Murderous Emperor’s Inconvenient Behavior

“Ugh!”

Claire sprang awake, her eyes wide open. Her heart was racing madly.

In her dream, she had seen it plainly. She was responsible for the scar on his cheek.

That’s when he attempted to save Claire from the monster.

“Are you going to keep lying here?”

A voice could be heard above her head.

Claire blinked her eyes shut, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

It was too dark to recognize anything around her before she realized it.

She could see her surroundings thanks to a few scattered lamps.

Claire was tucked in Eiden’s arms, reclining on a garden chair.

“Aah, I’m sorry!”

She started, frightened, and pushed him away fast. She glanced at Eiden’s scar, attempting to calm her racing heart.

A scar ran from his left cheekbone to his jawline.

That was undoubtedly the wound he had received while attempting to save her.

She seems to comprehend now. His beautiful face was disfigured as a result of her, and he swore to murder her if they met again.

Wasn’t that the case? Claire’s muddled recollections perplexed her. But why would he threaten to murder her if not for that?

It was during a time when Claire was at a loss for what to do,

“Why are you so surprised? Because I was holding the lady?”

He spoke, having been looking at her.

She had just been in the arms of the guy who had threatened to murder her, she realized. She had to be completely insane.

“To avoid confusion, you were the one who snuggled up first.”

“…!”

“I couldn’t possibly just push you away, could I?”

He grinned as he said this.

Claire took a deep breath and swallowed. His cheeky yet scary smile belie his age.

He wasn’t typically this way…

What should I say?

He appeared to be different when she fainted and awoke.

“I was worried when you passed out for so long… I even considered kissing you.”

Claire hastily covered her lips, her eyes wide open. Her heart pounded even faster at the possibility that she may have been kissed if she hadn’t woken up.

A kiss from a man who had endangered her life!

“They say you have to kiss a sleeping beauty in order to wake her up.”

Her arm began to tingle. Despite his terrible remark, his countenance remained unchanged.

Claire was perplexed. She couldn’t figure out why a man who should have chopped her throat with a sword when she awoke was speaking in this manner.

“Lady?”

He cocked his head with a smile since she couldn’t talk and merely gazed at him with wide eyes.

She couldn’t get used to it. Why was he acting this way?

“Ah.”

She then realized.

She met him three years ago. And, as he recently disclosed, he was also the empire’s ruler.

He was looking at her as a dignified woman, not the Claire he had met previously.

He couldn’t identify her as Claire since she was disguised as Alicia.

“Haah.”

Claire exhaled a sigh.

He’s being so nice to her since he has no idea that the woman in front of him is the one who caused the scar on his face.

“Lady, are you really okay?”

“Ah, I guess I’m still a little out of it after fainting and waking up.”

Claire pretended to wipe her brow while secretly studying his complexion.

He sat like a statue, painstakingly made by a craftsman.

Indeed, he has no idea who she is.

Then she’ll have to keep it hidden till she dies. Claire fists were clenched.

“So, who exactly is the knight?”

Claire blinked innocently and brought up the discussion she was having before passing out.

“Eiden Lucas…”

“Oh my! You’re the Emperor!”

Claire leapt up from her chair, pretending to be astonished.

“…”

“I sincerely apologize for not recognizing you.”

Claire gracefully bowed her waist and stretched the skirt of her gown.

“Then, until we meet again…”

Claire began to back away gently.

However, someone yanked on the hem of her gown, almost forcing her to collapse.

Who was it? When she was attempting to flee. She bent her head to look for the person who was impeding her escape.

“Oh, you adorably cute little thing!”

Her face automatically curved into a grin.

The dog she had seen before was whining at her feet.

When the puppy noticed her stare, he rapidly stood up.

“Weren’t you leaving?”

The puppy wriggled as Claire touched it, as though it wanted to be hugged.

Eiden quietly clicked his tongue when he noticed this.

“Argh!”

The dog hissed at Eiden as if it had been waiting for her, then whined again at her touch. It went through the motions of snarling at Eiden and whining for her.

“What should we name you?”

“A name? Why should you name it? It must have an owner.”

His countenance shifted strangely, as if he had heard something absurd.

“Puppy, what’s your name?”

Claire, on the other hand, questioned the puppy while patting it.

“Koong.”

The dog sat down with its buttocks on the floor, as if it had been waiting to be called.

Claire returned her attention to the dog.

It had leaves and branches tangled in its soft hair, most likely from rolling about.

Claire removed the fur one by one to clean it up.

“He doesn’t have an owner yet.”

“Wouldn’t his mother be nearby then?”

“What if she’s not?”

“If she’s not… I guess he’ll go back to where he came from.”

He moaned in an unappealing tone.

“From what I can tell, this pup appears to have chosen you as its master.”

“What should I do, I can’t even raise him.”

Claire patted the dog, a sorry expression on her face. With its pink tongue, the dog licked her palm repeatedly.

She wished she could raise this adorable creature. But here was the royal palace, and she had come for the victory ball.

Furthermore, although appearing to be an aristocratic young girl on the surface, she was really a servant living off the family of a duke.

“You’re a good boy, Barbatos; perhaps we’ll meet in the next life.”

“Woof, woof.”

The dog responded by vigorously waving its fluffy tail, as if its name had been called.

“Barbatos? You named that mutt that?”

“Huh?”

“You just said it, ‘Barbatos.'” 

Eiden looked to Claire, who asked back with a bewildered expression.

“Did I really call him that?”

She did, after all, say ‘Barbatos’. Claire returned her gaze to the dog. Its dark, innocent eyes were fixed on her.

“Barbatos.”

That name came up again.

“You’re the forest hunter, Barbatos.”

“Woof, woof!” said the dog.

Barbatos, who appeared to be barking furiously as his name was shouted.

She had no idea why that name came to her mind. But the instant she uttered it, she knew that was the name of the puppy.

“What exactly does that mean?”

“…I’m not sure; it’s a name I saw in a book.”

She couldn’t, however, take Barbatos to the Duke’s residence. She stood up after regrettably touching Barbatos’ buttocks.

“I’ll remember to call your name the next time we meet; now go.”

Barbatos, his tail drooping, proceeded to the thicket from which he had fled at her instruction. But he didn’t go any farther, only staring at Claire with a sour expression.

Her heart hurt strangely. It was when she was looking at Barbatos blankly.

“By the way,”

Eiden took her attention away.

“I still haven’t heard the lady’s name.”

“Cl… No, my name is Alicia S…”

Claire took a big breath and was ready to disclose Alicia’s name when she almost divulged her true name.

“Alicia?”

Someone cried out to her from behind her.

Claire’s eyes turned black the minute she recognized the owner of that voice.

Duke Richard Nicholas Stanton.

Alicia’s elder brother had arrived in the garden to seek for her.

“Are you there, Alicia?”

Richard was creeping up on her.

Claire rolled her eyes, unsure what to do.

She regretted removing her veil as soon as she entered the garden. She’d be caught if she confronted Richard with her face uncovered.

“Alicia… Stanton, is that right?”

Eiden asked for confirmation, looking behind her.

“…It doesn’t suit her.”

Then he whispered, his eyes attentive.

Claire didn’t have time to be bothered by his statements. She had no idea how to cope with Richard just now, and her eyesight was clouded.

“Alicia, were you here? I was worried.”

Richard, who had approached, finally placed his hand on her shoulder. He squinted his eyes as he observed Eiden standing erect in front of them, as if attempting to figure out who he was. He soon mumbled in a horrified tone.

“You are…”

“…”

Eiden locked his gaze on Richard and covered his face with his mask.

“Richard Nicholas Stanton, I am pleased to meet the revered Emperor of Immortelle.”

Richard, who had hardly recovered from his amazement, politely bowed with an elegant movement.

“I’ve heard a lot about your reputation, Duke Stanton.”

“It’s an honor.”

Claire was thinking about how she might get out of this position as the two were talking.

“But why are you here, Your Majesty? And with my younger sister…”

Richard finally looked Claire in the eyes.

Richard’s gaze locked on Claire’s.

His eyes expanded for a split second.

It was all over.

Claire squeezed her eyes shut.

“…So you were with Alicia.”

Claire, on the other hand, widened her eyes wide in surprise at the words that followed.

Richard had a calm expression on his face as he looked at Claire.

“So, she’s your younger sister.”

“I’m not sure if Alicia has been a nuisance to you.”

“It was actually quite enjoyable.”

“Thank you.”

Eiden and Richard conversed as if they had known one other for years.

Claire, on the other hand, was on pins and needles.

Why is he claiming he doesn’t know? He must have understood I wasn’t Alicia.

Claire cast a sidelong glance towards Richard, who was speaking with Eiden.

Except for a brief hesitation right before, Richard showed no symptoms of mistrust.

“Your Majesty.”

An individual who looked to be an emperor’s attendant appeared from a distance.

“You have to attend the Victory Ball.”

“Hmm.”

“You’re running late, and the Grizemen side is concerned.”

“I see, I’ll see you at the ball, Duke Stanton, and Lady… Alicia as well.”

Eiden cast a peek towards Claire before nodding once.

“Where is the ball being held?”

“Are you going to be like… I mean, you’re not going in that appearance, are you?”

“Why not?” 

“Of course not; we’ve already prepared clothes for you.”

The emperor’s servant clenched his teeth and spoke slowly.

Buzz, buzz.

The sound of insects took over where their voices had vanished.

“Brother, shall we go in now?”

Claire took a step forward while lowering her veil.

“Shouldn’t we talk first? Pretending to be my sister while calling me her brother.”

“…”

Claire came to a halt when she heard the mocking voice.

“Turn around.”

She was caught. Claire turned around with a bent head.

“Pass the veil.”

“I’m truly sorry, Your Grace.”

Claire raised her veil obediently.

“Indeed… I could’ve been fooled even if you were Alicia.”

Richard, surprisingly, remained cool. He studied her look calmly, despite her expectation that he would be enraged.

“Who exactly are you?”

“I’m a maid working at the Duke’s house.”

“Of course you’re a maid. There’s no way my mother, who planned this, would bring in someone from outside. Tell me your name.”

Lady Stanton, Richard’s mother, was the originator of this tragedy, he recognized immediately.

“My name is Claire Mcllroy.”

“Claire?”

Richard’s eyes widened in astonishment, as if he hadn’t anticipated this.

“Are you Claire, the girl from Valles Monastery?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, I had no idea it was you, and to think you looked like Alicia…”

Richard’s attention returned to her.

“Did you wear the veil in order to deceive me?”