I Became the Emperor’s Sleeping Pill - Chapter 74

Schedule: Tuesday and Friday

“Wait…,” Zerga started, turning to leave.

“You must believe me! I’m still a v1rgin,” Luigia cried, her words catching Zerga off guard. He looked around anxiously, lightly pushing her back towards her room. “Just go inside now, alright?”

“This is so unfair! You have to clear this up for me!”

“I understand.”

“And don’t misunderstand. I don’t want anyone but you, Sir Zerga.”

Zerga’s face flushed crimson. Even amidst this chaotic situation, Luigia’s blunt confession left him flustered. “Alright…”

He soothed Luigia, who insisted he believe her and find Lysei to resolve the misunderstanding, and finally managed to guide her back to her room.

***

“I’m sorry. Please, kill me.” Trey bowed his head low as he spoke to Edin.

Edin glanced at him before looking down at the blank stationery Lysei had seen, the one Trey had brought him. He’d suspected it already, but Trey’s account confirmed his fears: this was all a plot orchestrated by the Empress. Rubbing his face with one hand, Edin asked, “So… how badly is she hurt?”

His heart ached as if tearing apart. The image of Lysei, witnessing the scene and fleeing to the bathroom to vomit and sob, haunted him. The knowledge that she had refused to eat, staying awake all night, weeping even when Theor visited, was like a series of sharp needles piercing his heart.

“When I checked on her this morning, she could barely open her eyes.”

Edin sighed. “Damn this misunderstanding…”

He had woken up in utter shock. He was n4ked in bed with an equally n4ked Luigia. Even when he’d held Nyxna close, she had never stayed the night. Lysei was the only one who had ever been beside him when he woke.

He learned that the scent catalyst in his drink had caused him to fall asleep, and that the sleeping draught in Luigia’s food had knocked her unconscious. He also discovered that black magic had sealed every door in the rooms, making them impossible to open or break.

Putting the pieces together, Edin realized the Empress had orchestrated this to drive a wedge between him and Lysei.

Had he made a mistake by not contacting Lysei through the communication device beforehand to avoid any misunderstanding? Or was it summoning Luigia alone to the Imperial Palace, preoccupied as he was with keeping an eye on Theor?

Edin buried his face in his hands, blaming himself. He had no idea where Lysei had disappeared to, or even if she was safe. The uncertainty was agonizing. He’d activated her defense bracelet, but it remained unresponsive, fueling his anxiety.

He prayed for her safety, telling himself he could clear up the misunderstanding after finding the mastermind behind this scheme.

Edin mobilized most of his forces to search for Lysei, ordering them to scour every corner of the empire and beyond.

On that very day, as the empire embarked on a massive search, Lysei sought refuge in Theor’s secret chamber. She knew she couldn’t leave until the search died down, yet she felt no unease. She simply wanted to disappear. If she could, she would return to her original world.

She had always believed love wasn’t meant for her. She’d dated and broken up with a few men, and though she’d been cheated on, none of it had hurt this much. It was because she had trusted Edin far more than any man in her past.

Blaming herself for her misplaced trust, Lysei hid in Theor’s secret chamber, retreating deep within, as if determined to remain hidden from the world.

Theor cut her off from the outside world. While pretending to help Edin and Zerga in their search, he kept Lysei concealed within his domain.

Edin, initially suspicious of Theor, eventually dismissed his doubts after seeing Theor dedicate his knights to the search. Theor’s performance of a desperate man seeking Lysei was remarkably convincing.

While assisting in the search for Lysei, Zerga began investigating the incident involving Edin and Luigia in bed.

With his unparalleled access to information within the empire, it didn’t take long for Zerga to trace the origins of the stationery sent to Lysei, the scent catalyst in Edin’s room, and the sleeping draught in Luigia’s food.

He discovered that Seiren, the Empress’s knight, was behind the entire plot. He informed Edin, never imagining that Edin would rush to confront the Empress without a second thought.

Upon receiving the evidence from Zerga, Edin stormed into the Empress’s palace, sword in hand. At that very moment, the rebellion of the heretics, orchestrated by Marquis Benneretti, began.