Chapter 72
Yeah.
From the beginning, she had never aimed for the emperor’s throne, and that position rightfully belonged to Kaiden anyway.
But Isadal thought differently.
“So, in the end, it means you ran away.”
At those words that struck right to the heart, Reina bit her lower lip.
It seemed like he had learned something through a revelation, but she didn’t know exactly how much he knew.
It was said that a ‘revelation’ couldn’t be spoken of by the person involved until its meaning was fulfilled.
Yet he had straightforwardly mentioned the purpose of protecting Jeffrey.
That meant the meaning had already been realized to some extent.
At a glance, it was no ordinary revelation.
Judging by his attitude, it didn’t seem like he would ever speak properly in front of Kaiden.
Reina said to Kaiden,
“Could you step out for a moment?”
“Me?”
“I want to talk with Isadal alone.”
Even Kaiden could sense that the current situation was anything but ordinary.
Both the man who had abruptly asked Reina if she wanted to become emperor and her serious reaction to it felt equally unfamiliar.
‘Was Reina aiming for the imperial throne?’
If that were the case, it made even less sense. If she were aiming for the throne, it would be more reasonable to stay in the capital rather than the north.
Moreover, Reina had wanted to escape from the emperor’s shadow.
It seemed like anywhere would be fine as long as it wasn’t the capital.
“It won’t take long.”
At her repeated request, Kaiden reluctantly agreed.
“I’ll be right outside the door.”
He was uneasy about leaving the two of them completely alone, but the other party was a frail-looking man.
Divine power wasn’t a force that could attack someone in the first place.
Besides, having seen how Ritzy had protected Reina last time, he could leave with peace of mind.
Once Kaiden stepped outside, he expanded his aura to envelop and protect Reina, making sure to signal that fact.
Isadal looked at the thick aura blanketing the floor and let out a chuckle.
“You have a loyal dragon at your side. Well, there’s no place safer than under a dragon’s wings. After all, he’s the one who steadfastly endured the emperor’s jealousy and seized the throne.”
Reina murmured lowly, as if she had expected it.
“…So you do know.”
From the moment he mentioned running away, Reina had been half-doubting, half-believing.
And now that facts from before the regression were coming out of his mouth, there was no room left for doubt.
“Are you a regressor like me?”
“To be precise, I remember. It’s a grace bestowed by Him so that I can serve you.”
“Did the god you serve tell me to become emperor? Is that why you’re saying this?”
At Reina’s sharp question, Isadal revealed eyes like glass beads.
“Do you think you’ll be safe if you distance yourself from the emperor?”
“…”
“Don’t you know it too? The emperor is cunning and tenacious. Unless you cut off his breath completely, the ill-fated connection will keep repeating. Now that you’ve chosen the dragon, even he won’t be able to escape this cycle.”
“I didn’t come to the north to use Kaiden. You saw the future, right? Then all the more reason the emperor should be Kaiden, not me…”
“No. The emperor must be you, not the dragon.”
Isadal cut her off firmly mid-sentence. Reina wore a dazed expression.
She didn’t know what to say. Then he uttered a meaningful remark.
“Do you know what became of the empire after you exerted all your strength and died?”
In that instant, Reina’s heart sank. An unease washed over her, as if she were about to face an ending she didn’t want to hear.
In the past, Kaiden was the one who had found her—a sinner who deserved to die—spared her life, and protected her until the end.
Even before her death, he had already been dying.
‘How did he end up like that? …And was he safe?’
Since she had never once considered his ending, Reina couldn’t help but ask with a tense expression.
“…What happened?”
But right after asking, she regretted it. She didn’t want to hear it.
She felt strangely anxious. Her heart shrank as if she were facing something terrible right ahead.
Isadal, seeing her pallid face, remained as cold as ever.
He spoke chillingly, like someone who had transcended all things in this world.
“The dragon didn’t last long before he died. The empire was utterly destroyed.”
At the expected outcome, Reina felt all her strength drain away.
* * *
Meanwhile, Kaiden stood guard at the door, lost in thought.
Reina had said she didn’t know Isadal, but he seemed to already know her.
“Do you wish to become emperor?”
Moreover, a question that touched on intimate secrets even he didn’t know.
He hadn’t realized that Reina might be aiming for the imperial power.
What did Isadal know about her, and what didn’t he?
Kaiden wanted to ask.
The real reason Reina had proposed to him.
Why she feared her own father, the emperor, so much and wanted to escape him.
No matter how much he investigated, he couldn’t uncover her deepest secrets, but Isadal seemed to know them, stirring a petty jealousy in him.
‘Was I such a narrow-minded man?’
Kaiden wanted to know everything about Reina.
He couldn’t bear the thought of another man knowing her better than he did.
A short while later, Reina emerged from the room. Her complexion looked off somehow, so Kaiden held her back.
“Are you okay?”
In that moment, she looked up at him with a sad face. Then, she suddenly hugged him tightly.
“…Reina?”
“Just… stay like this for a moment.”
Reina held him close, steadying her breath.
It was an embrace with all her strength, as if to continually confirm his presence.
Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be crying.
But she looked sad.
He didn’t know what was making her sad, but he silently let her hold him.
Of course, due to their size difference, it was more like she was the one being held.
He gently stroked her hair and asked,
“What happened in there?”
Reina shook her head.
“Just…”
“Just?”
I wanted to feel that you’re alive.
Reina kept those inner words hidden and hugged him even tighter.
“The dragon didn’t last long before he died.”
In the time before regression, Kaiden had died. He had perished, rendering her blessing meaningless.
“Why did you ask me if I wanted to become emperor?”
“The path for one born under the emperor’s star is singular. You must become emperor. If not, not only you but the dragon as well will not survive.”
Reina was afraid. Isadal’s sincere words filled her with sudden dread.
She had never once wanted to become emperor.
She had only thought of escaping the emperor, of repaying her debt to Kaiden.
Moreover, in the past, it was Kaiden who had become emperor.
She had never once considered that position as hers.
‘What if it’s because of me that Kaiden is in danger again…’
That thought tormented Reina.
If she hadn’t sought him out.
If she hadn’t proposed to him.
Would you have been at peace then?
Reina was terrified, feeling as though her selfishness had put Kaiden in peril.
She was afraid of losing him.
Before she knew it, he had become her everything.
For his sake, she had to make a decision.
Even if it meant plunging a blade into her own father.
Even if the path ahead was more rugged than she imagined.
She had to do it.
“Kaiden.”
“Yeah.”
“Kaiden.”
Even so, the fear kept rising, so she bolstered her courage by repeatedly calling his name.
Then, Kaiden whispered softly and pulled Reina into a tight embrace.
“Yes. I’m right here.”
As if he knew all about her anxiety.
Under the gentle pressure pressing down on her, Reina calmed a little.
He was by her side. And probably would be from now on.
That fact alone made the impending trials seem a bit less frightening to Reina.
