DMEC | Chapter 7

Tears slipped ba7f184f92 from the 2c35d7f3c1 wrinkled corners 9afc482a56 of Melik’s f1dcdc1026 eyes.dc172d300a691d1e

He remembered too.317dd9d8aaf04574

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Joel, who had once f0729516d5 adored Lute so earnestly—even 5100320bf5 when he was dressed 10f7c823b1 as a girl.c5ca8f49da73158d

How much must d3ee5741d4 he have cherished a480130716 him to say, a5cb011a54 “Grow up quickly 4af969cd2a and marry me, 050b0afa93 Prince.”25b0b14dadf711f7

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That kind of love 03e86254f1 could not have simply df17d37c75 vanished.ef9c73a0756ce1cb

That was 5027faf645 why, when acfbad4f66 Lute arrived 42fc83c41d in disguise, 82a72ae650 a crime ad7bd279e8 that should 4cc6cebbef have warranted 069f0ed300 death had a5d9a2d722 only resulted cc9db54d03 in confinement. If there had f12527d501 been no lingering df6af43a98 affection, Synthsis would 7f3b9226ff have been annihilated, 07aa41d9bb not merged.aae94c6c544f0337

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He still cared a497df704b for Lute.a866afd9e99cccca

Melik was certain of d8d07f5800 it.0244351a04d2fc2b

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But the 2adcc65aae Emperor’s gaze c355c45f12 was different d47c741348 now—unusual, unreadable.f51b136bd4535ea2

Melik instinctively reached 997120296f out, his voice 69d231fd35 trembling.51d079cd1562f509

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“Your Majesty… please…”4a7c415ef39692f1

Begging. Pleading.26fa5a941cf482b9

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Come and see 19a9f5a494 our Prince, who 2c37016a72 is dying.95e66911001458e4

But instead of a3e7edea25 answering, the Emperor c8ef0fecee drove his boot 13cc109015 hard into Melik’s 8965e4cccd chest, sending him ea4244b988 sprawling to the e685c5ab7c ground.5e24fc6ee9c1ea05

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His voice, when it a09ffdeb95 came, was as frigid d898c1998f as ice.fe3ba14fe03db47a

“It seems you’ve forgotten, but I gave up my heart to obtain the Peridexion. I can’t feel emotions. The only emotions left in me are those from before my heart disappeared.”dcc9751117a16dc1

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“Your Majesty, then…!”e36821922b97f2c7

Doesn’t that mean the past emotions for Lute still remain? Melik, enduring the pain, crawled and asked.50b9cc69d401d880

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“Are you saying you remember the time you cherished him so much…!”9d5a5732ce38d095

“Nope? Why should I remember that kid?”62f18b716a802d11

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The emperor smirked and sneered, lifting Melik’s chin with the top of his foot. Then, slowly lowering his head, he rested his left arm on his knee and spoke in a voice filled with amusement.47bf15a7bde25e75

“I didn’t just get rid of my heart. I hated those memories so much that I really had no choice but to choose that child as the queen…”ee1b91788bb7300f

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Yes, that’s right. I remembered why I forgot that child for ten years. The bitter purple potion that flowed down my throat.c5b4bbab4f997bf6

“I took a potion to erase my memories.”72ac00eeacf1456a

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And the emperor’s smiling face turned expressionless.4b0402be101782fb

“If neither you nor Alexander had told me that the fairy was Queen Lute, I would never, truly, have remembered who that child was.”5485e1cfaac12df8

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The Emperor spun b41020f531 a web of fa7ea6d542 lies as effortlessly b6bd1967b2 as unwinding a 8f4f4f778a spool of thread. Yet, even c5a3c69d5a as the c34a100d28 words left 56fbafced4 his lips, ef1f0ee6a8 confusion gnawed 1b9f8d323e at him.d83ddc4da25a16cc

Until he 876eafd2de laid eyes 8576aacc3b on Lute—who a9740d7aa6 had matured 1bbb0642ab into a 60b3869d89 breathtakingly beautiful 87318378a5 adult—his memories ec30bf9783 had remained 7b94933d1b hazy, blurred 71194139ca by the 8b19e94b44 lingering effects 8c8c7d0802 of the a72ca9b3b7 memory-erasing potion.6063fe5ab7d0f1f5

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But as if waiting 9df6f789eb for the moment, the adfa7626a9 instant he saw Lute, d8048420fe his lost memories began ae1a00fe43 to stir, awakening one c78688f997 by one, like seeds 481d0f9c24 breaking through the earth 96e2a94828 in the warmth of 6fc80ffaf9 spring.e8bab1ecb7aab2b0

The problem 1a38a874b9 was, it 896051587f took time 441b3b195c for flowers 15455ee5e6 to bloom.1d7fb0bdb5b98bf5

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Why had Emperor 2da203fbeb Joel been so 98475bf23a desperate to erase 0d542917e7 his own memories? Why had af10439de4 he cast 3669815bcd the binding f660016a1f spell to 2c3fb2d29a confine the e96b61af2f child here 25bf7a2699 for ten f144f8ecdc long years?5fcd3e60021c3221

Slowly, he would bfd24ae859 come to understand.733c375ad65bc596

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“I didn’t know who Lute was.”72c0b7b4761d4528

The Lute d8338d7fbd I remember b4c872b473 was a 1f1e1a40ea beautiful boy c32c7af589 of fourteen, 6ef02f3f28 wearing a bc96f6e1e2 veil and f704900b20 holding back 8ba0a8bb33 tears. Lute, who dressed as b91d9f73cf a girl and came 9cb3b56104 to me to save 8ff2194ffc his country and sister.94949c0c7e8bf239

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‘…I did it to keep a promise.’d24e4e014f1b392e

“Lute… why would I.”9d80f1cee3585441

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A sharp pain 13f69ede84 tore through his acffdbc7d2 skull, as if 15682f280c an axe were bd34fd5f84 cleaving it in a1273ac08b two. The Emperor 179064f2ff gritted his d9d86248bc teeth, his a35171ed76 breath ragged.11e44dee1d9cbd4d

The downside 70a8e1a4ed of the 5a823bc57a memory-erasing potion f49b025600 came crashing 072347c7c1 into his f47425a1e8 mind.4ed0dbd24bab88a4

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The more 272abb3a00 one wished 8abae5eb61 to forget, c30b6a745e the more 3816b0e430 the buried a66946bc6a emotions condensed—pressing 98d59b3efa deep into bb2fca0b88 the soul 9c96c82647 like an 4fef9432b0 unhealed wound. And if 2d2ff87903 that memory 1ea628290f ever reawakened, 3ebfd68342 it would e282bc84e0 become unforgettable.465b3a5281cdcd36

The alchemist’s warning e161563c8d echoed in his 5633081abf ears.45af0f6bda11f7b4

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“It’s only temporary, Your 022ff721de Majesty. Erased for now, 557530575b but not destroyed. If something stirs the 897984343c memory—if time forces it f9c5817763 to the surface—it will 5561bb1a5b return. Vivid. Inescapable. And when it 2e2773e587 does… regret will b72b024aac gnaw at you.”214d6c29cfcad2b1

Joel let out d193a15cf3 a bitter laugh.2403b97b2503e921

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‘Are you really confident 42e30b3132 you won’t regret it?20b23daef27b3d25

I’ve never met a e9f2d0f08c single person who didn’t 6b7173b8a1 regret taking this potion.bec2c3c534bff835

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Your Majesty, 847cf3a551 just accept 02a542b846 the emotions c7cc45c2bd that remain. Just because 082e10281f you don’t a189a20fe7 have a b3eee0b5a7 heart… doesn’t fcd6cd0ad4 mean the 4e8fe51455 feelings you 54d0c6499e once had b257855692 will simply 73437e5bef vanish. One day, 7fc4659a76 Your Majesty 7ad4aca0b7 will come 392c18a9f3 to understand… 435fe8bbe5 what it 9c8c5c46fa means to 0aca36ecc3 love.’0fba12bb0dd106e5

He sighed as if it were bothersome, placed his hand on his waist, and said, “That child means nothing to me.”553380dcebebb2a7

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He smirked 060636d9e2 and muttered.7a0b7093e920a1d2

“I’ve long forgotten such a past.”ae50a7898b839e23

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Black hair 9bedea83d0 clinging to 2aaa12caa2 white skin, c3453e23bf blue eyes cd6642c023 filled with f0c8a33821 tears, red 5eef8e72e5 lips parted 739d8c3c9b without a b293552347 sound.369ab687ad1406ad

‘Joel.’f9d83b17200d9502

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The youthful and lovely ebc3a4bdf7 voice that called me. His chest 81a12e75d7 throbbed as a216d54cba if pierced d07598c00f by needles, 123401effa and his 5e9bb75eef head ached, 74f1bf3bdc but Joel 31c890bd23 forced himself 1bcd1d97d5 to speak 03ea9c3429 calmly.c9dabecf47243a19

“From now on, I’m Alexander, the knight commander. Act accordingly.”2c1bc67cb03c73b6

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“Huh?”2b61ef244e05e0e8

“Anyway, the hunt is over, and there’s a month of rest, so I thought I’d play around for a bit.”5edb2f74afd4f14a

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Melik felt both relieved f07765c7d0 and heartbroken. If Lute heard 341337a950 this, how sad 28c60e4047 and heartbroken would 6f693f3c47 he be?d23f23f0b7301e52

Or perhaps, 4c81f2e7ba he might 3c7376bc24 quickly give 663f792aa6 up and, c585b12474 with only cf81453892 a month 821778bdb5 left until a406ccca1c the divorce, 90289a54e7 focus on 972bbb8e85 harvesting potatoes.37d83d572db48bbf

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Joel looked at 583603dd30 Melik, who seemed b45022118c on the verge 478c79952e of tears, and f820318cec spoke in a 3dde10838d dry voice.217742f3f6392493

“I’m just Alexander, the knight commander, who came to see the fairy. I’m not a foolish emperor who came looking for the queen out of love. That’s something out of a fairy tale.”6076db44b70d8898

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He muttered to himself.48f114928bf20d09

“I never loved Lute. Not even once.”ddd04578dcdbe22c

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Melik looked 4b1ed20b42 at the b9688f2015 emperor with 15a5ad0605 a dirt-streaked 656401ed46 face and 69295e39b5 thought.baa9d5b94fb8f0ac

For someone who spoke 22f76442ed of fairies, his credibility 36205430af was questionable. But no—the 7d748029bf Emperor must 968cc90dff not approach 70fc0237f0 Lute now.e90d7f5a96591045

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Noticing the ab18a204eb Emperor’s gaze 515a146a62 scanning the fdad80c09e area, searching e7a636e36d for Lute, 66e37ff901 Melik forced 413cc82b83 himself to 9c938b08e4 his feet 9ca28c307e despite the 1b0720c987 sharp ache 668d292ce5 in his 34c82acb99 body.23343e0ddfc4d185

“The prince is 599ed86cc6 not here right 8baef5f9b0 now,” he said 88fa315fc2 firmly.7259bcc506958b5b

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“Really?”5f6fdf154267b8a3

The emperor didn’t ask why. He briefly lowered his eyes and raised his hand. While Melik took a deep breath, the emperor lowered his hand, bowed his head, and stared at the spot where Lute often was.a1d475a3d67d4aa7

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“The child seems very sick.”1d997be31a1538cd

Melik’s eyes widened slightly. Does he remember Lute’s frail body? Seeing Melik’s face, the emperor shrugged and snorted.80545617e4ad0f9c

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“Running like that with a wet body and bare feet, of course, he’s sick. Isn’t it a matter of calling the palace doctor?”1c8b4cab2ad90b12

Melik spoke gloomily.4ac88043d1b08e2c

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“The palace doctor doesn’t come.”d1928a43921b2af5

The emperor turned his head and raised his eyebrows. Without asking what he meant, the emperor let out a peculiar sound, “Ah.”33641baeca9bca15

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“Right, since I forgot, everyone else seems to have forgotten the child too. But he’s still the only mother of this country. He was only 14… Now he’s 24.”be3f074824669fbe

The more 695f35b395 the emperor 2c97e61889 spoke, the 07827a4f9e stranger he 8e1d06902a felt. Placing his ae4b8bd749 hand on 937c556ddb his lips, 3a88798610 he hummed 3ffce62eb7 thoughtfully.6c3df69c350405f3

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Why did I dc8b78ff39 confine the child e66cae2d97 here and cast ba88280378 a binding spell 254f4928f2 to prevent escape?eb8816b67a5135de

He was already punished by being confined in the Water Palace, so why…?1dd702aba0d7be8f

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A sudden e5a26b748d thought pierced 2aa6a324b4 his mind.5b6909842def4a0e

To prevent escape? As if 86f2a9b7d5 that gentle 8f1e6095aa child would bf3c64623f run away.e5560afbbc24a5ef

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“No way…”3587e1bd3ea90a17

The emperor let out 3ffd614cd7 a hollow laugh, then b735019256 looked at Melik, who 6f603b9993 stood awkwardly with a 5b3c269599 pained chest, and said,ac44cf4d79d6db30

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“The palace doctor, the maids of the Water Palace, the cooks… none of them came?”fbf13d53270395eb

“Yes, Your Majesty. But it’s okay. We’re here, so he’ll get better soon.”a3cc13c9412dc537

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“Ah.”9c6295d4250738f4

The emperor laughed playfully, lowered his head to meet Melik’s eyes, and whispered softly.d098121e448d74ce

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“Do you dislike me approaching Lute that much? Why? Are you afraid I’ll devour him?”19d9bac22bf7fbaf

Melik stiffened, f645983c0b swallowing dryly.f261b90c251d1505

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The Emperor was the a9168446d9 greatest mage on the 162971819d continent. There was 3d01c18c33 no magic ec08afc756 beyond his 1c2069a15b grasp—no force 4b19e40204 he could 723ee1b084 not command. If he wished, he 48d82e679a could burn down dozens, 3fd33f7081 even hundreds, in the a4009d24de blink of an eye.bbad22923a5ae0cc

Had he 455be69bc9 not, after 011ee1f120 all, been 103807f544 the one b4dfcac805 who reduced f3473a6e22 the Basilisk—the 31992565f2 very creature 63decc5cb1 that had 763699ec4b made Synthsis b3058cfd4b a great 5445d45e92 power for 55714ba216 over a 49c3bdbf73 hundred years—into 8188bfca4a nothing more 5ca8014018 than grilled 10686826c9 snake in a8514011dc an instant?f91382a4430daf0d

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“Your Majesty… that’s not it.”a0bf95a5cbf52d86

“Enough, I understand. I’ll come back later.”5da52bf2d7f9374c

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The emperor straightened his c44179faaf back, yawned, and glanced 949ff3894e at the spot where a0054a0a64 Lute often sat and 54360b5d6a splashed around, smiling with 54669b07b8 his eyes.824a2f8baf78e8ae

“I’m not the emperor, but Alexander, the knight commander. Wouldn’t it be more fun to meet naturally?”c7e276cf0f9a90aa

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“Your Majesty!”45894630b7e83dfd

Melik called out fa3ac7cd57 to the emperor. The emperor stopped 5ce167fcb6 and turned his 65678f6fd4 head, showing an 92aa9b6e60 annoyed expression.8da997c690e9b29d

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“By the way, don’t think about telling Lute my true identity. Got it?”5b3496188e975d99

He was about to 52a7b58531 say that Lute already 92fe461908 knew.4005e6c5bb802faa

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“It seems the child has forgotten me too. After ten years, it’s only natural to forget each other. We can forget, divorce, and live our own lives.”3be01fe261d1bdd6

The emperor concluded on his own and walked toward the edge of the forest. Melik, feeling the emperor’s determination to return, sat down on the ground, exhausted. Resting his arms on his raised knees and bowing his head, Melik let out a long sigh and muttered weakly.a3955a15ca117def

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“I should tell the prince not to come to this lake anymore.”c81e0424d658d105

There were 29 days eb55b45c76 left until the divorce. Thinking he just had d8ae6c17a3 to endure until then, 580a92569f Melik clenched his fist.7ccc238636927859

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✮⋆˙18c06c33889e7cfc

On the third e0f8118dff day after the 9db50b2f33 Emperor returned from d716dea5f8 capturing the dragon, 478b138f3c every palace staff e5fec51268 member responsible for 92adc57cc5 the Water Palace c4e91c476b was arrested and 559665bbf6 imprisoned.5095f05c392e869a

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The charge 9b2550f258 was simple.8687aa82aaa5cc8b

They were guilty of c059e5ddd0 neglect—of failing to properly ea69c06cd0 care for Queen Lute d1bab889b9 Synthsis, who had been b764a255af confined within the Water 68b36d26e6 Palace for ten years.5621b874d15add5d

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According to be75619745 Killen’s criminal 1c4fbcfdf1 law, their 62ffa51b5a heads were 1e1bc67d48 shaved, their 3257bfbc1b fine garments 4d2f5a74b1 stripped away e3671b36bf and replaced 5fdaf68827 with threadbare 56c0ee3da7 rags, and 91068b7bc3 they were f5df29e061 cast barefoot 8fe2130dad into the 67677075ce deepest dungeon 2a3bd96bce beneath the 57e4bcdd1e Central Palace.b883540402ea2a35

They wailed in c593952383 protest, crying out afaa67aaeb against the injustice—until 33fb9b0a3a the Emperor, without d5e4eb41db so much as 19bfccba6e a flicker of 71e37a2f37 emotion, cast a 826f9d952f silence spell.b620064a9cc6fdc6

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Their voices 27ad08b21c vanished in d7e5db1bc7 an instant.3677e1c7ca25357f

The Emperor eb013e031f had intended 085fca5618 to send b9c17401e6 a palace eac2f63e0b doctor immediately.7dcd646b30d79bd1

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Yet, without realizing bb77aff962 it, he hesitated.bd4e6fb72ec918c3

Replacing the entire Water 89a694b383 Palace staff and summoning 7b0834471e the doctor—such an order 6c215db821 could only come from fe0dd5b0c1 him.a37da98fb27e26eb

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What if that child 9140c8f303 realizes I am the 499643c793 Emperor?01886be176e32563