Chapter 13 (1/2)

Chapter 13: <Chapter 13>

“…”

How could I answer that question?

The answer could be both yes and no. Technically, I had a home. In Seoul, Korea. However, if he asked HOW I would get home, I wouldn’t be able to answer him.

I spent all my time and effort for the last year to fit into this world. I never had the chance to think about how I would go back. Besides, was it even possible?

My heart felt heavy.

The emperor obviously didn’t know about my dilemma. He wanted a logical answer.

Could I tell him the truth? That I came from a different world, and I wanted to go back somehow?

No. He would think I had lost my mind. He might even kill me since he would consider me useless.

This was a hard question to answer.

I decided to give him a vague reply.

“…you shouldn’t have to worry about that.”

He smiled faintly. Was it even a smile?

“I see.”

Lucretius narrowed his eyes. He gave me a sharp knowing look.

He didn’t believe me. He was used to people lying to him all the time. He needed to be calculating and always suspect the worst of people. I realized I made the right choice by not telling him the truth. He wasn’t someone I could trust.

Lucretius grinned at me widely. It was a chilling smile.

“I know one thing for sure. You do have a place you can go back to, and you are desperate to get there.”

“Whatever you say, your highness.”

“When I heard Duke Aeal is sending his adopted daughter, I assumed he found one of his bastard daughters from somewhere instead of his legitimate daughter. Things like this actually happen quite frequently.”

I remained silent.

“But now that I see you, I think I understand. I don’t think you are related to the duke at all.”

“…”

“The Bonafit family has black hair, which is very unusual. When I first saw you, I assumed you were the duke’s bastard daughter. You don’t resemble him, but your hair does.” He played with the leftover pieces of onion and pumpkin as he continued calmly, “Other than the black hair, you look too different from those who live in the north. You also don’t resemble those from the southern desserts. To be honest, I have never seen someone like you before. Your facial features are very unique.”

He was analyzing me like a profiler. The scary thing was that he was getting it right.

“Your manner is very good, as if you have been educated, but it doesn’t seem like you grew up with it. The common etiquette seem new to you still. I think… you grew up in a completely different culture. It doesn’t seem like the duke got a low born girl and taught her. It was more like he got a well-educated person from a completely different country and taught our customs.”

“…”

He was very good.

My back was wet with sweat. He smiled as if he knew he got it right.

“…which means you do have a place to go back. In theory, you are from the Aeal colony, but you didn’t ask to let you return there. You asked me to let you leave the castle. You don’t plan on going back to that colony, I know that for sure now. I guess it doesn’t really matter though. You can’t leave.”

I sighed in surrender and replied, “…even if I tell you the truth, you wouldn’t believe me anyway.”

“What?”

He frowned as if I swore at him.

He lowered his voice and asked in a threatening manner, “What I believe or not believe shouldn’t be yours to decide. I find it very disturbing that you are trying to hide something from me. You are the one asking for a favor, yet you won’t even give me a full explanation?”

Should I tell him? Would he believe me?

This was such a dangerous game. This was the man who killed his own father in front of me two nights ago. Would this be the death of me?

I sighed deeply and asked, “Then… Could you promise me something, your highness?”

“A promise? You didn’t even give me an explanation yet.”

“Please don’t automatically assume I’m crazy or joking after you hear what I have to say. Keep an open mind.”

Lucretius looked at me questioningly. He seemed confused at my seriousness.

He nodded. My heart pounded hard as I said to him, “I… came from a different world.”

Silence.

I couldn’t tell what the emperor was thinking.

Shock? Suspicion? I would have been happy with these emotions.

What I was afraid of was he would think I was crazy and lock me up somewhere.

I felt so nervous. He continued to study me penetratingly.

After a few minutes of silence, he finally replied, “… you don’t look or act crazy, but…”

“…but?”

He twirled his finger around my temple.

“Your calm behavior doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t crazy, I guess.”

I knew it!

I bit my lips and replied heatedly, “So your words mean nothing.”