tyrant chapter 16

Karta was banished from the room by Fiogen. Outside, seeing Delkart waiting with his silver hair shimmering, Karta’s eyes blazed.

“You dare come to my room?”

“This is how ordinary romances begin, Your Highness.”

“I made it clear. Yours is no ordinary romance.” Delkart nodded at Karta’s threat.

“As Your Highness commands.”

***

This was her first outing since possessing the body of the novel’s character. Duke Delkart, as Karta had said, was a handsome man. His silver hair shimmered in the sunlight like diamonds.

“May I touch your hair?” Delkart flinched at Fiogen’s question. It was the first thing she had said to him.

Forced by Karta’s threats, their first date was a walk through the training grounds. A date under Karta’s burning gaze. The very thought was dreadful, but he had his orders.

“Yes.” Delkart bent down, offering his head to Fiogen. The moment her slender fingers brushed his hair, a scream echoed from afar.

“Aagh!”

Startled, Fiogen and Delkart turned to see Karta swinging a wooden sword at the knights. Fiogen frowned and looked at Delkart.

“Duke Delkart.” Delkart felt the unspoken pressure radiating from Prince Karta. It was likely due to Fiogen touching his hair. Though his attention was entirely focused on the Prince, he maintained a smile towards Fiogen.

“Yes.”

“Is there nowhere we can meet alone, away from the training grounds?” At that moment, despair filled Delkart’s eyes.

***

Thinking back, several things seemed odd. First, Karta should have killed her, but he hadn’t. The Karta in the novel was not one to spare anyone out of pity or compassion. If there was a reason, she needed to uncover it.

Second, Karta was supposed to fall in love with the female protagonist at first sight, but there had been no such encounter. She hadn’t believed in fate in her past life. She’d lived by the clichés of self-help books, believing that effort alone would pave the way to a rosy future. Facing such an abrupt end had made her reconsider the existence of fate. Especially here, within a novel, a world where destiny couldn’t be denied. So why hadn’t Karta met the female protagonist yet?

Third, Karta wasn’t preparing a rebellion. In the novel, he secretly plotted one, a significant plot twist. Despite observing him closely, he seemed entirely different from the Karta she knew from the book.

If the novel’s plot wasn’t unfolding as it should, that meant there was hope for her. ‘If things aren’t going according to the novel, then Karta has no reason to kill me. There must be proof, a clear reason why Karta wants to deviate from the original story…’

Observing Fiogen lost in thought, Duke Delkart cautiously asked, “Princess Lorecia, will this suffice?”

Fiogen, startled, nodded. Delkart had brought her to a magnificent building.

“Where are we?”

“Ah… ahem. The Royal Library.”

‘Despite all that effort…’ Fiogen smiled wryly. She had recognized him as Duke Delkart instantly. Anyone could tell by his moonlit hair. Even in a novel, it wasn’t a common characteristic, making him easily identifiable. After the female protagonist, Duke Delkart was the closest person to Karta.

Fiogen believed Delkart was the perfect source of information about Karta. Why Karta had introduced her to his closest confidant was a mystery, but she could potentially solve all the previous riddles by using him.

“It’s less than ten steps from the training grounds.”

At Fiogen’s seemingly disappointed tone, Duke Delkart hesitated, likely gauging Karta’s reaction. She could sense his apprehension, but she couldn’t let him go just yet.

“I can’t be away for long.” He stared into the distance, suggesting he was lying. With a tense expression, he kept glancing towards the training grounds.

“Are you worried about Karta?”

Preoccupied with watching the training grounds, Delkart absently nodded. “Yes. I can’t see him.”

“Should you be able to see him?” Though only ten steps away, the dense foliage surrounding the training grounds obscured any view of the activities within. It shouldn’t be visible, but Delkart’s expression suggested otherwise.

“You could usually see the training grounds from here?” Duke Delkart, still craning his neck to peer through the foliage, nodded naturally.

“My eyesight is rather keen.”

“Ah, I see.” Fiogen nodded at him and sighed. She had hoped to learn about Karta, but Delkart’s attention was elsewhere. She shivered in the lingering winter air. Delkart, fixated on the training grounds, didn’t notice.

“Duke Delkart.” A familiar voice made Delkart whirl around. It was Karta. Fiogen narrowed her eyes, glancing between Karta and Delkart. This scenario usually played out when a lover was caught cheating…

“Your Highness.” At Delkart’s sudden bow, Fiogen instinctively curtsied as well. A thick jacket then landed on her shoulders.

“Your Highness?” Duke Delkart looked utterly bewildered as he stared at Karta, who was now only clad in his shirt. Karta narrowed his eyes at Delkart.

“I distinctly recall telling you not to leave the training grounds.”

At Karta’s heavy tone, Duke Delkart frantically waved his hands, his expression a picture of wronged innocence. Watching him, Fiogen burst out laughing.

“Hahaha.”

As Fiogen clutched her stomach, Karta’s expression darkened. “Fiogen, why are you laughing?”

At Karta’s question, Fiogen bit her lip, unable to answer. She’d sensed something was amiss from the start… but she never imagined this.

‘This novel has turned into a BL!’