I kept waking up and falling back asleep repeatedly. No matter how much I tried to regain consciousness, darkness was all there was. Moreover, a large hand was covering my eyes, so I couldn’t tell the time or whether Aeron had arrived.
“Rere, you’re beside me, right?”
However, I didn’t mind; the cool temperature soothed my eyes.
“Yes, I’m beside you.”
A soft yet clear voice responded. I could tell he had been awake the entire time just by listening.
“Why are you still awake? Did you have a nightmare again?”
“…”
Silence followed for a while.
“Master.”
“Hmm?”
“Why did you come to rescue me yourself? It was too dangerous.”
“Well…”
Ah, our Rere seems to want the reassurance of my affection. I thought of giving a splendid answer, but sleepiness simplified my thoughts.
“Because I care about you.”
After saying that, I lightly laughed. I had thrown that statement expecting Rere to scold me or complain, knowing it would provoke a sharp response. Sometimes, his reactions are quite cute. But then,
Is he asleep again?
There was no sound.
“Why aren’t you saying it was dangerous or reckless or something?”
“No.”
His response came after a long while. His voice, perhaps because I couldn’t see him, sounded unusually deep and calm.
“…Right. Master cares about me.”
Moreover, he agreed so calmly.
“By the way, has Aeron arrived?”
“Not yet.”
“…It seems to be getting late.”
“Yes. Please rest a bit more.”
It looked like the investigation was dragging on. Given the scale of the incident, it was bound to take time.
“Aeron must be tired too.”
Aeron and Irik were participating in that spot.
“It looks like Irik is in pain too, since he asked for ointment.”
Irik’s whining in the carriage crossed my mind.
“Well, it’s not like I need to worry about Irik being hurt.”
I quickly dismissed the thought. There was no reason for me to be concerned about Irik in the midst of all this.
“Were you always on bad terms?”
“With Irik?”
That unexpected question came from Rere. It was odd for him, who usually showed no interest in others.
“I’m not sure.”
In Siani’s memories, Irik had always been annoying from the start to the end…
“There were times I wanted to get along, but not anymore.”
The sweet and sour concept was somewhat cute at first, but that was only in the beginning.
“Now, I’m just bored of his antics, not really interested.”
“Ah… bored.”
“Anyway, since both of them are still in the investigation, they must be tired.”
Rere didn’t respond after that.
“I wonder if Vallentin, Inein, and Francis are okay. I had the doctors called to the castle just in case.”
In the heavy silence where only my voice seemed to echo,
“I am more hurt and more tired.”
Yes? I doubted my ears for a moment.
“So, please pay attention only to me now.”
Why is he acting like this? It wasn’t like Rere to whine. But the dry tone was unmistakably Rere’s. Maybe he was feeling weak because he was hurt.
“That’s why I’m here, staying by your side all night.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at how cute he seemed. I wanted to move his hand away and see his expression.
“You should sleep a bit more too. We’ll have to wait until Aeron arrives.”
“…Yes.”
His reply sounded somewhat heartbroken, not just a simple yes but a sorrowful one.
“What’s wrong? Did someone visit while you were asleep?”
My intuition was telling me.
“Did the temple servants say something foolish?”
It wasn’t just him being sullen; he seemed genuinely down.
“No.” Rere slowly answered. “Just feeling a bit sick.”
He must be referring to his injuries hurting…
But why does it sound like his heart is aching?
* * *
How long had I been asleep? When I opened my eyes, Rere was quietly sleeping beside me.
Oh my, he’s sleeping well, like a baby.
I recalled Aeron, who had been so adamantly against sharing a bed with Rere, arguing that Rere was a very strong (?) man. But why did he say that when Rere was sleeping just like an angel?
Did I hear wrong?
It felt like I had conversed with Rere in my half-asleep state… It seemed I had collapsed from exhaustion.
At least it’s somewhat calmer now.
I reached out to touch the area around Rere’s eyes. The redness and swelling that had been there seemed to have subsided significantly. I was so relieved it hadn’t turned into a burn…
“It should be about time for the investigation to end, so why hasn’t it yet?”
Looking out the window, deep darkness had settled in. Why hadn’t there been any contact from Aeron yet?
I can’t keep waiting here. This isn’t the time to be doing this.
I got up from the bed and tidied myself up. I was about to go out and ask the temple guards if anyone had visited and how the investigation was proceeding.
“…Hmm.”
But the thought of leaving Rere sleeping alone made me hesitate. What if he woke up and got scared because I wasn’t there?
Well, he’ll probably sleep for a while longer anyway.
It wouldn’t take too long.
“Sleep well, Rere.”
“…”
I carefully covered Rere with the blanket again and left the room. The sky looked like it might rain.
* * *
According to him, there seems to have been some commotion outside. I distinctly remembered hearing noises despite being half-asleep. Anyway, since the hunting competition had ended, I thought it was natural for there to be some disturbance outside. But.
“It’s too quiet.”
Contrary to Redian’s words, the surroundings of the temple were silent. The darkness made the corridors feel eerily cold. Just as I was feeling a bit spooked by the quiet.
“Goddess!”
“Ah!”
Suddenly, light burst forth, and a girl appeared before me.
“Your Royal Highness?”
To be precise, it was Royal Princess Moriana.
“I cam to see the Goddess!”
Her round, fair cheeks beamed at me.
“How did you get here… And without any guards around?”
But the problem was that Moriana was alone. For a young princess to be out at this time by herself, and how did she suddenly appear from nowhere?
“Shh! Uncle will scold me if he fin out!”
As Moriana clapped her small hands, my view shifted dramatically. This was the same magic the emperor had used on me at Ash’s welcoming party. Could it be again… I looked down at the small girl, thinking. Has the emperor changed again?
For now, I surveyed my surroundings. Although it was my first time inside the imperial family’s palaces, the overly flashy decor gave me a feeling, a feeling that… The empress’s palace.
Even if the world changed, I couldn’t be unfamiliar with this layout. After all, I had been the empress in a past life.
“Mother!” Moriana dashed into the inner chamber.
“No more games, Moriana.” A voice came from inside. “It’s time for you and the goddess to sleep.”
The Empress didn’t seem to notice me standing by the door. Naturally, who would expect their daughter to bring a stranger at this hour?
Anyway, it’s an opportunity.
I bowed my head. “Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress.”
“Oh my.” The woman’s voice carried a hint of surprise.
Vallentin’s antidote will finally come into play.
I had even seen Kairos, whose face was unknown to the people of this world. However, I had never seen the Empress, who had hidden herself away until now. I hadn’t expected to meet her, so this was quite fortunate.
“I was led here by Her Royal Highness…”
Thinking my possession had been quite lucky, I was about to raise my head when.
“I’m sorry, Princess. Moriana has been insisting all day to meet you.” The Empress walked towards me. “Ignoring my words, she eventually went to you. I’m afraid she has troubled you at such a late hour.”
The moment our eyes met.
What?
I didn’t see any sign of the skin disease that was supposed to have marred the empress’s skin.
“Lee Juyong?”
I recognized that woman’s face.
“…!”
The Empress’s composed expression wavered. Even though her appearance had adapted to this world, she was unmistakably recognizable. Because she resembled me so much.
“Why is my face here?” I murmured unconsciously.
“Do you know me?” The Empress quickly approached, grabbing my hand. “Could it be you’re also a possessor? You know me?”
“…I am a possessor, but.”
I was dumbfounded. I couldn’t account for how long I had lived or whose body I had possessed. But one thing was clear.
“I’m Lee Juyong?”
Lee Juyong was me. Thus, that face belonged to me, destined to be my original body.
“I am Lee Juyong.”
But the Empress, wearing the face of my previous life, claimed to be Lee Juyong.
Then… Who am I?
HUHHHHHHHHHHHH??!!!
WAIT WHATTTT
What the fuck? I did not expect that.
*cue surprised pikachu face