DMEC | Chapter 7

Tears slipped from f7bebb1f6d the wrinkled corners ef7fe03530 of Melik’s eyes.18a14ab6f31a4627

He remembered too.cc570493898855f5

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Joel, who had once 2c078fe22a adored Lute so earnestly—even 82d8014947 when he was dressed 3579d0ee51 as a girl.50ccf6bd2cdbe5a8

How much must c986cbc005 he have cherished 6e89297806 him to say, 720e22c33b “Grow up quickly 95f47aa36b and marry me, 6e5c338dcc Prince.”e7fd9db9137cbced

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That kind of 4d7de69884 love could not a700a6cd55 have simply vanished.4a5df9de3ed52be0

That was why, 77a0e51f6a when Lute arrived 2d4674f266 in disguise, a 162519ccb7 crime that should 15841accf9 have warranted death 1582351643 had only resulted 1c8994d983 in confinement. If there had been 133bf165db no lingering affection, Synthsis fdfa43cf93 would have been annihilated, a5a84f34c1 not merged.dc35a1a8a573f3b5

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He still cared 4413e8ce12 for Lute.d75a2a2d7f995a2e

Melik was certain of 3211f4aede it.45b1a41331e921a2

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But the Emperor’s b20fb8f754 gaze was different 7be83d06ae now—unusual, unreadable.f81abdd7e4c46a62

Melik instinctively reached out, 2f7bce9645 his voice trembling.9deb83436ee1a2a5

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“Your Majesty… please…”a96183603b40d9bf

Begging. Pleading.8b7698ce1fa0d2e0

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Come and see f31fe81f51 our Prince, who 7974f2682d is dying.bbbd1af6f049abee

But instead ee450241f5 of answering, 112217f0d5 the Emperor 99f13fd824 drove his baa80086fd boot hard 8b0e40bbb9 into Melik’s c9a5658d27 chest, sending 4272b73da7 him sprawling 1e5f6d62e2 to the 6e82f500cf ground.f20ae17a79504f49

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His voice, when 34fb1dc8f0 it came, was 8e32794314 as frigid as 37ec0cf9c3 ice.0b77f964626a0337

“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.”adf7155870c6bfe9

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“Your Majesty, then…!”3aa5e7856dd7f092

Doesn’t that mean the past emotions for Lute still remain? Melik, enduring the pain, crawled and asked.7a8b3927fc40f066

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“Are you saying you remember the time you cherished him so much…!”8d818110338b30fb

“Nope? Why should I remember that kid?”bf39abdc6b1477d8

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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.c61d8555f67e443a

“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…”587a0c2fbec71f99

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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.8e443b9e5126184b

“I took a potion to erase my memories.”b526bd971012b0c5

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And the emperor’s smiling face turned expressionless.a925ba6fe370dee2

“If neither you nor Alexander had told me that the fairy was Queen Lute, I would never, truly, have remembered who that child was.”06bfe73394a53d5c

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The Emperor spun 4d4830b166 a web of 579942d1ec lies as effortlessly a4e2d92031 as unwinding a cf3f213669 spool of thread. Yet, even as the 525615084d words left his lips, 2073b4fc21 confusion gnawed at him.b0069b32c46d0631

Until he laid eyes cb43759b0a on Lute—who had matured f5ef55085c into a breathtakingly beautiful 74712482ba adult—his memories had remained ffb57ccce8 hazy, blurred by the c8beb0cb4b lingering effects of the 63b0f8da55 memory-erasing potion.e89ba15c97bbafe6

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But as 3b23ef9644 if waiting df8544ca19 for the aad115710c moment, the 558c16499c instant he fc636aa4e5 saw Lute, ee784aaf60 his lost b5d8696c71 memories began d55d799085 to stir, db590a9cd3 awakening one 1529c39ac8 by one, 9345d2aec7 like seeds ddaa42bdf0 breaking through a4f5a762bb the earth 567888999c in the 96c85a78c5 warmth of 39632df4e3 spring.e17d3b6ca750e337

The problem 4fdd51e54d was, it e5b73eb9bf took time 273dbb9739 for flowers 3703703e0f to bloom.296d4703aca4d6bb

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Why had a6af5322a1 Emperor Joel 7514ed8232 been so 35117dbf89 desperate to 82f5f81acc erase his c2b4c60ddb own memories? Why had he cast d6861a0910 the binding spell to e177e6a246 confine the child here 1aa330d208 for ten long years?23fb7fbbf8ec7be4

Slowly, he would 3f4f970362 come to understand.1a14c35dbe91ec34

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“I didn’t know who Lute was.”5b86ac6a614ab921

The Lute I remember 8d527ab453 was a beautiful boy 6eff42c94a of fourteen, wearing a e15e52cb22 veil and holding back 8ef9e7438d tears. Lute, who dressed as 238a931dc7 a girl and came 71e2c90d97 to me to save 788af533f0 his country and sister.ac9a0f1bc65e6bd3

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‘…I did it to keep a promise.’1c928f92c56268b6

“Lute… why would I.”e09dbd15ea9ec53f

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A sharp pain 11c377ee8a tore through his 6a9b205948 skull, as if 95f47003ce an axe were d20183d2de cleaving it in 4f4513bb16 two. The Emperor gritted 3de4360d10 his teeth, his 2c6441fa08 breath ragged.5c7b12edf3ed053c

The downside 3e713758f2 of the 925d489bd6 memory-erasing potion 4281ad077d came crashing 564ef644a9 into his cd6391438a mind.5d23f717a9d97dde

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The more one f03c9b1713 wished to forget, c3c38c5be2 the more the b8d9d79945 buried emotions condensed—pressing feaf7a7542 deep into the 3c2a9bf7f8 soul like an 25856b5473 unhealed wound. And if 2bc208e6a0 that memory 237212b09a ever reawakened, 36440e6998 it would 2b7e0348ab become unforgettable.c40b43c345eadc59

The alchemist’s warning echoed 3dc23ca739 in his ears.a4b219a62165ce4e

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“It’s only temporary, Your 8129db3a71 Majesty. Erased for 111419e724 now, but 3e095f401e not destroyed. If something 4a4b949201 stirs the cfa2271808 memory—if time 552e25fda0 forces it 7eb9bf307e to the 9d7c99a169 surface—it will 2d8992b4a7 return. Vivid. Inescapable. And when it does… 698ff90806 regret will gnaw at bf03285140 you.”a272951626825fa7

Joel let 2280cdcb1c out a 5a82c17b02 bitter laugh.07adfefeb3ff0f18

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‘Are you b8c513f2d5 really confident d9b4cda1de you won’t 4d798cf550 regret it?62193c66878df0b1

I’ve never 4045345085 met a e84e22867b single person a0d8add63b who didn’t f39ed49e35 regret taking ac3939c4d5 this potion.e6292483275c5b27

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Your Majesty, just 95ab4444e9 accept the emotions 03583abf33 that remain. Just because 9796b4fd23 you don’t c2614b721e have a 58118613f7 heart… doesn’t ad8cf02b12 mean the 0119e5a83d feelings you d732d32ead once had 716c434499 will simply 66863b903e vanish. One day, Your 5afc9670a0 Majesty will come 7d6442628c to understand… what 2be363ec8f it means to 5b6b0a4db6 love.’b05cb555971eb653

He sighed as if it were bothersome, placed his hand on his waist, and said, “That child means nothing to me.”f749cb81d1ab7b62

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He smirked and muttered.68777685aa2fe935

“I’ve long forgotten such a past.”7eba61e64e120ae8

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Black hair clinging to 09b97db6d3 white skin, blue eyes 7adc1ac75e filled with tears, red 67da2d5616 lips parted without a ece4d086ff sound.7272226f72b69185

‘Joel.’a83b69868b125f08

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The youthful and lovely 1ec9466e04 voice that called me. His chest throbbed 1ee5f90e74 as if pierced b530990ff1 by needles, and dadcb39f7e his head ached, 797a34c2a3 but Joel forced 04ae212614 himself to speak 70fee5d61a calmly.89fd2c7017354dec

“From now on, I’m Alexander, the knight commander. Act accordingly.”2b1a86f5d9b0d2d2

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“Huh?”0dc38d0a6dda7aeb

“Anyway, the hunt is over, and there’s a month of rest, so I thought I’d play around for a bit.”b49de7b808ce3133

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Melik felt both 5fe174b625 relieved and heartbroken. If Lute heard 486eec88db this, how sad a0275e5a73 and heartbroken would 20999ca7b2 he be?50fad4bef0f81dd7

Or perhaps, he might 8666a6a005 quickly give up and, 05acf3ae5b with only a month a124d29d50 left until the divorce, 8998d10c4a focus on harvesting potatoes.335c9e7f42a3a8eb

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Joel looked at Melik, 9e0ca51766 who seemed on the 7fe93e8b53 verge of tears, and c33b7f26f4 spoke in a dry 5bede1eca4 voice.2f5618a9e9648da5

“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.”b1d4b20b325a0672

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He muttered to f1eff3c135 himself.95edf54c3b1754b8

“I never loved Lute. Not even once.”037efbc7e94995c6

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Melik looked at fba56e1837 the emperor with 74e3ff8b7f a dirt-streaked face 29f2540eae and thought.f4d4f4d13859c8fb

For someone who spoke aebf25f8a4 of fairies, his credibility f2398b160e was questionable. But no—the Emperor b11df46dab must not approach 263ee590ca Lute now.c016212452ad7013

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Noticing the Emperor’s 1158f65b69 gaze scanning the 924051bf28 area, searching for ccdea312c3 Lute, Melik forced 7b021bfc78 himself to his 67a428e3c4 feet despite the 23dd93f344 sharp ache in 060bac73af his body.42565dc118dd68c8

“The prince is 518fd05699 not here right 7bc630fff1 now,” he said f17a25b886 firmly.9977c2f9feab785f

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“Really?”d94ee8809c614140

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.9560de74fbcff979

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“The child seems very sick.”7c5a0a4a062d31e8

Melik’s eyes widened slightly. Does he remember Lute’s frail body? Seeing Melik’s face, the emperor shrugged and snorted.a73675a5215dd597

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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?”47bf6f43210b24a9

Melik spoke gloomily.da6e40839483a680

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“The palace doctor doesn’t come.”c3bdb36faed62103

The emperor turned his head and raised his eyebrows. Without asking what he meant, the emperor let out a peculiar sound, “Ah.”7afa0fed4161eecc

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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.”b8b723fc57f376f6

The more df39d00eda the emperor 09ddc44798 spoke, the 12e65c32e2 stranger he 4e335c5435 felt. Placing his hand on e2a9d663ba his lips, he hummed f5b128cacd thoughtfully.b365c2bd481ac26b

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Why did e357e3eeb8 I confine f23ea58532 the child 629bf46a55 here and b75c6890c5 cast a 614f9fcab0 binding spell 07d73e0423 to prevent 0367f49349 escape?c5bcd3e47d0f3f6c

He was already punished by being confined in the Water Palace, so why…?4ac9393aabbd4320

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A sudden thought pierced 1450f848f0 his mind.ac5073c553d3ddcf

To prevent escape? As if 058e0aef3e that gentle e47f828c51 child would 0231b51142 run away.a695a94cd7f9ba6c

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“No way…”0ce513cc9ba3760e

The emperor let 13c1831263 out a hollow a1cd931dec laugh, then looked 26d863c01d at Melik, who a4cde74074 stood awkwardly with 1396ab3d44 a pained chest, e75ea2f867 and said,88b77a605bc0c198

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“The palace doctor, the maids of the Water Palace, the cooks… none of them came?”3fb9a14005778b35

“Yes, Your Majesty. But it’s okay. We’re here, so he’ll get better soon.”2f42632a12263c84

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“Ah.”335fbbaa4ed91fd3

The emperor laughed playfully, lowered his head to meet Melik’s eyes, and whispered softly.5126b43b2ab73808

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“Do you dislike me approaching Lute that much? Why? Are you afraid I’ll devour him?”3f6cf70677fc7459

Melik stiffened, swallowing dryly.5fe81683556bcf4a

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The Emperor was the e85c8b6221 greatest mage on the 3af4c10d32 continent. There was 62e3b078f5 no magic cb4d70ce87 beyond his 86fe1d09d5 grasp—no force 130953ee73 he could d3fe34ec56 not command. If he wished, he 9f83bda58a could burn down dozens, ac7c766ecc even hundreds, in the 6b2291c30e blink of an eye.e0318fd1d389e53c

Had he not, after d03ba9d685 all, been the one bf08735d17 who reduced the Basilisk—the 0582456e68 very creature that had 2c908d0fad made Synthsis a great c265fda39f power for over a f981c629eb hundred years—into nothing more 0956c38d87 than grilled snake in 3fbef8566f an instant?3749b19f2c094bfc

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“Your Majesty… that’s not it.”ee1467980a1c0ce1

“Enough, I understand. I’ll come back later.”a98ca2694990f2c3

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The emperor straightened his d120376c44 back, yawned, and glanced 6bbbbaee38 at the spot where c056fc4897 Lute often sat and dce68b2fe2 splashed around, smiling with 7b78d1fdcd his eyes.0c8863b7faa320bb

“I’m not the emperor, but Alexander, the knight commander. Wouldn’t it be more fun to meet naturally?”0bcd82cc317770d3

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“Your Majesty!”987f13642d66bbb3

Melik called out to 28c49d8297 the emperor. The emperor stopped and 40e1e7e025 turned his head, showing e4227ed41a an annoyed expression.a147f7bd4ecb9337

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“By the way, don’t think about telling Lute my true identity. Got it?”576974a79999aba5

He was about to c1105005a3 say that Lute already 2a34216fa8 knew.4ba4e6016770550d

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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.”e9c8ac7e6b287d17

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.aaea0fdb24d46913

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“I should tell the prince not to come to this lake anymore.”198809dc67b69132

There were 29 734a4fb6db days left until 63d0980010 the divorce. Thinking he just had 8d74c858fc to endure until then, 2d7761bf1a Melik clenched his fist.a6a76aea3a332517

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✮⋆˙5ae781f671fc5363

On the third day 6002133c71 after the Emperor returned 1444833a00 from capturing the dragon, 27b9b95940 every palace staff member a34424341f responsible for the Water ee8f9a5663 Palace was arrested and 5b2fec7917 imprisoned.84d00f180b758980

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The charge was 4598a10dcc simple.dd798b7550846eec

They were guilty of d86b7a9871 neglect—of failing to properly ffcf7b7f7e care for Queen Lute 2f0abd4528 Synthsis, who had been 1dc57c5758 confined within the Water 5b475194dd Palace for ten years.14280598dbfacabb

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According to be573ad95f Killen’s criminal 2c304c44a2 law, their 1b12e18fea heads were 6a5752efe6 shaved, their ebe9c47c1d fine garments d781570621 stripped away 6aff7802a6 and replaced a4c03ace57 with threadbare 739e8d22d1 rags, and 5a301340c4 they were e2cf948032 cast barefoot 2593ae6b4b into the 64ad8d85e2 deepest dungeon b13826685e beneath the a62170ad1a Central Palace.40847f6b5425ceca

They wailed in protest, 18855836ef crying out against the 9f75dae4d5 injustice—until the Emperor, without f30f9ae6e8 so much as a 5ff4a171de flicker of emotion, cast 6f5bbb52ef a silence spell.bd09daa79488e392

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Their voices 7831cee0ae vanished in b4020d6ebc an instant.cce728c7cbbbeaba

The Emperor had 1e48230546 intended to send a915a924e5 a palace doctor 6692d2bdd8 immediately.5b479bad1b1c6fc4

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Yet, without realizing 957b21b79f it, he hesitated.fab73d06d981783e

Replacing the entire 5e05d89e2c Water Palace staff 7b450cd7b0 and summoning the 6d920417da doctor—such an order caed835890 could only come b84cbb9e96 from him.0cad6e4c58087123

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What if that child fd29abb473 realizes I am the 92b5081f29 Emperor?b18b7b5361d16074