* * *
As the music swelled, I lifted my hand and gave a small wave in the air.
From the towering ceiling—easily five stories high—tiny droplets of light began to form.
In an instant, they bloomed into flowers, scattering in all directions.
“Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”
“Long live!”
Cheers, music, petals.
The elegant fragrance wafting from the incense burner.
Ateol had finally become emperor.
As I watched his back, he suddenly turned his head.
His lips curled slightly as he looked at me.
No notification popped up for favorability or special favorability, but I could tell his feelings weren’t negative.
After the formal ceremonies ended, the celebrations continued for three days and three nights.
Unfortunately for Ateol, he had to remain in the banquet hall for nearly the entire duration—but I didn’t.
I was already at my limit. I had no desire to sit here picking at food.
I decided to sip on some drinks and slip away, but just as I was about to leave, someone approached me.
It was Grand Duke Roanes and Siwoo.
“I greet the master of the highest tower.”
“Ah… Grand Duke. Have you been well?”
“Yes, thanks to you. I truly appreciate the gift you sent the other day.”
“I’m glad to hear you liked it.”
My stamina gauge was depleting fast.
But I couldn’t just avoid talking to the Grand Duke.
I needed to figure out why he had Siwoo with him.
That would determine when—or if—I needed to run.
“My nephew is currently staying at the Imperial Palace.”
The Grand Duke placed a hand on Siwoo’s shoulder as he spoke.
He was taller than Siwoo.
What was he getting at?
How should I probe him?
I was deep in thought, but in the end, my worries were pointless.
“My nephew has lost his memories, so he still lacks knowledge of proper etiquette and speech. I hope he hasn’t caused any offense to the Tower’s…”
Grand Duke Roanes tilted his head slightly as he looked at me.
“…Master?”
“…….”
It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped down my back.
Without answering Cloden, who was asking in shock what was wrong, I fled back to the tower.
That look in the Grand Duke’s eyes.
His tone.
The way he gripped Siwoo’s shoulder so tightly at the end.
It was meaningful.
Maybe I was overanalyzing it, but still—I felt uneasy. Ominous.
The Grand Duke might know that I’m a fake.
As soon as I returned to the tower, I started packing.
I stuffed whatever was light and expensive into a bag without much thought.
All I could think about was running.
If I ran now, Ateol would clean up the mess.
He promised.
He even said it himself—the Empire didn’t need me.
They needed the real Yuri.
I—I was a fake, so I wasn’t needed anyway.
Before I got exposed and executed again, I had to escape.
Dying was terrifying.
Like a madman, I scrambled to gather my belongings when there was a knock at the door.
Panicked, I shoved my bag under the blankets and rushed to open it myself.
“Tower Master…?”
Cloden’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Did something happen at the banquet?”
His expression quickly shifted from shock to concern.
Instinctively, I shook my head vigorously, mumbling, “No, no,” as if I were someone who had definitely been through something.
“His Majesty is here to see you.”
“Ateol?”
Why was he here instead of at the banquet?
No—maybe this was a good thing.
If I consulted him, he might help me come up with a better escape plan.
And… seeing him one last time before I left wouldn’t be so bad.
I nodded.
“Let him in.”
“Understood.”
Moments later, Ateol entered my bedroom.
He was still in his formal attire from the banquet.
His gaze landed on my oddly shaped bed, and he tilted his head.
“What is that?”
“My luggage. I’m running away.”
“…Running away?”
“Yeah. Grand Duke Roanes is acting strange. I think he knows I’m a fake.”
As I spoke, I pulled the bundle out from under the blankets again.
It seemed like too much yet also not enough.
If I had too much, I wouldn’t be able to sell it all at once.
Selling it in parts would work, but if I got caught in the process, I was done for.
Once the real Yuri returned, I wouldn’t even be able to use magic anymore.
As my thoughts swirled, Ateol approached.
“You—why aren’t you at the banquet?”
“I followed you because you ran off like a startled rabbit.”
“A rab—… Whatever, you got here at the right time. I’m leaving now. You take care of things here. Strike first before the Grand Duke makes his move. And ensure my safety… I swear, I’ll live like I’m dead.”
“No.”
“What do you mean, ‘no’? Do you have another plan?”
“Hmm. No, I don’t.”
What the hell?
Before I realized it, Ateol had grabbed my wrist.
“Let go. I’m leaving now. I was willing to listen to a better plan, but if you don’t have one, I have no choice but to go—”
“No, you’re not going anywhere.”
“…What?”
What did I just hear?
I stared at Ateol, dumbfounded, then raised my voice as I grasped his meaning.
“You promised!”
“What promise?”
“You said you’d let me escape! You said the Empire needed the real Yuri!”
“I never promised to let you escape. I promised to protect you. And yes, the Empire does need the real Yuri.”
What kind of bullshit was this?
Frustrated, I tried to yank my wrist free, but no matter how much I struggled, Ateol didn’t let go.
“Do you remember the theft of the Mermaid’s Heart gemstone?”
How the hell would I know that?
“The theft was never made public. If people found out that the national treasure blessing the Empire had been stolen, it would have caused chaos.”
“What does that have to do with—”
“The Imperial Family chose to worship a fake rather than reveal the theft. Even now, the Mermaid’s Heart displayed in the Empire’s museum is a counterfeit. Yet, everyone praises it as beautiful.”
Ateol tilted his head slightly and met my gaze.
“If they believe it’s real, then from that moment on—it is real.”
The bag in my hand crumpled as I let go of it.
Ateol pushed me toward the bed.
Before I could even reach it, he kissed me.
Lips pressed together.
The ties of my robe loosened.
I couldn’t breathe.
My head spun.
Dizzy—too dizzy.
Alarmingly so.
As my vision flickered between light and dark, the last thing I saw was Ateol’s startled expression.
And then, a message appeared before my fading consciousness:
[Stamina: 0]
ꔚ
When I woke up, this time, the ceiling above me was truly unfamiliar.
It was ornate, as extravagant as the Magic Tower, yet different in its details—the color of the drapery, the intricate patterns on the ceiling, and the strands of dangling jewels.
As I pondered where I was, a familiar voice cut through my thoughts.
“This is the Emperor’s bedchamber.”
Ah, that explains it… No wonder it felt strange.
But why am I here?
“I’ve had a meal prepared. How are you feeling?”
“……”
A meal, huh? Given my current state, that was welcome news, but still… Why am I here?
I glanced at Ateol, who grinned as if he had been waiting for the question.
* * *
