Bang!
A loud explosion was heard.
Seliya closed her eyes and opened them as the tinnitus seemed to pierce her ears.
The scene that followed was Dietrich directly blocking Arthur's attack with his sword.
The black mist that rose from Arthur's hand tried to strangle Dietrich.
However, when Dietrich went one step ahead of him and tried to cut Arthur in half with his sword, Arthur stopped attacking and took a small step back.
Thanks to this, the hood that was covering Arthur's face recoiled and his bare face was revealed.
Pale skin and sharp golden eyes appeared as if they had never seen sunlight.
“...It’s Duke Cervantes.”
Dietrich recognized him and wrinkled his eyebrows.
“Was it you who murdered the royal family?”
Instead of denying Dietrich's words, Arthur grinned.
“They said you were a sword master, and it was true.”
Arthur's golden eyes expanded and contracted repeatedly like a snake.
“Your Excellency Duke Calypso!”
Anderson drew his sword and supported Dietrich.
Arthur glanced at him with annoyed eyes.
“...I really hate men.”
Arthur muttered softly and turned his head to look at Seliya.
Her long silver hair, reaching down to her waist, fluttered in the breeze.
Arthur's neck twitched as he looked at Seliya.
Arthur felt a strong urge to keep Seliya stuffed in his secret room forever.
He wanted to tie her delicate wrists and make her sing only for him.
Arthur's eyes as he looked at Seliya were as sticky as a swamp.
Seliya also looked at Arthur with her persistent gaze.
Arthur trembled just from the mere sight of her gaze.
“Arthur Cervantes, you will have to stand trial for three days on charges of murdering the royal family. At this time, the imperial palace ministers and the other two Dukes can also attend the trial, and the trial is based on fairness.”
As if he couldn't even hear Dietrich's words, Arthur's eyes were fixed on Seliya the whole time.
As if it was a waste to even blink, he looked at Seliya with bloodshot eyes.
Seliya turned her gaze away from Arthur. Only then did Arthur roll his eyes and look at Dietrich.
“You’re judging me? By what right?”
“By the authority of the Commander of the Imperial Knights.”
"Hey."
Arthur craned his neck toward Dietrich.
Arthur's eyes scanned Dietrich's black hair, red eyes, and high nose in turn.
Arthur, who had been observing Dietrich for a while, said with a grin.
“You are not from Abelon.”
“...”
“What on earth is it? If you are not from Abelon, why are you serving as the leader of the Imperial Knights of Abelon?”
Dietrich answered, looking at Arthur with indifferent eyes.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Are you saying anything just because you don’t want to go to trial?”
“No one can judge me. Even if it’s God, he can’t judge me.”
“Anderson, take Duke Cervantes away. Send him to the court.”
Anderson nodded his head.
As soon as Anderson grabbed his wrist, Arthur's body melted away as if it were liquid.
“What on earth is this... ?”
Anderson couldn't believe what he saw and made a strange noise.
Dietrich said, touching his forehead.
“I was completely defeated.”
“You said you got hit?”
It was Anderson, looking at his lord with a questioning look.
Dietrich said, glaring at the remains of the liquid.
“The Duke has never been here in the first place. This is the Duke’s alter ego.”
“An alter ego?”
Dietrich muttered softly in response to Anderson's question.
"Ues. He sent his clone to check my strength.”
***
Arthur, who was fiddling with his black earrings, frowned.
“...He’s surprisingly smart.”
When his hand stopped touching his earrings, the scene unfolding vividly before his eyes disappeared without a trace.
At the same time, Balt with a scary face was sitting in front of him.
“Hey, what are you doing sneaking into my palace? Get out quickly.”
Balt jabbed at the door with an annoyed look on his face.
“Let’s help the three Dukes and live together. Baltic. Unlike Ileon, you are kind, aren’t you?”
As Arthur made a flower cup with his hand and laughed, Balt made a statue of arrogance.
"Go away. Fuck you. You and that bastard are the same to me. You were locked in a secret room for several years and didn’t come out.”
“What do you know! Does a muscle lump like you know about my passion for pursuing beauty?”
Arthur screamed. Balt picked his ear and flashed his middle finger.
“Get out while I have good words to say. Before I cut your face off right away.”
“I just got some good information. Can you tell me one thing?”
Balt furrowed his brows at Arthur's words.
“You know you’ll die if you say something useless.”
“You know Dietrich? That human.”
Arthur lowered his voice and continued.
“I heard he’s not from Abelon.”
“...What?"
Balt raised an eyebrow.
“I am a very, very genius, and I can read people’s unique waves and scents. But, that damn wave was very strange. It's pitch black and dark. When I think about it, my Seliya was like that too.”
“?”
Balt didn't know why Arthur was referring to Seliya as 'my', but since Arthur was a crazy person, he just pretended not to hear anything.
“...Tell me more.”
“Then, let me stay here instead.”
“Fuck it, like that.”
Arthur, having achieved his desired goal, grinned.
***
Seliya looked at Dietrich.
Dietrich said nothing the whole way back to his mansion.
The expressionless face remained the same, but Seliya, who was with Dietrich most of the time, immediately noticed that he was not in a very good mood.
Dietrich seemed to be remembering what had just happened, as he was so lost in thought that he had forgotten that he was acting like a lover.
Entering the hallway of the mansion, Seliya wrapped Dietrich's hand.
Dietrich lost in thoughts, then turned to Seliya.
“...If you think about it, will you find the answer?”
These were the words Seliya said as she placed her hand on top of his.
"Sorry. I thought too much about myself.”
“We’re in the same boat. You don’t have to worry about it alone.”
Seliya smiled at Dietrich.
The corners of Seliya's eyes narrowed, and a faint smile spread across her face.
Dietrich stared in silence as Seliya smiled.
With his other hand, which was not connected to Seliya's, he smoothed Seliya's hair.
Soft silver hair tangled around his hands and then fell apart.
Dietrich felt anxious as the white snowflake seemed to disappear in his hands.
Dietrich did not know why he felt so nervous or where this nervousness came from.
Dietrich felt the need to clearly consider what kind of person Seliya was to him.
Tandem.
He thought nothing more and nothing less.
But why did he feel his stomach twist when Arthur's alter ego looked at Seliya with his possessive eyes?
He felt that it was too much for him to feel for her collaborator.
Even though she is his former fiancé, Seliya is just someone to be used by him.
Why?
“Dietrich? What's the matter?"
Dietrich belatedly came to his senses after hearing Seliya's voice.
Instead of revealing his true feelings, he diverted his words.
“Duke Arthur Cervantes must be brought to trial.”
“Do you have to do that? Can’t you leave it to someone else?”
“There is no one else who can do it but me. And...”
Dietrich slurred his words.
“The three Dukes will kiss each other beforehand. Even if he goes to trial, there is a high chance he will be released.”
“Then why do you bother holding a trial?”
“Because that’s the only time the three Dukes will be together in one place.”
Seliya nodded her head slightly in understanding.
“I will somehow bring him to trial, so use your powers then. You can do it, right?”
“I’ll try.”
In response to Seliya's response, Dietrich turned to her and said.
“And from today onwards, let’s sleep separately.”
“...”
“We’re not really lovers, but it would be uncomfortable for you to sleep in the same room.”
Contrary to what Dietrich said, Seliya was not uncomfortable sleeping with him.
She was rather comfortable. She doesn't know if it's because he has the ability to heal, but she sleeps without knowing the rest of the world.
However, since Dietrich seemed uncomfortable sleeping with her, Seliya did not catch him either.
"Yes."
“...I have something to discuss separately, so I’ll go to your room or something.”
With those last words, Dietrich took the stairs and went upstairs.
Seliya, who was left alone in the hallway, realized that Dietrich was drawing a line towards her.
'You've been around the whole time, but now you're feeling sad again?'
Seliya laughed self-deprecatingly.
From the beginning, Dietrich saved her life in order to use her.
It would be a mistake to believe, even for a moment, that he was trying to protect her without any consequences.
Without realizing it, Seliya was completely dependent on Dietrich.
The way Dietrich fed her food with his own hands, and the way he looked at her with a soft look, unlike when he looked at other people.
Whenever she got hurt, he healed it by holding it in his mouth without any hesitation.
-... Are you okay?
A cautious voice asked if she was okay.
She thought it was all sincere.
'I almost made a mistake.'
Seliya laughed quietly.
She knows better than anyone else that the only one she can trust is herself.
Unlike the other men, Dietrich did not covet her, so she was hoping for a lot without realizing it.
Since they had the same goal, she thought he would be the same as her.
That can't be possible.
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