad's eyes softened.

"Of course. I love you. To a degree I never thought possible."

He asked me, hesitating in a way that didn't suit him.

"Do you like me?"

It wasn't a question of love, but of liking—a timidity that truly didn't suit Arpad.

This tyrannical man only became timid in front of me.

That sight was indescribably lovely, making my heart ache.

"I love you. To an unsettling degree."

The smile on Arpad's lips deepened.

A question arose.

He loves me, and I love him. And we are already physically connected.

'Then, has Arpad's madness disappeared?'

Even with my cheek pressed against Arpad's chest, listening to his heartbeat, I couldn't be sure.

Confirming whether the madness was gone was both frightening and something to anticipate.

If this truly meant Arpad's madness had vanished, then I would obtain the most certain proof of all.

'That we sincerely love each other.'

Simultaneously, it was a result that meant I must inevitably leave his side.

It would be proof that Artanus's words were correct, meaning the curse engraved upon me would also someday target Arpad's heart.

'Now, I have no choice but to wait for the Crimson Moon.'

Not long ago, during the Crimson Moon, I saw Arpad's madness with my own eyes and experienced it firsthand.

When the Crimson Moon comes again, I will be able to compare that experience and gain certainty.

'So if, truly, the madness has disappeared... then...'

I deliberately stopped the branching train of thought.

And clinging to Arpad, I pleaded.

"Hold me more. Then I think I'll feel less anxious."

Soon, a passionate wave once again swept over my body.

"Mmm, a little more...!"

At least until it became certain that Arpad was freed from his madness... I intended to stay by his side.

It was a brief, happy reprieve.

* * *

The Crown Prince and Princess returned to official duties three days after their return.

No one seemed to mind or comment on the situation where they had postponed work and holed up in the bedroom.

If it were Yulken, he should have had a few words to say by now, but he kept his mouth shut.

That was how glad he was that they had returned alive and brought down the Empress.

Of course, the one most pleased by their return was predetermined.

Emperor Walter Istrid.

The two began their official schedule again by paying their respects to the Emperor, arm in arm.

"We pay our respects to Your Imperial Majesty. We apologize for not properly visiting for several days after our return."

Even as she paid her respects, Hilia felt a bit puzzled.

It had only been three days, yet the Emperor looked as if he had aged ten years.

'So the truth about the late Empress's death must have been a severe shock after all.'

Hilia had seen the Emperor in her second life at the temple, having lost all meaning in life.

The Emperor's appearance now was similar to that, yet entirely different.

Back then, he was closer to a worn-out wreck, having wounded himself over time and through suffering.

Now, he looked like something faded under the sun.

There was the commonality of being old and weary, but there was a fundamental difference.

It was the appearance of a gnarled old tree, with wounds hardened and the lost places filled with other things, having aged naturally.

'It's much better to look at than how he was then... truly.'

She felt somewhat relieved.

Hilia stole a glance at her husband's profile from the corner of her eye.

Features resembling the Emperor's, but young.

It occurred to her anew that her regression was due to Arpad.

'It was what he gave me. To save me.'

At that time, Arpad likely hadn't intended for things to come to this situation.

But that choice, turning and turning, had ultimately saved his own father.

Her heart stirred.

As always when by Arpad's side, Hilia was given no opportunity to sink deeply into sentimentality.

Seeing Arpad's smiling face, the Emperor lightly offered a pleasantry.

"You look well."

Arpad didn't just nod with a smile; he made an unnecessarily boastful remark.

"I am experiencing the best days of my life."

Hilia, startled, pulled on Arpad's arm.

'No, what kind of showing off is this in front of someone who just learned his wife was murdered a few days ago!'

But Arpad did not possess the delicacy to be considerate of his father's feelings.

As he said, his expression was excessively smooth and happy, to the point of contrasting with the Emperor.

She worried that this display of affection might touch the Emperor's wounds, but fortunately, that didn't seem to be the case.

Rather, the Emperor looked at the couple with the most content expression in the world and smiled.

The weary expression Hilia had seen and worried about moments ago softened and faded with the smile.

It was a relief.

As Hilia let out a sigh of relief, the Emperor broached the main topic.

"I am greatly indebted to you."

"Indebted? You speak too highly of me."

Arpad, from beside her, was about to say 'an exceedingly great debt indeed' when his wife elbowed him.

"If I do not say I am indebted to one who saved my son and allowed me to avenge my wife's grudge, then how should I express it?"

"Your words are most correct, Your Imperial Majesty."

Arpad was not at all cowed by his wife's scolding.

"Therefore, I have a gift I wish to give you. Will you kindly accept it?"

Hilia answered with a joyful smile.

"Yes, gladly."

When the Emperor waved his hand, the Chief Steward, with a tense expression, approached carrying a large box.

He then placed it before Hilia and Arpad and opened it.

Seeing the contents, Hilia's eyes widened.

"W-wait a moment, Your Majesty! This is the Empress's coronet?!"

Just as she said.

What the Emperor presented as a gift was the Empress's coronet.

Moreover, the dragon heart that Empress Isabelle had handed over to the Tower Lord in exchange for receiving the late Empress's remains was back in its proper place.

Hilia already possessed the Platinum Key.

Adding the Empress's coronet to that meant that beyond real authority, the position of Empress itself had effectively fallen into her hands.

The position of Empress was vacant, and the Emperor would not remarry, so this could be considered a predetermined procedure.

'But it's too soon!'

Moreover, Hilia had just resolved that she must soon leave Arpad's side.

The Emperor giving the Empress's coronet to Hilia could be interpreted in no other way than one.

Arpad confirmed with his father in a low voice.

"Are you planning to abdicate?"

"...Yes."

If the Emperor abdicates to Arpad. Then naturally, Hilia, as Crown Princess, would immediately become Empress.

It was a natural statement, but the weight of an Empress's divorce was entirely different.