Chapter 111

‘Is it because of the ring?’

According to the jeweler’s owner, the rumor that she had found the Regent King’s ring spread quickly. Since Marquis Lewin had a close relationship with jewelers, he would have easily recognized that she was the ring’s owner. But Caitlyn’s visit was very unexpected.

‘I thought the robbery was done by Marquis Lewin. But what about Caitlyn?’

At any other time, Caitlyn’s visit would have been greatly welcomed. Twenty years ago, she was one of the people who knew best about the Regent King and the maids. Plus, she might be able to give her information about the traitor.

But of all the times to visit, she can’t believe it’s now when she brought Ruben to the palace.

“I kept telling her to go back, but she didn’t listen. Even if she stays up all night, she says she will meet Miss Amelie.”

“Is it that bad?”

Amelia was at a loss.

“Then tell her to wait a little longer. I have something to talk about with Sir Ruben.”

“Ah, I’m fine.”

Ruben intervened without her noticing.

“If it’s Caitlyn, I’m scared too. You should meet her first. I’ll be waiting for you.”

As he came out positively, Amelie’s doubts grew stronger.

‘What is he going to do after I let him go?’

Amelie decided to solve Ruben’s attitude problem first.

“Please tell Caitlyn to wait a little longer. I will guide Sir Ruben to the attic and come back.”

“Attic?”

Milena was a little nervous. Because taking him to the attic meant Ruben knew that Amelie was a witch.

“It’s all right, Milena. That’s what happened. And please call His Majesty.”

“I contacted him about Caitlyn’s presence, so he’ll be here soon.”

“Yes.”

Amelie led Ruben to the attic. She was worried he would run away when he entered the palace, but Ruben followed her quietly.

‘It seems like his purpose is not to wander the Imperial Palace?’

Amelie thinks he is going for Serwin because he wants to be more powerful than he was.

“Wow, Miss Amelie, is this your secret place? It’s fascinating.”

Ruben looked around Amelie’s attic innocently, not even dreaming of what would happen to him. Amelie closed the door quietly, looking at his back. Lira approached him silently, like a beast preying on her prey.

“It’s like some kind of kitchen. When I look at the altar, it looks like a temple—!”

Lira, who quickly returned to human form, brought a hypnotic scent to his nose. Ruben opened his eyes wide and tried to step back, but the hypnotic scent soon took him over. He looked out of focus.

“Give me all the jewels you have.”

Ruben followed Lira’s orders and began to take off his jewelry ornaments. It was certain he was hypnotized.

“That hypnotic effect, the more I look at it, the more interesting it is. How did you make it? It wasn’t even in the potion book.”

“I don’t know. I got it too— so it must have been the family’s vision.”

Lira put Ruben in a chair and gestured to Amelie to ask questions.

“Is His Majesty the reason you approached me?”

Ruben’s hazy eyes turned to Amelie. As Amelie waited for his answer, she was slightly nervous.

“That’s right. Because of His Majesty—”

Amelie’s guess was right.

“You did all this to meet His Majesty? Why?”

“His Majesty avoids me… and uses you as a bridge…”

“His Majesty avoided you?”

Serwin isn’t the kind of person to avoid people, though.

“I asked him to meet me over and over again, but he just ignored it….”

“Why did you want to see His Majesty so much?”

“I want to know….”

“About what?”

“What does he… think of me, how far does he… know about me?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

“Because I need to know… the effect it will have on the Duke’s family.”

Lira tilted her head.

“What is he saying? Do you understand?”

‘Ah, Lira doesn’t know the secret of Ruben’s birth—’

“This person is Serwin’s half-brother.”

“What? They don’t resemble each other?”

Lira reacted violently.

“Only their smiling faces look the same.”

“The Emperor’s smile? I don’t remember. And you’re the only one who recognizes it, right?”

“Is that so? Well, no one would have recognized that he was his half-brother, right?”

In Amelie’s eyes, there was an undeniable blood relationship, but no one recognized them in the original story. It was because he lost his laughter when Ruben came to the world in the original.

“Then does this person know that he is the Emperor’s brother?”

“Yes. He knows it.”

“No one taught him, how did he know?”

“Originally, Ruben also had golden eyes. It was changed with magic. He used magic himself, so there’s no way he doesn’t know.”

“Ah…”

The color of Ruben’s eyes was a secret that neither the Duke nor Serwin knew. Of course, Amelie wouldn’t have known if she hadn’t read the original novel, too.

‘That’s why you wanted to know how much Serwin knew about you.’

The golden eye was the symbol of the emperor and was a necessary condition for becoming the emperor. So when it was revealed that Ruben had a golden eye, Serwin’s position was naturally shaken, and it was clear that he would try to destroy Ruben and the Duke of Odorus. Because raising the royal family in secret was like treason.

Reuben, who didn’t want to see his family hurt because of him, tried to meet Serwin to find out how much Serwin knew about him. However, as Serwin continued to avoid him, Ruben was forced to seek information through Amelie.

‘Ha, family love… It’s the same as the original Ruben.’

Amelie felt a greater affinity for him. Of course, it was before his older brother died, so his personality is very different, but his essence is a corporation that doesn’t change.

“Did you want to come into the palace because you wanted to meet His Majesty?”

“That’s right—”

“Huh? But what are you going to do when you meet His Majesty? He’s not the one to answer if you ask.”

Ruben couldn’t have known that Amelia knew. So what’s the point of running around Serwin knowing that? Amelie waited for his answer with a pounding heart.

“That’s—”

Even under hypnosis, Ruben was slightly dragged. He was in a hypnotic state, but it took some time to bring out the truth he had hidden deep in his heart. Eventually, he revealed his true heart.

“Since he’s my brother, I want to see and judge who he is—”

“Ruben—”

Amelie was moved.

“I see. Ruben didn’t want to be swept away by rumors, but wanted to check his brother with his own eyes.”

He wanted to meet and find out in person about his older brother, who is rumored to be a tyrant. Although Ruben was a bit odd, he was as bright and upright as in the original story. She didn’t even know that and misunderstood—.

‘As expected from my male lead. Please keep your character. I will accept you as my future brother-in-law.’

Tears began to form around Amelia’s eyes.

“…Didn’t you say you saw the Emperor as a good man?”

Lira handled it quietly, but it didn’t stop Amelie’s feelings.

“Is there anything else you want to ask?”

“Well, there isn’t. I understood Ruben’s purpose and why he wanted to meet the Emperor.”

“Okay, I’ll take care of the mess now, so you should go.”

“Will it be okay?”

“It’s okay. The person who’s waiting in the drawing room now is the person who knows about the traitor 20 years ago, right? Go listen to the story. I’ll be right behind you, too.”

“Then I’ll go first.”

Amelie left the attic first, leaving the two.

******

Meanwhile, Caitlyn was waiting for Amelie in the drawing room. She is elegantly drinking tea, but her heart is burning.

‘The Marquis won’t take the initiative first, right? I don’t want to lose that ring.’

She knew her son well. He was a man who would do the trick even if she was the Emperor’s lover. His obsession with the Regent King sometimes frightened her.

Where did it go wrong? Albert, if he were alive, that kid wouldn’t be the same as he is now.’

Caitlyn recalled the person she loved. Before she got married, she was in a relationship with Albert, but when she married someone else, she naturally broke up. But Albert was always the only one in her mind. Then, when her husband died in an accident, the two became close again. Her love Albert, and her son who followed him well. It was a happy time.

But when Albert became the Regent King, everything changed. He distanced himself from Caitlyn and Marquis Lewin, and began to make secrets. His gentle and bold personality has also changed to hasty and harshness. At first she thought he had changed because of the pressure of the young Emperor, but she soon realized she wasn’t.

At some point, Hazel appeared next to the Regent King.

A woman with brown hair, the beauty that couldn’t attract attention in the imperial palace. But when her bright mint-colored eyes looked at her softly, she would get goosebumps. She had something out of the ordinary with her.

‘That maid. The problem is with Hazel or whatever.’

The timing of her appearance and the timing of the change of the Regent King perfectly coincided. Rumors spread that the two of them spent the night alone. The Regent King said that they had nothing to do with each other, but he never took the ring that Hazel had given him out of his hand.

Even so, Caitlyn never doubted the Regent King’s love. She believed that she was the only one he loved. It was clear that Hazel had wielded some strange magic, and she had possessed the Regent King. Otherwise, the Regent King could not have changed like that.

When she told this story, people said that Caitlyn went crazy with jealousy and had delusions. But there was a reason why she was so sure.

Caitlyn couldn’t stand Hazel’s nuisance, and sent the Marquis’ messenger to kill Hazel. How difficult is it to kill a powerless woman? Caitlyn went to bed in good spirits, imagining that the Regent King would return to her tomorrow. So, that morning. Hazel flew through the sky and crashed into Caitlyn’s room.

Hazel’s face was cold in the moonlight. She looked down at Caitlyn and warned. Don’t do stupid things that interfere with the cause. There was a dignity that was not like a maid in her voice.

Caitlyn trembled with fear. She was terrified of how Hazel had done nothing to her.

Even though Hazel hadn’t done anything to her, she was scared of how Hazel was.

‘That eye. I can’t forget that eye.’

She could never forget the bright, mint-colored eyes that shone in the dark.

Knock, knock.

The sound of a knock awakened Caitlyn’s thoughts. A maid came in quickly and whispered to Mrs. Enard’s ear. Mrs. Enard kept her poker face, but couldn’t hide her bright complexion.

‘She must be back now. They said it’s Amelie Bourbon, right?’

Judging from the fact that there was no disturbance, it was clear that Marquis Lewin had failed. In other words, the ring is still in Amelie’s hand.

Caitlyn smiled slightly.