148 “Forgot The Past 7 Years”
“So what you people mean is... My father died and am the emperor now?”
“Am not 16 but 22?”
Cathain asked and the two people infront of him nodded in agreement.
Last night, he was shocked to learn that the adult girl infront of him was no one but his fiance whom he used to hate.
At first, he didn’t see her clearly because of the darkness and thought of her as a kidnapper.
He talked nonsense in purpose to steal time but in the end, when she stood up and the moonlight fall on her; he was shocked to see her.
Silver hair and blue eyes, the evident of being an Dalton and also... His fiancee.
She took him out from the trial grounds and immediately ordered a knight to clean the mess inside.
From the she talked with the knight, he knew they was familiar with each other and no one was shocked to see her.
.....
Which meant she wasn’t lying to him.
Everyone bow to him and greeted like when they see the emperor.
So he was no longer a crown prince but became a emperor already.
It’s been four years since he rose to throne but the problem is he doesn’t remember a singlr thing which happened in the last seven years.
The person infront of him was his aid Brayden, whom he remembers to be young but now he is an adult young man.
Beside him stood the knight from last night, Sir Anthony who seldom reacts to any words.
“Gosh... So you really forgot everything! How did this all happened?!”
Brayden spoke as his face showed how hurt he was.
‘If the emperor doesn’t remembers anything that means i have to do all the works for him till he recalls the past?!’
This was the actual reason as to why Brayden was so hurt.
“That girl... Is she really Eleanora Dalton?”
“You also forgot her?!”
“...”
‘How can i remember her when i don’t even remember that my father died?’
“Brayden... Make a exact report of the most important things from the past seven years and sent it to me. Keep this matter confidential.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Brayden was about to walk out to make a report when Cathain suddenly called him again.
“And... Ask her to meet me.”
“Her? Who?”
Brayden was confused for a moment and asked.
“...Her, Lady Dalton.”
Cathain spoke with a little hesitation and recalled last night where he remembered kissing her.
His face blushed a little as he thought about that and Brayden finally recalled Eleanora is actually called Lady Dalton normally.
“Oh? Yeah, she is actually Lady Dalton. I was used to hear you calling her ‘my empress’ for so many years that i actually forgot she isn’t the empress yet...”
Brayden spoke and Cathain looked at him with disbelief.
There is no way he can do such a disgraceful thing, let alone to the girl whom he finds annoying.
“I used to call her what?”
“My empress- this is something the whole empire, No! the neighbouring countries knows too.”
“...”
Cathain felt his head hurting as he heard Brayden’s words.
Everything seems like a dream to him.
He suddenly turned to be 22 from 16 in one night with no memory of the past seven years.
“Both of you, get out... And ask someone to sent me a cup of tea.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Both Brayden and Sir Anthony left after biding the emperor and Cathain stood up from his study table after staring at the picture there for some time.
It was a picture of the ten years old him with the six year old Eleanora, the picture he had previously stolen from Eleanora’s bedroom when he pretended to be Ain.
‘She just left after handing me over to Sir Anthony, didn’t even said goodbye or explain anything...’
Cathain thought as he walked towards the window to glance at the garden.
Most of the flowers he remembers from the past is no longer here.
Everywhere his eyes fall has red and white roses.
‘Just why most of the flowers in the garden are roses?’
Cathain frowned a little and picked up the newspaper to get some knowledge about how the empire is running.
But his eyes widened as he saw the picture in the front page.
‘What the-‘
The front page had a picture of him kissing Eleanora’s cheeks during her coming of age ceremony banquet and the news of him gifting her the imperial necklace.
He looked at the picture and read the news in disbelief.
‘How can i do such a act infront of everyone?!’
‘Moreover, i gifted her the imperial necklace which can only be given to the next empress?’
The more he read about the love story of them, the more he felt like it wasn’t him but someone else.
‘I clearly hate her... Find her annoying... Just what happened in the past seven years?’
‘If i really changed and love her now, shouldn’t she be concerned and stay beside me now instead of leaving me in care of my aid and knight?’
Cathain was lost in thought but then his red eyes narrowed and a frown appeared on his face.
He saw two people walking together and laughing as they talked.
The girl was wearing the Dalton duchy’s knight suit, more like the suit which usually heirs wear.
Her long silver hair was tied up into a high ponytail and her blue eyes sparkled as she talked with the man beside her happily.
‘Even her smile is annoying.’
Then Cathain saw Sir Anthony approaching her and he assumed that Sir Anthony was probably telling her to see him.
The smile disappeared from her face in an instant and she seemed reluctant.
But she still had to as it was the emperor’s words and bid the man beside her to meet him.
Seeing her hesitation, Cathain sneered.
‘Is she that reluctant to see me?’
As he sensed her approaching, Cathain hurriedly moved away from the window as he didn’t wanted her to know that he was watching her.
He hurriedly took a book from the desk and opened it as Eleanora knocked on the door.
“Your Majesty, this is dame Dalton. May i come in?”
‘Heh, Dame Dalton? Not even crown princess?’
“Come in.”
Cathain replied in a cold voice as he pretended to read the book with great concentration.
Receiving the permission, Eleanora opened the door and came in before she closed the door again.
Her gaze fall on the man who was pretending to read a upside down book with great concentration.
But she choosed to stay silent.
“Your Majesty, You called me?”
“Yeah, sit down.”
.....
Cathain gestured her to sit down but Eleanora didn’t wanted to.
“No, am okay-”
“Sit.”
Cathain’s cold voice reminded Eleanora about the reality again. He has become the same like before.
No longer the Cathain she knew for seven years in the present.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Eleanora sit down with a expressionless face as she expressed her gratitude, which made him feel upset.
‘You was so friendly with that blonde dog but here you are treating your fiance like some stranger.’
“Are you feeling well now?”
A smrik appeared on his face as he heard her words and looked at her with his sharp gaze.
“So you finally remembered to care for your fiancee?”
“...”
Eleanora looked at him with an bewildered expression.
What did he even meant by this?
“I apologise, Your Majesty. It was late at night and my father would be worried if i wasn’t at home.”
Eleanora replied politely as she thought how she had to enter her room through window to avoid people knowing that she wasn’t in the room.
Thank god someone ‘who was the master of climbing her window’ had teached her how to sneak out and come in through her window.
“Oh, I see...”
Cathain spoke casually like it didn’t mattered as he stared at Eleanora unknowingly.
‘She has become a little beautiful. Specially her lips...’
“Your Majesty?”
“Hm?”
Cathain responsed with a humming sound as he finally returned to his senses and felt embarrassed for having such thoughts.
Where seeing him in a daze like this, Eleanora become concerned for his health.
‘It must be so tough for him to accept such a drastic change in his life all of a sudden.’
“Lady Dalton...”
“Yes?”
Eleanora was a little surprised.
Suddenly the distance between them grew and she felt like she was facing the past Cathain.
Before, even if she didn’t liked him but it was not uncomfortable like now to be with him before.
Their was no silent awkwardness between them previously.
Specially because of his shamelessness and carefree nature which used to make her feel relaxed.
But now facing the cold him again, Eleanora found the sudden change a little unacceptable.
There will be no one to call her ‘My empress’ or annoy her with his flirtings from now on.
‘Shouldn’t i be happy that everything will go on the same away i want from now on?’
‘Why do i feel a little sad...’