Dietrich's expression was so casual as he said shocking words, it was as if he was talking about someone else.
“They wanted to use you to warm his sister’s bed?”
“...Yes."
A long silence fell between the two.
After a while, Seliya released her lips.
“So, did you accept the offer?”
Even as Seliya asked, she thought there was no way Dietrich would accept such a ridiculous proposal from Illeon.
Instead of answering Seliya's question, Dietrich crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.
Unlike usual, when he fastened each of his buttons carefully, he loosened his collar, revealing his torso covered in well-toned muscles through his open shirt.
"Well. What do you think it was like?”
In contrast to his disheveled appearance, Dietrich, who was asking her questions, had an extremely dry expression.
“If I can guarantee your life in exchange for a moment of humiliation, I don’t think it’s such a bad deal.”
“...”
“Since Illeon has become the new Emperor, I can pretend to accept this as well and gain time to prepare accordingly.”
At his calm tone, a sigh-like answer flowed from Seliya's teeth.
“... I see."
In exchange for a moment of humiliation, one's life can be guaranteed.
Seliya thought about it from Dietrich's perspective, not from her own perspective.
If Dietrich had chosen the option of going to war among the previous options, Seliya would have been isolated in the imperial palace alone, and even if she had chosen the option of abandoning Seliya, the result would have been the same.
Dietrich's choice, which may seem somewhat foolish, was both a desperate effort to protect Seliya and an inevitable choice.
A decision to sacrifice one's own body for someone who is nothing more than a collaborator.
Seliya knew better than anyone else that she would never have done that if it had been her.
If Illeon had asked her to give up her body in exchange for guaranteeing Dietrich's life.
If she had died on the spot, she would have died, she would never have done it.
The reason Seliya became terminally ill was because she overused her powers while trying to protect herself from men who wanted her.
So, Seliya didn't appreciate Dietrich at all.
She never forced Dietrich to sacrifice himself.
In bed with Illeon's sister, she had never pushed his back to roll around.
Yet, she is caught up in the feeling that she has become a bad person for no reason.
Although she was suspicious of Dietrich, she did not know what to do with him when he appeared like this.
Dietrich's eyes narrowed as he looked at her.
“What are you thinking?”
Seliya's gaze, lost in thoughts, turned to Dietrich.
She had to ask Dietrich.
What on earth was he thinking when he made that decision?
Her mouth felt dry as she saw him making important decisions for her without consulting her.
"I am...”
Seliya was about to say something, but her mouth was shut tightly.
This is because the scene of Dietrich mixing his body with Illeon's sister played in her mind.
To think that he would kiss that woman with the same lips that kissed hers.
To think of touching her with the same hands that fed her food.
Seliya felt anger boiling beneath her feet.
She hoped that Dietrich would not make such a poor sacrifice.
She is deceived by that snake-like Illeon, so she doesn't throw herself away like anything else.
However, she hated it when Dietrich found out about her feelings.
It sure looks like she's jealous.
Seliya's eyes turned cold as she looked at Dietrich.
Seliya's face was not looking very good, and Dietrich called her in a worried voice.
“...Shelly?”
Dietrich stood up from his seat and placed a large hand on Seliya's forehead.
His eyes looking down at her were kind, and his hand covering her forehead was warm, and she felt as if she would completely surrender herself to that warmth. Seliya seemed to turn away from him, she closed both her eyes.
“What did Illeon do to you while I was away?”
In the meantime, she's sitting here worrying about herself.
The words “just worry about herself” rose up in Seliya’s throat.
“The reason I left you at the mansion was because I didn’t want to wake you up from your deep sleep. If I had known you would be looking for me, I would have said something and left.”
It was strange that she didn't dislike Dietrich's voice as he belatedly made excuses.
"Sorry. The conversation with Princess Reina took longer than I expected and it ended up being too late.”
At Dietrich's words, Seliya felt her heart tingle.
Is that why he came dressed so disheveled?
When she was sleeping without knowing the world, he was with Ileon's younger sister, and had he mixed his personality and his body with that of the bad Princess?
She wanted to ask Dietrich what he had talked about, but she didn't ask anything.
She tried hard not to depend on Dietrich.
She constantly doubts and tests him. Even though she doesn't fully trust him, she can't let him go.
Was she obsessed with playing the role of a fake lover?
She felt that funny even thinking to herself.
She has no reason to be sad about Dietrich, whether he leaves the mansion or not, no matter who he meets or what he does.
‘I got used to it. Stuck with this guy.'
Seliya slowly opened her closed eyes.
Then she removed Dietrich's hand from her forehead.
“I don’t have a fever. Is there something to worry about?”
Seliya responded in a monotonous voice to Dietrich's worried voice.
"It's okay."
“...Shelly?”
Dietrich stood up from his seat and placed a large hand on Seliya's forehead.
His eyes looking down at her were kind, and his hand covering her forehead was warm, and she felt as if she would completely surrender herself to that warmth. Seliya seemed to turn away from him, she closed both her eyes.
“What did Illeon do to you while I was away?”
In the meantime, she's sitting here worrying about herself.
The words “just worry about herself” rose up in Seliya’s throat.
“The reason I left you at the mansion was because I didn’t want to wake you up from your deep sleep. If I had known you would be looking for me, I would have said something and left.”
It was strange that she didn't dislike Dietrich's voice as he belatedly made excuses.
"Sorry. The conversation with Princess Reina took longer than I expected and it ended up being too late.”
At Dietrich's words, Seliya felt her heart tingle.
Is that why he came dressed so disheveled?
When she was sleeping without knowing the world, he was with Ileon's younger sister, and had he mixed his personality and his body with that of the bad Princess?
She wanted to ask Dietrich what he had talked about, but she didn't ask anything.
She tried hard not to depend on Dietrich.
She constantly doubts and tests him. Even though she doesn't fully trust him, she can't let him go.
Was she obsessed with playing the role of a fake lover?
She felt that funny even thinking to herself.
She has no reason to be sad about Dietrich, whether he leaves the mansion or not, no matter who he meets or what he does.
‘I got used to it. Stuck with this guy.'
Seliya slowly opened her closed eyes.
Then she removed Dietrich's hand from her forehead.
“I don’t have a fever. Is there something to worry about?”
Seliya responded in a monotonous voice to Dietrich's worried voice.
"It's okay."
The truth was she wasn't okay.
“What a worry. There’s no way something like that exists.”
Actually, she thought about him sleeping with another woman.
“It’s just that I’m tired from running around looking for you all morning.”
She hopes he never knows how she feels.
Seliya lied because she didn't want to admit that she had infiltrated the new Dietrich without her knowing.
Seliya stood up from her seat, rubbing her forehead.
“If we’re done talking, I’ll just go to my room.”
Seliya left the room without even looking at Dietrich's expression.
***
Tak.
There was only silence in the room Seliya left.
Dietrich looked with his still eyes at the spot where Seliya had been just moments before.
- So, did you accept the offer?
As she asked that question, he thought that Seliya's eyes were just like the moon reflected on the water's surface as she looked up at him.
It was Seliya looking at him with a concerned face, unlike her usual cheerful and playful self.
He liked that she cared about him.
He felt like she had become something precious to him.
He pretended that nothing was wrong, so he said that it wouldn't be bad if he could guarantee her life in exchange for a moment of humiliation.
-... I see
An answer like a sigh flowed from Seliya, who lowered her gaze.
She looked like she was about to say something, but she closed her mouth and was lost in her own thoughts.
Dietrich wondered what Seliya was thinking.
He is the leader of the Imperial Knights, but does she think it's funny that he can't do anything about Illeon right away?
Would she think he was foolish and pathetic?
So is she later regretting joining hands with him?
Looking at Seliya lost in her thoughts, several thoughts crossed her mind.
- I am...
Belatedly, Seliya, who was about to say something in her thin voice, closed her mouth again.
Instead of saying something, he found Seliya staring at him with a complex mixture of emotions on her face.
When he was talking to Illeon's younger sister, Princess Reina, he wished time would pass quickly.
- In the end, you were going to come to me, so why did you take so long?
He initially thought about blackmailing Reyna to do something to Illeon.
However, Dietrich knew full well that Illeon was not the kind of person who would blink an eye if he took her sister as hostage.
The reason he stayed still despite her gesture of undoing his shirt was because he was afraid that Seliya would be in danger.
- Go on like this and tell your lover that you will break up with her. Otherwise, I will tell my brother to kill that woman.
Reyna, who was smiling sinisterly while saying that, looked exactly like her brother, Illeon.
- So listen when I say something nice. Why are you making this mess by rejecting my confession?
Her hand caressing his cheek with her face stained with desire was extremely unpleasant.
- The ball will be held a few days after my brother's coronation. Then, escort me. And tonight... You know?
Dietrich blinked his eyes lazily and threw his head back.
- It's okay.
Seliya's words that it was okay kept floating through Dietrich's mind.
'Do you know that you said it with a face that wasn't okay at all?'
The sight of Seliya's sorrowful sight broke his heart.
Dietrich looked down at his hand, which had touched Seliya's forehead.
It's annoying to have unwanted weaknesses.
'I wish I had never met you in the first place.'
This was a woman who burst into refreshing laughter in the Emperor's bed, covered in blood.
Although she acted as if she had no regrets about life, her eyes would sparkle whenever she ate sweet food.
Her eyelashes fluttered as she drank the saliva, and...
- Sweet.
The image of Seliya smiling brightly kept lingering in Dietrich's mind.
He tried hard to erase his thoughts.
'Making meaningless assumptions is just as bad as not making any.'
Dietrich had to admit.
Before he knew it, he had gotten used to being with Seliya.
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