Chapter 79 (2/2)

“So they are protecting the prisoners day and night.” Katleyanira giggled. “Well, there is more than one way to get them.”

She already had a plan in motion. The reason she asked the emperor to come was for something else.

“I’m surprised, but it must be true.”

She always thought he was emotionless. This was why he made the worst enemy.

However, something has changed.

It was only for a second, but Lucretius couldn’t hide his fury. He was always so careful in front of her.

He must have had genuine feelings for her.

She dropped the teacup on the ground. It hit it with a loud clang and shattered.

“How young and naïve to fall in love so easily.”

***

That night, I woke up from a nightmare. When I opened my eyes, I could hear noises from outside my window.

I walked out to the terrace, and what I saw made me speechless.

The burning smell made me cough. I almost fell on the floor.

The castle was burning. The fire was so big and red the sky above it looked like it was burning too.

It was a huge fire. It started from a nearby wing, and it almost reached the main quarters.

Many died, including the Aeal family who was trapped in the tower.

No one could figure out how the fire started.

I felt cold and hot at the same time. It was like a déjà vu.

Lucretius, who was sitting across from me, seemed to mirror my thought.

He murmured, “I have seen something similar before.”

I nodded. “Yes.”

He smiled gently and asked, “Who do you think it was? I want to see if we are thinking the same thing.”

I opened my mouth without hesitation. We were in my bedroom. It was just the two of us.

“It’s obviously the dowager empress. Last time, it was Marchioness Toruka.” I paused before adding. “This is too good to be a coincidence.”

Lucretius didn’t joke as usual. Instead, he agreed immediately.

“Yes. We were just about to interrogate the Bonafit family when this happened. Those were the only people who could testify against the dowager empress… How annoying.”

I felt angry. I frowned and nodded.

Lucretius smiled unpleasantly.

“She is an evil genius.”

I agreed with him. She was very intelligent, cruel, and determined.

The worst possible combination in one’s enemy.

She was getting even more dangerous. It was one thing to send an assassin, but to cause a fire big enough to burn down a whole wing was crazy.

Could… Could we really win against this woman?

I wanted to go back home. To return home, I had to first survive in this world.

I felt anxious and was about to bite my fingernails when Lucretius grabbed my hand.

I was confused. “What’s wrong?”

He touched my damaged fingernails.

“Hmm, you’ve ruined your hand.”

“Oh…”

Samantha and the other maids did their best to keep my nails pretty, but I always ended up ruining them with my bad habit.

I sighed and mumbled, “I should apologize to my maids.”

Something must have ticked him off. He frowned and held my hand tightly.

He asked, “Just your maids?”

“Pardon? Who else would I apologize to?”

Lucretius pouted like a child.

W, what the heck was with this guy?

“You hurt yourself. You should treat yourself better, my wife.”

He was making no sense, but I agreed with him anyway.

“I guess. I guess I should apologize to myself then.”

To my surprise, he continued to pout.

“That’s it?”

I didn’t know what else he wanted.

“What else is there?”

Lucretius kissed each of my fingers. After the five kisses, he asked me, “If you hurt yourself, it hurts my heart, so shouldn’t you apologize to me too?”

“…”

Too much! Too corny!

Someone help me!

I pushed my hand toward him. It was an unexpected move and because he was holding my hand, my action caused him to kiss the back of his own hand.

His green eyes looked surprised as they blinked.

I thought he looked cute just then.

What I did next… I couldn’t explain even if my life depended on it.

Perhaps it was temporary insanity.