I’m the Only One Who Can Put the Tyrant To Sleep Chapter 124

“Your Majesty!”

The cry burst out of me before I knew it. I didn’t even need to ask—I could feel it. Caesar’s ability had vanished.

It was as if the wavelength that had always connected Caesar and me had disappeared.

“Wha… what did you do? Did you just erase your power? Why?”

Unable to grasp the sudden turn of events, words spilled from my lips in a rush.

“What happened with Ian? What did he do? Is that why—”

“Eve.”

Caesar cut me off.

“Yes, but at least explain something!”

“I like you.”

“……”

‘What?’

Silence fell. I stared blankly at Caesar, unable to process the words that had just left his mouth.

But Caesar didn’t avert his gaze. His blue eyes held only me. Warmth flowed through our clasped hands.

I just stood there, frozen, unable to react.

‘What did he just say…?’

How long did it take for that short sentence to fully sink in? It felt like hours to me, though it could only have been seconds…

‘I like you.’

As his words echoed in my head again, I finally remembered to breathe, sucking in a sharp breath.

“Eve.”

Caesar called my name again. His voice was lower than usual, making me flinch. Only then did I realize we were still holding hands.

“…Your Majesty.”

“Yes.”

“So… what you just said—”

“Yes. I meant it that way.”

Heat rushed into my face. From our linked hands, a ticklish warmth spread up through me.

“I don’t think I can live without you.”

I looked at Caesar, my face burning red. My lips refused to form words, as though locked in place.

“It’s not because you’re my Guide. It’s because you’re you.”

“……”

“Not because of my ability. Just because you’re you… That’s why I want you by my side.”

I thought I understood now why Caesar had erased his ability. He didn’t want our bond to depend on something like that.

He didn’t want our destined connection to stain his feelings—or bind my choice.

“Your Majesty…”

“Eve, I…”

His voice trembled. He took a breath before continuing.

“I want you to stay by my side. No—what I want is… your permission for me to stay by yours.”

“……”

“I like you. I love you. So much.”

Silence stretched out again.

Caesar spoke as though he’d been rehearsing, spilling long strings of words.

But I could feel how hot his hand was in mine. I saw the faint flush beneath his steadfast gaze. I heard the quiver at the end of his voice.

Even though all abilities had been erased and I was no longer his Guide, I understood his heart.

Some things were clear just by looking. And this wasn’t a wavelength.

It was Caesar’s sincerity.

“…Your Majesty.”

“Yes.”

“Back then. When Ian stormed in, and you didn’t appear right away.”

“…Yes?”

At my words, so far from his confession, Caesar looked at me with sudden fear.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you? So I’d act in front of everyone.”

“……”

“That. Was it perhaps…”

After Caesar had gone to interrogate Ian in the reception room, I’d spent a long time wondering why he appeared so late.

Why he made it look like I was the one with the erasure power. Why he kept it all a secret from me.

I’d never found an answer. But with his confession just now, one thought came to mind.

I pushed down my embarrassment and forced the words out.

“Was it… because you wanted to marry me?”

Caesar’s mouth dropped open as if I’d caught him off guard. His eyes flickered with surprise. Just from his expression, I already knew the answer.

‘Did he really plan all this just for marriage?’

Maybe I should have felt tricked—but I didn’t. It was ridiculous, but somehow… strangely exciting.

Probably because my feelings matched Caesar’s. Because I wanted him to stay by my side too. To stay by his side, always.

No matter abilities or Guides.

“Katana told me, you know. What you thought about my marriage. So…”

Caesar trailed off. I quietly studied him, fidgeting with our joined hands. Flustered, he lifted his gaze to meet mine.

Looking into those unwavering eyes, I was struck by the thought:
From the pale sky-blue they once were, to the deep clear blue they now held;
From the gray hair that had turned into dark black—

Since the very first day we met, Caesar had always looked at me like this. And in every situation, he had always believed in me.

“Your Majesty.”

“…Yes.”

His tension was obvious, his throat bobbing nervously.

“Perhaps…”

“…Yes, tell me.”

“Would you like to have lunch with me?”

“…What?”

I lifted the corners of my lips at him.

“Now that I’ve become a hero, don’t you think you should apply to be my suitor?”

The moment the words left my mouth, embarrassment flushed through me. I coughed to cover it up.

“You know, like how the noble ladies used to approach you.”

“W-wait.”

Caesar’s eyes grew wide as he froze.

“Eve, that means…”

I gave a small nod. A smile spread across my face, impossible to hide.

“I like you too. I really do.”

No sooner had the words left my mouth than Caesar shot up from his chair and threw his arms around me.

“Eve!”

“Wait, you’ll knock me over!”

His grip, tight enough to crush my waist, loosened just enough. I laughed, catching his wrist.

“Eve…”

“Yes.”

“I love you.”

His eyes, brimming with tears, looked down at me. Fighting my own smile, I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“I love you too.”

 

 

 

*****

 

 

 

 

In the days that followed, we held hands constantly.

There was no longer any reason, no duty, no benefit to be gained from physical contact—only the simple desire to do so.

Strangely enough, with Caesar’s power erased, I felt as though something inside me had been set free.

‘What a relief.’

At first, the only reason I had approached Caesar was because of his power.

‘As long as I had Caesar’s power, I thought I wouldn’t die.’

I had offered to stop his rampages, his pain. Caesar had no choice but to accept my proposal—so in truth, I had used him.

The reason we had grown so close, beyond just emperor and maid, was because I was his Guide.

‘If his power hadn’t been erased, I don’t think I could have accepted his confession at face value.’

I might have thought Caesar loved me only because I was his Guide, that our bond was nothing more than fate’s cruel trick. I might have doubted his sincerity.

‘And I wouldn’t have been able to trust my own heart either.’

Even for the road ahead, it was far better that Caesar’s ability had vanished.

When malicious rumors painted him as a tyrant, everyone had feared him because of his terrifying power.

I gazed quietly at Caesar, now my lover, who possessed no abilities at all.

‘There won’t be any more rampages either.’

And I didn’t mind. Even without them, Caesar would always need me.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes?”

Caesar, immersed in paperwork, turned his head. Even as his right hand scribbled across the page, his left hand clung tightly to mine.

He said he could only endure it this way.

Since Ian had been locked in the palace dungeon, Caesar had been consumed with dealing with matters related to him.

A massive investigation was underway into Viscount Krauss and everyone else connected to Ian.

Using this opportunity, Caesar intended to root out as much of the corrupt noble faction as possible. It was not something that could be finished in a day or two.

“Why, Eve?”

When I just stared without saying a word, Caesar asked again.

I hesitated, then blurted it out.

“What about Lunavel?”

“…What?”

Caesar blinked, his face showing complete confusion.

“Lunavel.”

Ever since we had confirmed our feelings for each other, one thing had been bothering me.

‘Well, I’m not sure…’

His vague reply when I asked if he would marry Lunavel.

If he had gone so far as to orchestrate this entire plan, it meant Caesar had liked me even back then. But did that mean he was still considering marrying Lunavel at the same time?

“Lunavel… Ah, you mean that count’s daughter.”

As if he’d finally remembered, Caesar nodded.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. You said you were going to marry her.”

“…Me?”

Caesar pointed to himself with a baffled expression.

“When did I ever say that?”

“Unbelievable. When I asked if you were going to marry her, you said you didn’t know! In the carriage!”

The more I spoke, the more absurd it seemed. What on earth had that been?

I glared at Caesar sharply, only for him to suddenly burst out laughing.

‘…He’s laughing?’

“Now’s really not the time to laugh—”

“Eve, are you… jealous?”