Chapter 25

Episode 25: The Future Has Changed, Kailos

“Instead, I can get you out of here if you don’t want to be by my brother’s side.”

Suddenly, the sound of his voice opened my ears. There was a silent cry over his words that pointed out exactly what I wanted.

“Okay, then Chloe. Let’s say it again now, what do you want?”

But I, who had never been happy, did not know what to do or what not to do to be happy. However, one thing was certain.

“I want to leave Kailos.”

For me now, taking a rest from looking at that terrible face had to come before revenge.

“Then say it again. It’s not a deal, it’s a help.”

“Please help me, Your Majesty.”

Raymond grinned as if satisfied with my answer.

“How can I help you?”

I was lost in thought, staring at Raymond silently for a moment.

No matter how much Raymond is an emperor, he cannot touch a woman of the Grand Duke without a reasonable cause.

The reason he was able to keep me by his side in the past life was all because of the acquiescence of Grand Duke Kailos, but the current Kailos will never let me go easily.

If so, I can create the same situation as in my last life.

* * *

After a while, Raymond called the Imperial Palace’s doctor, saying he was very concerned about my physical condition that did not recover easily.

The doctor from the imperial palace examined my body and said that I might have to wait a little longer.  Kailos, of course, reacted strongly.

“There’s a doctor in the Duchy.”

“But it’s because I’m not relieved, brother”

Raymond, who was sitting at the end of the bed, smiled and grabbed a handful of my hair.

“Get well soon, Chloe.” Raymond whispered in a friendly voice while kissing my hair.

The unexpected move caused everyone in the room to stiffen, it was the same for me.

My cheeks turned bright red, and the blood drained from Kailos’ face.

Since then, Raymond has stayed in the Duchy for another 10 days. He talked to me in front of Kailos and gave me small touches.

It was me who was conscious and reacted to every little gesture that stroked my hair, swept my face, or rubbed my shoulder.

It was strange, in the past, there were even more deeds, but why is my face getting hot at this little touch?

“Your Majesty, you don’t have to do this.”

“Why? Is it uncomfortable?”

“…….”

Rather than being uncomfortable, pretending to be a lover in the open garden, it was a little awkward. Raymond smiled as he messed up my hair when I couldn’t answer easily.

All I asked for was to send the Imperial Palace’s doctor here.

Just staying in the same space was enough and overflowing, but Raymond, who showed affection for the sake of deception, kept my face hot.

“Please cut me some slack. It’s nice to see your face turning red every time I touch you,” Raymond glanced somewhere behind me and whispered.  Perhaps at the far end of his gaze is Kailos’ office.

Raymond was doing that on purpose, knowing that Kailos was watching us through the office window.

“And you too.”

“Yes…..?”

When I blinked in embarrassment at the sudden voice calling me, he burst into laughter.

“It’s fun when your hands get red every time I touch them.”

My face heated up and turned an even darker shade of red.

“You’re mean.”

“Is it a complaint?”

“No way.”

He asked, but I had no choice but to shake my head. Most of all, it’s purely for me that he stays in the Duchy for this long.

“Your Majesty, are you okay?”

“What?”

“If you use me, you’ll be able to break down Kailos more easily.”

“Once again, I only think about your happiness.”

Raymond’s red eyes stared straight at me.  At that unshakable gaze, I swallowed my breath and closed my lips tightly.

“Because you look so tired now.”

My heart was pounding at his strong eyes.

Raymond said he didn’t love me. Then Raymond, why are you…… Why are you looking at me with such sweet eyes?

When I came back to my room after walking in the garden with Raymond for a long time, a gloomy voice called me.

“Chloe.”

I glanced at Kailos standing in the middle of my room and tried to pass him right away, but he snatched my wrist.

“What did you talk about with the emperor today?”

A harshly cracked voice asked as if interrogating. I looked back at him and rolled up the corners of my mouth.

“I whispered that I love you. I shed a smile and seduced him, just like you taught me.”

“I told you not to do that.”

The voice that leaked out of his teeth was very restrained.  But I, who had known him for a long time, could recognize the emotions that were revealed by him.

“That’s the only thing I’ve learned from you, seduce the emperor and give birth to his children…… Wasn’t it?”

“Please, Chloe……. I’m asking you to do this. Stop seeing the emperor.”

“I heard it’s okay to do anything as long as I don’t leave the castle.”

“…….”

When he blinked with a pure face as if he knew nothing, Kailos became mute and his lips trembled. Looking at his dull eyes and rough skin, it was enjoyable. Even though he’s a man who has lost nothing.

“Is it because you’re mad at me? Is that why you are always with that man in front of my eyes?”

“I’m just doing what you taught me.”

He painfully distorted his handsome face at the clear lie.

“What should I do to get rid of your anger? How can I open your heart? Tell me, Chloe. What should I do so that you forgive me?”

“I already told you. Let me leave the Duchy; then I’ll forget about you and live.”

“You can’t do that.”

Looking at him muttering in a miserable voice, I smirked and laughed.

“I knew it.”

I didn’t know before that I’m a person who can have such a cold face and voice.

“What should I do, Uncle?”

Calling him by that title, which had not been used for a while, I slowly removed his hand from my wrist.

A smile came on my lips as I looked at Kailos after a long time. Curving the corners of my eyes that he praised as beautiful, I took a step back.

“I think I should leave the Duchy now.”

“……?”

Looking at him staring at me with a frown on his forehead with an incomprehensible expression, I carefully caressed my lower abdomen for a moment.

“I’m pregnant, I have a child of His Majesty.”

“…Lie.”

His trembling voice spread silently. I smiled calmly and tilted my head slightly.

“Why do you think it’s a lie?”

“No way. Before, definitely not now, but a little later…….”

“The flow has changed from the time you remember.”

“……!”

His pale white face seemed to disappear at any moment. I glanced at his trembling eyes.

I was surprised to find out that he was the same person from the past, who had enjoyed it as if he had the world, when I said that I had the Emperor’s child.

‘Give birth to the child of the Emperor.”

It’s something he’s been saying since New Year’s Eve when I first met Raymond.  He meticulously calculated my menstrual cycle and fertility period, and the first night I spent with Raymond was also part of his perfect plan.

‘How can I help you?’

‘I’m going to lie a little bit. Please help me with it.’

No matter how great Raymond was, he could not touch the woman in the Grand Duchy. But if I have his child in my womb, things change.

“This is a lie. Yes, it’s a lie. You’re fooling me right now to get away from me.”

“If you can’t believe it, you can call a doctor to check.”

Herbs brought by the imperial court doctor slowed the menstrual cycle and caused symptoms similar to those of pregnancy.  It would be difficult to detect a lie easily even if you bring a doctor from the Duchy.

Acting was also not difficult because I had once been pregnant. I clenched both fists in my sleeves, recalling the small Estelle once held in my womb.

“I can’t… I can’t let you go to the emperor.”

Kailos looked at my belly with empty eyes.  In fact, it didn’t matter whether he believed me or not.  After all, what I needed was an excuse to leave Ludwig’s castle.

“Why?”

I took a step back from him, wrapping my lower stomach with both hands.

“Are you going to kill him? Like killing Estelle?

“Chloe……!”

He shouted my name in a voice that was indistinguishable whether he was crying or angry.

“If it’s because of the future that hasn’t happened yet, please…….”

“It’s not a future that didn’t happen.”

I walked past him and added calmly, “Me and you too. We definitely existed in that time.”

* * *