Chapter 98
“If I’ve made you uncomfortable, I apologize.”
Mikael seemed keen to avoid upsetting Reina’s mood.
When he subsequently offered them seats, Reina and Kaiden sat down.
In that instant, Kaiden’s aura spread thickly throughout the room.
It was an implicit warning: any foolish tricks, and he’d kill them silently right there.
Though he sat tamely beside Reina, he was inherently a man so ruthless that he was called the demon of the battlefield.
For Mikael, who had witnessed him subduing mutated beasts with his eyes alone, this demeanor was sufficiently threatening.
Yet Mikael felt a thrill instead.
The new alliance between Mernie and Crencia.
And the powerful divine beast’s authority wielded by Reina, who led it.
That ignited in Mikael an intense desire to break free from this interminable shackle.
With a graceful smile, he asked,
“How does it feel to reunite after so long?”
Reina couldn’t answer immediately.
Just as Kaiden had been in her previous life, an aura of death lingered around Jeffrey.
Moreover, she sensed from him an energy similar to the ring Mikael wore. Even stronger and darker than his.
Reina stared at Mikael’s ring.
“You asked me before if I could remove that ring, didn’t you?”
“Indeed I did.”
Even with the abrupt question, Mikael showed no sign of fluster.
As if he already knew that would be her foremost curiosity.
“I sensed that my brother is under a similar constraint as you. Do you know something about it?”
At Reina’s question, Mikael’s pupils dilated momentarily before contracting swiftly.
“…So it was as I thought.”
“You didn’t know?”
“I had a rough suspicion. In fact, one reason I invited you here was to confirm that.”
His face appeared deep in thought. Reina gently probed him.
“Can you tell me who imposed that constraint on you?”
Mikael slowly shook his head.
“The moment I speak it, my life would be forfeit.”
So that ring truly was a shackle tied directly to his life.
Reina clenched her fist tightly. The joy of finding her long-lost brother was fleeting; she felt a fierce anger toward those who sought to constrict his life.
Composing herself, Reina said calmly,
“Unlike yours, my brother’s energy has something sinister mixed in. Can’t you tell me about that either?”
“I can’t say it with my own lips, but if you take this key, you’ll naturally come to know.”
Mikael gently shook the key. It was also the reason she had come to this meeting today.
Just as Reina was about to inquire about the terms of the deal.
“Ah, it’s coming back to me now.”
Kaiden, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.
“Kaiden?”
“You mentioned arriving late to the opera performance last time.”
“That’s right. My schedule didn’t allow me to see the show.”
“You’re lying. You were at the theater that day. Am I wrong?”
As Reina wore a puzzled expression, Mikael showed curiosity.
His face suggested he was intrigued by what Kaiden might say.
Kaiden cut to the chase without preamble.
“That day, before the performance, I stopped by the restroom and encountered a man. He reeked of blood, which struck me as suspicious, and then a staff member shouted that the show was starting.”
Kaiden continued, staring straight at Mikael.
“In the moment I turned back toward the entrance, the man fled.”
“And what does that have to do with me?”
Mikael and Kaiden’s gazes clashed in midair. Amid the taut tension, Kaiden spoke.
“The man who just delivered your invitation to us was that same staff member from then.”
“……”
“You knew. About Duke Helio being attacked that day. That the culprit was Prince Jeffrey. You pulled strings because Jeffrey couldn’t afford to be caught by me that day, right?”
“!”
‘Jeffrey was there that day?’
Reina’s heart sank at the realization that she had unknowingly let Jeffrey slip away.
In contrast, Mikael hung his head low, silent.
After a moment, Mikael let out a hollow laugh and pressed his forehead with his hand.
“Ah, I’ve been completely seen through.”
The smile that had been like a mask on Mikael’s face vanished. Not a trace of playfulness remained in his ashen eyes.
He interlaced his fingers over his knees and leaned forward.
“You’re correct. It was I who helped Jeffrey escape unscathed that day. The two of you couldn’t meet just yet.”
“You…!”
As Reina rose in agitation, Kaiden grasped her hand to restrain her. Then, Kaiden asked curtly,
“The reason?”
His resolute demeanor implied that if the reason wasn’t valid, this negotiation would end.
He was indeed no pushover. While Reina had let her guard down due to her sensitivity about Jeffrey, he was thoroughly examining the situation with cold precision.
Any needless tricks that disturbed him would make even a deal impossible.
Mikael said,
“It’s because Prince Jeffrey’s condition is far from normal. If his identity had been discovered then, it would have put you in a difficult position as well, Duke.”
“Is my brother’s condition that bad?”
“It’s more a mental issue than a physical one.”
“Mental, you say…”
“Before I explain this, I think I’ll need some safety net for myself as well.”
At that moment, Mikael’s divine beast appeared. Unlike before, when it took the form of a book, this time it was a pierrot doll.
“This is my divine beast’s true form.”
The pierrot then held a pen and paper.
“Every conversation we have in this room today will be recorded, and in reality, it will be as if it never occurred here. Naturally, disclosing it externally will be impossible.”
“It seems similar to a sacred oath ability.”
“Correct. It’s a constraint where, though it’s in your mind, you can’t explain it to someone who wasn’t present here.”
“So, what’s the story you’re going to such lengths to tell?”
Kaiden asked imperiously, crossing his legs. His attitude suggested he’d walk out if it was nonsense.
Mikael had no intention of wasting time on trivialities either.
“I can’t say who is constraining me with this ring, but I can explain to some extent how the control works.”
He easily removed the ring. And soon after, the ring slipped back onto his finger.
“As you can see, this ring doesn’t physically separate from me. And the ring’s power varies in how it constrains the wearer depending on the position it’s worn.”
The moment Mikael removed the ring, a chilling energy was felt. Enough to send shivers through the body in an instant.
Reina moistened her dry lips, betraying her tension.
Shortly after, Mikael pointed to his ear.
“I suspect Jeffrey’s constraint is in the form of an earring. The closer it is to the head, the more dangerous it becomes.”
“Dangerous, meaning…”
“He might not even retain memories from his time as the prince. He’s little different from a puppet. Like a marionette in a puppet show.”
“What, that’s…”
Reina recoiled at the biting words. Alive, but an existence like a doll incapable of moving on its own.
That would also explain why his whereabouts had been so elusive all this time. As Reina trembled, unable to speak, Kaiden stepped in.
“It seems the emperor turned him into a shadow.”
“Yes. He’s no longer the Jeffrey of before. The likelihood is high that he doesn’t even remember having a younger sister. It might be better to give up on your brother now.”
At Mikael’s pessimistic outlook, Reina bit her lower lip hard.
“No. I absolutely can’t do that. Jeffrey is just Jeffrey. Even if he’s lost his memories, the fact that he’s my blood brother doesn’t change.”
“Even if he tries to kill you?”
