What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 20

But why?
“Why do you treat me like this?”
Ysaris couldn’t hold back any longer and threw the question that had ended fruitlessly many times before.
And as expected, the same answer came back as if it were obvious.
“I’ve already told you. Because you belong to me.”
“I will not engage in this struggle anymore. Isn’t everyone in the Empire of Uzephia yours?”
Ysaris demanded an answer, facing Kazhan directly.
Once, Ysaris had forced herself to accept that perhaps it was because she fit his preferences. She had convinced herself that the Emperor’s characteristic of keeping others entirely under his control manifested as fixation on his sole wife.
But now, even after he had found a woman he loved, shouldn’t his behavior toward her change?
“Now that you have welcomed an Empress…”
“Empress.”
Interrupting Ysaris’s words, Kazhan spat out each syllable as if chewing on them.
“Say it again. You belong to me.”
“So, what I’m saying is…”
“From the beginning, always. You were mine.”
Kazhan’s red eyes narrowed. He grabbed Ysaris’s shoulder, his tone firm and filled with unwavering emotion as he repeated his words.
“You belong to me,” he said.
You’ve just forgotten.
You, and only you, were everything I had.
My one… my world.
“So don’t even think of escaping, even in death.”
As discarded as I am by you, I still hold on to you.
Live by my side, your enemy, hating me for the rest of your life.
Never forget me again.
Kazhan gazed at the now quiet Ysaris for a moment before turning away slowly. Just as he took a step, the terrace door swung open with a creak.
“Your Majesty!”
A woman in a white dress, her red hair fluttering like roses, embraced Kazhan.
It was his new bride, Runellia.
“I thought you’d gone back alone since I couldn’t see you. I heard you were here and rushed over. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything important?”
“Runellia.”
Kazhan placed a hand on Runellia’s shoulder. Despite wanting to push her away nervously, he felt the gaze behind him and instead embraced her affectionately.
“I haven’t considered your feelings enough. Have you been searching for long?”
“Not really. It’s just, today is our first day. I keep wanting to be by Your Majesty’s side.”
Even though she had been flaunting her position as the Empress to the nobles.
As Kazhan looked down at the shyly blushing Runellia with indifference yet tenderly brushed her back, he joined her rather than pointing out her arrogant attitude of ignoring Ysaris’s presence.
“Better late than never. Let’s stay together from now on.”
“Oh, rejoice! Are you done with everything you needed to do here?”
“Yeah. I was about to leave anyway, so shall we head back to the room?”
“I’m fine with that. You know, even though it’s not the first time, I still feel so nervous…”
Kazhan accommodated Runellia appropriately and they left the terrace together.
He didn’t bid farewell to Ysaris separately. Instead, he confidently linked arms with Runellia, almost as if flaunting their affection, and strode through the banquet hall.
Pretending love was easy. When he recalled the days spent with Ysaris, he instinctively knew how to act.
He just had to treat his lover as Cain Genoot, not Kazhan Tennilath.
…Even though the target of that love was no longer Ysaris.

* * *

Alone on the terrace, Ysaris stood still for a moment before leaning her back against the railing.
Lost in thought, she hadn’t even pointed out Runellia’s rudeness. Accepting it as her own defeat and imagining Runellia’s triumphant expression made her sigh involuntarily.
Strangely, Kazhan’s piercing red eyes lingered in her mind. The claim of ownership over her sounded like it belonged to someone else.

Why did Kazhan seem to overlap with Cain in that moment? Their appearance, personality, and status were all different.
Cain was long gone now.
“Useless thoughts…”
Perhaps it was because of the intermittent longing.
He still occasionally came to mind, affectionate as he was.
Ysaris brushed her fingertips over the bruised marks on her wrist hidden beneath the long sleeves before lowering her head. She couldn’t compare the cautious tenderness she had received to how Kazhan treated her.
The only resemblance was perhaps just one red eye.
Yet, even that was filled with completely opposite emotions.
“Let’s go back.”
Ysaris forcibly shook off the red imprint that seemed branded in her mind. After taking a slow, deep breath, she finally moved her legs.
Silence.
The terrace door swung open and then closed. The light that briefly spilled out from the banquet hall inside disappeared without leaving even a trace.
Like destinies crossed in opposite directions.