I Became the Emperor’s Sleeping Pill - Chapter 59

Schedule: Tuesday and Friday

“How did you get here? What was that black smoke?”

“Just a bit of shadowmancy—a way shadows travel.”

“You can do that?”

“I can do quite a lot of things.”

“…Ha ha.”

Facing him brought back the Founding Festival, and Lysei’s expression hardened. She forced an awkward laugh. Edin, never one to miss her subtle shifts in mood, lifted her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it, his gaze unwavering. Lysei quickly averted her eyes.

“Sei.”

“Yes?”

“What can I do?”

“…What?”

“Anything. Whatever it takes to make you feel even a little bit better.”

“I’m not… particularly upset…”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“….”

“About the Founding Festival… about me holding Nyxna…”

“….”

“I’m sorry.”

“….”

“Saying it was unavoidable isn’t entirely true. There were other options. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was… desperate, in my own way.”

Why is he apologizing…?

Lysei’s mind raced. She hadn’t felt any right to be jealous. It was an unavoidable situation, one that had to happen. She knew that logically, yet a persistent melancholy lingered, and sometimes even looking at Luigia or Edin was difficult. But it wasn’t their fault.

At the root of her unease lay the ending of the original story. She knew the chances of them following that same path were slim now, and she found some comfort in that.

But love, she knew, held no guarantees of forever. Despite the present circumstances, the original protagonists could still be drawn together by the threads of destiny. The anxiety was unavoidable.

“It wasn’t your fault. You don’t need to apologize…”

Edin pulled her into a tight embrace, nuzzling his lips against her hair. “Yes, it was. It’s all my fault.”

Every gesture, every touch, radiated his affection. Lysei felt the weight of his love, yet the unease still lingered in her heart.

“So tell me. Tell me anything. I’ll listen to everything you say, and I’ll do whatever you want.” He stroked her back soothingly.

As he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her earlobe, murmuring apologies, tears welled up and spilled over. She buried her face in his chest, muffling her sobs. Edin, initially startled, began to gently pat her back.

“It’s not really your fault… hic… I know it’s not Luigia’s fault either… but I can’t help these awful thoughts.”

“I know… Shh, I know. I messed up.”

“Holding hands… hic… I thought I was okay with that…”

“Yes.”

“I thought I could handle it, but seeing it… sob… it’s not okay. I didn’t know I was this jealous, this possessive.”

“Neither did I, Sei. If I ever showed you the extent of my jealousy, my possessiveness, you would run.”

The novel was a dark, adult romance, and the male lead’s obsessive nature was a key element. Lysei knew his capacity for obsession better than anyone.

But now she was confronting the depth of her own jealousy, her own desire to possess. Finally, she voiced the fear that nestled deep within her heart.

“The book… the prophecy… it says you and Luigia are fated. Maybe… maybe you’ll be drawn to each other…”

“Sei.”

“And if that happens, I should step aside. That’s the right thing to do. So I…”

“Sei.”

“But I still like you so much, and that’s why I keep… gasp!”

Edin cupped her face and kissed her, his tongue sliding between her lips, exploring her mouth.

A whimper escaped Lysei, laced with the sound of her tears. Edin nipped her bottom lip, then sucked on it, hard enough to make it sting. It swelled, red and full.

Releasing her, he gently stroked the swollen flesh with his thumb. “I will never have another woman by my side, Sei. Not even Nyxna.”

“…!”

Lysei froze, her face paling.

Unaware that Edin knew her omega secret, she assumed he meant he wouldn’t need another Nyxna because she, a beta, was enough.

But soon, the dark magic would fade, and she would revert to her omega form. Would he still say those words then? The question formed in her mind, and before she could stop herself, she spoke.

“I’m not a beta.”

Edin loving her wouldn’t cost him his head, but it would certainly cost Baron Orphe his. And while she might not lose her life, she would undoubtedly face consequences for posing as a beta in the palace.

Despite this, she had to know. She had to know if he would still reject all other Nyxnas even knowing the truth about her. She needed reassurance. She needed to know the depth of his love.

“I know.”