Esa Promesa

Chapter 6



Diver might have been a madman who would draw his sword to kill someone for a single careless remark, but when it came to his own people, he was a compassionate and caring king. As his closest confidant, of course, I knew this about him.

“I’ll summon the palace physician immediately….”

“No, no, I’m not sick at all! It’s just. I finally got some free time after a week, and now it’s all gone. That’s what bothers me.”

“In that case, you should rest downstairs. No, wait. I’ll have a bed brought here and fetch some fresh clothes for you.”

“Sitting here is more than enough, so please stop. And Your Majesty, since we’re on the subject, could you cut back on telling me to rest?”

“Why?”

“Don’t you think it seems odd to others? Do you know what people have been saying behind your back about the way you’ve been acting this past week? They’re saying that you’re scheming to slowly drive me to my death.”

“Who dares to utter such nonsense in my palace?”

The look in Diver’s eyes made it clear that if I accidentally named anyone, he would summon them immediately and have their head.

A headache started to form. Pressing my fingers to my temples, I used my other hand to pat the seat beside me, gesturing for Diver to sit.

“Ah….”

When Diver froze at my gesture, I immediately regretted it. No matter how much he claimed to like me, what I had just done was an incredibly inappropriate breach of our hierarchical relationship.

It was an old habit of mine from when Diver was a chirping little fledgling of a boy. Back then, I would often call him over in the same manner to give advice or teach him something. Apparently, that habit had surfaced unconsciously.

I rolled my eyes, bracing for the worst, thinking, This is it. He’s finally going to kill me.

But then, Diver’s stiff expression began to change.

He was smiling.

…Had he lost his mind?

“I suppose it might look that way to others. After all, the only ones who know about your condition are me and the physician who examined you, right?”

“Yes. I don’t intend to tell anyone else, so I’d appreciate it if Your Majesty kept it a secret as well. It would only make things awkward if it got out.”

I deliberately refrained from mentioning that Lasfame also knew. It wasn’t just because I didn’t want Diver to complain or lash out, demanding why I had told Lasfame before him. In truth, discussing Lasfame in front of Diver was practically forbidden territory.

“I see. So that’s how it is.”

I had no idea what Diver was plotting, but the sly smile on his face was enough to convince me it wouldn’t be in my favor.

Whenever he smiled like that, it was usually because he had devised the perfect scheme to mess with someone.

…I really wanted to run away.

“Tei.”

“Yes?”

“You wouldn’t want any unnecessary rumors spreading, would you?”

“Of course not. Who would?”

“Then stay at Sol Avla for a while.”

I fell silent. Sol Avla was the name of a fortress located in this country’s second capital. Conveniently, it was also close to the cave where I needed to go before I died.

For me, it was the perfect place to be. Without Diver tailing me all day, I could easily escape to the cave without resorting to desperate measures. Part of me wanted to agree immediately.

But this was the same man who had adamantly refused to let me leave the palace. Now, with that insidious smile, he was suddenly suggesting I go to Sol Avla? His ulterior motive was highly suspicious.

I wracked my brain, trying to figure out his angle, but nothing came to mind.

There had to be something.

“You didn’t answer, so I’ll take that as a yes. I’ll start making preparations.”

“Wait, Your Majesty! Please, just a moment. Why Sol Avla all of a sudden?”

“Look forward to it, Tei.”

I couldn’t let Diver leave like this. It was an almost instinctive feeling. I shot up from my chair, determined to stop him, but he noticed my movement and turned away.

Diver had always had an annoyingly sharp intuition. Even as a child, he would dart away whenever he sensed I was about to grab him. True to form, he was already reaching for the door handle, his white hair glinting as he slipped through the crack.

“Your Maj—Cough!

Damn it. Just as I tried to call out, I was interrupted by a sudden coughing fit. I covered my mouth, thinking it would subside quickly, but it didn’t. The coughing only intensified, leaving me gasping for air.

Tears welled up from the strain, blurring my vision, and I had no choice but to sink back into my seat. That damn king. The moment I recovered, I swore I would chase him down and demand an explanation. I wouldn’t let him go until he confessed everything.

But before I could steel myself for action, the coughing worsened. My chest tightened, and I found it harder and harder to breathe.

It felt like my dying body was betraying me, amplifying even minor discomfort into something unbearable. Of course, it wasn’t truly related to my condition, but the choking and gasping made it hard to convince myself otherwise. I clutched my chest, struggling to catch my breath as the relentless coughing continued.

“Haa… haaa…”

I had no idea how much time had passed. After coughing for what felt like an eternity, I finally felt my body calming down and took a moment to catch my breath. It had been ages since I’d experienced such a severe coughing fit.

My throat hurt, and my head felt foggy from the lack of proper oxygen.

Even though all I did was cough, my body felt drained. I leaned against the leg of the sofa, deciding to rest for a bit before going after Diver. I wondered where he could have gone as my gaze shifted to the door, only to see Diver, whom I thought had left, standing motionless in the doorway, staring at me.

“Your Majesty?”

His face was as pale as his white hair, frozen in an expression of shock.

I stood up abruptly and walked toward him. My legs wobbled, but I steadied myself and grabbed his shoulders firmly, almost hitting them in my urgency.

“Breathe, Your Majesty!”

I couldn’t understand why this man, who wasn’t the one suffering, had stopped breathing. My shout seemed to jolt him back, and Diver gasped for air, exhaling sharply. As I saw some color returning to his face, I began to step back, only for him to suddenly pull me into a crushing embrace.

“Gah!”

This damned king.

It felt like he was trying to crush me. The strength of his hold was so suffocating it felt as though every bone in my body would snap.

“I’m going to die! Let go of me!”

I cried out desperately, feeling him flinch and his body tremble before he finally released me.

“S-sorry, Tei.”

His voice stammered, and he looked so startled that my anger dissipated.

Left speechless, I could only stare at him as he bit his lip, a habit I had nagged him about countless times. My hand moved on its own.

“Your Majesty, I’m fine, but please stop biting your lip. How many times have I told you to break that habit?”

I gently tapped his chin instead of his lips, and he immediately released the tension in his mouth. As I lowered my hand, Diver frowned. What now? What could he possibly be dissatisfied with, looking so much like a sulky child?

“…Your condition.”

“I’m fine. It was just a coughing fit. But why were you holding your breath?”

“I just… thought you might….”

The words never came, but I didn’t need to hear the rest to understand. Diver had frozen because he thought I might die right then and there.

How ironic. A man who could coldly laugh while executing servants for lèse-majesté was now petrified over something as pathetic as my coughing fit.

“Ah, seriously…”

Regret hit me like a wave. I shouldn’t have told him.

If I could turn back time, I’d go back to the day I submitted my resignation. Instead of confessing the truth, I’d make a scene and do whatever it took to be thrown out of the palace.

Diver’s entire attitude had shifted after learning I was terminally ill. This was exactly why I hadn’t wanted to tell him.

If I had kept it to myself, as I always had before, I wouldn’t have to deal with his guilt or this awkwardness. I could have left quietly, without any complications.

After my second death, I had sworn never to let anyone in on the secret of my inevitable demise. But this time, I’d let myself slip into complacency, thinking, It’s fine. He’ll handle it. That carelessness was now my greatest regret, and I was furious at myself for it.

“Your Majesty, can’t you just treat me the way you always have? When you overreact to my every little move like this, it makes me want to put some distance between us.”

Diver looked like he had plenty to say, but I didn’t want to drag out the topic. I forced a clumsy smile to smooth things over. He stared at me with a troubled expression for a long moment before lowering his gaze.

“…I’ll try.”

“Good. Then, about Sol Avla—Your Majesty!”

This is why I hate how quick-witted he is. The moment I mentioned Sol Avla, Diver bolted.

I clicked my tongue as I watched him flee the room. From the time he was a child, I’d told him repeatedly not to run in the palace hallways. And yet, the instant he opened the door, he dashed off like a child escaping trouble.

Thankfully, no one else was around to witness the king running so undignified, but my irritation flared all the same.

One of the palace rules was that no one, not even servants, was allowed to run in the royal halls unless it was an emergency. Anyone caught running could be charged with lèse-majesté something no sane person would risk.

For a brief moment, I thought, No one’s here. Surely it’s fine if I run just a little? But recalling my physical condition, I dismissed the idea immediately. Instead, I began walking briskly in the direction Diver had fled. It was nearly a run, but still technically walking. That had to be acceptable. Right?


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