Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“No. I will follow Your Majesty.”

“Did I ever say that I’m going to die? When I’m away, protect her instead.”

Declan clicked his tongue.

“Let’s see. Brother should check if Chloe is injured.”

As he looked at me, I once again recalled the jar of black smoke. Since Declan became a swordmaster, he has never been injured. Even when he went to war. Isn’t it a little strange that a story that wasn’t in the original happened?

‘Is it a side effect of me possessing the doll?’

Since me possessing the doll was not in the original novel, it may have altered the storyline like a butterfly effect…

‘It’s a big problem for Declan to get hurt.’ Fortunately, he didn’t get hurt much today, but I couldn’t predict what else would happen next in the future.

‘The black smoke is still on my mind. There was no mention of the black smoke in the original novel at all.’

While continuing to worry about that issue, someone opened the door and entered the room.

“Your Majesty, are you all right?”

Mason approached with a surprised face.

“Why is everyone so fussy with a piece of pottery?”

“I heard that you got treatment because you’re bleeding.”

“What blood? It’s just a little bit of scratch.”

Mason looked at him with disbelief and came closer to check. After seeing Declan’s wounds, he narrowed his eyebrows.

“Is this a scratch? You’ve cut yourself?”

When Mason said that, Declan made an annoyed expression.

“If Your Majesty collapsed, this empire would be in jeopardy.”

“You guys are too much. You and Noah both have too many useless worries.” Declan shook his head and glanced at me.

“Chloe, don’t you think so, too? They treat me like a paper doll.”

While complaining, Declan’s face was playful.

‘Anyway… If they are acting so surprised, does that mean he’s really injured?’

If he’s someone who gets hurt often, people wouldn’t be surprised this much. If he were injured while fighting an enemy, it would be understandable, but he shouldn’t get hurt now.

“How about the bruise? Are you comfortable moving?”

Mason looked at Declan with an anxious face.

“Stop it, now. More importantly, what about the maid from before.”

Mason tightened his chin with a face as if he knew this was coming.

“…I got a report of what happened. She was wrong, but it was a mistake. So, please be generous.”

“Ha, a mistake?”

Mason’s face darkened as Declan twisted his mouth. “The maid said that it was because she was nervous to see Your Majesty that she didn’t greet the doll.”

“That’s an insignificant excuse. The maid fainted, and the jar fell, so she committed a felony for trying to assassinate the emperor.”

“Your Majesty, that’s far-fetched.”

“Why? Do you want to say that it was my fault that the maid passed out?”

“Isn’t that true? Even the light in Your Majesty’s eyes is enough to bring people to fear.”

‘That’s right.’ I strongly agreed with his words.

“Hah, it’s ridiculous. Then, did the maid say that was why she fainted?”

“She was very nervous, but she felt like someone suddenly hit her…”

“Now, she’s doing it. She is even making an excuse.” Declan gave an absurd look.

‘Ah, did I move?’

It was only then that I remembered moving my arm while struggling. I stared straight down at the white and smooth hands of the doll.

‘I had my hand on Declan’s cheek a while ago as well.’

At that time, I wanted to comfort him, and my arm abruptly moved. This time, I moved desperately, thinking that I wanted to live.

‘Can I move if I earnestly hope so?’

I was contemplating how to move.

‘This is not urgent. If I do something now, he might be punished in my stead.’

Am I really getting punished? Since the doll hasn’t been hurt, wouldn’t that mean it was all right for me to do so? However, that hope was broken the moment I saw Declan. There was obviously anger on his face.

‘There is no way to save him.’

If he dies because of me, I would suffer from guilt all my life. ‘What should I do? How can I stop it?’ No matter how much I thought about it, there was no way to communicate with Declan.

“It didn’t seem like the maid was lying.”

Declan laughed at Mason’s answer.

“Your Majesty, I apologize, but the maid had served Her Highness the Princess for a long time. During that time, she worked without any problems.”

Noah also carefully took sides.

“Once I started letting things slide, they would think it’s okay to make a mistake. Then, Chloe could get hurt.” Mason’s and Noah’s faces darkened at the resolute words.

“Moreover, the maid ignored Chloe.”

As he continued, I became more and more anxious.

“I have to show an example.”

“Do you intend to banish her from the Imperial Palace?”

“She did it because she was afraid of me, right? I have to show what’s really scary. Don’t you think so?”

Declan seemed to have no intention of sparing her.

‘I’m trying to save you, so you’re not supposed to be doing this either!’ I have to stop him somehow. I have to tell him not to do it!

‘Please, let me move.’

Begging for God’s mercy, I prayed earnestly and concentrated all my strength and nerves on my right hand.

Like before.

Body.

Please move like before.

“Both the maid and the servant…”

Tuk! Suddenly, he stopped talking, and Declan slowly looked down at me.

“…Chloe?”

“What’s wrong, Your Majesty?” Mason cautiously asked after his strange behavior.

“Did you see it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Chloe moved.”

“What?”

Mason’s face was stained with embarrassment. Noah’s expression wasn’t much different.

“The doll seriously struck my arm.”

“Well, Your Majesty. I wonder if you’re mistaken.” Mason said, trying to manage his facial expressions.

“No. She definitely hit me.”

Mason and Noah were embarrassed, not knowing how to react to the conviction.

‘I really moved.’ While they were talking, I stared at my hand in a daze. The movement was weak, but if the other person could detect it, that was more than enough. My heart was overwhelmed by the fact that with ray of hope I just discovered.

“The last time it wasn’t an illusion?”

While confused, anticipation rose slightly in Declan’s eyes.

“What did you feel last time?” Mason questioned, tilting his head.

“In the greenhouse, Chloe hit me on the cheek.”

“Yes? Your Majesty’s cheek?”

He was surprised and opened his eyes wide.

I stuck my tongue out at Declan’s choice of words.

“I was hit by Chloe for the first time then.”

Noah, watching him closely, hesitantly asked. “Your Majesty… are you sure you’re all right?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t you think that you’ve seen a ghost from time to time?”

“What?”

“It doesn’t make sense that Her Highness moved. Maybe you were shocked by the impact on your head…”

Noah glanced at Declan and blurred his words.

“You don’t believe me?” He frowned.

“Then, do you believe me?”

As Mason didn’t hide his absurdity, Declan peered at him dully.

“Chloe, both of them don’t believe in you, so move again.”

Why should I?

‘It’s difficult enough to move my hand once. I have to attract the energy of the whole universe.’

As I wasn’t moving, Declan’s eyes narrowed to slits. He had been silent for a while. He opened his eyes wider to see if a fine movement had happened.

“If you don’t move, I’ll execute the maid and the servant.”

Mason and Noah looked flustered at his words.

It was a word that I couldn’t tell if it was a joke or a serious one. Fear settled in me. ‘Is he playing with people’s lives right now?’ Declan was certainly the tyrant of the era. Such a tyrant who wields a knife as if eating, and now even threatens.

“Mason, Chloe didn’t move, so the maid and attendant…”

He slowly spoke to Mason without taking his gaze away from me.

‘Ah. Fine! I got it!’ Terrified, I lamented and concentrated the nerves on my hands.

Tuk.

My right hand struck Declan’s arm.

Declan, threatening me to move, said nothing for a while as I really moved. However, soon, a soft smile of unknown meaning was visible on his face.

“Did you see it?”

He asked towards Mason and Noah, who made puzzled faces.

“What do you mean?”

“Chloe just moved.”

The two tilted their heads.

“I’m looking at Your Majesty…” As Mason gazed at Noah with his words obscurely, he shook his head.

“You mean, both of you didn’t see it?”

Declan raised one eyebrow and made an unpleasant expression.

“Anyway, for now, I’m the only one who needs to know.”

As he spoke softly, Mason and Noah briefly exchanged their gazes with each other.

“So, Your Majesty, what are you going to do with the punishment of the maid and the servant?”

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