Chapter 77 Come To Me And Hide
‘…You can’t say no.’
In truth, Killion was skeptical. It had occurred to him that Jediel might be his child, but as with so many things in the world, he could not be certain.
But now, looking at Veronia, who was speechless, the answer was clear as day.
‘Jediel… was indeed my child!’
Killion’s red, sharp mouth drew a smooth arc. His heart pounded, his chest heaved with excitement. He wanted to run to her now, to tell her this, to wrap her in his arms and hold her tightly.
Wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of his hand, Killion slowly opened his mouth.
“I wasn’t sure, but… you were right, Jediel was mine and yours after all.”
“…You!”
Veronia was dumbfounded for a moment, realising that she had been caught in Killion’s trick question. The next moment, she was furious that she had been tricked.
Watching Veronia’s expression change, Killion continued.
“I had my suspicions. No matter how many times I was told that Jediel looked like me, or that he was four years older, or that his birthday was in April, I was never convinced.”
“…”
“But now I can be sure, thanks to you, Your Highness.”
Veronia felt incredulous and angry. Heat rushed to the corners of her eyes and her cheeks flushed.
She couldn’t believe Killion could be so cunning. She couldn’t believe she’d fallen for such a shallow trick.
She glared at Killion through clenched teeth. Reading Veronia’s thoughts, he spoke again.
“Don’t be so angry, Your Highness,” he said, “you’ve been deceiving me for the past five years, so it’s unfair of you to be so angry at me for being deceived once.”
“It’s not just once.”
Veronia’s gaze traveled to the piercing in Killion’s earlobe, and he smiled bitterly as he fiddled with it.
“Oh, right. There was that, too. Come to think of it, I’ve been deceiving you quite a bit myself.”
“…”
Killion didn’t like the resentful way Veronia was looking at him. His chest tightened.
“I had my reasons for my lies, Your Highness, so please don’t look at me as if you sick of them.”
“…”
“I did it because I couldn’t accept your death, and I wanted to find you. I didn’t want to miss you if I was lucky enough to stumble across you, so I did.”
His calm voice filled the room with silence. He hoped his words would reach her without any misunderstandings.
“I thought I could pretend to be deceived for the rest of my life if I could keep you by my side.”
“…”
“It didn’t matter if your name was Veronia or Nia, it didn’t matter if you were blonde or silver-haired, if you had scars or no scars, it just mattered that you were you.”
It was hard for Veronica to listen to this outpouring of one hundred percent purity. She wanted to run away, anywhere.
This was harder than dying, with all the secrets she’d been hiding, being laid bare in front of this man.
“Now I’m in the same boat. You come to me and hide. I will protect you and your secrets.”
“I can’t… I can’t do that, I can’t drag you into this, not ever, I’m leaving with Jediel, to a place where no one knows the Princess Veronia.”
Killion’s eyebrows arched at Veronia’s words. He shook his head and spoke, his voice still calm.
“The Empress is looking for a silver-haired healer. She originally ordered me to find it, but I’m sure she wouldn’t want me to bring you before the Emperor.”
“…”
“When I didn’t make a move, the Empress began to make her own. With the Imperial Knights out in force, it shouldn’t be hard to find a healer with silver hair, burn scars, and tattoos.”
“Why is the Empress looking for me?”
“She seems to think she needs someone to cover Caspian’s tracks.”
“Ah…”
Veronia understood immediately; their tactics were always the same. They always needed someone to cover their tracks.
Veronia pondered. It was dangerous if the Empress found her. Veronia knew the Empress’s temper, and she would do whatever it took.
Fearing that she was thinking of another escape, Killion spoke up to interrupt her thoughts.
“You will not be able to disguise your death again, Your Highness, you are no longer alone.”
“…”
“You don’t intend to fake your own death and keep your child in hiding for the rest of her life, do you?”
Veronia knew she couldn’t do that. She had enough hiding to do on her own. “I couldn’t put innocent Jediel through that,” she said, her voice almost pleading.
“So just let me go so I can run away.”
“What have you heard, Your Highness? The Empress is looking for a silver-haired healer, and she’s looking for you!”
Killion’s voice rose. The tears that had formed in the corners of Veronia’s eyes rolled back.
“Unless you’re going to change your appearance and name again in front of Jediel, you can’t run away anymore.”
“…”
Veronia chewed her lip. Once the tears began to flow, they continued for a while. Her throat closed up, and she couldn’t say anything.
“So come to me and hide, and I will protect you with my power, in the name of Killion Drea, just as you are. As a Nia. Come with Jediel. As the silver-haired healer and employee of the Matap Institute.”
“…That’s impossible. There’s no way that’s possible.”
Veronia’s voice finally came out. It was a shaky voice, full of water, but it was enough to get through to the Killion, Veronia thought.
“Why do you say no, Your Highness?”
“How can a commoner woman and her child be allowed into the Duke of Drea’s residence when they just appeared out of nowhere? How will you explain it to your godmother? To the palace? To the rest of the world?”
“I’ll tell them it was love at first sight, and that’s why I asked her to marry me.”
“…”
“We were never… meant to be married in the first place.”
It’s like we’re getting married now because they couldn’t five years ago. Killion said in a nonchalant tone. As if they were discussing the menu for lunch.
Veronia’s eyes widened. Are you kidding me? What kind of confidence does he have? Veronia was dumbfounded, and angry at Killion for making it sound so easy, as if it were no big deal, when it wasn’t.
‘How could he say that under the circumstances?’
Veronia looked up at Killion, her eyes narrowed. The look in his eyes was strange.
‘What… are you serious?’
Killion seemed to be speaking with pure sincerity. Veronia’s mouth slowly opened. She didn’t know what to say next.
“Your Highness Veronia.”
At the sound of her name, Killion dropped to one knee again. Veronia was startled again by his suddenly lowered eye level. For the second time today, she was still not used to it.
Killion took her hand, his red lips moving in a smooth motion.
“Allow me to join you in your secrets. Use me, as you used the Information Guild, as you used Onyx.”
“Killion…”
His eyes were pleading as he looked up at Veronia.
“Think about it, Your Highness, what is the safest and happiest way to raise Jediel while still keeping his secret. If you think about it, you’ll realise that I’m the only one who has the answer.”
“…”
Veronia’s pupils fluttered at the sound of the child’s name as it flowed so effortlessly from his mouth.
Things were so different five years ago. On her own, she wouldn’t have minded being judged or rolling in the mud. But not Jediel.
“The last time you rejected my confession, you said that you hadn’t gotten over your child’s father and that you still miss him… and I hope you meant it.”
“Oh… that’s…!”
That’s right. She did say that! Veronia’s face instantly turned bright red.
It was the excuse she’d used to reject Killion’s confession and clear her mind. It wasn’t a complete lie, but it wasn’t entirely sincere either.
Had he read her mind in her wavering eyes? Killion smiled bitterly.
“Actually, it’s okay if you didn’t mean it completely, because I knew there was a tiny little piece of your heart in there, and don’t deny it. I won’t believe you if you deny it.”
“…”
The corner of his mouth twitched up at the end. Veronia looked away, feeling like she might burst into tears again if she kept looking at him like this.
“So, for the last time.”
Killion called out to her, his voice desperate. She couldn’t help it. Veronia turned her head again to look at Killion. Her gaze downward and his upward gaze grew kinder.
“Please let me live.”
“…”
Let him live? Who? He was asking for himself? Veronia didn’t quite understand.
Wasn’t she the one who needed to escape the Empress’s pursuit, the one who needed a place to hide? Wasn’t it Veronia, not Kilion, who needed to ask for help to protect Jediel, who meant more to her than life itself?
Killion’s mournful voice continued.
“Please don’t let me live like I did before, when I searched for my dead fiancé, secretly believing she was still alive.”
Veronia clamped her mouth shut and focused on Killion’s voice.
“Please don’t let me live my life hovering around a child who looks strangely like my long-dead brother.”
So Jediel resembled Aaron Drea, which was why he’d been interested in him in the first place. Veronia felt a pang in her heart, knowing that Killion missed Aaron terribly.
JUST YES GIRL AHAHAHAHHAHAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH