When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 95

Turning Away (94)

Kaver chewed his lip anxiously as he looked at Railey, who was asleep in the carriage.

Even Ren had lost his physical form, likely due to Adel’s influence.

“This is driving me crazy.”

The trade with the Pheroponsia Kingdom had been established as desired.

Hugging Railey, who still hadn’t regained consciousness, Kaver lowered his head and held her tighter.

“Please, please…….”

He thought everything was going as planned.

But then, something unexpected happened. Railey was barely managing shallow breaths, her face pale and her eyes closed.

Kaver quickly took out a book he had brought from the Pheroponsia Kingdom and began to read.

It contained information about the Trailla family, but only explanations of opposing forces and their abilities were mentioned.

He needed to return to the Imperial Palace quickly.

If the instability was due to the disappearance of what had been problematic in the contract, then he would just break the contract altogether.

Kaver forced himself to use his mana to create a magic circle.

The carriage sped towards the Imperial Palace.

* * *

Haban rushed out, surprised by the Imperial carriage’s unexpectedly quick return.

“There’s no reason for the carriage to be coming so urgently…….”

Could something have gone wrong?

He quickly approached the carriage. As the door opened, Kaver’s face, looking as if he was about to burst into tears, came into view.

“Your Highness?!”

Railey, cradled in his arms, was seen along with Haban’s surprised voice.

“I’m going to end the contract, so prepare immediately.”

Kaver held her in his arms and headed straight to his room.

Haban, who had been staring blankly at the two, drew his sword from the carriage and quickly followed.

‘This is a disaster, I need to inform His Majesty, but there won’t be time.’

He was in a state where he would behead anyone who didn’t act immediately.

Haban immediately took out the contract that Kaver had hidden. Outside the door, voices calling for Kaver were heard amidst the sudden situation.

“Your Highness! Please open this door!”

The Imperial Guards desperately knocked and appealed.

They had also seen Railey unconscious. She was the Empire’s sword and an important person.

Even though she had been appointed as the Crown Prince’s escort knight, acting recklessly was not allowed.

As soon as he returned to the Royal Palace, the Crown Prince had to report on his and Railey’s safety.

“If you continue like this, we will have no choice.”

The Imperial Guard raised their voices with a slightly agitated tone.

Kaver looked at Haban at their voices. He stood before Railey, holding the contract in his hand.

“Your Highness. If we continue like this…….”

Haban stared at Kaver with a worried tone.

“I will go.”

Eventually, he seemed to have made up his mind and approached the door. The only way to resolve this situation was to go to the Emperor and explain the situation.

“Even if you go, the situation won’t change.”

“I know. But at least I can buy some time, can’t I.”

The sound of knocking on the door grew more violent.

Kaver stopped reading the contract and nodded to Haban.

“And I will go alone.”

Haban was worried about the Imperial Guard following him.

At his words, Kaver raised his hand to stop any other movement.

“……Were you planning to have them follow me if I hadn’t said anything?”

“Of course.”

“Do you know what that means?”

Kaver continued to read the contract with a fairly indifferent attitude at Haban’s horrified expression.

“Your Highness!”

Kaver frowned and said quietly to Haban, who was getting angry.

“I can’t stand seeing my people get hurt.”

“But still……!”

“Don’t worry. I know what you’re worried about; it won’t happen.”

Haban couldn’t bring himself to utter the word ‘treason’.

His shock was brief, and he inhaled sharply at the sound of violent banging on the door, as if they were about to break it down.

“I will go carefully. I don’t know how His Majesty will take it.”

“He knows I’m a bad son anyway, so don’t worry.”

Kaver smiled and looked at Haban.

With his gesture, the Imperial Guard appeared. Arhin and Verne nodded as they looked at Haban standing in front of the door.

“Don’t worry about here, just take care of yourself.”

“I’m worried about myself too.”

Haban looked at the door and took a deep breath.

“The moment I go out, close the door and guard it.”

“Why are you worrying about that? We’re good at causing trouble and running away anyway, so just persuade His Majesty well.”

Arhin scoffed and grabbed the doorknob.

Haban shook his head at Arhin, who was joking even in this situation.

“Well, then. Good luck.”

As the door opened quickly, Haban was pushed out by Arhin’s hand.

“By the way, Your Highness. Do you know how to break the contract?”

“If I knew that, I wouldn’t be staring at the contract so intently.”

At Kaver’s words, the Imperial Guard’s expressions hardened rapidly.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just go to His Majesty and beg? Isn’t that what you promised Railey?”

“He’s already postponed the promise once. I want to trust my father too, but…….”

He swallowed his words as he looked at Railey lying with a pale face.

‘There’s no guarantee that Father will keep his promise in a situation where Railey is unconscious.’

He had already taken the contract away because he didn’t trust him.

It was something he had prepared for just in case, but he never expected it to turn out like this.

Now that it has come to this, he had to solve it himself.

Since the contract was already broken, there would be nothing his father could do.

“Then, can’t we just tear it up?”

Verne, who had been quietly guarding the door, stroked his chin and looked at Railey.

“……Surely, you’re not seriously listening to him, are you?”

Arhin was startled by Verne’s words and fixed his gaze on the contract in Kaver’s hand.

Kaver grabbed the ends of the contract with both hands, as if he was really contemplating it.

“Maybe, that might be a good idea too.”

“Your Highness!”

Kaver leaned back in his chair at Arhin’s urgent shout.

“I was just kidding.”

Railey, lying on the bed, was still motionless. Only shallow breaths could be heard, as if she was just in a deep sleep.

Kaver groaned as he looked at Railey’s name and the Emperor’s name written on the contract.

“What on earth should I do…….”

He clutched his head as he looked at the sword neatly placed next to her.

* * *

Haban calmed the Imperial Guards who were about to rush in outside the door.

“First, let’s go to His Majesty.”

“We must first confirm the safety of Lady Railey.”

“I will report it myself.”

The Imperial Guards exchanged glances and sheathed their swords.

They couldn’t act rashly because Haban was usually favored by His Majesty.

“Can you take responsibility?”

“Of course, but I’ll have to see.”

Haban nodded as if he was determined at the Imperial Guard’s words.

“Anyway, there’s no point in opening that door and going inside; it won’t be good for you. The situation will only get worse, so you can all guess what will happen next, right?”

“That’s…….”

Eventually, the Imperial Guards gave way to Haban.

“Some of you stay. I will accompany Lord Haban.”

The captain of the Imperial Guard, who had climbed up directly because there was no news after some time, ordered.

Haban slowly moved towards the audience chamber with him.

‘I don’t know how His Majesty will react.’

He couldn’t predict his future at all. He just hoped that Railey would open her eyes and appear with Kaver while he was talking to His Majesty, no matter what.

Finally, in front of the audience chamber, Haban slowly took a breath.

“How is His Majesty’s mood?”

He asked the captain of the Imperial Guard before opening the door and going inside.

“You’ll know when you go in.”

Haban clicked his tongue as he looked at him, who didn’t change his expression at all.

Are there only people without emotions here?

In the end, he had no choice but to enter the audience chamber without any information.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor.”

“You’re here sooner than I expected.”
Haban’s hands were sweating at the Emperor’s sharp voice.

The person who made him nervous with just one voice. The Emperor was endlessly kind, but he was also someone who could stab you in the back if things went wrong.

He stared silently at Haban.

With suffocating silence, the Emperor’s golden eyes stared at him.

Haban couldn’t bring himself to look up.

He felt a cold gaze along with the oppressive feeling pressing down on him.

“Well, let’s hear your flattering words.”
The Emperor’s twisted mouth seemed to show his emotions.

“Raise your head and speak.”

“……Your Highness.”
Haban closed his eyes tightly.

“He is trying to keep the promise that His Majesty could not keep.”

“I did not keep the promise.”
The Emperor began to laugh at Haban’s words.

“Your Majesty is the foundation of governing the Empire and the guide who leads us on the right path.”

“Are you rebuking me now?”
The Emperor’s face darkened as he quickly erased his smile.

“I’m just saying that Your Highness is not doing anything wrong, but doing the right thing. So I hope that Your Majesty will respect Your Highness’s choice.”

“Lady Railey’s condition is not very good, I see.”
Haban nodded at the Emperor’s words.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t trust me as a father, but isn’t it quite sad that you don’t have faith in me as an Emperor?”
Haban hurriedly opened his mouth with a look of realization.

“That’s not it. Just!”

The Emperor jumped up from his seat and came down from the platform.

“Guide me. I must keep what I have said. Shouldn’t the weight of the words spoken by the Emperor of a country be taken so lightly?”

“Yes?”

“Bring Lady Railey to the Aperio Palace.”

“Does that mean…….”

Haban jumped up from his seat.

“If you want to break the contract, you must bring her quickly.”

Haban quickly left the audience chamber at the Emperor’s words. He didn’t know why the Emperor had made up his mind, but he had to act before his mind changed.

The Emperor smiled faintly as he watched Haban rushing out.

“Now, it seems like it’s time to give up my seat.”

The Emperor headed to the Aperio Palace with the captain of the Imperial Guard who was waiting.