The Duke of Hyderne, who was thought to be dead, had come back to life. Not only that, but he looked healthier than ever. That alone was enough to turn the entire empire upside down.

– Tak!

“The son of the goddess Helena.”

Illay put down the daily newspaper he was reading on the desk.

“What a ridiculous thing to say.”

He leaned back in his chair and tapped his finger on the newspaper.

[The sun rises in the Croathea Empire ::: The resurrection of Prince Akkia, the son of Helena.]

The headline, as large as the front door, stood out in today’s newspaper. All the newspapers were busy talking about Akkia’s return from the dead.

That’s not all. The news of Akkia’s resurrection spread through the mouths of those who had witnessed the execution.

They said that the Duke of Hyderne, who had returned from the brink of death, was reborn. They were quick to praise Akkia, saying that a new sun had risen in the empire.

“How foolish.”

They used to click their tongues at the sickly duke, but now they call him a prince. Moreover, it had been a long time since Akkia’s title of prince was stripped away after the former emperor’s death.

‘Prince.’

As if that word bothered him, Illay’s blue eyes took on a cold glint.

The Croathea Empire has a famous founding myth.

The story goes that Aureus, the son of Helena and the first emperor of the empire, was resurrected ten days after his death, beheaded the enemy commander, and founded the nation.

Remarkably, Akkia returned to life exactly ten days after his death. And in a very dramatic way. As if heralding the return of the king.

‘Could all of this be a coincidence?’

Illay quietly held his breath.

“It can’t be a coincidence. Akkia got us good.”

Illay quietly muttered with a chilling smile. At the sound of the emperor’s fidgeting fingers, Duke Rodrigo tensed up.

He should have stopped the gossip from being printed in the daily newspapers, but he couldn’t.

As if the duke’s resurrection was a revolution, the more they tried to control it, the fiercer people’s rumors grew day by day.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. I should have checked properly…”

Duke Rodrigo, who was standing in front of the emperor’s desk, bowed deeply. It was Duke Rodrigo who had brought the dead duke’s body to the imperial palace.

They had placed it in the basement of the chapel for the funeral, but the body had been switched without anyone knowing.

After the execution date, Duke Rodrigo couldn’t let his guard down for a moment.

‘Another mistake after the Bayern incident.’

It wouldn’t be surprising if the emperor took his head in this situation.

“No, this can’t be blamed on you. How could you have known about a plan that had deceived everyone for more than a decade?”

“…Then, what do you plan to do now? If Your Majesty just gives the order, I will…”

“No.”

As he raised his deeply slouched body, he picked up the newspaper he had put down a little while ago.

[Who brought Prince Akkia back to life!] [Praise for the youngest genius pharmacist is rampant in the capital.]

It also contained an article about the pharmacist who had been on the verge of being executed. Illay, who was skimming the article with an indifferent gaze, spoke.

“Summon Akkia. And that pharmacist too.”

“You mean to summon the pharmacist as well?”

The duke looked at the emperor with a puzzled expression, as he was asking to summon a commoner pharmacist to the imperial palace along with him.

“She’s the benefactor who saved my brother, so shouldn’t I see her face in person?”

An unfathomable cold smile hung on Illay’s lips.

[This is the timeline separator]

A sunny summer afternoon.

“This must be a dream.”

Usually, she would have been busy moving her body, but Leah was just lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling and muttering blankly.

“Yes. It’s just a dream.”

She uttered the same words as if brainwashing herself. But no matter how many dozens of times she repeated the same words, the situation in front of her eyes didn’t change at all.

“There’s no way that was a dream…!”

In the end, overwhelmed by the memories of that day rushing in again, Leah let out a scream.

After fainting at the execution ground, she woke up to an unfamiliar touch as if someone was touching her.

As her blurry vision brightened, what she faced was the duke. At first, she thought she was dreaming.

But the act that began with a kiss gradually became dense and deep, making her whole body burn.

The thrill of the unfamiliar sensation penetrating deep inside her. The bed creaking along with the movement of the two.

As the memories of that day flooded her mind again, Leah’s face turned red.

“Ha. What should I do?”

It was quite good. No, it was so intense that it couldn’t be described as just good.

“This is crazy.”

She recalled that night, clutching her head.

[Heu… Haa. Duke.]

The lewd moans she let out every time the duke’s hand brushed against her kept ringing in her ears. Unbelievably, Leah clung to the duke.

As if begging for more. Even saying things she would never say in her right mind.

Leah roughly kicked off the blanket as if she didn’t want to think about anything anymore.

“How can I face the duke now…?”

It had been three days since that incident. She had returned to her room and hadn’t taken a single step out.

Because she didn’t have the confidence to face the duke.

“It must be a side effect.”

The side effects of the new drug seemed more serious than she had thought. Both of them had lost their senses and pounced on each other.

‘Yes. Maybe the duke is also in deep thought like me right now.’

Maybe he’s blaming her for making the new drug…

Besides, she couldn’t avoid the duke like this forever. Leah got out of bed as if she had made up her mind.

‘Let’s go out for now.’

Leah, who had hastily tidied up her appearance, took a step to go to the pharmacy. The important thing now is to make a treatment for the side effects of the new drug as soon as possible.

So she had to treat this side effect that she doesn’t know when it will recur. Leah, who had made up her mind, hurriedly opened the door of the pharmacy.

“Eek!”

Leah was about to open the door but screamed in surprise at the tall figure she saw. Who would have imagined that Akkia would be standing by the wall next to the door?

“Du, Duke. What brings you here?”

Leah looked at him with a very perplexed look in her eyes. This was the second time she had faced the duke since that night.

‘As expected. I can’t get used to it. I took the new drug, so why did his appearance change?’

His tall height and the outline of his firm body that showed even though he was wearing clothes. Akkia was exuding his presence with his whole body, perhaps because his small body had grown.

Without realizing it, Leah thought of Akkia hidden under those clothes.

His broad chest, which had risen and fallen as he caught his breath on top of her, looked as if it had been sculpted.

‘What am I imagining right now…?’

Leah, who had suddenly imagined his naked body, swallowed nervously. Leah hurriedly averted her gaze from his unfamiliar appearance that had changed so much.

Her face flushed under his gaze, staring at her intently.

“I was going to go in if you didn’t come out today either.”

The duke straightened his body that had been leaning against the wall.

“You came out on your own?”

A sly smile crept into his lips as he spoke, looking at Leah.

“…I had something to tell you anyway.”

“I do too. We have a lot to talk about from now on.”

It was the moment when the duke tried to grasp Leah’s hand.

Seeing his hand approaching, Leah hurriedly stepped back. Then she bowed deeply.

“I’m sorry!”

“What?”

The duke’s brows furrowed at the sudden apology. As Leah slowly raised her head, her gaze met the duke’s, who had a dumbfounded look in his eyes.

Leah was honestly confused whether her feelings that day were due to the side effects of the drug. Or if she really wanted him.

But she decided to use the drug as an excuse because she didn’t have the confidence to face the duke as before.

“I made a mistake in making the drug, so… You must have been troubled because of me, Duke.”

“…Troubled?”

The duke’s brows furrowed deeply at Leah’s words.

‘You “too” were troubled. Does that mean what happened that day was troublesome?’

He crossed his arms and came close to Leah.

“So what you’re saying now is.”

The duke approached so close that their breaths were about to intertwine at any moment. Leah involuntarily inhaled at the duke’s intense gaze.

“The things that happened that night were ‘troublesome’ to you?”

Suddenly, the duke’s voice became cold for a moment.

‘Did I say something wrong?’

Leah’s eyes wavered. She thought the duke would find this situation as awkward as she did.

So she thought that if she made an excuse about the new drug, the duke would reluctantly agree.

“I’m sorry. I’ll make another drug to get rid of the side effects as soon as possible…”

“So you’re saying all the things that happened that day were because of the drug’s side effects?”

“…Pardon?”

Leah couldn’t answer the duke’s words that pressed on her like an interrogation. She thought the duke would also consider what happened that day a mistake.

But why does he look so angry?

“Then, would it have been okay even if it wasn’t me in the bedroom that day?”

“That’s…”

Leah couldn’t answer the duke’s words that pressed on her.

‘On the day when there were side effects. If it had been a man other than the duke, would I have spent the night with him?’

“…”

Leah hesitated without readily answering.

It had been 22 years since she was reborn here.

Because Leah was born with all the memories of her previous life, she was different from her peers even when she was at the age of becoming aware of the opposite sex.

She thought that love was a luxurious emotion when she was in a situation where making ends meet was urgent.

‘I…’

Why couldn’t she push the duke away?

When she was just clenching the hem of her innocent skirt, the duke let out a short sigh at Leah’s silence.

“This is unbelievable.”

The duke’s outstretched finger pressed firmly on Leah’s lips.

“You’re saying it would have been fine even if it was another man besides me…”

“When did I say such a thing…!”

The duke, who arbitrarily interpreted her silence, could no longer hear Leah’s excuse.

Just imagining Leah being with another man that night made his stomach churn.

Leah, who observed the man’s complexion, carefully opened her mouth.

“Duke, I was just saying it was a small accident. But why are you so angry?”

“Not for me.”

“…Pardon?”

“Not for me.”

Leah was stunned by the duke’s following words. Does this mean that what happened that night was not because they were intoxicated by the drug?

“What do you…?”

The duke’s eyes looking at her sank endlessly deep. As if he was hurt.

“It may have been a side effect for you.”

And soon, a low voice, half-closed, was wrapped around her ears.

“But not for me.”