Esa Promesa

I deliberately put on an annoyed expression as I looked at Diver. He wasn’t even looking at me. It was obvious he was avoiding eye contact to prevent me from bringing up Sol Avla.

A wise decision. Just as I knew Diver well, he knew me equally well.

“Make some tea, please.”

“Yes, understood.”

It seemed Diver had grown a conscience. Normally, he would say something like, ‘Brew some tea,’ or, ‘I thought you were sharp, but you’re slower than a crawling grub. I’m thirsty. Don’t you have any sense? Go make some now.’ But today, he actually used the word please.

It was almost astonishing enough to elicit admiration, but I held it back and stood up.

The tools and ingredients for tea were conveniently arranged on a small tray in the corner of the room, so I suppressed the growing anticipation in my chest and walked over to it.

Preparing the tea wasn’t difficult. I had already brewed my own portion earlier in the morning, so all I needed to do was warm the cup. However, tension kept making my body stiff. I made a conscious effort to move naturally and avoid any awkwardness.

Adding the sedative to the tea was remarkably easy.

From Diver’s vantage point, there was no way he could see what I was doing, whether I added medicine or spat in the tea. The books he had carelessly left on the desk conveniently obstructed his view.

I poured the prepared tea into a cup, then placed a small sugar bowl on the tray, knowing Diver sometimes liked his tea sweetened. At the same time, I discreetly pulled the sedative powder from my pocket and added it to the tea.

The opaque powder dissolved quickly into the tea without any stirring. Though it had no scent, it turned the liquid into a reddish-brown hue when mixed with water. Without careful preparation, serving it unnoticed could easily result in discovery.

But I wasn’t about to make such a foolish mistake.

I had carefully preselected tea leaves that matched the color of the sedative when brewed. All that remained was for the sharp-eyed Diver to drink it.

Carrying the tray, I approached Diver.

“Place it over there.” 

Finally, he lifted his gaze from the documents and stood up. I flinched for a moment but maintained a neutral expression as I placed the cup where he indicated, on the table where my own cup was sitting.

Diver sat down in the seat opposite where I had been. Unable to make an excuse to leave, I placed his cup in front of him and took my own seat.

Diver reached out and grasped the cup.

My neck tensed up naturally with nerves. Giving Diver, the reigning king, a sedative was tantamount to rebellion, an assassination attempt, even. If caught, my head would surely roll.

Please, don’t notice.

I prayed earnestly, wishing for him to drink it unknowingly and drift off to sleep. Feeling on the verge of losing my composure, I picked up my cup and took a sip of tea.

Though I had steeled myself to act decisively, fear still gripped me. I worked hard to feign calm.

I needed to get outside the palace and prepare for my next life. I had to visit the bank to allocate funds for my future, and purchase clothes and provisions.

Though my chimera guarding the cradle would have prepared some necessities, I hadn’t replenished the supplies properly since staying in the palace. I needed items to sustain me until my body matured.

Once, I had neglected this preparation and nearly starved during winter. It was a lesson learned the hard way. Similarly, lives where money was scarce were grueling, finding work as a child was impossible. It was a pain I didn’t want to endure again. My mind swirled with plans for what to do at the bank first.

“Teian, have you reviewed today’s agenda?”

Diver wasn’t drinking the tea yet, contrary to my expectations. Instead, he simply held the cup without taking a sip. Damn it. Suppressing my growing impatience, I replied.

“Yes, I’ve reviewed everything.”

“Good. Then, regarding the confirmation that Count Quil’s daughter contacted the Remable Spike, what do you think of throwing those wretches into the furnace now?”

Diver hadn’t joined me at the table to relax. This was an extension of work. Though slightly disappointed, I wasn’t bothered. After all, it was work I was accustomed to.

“It’s still premature. As you know, Count Quil’s daughter, Ilmane, is known for her cautious nature. She suspects that Your Majesty’s ‘ears’ have already discovered her contact with the Spike, and will likely lay low for a while. Although evidence has mostly been gathered, if we act hastily now, we risk losing the chance to deal with both Spike and Ilmane permanently. Perhaps delegating this matter to Marquis Prometain would be prudent?”

“Marquis Prometain is indeed well-suited for such tasks. His strained relations with Count Quil after the trade ship incident will compel him to act discreetly.”

Diver muttered thoughtfully, his gaze distant as he raised the teacup. Finally, At last, he would drink. Though the effects wouldn’t be immediate, a few dull conversations would surely be enough for him to fall asleep.

The moment I had been waiting for arrived. Diver pressed the cup to his lips. Watching his throat move as he swallowed, I cheered inwardly.

I had intentionally cooled the tea for easy drinking, so when he set the cup down, nearly half was gone. He didn’t seem to suspect a thing. The dose I had added was enough to knock him out for half a day; even the amount he had drunk should suffice.

The ease of the task left me quietly exhaling in relief.

“About Sol Avla.” 

Diver’s mention of Sol Avla startled me, my eyes widening in surprise. Of all things, I hadn’t expected him to bring it up first. His finger idly traced the edge of the teacup before he looked at me with a peculiar smile.

“I’ve already ordered preparations for it to be redecorated so you can rest comfortably. We’ll depart in a week. Oh, and don’t worry, I’ll be going with you.”

“What?”

What was he saying? I already knew he intended to send me to Sol Avla for my recovery. But the idea that Diver himself would accompany me hadn’t even crossed my mind.

“Your face says you didn’t see that coming.”

“Of course not.”

“How disappointing. Did you really think I’d let you go alone? As for work, don’t worry about it. I’ll bring everything we need with us.”

He said it as if it were the simplest thing in the world, but essentially, he was implying that the administrative operations of Emar’s capital would be relocated to Sol Avla. The logistics of such a move were staggering, just thinking about it conjured up a laundry list of preparations. Yet Diver seemed completely unfazed.

“By now, the servants in Sol Avla must be hard at work preparing the palace for your arrival.”

His voice was growing lower, sleepiness starting to creep in.

Why?

Why was this happening?

Everything was unfolding according to my plan, so why did this gnawing sense of unease keep growing? I tried to suppress it, but Diver’s increasingly unsettling smile made it impossible. His finger, which had been tracing the teacup’s rim, stilled.

“I’ve gone to such lengths for you. If you don’t join me there, it would be a terrible disappointment, wouldn’t it?”

“Y-yes, I suppose so.”

I needed to maintain my composure. But his peculiar tone made my heart sink.

“Teian.” 

It was an incredibly affectionate call, to the point of giving me goosebumps. Diver reached out and placed his hand over mine, which was resting on the table. It felt firm. Curious, I looked down and gasped.

“If I open my eyes again and you’re not by my side.”

It was a pass for leaving the palace. Not just any pass, but one bearing the king’s seal, certifying the execution of royal orders. With this, I could leave through the castle gates without any additional paperwork.

I looked at Diver with shocked eyes. He knew everything. He knew and yet he drank it. With the intention of mocking me.

“I’ll capture and kill everyone, regardless of their status, who gave you the drug in my tea and anyone you brushed past on your way out of the palace.”

“Have you lost your mind?”

Though I was guilty, I couldn’t help but ask. Diver let out a weak laugh at my question. Perhaps at his limit, Diver rested his head on his arms, which he had folded on the table. His eyes slowly disappeared beneath his eyelids.

“Do you understand now? I’ve always been mad about you, Tei.”

His voice was close to a mumble, yet his response pierced my ears with a dreadful clarity. Even though I had been by Diver’s side for 15 years, it was an unfamiliar voice I had never heard before.

I stared blankly at Diver, who had fallen asleep. Despite the chilling words he had spoken, his face looked peaceful in slumber, his breathing steady.

Though Diver was praised as the most beautiful king in the history of the Emar Kingdom, I couldn’t bring myself to admire his face because of his final words, which sent shivers down my spine.

Tick.

The ticking of the clock rang unusually clearly in my ears, snapping me back to my senses. Reflexively, I checked the time. Thirty minutes had already passed. I had no time to sit here idly. I put the pass in my pocket and stood up. I needed to think and act only on what was necessary.

Diver never speaks nonsense. If I didn’t return to the palace before Diver woke up, he would go on a rampage and kill everyone I had encountered, including Asyan.

To avoid delaying any further, I quickly left the room.