Chapter 85

Rodella Syveric had been chosen as the next Chancellor, and with Royden gaining momentum, the Emperor would soon begin suppressing the noble faction.

There was no way he would come out of that unscathed.

That would mean losing everything.

Even if there was fierce opposition, if he could become the master of the Empire and sweep away the opposition, he could still have half of the Empire.

Would he settle for half, or lose it all?

The answer was clear.

He had to make even a handful more his own.

“I… I have another plan,”

It was then that Ryan spoke up.

At the word “plan,” Duke Benerix let out a mocking laugh.

“If it’s anything as pathetic as this cult business, I’ll gladly vacate my seat.”

He gestured toward the chair that Malik Bran should have been occupying.

“No!”

Ryan shook his head violently, almost convulsively.

Then he began to explain in detail.

At first, Duke Benerix seemed to dismiss it, but soon tilted his head in interest.

He had thought of Ryan as a disposable piece, someone he couldn’t use as a loyal subordinate.

But this plan… wasn’t it more useful than expected?

“Go ahead with that,”

Of course, one plan alone wasn’t enough.

The Duke intended to add his own secret plan on top of Ryan’s.

One that could completely flip the board.

He smiled.

Fatigue must have truly built up in her body, or perhaps her condition had been more serious than expected, because Rodella slept like a log afterward.

The moment she closed her eyes, she would fall asleep, and she repeated the cycle of eating, lying down, and sleeping several times.

In her dreams, Ameris’s proposal, the sight of Aivert just before she collapsed, and the fleeting faces of the Royden people all blurred together, confusing dream and reality.

Maybe that’s why—when she saw Aivert leaning against the door of her hospital room—she thought it was a dream.

“…?”

Rodella stared at him blankly for a moment.

She’d dreamed so many times of him walking into her hospital room, imagined it so often—

She truly thought it was a dream.

But unlike in the dreams where he strode in without hesitation, the real Aivert just stood there, looking at her.

The angled, square-shaped sunlight cast from the window lit the floor before his feet.

His blond hair gleamed faintly in the clear light, just at the edge of the sunbeam.

Even with their eyes locked, he didn’t move.

As if waiting for permission to approach.

He hadn’t even been like this during their academy days, and today he felt like someone entirely unfamiliar—carrying a strange scent and mood.

That’s when Rodella realized this wasn’t a dream.

“Aivert?”

She called his name, and only then did Aivert speak.

“Did you sleep well?”

She hadn’t, really, but she gave a vague nod.

Was it because the air outside had grown colder while she lay in bed? Or perhaps—

“He chose a direct confrontation after ten years as head of the family.”

Maybe it was because she’d heard things like that.

He seemed off today, different from usual. He stared quietly at her again and asked, “How do you feel?”

“I’m okay.”

The answer came out reflexively.

After a brief pause, Aivert said, “You must’ve been really scared.”

It sounded like a question, but he already knew the answer.

Of course she had been scared.

But even before she could answer, Rodella realized—

He looked even more afraid than she was.

He must’ve worried a lot.

Not just fearing for her death, but also because Aivert—

He knew her past.

He couldn’t help but understand her better than anyone else.

The moment she was captured and saw that dark space, he must have recalled the incident at the academy. She just knew.

“I was scared.”

So she answered honestly.

Since he already knew how terrified she was, no need for more explanation, no need to revisit that memory.

Now slightly calmer, she continued.

“But I felt safe once you came.”

Their eyes met.

“That’s when I finally felt like I was alive.”

And even now.

Rodella swallowed the rest of her words.

The strange tension that had filled her began to ease when she saw his face.

When she heard he’d gone to the western island, her first thought had been whether he was safe.

Now, seeing him stand there without a scratch, she finally felt at peace.

Even though she knew he rarely got hurt, she still worried.

Maybe it was because he never seemed to care about his own body.

Even before she joined the Azure Knights, he was always in accidents.

He’d nearly been crushed under collapsing buildings, and injuries were common.

So he had grown desensitized to pain.

He never spoke of his wounds until they were healed. That’s why the last time, seeing him injured with her own eyes was the first.

Being apart made her worry even more.

That he might get hurt far away. That he’d pretend he was fine, like last time.

That she, unaware of his wounds again, would treat him indifferently.

“I can’t ask you to stay by my side forever, but…”

She wanted to say, “Don’t get hurt somewhere I can’t see.”

But before she could finish, Aivert cut her off.

“I will. I’ll stay by your side.”

Rodella laughed.

“There are so many people in the Empire who want you.”

‘You always say you’ll give me everything I want.’

‘Even though you must’ve known what it would cost Royden, still.’

Her heart ached again.

But Aivert shook his head, without a moment’s hesitation.

“If I want to stay by your side, what does it matter?”

Ah.

Those firm words pierced her strangely deeply.

And when he stepped closer—

With every step he took toward her, her heart pounded loudly.

Too fast—no, he was getting too close, too quickly.

Thump-thump. Her heart raced louder.

Rodella waved a hand.

“Anyway, I’m fine, so don’t worry.”

By then, Aivert had reached the edge of her bed.

His cool hand touched her forehead.

“Fever?”

She felt like she could hear his voice from just before she lost consciousness.

“I’m fine now.”

When he smiled, he finally looked like the friend she knew.

Rodella patted the bed beside her.

“Sit.”

Aivert sat next to her without complaint and said, “Your personal servant will be replaced.”

Personal servant? Ah.

Rodella recalled Rodin’s troubled face and shook her head.

“That wasn’t Sir Rodin’s fault.”

Aivert frowned at that.

“I left him to protect you when I couldn’t be here.”

His voice was calm, but firm. Rodella shook her head.

“I was the one who told him to leave. He wanted to stay.”

It wouldn’t be fair if someone was punished for doing exactly what he was told.

Rodella gently tapped his arm.

“It was an accident, just an accident.”

“He was supposed to prevent that accident—”

Rodella raised a finger to her lips.

“Don’t. Or I’ll feel guilty toward Sir Rodin.”

She meant it. It would be heartbreaking for someone to suffer for doing nothing wrong.

“….”

Aivert stared at her, then brushed his bangs back.

“…Right. You always gave people chances—even me.”

At that, Rodella tilted her head.

It seemed like he was about to say more, but he fell silent.

An awkward quiet settled in the hospital room.

Has she ever felt this kind of awkwardness with him?

Even when they first met at the academy, the atmosphere hadn’t been like this.

Both she and Aivert seemed unable to say what they really wanted to, as if some massive wall stood between them.

Aivert might not have known, but Rodella did.

And after hesitating, she finally spoke.

“Things got crazy while I was gone, didn’t they?”

Aivert had gone to the western island himself, Royden’s hidden forces had been exposed to the Empire, and the noble faction had tried to tear them apart over it all. Calling it just “crazy” didn’t quite do justice, and she felt sorry for saying it so simply.

But even so, Aivert seemed to understand exactly what she meant.

“…Yeah, kind of.”

After a short pause, he answered.

“Kind of?”

Rodella asked incredulously, and Aivert laughed silently.

“Okay, not kind of. A lot.”

He leaned back against the headboard and said, “The island—I took care of it.”

As if he were confessing to a misdeed.