Chapter 16: Unexpected Meeting

After finishing a modest meal with Edmund, Odin headed to the garden.

The garden he frequently used was a place where no one except himself and his guard knights could enter.

Therefore, he was able to enjoy his walk in peace with peace of mind.

However, this was short-lived as someone soon entered his field of vision.

“There’s someone over there.”

Odin felt a sense of nostalgia at this rare situation.

It had been decades since he inherited the throne, and it had been a long time since someone had so brazenly come to assassinate him.

Just as he was considering how to deal with this prey that had entered his hunting grounds, he briefly set aside those thoughts upon seeing who the moonlit figure was.

“Shall we apprehend them?”

The knights guarding him, having assessed the situation, suggested capturing the intruder. However, Odin shook his head.

“Everyone, withdraw.”

“But Your Majesty.”

The knights protested at the order to withdraw, insisting that security should never be relaxed.

In these turbulent times, who knew what could happen and when?

With the Empress away on vacation, there were only two members of the imperial family left in the palace, making them targets for the nobility’s schemes.

Though they pleaded for reconsideration, Odin answered firmly.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

With such strong warning in his voice, the knights were overwhelmed by Odin’s presence.

They eventually withdrew, unable to change his mind.

Left alone, he watched the person wandering about.

“So this is the child who will become my daughter-in-law.”

Odin’s lips curved upward as he looked at the girl who had wandered in without any effort needed to arrange a meeting.

“But how did she get in here? There should have been guards.”

Odin briefly examined his appearance.

Thinking she might be startled if he approached as he was, he decided to disguise himself for a moment.

* * *

“I don’t know where I am.”

Even in Clea’s body, she had been to the imperial palace a few times before.

While nobles said that merely entering the palace was an honor, Clea honestly found it hard to agree.

‘It’s just visiting a fancy place.’

She found all the cumbersome, blindingly luxurious things rather unsightly.

Since she hadn’t come here by choice in the first place, she always chose to kill time rather than wander around the palace.

Clea sat in a secluded terrace spot, contrasting with the palace’s splendor, praying for these burdensome moments to pass quickly.

Usually, there were never people around Clea.

People in luxurious places didn’t bother hiding their sneers, displaying them openly.

Their behavior seemed to mark the distinction between where she belonged and where they were.

‘Though it was actually very comfortable for me.’

Then one day, someone appeared before her.

Despite being the most striking presence among the irritating sparkle, his modest appearance didn’t provoke Clea.

Clea recalled that moment.

Someone who would become like brilliant light, but whose dark hair could hide their presence like a shadow whenever needed.

That was the kind of person Clea thought Edmund Wilhelm was.

She liked his darkness, which seemed unsuitable for a male protagonist.

Perhaps she could be captivated by that darkness because she hadn’t yet encountered a being of light.

“Edmund.”

“Do I look like Edmund to you?”

“…I apologize. I mistook you for someone else.”

She sensed someone approaching and turned her head toward the presence.

There stood a figure bathed in moonlight.

Clea had mistaken the person before her for Edmund.

While the complete darkness was partly to blame, the person’s strong resemblance to Edmund was also a reason.

Though it wasn’t Edmund, Clea was still pleased with the situation.

“I’m sorry, but could you tell me where this is?”

“Where else could it be but the imperial palace?”

“I’m asking for the specific location.”

“Haha, is that so?”

Odin secretly regretted sending away his knights.

He was curious how they would have reacted to her way of speaking to him.

But he was also pleased that she seemed completely fooled by his disguise.

It wasn’t that Clea didn’t know Odin’s face.

How could anyone who had attended even one imperial banquet not know his face?

He was such a memorable man that once seen, he was hard to forget.

Though he couldn’t escape the effects of time like others, with wrinkles and white hair, Odin’s presence remained extraordinary.

Yet Clea failed to recognize him when they met.

She had been fooled by Odin’s skilled disguise techniques, which he had learned to avoid assassins who often threatened him when he was younger.

Odin felt pleased to have proven his skills hadn’t rusted.

Since such conversation was rare except with the Empress, he wanted to talk more with Clea.

Of course, if others had acted like her, they would have lost their heads on the spot.

“Unfortunately, this is a place only the imperial family can enter, so why are you here?”

If today’s events became known, Edmund might hide her away completely afterward.

That’s why Odin wanted to talk longer.

Meanwhile, Clea frowned at Odin who wasn’t properly answering her question.

“I was invited but got lost.”

“Are you really an invited guest?”

“And how are you here in a place only the imperial family can enter?”

Clea was honestly fearless.

To her, things like emperor and imperial family were all irrelevant to her life.

But Odin rather liked this fearless attitude and answered with a smile.

“I’m the person who guards this place. Therefore, no one can punish me for being here.”

Nodding at this plausible explanation, Clea looked around.

“It’s beautiful here.”

“Yes, it’s a space the Emperor and Empress love.”

“Even if there are only two of us, can you omit ‘Their Majesties’?”

“What does it matter? There’s only us two here.”

He had many things he wanted to discuss.

He planned to ask questions one by one after completely hiding his identity.

But unfortunately, he couldn’t enjoy it for long due to someone who quickly noticed her absence.

“Clea!”

“Your Highness.”

Edmund was running quickly toward her after spotting her from afar.

Odin couldn’t help but smile at the scene.

“Well, we’ll have to continue our conversation another time.”

“Will we have the chance? I don’t think we’ll meet again.”

“That’s just what you think.”

He hadn’t expected to see Edmund, who was famously unshakeable, running while calling someone else’s name.

Odin didn’t want to face Edmund here.

He thought it would be a waste to reveal his identity now, not knowing what conversation might ensue if they met here.

Though he had met Clea unexpectedly, her first impression was very striking.

Not only did she continue the conversation without looking down on him despite his disguise as a lowly palace servant.

She gave off a completely different atmosphere from others he had met before.

The atmosphere of someone without attachment to anything.

Having finished these thoughts, Odin decided to leave.

Expecting this wouldn’t be their last meeting, looking forward to talking again next time.

Clea watched Odin leave before turning her attention to Edmund who had reached her.

“You didn’t need to run, I wasn’t going to run away.”

“What do you call leaving the Crown Prince’s palace if not running away?”

“I simply got lost.”

Edmund swallowed a sigh at her confident attitude.

Satisfied first that Clea was safe, he looked around.

“Who were you with?”

Edmund was anxious, having seen her with someone as he approached.

He worried if someone might try to harm her.

Grateful for Edmund’s concern, Clea relayed exactly what she had heard.

“He said he was the guardian of this place.”

“Guardian? Was there such a person? More importantly, you weren’t harmed?”

Sweat was dripping from his chin, presumably from running.

Clea took out her handkerchief and wiped his sweat.

“Do you think I would just let myself be harmed?”

“With you, I think you might. Worrying about causing me trouble.”

Clea found his answer ridiculous.

But remembering her past actions, she realized his words weren’t entirely wrong.

There were days when she just endured harassment without responding.

“I won’t do that anymore.”

“Can I believe those words?”

“You’ll come find me anyway, like you did now, Your Highness.”

After wiping away all his sweat, Clea took Edmund’s hand.

Edmund was momentarily surprised by the small hand holding his and the temperature he felt from it.

Her cold hand was stealing Edmund’s warmth.

But Edmund didn’t let go, instead gripping tighter as he spoke.

“Yes, I’ll find you. Because you’re already my person.”

‘Who belongs to whom.’

Clea smiled hearing those words.

No matter what he said, she felt bitter knowing the one who would end up with him was none other than Aria.

Currently, Aria Hersher was the only candidate for Crown Princess.

This was not only because she was the only unmarried noblewoman of similar age, but also because many other ladies had given up due to their relationship since their days at the acade.

‘In the end, I’ll be the one to abandon you.’

Clea thought differently.

‘So you shouldn’t be mine, I should be yours.’

Then she wouldn’t feel any pain no matter when she abandoned him.

While foreseeing the future, she was still grateful to Edmund who had searched everywhere to find her.

Thinking he wouldn’t understand unless she expressed her feelings, she leaned on Edmund’s shoulder and whispered.

“Thank you for coming to find me. If it weren’t for you, I would have kept wandering in strange places.”

Hearing this, Edmund answered with a slight smile.

“So don’t think about leaving my side, Clea.”

To Edmund’s answer, Clea also hoped she could do so.

Soon after, they safely returned to the Crown Prince’s palace.