At that, Millean looked down at me and muttered.

“What do you take people for.”

“But High Priest, you just said earlier. After learning all the truth—”

I extended one finger and made a slitting motion across my throat. Yet when he gave me a puzzled look, I felt somewhat wronged.

“Aren’t I going to die?”

“Do you think I’m some kind of demon?”

“But clearly—”

“Clearly what? I said ‘perhaps.'”

“Didn’t you bring me here to silence me?”

“No.”

Oh, this wicked man.

Where in the world could you find such an unlikable high priest!

He tilted his head to one side and continued.

“I thought you’d back down meekly if I said you might die.”

“……”

“I didn’t expect you to say you didn’t care if your body disappeared, or if you lost everything or died.”

“I said that because I thought you’d tell me if I did.”

“Your threatening skills are quite impressive.”

When Millean burst into laughter, I smiled brightly.

“Then if you weren’t planning to dispose of me, why did you bring me all the way here to tell me?”

“There are many ears in the palace.”

“Is that all?”

“Should I make up more reasons?”

I asked him with a dejected expression.

“When you said you’d send a letter before, was it to convey this message in writing? Because we needed to be careful?”

“No.”

“……?”

“I just made that up.”

This guy?

By now I knew I should be used to Millean’s way of speaking, but.

I just can’t get used to it.

I clenched my fist once and then forced a smile.

“Then when you said you’d tell me after His Majesty arrived—”

“Ah.”

Millean nodded slowly and replied.

“I thought you might reach the truth faster than I expected, so I wanted to consult with His Majesty.”

“I see.”

“Actually, I wanted to talk when I was disguised and lurking around the Empress’s quarters.”

“……”

“His Majesty strongly opposed it, fearing it might become dangerous.”

I bit my lip, trying to suppress the feeling of my heart fluttering again.

What danger could there be?

Just as I was grumbling to suppress my growing sense of guilt,

“High Priest.”

Suddenly, anxiety about what would happen next surged within me.

“Did you find evidence? I know Foil is trying to threaten His Majesty, but there’s no clear evidence.”

Even though Ainberg had used his methods to save me, that couldn’t be the solution to the problem.

Millean opened his mouth again in his indifferent voice.

“We’ll set a trap.”

“…But he’s not an easy person to deal with.”

“Neither are we.”

For once, Millean’s confident attitude didn’t annoy me.

Because I truly felt that Millean could tighten the noose around Foil Viper’s neck, preventing his escape.

Just as I was slowly nodding and regulating my breathing, Millean quirked one eyebrow mischievously and spoke again.

“That aside, do you have anything else to ask?”

I think I’ve asked about pretty much everything.

Wait, come to think of it, the most important thing from my perspective is—

“Then what happens to me and Leonora? Can we return to our original states?”

While my fate and life are important, Leonora’s life is important too.

“When the time comes.”

“So you’re saying we can return.”

Millean nodded lightly.

The original plan was to return to my body, boldly demand a divorce from the Emperor, and live freely.

…Even though I heard I could return, a corner of my heart felt uncomfortable.

Unlike Ainberg’s plan, which had progressed smoothly, my plan…

What should I do now?

“Is Leonora alright?”

I kept thinking about the statement that she would have died if our souls hadn’t been switched.

“Probably.”

Despite his curt response, I didn’t think he would let Leonora die.

Just as he had helped Ainberg until now.

Thinking about it that way, I felt a little sorry for privately considering him disagreeable.

“Thank you, High Priest.”

Instead of apologizing, I bowed my head in gratitude, and Millean narrowed his brow as much as possible.

“No need for thanks.”

“You may say that, but I know you’re a good person.”

“If you have nothing more to say, let’s leave.”

“…Yes.”

“The questions end here. Understood?”

Then we went back the way we came and exited the temple.

During our exit, we didn’t say a word to each other.

When we reached the place where we first met, he just nodded with a dry face.

Realizing this was his farewell, I grabbed Millean again.

“High Priest.”

He looked down at me with cold eyes and muttered.

“I thought I made it clear that I wouldn’t take any more questions.”

“I wasn’t going to ask a question.”

When I opened my eyes wide, Millean narrowed his eyes in response.

I spoke before he could make another annoying comment.

“Thank you.”

“……”

“Sincerely.”

Millean nodded once with an expression similar to before and walked back toward the temple.

After watching his back for a while, I turned my head again.

All I had done was have a conversation.

Yet I felt drained of strength, as if I had been submerged in water and just emerged.

“I think I need to rest.”

I barely managed to take a step and turn around. I needed time to organize and gather my thoughts.

“……”

But there was a problem.

I knew I should accept what I had just heard and act maturely.

But if I returned to my room, I would inevitably face a barrage of questions from Soniel and Sabine.

I wasn’t in the mood for any kind of conversation right now.

I turned my steps again with a deflated face.

I knew exactly where to go at times like this.

❀❀❀

The place I arrived at was the balcony. The perfect spot when I wanted to organize my thoughts or be alone.

Slowly caressing the smooth railing, my mind became a little calmer.

“……”

I looked down at the garden with a blank face.

It was hard to accept that while I had hated and cursed Ainberg countless times, he had been thinking of me.

I didn’t want to get lost in sentimentality, and I knew nothing would change by dwelling on these thoughts.

Just as I had shouted at Millean when I couldn’t hold back…

A person’s heart cannot be controlled by thoughts alone.

Of course, if Millean knew I was thinking this way, he’d have something to say about it.

“What should I do now.”

As I gripped the railing with both hands, a sigh I had been holding back burst out.

Yes, just now I managed to hide my confusion well and kept myself together.

I used all my strength to not show my emotions.

But once I entered a place where no one was around, a gloomy and empty feeling spread like ink.

“You, really.”

While living in the palace in Leonora’s body, I came to know aspects of Ainberg I hadn’t known before.

I thought it was pretense, dismissed it as acting.

When in fact, I was the one acting.

Though I didn’t want to admit it, as I spent time with him, I liked him more and more.

Of course, I felt similarly a year ago.

I wanted him to be happy, and I wanted to be with him.

‘And yet.’

Thinking about how he must have suffered alone after being forced to make me hate him.

I couldn’t bear how pathetic I felt.

My heart felt like it was being torn apart with pity and sorrow for him.

“How should I face him now.”

I never thought I’d have such thoughts about Ainberg.

I clutched my head.

Could I face him nonchalantly like before?

Acting was easier. How am I supposed to be honest now?

Of course, some people are naturally honest with their emotions. For example…

‘Leonora Chadmon. Marry me.’

‘Right, Levi.’

I received a proposal.

“……”

To be honest, until I learned the truth from Millean just now, I had even considered leaving Ostrin, which had been unkind to me, and going to Bilmotz.

Even though I knew it was an irresponsible choice.

“I was considering such a choice just for my own peace.”

What kind of heart did Ainberg have to endure all of this?

‘Could you give up everything for him?’

‘Give up?’

‘That’s what love is, isn’t it? The heart that can endure, be patient, and wait for the person you love, accepting everything.’

‘A heart that can accept that person regardless of how they look or what situation they’re in.’

There was a time when I wished he would treat me kindly.

I wished he would love me, show me a bright smile.

I gripped the railing harder.

‘Yes, now that I know what’s sincere, there’s no need to waste time.’

There was no need to organize my thoughts or be alone.

I left the balcony immediately.

There was someone I needed to meet right now.