Chapter 36

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Chapter 36 – First Encounter (2)

‘It is unlikely.’

Vetern’s floating population wasn’t big enough to be recorded in numbers. It was almost impossible to grasp the movement of a specific person in it. Isn’t it because of these realistic limitations that Cesar couldn’t extract all the power of being Emperor even after a few months? Moreover, at that time, Evelyn did not enter Vetern through the official route. She erased all trails by moving through slums and sewers, using the darkness to avoid eyewitnesses. If beggars in the slums had witnessed her, her physical characteristics would not have been recognized. Her height and body shape were all displayed to look different.

‘It’s easier to deal with if you control how much they know about you…’ Evelyn thought over again, comparing the cards Cesar had and the ones he didn’t. Was it because of the tension that she had to deceive someone more dangerous than Liam? Her hands were getting sweaty. Knowing that the protection of the original novel covered Cesar, the closer she got to the Imperial palace, the more her tension grew.

“I’ll be calm…”

Her unnecessary tension eventually became a murmur. Evelyn closed her eyes tightly. From now on, her job was not to twist Cesar’s future. She will just help him with what he has to do, and what he wants to do and get a little bit of what she wants. Therefore, the original will remain silent.

By the time Evelyn had managed to convince herself, the carriage halted. When the wagon door opened, the first thing she saw was a splendid stone building. The heart of Hereos, the jewel of Vetern, the Imperial palace of Veroniam with its long history. Along with it, located in the deepest and most secret place was the Sun Palace, which Evelyn was looking at now. As she lowered her gaze, Liam’s face filled her view. The people lined up behind him must have been Cesar’s knights.

‘You are trying to break my spirit.’ Sending knights, not maids or attendants, as guides was a way to create a sense of intimidation. Dealing with them was not a good option. If she moved within the options he had prepared, it would give the impression that she can wield a common-sense line. Instead of continuing to look at the knights, Evelyn looked at Liam.

“I told you you didn’t need to come out, but you don’t really listen.”

She shook her head as she spoke in her usual low voice. Liam reached out his hand as if it were natural, but Evelyn shook it coldly.

“Didn’t I say that if you touched my body one more time, I would chop off your hands?”

She had no intention of easily reversing the warning she had given him the other day.

Liam didn’t say anything until Evelyn had completely left the wagon. It wasn’t visible, but it was easy to infer that he was uncomfortable. Evelyn pretended not to know.

Liam had already begun to trust her information. With the information she gave him, he succeeded in getting rid of the second daughter as well as the remaining eldest son, so of course, he would trust her. Whether she really saw the future or not, he trusted the information she had, so he must be dissatisfied with bringing Evelyn to Cesar. He was afraid of losing a great source of information thoroughly if things went wrong. But his mood was not for Evelyn to consider.

“I’ll escort you.”

As Liam volunteered, the corners of Evelyn’s veiled mouth rose. It could be seen as a nerve battle between Liam and Cesar. He was now trying to show Cesar that Evelyn belonged to him. That was the meaning of ignoring the escort sent by Cesar and escorting her himself. Evelyn was willing to be escorted by Liam. Cesar’s knights followed behind the two of them walking side by side. After glancing at their position, Evelyn swallowed a laugh.

‘I didn’t realize a convoy was assigned.’ Perhaps the instructions were given in advance. Cesar decided to put pressure on Evelyn as soon as she ran out of the options given to her. Showing off force is an action that occurs when you want to scare the other person or when you want to gain the upper hand in a relationship.

‘Do you want to restrain me? Or do you want to hold me in your hand and try to control me?’

While guessing Cesar’s course of action, Evelyn was able to set foot in the Sun Palace.

Clak- Clak-Clak- Every time she played with her feet, the shoes she bought the day she went out with Liam made a sharp sound. The corridor they walked through was too desolate. Except for those who were on the move, even the shadows of people couldn’t be seen, so it should be regarded as if the place was deliberately empty.

‘You still think you can’t control the servants.’ Since he wouldn’t be able to control the reactions of those who saw Evelyn walking through the hallway, he dismissed everyone so they wouldn’t see her at all. Another purpose… Is it to prevent information from leaking out through spies that have not yet been discovered? It seemed that he wanted to hide any rumors that he had met the prophet, and that the person known as the prophet was a veiled woman.

A few minutes after moving while reading the cards that Cesar had arranged, Evelyn stopped in front of a magnificent door. Liam announced their visit and opened the door, revealing the sight beyond.

Cesar sat on a sofa watching her, and two people stood behind him.

The first thing Evelyn met were purple eyes. It was Cesar’s eyes, containing keen foresight and tenacious probing. Their gazes intertwined in the air. Evelyn glanced at Cesar for a moment. When she finally rolled her eyes and checked his back, she stopped breathing.

Two people stood up straight. One of them was a woman with bobbed black hair, pitch-black as if encapsulating the vast night sky. The woman looked at Evelyn with scarlet bright eyes embracing a mysterious light. A woman who had never expected but unwillingly intervened in Evelyn’s life.

Etrada Lokt Fedora.

The heat that climbed up her back and spread all over her body made her fingertips numb. Evelyn had stopped breathing and now filled her lungs.

‘Finally.’

‘I have met you.’

Etrada had everything Evelyn coveted. She saw Archduke Fedora in her. Even the figure of Ethan, who once gave her a warm embrace, melted into her features. On their first meeting, Evelyn was able to see something that others couldn’t see until the original allowed it. She already knew of her birth, but it was still tragic.

Evelyn had been anticipating today for quite some time.

‘What if I avoid the death that is predestined for my future and meet Etrada in person? Where do we meet and how do we look at each other? What would she think when she sees I have the same color eyes as hers?’ In the past, she couldn’t find an answer even though she thought about it countless times. And today she found the answer.

Evelyn’s lips twitched under the veil.

At last meeting her in person, Evelyn saw mixed in Etrada’s eyes curiosity, interest, and a little bit of anticipation.

‘Do you wonder if the well-known prophet is real?’

When Etrada’s feelings were confirmed due to her honest and innocent nature, Evelyn’s lips twisted, unable to control herself.

‘You’re so carefree without even knowing whose hand you’re holding.’

Her emotions were so intense that she couldn’t contain them.

‘Oh, it’s twisted.’

Cesar leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. He wanted to review what had happened a few minutes ago. Though his thoughts were not deeply connected since the elegant yet sharp voice floated continuously in his head.

“Do you think you’re the only one who covets the future?”

“How many people in the world are willing to change the predetermined future in the direction they want it?”

Even though Cesar claimed to be the Emperor, what came out of the woman’s mouth was pure elegance. She was so natural that it took him a little time to frown. Cesar did not hide his discomfort throughout the conversation with the woman. Nevertheless, the woman’s attitude did not change. As if insisting that his mood was not something she should be concerned about.

Cesar chose to remain silent even though he could immediately show off his Imperial power and display his authority. Actually, it was no different than condoning her behavior. If the rumors that reached his ears were true, she was a person who shouldn’t be treated lightly. It would have been a different story if he could have been sure that she was a scammer as soon as he saw her…

But Cesar couldn’t be certain.

The woman who escaped from growing rumors and stepped forward to reveal herself was quite odd. From the moment she stood still beyond the door Liam had opened for her to the moment she left the drawing-room, he felt strange every moment he faced her. That was why he didn’t urge her to move who stood still by the door.

Because Cesar also needed time to observe the woman. Her waist and shoulders were straight, and despite her small-looking physique, she was taller than the average woman. The white skin looked particularly prominent, perhaps because of the dark green dress, and everything she wore was expensive. Hat, veil, accessories, and dress as well as the shoes visible at first glance.

“I heard you swept the shopping district with Agramento’s Esteemed Son…”

“Mh?”

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