Chapter 30

I tried to deny it, but his hand relentlessly stroked my side, making it hard to concentrate. In the meantime, Tess drove his point.

“I will tell the Count. Euseniel will come to greet him.”

All these years we were separated, Tess became very manipulative. He knows how to lead the flow of the story the way he wants.

“Tell me why no one says anything after looking at your appearance. And let go of me.”

“Can’t we stay like this?”

I can feel the breath on the back of my head, it’s chilling. The hairs all over my body stand on edge, saying it wants to taste this feeling more, but-

“No.”

“How cold, Euseniel.”

Tess, grumbling, pulled away from me and clung to my side as I sat down. He tried to hug me by the waist, but when I glared at him, he got sullen.

It was just like when he was young, so I almost gave in.

“What the hell is going on?”

“This castle is like my body.”

Tess couldn’t erase his disappointed look, but he answered steadily.

“Once upon a time, the first Emperor synchronized the castle with his body to protect the castle more efficiently. It’s like a kind of oath passed down from generation to generation only to those who become Emperors.”

“What will happen if the castle is destroyed?”

“Well, the destruction of the castle does not mean that the Emperor will die. It’s more like the Emperor being able to control the castle at will.”

I carefully asked about the strange things I had felt since childhood.

“Is this why it becomes difficult to breathe when I enter the imperial palace?”

“Yes. Because it is my territory.”

This sounds like a big secret, but can he just let me know?

“It’s easy to deal with people who come into my territory.”

“… what?”

“For example, people who enter and leave the castle have different memories of me.”

So now, are you saying that you did a massive memory manipulation, kid?

“Is that possible? Because you are the Emperor, you can do everything?”

“Not necessarily. It is only possible if you have a high grip on the imperial palace, but among previous Emperors, there are only a handful of Emperors who can use this ability.”

“Really? Then what about me? Am I fine?”

“I have no intention of changing Euseniel’s memory, and you are half-elf. The method I used is close to being malicious, so it doesn’t work for the race called the children of light, such as elves and fairies. It causes self-defense.”

“Then what about my mother?”

“It won’t work for the Duchess either. I could do it if I wanted to, but I don’t want to do that.”

In other words, by command the servants enter the imperial palace. By the time those servants entered and left the imperial palace, their memories of the Emperor’s appearance had already changed.

If the Emperor asked them to enter the imperial palace, who could refuse?

“For example, when you ascend the throne, all the nobles must have come. To the imperial palace.”

“I guess so?”

Tess’ smile deepened.

“Then you changed everyone’s memories at that time…… is that what you were saying? So, even if it wasn’t necessarily during the coronation ceremony, you changed it that way when the opportunity arose?”

Apparently, my father also had his memory manipulated.

All the ruling class can be considered to have been manipulated, and it is enough if he does not reveal himself in front of the people.

…… The country is caught in a massive scam.

“Do you have any other questions?”

It seemed as if the long fingers were creeping up on the back of my hand, and then they intertwined my fingers. Every time a finger passed, it was accompanied by tickling and burning.

I felt like I would lose if I flinched here, so I stayed still. Instead, I stared at Tess, whose eyelashes were really long as he lowered his eyes in focus.

Even the shape of his slightly parted lips was perfect.

What the hell happened in 14 years?

Soon, a soft palm covered the back of my hand. I don’t think Tess will let go of my hand easily.

He raised my hand and brought it to his lips. Giving me a smile that no matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t get used to it.

I seemed to be able to remove my hand if I tried hard enough, but I decided to leave it for a while.

“Can’t you change my memory?”

“Why? Should I change it?”

“You know how crazy your appearance has changed, right?”

Looking closely at Tess’s face, I can see that the signs of his childhood are still there. The bridge of the nose that was high, or the clear lip line.

His habit of drooping his eyes slightly when he was depressed or lowering his gaze when he was embarrassed was still the same.

“That is, but.”

I could read the faint tremor in Tess’ voice.

To be honest, the fact that I was reincarnated was surprising, so Tess’ change is another surprise.

“Do you think I will be okay when I see you, who has changed from what I used to know?”

But I asked a mischievous question. It was a small revenge on the child who neglected me for a long time.

“You said you liked this look.”

Sure enough, Tess’s pupils began to quiver. It’s nice to see that none of these little habits have changed.

“Euseniel, you said you liked this look. Right?”

His voice and the fingertips he lifted were visibly shaking.

I thought I had thrown a small stone, but the ripples seemed to be bigger than expected, so I opened my mouth. I was trying to answer that it’s okay.

“Ugh.”

Tess hugged me first.

“Euseniel.”

The body of the man holding me till I suffocated was shaking.

Bang, bang!

Apparently there are no windows in the forbidden area, but I started hearing thunder in the distance. It didn’t look like it would rain today.

“Euseniel, do you hate me? You too, hate me because I changed?”

‘You too.’

I was wrong. It’s my fault.

What am I saying to someone who has been cast out by his appearance changing?

“No. I was trying to tell you that it doesn’t matter if you change your appearance.”

As I hugged him back and swept him, the shaking subsided. The arm that was holding me was also weak, so I pushed it away. I saw Tess, who was visibly relieved.

I felt guilty at his sudden pale complexion.

How can I treat a person who reacts immediately to my word or action? Even more so, when we were young, I liked Tess quite a bit.

Feeling sorry for his pale complexion, I stroked his cheek with the back of my hand, and a blush rose right away. He then gently squeezed my wrist and buried his lips in my palm.

“What happened to Lili Xuen?”

“Aahh.”

Tess said softly.

“She did something wrong. She dared to annoy Euseniel, she deserves death.”

“You can just punish her and be done with it.”

Tess didn’t answer and was intent on rubbing his lips on the palm of my hand. The area where Tess’s lips had passed was tickling, and my fingers twitched spontaneously as the heat seemed to radiate.

It’s a palm, but it’s a palm that’s hardened by holding a sword all the time, but it’s hot enough to make me question whether there was too much touch.

And even though Tess was just touching my palm with his lips, it seemed like he was coveting a more intimate part, so I couldn’t stand it.

I yanked my hand away

“Tessvalun.”

Despite calling in a deliberately stern tone, Tess was no longer taken aback.

He rather tilts his head to the side and smiles. Even though I know that this is Tess, he is so beautiful and fascinating that I forgot to take a breath.

The fingers that I thought were pretty at first glance wrapped around my cheeks lightly. To keep me from turning my head.

His red lips opened and he whispered to me in a soft tone.

“Kiss me. Then that girl, I’ll save her.”

My friend, who I thought was innocent, seems to be quite cheeky now.

When I was young, I taught him to have an upright and kind heart, but it seems to have been of no use at all. In this case, there is a way to respond.

I turned my head away from Tess and closed the book.

“Lili Xuen, do as you please.”

“Really?”

“Yes. But please don’t use me as an excuse.”

When I got up, Tess got up and followed me. After putting the book on the bookshelf, I turned around and said something clearly.

“I’m in a bad mood.”

I wondered if the disappointment would be vivid in his handsome face, and he hugged me again.

“Euseniel, are you offended? I’m sorry. I won’t kill that girl. So don’t hate me.”

In a whining tone.

“It’s my fault.”

The large hand covered my back and waist and started rubbing it gently.

“So don’t hate me.”

And the voice gets lower and lower.

“My Euseniel.”

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