The Tyrant Won’t Let Me Go – Chapter 94

Author: Nikss

Ciel lay still, staring at the ceiling, and replied, “Still, I can’t rest for too long.”

“Why?”

Regardless, it was clear that someone was trying to kill Cedric.

Knowing that, I couldn’t just stay idle. As I closed my eyes, a familiar face came to mind.

Shiny black hair and crimson eyes like camellia petals. Lips that always held a bright smile whenever they found me.

‘How could I stay still knowing someone like that is in danger?’

I just couldn’t leave it be.

“…Are you worried that the Emperor might be in danger?”

I silently turned my gaze to the blue-hued sword.

For a while, silence filled the room.

After a long pause, Caliberne spoke in a soft voice.

[…You want to protect him, don’t you?]

I nodded at her words.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

💫

The tapping of fingers on the desk came to a halt.

‘If I piece together all the information I’ve gathered so far…’

Cedric glared at the large map spread out before him, deep in thought.

“The mastermind must be here.”

His cold, anger-filled red eyes were fixed on the word ‘Ackeleta’ written on the map.

💫

[Persephine, you have three days.]

The voice coming from the locket commanded.

[Don’t forget. If you don’t succeed within three days, your life is over.]

With those words, the locket lost its glow and fell silent.

‘The end is near.’

Persephine stared blankly at the locket on her bed, lost in thought. She had to prepare quickly.

There wasn’t much time left now.

Just then, someone knocked on her door.

“Princess? Are you inside?”

It was Paul’s voice.

Persephine quickly tidied up the locket that had been lying haphazardly on the bed. Then she opened the door herself to greet Paul, who was standing outside.

“Yes, what is it?”

“Ah, His Majesty and Captain Minerva are having a tea party right now.”

Paul looked at Persephone intently as he spoke, “Oh, just the two of them? The Captain told me she had no plans with me today.”

“Well, she might have said that, but she’s been caught by His Majesty now.”

“Ahaha, as expected, no one can refuse His Majesty.”

“So, I came to ask if you’d like to join the tea party as well. The Captain mentioned she’d like to have you there.”

At Paul’s words, Persephone’s expression stiffened for a moment.

However, Paul, unaware of her reaction, continued speaking, “So, if it’s alright with you, you could bring Sir Flithia along…”

To be invited to such a small tea party without fail, these people truly were kind.

‘Because of me, people like them…’

Persephine’s heart filled with guilt as she recalled Ciel, who had been attacked a few days ago, and Cedric, who had brought her back.

Then she clenched her fists tightly.

“Alright. I’ll go with Felix. Where is it?”

“I’ll guide you there, Princess.”

“Thank you, Paul.”

Persephine relaxed her stiffened expression and smiled brightly as she replied. She knew that if someone who knew the full story were to hear, they would surely curse her for accepting their invitation.

They would call her shameless for wanting to see their faces in such a situation.

‘But I still want to go.’

Even so, she couldn’t suppress that desire.

“Alright. And there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

“Ah, I see. Go ahead.”

“It’s just that His Majesty would like to schedule a private meeting with you tomorrow.”

“With me?” Persephine asked, startled.

Paul nodded at her question and spoke in a calm tone.

“So, I wanted to ask if you’re free in the afternoon…”

“Ah, yes. That’s fine.”

“Then I’ll let him know. Is there a specific time that works for you?”

“Hmm, anytime is fine for me.”

“Then would 3 p.m. be alright? His Majesty has some free time then.”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“Then I’ll let him know to expect you at that time. Now, let me guide you to the tea party, Princess.”

Persephine stared blankly at Paul’s back as he led the way.

‘Tomorrow…’

She repeated the word ‘tomorrow’ in her mind.

💫

The day after Cedric told me I could take a break, I found myself being dragged by Cedric’s hand to an unscheduled tea party.

‘It’s that face of his, really.’

I’ve never been able to resist that face. When he looks at me with those eyes, like a drenched kitten, I can’t help but follow.

‘Well, thanks to that, I’ve managed to shake off a lot of thoughts about the mastermind targeting Cedric…’

He’s probably doing it on purpose.

Cedric probably knew that even while I was resting, I wouldn’t be able to let go of my thoughts and worries about the mastermind behind everything.

‘The tea party must have been Cedric’s way of trying to ease my tension.’

Anyway, ‘Seeing this, the Cedric from the original story, is a complete lie.’

A bloodthirsty tyrant? What nonsense. Where in the world is there an Emperor who cares this much about his knight commander?

‘Did the original author misinterpret the character?’

But then again, his obsession with the female lead in the original story is exactly the same as it is now.

Except, of course, the object of his obsession isn’t Persephine—it’s me.

“Oh, Princess?”

I called out to Persephine when I spotted her fiery red hair.

Turning around, Persephine looked at me with wide, surprised violet eyes.

“Ah, Captain Minerva…”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you since we parted ways at the tea party yesterday, Princess.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Persephine smiled softly as she replied. She looked truly beautiful when she smiled.

For some reason, she seemed a bit thinner and more tired than a few days ago, but she still looked lively.

Like a pine tree standing firm even in strong winds.

[Fortunately, her complexion looks better than when you visited her during her illness, that Princess.]

Indeed, upon seeing her again, Persephine’s complexion seemed to have improved compared to before.

Maybe she’s just a little tired today.

‘You mean the day you said the Princess looked off, right?’

[Yes.]

Caliberne, who had told me that the Princess seemed off that day, answered my question about what exactly seemed strange like this:

Her eyes were different from usual. She said that occasionally, Persephine had the look of someone who had given up on everything.

But I had told Caliberne that it was probably just a misunderstanding.

Or maybe it was the lighting that made her look that way.

At least, from what I knew, Persephone had been trying to move forward and take on challenges rather than giving up or resigning herself.

So I thought Caliberne must have been mistaken.

“By the way, where’s Sir Flithia…?”

Felix was always by Persephine’s side.

It was rare to see Persephine wandering the palace alone, so I couldn’t help but wonder.

“Ah, I was about to send a letter to Ackeleta. Felix kindly offered to take it to the palace post office himself.”

“Ah, I see. Come to think of it, you have an appointment with His Majesty soon, right?”

“Oh, has His Majesty already mentioned it?”

Persephine looked slightly flustered as she spoke.

“Yes, he said you two are meeting at 3 p.m. this afternoon…”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“Are you on your way to see His Majesty now? If it’s alright, I can accompany you.”

“Oh, you don’t have to go that far…”

“Ah, I’m doing it because I want to.”

When I waved my hand dismissively, Persephone stared at me intently.

“I really enjoy talking with you, Princess. Let’s go together.”

For a brief moment, a dark shadow passed through Persephone’s eyes.

‘Huh…?’

But the shadow soon disappeared.

And Persephone smiled brightly, as if nothing had happened, and said,

“Alright, thank you. Let’s go together, then.”

The walk to the meeting place between Cedric and Persephone wasn’t very far.

After chatting for a bit, we arrived at the meeting place before we knew it.

It’s like the walk to school, isn’t it? When you go alone, it feels long and boring, but when you walk with a friend and talk, it’s over before you know it.

‘I guess the two of us can be considered friends, right?’

Maybe someday we’ll even be close enough to exchange friendship letters.

Just thinking about that possibility made my heart swell like a balloon.

“Thank you for walking me here, Captain.”

“Not at all, I enjoyed it.”

“Then I’ll head in now. Have a good day, Captain.”

“Thank you, Princess. I hope you have a wonderful day too! Oh, and I hope your conversation with His Majesty goes well!”

As I waved, Persephine gave me a faint smile.

“Oh, Captain.”

“Yes, Princess?”

Her violet eyes shimmered like water. Calmly, like a lake reflecting the moonlight at midnight.

“Meeting you here have been a great fortune for me.”