It felt like she had a pleasant dream for the first time in a long time. When she woke up, she felt lighter.
But she couldn't remember the exact contents of the dream.
Seliya slowly opened her eyes. She later realized that the place she was lying on was not a hard iron cage floor, but a soft bed.
'I remember vomiting blood and losing consciousness...'
Seliya has no memory of anything after that. Did Dietrich move her to this place?
'Then... Where's Dietrich?'
Seliya tried to look around her, but the room she was in was dark. Seliya saw a white full moon floating above the half-open window.
She got off the bed and opened the window all the way. A refreshing breeze blew, ruffling Seliya's silver hair. At the same time, the full moon illuminated the scene in the room dimly.
Seliya looked around using the moon as a light. The room she was in was large but very simple. There wasn't even a typical tea table. The bed, desk, chair, chest of drawers, and closet were all the furniture in this room.
Dietrich was nowhere to be seen.
Seliya wondered what he was thinking when he moved her to this place. Was it because of what happened in the prison that be decided to keep her here instead of in the prison?
'But the backlash will be severe.'
Seliya did not know the details of the situation outside. This is because no one told her that those who coveted her were causing riots all over the palace to save her.
Apart from not trusting Dietrich, she decided that he was not as bad a person as she thought.
Originally, she thought very poorly of Dietrich. She had heard that there had been several attempts to assassinate the Emperor before, but that Dietrich had prevented them every time.
He helped the Emperor to the extent that he was called his mad dog. When he found out that Seliya, the woman who actually killed the Emperor, had special powers, he spared her life.
She knew long ago that he was sparing her life because she was of value to him. If it weren't for her abilities, she wouldn't be in this place now.
Seliya was curious about Dietrich's real purpose. But she kept her mouth shut about the really important stuff.
She knew that Dietrich would not answer her questions, so whenever she talked to him, she always talked nonsense.
Then he, who had no facial expression, showed a reaction. However, that reaction was very different from the men she saw in his own work.
Unlike the beasts, who were always thinking about what to do with her, Dietrich would narrow his brows and occasionally look at her pitifully, as if he did not like what she said.
Seeing the emotions growing in those emotionless red eyes made her strangely want to tease him.
Is it because Dietrich is the only person who can have a proper conversation?
She guessed it was because she felt safe. After all, even though her supernatural ability didn't work, he couldn't seem to think of anything to do with her.
Well, that doesn't really matter. Seliya had no intention of being gently used by Dietrich.
Seliya only planned to 'pretend' that she was being used by Dietrich.
‘Something special, something like identity. After finding out everything he was hiding...'
She went back... No particular plan came to mind.
Now that she has eliminated her nemesis, the Emperor, has she lost sight of her goal?
For now, Seliya decided to focus on building a friendship with Dietrich.
If she was Dietrich Seliya knew, he might have noticed that the more she used her powers, the more her body broke down.
The more sympathy and compassion he had for Seliya, the better it was for her.
If his guard against her softens, the radius of Seliya's actions may widen. Even though the Lord he served died, the fact that Dietrich was the commander of the Imperial Knights did not change, and he was the person who controlled the military power of the imperial palace.
'First, let's figure out where this is.'
Seliya pulled on the doorknob to leave the door. As soon as he opened the door, Dietrich was standing right in front of her.
He looked down at Seliya, holding a lamp in his hand. Dietrich's eyes, reflected in the lamplight, were extremely dry.
“...It looks like your body is feeling better.”
“I guess it’s because I slept in the bed thanks to someone.”
Dietrich burst into laughter at Seliya’s words. It was a laugh closer to ridicule than a laugh.
“You slept well without knowing anything about the world.”
“Did you see me sleeping? Why didn’t you wake me up when you saw it?”
Seliya asked, narrowing her eyes. Then Dietrich answered in a harsh tone.
“Since I couldn’t protect you properly, I just thought it was right to let you sleep comfortably for half a day.”
“...You must have been in trouble for getting me out of jail.”
Dietrich didn't answer. His eyes lingered on Seliya's face for a moment. The emotionless face remained the same, but for some reason, Dietrich seemed to be in a worse mood than usual.
In the end, Seliya asked once more.
"No?"
“You even think about me on the topic of sinners. Should I call you stupid for something like this, or are you acting stupid?”
The sarcastic remark came back, but it didn't hurt Seliya at all. On the contrary, Seliya smiled brightly and looked up at Dietrich.
“Take a guess. Am I stupid? Or am I just acting stupid?”
“...”
“The odds are half and half, so take your pick.”
Dietrich stared at Seliya blankly. As if he couldn't hear what Seliya said, he said something else.
“You’ll just have to stay in that room from now on. I came to tell you that.”
Seliya looked at him with an expression of incomprehension. Dietrich looked into that face and added his afterword.
“The clothes you need to change are in the closet, so you can take them out and put on whatever suits you. The bathroom is adjacent to the room, so if you want to wash, you can wash there. If you need anything, just pull the rope next to the bed. The maid will come.”
Seliya thought Dietrich's words were very strange. After all, Seliya was a sinner. She was also a high treason criminal who assassinated the Emperor.
However, just one morning after waking up, the room had changed and her position was completely different. And he's giving her a maid as well?
For now, Seliya decided to focus on building a friendship with Dietrich.
If she was Dietrich Seliya knew, he might have noticed that the more she used her powers, the more her body broke down.
The more sympathy and compassion he had for Seliya, the better it was for her.
If his guard against her softens, the radius of Seliya's actions may widen. Even though the Lord he served died, the fact that Dietrich was the commander of the Imperial Knights did not change, and he was the person who controlled the military power of the imperial palace.
'First, let's figure out where this is.'
Seliya pulled on the doorknob to leave the door. As soon as he opened the door, Dietrich was standing right in front of her.
He looked down at Seliya, holding a lamp in his hand. Dietrich's eyes, reflected in the lamplight, were extremely dry.
“...It looks like your body is feeling better.”
“I guess it’s because I slept in the bed thanks to someone.”
Dietrich burst into laughter at Seliya’s words. It was a laugh closer to ridicule than a laugh.
“You slept well without knowing anything about the world.”
“Did you see me sleeping? Why didn’t you wake me up when you saw it?”
Seliya asked, narrowing her eyes. Then Dietrich answered in a harsh tone.
“Since I couldn’t protect you properly, I just thought it was right to let you sleep comfortably for half a day.”
“...You must have been in trouble for getting me out of jail.”
Dietrich didn't answer. His eyes lingered on Seliya's face for a moment. The emotionless face remained the same, but for some reason, Dietrich seemed to be in a worse mood than usual.
In the end, Seliya asked once more.
"No?"
“You even think about me on the topic of sinners. Should I call you stupid for something like this, or are you acting stupid?”
The sarcastic remark came back, but it didn't hurt Seliya at all. On the contrary, Seliya smiled brightly and looked up at Dietrich.
“Take a guess. Am I stupid? Or am I just acting stupid?”
“...”
“The odds are half and half, so take your pick.”
Dietrich stared at Seliya blankly. As if he couldn't hear what Seliya said, he said something else.
“You’ll just have to stay in that room from now on. I came to tell you that.”
Seliya looked at him with an expression of incomprehension. Dietrich looked into that face and added his afterword.
“The clothes you need to change are in the closet, so you can take them out and put on whatever suits you. The bathroom is adjacent to the room, so if you want to wash, you can wash there. If you need anything, just pull the rope next to the bed. The maid will come.”
Seliya thought Dietrich's words were very strange. After all, Seliya was a sinner. She was also a high treason criminal who assassinated the Emperor.
However, just one morning after waking up, the room had changed and her position was completely different. And he's giving her a maid as well?
Seliya couldn't understand this situation at all.
“...I'm a criminal who assassinated the Emperor, right? It's not enough to get me out of prison, so you're telling me to live here? What are you going to do to take care of it?”
“...I'm a criminal who assassinated the Emperor, right? It's not enough to get me out of prison, so you're telling me to live here? What are you going to do to take care of it?”
“I’m glad you realized that you killed the Emperor.”
Dietrich gazed lazily at Seliya. Contrary to his sarcastic remarks, the way he looked at Seliya was as calm as a calm wave.
“I know it’s because I’ll take care of everything. Never leave the room. I will explain everything when the time comes.”
“...Yes."
When Seliya nodded her head obediently, Dietrich made a face of surprise at her.
“Okay then.”
Dietrich turned his body away from her as if his purpose was to convey his words. Seliya tugged on Dietrich's collar.
Dietrich's brow furrowed nicely.
“Where do you sleep?”
“Why do you care about that?”
“...Because we are on the same side now.”
Dietrich made a shocked face at Seliya’s words. He furrowed his eyebrows, took a deep sigh, and then spoke one word.
"Tight."
Dietrich forcibly removed Seliya's hand that was holding the hem of his clothes. And then he walked away from her.
Seliya let out a soft laugh as she watched Dietrich walk away without even looking behind her.
It wasn't her mood.
The way Dietrich looks at her becomes much harsher than before.
***
Dietrich crossed the hallway. This mansion was completely his space.
The large mansion with a garden was a gift from the dead Emperor. The Emperor granted him the title of Duke, but he thought that if he were given a suitable territory, he would leave him.
So instead of granting him a fiefdom, a spacious mansion was built for him inside the imperial palace. To stay in the imperial palace at all times and protect the Emperor.
The Emperor probably didn't know. Little did he know that not long after the mansion was built, he would face the death of the woman he so desperately wanted.
At that time, a tickling voice called out to Dietrich.
"My Lord."
Dietrich tried to go into his room as if he hadn't heard anything.
As if to dissuade him, a thin hand was placed on his strong forearm.
Only then did Dietrich's eyes fall on the owner of his hand. As soon as Dietrich's eyes met hers, the woman closed her eyes and smiled.
“Now you finally look at me.”
The woman, with her voluminous blonde hair flowing long and wearing only a thin dress, cast her seductive gaze at Dietrich. But Dietrich was actually indifferent to her.
This woman, even when the Emperor was alive, would do the same thing without any hesitation.
'Empress, Erphia Lee Basilisk.'
The woman before him was a more cunning, and difficult person to deal with than the foolish Emperor.
Dietrich gazed beyond the Empress's back. Seeing that not even her maid was with her, it seemed like she came in with complete intention.
“What is the Empress doing at my residence this early in the morning? Others will think it’s strange when they see it.”
“There is no place in this imperial palace that I cannot go. Especially if it is the Lord’s mansion.”
The Empress gently stroked Dietrich's forearm. Dietrich said, taking the Empress's hand away from him
“Please go back.”
At Dietrich's firm words, the smile on the Empress's lips disappeared.
“I heard that the Lord released that woman from prison.”
“....”
“You released the woman who assassinated the Emperor. Are you sane?”
The Empress said, widening her eyes. The way she quickly changed her attitude when things didn't go her way was exactly like her son Jeremy.
“Your Majesty must have heard the news outside the imperial palace. Riots broke out due to those demanding the release of criminals, so it was an unavoidable measure to keep them quiet.”
“You couldn’t help it?”
"That's right. And instead of completely releasing the criminal, she is being detained in my mansion. To prevent others from doing foolish things.”
Dietrich spoke with particular emphasis on ‘foolish things’. This is because, in the process of investigating her knight who attempted to harm Seliya, he learned that the Empress knew about this incident but turned a blind eye to it.
“I plan to thoroughly monitor and observe so that something like this does not happen again.”
At those words, the Empress raised one corner of her mouth.
“Do you think that woman is quite special to you?”
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