Chapter 85
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Chapter 85
The Imperial Palace Physician rushed into the Crown Prince's Office and examined Crown Prince Kiaros.
"From head to toe, there's nothing wrong with you."
The Imperial Palace Physician was an expert who had devoted himself entirely to studying Imperial Servants. He was also one of the few close associates who knew that Kiaros was in his second Dark Period.
"That can't be right."
Crown Prince Kiaros furrowed his brow as he spoke.
"My head is spinning, my stomach is churning, my heart won't stop racing, and my blood feels like it's boiling. Suddenly I want to destroy everything, and at the same time I want to stamp my feet and throw a tantrum. I've never felt this suffocating frustration and uncontrollable anger before."
"Hmm."
The Imperial Palace Physician listened intently to Crown Prince Kiaros's words, then spoke immediately.
"I know the diagnosis. It's jealousy."
"What?"
"His Majesty the Emperor described such symptoms for fifteen years. They completely disappeared after he married Her Majesty the Empress. This kind of uncontrollable manifestation of power stabilizes like magic once a bonded partner's heart aligns with yours."
Crown Prince Kiaros's jaw dropped.
"Before that, whenever His Majesty saw Her Majesty the Empress laughing and joking with the male knights in the Knight Order, he would fly off to the outskirts and demolish entire hillsides before returning."
The Imperial Palace Physician spoke in a grave tone.
"It's truly fortunate that you're in a Dark Period. Since your symptoms are already quite severe, if you weren't in a Dark Period, you would have uprooted several pillars of the Imperial Palace by now."
"Jealousy alone can cause all that? Does that even make sense?"
"Imperial Servants don't naturally love anyone. Aren't they beings who remain indifferent to all and rule over them? That's why they typically enter into political marriages."
That was true.
That's why the previous Royal Family members couldn't understand when the current Emperor refused a political marriage. They couldn't empathize with the concept of loving someone of the opposite sex.
"Even if an Imperial Servant were to love someone, that love would typically be fulfilled quite easily."
Ordinary humans revered Imperial Servants, so that was also true.
Lady Fron had refused the Emperor for so long out of consideration and loyalty to Crown Prince Kiaros, not because she disliked the Emperor.
"But since it's not working out as expected, you're having difficulty controlling emotions you've never experienced before."
The Physician finished speaking and examined Crown Prince Kiaros once more.
"The person in question is Namia Loapi, correct?"
I couldn't deny it. As he fell silent, the Physician sighed with sympathy.
"Despite all this time in seclusion... it seems your heart hasn't closed off."
No, I had only just become aware of my feelings, yet the entire Imperial Palace already knew about them.
Of all things, I had fallen for the very person I had pretended to be heartbroken over in order to hide my Dark Period....
"For the sake of the Empire's peace, please make one more genuine attempt at seduction. Why are you wasting that face and body locked away in here?"
The Imperial Palace Physician offered his advice with a serious expression.
"Or do you lack confidence in seduction? I heard there's a hidden romance expert in the Scroll Department who is well-versed in all manner of love literature. Shall I inquire and ask them for a diagnosis and method?"
I had a feeling I knew who that hidden expert was. Crown Prince Kiaros waved his hand dismissively.
"No, just tell them to keep hiding."
"Well... if you need anything, I'll summon them anytime. In any case, be careful."
The Imperial Palace Physician gathered his medical bag and offered his warning.
"If jealousy clouds your judgment, even in a Dark Period with sealed aura and magical power, abnormal strength can manifest."
"Really? Then isn't that a good thing?"
Crown Prince Kiaros, frustrated by his inability to use supernatural power at all, asked with interest. The Imperial Palace Physician shook his head firmly.
"No, it's an abnormal manifestation, so aftereffects will definitely appear. If you don't want to suffer for a few days, be very careful."
"Hmm."
"Especially if you're attending the Saint Kairo Banquet coming up soon, I'd advise you not to even create an opportunity for Namia Loapi to be alone with another man. If you destroy the Banquet Hall while destroying your own health as well...."
"I understand."
Crown Prince Kiaros answered readily.
"So there's nothing to be careful about except jealousy?"
"Ah, try not to get too excited. That could be even more dangerous."
"Excited? What are you talking about?"
"Well... never mind. That should be fine. It's not as if Namia Loapi would touch the Crown Prince up close when they don't even share mutual feelings...."
The Imperial Palace Physician mumbled vaguely, then bowed respectfully and left.
* * *
Deep within a large building in the Southern Region.
Tap, tap, tap.
As the sound of footsteps echoed, the man confined behind iron bars snapped his eyes open.
"...You!"
The moment he tried to rise, restraints clanked and tightened around his limbs.
The muscular middle-aged man fell awkwardly.
At the same time, the footsteps stopped before the iron bars.
"You still haven't learned. I told you—you can't control your own body right now."
A woman who had slowly approached the bars spoke with mockery.
The man breathed heavily, looking up at her.
The woman's face was hidden behind an ornate mask. She crossed her arms and asked coldly.
"Have you thought about the proposal from last time?"
The man immediately shook his head.
"I told you. I won't do it."
"It's an experiment that's already succeeded in other ways. It's not dangerous. Once this experiment is over, you can be free. I promise you that with my authority."
"I can't do that. Let me repay with a different experiment instead. But I can't let you touch my memories."
The woman clicked her tongue and stared at the man intently.
"You still can't do the math. You're already not the same person you were before. So why can't I touch your memories?"
"...I made a promise. To my daughter, Namia Loapi."
The man spoke in a hoarse voice.
"I promised her to wait, that I would definitely return. I have to keep that promise."
The woman looked down at the man silently.
The man's name was Cedric Loapi.
Fifteen years ago, when he first came here, Cedric had been a slender, scholarly-looking pale young man.
But now, no trace of that youthful purity remained. It was due to the body modification experiments that had been performed on him all this time.
His once-white skin had darkened, and massive muscles covered his entire frame.
Only his gleaming silver hair and lake-like blue eyes remained unchanged.
"A parent should keep their promises. A parent is the first world a child encounters, and only by trusting parents can one trust the world. Trust is very important in human society, and the reason is...."
He still spouted old-fashioned wisdom whenever he opened his mouth.
The woman cut him off with evident exasperation.
"Look, just shut up for a moment. You're saying no, right? So that's final?"
"I won't do it."
Cedric Loapi answered flatly.
"If I lose my memories, even if I gain freedom, I won't remember that I need to find Namia Loapi... and that would be meaningless."
"What does it matter? You'll forget everything anyway."
"Of course it doesn't matter to me."
A melancholic laugh began to seep into Cedric Loapi's voice.
"I... myself, truthfully, stopped caring long ago. But what concerns me is Namia Loapi. My Namia Loapi, who waits for me every single day, worrying."
"...."
"Still, if you absolutely insist on conducting memory-related experiments on me, there is one way."
"...What is it."
"Tell Namia Loapi the exact situation."
The man with a body like a human weapon continued speaking quietly.
"I voluntarily entered the Gaejo Faction and sold myself as an experimental subject. This vile organization has conducted experiments for fifteen years and still isn't satisfied—now they want to tamper with my memories too. Whether I'm trapped here forever or lose my memories, the result is the same: I cannot meet Namia Loapi. So I've chosen the latter. Please understand...."
"Hey."
The woman flared up indignantly.
"Think about it logically. How could that possibly work?"
"It won't work? Then I won't do it either. I'll just wait for this vile criminal organization to collapse."
"We're not going to collapse!"
The woman shrieked. Then she added with a huff.
"Those restraints must cause you agony every day. Don't you want to be free?"
At those words, Cedric Loapi lowered his gaze.
After several rounds of experimentation, he had gained superhuman strength.
Paradoxically, as the experimental subject's power grew, the organization began to fear him. So they fitted him with multiple restraints. Simply wearing them caused constant pain.
"It's fine, for me."
Cedric Loapi spoke without revealing that pain.
"I can endure far worse."
"What good is a promise to return someday? Fifteen years have already passed."
"I told you before. It seems you don't understand from just one explanation, so let me explain again. Parents are the first world a child encounters, and trust with one's parents ultimately...."
Throughout this, his explanatory tone remained gentle.
The woman grimaced and turned away.
"That's enough. If you change your mind, tell me anytime. I'm leaving."
"...You."
And as Cedric Loapi stopped his explanation, he spoke quietly toward her retreating figure.
"Why do you so desperately want to tamper with my memories?"
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org