I Captured the Enemy Who Tried to Kill Me

A chilling thought occurred to me.

‘Are there ghosts in this world, too?’

Otherwise, who would be knocking on the terrifying Duke Ariel’s bedroom door at this late hour?

I awkwardly got up from the bed, then suddenly realized that if what was outside wasn’t a ghost but a person, I might show an unseemly display unworthy of a Duke.

‘Even in moments like this, I’m acting. How impressive of me, really!’

While looking at the door and chewing on curses, the door creaked open, interpreting my gaze as permission.

And the small figure that appeared.

Sparkling green eyes and magnificent silver hair resembling his brother’s.

A small child who cannot speak.

My disciple, Luias.

“What’s the matter?”

In truth, the moment I saw those teary eyes, I desperately wanted to open my arms wide and say, come here. Why were you crying? There there.

“I asked what’s the matter.”

Even to my ears, it sounded so cold.

At this rate, the child would shrink his shoulders as he always did and retreat hesitantly without expressing his feelings.

That’s how it should be.

That’s right, but…

‘I just can’t be that cruel.’

I hadn’t noticed because I was distracted, but outside, thunder was rumbling.

He must have been scared of that sound.

I glared at the fat cat’s belly, who was annoyingly sprawled out and purring in deep sleep, then looked back at the child.

And finally, I gave in.

“Come in. Close the door tight.”

The child who had been hanging his head perked up instantly, his face brightening.

Tightly hugging a pillow almost as big as his body, he scampered over.

Seeing his dejected hesitation, unable to climb directly onto the bed, I couldn’t help but sigh, wondering how much discrimination he must have faced to be like this.

At that, his bright expression darkened completely.

Cold sweat ran down my back internally.

‘No, it’s not about you.’

Hillaria was a woman who could intimidate others with just a sigh while maintaining an expressionless face.

“Come up.”

What was that one word worth that made him smile brightly again?

The child who had thoughtfully brought pen and paper climbed onto the bed immediately and began writing something.

When I lit the lamp that had been turned off for the night, his broadly smiling face was so cute I wanted to bite his cheeks.

‘I can’t believe he’s Kaisis’s brother. How can they be so different?’

I’m sure there was a side story in <I Imprinted the Tyrant Emperor’s Heart> about Kaisis’s childhood, and even as a child, that man was a solemn pretty boy.

Although his body was said to be delicate and frail in appearance.

‘The mystery of genetics.’

In other words, he didn’t have this soaking wet puppy-like wriggling cuteness.

─Teacher, thank you. I was scared of the outside and ran here.

After reading the cute handwriting, I blurted out words I didn’t mean.

“Tsk, how can a boy be so timid? What use is that?”

The reproachful words felt awful.

In my defense, the system window had been warning me from the moment I told him to climb onto the bed.

That cursed character identity!

But Luias was a good baby who wasn’t shaken by his teacher’s rudeness.

─Teacher, thank you for taking me to the imperial palace.

The melancholy contained in those crooked, cute letters made emotions well up in me.

‘What’s a single visit worth that you smile so prettily?’

Even when reading the novel, I thought the young character Luias was pitiful and miserable.

The small child who had nowhere to rely on even ended up suffering from his brother’s rampage and dying.

Not fitting in with either group, just drifting on the outside.

‘While watching that, I thought you were like me, Luias.’

The life of a hated Guide who couldn’t interact with any Esper was truly lonely.

That’s why I was so immersed in romance novels that didn’t exist in reality.

I envied the heroine who was like bright sunshine and the surrounding characters who loved everything about her.

And I wanted to see the unicorn that didn’t exist among the jerks, no, the bastards of reality – the world’s strongest Esper who deeply cherished his Guide.

All the more because none of that existed around me.

‘That’s why I wanted to save you.’

If the choice at the first branching point had been a different character, I would have acted selfishly.

Thinking only of my own life. Focusing on safely extending the life of a terminal supporting character instead of interfering with the original work.

I wouldn’t have done dangerous things like saving the Emperor.

Luias, if you hadn’t resembled me.

“As if such trivial things matter.”

Although I had to hide my tender feelings and speak coldly.

“As my disciple, don’t bow your head carelessly wherever you go. Understood?”

***

Aack!

Luias woke from a nightmare.

A wide bed and a quiet night.

Outside, thunder and lightning raged as if a giant dragon was howling.

His small body trembled pathetically.

Tears welled up and spilled over.

Mom. Dad.

People he could no longer find.

My brother, the Emperor.

A family that looked at him with kind warmth but never extended a hand.

Then he remembered someone who spoke coldly and harshly but firmly held his hand without letting go.

‘Teacher.’

He might get scolded severely.

Great Magician Hillaria.

The magician who had to reluctantly accept the mute prince as her disciple.

She wasn’t a kind teacher, nor did she like him.

He knew that, but…

‘She’s been kind lately.’

No one had ever knelt down to meet Luias’s eyes, cared about his feelings, or pushed a plate toward him, saying to eat more of the seafood he liked.

No one had explained magical formulas for Luias, who couldn’t speak or operate magic.

No one… had taken the lonely prince to the Emperor, pushing his back and telling him to go see him.

‘Luias. It seems you’ve become quite close with your teacher.’

Although His Majesty had sneered mockingly, Luias had quickly nodded and written:

‘Teacher is a good person.’

Kind and gentle. She seems blunt but is warm. Just like my brother, His Majesty.

His Majesty’s face had twisted strangely at those sentences he’d written earnestly instead of chattering.

‘I like Teacher.’

I like His Majesty, my brother, too.

‘Luias. Don’t trust the Duke.’

Even though he’d heard such painful words.

‘She is our enemy.’

My brother, the Emperor, was clearly misunderstanding.

Everyone at the imperial palace before coming here had said so.

The Duke is our enemy.

Don’t give your heart to the Duke.

You must not be seduced by the magicians there.

Luias wanted to say:

‘But I’m a magician too.’

Yet what he received after stepping into the magicians’ space was cold gazes.

But then Teacher appeared.

Somehow, she seemed to be treating him more kindly these past few days, but even their first meeting hadn’t been as bad as expected.

‘You.’

Even then, she had knelt down and met his eyes.

‘From now on, you are my disciple.’

So that must be why Teacher’s embrace feels so warm.

‘Hehe.’

Luias giggled and nuzzled his cheek against his Teacher, who was holding him tightly in her arms, telling him to sleep well.

It felt good because it was warm.

Even the loud thunder outside wasn’t scary anymore.

‘Your Majesty, you were wrong. Teacher really is a good person. Not our enemy, but Luias’s kind Teacher.’

If there’s another chance next time, I’ll tell my brother how gentle and good a person Teacher is.

Luias made this promise as he drifted into deep sleep.

***

I feel like I’m going to die from this headache.

“Family Head, we are being wronged!”

Yes, I’m being wronged too.

“Those creatures are slandering us! Good heavens, those crazy things are going around saying we made drugs that cause Awakened Ones to rampage!”

Is that already coming out?

I know that those drugs were made by the shadowy figures.

I know that… but the problem was I couldn’t remember who made them, where, and how they were distributed.

Though I was thinking gloomily inside, I maintained a serious, ice-like expressionless face.

The magicians clung to me, chirping like babies running to their mothers.

“Family Head, please resolve our grievances! At this rate, I feel like I’ll die from my blood pressure bursting!”

“Those crazy bastards have been barking like dogs even more lately, picking nonsensical fights. Must we magicians continue to endure such mistreatment, Family Head!”

Ah. I feel like I might achieve enlightenment at this rate.

“Family Head!”

“Please resolve our grievances!”

Ah, this is insane.

Should I just forget the quest and everything and use a major disaster? Hahaha.

That was precisely the moment.

Ding.

[Sudden Quest!]

A quest that always makes me jump appeared.