Choosing the Baby’s Father From the Following – Chapter 87

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟖𝟕

Just hearing it made me shiver.

Anyway, Damiani’s private soldiers returned with a maid who looked like me. Lurik and Ren, who had anticipated the plan, were waiting with the Emperor and caught them red-handed.

“Then what about the maid? They didn’t find out it wasn’t actually me?”

“You’re supposed to be recuperating, so they quickly took her away under the pretense of letting her rest. I took the maid to the hotel and came straight here.”

Ren said, winking.

“We’ll tell the Imperial Palace that your condition worsened due to the kidnapping, and that’s why your return was delayed.”

“Then you don’t know what happened after that?”

When I asked urgently, he sighed.

“According to Prince Lurik, Duke Damiani took the fall. He claimed that it was something he did on his own, unrelated to the Empress, and volunteered for punishment.”

I muttered in disbelief.

“That’s impossible.”

Ren chuckled.

“No one at the scene would have believed that. But Lurik seemed satisfied with it. He’s more lenient than I thought.”

Lenient?

The moment I heard those words, I realized the plan Helena had devised.

‘If I were her, I would use this incident to my advantage.’

Helena is the female protagonist I created, and I’m confident that I understand her better than anyone else here.

‘As long as Helena is helping, Lurik won’t continue to make lenient choices.’

If the Emperor foolishly fails to remove the Empress, it will become a greater justification for Lurik.

And Helena can make any decision if it means preventing a future where countless people die and the Empire collapses because of the magic sword.

‘Moreover, since Damiani has taken responsibility for this, the Emperor has effectively lost his right-hand man.’

In the novel I wrote, the Empress’s family, Damiani, was the biggest obstacle to Lurik’s usurpation of the throne.

But now, instead of Damiani, only the Empress, a mere shell of her former self, remains by the Emperor’s side.

Perhaps everything that has happened so far has been Helena’s plan.

‘The Empress will think that she barely escaped the crisis thanks to her brother’s sacrifice, but she’s got another thing coming.’

Lurik’s revenge was just beginning.

Having lost even Damiani, the Emperor would fall to Lurik even more miserably than in the novel.

‘Now all that’s left is……’

I looked up at Ren.

The Imperial Tower Master, the genius of the age, Ren Dapht.

But he was also the character who died a pointless death at the hands of Lurik in the novel.

Seeing Ren in person, it felt like an absurd episode……

‘The Tower Master’s Oath!’

It was clearly because of that, something I hadn’t even set up.

I carefully opened my lips.

“By the way, Ren…… you know……”

“Yes?”

Mystical purple eyes looked down at me.

“Could you lose to a Sword Master?”

Unfortunately, it seemed my guess was right.

Ren slowly nodded with a serious face.

“If that Sword Master is the Emperor of the Empire, it’s possible.”

He added playfully, unaware of the cold sweat running down my spine.

“That’s why the Tower Master’s Oath exists.”

Then, the Tower Master’s Oath must be about protecting the Emperor’s life.

“Oh, but the Emperor, who is anxiously looking for me right now, isn’t a Sword Master? Then I can’t lose to a Sword Master, can I?”

However, Lurik is a Sword Master, and once he becomes Emperor, he will be able to strike Ren down.

‘Right now, they’re on the same side, so he won’t antagonize Ren, but if Ren tries to protect the Imperial Palace when he starts the rebellion?’

If their relationship breaks down because of that, it’s over.

“Ah……”

I awkwardly laughed and tightly held Ren’s hand.

Warmth lingered between our clasped palms.

‘Ren is currently stuck in the Imperial Palace because of Crown Prince Hart, who is unconscious, right?’

Normally, the Tower Master should be staying at the Magic Tower.

It seems there have been many instances where Ren didn’t immediately respond to the Emperor’s summons.

‘Then I guess I need to get rid of the reason for Ren to stay at the Imperial Palace……’

In other words, Hart needs to exit the stage.

Because of the Tower Master’s Oath, wouldn’t Ren be able to do that for me?

‘Could Helena do it?’

I gulped and changed the subject.

“By the way, Ren, the Emperor is looking for you? You’re leaving already after we just met?”

“Wow……”

Ren let out a short exclamation.

“It’s really disappointing that I have to go even though you’re holding onto me.”

And before I could ask in detail, he continued explaining.

“Actually, I just got a message from the Imperial Palace. His Majesty wants me to lift the protective magic on the First Prince, Hart.”

The Emperor? Why now?

‘What a golden opportunity.’

Then, this was an opportunity I couldn’t miss.

If only the Hart issue is resolved, there would be no reason for Ren to stay at the Imperial Palace.

“If it were any other matter, I would postpone it, but that one is eating away at my magical power, and it feels strangely unsettling. So I think I need to go back.”

But once that’s taken care of, Ren shouldn’t stay at the Imperial Palace.

I asked again to be sure.

“Once you lift the protective magic and you’re no longer taking care of Brother Hart, you won’t need to stay at the Imperial Palace, right?”

“Finally.”

His mysterious purple eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“After that, I need to take Master to the Magic Tower and discuss treatment options. If I can leave Master’s treatment to the healing mages, I’ll return to wherever you are.”

“Promise?”

It might be a bit unfair, but I had to get his promise for Ren’s safety.

Ren hesitated for a moment, as if surprised, then kissed the back of my hand with a softened expression.

“I promise. Once I leave the Imperial Palace this time, I’ll throw away things like the communication orb. Except for the one I use with you.”

Relieved, I hugged Ren tightly.

“You promised, Ren. You must do that.”

Ren was silent while I buried my face in his dark, warm embrace.

After a while, a low voice reached me.

“Yes, I will.”

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

As soon as Ren left and I was alone, I jumped out of bed.

Then, I took out the communication orb I had hidden deep in the drawer and quickly activated it.

— Your Highness? Are you alright?

Helena’s worried voice poured out urgently through the glowing orb.

— I was worried because it seemed like you went on an unnecessary trip.

“I’m fine, Helena. But there’s something I want to ask you.”

Helena said, “Just a moment,” and then spoke in a lower voice a little later.

— I’m alone now. Please speak, Your Highness.

I carefully chose my words.

“My brother is preparing to start a rebellion, isn’t he? It’s okay if you don’t tell me the details. Just, could you start it when Ren isn’t around?”

Helena asked back.

— Tower Master Ren?

“You probably guessed it, brother. It seems the Tower Masters are bound by an oath to protect the Emperor.”

Then Helena answered, as if she had realized something.

— Ah, Your Highness is right. Why didn’t I think of that? But based on the future I saw, the Tower Master will be able to avoid the constraints of the oath while he is not in the Imperial Palace.

As expected, we’re on the same page.

Helena hurriedly added.

— Ah, or there might be a condition that the Tower Master must be unaware of it.

I walked to the window and whispered softly.

“That’s right. But Ren said that today, an imperial order was issued to lift all the protective magic on the First Prince.”

I heard Helena gasp.

— Lift the protective magic?

“Once that’s done, Ren won’t need to stay at the Imperial Palace. I’ll get him out somehow.”

Of course, Helena understood immediately.

— I understand what you mean.

“Helena.”

I recalled what Helena had done and couldn’t do for Lurik in the novel.

“If the First Prince survives even after the protective magic is lifted, the Empress might find some excuse to keep Ren at the Imperial Palace.”

This time, the answer was delayed.

— You mean I should do my best to prevent that from happening? So that the Tower Master can leave the Imperial Palace quickly.

“Please, Helena.”

Helena replied resolutely.

— I’ll do my best.

I took a deep breath and threw the disposable communication orb into the fireplace.

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