Waiting For Your Reincarnation Chapter 144

She ran away.

 

After being treated by the doctor, Iris’s condition improved, but one day she disappeared like the wind. With Zephyto’s input, her care at the Duchy would not have been inadequate.

 

If so, then it was only Iris, her will, that left the cage. When Elita relayed all of this to him, he was confused.

 

‘Why did she have to run away?’

 

He waited in the forest for Iris, who never returned. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand her not returning.

 

Zephyto went to the forest until the following summer after she disappeared. He felt as if Iris would return any moment with her herbs and a smile on her face.

 

But as the bruises on his body grew, no one appeared to bring him herbs.

 

Eventually, in the season when the leaves turned red, he stopped going up to the forest. The memory of Iris melted from his mind like the first snow.

 

* * *

 

He had just reached adulthood when he met Iris again.

 

There was a celebration in the capital that day for Zephyto’s brother, the next in line to the throne, Ragnar Ophir, and the Emperor Arke announced Zephyto’s fiancée.

 

It had not been discussed.

 

He looked at Ragnar, his brow furrowed slightly, and he wore the smile of a victorious knight on the battlefield. Ragnar had seemingly stoked the flames of marriage.

 

“Zephyto.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

“You will be betrothed to the second lady of the Duke of Elter.”

 

“The second lady?”

 

He snorted inwardly at the mention of the Duke of Elter. It was rumored that the Duke of Elter was a horse and held nothing but empty honors.

 

The Duke was rumored to live in the capital’s gambling houses, and the first was married off to a family that paid off some of his debts.

 

The second is weak and hasn’t shown her face in social circles, so what’s the point of marrying her? He hears she lives like a bat out of hell, clinging to her brother’s power to keep the family name alive.

 

Ragnar could see right through him. He would plant a woman of his own faction in Zephyto’s service and keep her under surveillance for life.

 

But Zephyto’s influence in the Empire was weaker than the Duke’s, so he had no choice but to comply.

 

“Here she comes.”

 

Arke gestured to the entrance of the hall with his chin. The knights opened the door and a woman in a mauve gown walked in.

 

Zephyto’s eyes widened slightly as he watched her walk in beneath the chandelier lights that glowed like white sand.

 

Her beautiful black hair, a rarity in the Empire, swayed with each step, drawing the attention of the nobles.

 

Her silent steps stopped as she seemed to notice Zephyto standing in the center of the hall.

 

“…Iris.”

 

The woman who had once been his hope returned in despair.

 

“Hmm? Have you two already interacted?”

 

The Emperor’s question confirmed that the woman standing there was Iris, the woman who had given him herbs as a child.

 

Iris approached him with graceful steps. The tips of her ears were flushed red, oblivious to his crumbling heart.

 

“You two can talk.”

 

At the Emperor’s insistence, they were forced to leave the hall together. They walked through the gardens of the Imperial Palace in silence.

 

The air was warmer than indoors, reminding them of their younger days in the forest. Zephyto stole a glance at Iris, who was staring at the ground with her hands clasped together and saying nothing.

 

He recognized her instantly, even though he hadn’t seen her in years, and his fists clenched as he looked into her eyes, which hadn’t changed much.

 

‘Why did we have to meet again like this?’

 

“I’m finally getting to hear your name for the first time. I never thought we’d meet again like this.”

 

“I had no idea you were a princess of House Elter.”

 

Soon they were standing in front of a huge fountain in the center of the garden. The water gushing from the fountain was a welcome relief from the heat.

 

Zephyto’s eyes were as cold as ever. Iris’s lips curled in an unfamiliar expression.

 

“Is that why you ran away again that day? Because you didn’t want to be found out as the mistress of the Duke of Elter?”

 

“That’s…”

 

“Let me ask you a question. Did you really not know it was me?”

 

“…….”

 

“Then yes. Marriage…, yes, we can do that, but don’t expect to see me then.”

 

The love that shone in his eyes was nowhere to be found. There was only disappointment and hurt in Zephyto’s eyes.

 

He turned on his heel, clenched his fists, and stalked out of the garden.

 

This time, Iris was alone, watching his back as he disappeared into a dot.

 

* * *

 

Zephyto ‘s breath was like a gust of wind. What he set his mind to do, he would do, and he would not be deterred.

 

It did not take long for his engagement to Iris to become a marriage.

 

Sitting in his office, poring over papers, Zephyto closed his bloodshot eyes tightly. He leaned back in his chair and let out a small breath. Elita, who was watching, opened her mouth.

 

“You look tired, why aren’t you going back to your room?”

 

“…No.”

 

“Do you hate it so much? When I said she ran away, you looked like your world was falling apart. If you hate her so much, how did you get married?”

 

“Did I have a choice?”

 

Zephyto looked sharply at the sulking Elita. She shrugged, placing more papers on his desk, though she should have felt the stare.

 

It had been a month since he’d married Iris, but he hadn’t returned to his bedchamber for a month, claiming he needed to tend to the Knights.

 

She’d seen the look on his face when Zephyto had told her that he had to go to his office immediately after the wedding…

 

“Anything out of the ordinary?”

 

“She’s under surveillance every day, but no, usually reading a book or checking on the flowers in the garden. But are you sure she’s a noblewoman?”

 

“Why?”

 

“I asked because she doesn’t seem to be used to giving orders to someone. You don’t usually plant flowers yourself, do you? She looks more like a commoner than a noble lord. I wonder if she knows what she’s doing.”

 

“Keep an eye on her, you never know what she’s up to. She might turn against the House or my brother at any moment.”

 

Recalling Iris’s face, he uncomfortably loosened the tie around his neck a little. Leaning back in his chair and pushing himself upright, Zephyto examined the newly laid out papers.

 

“How’s your side?”

 

“Quiet, on the surface.”

 

“Perhaps because of the imperial crowning ceremony soon.”

 

“Well, for something like that… I’ve heard some strange rumors.”

 

“What rumors?”

 

“Rumors that you’re scheming to ascend to the throne and establish yourself. Well, as you know, he’s gathered the power of the nobles, but he hasn’t captured the hearts and minds of the people.”

 

Her description was accurate. With all their sweet talk, the foolish aristocracy had gained ground, but the people’s sentiment was at its worst. Perhaps it was because they catered only to the nobility.

 

Zephyto, on the other hand, was in the opposite position. He may not have gained the support of the nobility, but he was well-liked among the people because he was always on the front lines of battle.

 

“Well. I’m not going to be emperor anyway, so what’s the point of having a good position?”

 

Zephyto didn’t care about his position; he had no intention of becoming emperor, and he was content with where he was.

 

His brother Ragnar, however, was not. Even when he was announced as the next emperor, he was always nervous that Zephyto would usurp his position.

 

As he grew older, Ragnar’s methods of pushing Zephyto to the brink became more manipulative and calculated. Perhaps it was because he no longer existed, whereas as a child, Ragnar had been so easily manipulated.

 

“Are you sure you have no intention of becoming emperor?”

 

“No.”

 

“Well, then I can’t help it.”

 

“Well, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll change my mind if Ragnar really wants to kill me.”

 

“Ah, the crown prince’s people are preparing to unleash a plague.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’ll have to do more research, but he’s been buying slaves on the black market in Telene lately, young ones. They’re not just buying them off the street, they’re being tested, but we haven’t figured out exactly what they’re doing with them. It seems to have something to do with spreading the plague…”

 

Zephyto cocked his head as he listened to her. He looked up to see Elita looking down at him, a coy smile on her face.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Telene is famous for the Fletcher River, but we have Lake Bates, which is even more beautiful. We have a ducal cottage nearby.”

 

“So?”

 

“Wouldn’t it be perfect for a honeymoon?”