When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 71

“Sister, please, just say something.”

“It’s no use. It will only provoke her.”

Ren frowned, looking at Railey, who stood motionless.

“Why is Ren okay?”

“I don’t know either.”

If Railey had lost her ego, I should have as well. The contract was fully completed and perfectly concluded.

“They said they saw a black aura back then.”

“That’s not my aura.”

Kaver shouted, frustrated.

Clearly, the red light from her body met Railey’s blue light and formed it. The problem is, where did it come from?

“Any guesses?”

There was one place.

But there was only suspicion, no evidence.

“Is it that woman’s doing?”

As soon as Ren heard the color red, she thought of her too. But when?

“I should have noticed when she came to the palace the day before.”

Kaver resented himself for not doing anything until things got to this point.

“What does His Majesty say?”

Kaver shook his head at Leta’s words.

Perhaps his father had foreseen this.

“Is Haban still on it?”

It had already been a week since he had ordered him to find out about Princess Adel. If Haban couldn’t find any information, no one else would be able to.

He was competent and knew all the information in the empire.

“One good thing is that this is in my hands.”

Kaver took out the contract he had hidden deep in the drawer and held it up.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a contract with the Imperial Family.”

It was a contract with the Trailla family seal and the Imperial seal stamped on it, preserved by magic for a long time. And finally, Kaver figured out how to break the contract.

“My father probably doesn’t even know it’s gone.”

He made an exact copy of this and put it in its place, so he wouldn’t notice for a while.

“Then break the contract right now!”

Leta jumped up from her seat and said to Kaver.

“Leta, that’s dangerous.”

“Why? If you break the contract, won’t my sister be free? Maybe she’ll find her ego again.”

That was just a hypothesis.

“If she doesn’t belong to the Imperial Family, everyone will covet Railey.”

“We can protect her in the Trailla family.”

“Leta, don’t forget. If Railey can’t find her ego, the Trailla family won’t be able to exist properly either.”

It was obvious that it would be divided and damaged by power. Above all, would the Emperor give the best card to others?

Even if he was an emperor who loved his son, he was a monarch who thought about the interests of the empire.

If other countries find out about this, a big deal will happen around Railey, let alone war.

“I may be able to handle the aura, but it would be difficult if Railey became an enemy.”

He would never be able to stand up to her.

He would rather be cut by her sword than point a sword at Railey.

“Then what should we do?”

“We have to find a way…….”

Neither Kaver nor Ren could easily come up with an answer. Nothing had a right answer.

I just hoped she would come back soon.

“Railey, you should go in and rest.”

Kaver said to Railey, who looked a little haggard.

She got up from her seat and asked him again.

“Are you telling me to wait outside?”

“No, you can go back to your room.”

“I am a sword, so I don’t need to rest. I’ll stay here.”

Railey stood in front of the door, staring ahead without focus. Her face, without any expression, had no vitality.

“……That’s an order. Go back to your quarters and rest.”

Kaver swept his hair back.

She didn’t listen unless it was an order. Ren followed Railey and patted Leta’s shoulder once.

“Then I’ll wait in my quarters.”

Only coolness remained in the imperial palace, where warm sunlight had permeated.

* * *

“I don’t want to.”

“We have decided to trade with the kingdom, so we must show this much sincerity.”

“Father!”

Kaver jumped up from his seat and raised his voice.

The Emperor took a sip of tea with an indifferent expression and looked at Railey, who was standing behind Kaver.

“You’re still the same.”

“What does she have to do with this?”

“If Princess Railey had completed the contract perfectly, she would have become the head of the Trailla family.”

“That is a promise you must keep.”

“But you can’t make a puppet the head of the family.”

Kaver clenched his fist at the Emperor’s words.

Even if he glanced back, there was no change in Railey’s expression. She just looked like a statue standing in her place.

“Princess Adel must be involved.”

“So, did you find any evidence?”

“I’ll find it soon.”

“Son, don’t you know that the princess you loved is already gone?”

The Emperor shook his head, displeased.

Railey, who had lost her ego, was nothing more or less than a weapon. It is just a dangerous tool to give to others.

“What if her ego comes back?”

“I’ll do as I promised.”

“Do you think she’ll let it go even if she knows this?”

“A wise child will understand.”

Letting go of her with a sword in her hand was also dangerous for the empire. Even if Railey questioned him later, the Emperor would not regret this moment.

Because he would have made the choice he had to make as a monarch.

“So, do as I tell you now.”

The Emperor sighed deeply as he watched Kaver leave.

“I invited you to the palace tomorrow, so be aware of that and be there on time.”

He said to his son, who didn’t even look back.

Railey bowed to the Emperor and quickly followed Kaver.

Kaver’s steps, which had headed straight to the garden because he was frustrated, slowed down.

“Walk next to me.”

“No.”

Railey stepped back as Kaver slowed down. She followed him exactly one step behind, matching his pace.

“……There are many guards in the garden besides you, so come next to me.”

Kaver stopped and stared at Railey.

Her eyes blinked slowly.

“Is that an order?”

“……Yes, that’s an order.”

Only then did Railey stand next to Kaver and start walking side by side.

“I did a lot of things here.”

Everything came back vividly, from holding hands, kissing, and smiling at him.

Kaver was going crazy because he wanted to see Railey, who was shyly blushing.

They had just opened up to each other.

He was going to confess properly after finishing everything Railey wanted.

“Did you run away because you thought I might do that?”

“Who ran away? Should I go get them?”

Railey grabbed her sword as if she was about to go get them right away.

“Still, I’m glad you’re by my side.”

Kaver was disgusted by himself for trying to be satisfied with the current situation. He was only thinking selfishly when he didn’t know what Railey was experiencing in there.

A self-deprecating smile appeared on its own.

“It’s terrible.”

Railey might despise herself if she knew.

Kaver turned his gaze from the darkening sky to Railey.

“Are you happy to be by my side too?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. If Your Highness tells me to, I will say yes.”

Kaver’s expression crumbled at Railey’s answer, which didn’t contain any emotion.

It would be better to get angry and show her emotions that she didn’t like.

It’s better to receive hateful feelings than to feel nothing.

“I’ll definitely put you back in your place.”

Kaver hugged Railey and buried his face in her shoulder.

Railey paused at his actions and then pushed Kaver away.

“……Railey?”

“I don’t know what it is, but this seems like a dangerous action.”

“Dangerous.”

Railey put her hand on her heart with a blank expression.

“Something is wrong here.”

Even with her stiff tone and expressionless face, Railey instinctively pushed him away because of her pounding heart.

She didn’t know why it was beating or what this feeling was, but she felt a rejection because her body seemed to be getting strange.

“So, I hope you refrain from doing this in the future.”

Kaver flashed a look at Railey’s sword.

It seemed that he had a different idea than Railey’s wish.

Maybe there’s a way to get her back sooner.

‘If that’s the case, I should agree too.’

Ren watched the whole situation from the sword and nodded.

Railey clearly doesn’t have an ego, but the feelings and memories she felt seemed to remain in her body and be stored.

So, if they try to revive that part, there is a high probability that the ego sealed by mana will awaken.

“What should I do? I think I’ll have to do more in the future.”

Kaver said to her as if he was determined, looking at Railey, who had taken a step back.

The two people’s currents were tightly connected as if they would never back down.

Perhaps if Princess Adel comes tomorrow, there will be a better chance.

The strongest stimulus will be to recall the memories she was unpleasant with.

For example, what happened a while ago, or an action that left a strong impression on her.