In Pieces

Chapter 27: I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end...

Aidan didn't want to think at all. He had long since realized that thinking never led to anything good. So he just kept quiet, waiting for the Regent to give a more definitive answer. At this time, other than "fuck, please, no!" there were no other words that could describe his inner turmoil.

"I might not be a great person. Hell, I'm probably not even a good person," the Regent finally interrupted the silence. "But I would never hurt anybody like that."

Aidan sighed in relief as Jake continued: "Not that it matters. Because she thinks I'm him, and she hates me. I can't apologize, I can't make it better, I can't do anything... You know how great it is to live in a body of a serial rapist, murderer, and slave owner?"

"I have a vague idea," Aidan couldn't help but smirk. Come to think of it, originally he was convinced that he had gotten the shittiest role in this place.

"Well, try doing it for five years in a row while enduring blackmail, shakedowns, assassination attempts, backstabbing. Not to mention, shameless flattery and hypocrisy..."

"In all these years, have you ever tried getting out?" Aidan asked, his curiosity suddenly piqued.

The Regent curled his lips in a self-deprecating smile. "Many, many times. There is nothing that I want more than to go back to my lovely wife, whom I promised to cherish and never leave... But all my research has only led to dead ends. Countless days reading up on magic, experimenting with all kinds of savage plants. And I'm still not a step closer to solving this than I was on my first day here. Maybe I didn't try hard enough... or, maybe, I'm just a series of lame excuses. To be honest, it's only one lame theory that keeps me from losing all hope and going completely insane."

"At least you have one theory," Aidan suddenly felt bad about himself. In all this time, he hadn't developed any theories. On the other hand, he had been pretty busy.

The Regent suddenly looked less dejected and a bit more thoughtful. "Funnily enough, your appearance here gives my far-fetched theory some ground."

"Really?" Aidan exclaimed. "Don't be stingy – share your insights with your good buddy Aidan!"

Jake raised his eyebrow, but, for some reason, Aidan felt that the man was happy to talk. It was lonely to be a misunderstood villain, after all.

"I was transported here one day after Reo's brother abdicated, and his nephew became the Emperor-in-Waiting. So if one sees this as a game, then my mission is literally to be a placeholder for Kai until he comes of age. Once my mission is complete, I should be released back to my world, right?"

Aidan scratched his nose instead of saying something. This was indeed very far-fetched. Steering even into the "wishful thinking" territory.

"And how does my presence confirm your theory?" he asked.

"You appeared at the exact moment when Kai needed to be saved. And shortly after, you proceeded to save him again. Original General Minn wouldn't have done that. So, thanks to you, our dear Emperor-in-Waiting is still alive. Maybe your mission is the same as mine – make sure that he successfully ascends the throne?" the Regent intertwined his fingers beneath his chin.

"There's not much more time left till the Prince turns 21," Aidan scratched his head. "I guess we can just wait and see. But if, according to you, the boy is the center of the mission, why do you keep him out of the loop?"

The Regent gave Aidan a mocking look. "Do you think this guy is a decent person?"

For some reason, Aidan's first impulse was to say: "yes, he is the best!" but he quickly realized how insane that would sound. And then he remembered the many shortcomings of the young, arrogant monarch. So he just shrugged in response.