Kissing Hellfire: Marry Me, Evil Lord
Chapter 157: The Other King

Chapter 157: The Other King

Lauren could not believe that Vincent agreed so easily. Impersonating a King, authorized or not, was punishable by death. She was a rule breaker herself but now that it was the King’s position they were talking about, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

But the way Vincent was smiling calmly was like he was just going to play in the castle. He looked cunning and mischievous... he wasn’t planning of doing anything bad, was he?

Of course. Alec was smart and cunning himself. He wouldn’t trust Vincent if he had the slightest doubt. They must have really known each other for long.

"Are you allowed to be away for a few days? Acheron must be well-managed," Alec said. Vincent was a trusted official of the court, the right hand of Prince Dimitri, Vincent’s cousin and Acheron’s crown prince.

Vincent tapped the teacup with his index finger before putting it down.

"I took a few days off. I was planning to go on vacation starting today, but your missive arrived in the middle of the night. I didn’t come to agree with your request but when you said what it was, I realized I’ve never impersonated a king before and I think I will enjoy it."

He thought it would be fun impersonating a king so he agreed? Lauren wanted to laugh at Vincent’s reason. Why was she even surprised? Alec got married for his entertainment. True enough, birds with the same feathers flocked together.

"What about me?" Lauren looked at Alec. "What if the people in the castle wonder why I am missing for days?"

"That is simple," it was Vincent who spoke. "We can say that the Queen caught a cold and will be resting in her chambers for a few days until she recovered. Court officials won’t get bothered by it as long as the King is present during court meetings."

Lauren nodded, "Thank you, Lord Vincent."

"So when are you leaving?"

"Today," Alec replied. "Matthias will help you with everything."

Vincent noticed the weight in Alec’s expression. His gaze went to Lauren who appeared paler than usual. Her eyes were also tired and deep as if something had been troubling her. Vincent was curious about what was going on between the couple, but he refrained from asking questions that would make Lauren uncomfortable. He would just ask Alec alone once he had the opportunity.

After having tea with Vincent, Alec and Lauren went back upstairs to prepare for their departure. Alec told her that she didn’t need to pack clothes. They could just buy whatever they need as it was more convenient than bringing a suitcase.

Lauren wore a full-sleeved collared dress. It wasn’t winter in Acheron yet, but she knew Acheron was rainy at this time of the year.

While Alec was giving instructions to Vincent in his office, Lauren remained in their bedroom. She sent a missive to Darius about her departure through a pigeon. She also told him to continue investigating the rebels while she was away. Julian, on the other hand, joined hands with Edith in the investigation of Jennifer Haystone’s case.

"Sure, impersonating a king sounds fun, but I like my face more," Vincent clicked his tongue as he stood in front of the mirror. After casting the spell of replication, he now had Alec’s face and physique.

Alec and Matthias stood near him. Alec looked serious while Matthias seemed uneasy. Although Vincent and Alec now looked exactly the same, Matthias noticed how big the difference was. He had never seen Alec’s face move in front of the mirror. He was stoic and indifferent, which was the complete opposite of the bewildered and funny face Vincent was making.

Matthias wanted to ask Alec if this plan would work, but he stopped himself from doing so as it might offend Vincent.

"You have a flawless face, I must say. But I would surely miss my handsomeness," Vincent held his jaw with his lips curving into a playful smirk. He then turned away from the mirror to face Alec, "Are you sure among the court officials no one has the ability to see through replications?"

"Scared that you might end up receiving a death sentence from the Supreme House?" Alec raised a brow. "That ability was mentioned in the books but have you ever met one who has it? It’s uncommon. Besides, even if you get caught, King Sebastian won’t let his dearest nephew die for sure."

"And what about you? Are you not scared of being dethroned?" Vincent mocked.

Alec looked at Vincent blankly. If there was something he feared, it was losing the most important person to him. Everything else mattered less.

"I guess you are not..." Vincent took off his coat and grabbed the King’s royal suit laid on the table. After wearing it, he faced the mirror again. He cocked his head, checking out his new appearance. "I would definitely look as fine if I wear this with my own face."

"If you want to wear a King’s suit, why don’t you try competing with Dimitri for the king’s throne? Your father banished his royal title but you can still be a prince if you ask it from your uncle."

"Nah, I don’t wish to be a king. I also don’t like to be a prince. I am not fit to live in a castle. It suffocates me."

"Here are the pins, milord," Matthias carried a box with the gold pins of the monarch that were always attached to the King’s suit.

"I hope you don’t let me down, Vincent. If you need anything, let Matthias assist you. I’ll go ahead," Alec said and left the room shortly.

"Is your king friends with any of the court officials?" Vincent asked Matthias while putting on the pins. "Someone he talks to outside the court. Though, I’m sure he won’t call anyone a friend."

"There is none, milord," replied Matthias and reminded himself in his mind to not forget to address him as the king when they were not alone.

"That is great. No one knows him deep enough to notice my mistakes if I’d make any." Vincent faced Matthias. He fixed his suit’s collar with a smirk, "Do you think I look like him now?"

Matthias released a subtle sigh. Indeed, in matters of appearance, Vincent became a flawless replica of Alec, but his demeanor was a lot different. Alec was always serious and grim, while Vincent had a lighter and more playful aura. More than that, his lips were always curled in a mischievous smile like someone who had all the devious thoughts in the world.