I Became the Tyrant's Beloved Omega - Chapter 15.1
Aiden was relieved, for now, that the person who had come looking for him was not his birth father. Aiden had been staring blankly at the emperor before he cautiously spoke up.
“How do you know my mother’s name…?”
“I’m sorry I’m so late.”
“……”
Even at the emperor’s affectionate words, Aiden’s eyes did not let go of their wariness.
“You may not know well because you were young, but your mother, Zoe, was my sister and the only princess of the Liber Empire.”
“…Is that so?”
Aiden recalled the image of Zoe, who even in the moments she was being struck by her birth father, had only lain weakly on the bed shedding tears. Aiden could do nothing but give a bitter smile. Just then, the abbot cautiously stepped forward and spoke.
“For now, let us go to the abbot’s office…”
“No, let’s talk in the room where Aiden stays.”
Aiden hesitated for a moment with a reluctant expression, then unwillingly led the way. The emperor sat at the table near the fireplace and gestured to Aiden.
“Come and sit.”
“…Yes.”
The emperor stared blankly at Aiden, then slowly opened his mouth.
“How did you come to drift all the way to this monastery?”
“I was too young, so I don’t remember well.”
Aiden did not want to deliberately dredge up his faded memories and suffer. The emperor gazed at Aiden, who stubbornly kept his mouth shut, with a wistful look. Just then, Vicar handed Aiden’s necklace to the emperor.
“Eight years ago, this is said to be the only necklace Aiden had on his person.”
“……”
The emperor took Aiden’s hand and asked in a gentle voice.
“Do you know what this is?”
“…I don’t.”
“This is a pendant engraved with the crest that signifies the imperial house. Whoever inherits it can prove that he is of the imperial family.”
“……”
Aiden wondered what the emperor’s intention was in suddenly revealing himself.
“Then what is the reason you have only now come looking for me?”
Aiden did not beat around the bush. The abbot and Vicar standing beside him, rather than Aiden’s rude question, pressed him with even more tense expressions.
“Aiden.”
“It’s all right.”
The emperor held up his palm to the flustered abbot, who did not know what to do, and stopped him.
“I had quite a hard time searching for you all this while. I’m sorry I couldn’t find you sooner.”
“……”
“Now that I’ve found you, even if it’s late, it’s as good as heaven lending a hand.”
Aiden found the sight of the emperor smiling at him unfamiliar. Moreover, he was flustered, not knowing how to react to the emperor who held his hand tightly.
“Aiden.”
“…Yes.”
The emperor straightened his back and squared his shoulders, correcting his posture. Then, with a firm gaze, he brought out the main point to Aiden.
“Return to the imperial palace with me. It’s far too late, but even now you must return to where you were always meant to be.”
“……”
At the emperor’s sudden words, Aiden froze for an instant as if turned to ice. Aiden, who had been still like that, looked straight at the emperor with disbelieving eyes.
“You’re telling me to leave this place?”
“Of course. You are first in the line of succession to the throne. Someone like you cannot keep staying in a monastery.”
Until just a moment ago, Aiden had not even imagined that he would leave the monastery. It was no exaggeration to say that the life he had lived within the world of the monastery, protected by Noah, was his everything.
“Even when I lived under my mother, I was too young to properly understand what it meant to be of the imperial family. And now you suddenly appear and tell me that because I am of the imperial family, I must leave this place at once? I cannot do that.”
The emperor had not imagined that Aiden would refuse his proposal. The emperor, his fluster plain to see, called Aiden in a trembling voice. But Aiden’s eyes were resolute, as if he would never bend.
The abbot, who had been watching the two of them, stepped forward, bowed politely to the emperor, and cautiously spoke.
“Your Majesty the Emperor.”
The emperor stared blankly at the abbot who had called him. As the night deepened, the emperor’s complexion had grown noticeably pale.
“It seems Aiden, too, needs some time to accept this situation.”
“Wouldn’t he? It must be far too sudden for Aiden.”
“That is so. We will talk it over well, so please rest for today.”
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