I Unintentionally Cured the Grand Duke’s Insomnia - Chapter 91

46. — Mysterious disappearances (1)

The Emperor was a man with a mysterious personality.

He smiled with an expression on his face that he knew nothing, yet his words could cut like a knife, leaving people baffled, and most of his actions that were considered inexplicable were actually a means to achieve his plans. The faces of the nobles who were toyed with by his actions turned crimson with embarrassment, and the Emperor, while looking at their faces, smiled as if he found it amusing.

Still, he thought it was in bad taste, regardless of how much they were at fault.

〈 What is your reason for behaving like this? 〉

One day, Cain asked, his curiosity piqued by his playful antics, even over trivial matters.

Taken aback by the unexpected question, the Emperor widened his eyes for a moment and then quickly narrowed them into a crescent shape as he smiled.

〈 Don’t you find this situation amusing, Grand Duke? 〉

He was asking with a genuinely inquisitive expression.

Cain, looking at the Emperor’s twisting face, thought he couldn’t understand him, but when he thought about it the other way around, he also realized that it wasn’t impossible to understand.

〈 It’s a pity you don’t understand. If the Grand Duke could appreciate this amusement, you might not find the political meetings so dull. 〉

Perhaps he should have expected something like this when he saw the expression on his face, as if genuinely regretful—

“It’s been a while, Grand Duke.”

—That this time, he might become the victim of the Emperor’s perverse pleasure this time.

He could see the Emperor greeting him with a bright smile, and Warren, who looked at him with a bewildered expression. Judging by the Count’s expression as he looked at him, it seemed he also hadn’t anticipated this situation either.

Cain bowed his head towards the Emperor, who was grinning.

“I didn’t realize you weren’t done talking yet. I’ll return once you’re done talking.”

“Oh, no. It’s alright, Grand Duke.”

“….”

“Count Blaise said it would be okay to speak with the Grand Duke.”

Cain, who was about to turn around after offering his greetings, was halted by Joan’s words. Even as he narrowed his gaze at him, the Emperor continued to smile with a look that seemed to ask what the problem was.

“Is that so, Count?”

“Yes? Ah… yes. I’m fine.”

Even as he looked at the Count’s hesitant face while giving his answer, the Emperor remained shameless. In the end, Cain let out a faint sigh while looking at the Emperor, who seemed to be smiling at him as if to say, ‘See for yourself.’

Perhaps interpreting that sigh as agreement, the Emperor spoke with a somewhat mischievous expression.

“This seems like an interesting combination, what do you think? It seems like fate, so shall we all enjoy tea time together?”

One thing for sure was that he was someone who had everything in his own way, as befitting someone in the highest position.

˚ ･: * ✧ * :･ ˚

“Was what I said difficult?”

I felt like my frozen head was finally turning when I heard Million’s playful voice. I stuttered out my words, avoiding his gaze that was waiting for my answer.

“N, no. It’s just that I don’t exactly know what it means to die…”

“….”

“So, so when you say die, do you mean killing Million, my pseudonym?”

I cautiously asked him.

It was because I wondered if he was really telling me to die.

Clearly, plagiarism was a wrongdoing and deserving of criticism. But even so, that didn’t mean the wrongdoing was so severe that I had to seek forgiveness through my own death. It seemed to me that he didn’t mean that removing my pseudonym equated to killing me, but rather, he genuinely believed that it was such a mistake that I deserved to die and ask for forgiveness.

No, if plagiarism was really as grave a wrongdoing as he claimed, then would I be able to genuinely express my sincerity by dying? Did it mean that my sincerity could reach a writer who didn’t exist in this world?

My hair turned completely white, and my lips were parched.

Million, looking at me while I licked on my lips, spoke in a low voice.

“It seems that Young Lady Adelia doesn’t sincerely want to apologize.”

“…Yes?”

“If you want to apologize but hesitate when I suggest apologizing through death, isn’t that because you don’t feel sorry enough to the point of dying?”

“Young Lord.”

“Isn’t Young Lady Adelia simply trying to apologize to make yourself feel better?”

“No! I-I don’t mean that…!”

I was at a loss for words in the face of his sarcastic, muttered remark. Was I really trying to seek forgiveness just to ease my own conscience? Was it not actually a sincere desire to apologize to him?

Facing his utterly serious expression, I found myself at a loss for words as my mouth fell silent.

Million, who had been silently watching me freeze in place, slowly glanced at the surroundings. Seemingly satisfied with the quiet cafe where he and I were the only customers, he gestured for me to come closer.

As I sat there, neither approaching nor moving away from his gesture, which felt rather intimidating, he let out a shallow sigh while observing my posture. When he confirmed that even the owner of the cafe, who had been pacing near the entrance, had disappeared somewhere, he stood up and bowed toward me.

In a quieter voice, he whispered to me.

“I don’t think it’s that difficult, but Young Lady Adelia may be different from me.”

“….”

“If you don’t have the courage, you can always ask me for help, as you did this time. I’ll do my utmost to help Young Lady Adelia’s sincerity reach them.”

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