But Carlein responded easily, and Latil nodded her head.

That’s right. It was worth a try, like Carlein said. If it didn’t work this time, they just had to look for another opportunity.

“And he won’t outright refuse. He has to mimic you after all. If he suddenly avoids the harem, it might arouse suspicion.”

That night. After dinner, Carlein said he would bring the imposter emperor and left the room. Latil didn’t know how he was going to do that.

Latil hid behind a thick curtain for the time being.

‘Will he be able to bring him?’

But as she waited for Carlein, Latil couldn’t stop worrying.

Carlein, as she saw on their first night, had a very animallike sexiness. He was truly attractive. But that was when everything was set at night. In the daytime, wasn’t Carlein a bit stiff?

So she wasn’t entirely convinced he could persuade the imposter to come here.

‘Sound!’

At that moment. There was a noise outside the door. Latil held her breath and hid her body so that not even her shadow was visible.

A moment later. The door opened and someone entered the room. She peeked through a small gap, it was Carlein and… the imposter emperor. Carlein had really brought the imposter emperor. She didn’t know how he had done it.

‘How did he bring him?’

As she marveled at it, the imposter emperor went straight to the bed with a hearty laugh.

Latil felt a pang at the sight of him seeming to enjoy Carlein’s company so much.

How on earth did Carlein manage to bring him here and make him laugh so heartily? What charm did he use?

“Show me quickly. So, what’s inside?”

And what was that about? Latil glared. What did he want to see? Was that imposter asking my consort to show him something? Latil almost tore the curtain apart.

“We have plenty of time, Your Majesty. The night is long… Take it slow.”

“I prefer it quick.”

“You’re in a hurry.”

Instead of a response, there was the sound of something dropping, and Latil swallowed dryly. She almost cursed. Carlein, what are you showing him?

But she couldn’t see that from her angle. The imposter just made a “woohoo” sound.

After the incomprehensible conversation had come and gone. Latil fretted in case Carlein and the imposter might overlap, but fortunately that didn’t happen. Of course, there were many annoying conversations.

Anyway, Carlein asked the imposter to “sleep as promised a few days ago”, and the imposter, who didn’t know if such a promise existed, lay down in the same bed with Carlein.

After some time passed, there was a cautious sound of Carlein getting off the bed. When Carlein gave the signal they had agreed on, Latil opened the curtain a bit more.

Then she saw the imposter emperor was sound asleep. Carlein was under the bed. He was trying to take off the shoes at the imposter emperor’s feet.

When his big hand touched the shoe, Latil held her breath with a jittery feeling. The anger she felt when the imposter said ‘woohoo’ earlier had already disappeared.

Finally, when the shoe was slowly taken off the imposter’s foot, Latil let out her breath slowly. Now I can see your true identity!

Hiding her figure between the curtains, Latil was thrilled. She clenched her fist and grinned with a baredteeth smile.

“Damned impostor. Let’s see what face you’ve got. I’ll hang whatever bastard’s neck on the execution block.”

Then, the completely stripped shoe fell off the foot.

Done!

As Carlein held up one shoe completely, Latil silently cheered inside. She almost jumped up to celebrate.

“!”

But there was no change. The opponent was still wearing Latil’s face.

‘Was it not the shoes?’

Latil’s heart sank. Then why did he say to take off the shoes then? Was it a trap? A trick?

Carlein also seemed taken aback, frowning. He hesitated. He looked in the direction where Latil was, seemingly wanting to ask ‘what should I do?’

Then, wondering if he had to remove both shoes, Carlein finally took off the other shoe as well.

Please… Please! Latil tightly gripped the curtain and desperately watched the scene. But even after he removed the other one, the fake Latil still looked like Latil.

She had no idea what this meant. It was simply heartbreaking.

Just then.

“So you were overly flattering because…”

The fake emperor burst into laughter while lying down. Latil widened her eyes. The fake, who she thought was sleeping, had his eyes open.

Then the fake slowly sat up, leaning on one arm, and asked Carlein.

“You’ve met Latil, haven’t you, Carlein?”

The fake’s question hit the mark. Carlein didn’t answer, but the fake seemed to be sure of his question.

“Where is Latil?”

The fake looked around the room.

“She must be here, right?”

“….”

“Who told you to take off my shoes. Wasn’t it?”

Only then did Carlein answer, as calmly as if nothing had happened.

“I just thought you might be uncomfortable, so I took them off for you.”

“Like you’re trying to assassinate me, so quietly?”

“I was worried it would wake you.”

“I’m not a fool, Carlein. You heard it from Latil. If you take off my shoes, something ‘will’ happen.”

Carlein still didn’t answer, but the fake emperor grinned and eventually pointed exactly to the place where Latil was hiding.

Carlein moved to block his pointing finger.

“It’s over.”

But Latil, seeing the situation had turned this way, simply pulled the curtain and stepped forward.

Whether this fake knew that the magical item I had was a mask, she couldn’t tell.

But one thing was clear. That fake had set a trap with shoes from the beginning. That expression was the evidence. So I had no choice but to come out.

The fake emperor, lazily sitting on the bed with his legs crossed, lifted his chin as if looking down from above and laughed when Latil revealed herself.

His expression seemed filled with a sense of victory, which hurt Latil’s pride.

Latil compared which would be faster: searching the fake emperor’s body for the magical item after subduing and tying him, or the fake emperor screaming and calling people.

Wouldn’t the scream be faster? There would be guards brought by the fake emperor right at the door.

But for some reason, the fake didn’t scream. Instead, he looked at Latil’s face and asked sympathetically.

“Are you curious who I am?”

“You’re a fake, you should know better than anyone else.”

As Latil grinded her teeth and replied, the fake emperor chuckled lightly. The sneer was like the low keys of a piano.

Suddenly, Latil realized that the fake’s expression was not filled with a sense of victory. It was just Latil’s thought that he was smug. The fake’s expression was very ambiguous.

That made it even weirder. That strange expression.

As Latil frowned and stared, the fake, who had been rapidly shaking his shoulders, suddenly raised his hand.

She thought he was pulling out a weapon, so Latil put her hand on her waist. But it was not an attack. The fake emperor raised his hand to the back of his neck. In that state, he groped behind.

A necklace? Is he taking off a necklace?

‘Why is he taking off a necklace all of a sudden here?’

The fake emperor, who had been moving his hand in that state, finally lowered his hand as if he had finished his work. In that hand was a sparkling string. And then…….

Latil was unable to say anything for a moment. Her mind and mouth were blocked, leaving her unable to do anything. It felt as if a large stone was lodged in her throat.

Only after a long while, was Latil barely able to squeeze out a voice like corroded iron.

“Mo, Mother.”