Chapter 39

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Chapter 39

Declan opened his eyes a little wide as if he had never thought of it.

“Of course, if you want.”

“I want to be here.”

“Okay.”

He gazed at me slowly and nodded his head. The answer was that I could stay in the audience room, though to me, it sounded like he could stay by my side.

Is that so…?

It was only when I heard the affirmative answer that my heart was full of joy.

Not long after, Theodore sat down across from me again. He would have waited a long time, but he didn’t ask what had happened.

He just smiled softly.

‘He’s a person whom I don’t know what he’s thinking.’

I glanced at him and immediately turned my gaze away.

“I’ve been holding on to a busy man for a long time.”

“It’s not.”

Theodore smiled kindly.

“I’m not going to speak around anymore. I need your advice.”

“Say it.”

“You’ve been to many places, so you must know more than I do.”

“How can a lowly person dare to follow His Majesty’s wisdom?”

“Whatever you say is okay. Can you keep a secret about what I’m asking now?”

As the atmosphere felt strangely unfamiliar now, I gently raised my face. The smile was gone from Theodore’s face.

“My life must be guaranteed.”

Declan responded with a nod of his head.

“I’ve already lived enough to live, so I don’t have any regrets about life…”

As Theodore answered that, Declan’s eyes sharpened in an instant. Though he continued, “I have no intention of betraying my trust with Your Majesty because he cares for the child I love the most.”

“It’s not empty words. As soon as you get out of here, I’ll attach my person to you.”

“My mouth is very heavy. Please speak comfortably.”

Declan patted the table and let it cool for a moment.

“Have you ever heard of a soul having a body?

“Hmm. I never thought you would ask such a question?”

Answering him, Theodore laughed as if in trouble. When he looked at Declan in surprise, he was very serious.

‘Because I said I wanted to be a human earlier…?’

It seemed like a question that had been prepared for a long time.

“So, what do you know?”

“Creation is the realm of God.”

“I know. But, there are miracles in the world.”

“Did Your Majesty believe in miracles?”

At that, Theodore murmured in surprise.

‘That surprises me, too.’

The thought that the word ‘miracle’ would come out of Declan’s mouth… It was truly a guardian angel-level shock.

“You know that it would be impossible otherwise.”

“Then, it would be better to ask the temple about this matter than me.”

Theodore stroked his beard and continued, “I’ll have records and examples of the divine power. Wouldn’t it be helpful to Your Majesty’s troubles?”

“Yeah, you’re right. Thank you.”

“Hoo, I also get a thank you from Your Majesty. As expected, it’s something to live and see for a long time.”

Declan’s eyebrows twitched at the smirk, but he didn’t say anything.

“You can go back.”

“Yes. It was nice to see you after a long time.”

“Live long. You are the only doctor for my doll.”

“Ha, I need to take care of my health. If there’s a problem with the doll, call me anytime.”

“Tell me how to contact you directly at this time. Because it’s so difficult to contact you.”

Eventually, Theodore smiled and politely greeted him before leaving the living room.

As Theodore left, there was silence between me and Declan.

“Erica.”

I could not turn my head easily even though Declan spoke to me first.

“Erica, look at me.”

In the end, I managed to gather courage and set my gaze on him. Declan opened his mouth again.

“I know how disappointed you are today.”

His calm voice rang in my ears.

“I didn’t think you’d be that desperate, though I’m sorry… for giving your hope.”

“No. It’s not Your Majesty’s fault.”

A feeling of guilt flooded in when a mistake became possible.

‘…What have I done to this person?’

Chloe alone was a tough person… I really couldn’t raise my head to face him right. Even though I tried to say an apology, my mouth didn’t open.

“Trust me. I’ll do anything you want.”

‘I promise in the name of the Emperor.’

His green eyes shone seriously with determination.

‘Have those eyes ever shone that firm…?’

I stared into his eyes and slowly nodded my head. Seeing so, Declan came out of the audience room and took me to the bedroom without asking anything.

Rather, it made my heart heavy…

“I think I should go to the office, what do you want to do?”

His voice sounded softer than usual.

“Can I stay here…? I want to be alone for a while…”

“That’s all right. You can come to the office when you’re bored.”

He smiled openly and took the doll away.

“Ha.”

After closing the door, Declan came out and leaned against the door.

“Are you okay?”

Because of that, Noah came and whispered softly, and Declan waved his hand, saying he was okay.

‘It’s terrifying…’

The moment he saw her crying, his heart felt like it was being ripped to pieces. What was it that she was so afraid of…?

Meanwhile, seeing him burying his face in his hands, Noah quietly sent the servants away.

Erica often said she wanted to be a person. She also felt uneasy about her condition…

‘So, it’s natural to be disappointed.’

However, he didn’t know it would be so painful.

“…It’s your Majesty’s fault.”

The word became a dagger and pierced his chest.

“Your Majesty’s sins are all on me!”

‘My sin…’

Declan looked down at his hands.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt dark red blood dripping from his empty hand. The squishy feel of his curled hands lingered, and the heat from his nostrils could even smell like blood.

‘Because of me, Erica…’

As he thought about it, he had chills and his body trembled.

He thought he had never regretted having to put blood in his hands so far.

He was afraid for the first time.

What if he put Erica in danger because of the sins he had committed? What if she became unhappy…? Even if today’s event has nothing to do with him, what if it happens in the future?

Declan felt nauseated and released his cravat, but the frustration did not go away.

‘What should I do now?’

His brain was so entangled that he couldn’t make good decisions.

“…For now, her safety comes first.”

He remembered Erica’s figure, who was clinging to him and crying.

She was obviously afraid.

“I don’t want to be cursed.”

‘Yes, she had said that before. “I don’t want to be cursed,” she doesn’t want to fall into the pit of hell…’

“She wasn’t meant to be enchanted…”

Erica had definitely said that she had a mother and a father, and that she wanted to go back…

But, can dolls have parents?

Go back, where?

His fingertips were freezing at the thought that she was going to leave at any moment.

‘I have no idea what it is.’

If he knew what the curse was, he would be able to do anything, though it was full of things he didn’t know. It was the first time since Chloe’s death that he felt so helpless.

Monster.

She must be thinking of him that way.

“…I can do it. I can do it for you.”

He struggled to push his anxious heart down and continued talking to himself.

For now, what he knew is that, getting out of the doll… it was clear that it was what Erica wanted.

“I can do it from there.”

Clenching his fists, Declan got up and headed straight for the office.

“Noah, call Mason.”

As soon as the order was given, one of the attendants ran out.

“Your Majesty, did you call?”

Mason glanced at Declan with an unusual look and was nervous. He then replied, “The puppet master didn’t recognize Erica.”

“Ah…”

Mason let out a sad sigh.

“He was an ordinary puppet master.”

“Then, what do we do now?”

“It doesn’t matter how Erica came into existence. I must save her first.”

“Did anything happen?”

Declan didn’t answer his question, only uttering what he had to say.

“Is there a temple in our empire?”

Mason let out a small sigh after examining his condition. A voice trembled from his stiff mouth.

“Yes. It’s small, but it’s there.”

“Not only about the divine power, look for any examples of raising the dead or bringing the soul into a body.”

“…All right.”

“Primarily those who can see curses and souls, shamans, too.”

Hearing those words, Mason’s face grew darker, though Declan’s eyes didn’t catch on.

“What else do you need?”

The sound of knocking on the table continued hastily. After contemplating for a while, Declan raised his head and glared fiercely in his eyes.

“All of this is done without Erica’s knowledge. The materials you sent to me should look like regular documents.”

“Understood.”

He remembered how Erica cried.

Declan bit his lip.

“I don’t want to see her frustrated again…”

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