The wood fire in the old fireplace crackled and burned hotly.
“It’s only a matter of time. Seliya, who was accused of being a witch, will return to us.”
Vincent, half-slept on a chair in front of the fireplace, glared with madness.
Gabriel, sitting on the bed, pursed his lips.
It had been several days since Gabriel had come to this shabby inn.
The creaky bed, the old fireplace, the faded green curtains.
After living in luxury with the money he had earned by selling Seliya to men, she felt unwell living in a place like this.
“Seliya will never come back. At least she won’t come to the Viscount’s house on her own.”
Vincent frowned at Gabriel’s words.
“You clearly said that Seliya would come back to us when she had nowhere to go.”
Gabriel clicked her tongue.
“Did you believe that? You came back to the barracks after finding out that your brother was acting up at night? With that personality, you’d rather take your own life.”
“...You!”
Vincent got up from his seat and approached Gabriel.
He grabbed Gabriel by the collar with an angry face.
“You fooled me. You rascal!”
Gabriel burst into laughter.
Gabriel stopped laughing and looked at Vincent.
“Brother, do you know? All the men who call Seliya a witch are secretly trying to possess Seliya.”
“...”
“Brother is just one of many men, like grains of sand in the desert. You’ll never be able to possess Seliya.”
Vincent slapped Gabriel hard across the cheek.
SLAM!
Gabriel’s head turned to the side after being suddenly slapped.
“I’ve known Seliya the longest! What’s your evidence for saying something like that?”
Vincent slapped Gabriel’s cheek again.
“If you hadn’t sold Seliya to the palace while I was away, you wouldn’t have been chased around like this by the damned Commander of the Imperial Knights!”
Vincent tried to slap Gabriel’s cheek again. But Gabriel was quicker than that and hit Vincent’s vital spot with his knee.
Terrible pain struck him.
“Ah!”
Vincent screamed and rolled on the floor.
Gabriel, who got up from the bed, grimaced at the sight.
“Why are you taking your anger out on me when you’re not ashamed of being horny for your sister who doesn’t share a drop of blood with you?”
“...!”
“Since you’ve already entered that unfortunate room, do it properly. Use that incompetent thing to hit me.”
Gabriel caressed the cheek Vincent had hit and curled the corners of his mouth.
“Don’t you know anything because you’ve been hugging prostitutes all day? We’re all going to perish together. Because of Seliya.”
Gabriel recalled the last time she had seen Dietrich.
It was a day when the rain poured down as if there was a hole in the sky. She clung to the rainwater, shivering and pretending to be miserable, but there was not a single emotion in the eyes with which Dietrich looked at her.
The weeds growing on the roadside, the rocks she kicked, the dust floating in the air... The way he looked at her was worse than the eyes that looked at them.
Dietrich even tried to put her in prison.
If she had not been in this shabby inn right now, she might have been in a rat-infested prison.
Gabriel chewed her lower lip until it bled.
Seliya had Dietrich, whom she did not have.
Aside from barely escaping from prison, her stomach hurt so much.
So she took the lead in inciting Seliya to be a witch in various places far from the palace.
When she breathed on her family, the effect was doubled.
Whatever abilities Seliya had, those things weren't really important to Gabriel.
She just couldn't stand the fact that Seliya, whom she always thought was inferior to her, was looking down on her from above, despite her appearance being the same.
Gabriel hoped that Dietrich, who had been concerned about the public's attention by inciting Seliya to be a witch, would abandon Seliya. She would have liked it even better if Seliya had been tied to the stake and died painfully.
However, the situation went the opposite way of Gabriel's wishes.
Instead of abandoning Seliya, Dietrich was imprisoning anyone who brought up the word witch as soon as he saw them.
The prison was so full of people that it couldn't hold anymore, so he said everything.
Gabriel knew that Dietrich would never abandon Seliya.
It was only when the situation got to this point.
"We're going to be ruined, brother."
Gabriel muttered, looking down at Vincent rolling around at his feet.
“Are we the only ones going to perish? This entire Abelon will perish. The lecherous Emperor will die, the Crown Prince will die, and the new Emperor from the clever Duke Gregrick family will not know whether he is alive or dead...”
Vincent, who had been kicked precisely in the vital spot, seemed to be busy enduring his pain.
“My idiot brother will not understand what I mean, but.”
“...Ga...Briel!”
Vincent shouted shrilly.
At that moment, several footsteps could be heard beyond the door.
The sound of crossing the hallway stopped exactly in front of the door where Gabriel and Vincent were.
***
“430 Ventamin Street, Capital, a shabby inn with an old green roof and no sign. I searched rooms 302 and 303, but no one was there.”
Dietrich narrowed his eyebrows at Anderson’s report.
“Any traces of people?”
“The firewood in the fireplace was warm and the room was a mess.”
Dietrich looked down at the still-unconscious Viscount Brillion with a cold gaze.
“He either left quickly or someone nearby intercepted him first. Lock him up somewhere so he can’t come out on his own.”
“Understood.”
Dietrich slowly closed his eyes and continued.
“Has there been any news from Illeon yet?”
“No, no. I’ve been searching all the places in the capital where he can go, but where on earth is he hiding...? The Duke of Portman is also quiet. Could they be acting together?”
“That’s probably true. In any case, since they’re from the same Third Duke, they must have something in common.”
They wandered around all day, but they couldn’t find a single clue as to where Illeon was.
Dietrich and Seliya returned to the mansion in the palace to discuss what to do next. Seliya took off her armor and went into the bathroom to wash up.
The room.
As she soaked in the circular bath filled with hot water, the stuffy feeling seemed to go away.
Knock.
Seliya turned to the door in surprise at the knock on the bathroom door.
“It’s me.”
Seliya let her guard down at Dietrich’s voice.
“...What’s wrong?”
“I was just wondering if the bath water was too hot.”
“It’s just right.”
“Are you uncomfortable?”
Seliya thought Dietrich was being overprotective.
Of course, there had been many twists and turns on the way here.
Seliya looked down at her body. Her white skin was reddish, covered in traces from Dietrich.
Dietrich, who had pushed her so hard that she lost consciousness, seemed to be the person who had once not changed his expression at the sight of her naked body.
“Is there anything uncomfortable?”
Seliya asked with narrowed eyes, and a reply came right back from across the bathroom.
“No. I want you to always be comfortable.”
“...”
“No human can threaten you, and I hope all misfortunes will avoid you.”
Seliya felt her heart warm.
“If you’re okay, I’d like to wash with you.”
At Dietrich’s words, Seliya looked down at the bathtub. The marble bathtub was large enough for two people.
“Come in.”
Only after Seliya gave permission did Dietrich come into the bathroom.
Dietrich was wearing a robe that revealed his upper body. His well-toned abs were visible beneath his strong chest muscles.
Seliya realized that she had been completely taken in by Dietrich.
When their eyes met, Dietrich closed his eyes and smiled brightly.
“I planned to come in from the beginning. You.”
Dietrich casually accepted what Seliya said as she immersed herself deeply in the bathtub.
“Yes.”
Dietrich lathered the rosemary soap provided in the bathroom with his hands.
“I’ll wash you. Give me your arm.”
Seliya entrusted herself to Dietrich.
The foam in Dietrich’s hand moved from Seliya’s arm to every part of her body.
Seliya looked at Dietrich with calm eyes as he carefully soaped her entire body.
How nice it would be if she could enjoy this moment without any worries.
This anger and anxiety would all disappear after Illeon, who had destroyed her kingdom, and this damned Abelon Empire was gone.
It seemed as if Illeon was plotting something wicked even at this moment.
When Seliya’s expression turned sour, Dietrich smiled affectionately while lowering his eyes to her level.
“Seliya. Everything you want will come true. So don’t worry too much.”
Seliya smiled at Dietrich’s words, who was more reliable than anyone else.
“You’re right. Rather than wasting time worrying about things that haven’t happened yet, I should do my best in the moment I have with you.”
“Seliya. Everything you want will come true. So don’t worry too much.”
Seliya smiled at Dietrich’s words, who was more reliable than anyone else.
“You’re right. Rather than wasting time worrying about things that haven’t happened yet, I should do my best in the moment I have with you.”
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