I’m the Only One Who Can Put the Tyrant To Sleep Chapter 125

“What… huh?”

“I asked if you were jealous. Because I didn’t give you a proper answer when you asked if I’d marry Lunavel.”

I had thought Caesar would be flustered if I brought up Lunavel, but instead, I was the one caught off guard.

Caesar looked at me with a face that seemed thoroughly amused. At some point, he had completely set his papers aside and turned his body toward me.

“…Aren’t you going to work?”

“Why aren’t you answering?”

Now, Caesar even put down his pen and took both of my hands in his. Lowering his head close to mine, he whispered slyly.

“Well, Evelyn?”

“I am.”

“Hm?”

I glared at Caesar as if declaring war.

“Yes, I am jealous. Do you have a problem with that?”

For a moment, Caesar just stared blankly at me before bursting into even louder laughter. The way affection poured from his crinkled eyes made me feel embarrassed just watching him.

“Why—why are you laughing again?!”

“Because I love it. What, you got a problem with that?”

Caesar threw my own words back at me, then pulled his chair closer. Resting his head lightly on my shoulder, he muttered like it was a secret just for him.

“This feels so good…”

The unvarnished tone made it feel even more sincere. My face felt hot, so I quickly averted my gaze to the opposite side of the shoulder Caesar was leaning on.

“…So what’s the truth then?”

“Hm? Ah… actually, I noticed something then. That you were acting strange, Evelyn.”

“What? When I came to find you?”

“Yes, in that carriage.”

What exactly had happened in that carriage? The only things I said were advice to be cautious about marriage, and asking if he really planned to marry Lunavel.

“From that moment, I knew—you were jealous of her.”

“How? Was it really that obvious?”

“Maybe that too, but…”

Caesar thought for a moment before continuing.

“I’ve liked you for a very long time, Evelyn. And only someone who’s in love can recognize certain behaviors that easily. You could say I’m an expert in that area.”

I forgot to avert my gaze and instead stared at him. Caesar, still leaning on my shoulder, had a serene look as his eyes closed.

‘He’s liked me… for a very long time?’

More than anything, those words pierced my heart.

“…Since when?”

“Hm?”

“When you say ‘a very long time,’ since when exactly?”

“Well…”

Caesar hummed softly. It was obvious he was dodging the question. His low, calm voice was pleasant to hear, but I couldn’t let it slide.

“That’s not fair. You already knew I liked you back then, but I didn’t know about you. Don’t you think that’s really unfair?”

“I figured out your feelings in an instant, but no matter how much I gave it away, you never noticed mine. Isn’t that what’s unfair, Evelyn?”

“That’s…”

I clamped my mouth shut, unable to argue back, and Caesar chuckled low in his throat. The vibration traveled through my shoulder.

“So, why don’t you figure it out for yourself—when it was.”

“But still…”

As if the conversation were over, Caesar lifted his head from my shoulder.

“That way it’s fair. Right?”

He dragged his chair back and returned to his papers, pen in hand. His fixed gaze was so stubborn, it was clear he had no intention of ever answering me.

And yet, his left hand still held mine tightly.

 

 

*****

 

 

 

 

After that day, I found myself lost in thought.

I kept wondering—just when exactly did Caesar start liking me?

I even forgot about Lunavel, and even Ian, because the question felt so serious to me.

Maybe it was from the time we were partners at the debutante ball.
I really should have put in more effort back then. I’d been so focused on crushing Vivian that my shoulders were stiff with pride.

And since we’d danced together, there had been contact between us that was different from usual. That was possible too.

‘But he said it was a very long time ago…’

If it was even earlier than that, then maybe it was the day it was revealed that I was his Guide.

Technically, that was the first time we ever held hands. My heart had fluttered a little then too.

‘But isn’t that too long ago?’

Maybe Caesar and I had different standards. What felt fairly recent to me might seem like ages ago to him.

‘I guess I’ll have to ask him again after all.’

With that thought, I knocked—knock knock—on the emperor’s bedroom door.

Almost as if he’d been waiting, the door suddenly swung open, and a hand shot out, yanking me inside.

“…Your Majesty!”

Startled, I looked at the owner of the hand. Caesar was gazing down at me, face just inches away.

“Why did you come so late, Evelyn?”

“What? But I came at the usual time.”

I glanced at the window where the sun was only just rising. It was the same early morning as always, when I usually came to work.

“Exactly.”

Caesar said something cryptic, then carefully wrapped his arm around my waist. Folding his broad shoulders in, he buried his face against the nape of my neck.

“Why did you come at the usual time…”

“That tickles.”

I shivered and laughed as Caesar’s hair brushed against my collarbone and neck. Even so, I found myself gently patting his back.

Since we had confessed our feelings, Caesar often leaned on me like this. Whether sitting or standing, he didn’t care. He didn’t feel that heavy—it wasn’t like he was putting his full weight on me—but I couldn’t deny it pressed me down a little.

‘Is this a habit of his?’

“Phew… I can breathe now.”

Caesar murmured against my neck, still rubbing his face there. I flinched at the sensation of his lips brushing my skin.

“Eve? Am I too heavy?”

Caesar glanced up at me, his eyes half-lidded from just waking. His lowered lashes and the curve of his lips made him look languid.

“Eve?”

I’d been staring, distracted by the faint movement of his lips, when I snapped back to my senses and jerked my head away.

“O-of course you are!”

I pushed at his chest a little, blurting out in an annoyed tone.

“Y-Your Majesty is so tall, how could you not be heavy? If you keep leaning on me like this, I’ll be squashed even shorter. Why do you keep… leaning on me?!”

“Because holding you makes me feel at ease.”

“But I can’t suppress your ability anymore. I’m not your Guide now.”

Caesar chuckled softly.

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Then—”

I was about to ask what he meant, when a memory suddenly surfaced and silenced me.

Long ago, on Caesar’s fifteenth birthday. He’d asked me to stay by his side until he fell asleep. And back then, he had said something similar.

‘When I hold your hand, I feel at peace.’

When I suggested it was because I could suppress his ability, he’d denied it, saying that wasn’t what he meant.

‘No way…’

“Evelyn?”

Seeing me suddenly go quiet, Caesar looked puzzled.

I stared straight at his face. For a moment, I thought I could see the young Caesar from those days overlapped on his features.

‘Could it really have been since back then?’

“What are you thinking about?”

“N-no, nothing.”

I shook my head quickly, cleared my throat, and stepped away from him. My face felt hot.

‘That can’t be. No way.’

He had only been fifteen then, and we hadn’t even known each other for more than a few months. It was impossible.

“Hm…”

“Anyway—you should start working already! You still have piles of paperwork to go through!”

“I finished all of that last night.”

“What? Really?”

“Ask Alvin if you want. I even cleared today’s tasks and handed them in already.”

Come to think of it, he had stayed unusually late yesterday. I guess he’d been working ahead.

“Why push yourself like that? What if it harms your health?”

“Well…”

Caesar thought for a moment, then suddenly pressed his hand to his forehead.

“Your Majesty?”

Then he slumped down onto the bed and spoke in a suddenly weary tone.

“That’s why. I think I’m not feeling well.”

“What? Where? How? Are you sick?”

Alarmed, I rushed over—only for Caesar to suddenly wrap his arms tight around my waist again.

“When I’m away from you, I get headaches. It must be some kind of side effect from my power vanishing so suddenly.”

“…What?”

“It’s true. I keep getting headaches… and I think I might have a fever too…”

He touched his forehead again, but the exaggerated droop of his eyes made it clear he was playing it up.

“…Really?”

Suspicious, I placed my hand on his forehead—but it was cool, not even warm.

“Yeah, really.”

Still, Caesar shamelessly nodded and smiled.

“So let’s go on a date, Eve.”

“What?”

“When I’m with you, the pain disappears. Maybe you… hm… cure the side effects somehow.”

“But I told you, I’m not your Guide anymore.”

“Even so.”

I couldn’t help letting out a short laugh at his stubbornness. Honestly, always pretending to be weak…

‘Does he really think I’ll give in to this?’

“Let’s go on a date.”

Caesar looked up at me from where he sat on the bed. His eyes sparkled unusually bright, and his voice trailed off sweetly.

Like a puppy begging for affection. My cheeks lifted on their own.

“Well, Eve”

‘Honestly…’

Biting my lip, I avoided his gaze. But with his insistent coaxing, I finally gave an answer.

“…Fine.”