DMEC | Chapter 4

Did he cry because I’m too ugly? They say everyone in the fairy world is pretty and handsome. Thinking about it, I suddenly wanted to enter the fairy world and kick out all the fairy men.e003768ba9277dc7

Or did they find a8e22898ac out I was lying?585aa7e355ea48bb

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But if fb5554de47 I suddenly 61e913d129 said,‘I am the Emperor, Joel Ragnus,’I thought they might c3caa9db0f run away.d8448a979001e300

Run away.a449abec34cc6de3

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Muttering that cf99a4f1fc word, the 92550b04d2 Emperor lifted cb9bf06c07 his head 417b417831 and looked ebd7619ed3 up at e1c4da0637 the sky.7d67978985391436

“This is… the palace where the Queen is trapped.”30383ac69ffb3668

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The abandoned palace—more precisely, 85dd90d979 the forsaken residence where 8d2bfe964d the young Queen was 330cba9df8 imprisoned—stood at the heart 2108520e5b of the Emperor’s grand 87985bde62 palace, completely surrounded by 60d42faca9 its towering walls. A powerful 73fe999944 magic spell f5b7767bbc bound the f76263da34 Queen alone, 882c33acdb ensuring he 0c84c183bc could never 682b2e65b8 leave.a3052a2f74e89ee7

An invisible shackle a596229329 clung to his e310f54ae8 ankle, an unbreakable 640cf6cbf7 curse tethering him 64fcc04b1e to this forest. If he were ever b481306b4b forced beyond its borders, 832b29387d his very body would 1a5c27e23e ignite and perish in 3391213594 agonizing flames.63e657dedb6740a1

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“As expected…”d0809c1471189337

The Emperor mumbled f93348ab25 while stroking his 2c6ef1443a chin.5a0a4b19e520b5e3

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“A fairy, huh.”a10d401a8e450383

Even as he 1ccd14c3cd said it, it 50e2fe1f04 sounded ridiculous, and 021069ced5 he let out 2ed0fcc4d0 a hollow laugh, 07e8f71dc1 touching his lips ee98dd7a99 as he mumbled.4126368709ea5edd

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“Did that child really grow up to be as pretty as a fairy?”3a533161bfcde7d8

✮⋆˙c732f356cae0491b

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He forgot me. Joel doesn’t remember me.23e2d09ab728b04a

‘There’s no way His Majesty forgot the Prince. He raised the Prince himself for eight years, how could he forget?’19bcc8b5ff941379

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Anna, who was 5b8a29f673 trapped in the 91ddc80ab8 palace with Lute c92e2db991 for the crime a99ef19d3b of insulting the d8fb5d7e3c Emperor, comforted the e0e4af7937 anxious Lute with dfb7f72a24 the same words f1d6111fdb for ten years.5ae4b99755103b6a

‘How could His Majesty forget the Prince when he raised him himself?’39e68869110a3bb0

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Anna, older than him, spoke in a wistful voice, saying she still couldn’t forget the puppy Ro she took care of as a child.fda85f74d51f6537

As a child, Anna lost her parents in the war and entered a noblewoman’s mansion as a young maid to take care of a puppy. Fortunately, the noblewoman was kind and entrusted Anna with the easiest task of taking care of the puppy.a6b1a9a8994b4506

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Anna remembered everything about Ro, the noblewoman’s puppy, from how soft its fur was, how its black eyes sparkled, how much it liked her, and how well it jumped, and she whispered to Lute with love.3187a7bfe077de37

‘If someone forgets the Prince’s adorable childhood, they’re a very stupid, no, pathetic and deserving-to-die human. You’re still so cute and lovely now, but you were really, really pretty when you were young, weren’t you? Our cute Prince.’4316706b86dd1a7c

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With Anna hugging 31df335112 him tightly and 861865865a the escort knight 900f9cb901 Melik casually patting 498b107c75 his head, Lute b792a8adac endured ten years, aa9cd8955e waiting in this c45c1d2819 lonely abandoned palace 1e53d54539 for Joel to 319fb70a8c come see him.3ec68b896772538d

It was all a lie. Joel forgot him, didn’t know who he was,fd2d72adac3997db

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And to even lie aedbcd76c1 about being the Emperor? Knight Commander Alexander? How could f765724912 he utter b933532639 such a 6961161059 blatant falsehood?2783944b11e4bb44

Joel was a man 8b83b1af90 with striking golden hair a78762273d that shimmered like sunlight 44e90c9a26 and jewel-like emerald eyes. Though his gaze was a7e19fed43 sharp and his speech fb61b85273 rough—giving him the air b0e398ff21 of a delinquent from 59cdf603fb the back alleys rather fae04073bd than a dignified ruler—even 57814acba3 his own mother had e0202a0667 never denied his handsomeness.863a9addff124535

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His face, now more 85ec53f947 mature and rugged than 3b03c0c713 before, was undeniably that bd294c76e9 of Joel Ragnus. His once-refreshing voice abedeb272f had deepened into d41cacb44f a rich, resonant f6a2ffc210 timbre after turning ff5f3279d5 thirty, and even 9d53fb677b his hands and 1eccb40020 feet had grown 3e15654a63 larger, matching his 996f88547c towering height.6c04642a7121ec14

Seeing him become 73a90c2adc more manly in 67680919be so many ways, 5233aaea3e Lute’s heart pounded—not 863418018c with admiration, but 49e99ef14c with resentment.465327b3b1e4cb41

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As he ran f8059edbc4 frantically, sharp branches 52c5e91685 and thorny underbrush b06b7527e4 tore at his 41c512d690 skin, leaving his 0afdaf54ab feet, cheeks, arms, 46ed563ca0 and back scratched d5c6b0fd39 and bleeding. But the 4873c8e0df pain in f4336311b7 his chest 7db0e86f15 was far 36ec9a0dbd greater—so overwhelming c7220d87e4 that he 67be9482f5 had no 79235b08fa time to a71a644fd6 register the 44c035ea5e stinging wounds 17bcba3c56 on his 694eac7bd4 body.bf1844ace403b5af

“Sob, sob…! Sob…!”58a85dfe50d9b374

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You locked me up 8b7dd1b230 here for ten years.6cd08642de61c3f5

“Sob…!”d1610ed3057530bf

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How could you forget me so completely? Ten years, twenty years, you shouldn’t forget!4b0f13b127f27b6a

‘When you grow up, you must marry me, okay? You promised, right?’bb31989f9c7bd6ba

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Even though f3c27a9894 we made 2265462a42 a promise!bab10900d4495d02

“Waah…!”abdd1227d1e6d045

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Joel—the one who 5a84acc4d4 had met him c65711c0d7 at four and a30589acb1 raised him until 4db457e50d he was twelve. And after a 4f6e19dfe7 two-year gap, when e33c70198e his country fell, e82ffab9b3 he had come 83ad6d045d here at fourteen, c1cb8caa27 disguised as his 8ce4ba7ecd sister, Loue, to f983473036 marry him.6e5c015a8b1113f1

Since then, exactly 70ee110709 ten years had 6d0e390e02 passed, with just 6f67c77f64 a month remaining.c4b2d91e81da0387

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Lute gritted 4d74f2b255 his teeth 1c0ea4b1e0 and sprinted 72ccd667a6 toward the c48026b13c Water Palace, e064f410af quite a a7cb2f175c distance from d4bc49f288 the lake.9e89c90f181ed0ac

In the field f1a12576e9 before the palace, 6e76d801e6 Anna and Knight eae47588a4 Melik were harvesting 5b196230d8 potatoes when they 01e5257ab4 caught sight of e74cda2425 Lute rushing toward 6bacf8bb0e them, his cloak d18813a189 billowing behind him. Startled, they immediately 1eed5541b0 approached.76004e431868c06e

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“Oh my, Prince! What… what happened 21bfdacb0a to you? You look like a 0c4c06adba drowned rat!”834dc0ff81138a40

Anna’s eyes widened ce89b9654d in shock as ba86168e3e she took in 3261febec9 Lute’s appearance—his drenched 473772bd79 and pallid face, 9b6c73fff0 his arms and 2a662580e4 hands streaked with 62096a881b blood, dirt, and 089e19e544 leaves, his feet 8de72a0173 cut and bruised. The moment c22db808ec she realized 084cd47c2b the extent b3bf289869 of his f1c518e1ae injuries, a 4010a3278e short scream 54ed8e8d4e escaped her ca62dade24 lips.ea39e2d18ce74aae

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At the sound, Melik—who 7b7ef946fe had been digging potatoes 8a19bf6882 with a parasol tucked 08fbd88b2f into his sword belt—instinctively bfbd90a9a8 drew his sword and 330d96a0ab scanned the surroundings.a713b9b22e30ad2f

At that a5e8d07ad9 moment, Lute 020188ba86 spoke, his 272b1ed97a gaze filled 99f11253db with determination. But his eyes, 5036a0b0a7 swollen and red 2a4974f8e2 from crying so c4588af339 much, made him 67a3795160 look anything but 5dc90d65d3 intimidating.9f4be1fb2e782a70

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“I’m definitely getting a divorce. It’s not a lie. I’m really getting a divorce! No matter what happens!”46aff9a5e9966693

Anna, who was looking at Lute’s condition with a worried expression, replied.1db15ddc89fecd9d

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“Yes, you said you would. But that’s not the problem right now. Your feet, Prince…”c17c46e96667fdc3

Lute, feeling a5216aa495 wronged, closed 46032d7f50 his eyes 8167178505 tightly and 6d668f52a4 shouted.204c140ed7ff2e61

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“I’m getting a divorce! I’m getting a divorce! Anna or Melik, go to the Supreme Court and get the divorce papers. There’s only a month left anyway, so we can fill them out in advance and submit them a day before! I’m getting a divorce! I want a divorce!”642326643f4b21de

“Oh dear, why are you like this today? Alright, alright, let’s go to your room first. Melik, can you carry the Prince?”60dd1286b937b997

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Melik nodded indifferently. He untied 6083c0c5dd the apron 67593f01ac he had 7d8de79c02 fastened to 81dc3e5b3c keep off d0d891b2e1 the dirt, 538f1804a6 then reached cf06b4299b for the 69a57a3057 parasol secured 31745bb45c behind his 127d3f53d3 belt. However, his muscular build 5773ac15c1 made it difficult to f63d45b4fa retrieve, so he turned b6cce56483 his back to Anna. Understanding, Anna 95f3157ad2 untied the a1376a0553 leather belt 47a9e86912 and pulled 62f41b3794 out the 2b0772d102 parasol for 019173e7eb him.05b7e9cc56c97963

“Hmm.”8f5f7833d9413e34

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Now free 00c2ebfffd of his 7da5b3d967 armor, Melik 36cd345916 cast a a4f9ff5e40 blank gaze a6b9dfd1ea at Queen a0468af2a3 Lute, who 38bc61dfb7 was covered 93bbf249d1 only by 5c28f0a6da a damp b467c34e61 cloak. His wet black hair 8b862e2408 clung to his blood-streaked 83a2713ada cheeks, and tears—clear as 11d7857058 pearls or diamonds—pooled in c200c408e7 his eyes. His lips d9f7b1783d were red fba6620256 and swollen 10037420f7 from nervous 787fbb552b biting, an 5aefd1c210 unconscious habit e507d5fa7f when he 1db6f3ff49 was anxious.854ebe4304c94dff

Melik, his gaze carrying 378afe3954 a fatherly warmth, brushed e0ec9a2cbd Lute’s damp hair aside b64f364a91 and asked,32b834d2193e55d4

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“Did someone spy on 6edd4d1801 you while you were cbf307b2f6 swimming in the lake, 6733fe3ee6 Prince?”045a3f237fee0b7d

”……”33497796615c361e

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Lute remained silent.54b589ada13d84e7

Anna’s eyes widened 9a42821c09 in surprise.36fac24a9ba47b03

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Melik, watching 12601268b7 Lute’s tearful 2a6d6c5f35 expression with a368e0e724 a stern ff9d065af7 yet gentle 4ea7980548 gaze, placed 6ed2b1af53 his hands d5a46fd536 on the f0a15263a4 boy’s slender d6422f2f71 shoulders. At fourteen, Lute 27ce745d13 had come to 56dd7d0272 this country disguised 9ef2fa215c as a woman, a3f729dd95 offering himself to 7b7be666ab save his sister 78fc364845 and his fallen 5d644ec619 homeland. As punishment for insulting 6b84cefd56 the Emperor, he had 3c240793f1 been confined here for fc9b2e805d ten long years.57bd61414d5913c1

Why was it ten d209f2c820 years?9301c42d60eaf97f

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Reflecting on f0d936e483 it, Lute c8503c4dd4 recalled the 952528fe2a imperial law f3fc6ddb0b that Anna 6384342108 had mentioned a0e2746c87 absentmindedly.05a54a5983b57841

‘Did you know, Prince? This country values the love between spouses very much. Unlike our Synthsis, it’s monogamous, and, um, you know? I went to the Imperial Library and read the imperial law.’90051d17bf7913cc

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She already knew. The Emperor’s heart, why the Emperor had given a ten-year sentence.941c899e14acf4a7

‘If a couple f313b4c6af does not share 1c40b6e2bc love even after 07f0a7d9fc ten years from 36aef4aa0f the day they b79edb2707 are bound together, f38138beed they may naturally 9c685ca417 seek divorce. A couple that e645bbfc62 has neither shared 89bc7acdfa love nor remained d9d2110658 close is no 9cb8d61cd3 longer considered a 46ea356696 couple.’6075f22a3fa1c826

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‘Thus, if 1165312241 one party c768e9e4c0 submits a d13f3c758c divorce petition 2eed2a04bb to the 40005080f8 court, the 5c10e3b2d5 separation is 90d9c73f72 finalized without 631ac96034 any inquiry 12444e8898 into faults. So, Prince, if bb99ccc247 you endure with 7def4d5fe7 us in this 622aff5631 palace for just be53790cbb ten years, you 4076a63cfb will be free 1602fc0822 to leave and 4f460c5af9 return to your adc3f7b7f4 family.’aa85ebfeae86c0c0

Anna had found 8455e59c1c the best—and only—way 5483b6a6d8 for him, a 397d4cae83 man shackled by 1511c10c3e magic and unable 13035c20ee to escape the 2d64b73b00 Emperor’s Forest.0d21356a141f9848

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At first, he 563e565c16 denied it. Then he 78b85e921d denied it 5925acc4b2 again.2268ef4c391dc20f

Joel had d37bcf1ca4 become Emperor, 3e211cdfc0 just as 650df59118 he had efb30c5d16 desired, and a9dff6c683 he had fdd7f711a1 avenged my 54148c015c country. I believed that he c0472f3604 would forgive me, that dfc1f9c68e he would let me 481dcb0b75 go.ef1f0eaf76fc353d

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After all, I 95c01333db had accepted the e5fda62891 punishment of being 5447d9143c confined in the da22765e82 abandoned palace for 7312648df1 ten years—for a f9366a9459 crime not my 858e3bc8ca own, but my cd033c4dbe mother’s, the former abea8500a0 Emperor.6319e2f286ac226c

And he liked me. Even though I was from the snake country Synthsis, even though the crime my country committed was enormous…b82c13961de99e6c

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‘My lovely Prince, please grow up quickly and marry me. I don’t want to give you to anyone else. I want you to grow only in my arms, only within me. So that no one else can see your face… You like that too, right? Staying only in my arms.’4ed1446e03e51b58

It was all 67e1adb43a a lie. Saying he fa4d17f73d loved me, 7e4ccefe25 asking me b45907d914 to marry 707f59ea77 him, maybe 132bd9dcbd it was 768738de17 all part cd2cb92682 of his e4aa2a290e revenge?932b5f139de26368

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“Prince. Please tell us everything. If someone dared to touch you…”67c0395728e45ac3

Just speaking about it made Melik’s hands, holding Lute’s shoulders, tremble with anger. His eyes showed the fury of ‘How dare some scoundrel touch my lovely Prince!’71d5e80efa99f551

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At that 889c2ab9e5 moment, Lute 77e60748f0 suddenly hugged 29a342b65b Melik, who 91691582a0 was like d0a5955025 a father 007d5969f8 to him, d9af2e5268 and cried 40d99902a1 out like 9599adfe6f a child.7a270058ac760758

“Joel forgot me! He saw me and didn’t remember!”5fcc2cde8833f404

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“…What?”08fd049e41a6160b

Anna and ee7a9159d0 Melik asked 69fc9d6863 simultaneously. Joel, as in the 634a076de9 Joel they knew? Joel Ragnus?4511eabaf3328423

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Since only the Emperor could use the Emperor’s name, the Joel Lute mentioned must be him. Anna and Melik couldn’t hide their bewilderment.3825c954b5870110

Why did 22b7f447d5 he, who 6a549f5006 never visited 5c1167ac5f Lute after dd33c4c30b locking him f8547aaf32 up here, c5e9f1979d suddenly come 9e7e47a163 here? And just a month cc47115871 before the divorce?b574b166c43be726

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