One Day, My Fiancé Brought His First Love Along - Chapter 62

“The frequency is the issue, the frequency. It’s not once or twice a month, but two to three times every two weeks. And unlike typical side effects, the symptoms are far more severe.”

“……”

“In most cases of side effects from medical treatment, people only experience vague, fleeting hallucinations unclear figures that vanish quickly. It usually doesn’t escalate into anything serious, and a quick visit to a physician resolves it. But this,  this leads to major incidents.”

Edys’s expression darkened.

“For example, self-harm caused by hallucinations—or even harming others.”

Unlike typical medicinal side effects, which may include mild hallucinations, what Edys described implied a much more dangerous phenomenon. Aileen couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of hallucination would drive someone to injure another person.

“That… sounds incredibly suspicious. And serious.”

The air around them grew heavier. Aileen muttered quietly and glanced sideways at Carlisle.

His expression was unchanged, still unreadable. Did he already know?

“It’s very suspicious, indeed. That’s why I secretly ordered an investigation into it some time ago. And finally, today…”

“Don’t tell me.”

“Yes. We’ve caught the trail. That’s what delayed me. Now, doesn’t that sound like a good enough excuse for making Dame Aileen wait?”

“…I wasn’t that upset, Your Majesty.”

The emperor smiled knowingly, as if he saw right through her. Embarrassed, Aileen dropped her gaze to somewhere near his collar.

“Now, to the point—I have a very important request for the two of you.”

Edys’s lips curved into a smooth smile. Aileen felt a chill run down her spine, a reflexive wariness rising within her.

“I intend to entrust this investigation to you two.”

Why her—a mere knight of Khan—and him, the commander of the Sel Order? Investigations like this usually fell under the jurisdiction of the Khan Order or, generously, the Lil Order.

Besides, Aileen had never even been assigned a proper mission before. She was a complete novice in this field.

Her complexion grew slightly pale, but Edys continued without pause.

“This isn’t just a criminal incident. It’s something far greater. The nature of this case demands it be handled with utmost care and without any margin for error.”

His tone had grown weighty and grave.

“There’s a force threatening the Empire. We don’t yet know what grand scheme may be lurking beneath the surface, so I can’t send just anyone.”

“……”

“But the two of you—soon to be champion and runner-up of the Imperial Knights Tournament—are people I can trust.”

Silence settled over the office.

“Dame Aileen. On top of that, you are a daughter of House Revart. I trust you more than anyone.”

Aileen felt overwhelmed.

If that were the logic, then what about Carlisle? The man soon to be married to Judith—the daughter of Marquess of Hessiden, Edys’s greatest political enemy.

What part of Carlisle did Edys trust so deeply to hand over such a critical mission?

Aileen’s thoughts grew tangled.

As a mere knight, she could not reject an imperial decree. Even if Edys phrased it as a “request,” she knew better than to take that literally.

Back before his betrayal, Carlisle had seemed like the most trustworthy person in the world. She hadn’t known then that he was someone capable of abandoning faith and loyalty.

After breaking off their engagement through infidelity with Judith, how could that Carlisle be trusted with something so weighty? Aileen couldn’t understand it.

Besides, Edys had seen everything—he had witnessed both the beginning and the end of their relationship.

And yet, he still chose to entrust this to Carlisle? Called them both in secret for something so serious?

Her thoughts didn’t have time to spiral further.

“So—what will it be? I take it you’ll accept?”

The Emperor smiled slyly, a gleam in his eyes. Aileen felt as if she’d just been pulled up from underwater, her mind snapping back into place.

Right. Edys never made decisions without reason.

If he was making this choice despite knowing about her and Carlisle’s uncomfortable history, then he must have a reason.

Edys had known Carlisle since their academy days, too.

“Would I even have the right to refuse? If Your Majesty commands it, then I will comply.”

“Hmm, I sense a hint of dissatisfaction there. Or is that just my imagination?”

“It’s your imagination.”

“Honestly, I haven’t seen you in so long, and yet all I’m getting is a cold wind.”

Edys made a pouty face, eyebrows sagging dramatically. Aileen met him with a blank stare and turned her gaze away.

“Once the investigation begins, people will find out soon enough. That it’s under my orders. But the reason I called you both in privately like this… is out of respect.”

More like to catch them off guard.

Aileen kept that thought to herself.

“In any case, I take your silence to mean agreement. Excellent. I’ll assume both of you are ready to give your all for the good of the Empire, and I’ll now proceed with the next instructions.”

The Emperor smiled with composure.

Though Edys had watched the rise and fall of their once unshakable bond—from the days of the academy to the bitter end—he clearly still had enough awareness to feel some discomfort in forcing the two of them to work together.

Which must be why he hadn’t issued the order outright, but rather summoned them quietly like this—under the guise of respect.

“The final match will be held in three days. As soon as the winner is decided, the mission will begin.”

The final match was unlike any of the previous ones.

Ordinarily, tournament dates would be set in advance, and tickets would be sold accordingly.

However, to curb the potential for a rampant black market, the schedule for this competition had been intentionally kept secret.

Naturally, anyone who already had plans on the day the finals were abruptly announced would be unable to attend—even if they had purchased a ticket.

Additionally, by selling the tickets only one day before the final, it prevented the resale market from gaining traction, thereby offering more fair chances to ordinary citizens.

And so, Edys, true to his nature, had unilaterally declared the final would take place in three days.

“You two should use the next three days to train diligently. That should be enough time to recover and prepare.”

“……”

“You may continue your current training, or practice individually if you prefer. The entire Empire awaits the final match of this swordsmanship tournament—not just myself, but every citizen. Though it’s only three days, I’ll support you both so you can prepare as you see fit.”

“……”

“And one more thing. As Emperor, I’ve prepared a gift for both the champion and the runner-up. Publicly, we’ve announced that the winner will receive a sword. But isn’t that a bit lacking, considering this is the very first tournament?”

This was news to Aileen.

It had already been declared that the tournament’s victor would receive a sword forged by none other than Carinova, a legendary blacksmith known across the continent. The announcement had stirred overwhelming excitement among the knights.

Carinova’s sword—one of only ten in the entire world—was considered a sacred artifact. Each of his works was rare enough to be treasured like a holy relic.

Many skilled knights who hadn’t joined the Imperial Order likely regretted it dearly upon learning of this prize.

And now… there was something else being given?

Aileen’s eyes widened at the unexpected statement.

“It’s nothing much. Just a jewel.”

The Emperor produced two small boxes and placed them before them.

Aileen and Carlisle accepted them silently.

“Go ahead, open them.”

When she lifted the lid of the small, dark wood box—no larger than her palm—she found a single gem nestled within, surrounded by soft violet velvet.

The oval-shaped jewel, about the size of a thumbnail, was encircled by a thin silver frame with a delicate, straight edge.

Its color was something extraordinary. It appeared violet at a glance but shimmered into a deep blue when it caught the light.

Simple in form, yet refined and stunning. Even Aileen, who had never paid much attention to jewels, found herself captivated.

After giving her ample time to appreciate it, the Emperor dropped a revelation like a thunderclap.

“It’s not just a gem. It’s enchanted.”

What?

Aileen’s eyes and mouth flew open in disbelief.

An enchanted jewel?

Magic had long since disappeared from the world. Only remnants of tribal shamanism survived among the nomadic tribes in the North.

Within the Empire and other kingdoms, not a single person remained who could wield magic.

If anything, people had come to fear or despise magic due to the northern tribes’ brutal curses and undead-summoning rituals used during their invasions.

But the truth was, in ancient times, magic had served far more useful purposes—like creating protective barriers or conjuring light.

And even though magic had vanished, a few magical artifacts had been passed down through the ages.

Though rare—many broken, worn, or lost over centuries—they still existed.

Naturally, their value was beyond measure. Even with limitless wealth, acquiring one was like plucking a star from the sky.

And yet now…

“You’re giving us magical artifacts?”

Aileen’s voice trembled slightly. For someone like her—a daughter of one of the Empire’s greatest ducal houses—to be so visibly surprised spoke volumes.

Blinking rapidly, she stared at the Emperor with wide, stunned eyes.

“You seem quite shocked, Dame Aileen. Sir Carlisle, on the other hand, is as composed as ever.”

Following Edys’s comment, Aileen instinctively glanced toward Carlisle.

He was gazing at the jewel with the same calm expression, unreadable as always.

Not a hint of surprise or emotion. Somehow, that made Aileen’s own reaction feel excessive—her excitement doused like cold water over a flame.

“Magical artifacts… they’re incredibly hard to find.”

Aileen muttered quickly, then fell silent. Edys chuckled softly and added:

“Exactly why it’s a secret.”

“…Pardon?”

Aileen’s voice cracked slightly in surprise.

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