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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: A Slip of the Tongue
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Clatter.
The sound of silverware striking a plate echoed in the quiet air.
How long did that uncomfortable silence last?
The Former Emperor, slicing into a piece of meat that oozed with bloody juices, was the first to speak.
“How unusual. To think you’d actually accept my invitation to dine. You must be quite desperate for an answer.”
“It’s not unusual at all. This is the first time you’ve ever suggested we share a meal, Father.”
“Did I?”
“Yes. You did.”
Enoch replied without expression, dabbing his mouth with a napkin.
“Finished already?”
“So, when do you intend to answer my question?”
“When you’ve cleaned your plate. Then I will speak.”
“Father…!”
Unfazed by the low, warning tone, the Former Emperor continued his meal without so much as a twitch of his eyebrow.
*What on earth is he thinking?*
After my mother passed, he could barely stand to be in the same room as me. What sudden whim has possessed him now?
[“It’s your fault. Letrishia died because of you! Get out! Get out of my sight this instant.”]
The resentful words, still ringing in his ears, sent a chill through his heart.
It was an uncomfortable situation.
He hadn’t come here truly convinced that the Former Emperor had tampered with the records.
He was just hoping to hear something, anything.
*What a waste of time.*
Frustrated, he instinctively reached to loosen his cravat, but his hand froze at the sound that followed.
“So, did you go to the archives and find that the records of the Duke’s Daughter and the Little Marquess’s awakenings were missing?”
“Have you been spying on me?”
“Spying? Do you think I am the only one with eyes on the Emperor of the Empire?”
“No, you are not the only one.”
Enoch’s brow twitched.
Laced with emotion.
“Because the Duke’s dogs are everywhere.”
Hmph.
The Former Emperor let out a dry laugh and swallowed a neatly cut piece of meat.
“Are you putting me on the same level as him?”
“Am I wrong? I was under the impression you always sided with the Duke.”
“The Duke’s side… No, I am on no one’s side. I simply stand with whoever has the power to solidify the imperial throne.”
“My. The Duke would be quite disappointed to hear that.”
The Former Emperor’s sharp gaze fell to Enoch’s hands.
Black leather gloves, gleaming in the light of the chandelier.
The Former Emperor seemed to stare at them for a moment before looking away.
“It was not me.”
“What wasn’t?”
“I never touched the awakening records.”
“…Is that so. I understand.”
“But why are you suddenly looking for those records?”
“Is there any reason I must explain that to you, Father?”
Enoch threw the Former Emperor’s own words back at him and rose from his seat.
Once the old memory surfaced, other memories began to churn through his mind, one after another.
The Empress’s Palace, where everything had frozen white; his father’s cries, laced with despair.
The more the unwanted memories surfaced, the colder he felt, as if his power was about to run rampant.
To avoid making a scene, Enoch clenched his fists until they ached and pushed himself to his feet.
“I will take my leave.”
From the moment his buried fear reared its head, whenever his body trembled as if broken, only one thing came to mind.
*Riana.*
Her warmth, her comfort, her stability. Just as he thought he desperately needed it,
*Poof.*
A soft sound, completely out of place in the tense atmosphere, was followed by a rush of warmth in his arms.
“…Riana?”
*Could I be drunk from that sip of wine earlier?*
As Enoch stared blankly into the verdant green eyes that filled his vision, those clear pupils began to shift.
Her gaze darted around, busy trying to figure out where she had landed.
Then, the moment she spotted him, her eyes lit up with delight.
*Like a rabbit.*
Still feeling a sense of unreality, Enoch slowly blinked.
Just moments ago, his nerves had been stretched to their absolute limit.
“Is this real…?”
Still in a daze, Enoch watched the green eyes that flickered about as if deep in thought, and carefully extended his index finger.
*If I touch her, I’ll know.*
But Riana’s lips parted first.
“Wow, my heart was pounding so hard I thought I was going to die. Enoch, you won’t believe what I just heard— Wait! What’s wrong with your face? Did someone bother you? Which bastard…?”
How could her expression be so vibrant?
Her large, fuming eyes spotted the Former Emperor at the head of the table and widened completely.
“I mean, not a bastard… but… Fa… ther…?”
***
*Oh… I wish I could disappear.*
I climbed out of Enoch’s arms, properly seated myself in a chair, and wiped away a cold sweat.
*Father?* How on earth did that word just pop out of my mouth?
In an already chaotic situation, I was first startled by Enoch’s deathly pale face.
Then, I was startled a second time by the Former Emperor’s face, which looked just like Enoch’s, and my stupid mouth moved on its own.
Even so, to call him *Father*…!
*Maybe it would have been better if Karhel had caught me earlier…?*
At least then I wouldn’t have said something so ridiculous. The corners of my eyes drooped.
I was already mortified enough as it was.
Enoch’s expression was unreadable, and the Former Emperor didn’t look too pleased either.
Sitting there, unable to do anything in the suffocating silence, I felt my shoulders shrink.
If the Former Emperor hadn’t invited me to eat with such a grim look on his face, I would have bolted out of here in a heartbeat.
Just as I was about to tear my hair out in this impossible situation,
steaming hot dishes began to fill the space in front of me.
Even in this mess, the food smelled so good. I swallowed the saliva that had pooled in my mouth and glanced again at the Former Emperor.
He was the one who told me to sit, but…
*Ugh. Look at that expression. It’s so murderous, how could anyone eat?*
*You should have just let me leave. Fath— No, no. His Majesty the Former Emperor.*
As I sat with a mournful expression, fidgeting with my fork,
*Grrrowl.*
My clueless stomach broke the silence in a most unexpected way.
“Hmph.”
It had only been a few minutes since I’d escaped that precarious situation…
Finding it absurd myself, I pressed down on my stomach, but another loud gurgle echoed through the room.
“It’s loud. Go on and eat.”
“Yes…”
I answered in a voice barely above a whisper, mortified, and glared at the food in front of me.
This was all because the food smelled unnecessarily good.
If it had been a little less fragrant, my stomach wouldn’t have rumbled so loudly.
*Sigh.* A small sigh escaped my lips.
I could understand the Former Emperor’s murderous expression. He must be wondering what in the world was going on.
First, I drop out of thin air, and then my stomach starts rumbling like I haven’t eaten in days.
What a first impression… Is it a relief that he hasn’t asked why I suddenly appeared…?
*I need to tell Enoch.*
I have to quickly tell him about the conversation I overheard between Karhel and Elisha.
Judging by the way those gray eyes, a shade darker than Enoch’s, were glaring at me, he had no intention of letting me leave before I finished everything on this plate.
*Sigh. I might as well just eat quickly and get out of here.*
So, half-resigned, I took a large spoonful of soup and put it in my mouth.
As if he had been waiting for that exact moment, the Former Emperor spoke.
“By the way, what did you say earlier?”
*Hey, you could have asked before I started eating…! Ah, it’s hot!*
I had just taken a mouthful of soup. It was hotter than I expected, making it difficult to swallow.
As I floundered, covering my mouth, unable to answer, the Former Emperor’s eyebrow rose skeptically.
“You called me ‘Father’?”
“*Pfft!*”
I knew it. I thought things were going too smoothly.
In my panic, I tried to swallow the soup too quickly and ended up choking, a series of small coughs bursting out.
“Are you all right?”
My face was flushed red, tears welling in the corners of my eyes as I fumbled for a napkin, and Enoch leaned toward me.
“I’m fine, *cough*. I can do it, *cough, cough*.”
“Stay still.”
Seeing the Former Emperor’s eyes flash over Enoch’s shoulder as he insisted on wiping my face himself, I tried to snatch the napkin from his hand.
But even that was difficult with my persistent coughing.
In the end, after wiping my mouth and placing a glass of water in my hand, Enoch gestured to a servant standing by the wall.
“Bring another bowl, not too hot. Let it cool properly.”
Despite my protests that I could just let it cool, the dish was sent back to the kitchen.
Watching this unfold, the Former Emperor wore a peculiar expression, as if he were witnessing something truly strange.
“Such a fuss. I thought the rumors were exaggerations, but this…”
But Enoch paid his father no mind and instead reached for my plate of lamb.
“?”
My coughing had mostly subsided, and I was sniffling when I instinctively grabbed hold of my meat plate as it was being taken away.
“This… is mine?”
Since I’d decided to eat, I was planning to dig in… Why are you taking it…?
“I know.”
“Yours is over there, Your Majesty…”
I had changed his title since we were in front of the Former Emperor, thinking it wouldn’t be right to use his name.
As if displeased by it, Enoch narrowed his eyes and took my plate away anyway.
It was only when I saw him expertly slicing the meat that I realized what he was doing, and I waved my hands in protest.
“I can do it!”
“The meat is tough. It won’t be easy to cut.”
*No, it’s not. The knife is gliding through it like pudding, though?*
I glanced from the meat to Enoch and then to the Former Emperor, and flinched.
I grabbed Enoch’s hand, which was moving as smoothly as a flowing melody, and his gray eyes looked at me as if asking what was wrong.
“I’ll do it myself. Okay? Look at the Former Emperor’s face.”
Leaning close to Enoch, I whispered, gesturing with my eyes toward the Former Emperor’s strangely contorted expression.
“Ah.”
Enoch’s gaze followed mine, brushing past his father, and he smiled faintly as if it were nothing.
“Don’t mind him. He always looks like that.”
“No. I don’t think that’s it.”
Because the moment Enoch said that, his expression became even more murderous.
