“Are you perhaps imprisoned in a tower somewhere?”
Seliya stared blankly at Balt, who had taken the seat next to her.
She didn't know what he had grown up to do, but his body was so big that Seliya was pushed to the end of the bench.
“I guess it could be seen as similar to confinement.”
"What? Are you really saying you were trapped? Well, if it weren’t for that, there’s no way you wouldn’t know me.”
Seliya thought that Balt was very narcissistic and talked too much.
The information Seliya knew was extremely limited, so she needed to figure out what kind of person the Three Dukes were.
Illeon is definitely a person to be wary of, but she had no idea what Balt was like since she had just met him for the first time.
'I thought he was a sword master... I never thought he would be this big.'
Balt's physique was so intimidating that if you saw him at night, you might have mistaken him for a bear rather than a person.
The tanned, sun-kissed skin looked extremely healthy.
The same was true of his pitch-black uniform, which seemed as if it would burst at any moment because it could not handle the muscles of his body.
Balt stood out so much. If you have a conversation outside with a person like this, you will most likely end up talking behind your back.
After finishing her thoughts, Seliya spoke in a calm tone.
“...If people see me talking to someone, they’ll start talking behind my back.”
"Why? Because you are the Crown Prince’s mistress?”
Balt crossed his arms and swaggered.
The three-seat bench, with only two people sitting on it, seemed to have difficulty supporting his weight, making a squeak and groaning sound.
“Do you think I would care about that?”
Seliya thought that Balt was truly a self-indulgent human being.
She once again felt the power of the Three Dukes. Really, these are people who have nothing to fear.
“It’s okay for you, Duke, but I’m the problem.”
“Are you scared?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you afraid that something will go wrong?”
Balt said something that looked down on Seliya.
“I’m not really scared.”
Balt raised an eyebrow as if Seliya's answer was unexpected.
"Why?"
Balt glanced at Seliya from head to toe and then blurted out.
“Just by looking at you, it looks like you don’t have the strength to even lift a sword, as if you haven’t eaten even a single piece of blood.”
Seliya thought Balt was very rude.
However, when she thought about it, it would have been strange if Illeon had been more polite when speaking respectfully to her, but Balt was acting exactly befitting his position.
It's the same with the Emperor who died at her hands, and it's the same with thr Crown Prince, Jeremy, who abused his power and only thought about what to do to her.
Thinking back on those incidents one by one, she realized that Balt wasn't that rude at all.
“The banquet ended yesterday, why are you still wearing those clothes?”
Balt pointed out Seliya's attire.
“A white mermaid dress. Even the bride who is getting married today won't dress like you. Hey."
Seliya realized that Balt was blurting out his words without going through his head.
“And you, now that I see it, what are those tooth marks on your collarbone?”
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince paid it.”
“That kid is so disgusting.”
Balt shook his head as if he really hated the Crown Prince.
“Now that you think about it, didn’t you come to me because you had some business to do?”
"...Business? That's right. I had some business to do.”
Balt uncrossed his arms and looked at Seliya.
His dark gray eyes flashed sharply.
Seliya thought for a moment that he was going to slaughter her with a sword, but Balt's continued words made Seliya lose all her energy.
“I listened to what the maids were saying. I heard you’re close with Dietrich?”
“....”
“Are you really close with that damn guy? How on earth did you become friends? As far as I know, he doesn’t like women.”
Seliya wondered why Bald was so interested in Dietrich.
“I thought you had called me when you heard that His Highness the Crown Prince’s face was disfigured.”
“It doesn’t matter whether that guy’s face gets ruined or turns into a piece of cake.”
It was a remark that was worthy of being dragged down for insulting the royal family. However, since he is on top of the royal family, he doesn't want to be taken away.
“So, are you close with Dietrich or not?”
“Why on earth are you asking that?”
“Because I’m curious!”
Balt's voice was so loud that it almost rang in her eardrums.
However, he suddenly lowered his voice and started swearing.
“Oh, shit. An uninvited guest has arrived.”
'Gate crasher?'
As Seliya tilted her head, Balt sighed deeply and stood up.
“If you see that guy, don’t ever say you saw me.”
Balt said nothing and disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye.
Not long after Balt disappeared, she heard the sound of clothes rustling nearby.
Seliya lifted her head in the direction from which she heard the sound to check the identity of the uninvited guest.
“Lady Shelly.”
The person who appeared wearing large white clothes was Illeon.
He was smiling brightly with his eyes closed.
Seliya knew that the person who ruined Jeremy's face was Illeon, so she was not entirely happy with him.
This meant that he could cause as much harm to her as he wanted.
“Do you like my gift?”
Illeon naturally lowered himself next to Seliya's bench.
“Seeing as the bench was warm, it looks like you had a conversation with someone first.”
Seliya pretended not to notice and changed the topic by ignoring him.
“The banquet ended yesterday. Does your Excellency have any business for me?”
“You didn’t hear me. This time, I personally prepared for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s coronation ceremony.”
Illeon explained in a soft tone.
“So, I plan to stay at the imperial palace until the Emperor’s coronation ceremony is over.”
Preparing a coronation ceremony for the Emperor after the Crown Prince's face was disfigured.
Seliya thought that Illeon was a contradictory being, different on the outside and the inside.
However, his stay in the imperial palace itself was not a bad thing for Seliya.
If Illeon returned to the territory, the chance to find out whether the Three Dukes were really her enemies would have been lost forever.
"Yes. Congratulations."
Seliya gave an unexpected congratulations.
Illeon laughed quietly at the congratulatory message that did not contain any soul.
“It is something that must be done as a subject. By the way, do you like the gift I gave you?”
“What gift?”
“Last time, you chose the pawn.”
Illeon's blue eyes scanned Seliya's expression.
“I thought you would like it. Looking at your expression, it doesn’t seem like that at all.”
“...I don’t really know what you’re talking about.”
“About the chess we played last time.”
- Please answer this one question. Are you going to throw away your pawn? Are you going to abandon the Queen?
Seliya immediately understood the meaning of Illeon's words.
“Surely, what you were asking then wasn’t just about chess pieces, but you were asking me to choose an opponent to harm?”
At Seliya’s question, Illeon rolled his eyes and smiled.
“It’s a disaster. I just wanted to give you a gift.”
Seliya got goosebumps. Illeon before his eyes did not see the person as a person.
He ruins people's faces and says it's a gift to her.
“What would you have done if I had told you back then that I was abandoning Queen?”
In response to Seliya's question, Illeon stood with one hand on the armrest of the bench and stared at Seliya as if he was amused.
“Maybe someone else got hurt?”
“What is your reason for saying this to me? Aren’t you afraid that I might pass this on to someone else?”
“Lady Shelly.”
Illeon's eyes fell on the tooth marks on Seliya's collarbone. His gaze was as sticky as a swamp, and Seliya felt a surge of discomfort rising inside her.
“When I saw you, I felt a sense of kinship. Underneath that pretty exterior, there is a deep darkness hidden.”
“....”
“Don’t you think it’s unfair that your entire worth is limited to your beauty? In reality, the inside is rotten and rotten.”
Illeon leaned his body towards Seliya. The blue eyes of his gentle face, which came a little closer, seemed to penetrate into Seliya's inner self.
“It’s so unfortunate that I just can’t leave it alone.”
There was no way he knew her identity, but Illeon acted as if he knew everything.
She felt pain that was not revealed on the outside, but he seemed to be the only one who understood it.
Seliya asked back without avoiding Illeon’s eyes.
“Are you trying to placate me now?”
“I just want to give you another choice.”
The blue eyes within Illeon's gently folded eyes shone like the pupils of a snake.
“I am much more attracted to the darkness deep inside you than to your beauty.”
“....”
“Poor Lady Shelly, who has become the object of many men’s desires. Do you believe in the existence of God?”
“I don’t believe in God.”
When she said that she did not believe in God, he brought his sleeve to his mouth and laughed.
“Why don’t you believe God?”
“Because I don’t believe there is a God.”
“That’s a good answer. Lady Shelly. But, you're wrong. God really exists. They are still watching us from the sky.”
Seliya had an instinctive feeling of rejection. A person who sees people as pieces on a chessboard believes in God.
Illeon's words were nothing short of sophistry.
“It looks like you’re still friendly with that guy Dietrich...”
“...”
Balt uncrossed his arms and looked at Seliya.
His dark gray eyes flashed sharply.
Seliya thought for a moment that he was going to slaughter her with a sword, but Balt's continued words made Seliya lose all her energy.
“I listened to what the maids were saying. I heard you’re close with Dietrich?”
“....”
“Are you really close with that damn guy? How on earth did you become friends? As far as I know, he doesn’t like women.”
Seliya wondered why Bald was so interested in Dietrich.
“I thought you had called me when you heard that His Highness the Crown Prince’s face was disfigured.”
“It doesn’t matter whether that guy’s face gets ruined or turns into a piece of cake.”
It was a remark that was worthy of being dragged down for insulting the royal family. However, since he is on top of the royal family, he doesn't want to be taken away.
“So, are you close with Dietrich or not?”
“Why on earth are you asking that?”
“Because I’m curious!”
Balt's voice was so loud that it almost rang in her eardrums.
However, he suddenly lowered his voice and started swearing.
“Oh, shit. An uninvited guest has arrived.”
'Gate crasher?'
As Seliya tilted her head, Balt sighed deeply and stood up.
“If you see that guy, don’t ever say you saw me.”
Balt said nothing and disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye.
Not long after Balt disappeared, she heard the sound of clothes rustling nearby.
Seliya lifted her head in the direction from which she heard the sound to check the identity of the uninvited guest.
“Lady Shelly.”
The person who appeared wearing large white clothes was Illeon.
He was smiling brightly with his eyes closed.
Seliya knew that the person who ruined Jeremy's face was Illeon, so she was not entirely happy with him.
This meant that he could cause as much harm to her as he wanted.
“Do you like my gift?”
Illeon naturally lowered himself next to Seliya's bench.
“Seeing as the bench was warm, it looks like you had a conversation with someone first.”
Seliya pretended not to notice and changed the topic by ignoring him.
“The banquet ended yesterday. Does your Excellency have any business for me?”
“You didn’t hear me. This time, I personally prepared for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s coronation ceremony.”
Illeon explained in a soft tone.
“So, I plan to stay at the imperial palace until the Emperor’s coronation ceremony is over.”
Preparing a coronation ceremony for the Emperor after the Crown Prince's face was disfigured.
Seliya thought that Illeon was a contradictory being, different on the outside and the inside.
However, his stay in the imperial palace itself was not a bad thing for Seliya.
If Illeon returned to the territory, the chance to find out whether the Three Dukes were really her enemies would have been lost forever.
"Yes. Congratulations."
Seliya gave an unexpected congratulations.
Illeon laughed quietly at the congratulatory message that did not contain any soul.
“It is something that must be done as a subject. By the way, do you like the gift I gave you?”
“What gift?”
“Last time, you chose the pawn.”
Illeon's blue eyes scanned Seliya's expression.
“I thought you would like it. Looking at your expression, it doesn’t seem like that at all.”
“...I don’t really know what you’re talking about.”
“About the chess we played last time.”
- Please answer this one question. Are you going to throw away your pawn? Are you going to abandon the Queen?
Seliya immediately understood the meaning of Illeon's words.
“Surely, what you were asking then wasn’t just about chess pieces, but you were asking me to choose an opponent to harm?”
At Seliya’s question, Illeon rolled his eyes and smiled.
“It’s a disaster. I just wanted to give you a gift.”
Seliya got goosebumps. Illeon before his eyes did not see the person as a person.
He ruins people's faces and says it's a gift to her.
“What would you have done if I had told you back then that I was abandoning Queen?”
In response to Seliya's question, Illeon stood with one hand on the armrest of the bench and stared at Seliya as if he was amused.
“Maybe someone else got hurt?”
“What is your reason for saying this to me? Aren’t you afraid that I might pass this on to someone else?”
“Lady Shelly.”
Illeon's eyes fell on the tooth marks on Seliya's collarbone. His gaze was as sticky as a swamp, and Seliya felt a surge of discomfort rising inside her.
“When I saw you, I felt a sense of kinship. Underneath that pretty exterior, there is a deep darkness hidden.”
“....”
“Don’t you think it’s unfair that your entire worth is limited to your beauty? In reality, the inside is rotten and rotten.”
Illeon leaned his body towards Seliya. The blue eyes of his gentle face, which came a little closer, seemed to penetrate into Seliya's inner self.
“It’s so unfortunate that I just can’t leave it alone.”
There was no way he knew her identity, but Illeon acted as if he knew everything.
She felt pain that was not revealed on the outside, but he seemed to be the only one who understood it.
Seliya asked back without avoiding Illeon’s eyes.
“Are you trying to placate me now?”
“I just want to give you another choice.”
The blue eyes within Illeon's gently folded eyes shone like the pupils of a snake.
“I am much more attracted to the darkness deep inside you than to your beauty.”
“....”
“Poor Lady Shelly, who has become the object of many men’s desires. Do you believe in the existence of God?”
“I don’t believe in God.”
When she said that she did not believe in God, he brought his sleeve to his mouth and laughed.
“Why don’t you believe God?”
“Because I don’t believe there is a God.”
“That’s a good answer. Lady Shelly. But, you're wrong. God really exists. They are still watching us from the sky.”
Seliya had an instinctive feeling of rejection. A person who sees people as pieces on a chessboard believes in God.
Illeon's words were nothing short of sophistry.
“It looks like you’re still friendly with that guy Dietrich...”
“...”
“I warned you last time. Be careful because you might get eaten by that person without leaving a single piece of your flesh behind.”
Seliya realized that Illeon was trying to separate her from Dietrich.
The only time she would be eaten without leaving a single piece of her flesh behind would be if she held hands not with Dietrich, but with the man in front of her right now.
“Duke, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just get up first.”
Seliya got up from the bench.
Illeon narrowed his eyes in surprise.
“Do you have somewhere to go?”
“I want to go to Dietrich.”
“...Lady Shelly, aren’t you afraid of being eaten?”
The cool wind ruffled Seliya’s silver hair.
Seliya replied, closing her eyes towards him, just as Illeon had towards her.
“If I were going to be eaten, I wouldn’t have been eaten a long time ago.”
Seliya turned her body around after saying those words.
As soon as she turned her back, the smile on her face disappeared.
Two series are out now! If you like mystery, horror, and historical genre, you can check it out!
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