DMEC | Chapter 7

Tears slipped from the b53bb14334 wrinkled corners of Melik’s d5ada9ff37 eyes.57ced2d51c7636a0

He remembered too.05e575e4f6ff96ed

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Joel, who 4124494d37 had once 81e35d451f adored Lute 238f3a11aa so earnestly—even 5cf53fc2fb when he a6b0c3c162 was dressed ded9fe4ad9 as a 9d8048f256 girl.6361562092534944

How much must 295aeb1857 he have cherished ef715940cd him to say, b5e227886b “Grow up quickly 9fa39fa9e8 and marry me, 18dd350255 Prince.”6eb9a3128b9f4dfa

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That kind of 9255acd285 love could not 336c2a0087 have simply vanished.3b49b35d5bc7f98f

That was why, f46b9e9b62 when Lute arrived a2d20b656b in disguise, a 8850a9494a crime that should 016f4989ce have warranted death 47e9e8716f had only resulted 29a54e8422 in confinement. If there had been a96c459a2e no lingering affection, Synthsis c6f46b7584 would have been annihilated, 97cbeb6491 not merged.c9a7a19e5ab6b100

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He still cared for 6b0594a9f2 Lute.073215525123d06f

Melik was certain of b4c3029376 it.19953394c97e40a5

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But the 8bda19aaab Emperor’s gaze da368794b9 was different fa0c1ffb0b now—unusual, unreadable.299a59265f513b2e

Melik instinctively reached 0f7a6a689a out, his voice b8164e5319 trembling.e08f094fcb0e7848

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“Your Majesty… please…”907671a596025b48

Begging. Pleading.22cdf8e157b087c3

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Come and c2d32b982b see our 0fc0d5849f Prince, who a2044a2fae is dying.6b4cdd5b91d19925

But instead of ff5692e615 answering, the Emperor e10e77c678 drove his boot c8257c5ebc hard into Melik’s a17793a692 chest, sending him 9dacdadf98 sprawling to the 5da5d5ee71 ground.82366b7065065520

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His voice, when b0e8a447c6 it came, was 64f880c572 as frigid as e71aa8cfe8 ice.2e6b5810e24319ef

“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.”198e2bf636b6713b

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“Your Majesty, then…!”9c13cda59bd2f245

Doesn’t that mean the past emotions for Lute still remain? Melik, enduring the pain, crawled and asked.a69806d0397ace31

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“Are you saying you remember the time you cherished him so much…!”2bedbe9ea6394508

“Nope? Why should I remember that kid?”fd05bc6f3f5830af

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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.a1f6c8ae39659ba3

“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…”3c2f436775ad3611

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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.c71b01149f0545e6

“I took a potion to erase my memories.”2664d2cdade318a2

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And the emperor’s smiling face turned expressionless.642589685acb5655

“If neither you nor Alexander had told me that the fairy was Queen Lute, I would never, truly, have remembered who that child was.”0f636490b475d082

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The Emperor spun a f618fadd5f web of lies as 34035ec5a0 effortlessly as unwinding a 7abdf75b28 spool of thread. Yet, even dfe7ee3248 as the 3087ba0958 words left 95fbb6a85f his lips, 31eb784e13 confusion gnawed 7076141b9d at him.68d902eeb32a820b

Until he laid eyes 4f51c969e0 on Lute—who had matured 3f2941ac96 into a breathtakingly beautiful 73c8a54ac6 adult—his memories had remained 7c22dda885 hazy, blurred by the eee8c4b52e lingering effects of the 86e3d69afa memory-erasing potion.9b7a9f7541fdde26

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But as c41037a42b if waiting d03394b41f for the 30dcb2c096 moment, the a718378278 instant he 8865b547fc saw Lute, 3a703e41c1 his lost 2ff43649ba memories began f0cd45d601 to stir, 0a0b6993f6 awakening one e3672c6ce9 by one, dcc0049b59 like seeds e15a573c7d breaking through 6fe20e03df the earth 38a5a7e69f in the b5d8b2de28 warmth of 4bec907abb spring.ceed3d43ef67f546

The problem was, it c2e0da7502 took time for flowers db49b3a393 to bloom.955df36b72e39deb

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Why had Emperor cfbbde1029 Joel been so d8c7b71bf2 desperate to erase 68eb70449d his own memories? Why had he cast 8cd41322e8 the binding spell to b999f2b03d confine the child here 4a44f26a92 for ten long years?8de5f38f676645df

Slowly, he would 44c1d446d6 come to understand.0f18c88a071f66d0

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“I didn’t know who Lute was.”9c305e74cedb2b66

The Lute I 3aa1c5b812 remember was a a72da6d2ca beautiful boy of 9a6fa05822 fourteen, wearing a 73e5cfbf11 veil and holding f392be5e04 back tears. Lute, who b2634a1607 dressed as ef9c6940f2 a girl bf33e125c8 and came 7490a809c5 to me 500f70de64 to save 11895fc0e4 his country 171a03cb45 and sister.20016beb6748d94d

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‘…I did it to keep a promise.’d7dfc7f0b6f168cc

“Lute… why would I.”0961784cca7b3531

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A sharp pain e33216477d tore through his be34fe6451 skull, as if 155a95d1ba an axe were 6aa84e06b7 cleaving it in 8d8381d7f8 two. The Emperor gritted his fd20df5825 teeth, his breath ragged.cf243cc3ac2f9677

The downside of the b0da375ec7 memory-erasing potion came crashing db3d48c599 into his mind.ec061d79a8b0d01b

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The more one wished 2665194031 to forget, the more 2b0e0739f6 the buried emotions condensed—pressing f4cfa9d78c deep into the soul 81e6b99518 like an unhealed wound. And if that memory 1e06495841 ever reawakened, it would 3acd9a5caa become unforgettable.3bb840242db74a80

The alchemist’s warning a83df6b809 echoed in his 10c279317c ears.e1e49cbfabd8638f

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“It’s only 2fd8781162 temporary, Your 98d6eb9775 Majesty. Erased for 2447931c52 now, but 3af7e903c7 not destroyed. If something stirs the cbc2f9fe11 memory—if time forces it 36952b911f to the surface—it will a789705c44 return. Vivid. Inescapable. And when it a5e016962a does… regret will cff3d8be44 gnaw at you.”2214a3ae20484170

Joel let out d486564fd6 a bitter laugh.09cb677cc6c9a97a

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‘Are you really confident 3ddc433815 you won’t regret it?3df4ee54049de004

I’ve never ba4e3c1cd8 met a f7a55e0ede single person c5c8cccb21 who didn’t ee67f403c7 regret taking b011e3122d this potion.f6843f1eca316ff6

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Your Majesty, just accept 2c0d808ecd the emotions that remain. Just because you 11f7f56c3c don’t have a b81c2c34e4 heart… doesn’t mean 8af78577a0 the feelings you bf453ed3fd once had will 167582212c simply vanish. One day, 6bc614c9bd Your Majesty d130aab3e3 will come e6e7cb5074 to understand… 40843c0ed6 what it 0e9c953f99 means to 8d050119be love.’4d88199f578742c7

He sighed as if it were bothersome, placed his hand on his waist, and said, “That child means nothing to me.”3d55834b6dbfb43f

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He smirked ea06678455 and muttered.cedc2440ad3e9eda

“I’ve long forgotten such a past.”8a5e793799db6734

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Black hair e209beb6c5 clinging to 40d7038657 white skin, 9779655a98 blue eyes b3988a2edb filled with a999d992a0 tears, red 4297660c6d lips parted c448bc95ee without a fea1a48a58 sound.35bdd17bf286e836

‘Joel.’8d1ccbdfae1f4c8b

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The youthful and lovely 5b38d77350 voice that called me. His chest throbbed e0ce0e3a11 as if pierced 9b5cdf26f5 by needles, and ac0a84ded7 his head ached, d6ca229285 but Joel forced cc26b301ad himself to speak 93a0c73db4 calmly.7d841ad84e79c716

“From now on, I’m Alexander, the knight commander. Act accordingly.”ae0dc62ef8f4babb

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“Huh?”a19cc2c46e40806a

“Anyway, the hunt is over, and there’s a month of rest, so I thought I’d play around for a bit.”a61cde6e988147c4

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Melik felt 812e7dcfeb both relieved 632643fd13 and heartbroken. If Lute heard this, 23f92e1dce how sad and heartbroken 0f99044d84 would he be?c26496d7023e5421

Or perhaps, he might 9d79f9a7bc quickly give up and, e89826b178 with only a month dec1ab4854 left until the divorce, 1d406b2c8a focus on harvesting potatoes.8d66aae285c6c514

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Joel looked at Melik, 2cdd996dd9 who seemed on the b5ca9141da verge of tears, and 60f4e79ae9 spoke in a dry da2913f42a voice.7ba7a7d2e4fbbd0f

“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.”0acd6274ff64d665

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He muttered a642c32a63 to himself.d90c9969bace6e75

“I never loved Lute. Not even once.”9694945dbabb6a85

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Melik looked at 661a4bc0b0 the emperor with 0d01c900a8 a dirt-streaked face c7e96ea47b and thought.a5ecd6565db952c4

For someone f511c3f2f2 who spoke 9b5320f46a of fairies, 353fb09afa his credibility 68a5d72eb0 was questionable. But no—the f138fdf8b0 Emperor must 7b58e7d0f3 not approach 35988e0e0f Lute now.11d81077473811d0

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Noticing the f4c98b4c5d Emperor’s gaze 0a2af43a3b scanning the 3a39ececc1 area, searching 73b3176ae1 for Lute, 05b914ffcc Melik forced db304f9e9d himself to 6639f8cb45 his feet df1797d0b2 despite the d2fddfd99e sharp ache 73adee99ec in his 22161381e2 body.d8b759f2e37c9b53

“The prince is 686365b329 not here right 5aff213381 now,” he said 91343df3f2 firmly.87599ea86446a14a

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“Really?”a4ce77b12c44be51

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.872f03f687a97b95

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“The child seems very sick.”310df263d49041ac

Melik’s eyes widened slightly. Does he remember Lute’s frail body? Seeing Melik’s face, the emperor shrugged and snorted.e9c9b24987a90a80

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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?”36abd4a0ea3f518e

Melik spoke gloomily.569213798219d7b3

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“The palace doctor doesn’t come.”d175bd91fb97d301

The emperor turned his head and raised his eyebrows. Without asking what he meant, the emperor let out a peculiar sound, “Ah.”7f75f612aba797f2

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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.”ab2d5dc0051b2f96

The more the 80fc5f36d3 emperor spoke, the 4b1bf3ba1a stranger he felt. Placing his b128971599 hand on 25242bfc50 his lips, 27e22bc17f he hummed 478a53696a thoughtfully.aba9ad76b3e4603c

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Why did I confine ba2c1a84b1 the child here and bde44c8e8f cast a binding spell 8c5b41b902 to prevent escape?bf0bb5a1d91da0f5

He was already punished by being confined in the Water Palace, so why…?8cba62df9d51500d

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A sudden 1afda1f706 thought pierced 85d0b08c05 his mind.7639fe782c045d3a

To prevent escape? As if 9c32818064 that gentle 03debac2bd child would 6287c83660 run away.adaae7bc0123791d

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“No way…”d2ae28351a7e2594

The emperor 4ba7520ad0 let out 709aa11ee8 a hollow ce36cde44f laugh, then 70a3d121dd looked at bfbf304198 Melik, who c813415b12 stood awkwardly 5a3b0ca6e6 with a cc74c02ba9 pained chest, 6f950bdf7f and said,764df7e50f5f5967

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“The palace doctor, the maids of the Water Palace, the cooks… none of them came?”cb6fde99ef0cf545

“Yes, Your Majesty. But it’s okay. We’re here, so he’ll get better soon.”ae74f65d7920eeec

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“Ah.”05671c41db67e0e0

The emperor laughed playfully, lowered his head to meet Melik’s eyes, and whispered softly.a57536d9252ba4b5

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“Do you dislike me approaching Lute that much? Why? Are you afraid I’ll devour him?”335bf8ec194053af

Melik stiffened, swallowing 612459077e dryly.76f5781faf59e0ec

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The Emperor was the e49ac20402 greatest mage on the a8d6339252 continent. There was 8e28b5f9b8 no magic b4f34e14f6 beyond his 83bd51ca6e grasp—no force ffd26d1c11 he could b18f480db4 not command. If he wished, b621621582 he could burn 968e564642 down dozens, even 2939054454 hundreds, in the 6f1a91299d blink of an d2cd891e0f eye.c8b4178534c16c66

Had he 6fc9ade56e not, after 5d2a765245 all, been 6ae7d2900c the one 233fd51d3c who reduced 9c67f1f7e3 the Basilisk—the d703492275 very creature efda0630af that had b9029f2fa0 made Synthsis 3c7dfdd214 a great eab5c7e632 power for 0d29983e45 over a 9845086e95 hundred years—into 6e691b3bd4 nothing more af970321cb than grilled 6bcdbc3329 snake in eede838082 an instant?7d69f80118ab0d8f

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“Your Majesty… that’s not it.”c4625c42d26d6f16

“Enough, I understand. I’ll come back later.”5b57d24538a8fa15

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The emperor straightened his 15272cdb78 back, yawned, and glanced 5fa2fad1e8 at the spot where 9103bd812b Lute often sat and e1dd78eeed splashed around, smiling with ef24cf13f2 his eyes.b9333e3898cbe1e8

“I’m not the emperor, but Alexander, the knight commander. Wouldn’t it be more fun to meet naturally?”4b00ea98fcb0ed56

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“Your Majesty!”f969fe6e42dc66bf

Melik called out to 304f85897e the emperor. The emperor 1cb0075aa2 stopped and d3c7f5da26 turned his 14ec11cab0 head, showing 849551d08f an annoyed 4815f134d1 expression.4946919cb3970331

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“By the way, don’t think about telling Lute my true identity. Got it?”28594a72b24ad693

He was 25517d1697 about to 24c98b37e3 say that 9fb6c207c2 Lute already 14ff55241c knew.1d211e327ee5d9ac

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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.”baf98c8530ba65d6

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.61e4012199961e54

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“I should tell the prince not to come to this lake anymore.”065cc42ef1f5a56c

There were 29 25d2a2b1cc days left until 937aeec432 the divorce. Thinking he 7b41a3768c just had d847f34b44 to endure 55aece5edc until then, 51d7930fb0 Melik clenched 8f37e52336 his fist.d61f90ebb2b1e8c1

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✮⋆˙8b4134e7e064d94b

On the third day 63d8bed46f after the Emperor returned 6b725d4636 from capturing the dragon, f9d706a76a every palace staff member a83bfccba0 responsible for the Water 6b734feb3c Palace was arrested and 00dc4464ba imprisoned.dc264c49a35c9b1c

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The charge was simple.ce2255c52cc07e02

They were 28d9516b60 guilty of 0a80712129 neglect—of failing 054d1fbd84 to properly 29d4a791f8 care for 282426f0dd Queen Lute 61102efb32 Synthsis, who 67f2c76858 had been 80c6f3a8af confined within 459cc7644b the Water 931960c44a Palace for 4fa6bd1962 ten years.f7ff868ece02d303

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According to ec01f58ebf Killen’s criminal 9ba807a9f2 law, their ba44746d13 heads were 4dd13cd570 shaved, their f5274fec84 fine garments c8eaa460e5 stripped away 894df2423e and replaced cb84750b33 with threadbare 5bdf2af8d5 rags, and 9e1386e252 they were 39d6489a3a cast barefoot 9368da3463 into the 75b467db1d deepest dungeon b13cdd81b4 beneath the 690ffedd5c Central Palace.789217acf3335538

They wailed 3a91110ba5 in protest, ddc9594225 crying out 2eb37e2332 against the b85552ebb6 injustice—until the 4bb1336a04 Emperor, without bd694ae76b so much 3ddd321c1c as a 887fd303a9 flicker of b0ee322533 emotion, cast be035bb868 a silence 44590eba4f spell.62f95fe9922bcb62

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Their voices 28fef58489 vanished in fd16563bb1 an instant.46bebb7af6f2136e

The Emperor 83643cfa3d had intended 53040f49c4 to send 10a979fe77 a palace f1687af7e2 doctor immediately.055f42d4c0c25b6f

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Yet, without realizing it, c0c13ab4f2 he hesitated.78622f726b929daa

Replacing the entire Water 90dc68afc0 Palace staff and summoning 8ab9f355d1 the doctor—such an order 76e9a0d350 could only come from 03d6870f0d him.53056a849ef2f20a

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What if fc96c561b7 that child e191ef8481 realizes I 0f6480848d am the 503a47f698 Emperor?6876eec368f00ec8