TPIHMLD - Chapter 15 < While In The Same Boat >




Seliya blinked her eyes a few times and then burst into laughter. Seliya's bright laughter echoed through the room.
Dietrich, on the other hand, seemed very displeased.

“You’re laughing because you did something well.”

“Because you’re so funny.”

Seliya smiled, folding her eyes and moving closer to Dietrich.

Dietrich looked down with narrowed eyes at Seliya, who was barely reaching his shoulder.

“I need you to wipe away the crumbs from around my mouth.”

Dietrich frowned as if he was taken aback by Seliya’s words.

“Don’t do anything foolish.”

Seliya looked at Dietrich curiously. If he had been an ordinary man, he would have told her things that she didn't even want to know, including why her supernatural abilities don't work.

Still, it was a good sign for Seliya that he was showing his emotions better than before.

Seliya was telling Dietrich a silly joke, but it wasn't a thoughtless joke.

Seliya knew well that Dietrich was different from the other men.

Even when the knight came into the prison to do something to her, she would have been caught shortly afterward if she had left the knight alone and she had run away from the prison.

Since she had told Dietrich that her life was his, he would also decide to take her back.

She used her powers to the point where she wasted her life waiting for Dietrich, who could never come. It was all aimed at appeasing Dietrich's vigilance.

The moment when Dietrich fully believes in her may never come. Of course, on the contrary, Seliya also did not trust Dietrich.

Even as she made eye contact with him and spouted nonsense, Seliya was always calculating for Dietrich in her head.

When will Dietrich answer about her powers and how he knows about the existence of her powers.

'And, what is your true identity hidden behind your position as the leader of the Imperial Knights?'

Dietrich can't answer this now. Seliya hid her true feelings and spat out her words in a mocking tone.

“Why is wiping up bread crumbs considered a chore? Did you think something strange when you saw me?”

“...”

Dietrich's eyes fell as Seliya opened her eyes. His deep eyes, like a distant abyss, gazed serenely at Seliya.

Instead of retorting to Seliya's foolish words, he told her the real point.

“...You have to go see the Empress with me in a little while.”

"Empress?"

Seliya blinked her eyes at the incomprehensible words. Dietrich took a handkerchief from his arms and rather roughly wiped away the crumbs of bread from the corners of Seliya's mouth.

“I can’t believe you’re taking out your anger like this... Can you please be a little gentler?”

Dietrich made a very disgusted face. He handed Seliyar the handkerchief and continued his speech.

“I succeeded in getting you out of prison, but you are the person who assassinated the Emperor. Do you have any awareness of it?”

“There is awareness.”

Dietrich did not like Seliya's reaction. Normally, if he spared her life, she would have been okay with it, but she maintained her irreverent attitude both in prison and now.

Not only did she not use honorifics, she was actually making fun of him.

Dietrich knew that Seliya, who was suffering from pain, and Seliya, who was now in front of him, were the same person. But he couldn't believe it when he saw it.

Such a weak figure in front of him, acting as if she had multiple lives and begging for her life.

Is this confident and even bold attitude real? Or is it real that she was so weak back then?

Dietrich's eyes rested on Seliya's red lips. She bit his lip and sucked it and wouldn't let go. He later became angry when he saw that her lips looked much brighter than before.
 
Even though he was the one who gave his saliva to Seliya who was in pain.

Seliya looked at Dietrich strangely. Dietrich had the same face he had when he first saw the Emperor's assassin.

“Why are you suddenly looking at me like that while you’re talking?”

“...”

“What are you dissatisfied with? If you have any complaints, speak up. What? If you pile them up and explode them later, you’ll get sick.”

Look at that innocent expression that seems to know nothing. It was beyond shameless and now felt abominable.

But Seliya will not be able to smile comfortably like before. Because getting out of prison was never a good thing for her.

This meant that it became easier to target and become a target for others.

The men outside the imperial palace were not bearing Seliya's sins for her.

They, who lived without any shortcomings in society, actually lost nothing by spreading the rumor that Seliya had been swindled.

Those who actually lost something were those who were incited by these people. Those who were incited were poor men who had never seen Seliya's face.

Rumor had it that she was so beautiful, but she was so poor that men who could not afford to pay for her work could not even see her from afar.

Regardless of whether Seliya murdered the Emperor or not, that was probably a good thing for them.

If only they could see her beautiful Seliya just once if this would free her from the prison and show her gratitude... If they do well, maybe they will do well.

They started riots all over the country, each with vain hopes that could not come true.

Even when she was put in prison, and branded as a rabble-rouser, they thought that if Seliya found out about this, she would be so impressed that she would accept them.

From what they heard, Seliya was very happy. She was beautiful, and her heart was as kind as an angel.

Brillion's angel will definitely come to save them.

They truly believed this until the moment of her death in prison.

In fact, Seliya was not aware of the situation outside or even of their existence.

Dietrich did not tell this to Seliya. This is because he decided that it would not be good to let her know about the circumstances of her death.

Moreover, to him, Seliya was nothing more than a tool to achieve his ends. Just as the dead Emperor was to him.

He thought it was a good decision on his part to make the woman who had ruined his tools into his own tools. Of course, only on the condition that the new tool is useful to Dietrich.

He might have looked for a way to disobey the Empress's orders, but Dietrich did not do so.

Dietrich needed tools, he didn't want a burden that could do nothing without him.

This was also a test he was giving in the name of the Empress.

“The Empress has asked me to bring you to the palace at noon today.”

Seliya tilted her head at Dietrich's words.

“She, the Empress, why is she trying to see me?”

“She probably thought it was strange that the criminal who assassinated the Emperor was still alive.”

“You said you’d take care of everything.”

Dietrich said with a chuckle at Seliya’s shameless words.

“You said you were curious about how I know about this ability. If you want to know, prove your worth to me in this imperial palace.”

“...”

“This imperial palace is not as comfortable as you think. The Empress you’ll meet today isn’t soft like me, so you’d better be careful with her.”

If other people had listened to Dietrich's words, they would have been worthy of note.

Those who have never followed Dietrich's orders or have seen the words of the people who tried to harm him will never agree with these words.

However, even if others did not know it, it was true that Dietrich was treating Seliya somewhat leniently.

Seliya also seemed to be well aware of her special abilities, and Dietrich decided that her special abilities would be of great use to him.

“What should I do?”

“Use an honorific title, but if the Empress asks you anything, answer obediently. Never talk about this ability. If you tell her that, nothing good will come of it for you.”

“...”

Seliya had no intention of revealing to the Empress that she had special powers anyway. From Dietrich's words, Seliya realized that he wanted to hide things about her abilities from others.

In a way, it was natural. He feared that if others found out that Seliya had powers, they might try to take advantage of her.

For fear of that happening, didn't he hide her completely even when she was living in his own home?

Seliya was in a lot of trouble because of the Brillion males who often came to her door at night.

Every time they did that, she would use her supernatural ability to paralyze their five senses, check to see if anyone was in the hallway, put them back on their beds, and walk all the way to the door and lock it.

Dietrich added, looking at Seliya lost in her thoughts.

“If you disobey my words and reveal that you have supernatural powers, you will be used as you should, and in the end, you may be accused of being a witch and burned at the stake. You are also a criminal who assassinated the Emperor, so it is a fitting end for you.”

Seliya thought it was a little funny that Dietrich was also trying to take advantage of her and pretend that he cared about her.

Of course, Seliya did not express these thoughts outwardly.

“I won’t tell her about this ability, so you don’t have to worry. We’re in the same boat, right?”

“...”

Dietrich gazed at Seliya, who emphasized the word 'same boat', with her indescribable face.

“Are there any other precautions other than that?”

“The Empress will ask you many questions, including why you assassinated the Emperor. She'll probably ask about your relationship with me too. The reason is, you can answer on your own, and when asked about your relationship with me, say that you have nothing to do with me.”

“We’re not in a relationship at all, so you’re telling me we’re not in a relationship at all?”

Dietrich was about to say something when he heard Seliya's innocent words, but his mouth was shut. He said, looking out the window.

“As soon as I bring you into the palace, the Empress will definitely try to separate you from me.”

“...”

“If you don’t prove your worth, I can no longer protect your life.”

Dietrich had his eyes fixed on Seliya.

“It’s time.”



Previous            Next

Comments