Chapter 25 (1/2)

Chapter 25

She couldn’t treat his wounds while sitting right beside him, but she could feel the mana radiating from everywhere she could reach. However, since the magic had been cast upon such a large population, the side effects did not fade easily.

“Are you okay?”

Whether he was a little distracted or was reacting to what she said, he shifted slowly. Raising his hands, he wrapped them around her back and buried his nose on her shoulder.

She wanted to see the wounds with her own eyes, but she didn’t want to graze over it when doing so. The emperor had been still for quite a while, but then suddenly, he lifted his head and pulled himself off her. His red eyes rested on his palm.

She was worried he wasn’t feeling well. He was breathing heavily, which usually happened when he didn’t rest well.

She asked again.

“Are you all right, Your Majesty?”

He looked back at her, catching her eyes.

“……I’m fine. I’ve caused you trouble.”

“You mean the wound hurts very badly?”

“Yeah.”

“And don’t say that, Your Majesty. Taking care of your wounds is one of my important –”

He cut her off.

“No, this is different.”

Suddenly, he jumped up and sat across from her. He shook his head, running his hand down his face.

Somehow, she didn’t want him to be so thoughtful. Without realizing it, she let out words at a flashing speed of light.

“Of course, I don’t like someone being too coercive….. but if that’s not the case, it’s okay to have light physical contact if it helps you, Your Highness, to prevent more side effects. It’s one of the negative effects, so I can understand it.”

His eyes, which continuously seemed to be reluctant to meet hers, shot directly at her at the words. As always, his eyes were as red as rubies.

“You can understand…..”

“Yes.”

“One of the negative effects?”

“That is what I think it is.”

As if feeling suffocated, the Emperor pulled the collar of his clothes, loosening it up.

“From the way you’re saying what I have never experienced before, it seems like you already know about this. Don’t you?”

“I beg your pardon…..?”

“Was there anyone else besides me who asked for any physical contact because of the side effects?”

Naturally, it reminded her of Serek. Then immediately, she erased the thought.

However, the Emperor answered with sunken eyes.

“There was. That’s why you’re acting like it is not the first time.”

She hadn’t said anything yet, but the Emperor seemed to have noticed what she was thinking. His eyes had a way of seeing through people’s thoughts.

Serek was really not a hot topic, but she had no choice but to admit it.

“That’s right. But….. he’s also someone that I don’t want to go near to……”

“That guy. He looked really stupid.”

“Pardon?”

“Seems like we’re on the same level, which is unpleasant.”

“Don’t say that you’re on the same level. You get the negative side effects when you use a lot of mana, but he gets so many side effects even with such a low understanding of magic. It’s completely different.”

He shook his head.

“No, it wouldn’t be that different. That’s not the problem here. It is not a matter of effects, but a matter of degree. A matter of morality.”

“What do you mean…..Your Majesty?”

Leaning his head as if he was bored, he continued.

“It’s convenient and attractive for me, but in some cases, it’s coercive. I will find a way to improve the current situation. I don’t understand exactly what the principle of such impulses naturally is, but I can’t guarantee that this won’t happen in the future…… I don’t think this is right.”

“If you think so –”

“And you can firmly deny me if that doesn’t seem right to you. If you say no, I won’t touch you no matter how insane it drives me.”

While she listened to his uncharacteristically rapid spouting, her heart sank slowly. Was the Emperor apologizing to her?

Most of all, she was concerned that his eyes were boring the wall of the carriage beside her, not at her.

It was as if they were threatening to shoot people, to consume people alive. The kind of thing that didn’t suit her.

She called him.

“Your Highness.”

Instead of responding to her, he began to mutter what was left to say.

“You’re going to need something. You won’t listen to my magic because you can use magic invalidation, but the difference is far superior.”

“Your Majesty.”