As she left the Crown Princess Palace, Elze was overcome with mixed emotions.
Crown Prince Raymond was extremely selfish and only acted according to his own selfish desires, not a villain who enjoyed the suffering of others. As Iarin said, it was right to assume that Duke Seraph was behind this incident.
Elze couldn't understand Duke Seraph. What did he gain by acting like this? Why was he so obsessed with that damn 'perfection'?
Just as Enoch Seraph could not understand humans, Elze could not understand him.
As Elze approached the four-wheeled carriage waiting in front of the Crown Princess' Palace while pondering her thoughts, Shan was standing in front of the carriage.
“...”
Shan looked at Elze without saying anything. Elze looked at his expression. But Shan’s face was calm. Her eyes and atmosphere were the same as usual.
He escorted Elze into the carriage. Shan and Elze took their seats, and the carriage door closed. The coachman cracked his whip and the carriage began to move with a jerk. And Shan finally opened his mouth.
“Elze.”
Elze volunteered to speak to him first.
“I’m sorry. You were worried a lot, right?”
But Shan gave an answer that Elze did not expect.
“It was folded very neatly.”
"Yes?"
“That’s right. The knights were impressed.”
It was the arm of the attendant. She was so angry that she just broke it haphazardly, but it seemed to have been fixed cleanly because there was a finger he had used. Shan said while secretly regretting that she had broken it so messily that it would be difficult to treat.
“I was really worried at first, but...”
Elze waited anxiously for the next words. Shan chuckled at Elze’s expression.
“When I saw the servant with his broken arm, my worries disappeared.”
“That... that’s fortunate.”
Shan took a deep breath. He took Elze's hand in his chin and played with it in his hand. Interlocking their fingers, Shan whispered.
“But I hope you don’t get involved with Crown Princess Iarin anymore. Every time you get involved, you’re in danger.”
Shan continued softly.
“If something had happened to you, Crown Princess Iarin wouldn’t have left you alone.”
But the soft words contained sharp content. Elze knew that Shan was not the type to joke about such things. Elze squeezed his hand and let go, saying,
“But Shan, when you know what happened last night, you’ll understand me a little bit.”
“...”
Shan neither denied nor confirmed Elze's excuse. Seeing a faint expression of discontent on his face, Elze slyly changed the subject.
“Is the servant’s interrogation still ongoing?”
“Not yet. We’re moving them to a safe place.”
Elze, hearing Shan's words, opened the neckline of her dress. Shan flinched greatly at the sudden exposure of her cleavage.
But Elze only took out what she needed. Shan's eyes widened as she took out the glass bottle hidden between her underwear. Elze handed him the glass bottle.
“It’s the Mazehag flower. It is said to cause hallucinations, and Her Highness has been taking it continuously.”
"...Ah?"
Shan was also amazed. Elze said, exhaling lightly.
“I’d like to talk to Duke Seraph.”
Shan seemed to have figured out the situation as soon as he heard the words Seraph Duke. Watching Shan frown, Elze spoke with her often crooked smile.
“Shall we make a seat?”
Liv hummed a song as he took each step down the stairs to the basement.
“I am a loyal vassal of Targayel!”
In stark contrast to the humming Liv, the surrounding scenery was grim. The cold black stone walls and the damp basement covered in moss gave off a gloomy atmosphere just by looking at them. It was not at all an atmosphere conducive to singing.
But Liv was alone and excited. The knights following behind seemed to be very familiar with Liv’s antics, and they walked on without any problem.
“Cirxus loves me the most! I am the greatest vassal of Targayel!”
It was around the time when Liv's song reached its peak.
“Liv Cullens.”
At the harsh call, Liv suddenly stopped singing. Then he waved happily at the man who was looking at him pitifully.
“Hey, Marle.”
When he greeted him with a bright smile and a freckled face, Marle frowned and said.
“What’s that weird song? I'm telling you to act appropriately for the time and place.”
At Marle's words, Liv protested with a look of injustice on her face.
“Then what should I do? Should I go and kill him?”
“That’s not what I meant. Take this.”
Marle handed Liv the folder he was holding. Liv flipped through the folder and muttered.
“Oh, this is the guy who harassed our madam.”
“To be exact, that includes Her Highness the Crown Princess.”
“What’s important about someone else’s madam? Madam is important.”
“..."
It was an unimaginable remark, but it wasn't exactly wrong, so Marle missed the opportunity to refute it. Liv giggled at Marle's slightly crumpled expression.
“Anyway, I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry.”
“Yes. I have written down here the details of the situation that Madam told me about that day. Read it. You will understand when you read it...”
Marle pushed up his glasses and declared firmly.
“It’s trash.”
It was rare for Marle to speak so sharply. Liv caught up in his curiosity, began to read the documents he had been skimming through carefully. And soon after, he grimaced and expressed his agreement in a tone of disgust.
“It’s trash!”
“Yes, even Lord Cirxus ordered that he be treated with special treatment.”
At that moment, a scream was heard from beyond the darkness that the torch could not illuminate. Marle and Liv glanced in that direction. However, they both immediately focused on the conversation as if nothing had happened.
“Getting information is the top priority. Do you know the situation? The Count of Epernon’s trial is just around the corner, so we need to get something.”
Liv responded coolly to Marle's earnest request.
“Well then. Have you tried something like this once or twice?”
“Yes, I’ll ask. I have a lot of work to do, so I’ll go up.”
After sending Marle away, Liv walked down the long hallway and headed towards the innermost part. The torch held by the knight behind him slowly ate away at the darkness, illuminating the front.
Finally reaching their destination, the knights unlocked the iron bars and hung torches inside. As the light came on, the man stuck in the corner stirred.
“Ugh... Ugh...”
He was the servant who had his arm broken by Elze. Was it because his eyes were blinded by the sudden light? He made a strange noise and could not open his eyes for a long time. Then, when he got used to the light, and saw Liv's face, he cried and hung on to the floor.
“I will tell you! I will tell you everything!! Please save me!!”
The chains hanging from his ankles made a rattling sound. Liv looked down at the servant's stool for a moment. He had been left in the dark for a day or so, and he was already half out of his mind.
Not only was his face covered in tears and snot and was covered in excrement, but his broken arm was strangely swollen from lack of treatment.
Liv sat quietly with his legs bent. Then he met the servant’s gaze and smiled faintly. The servant trembled at Liv’s smile. Liv asked slowly.
“Did you say you would tell me anything just now?”
“Yes! Yes!! If you just let me live...”
“Hey, don’t say anything yet.”
"Yes...?"
The servant looked at him in confusion at being told not to speak. Liv giggled.
“It’s already boring if you start talking like this. Isn’t it? You don’t even know if what you’re about to say is true or not.”
“Oh, no! I...!”
“Wow, no need to rush.”
Liv tapped the servant on the shoulder, then groaned as he sat up. With a crack, he released his hand and motioned to the side.
The knights who had been standing by handed him a thick club. Liv picked up the club and hit it against his palm a few times until it made a loud sound.
“Let’s just get hit lightly first!”
And then he said with a bright face.
“Then let’s start a conversation.”
The trial of the Count of Epernon has been one of the biggest controversies in central politics in recent times.
This was because Duke Seraph and Count Targayel, both pro-Imperial factions, supported different sides over guilt or innocence.
Duke Seraph was a noble among nobles who shared the history of the Baluar Empire. In contrast, Count Targayel was a nobleman who only had a deep family name on the outside, but he was from a humble family. Based on his reputation as a war hero, he entered the central political world through a political marriage and became the center of the new nobles.
The nobles saw this trial as a struggle between the established and emerging nobles within the pro-imperial faction and as an opportunity to reorganize the power structure within the pro-imperial faction.
What was particularly interesting was that Duke Wade, who was anti-royal and a leader of the established nobility, had joined forces with Count Targayel. It was surprising since the two had absolutely nothing in common. The nobles speculated about the reason behind the alliance and wondered what kind of trick the Wade-Targayel alliance would come up with.
However, most predicted the Duke of Seraph's superiority. It couldn't be otherwise, because first of all, there was clear evidence that the Count of Epernon was the culprit. In addition, Crown Prince Raymond's anger at being humiliated in front of a state guest was also great. It seemed that the destruction of the Epernon family could not be avoided by any means.
The general opinion was that the trial had already been decided, and Enochs Seraph was also confident of his victory.
If only 'that incident' hadn't happened.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Your Excellency Duke Seraph.”
After the meeting ended, a clear voice was heard among the nobles who were scattered here and there.
“...”
Enochs squinted his eyes silently. The low, mid-low tones were so familiar that they were almost tiresome. However, Enochs soon smiled brightly as if he had never squinted before and answered.
“That is so, Count Targayel.”
To the point where we have to call Shan Cirxus Count Targayel...
Enoch felt regretful that he could not cut off even one of Cirxus' fingers during the hunting competition. Shan smiled at Enoch and said to him.
“I have something to tell you... Is this a good time for you?”
The nobles around Enochs were in an uproar at Shan's request for dialogue. The conversation between the two people who were currently in the middle of the hottest issue could not help but arouse curiosity. Enochs spoke to them elegantly, with an indifferent expression.
“I will go and talk to the Count for a moment.”
And he moved to the lounge next to the conference room with Shan. Some nobles were smoking and talking in the lounge. However, they noticed the appearance of Duke Seraph and Count Targayel and quietly left. No one wanted to upset them.
The break room quickly emptied. As soon as he confirmed that no one was there, Enoch threw away the mask of humility he had been wearing.
“How are madam?”
Shan's demeanor immediately became fierce as soon as Elze was touched. Enoch leisurely provoked him while admiring his fierce appearance.
“I can’t forget the way she looked the other day. Every night, I draw those beautiful blue eyes.”
It was a remark that did not hide his perverted nature. However, it was not only Enoch who revealed his true nature. Shan was the same. He soon calmed down his rough momentum and said with a sneer.
“When Your Highness imagines my wife every night, I go to bed with her... I will at least send her my regards.”
Their eyes were burning. It was a conversation that was no different from grabbing each other by the collar and fighting, except that there were no curses exchanged. Enoch barely managed to keep a smiling face, but he couldn't hide his displeasure. However, before Enochs could counterattack, Shan took the initiative.
“I heard an interesting story recently.”
“...”
“There’s a story about a perverted servant in the palace who strangles sleeping people...”
His purple eyes shone secretly.
“Have you ever heard of it?”
Naturally, Enoch had no answer to Shan's question. His mouth was bitter. It seemed as if that foolish servant had fallen into the waters of Targayel.
In fact, Enoch had guessed that this would happen ever since he heard that Elze had spent a night at the Crown Princess' Palace.
Her stay was not planned. It was a sudden decision, so Enochs was not informed in time. If Enochs had known, he would have told him not to touch Iarin that night.
A small, distorted variable can spread out into a large area, and a picture that was drawn perfectly without a single flaw can be ruined beyond repair. All because of a simple distortion.
“That’s right...”
Anything less than perfection always made Enochs angry. Enoch barely managed to answer, trying to cool down his boiling insides.
“That is an interesting story, Count.”
Shan said with a low laugh at Enoch's answer.
“I would like to tell you this interesting story in detail, Your Highness.”
“...”
Shan leisurely put out his words one by one in front of the silent Enochs.
“A week later, after sunset, at the Hapyrion restaurant next to Plaza de Manuap.”
He cocked his chin cockily and gave a commanding tone.
“Shall we have dinner together, Your Highness?”
Finding a place to talk to Duke Seraph was much easier and faster than she thought.
Elze didn't know what Shan said, but Duke Seraph accepted it without hesitation.
Shan said that he had made the arrangements with a gentlemanly invitation. Elze couldn't believe that Shan had acted so gentlemanly, but she had to accept it since he said it himself.
Before meeting Duke Seraph, Elze, and Shan began their own preparations.
Before meeting with Duke Seraph, she had to gather as much information as possible. Of course, Elze had obtained evidence that could be considered a weakness of Duke Seraph, but in general, the more of these things the better.
Moreover, he is not an opponent that they can take lightly. He is the most outstanding of all the Seraphs who have inherited brilliant minds from generation to generation and is called the essence of Seraphs.
To be frank, in a battle of wits, Duke Seraph had a clear upper hand. Even if Elze and Shan had the advantage, he might find some subtle loophole and exploit it. They had to keep their guard up.
“Shan!”
Before the three-way meeting, Elze decided to take care of one thing she had been preparing for a long time.
“I’ll be back in a bit.”
Elze went to Shan, who was looking at documents in the study and spoke. Shan put the quill pen in his hand back into the pen holder and looked Elze up and down. Elze, who felt a pang in her heart under his gaze, spoke in vain.
“Don’t worry, I’ll go with Elijah and the others. Oh, and the documents on the right are all ones I’ve approved, so just check them.”
Elze wore a long jacket and trousers, and her hair was tied up and hidden under a hat. If you passed her in the darkness of the night, you would have thought she was a slender man.
Anyone who saw it would know that it wasn't the kind of outfit an ordinary noblewoman would wear. Even at first glance, it seemed like she was going to do something, so Shan frowned slightly and said.
“And where are you going?”
Elze avoided eye contact and answered calmly.
“I heard that Duke Seraph swept away all the blue-eyed prostitutes. I’ll check the red-light district.”
But Shan didn't miss the logical flaws. He pointed them out keenly.
“You don’t have to step forward yourself. That’s something you can delegate to your subordinates.”
That was true. Elze, who had been hit hard, couldn't say anything else and just rolled her eyes.
“Elze.”
Shan called her name softly. It was a silent urging for her, to tell the truth right away. But Elze hesitated to answer.
"Jmm..."
Shan's eyes narrowed at Elze's hesitant appearance. However, since there was no way out, Elze hesitated for a while before finally confessing.
“I’m trying to sort out your past.”
Shan's expression became subtle at Elze's words. In the past, Shan's first experience was rape. From there, he became very twisted and crumpled, becoming the Shan he is today.
The woman who first raped Shan was the wife of a wealthy merchant. However, she is now living a life of poverty, moving from one low-class brothel to another.
As soon as Ivanna reported the movements that Kalia had tracked, Elze made plans to go find her.
In fact, if possible, she wanted to go and come back without Shan knowing. She wanted to check first, prepare everything, and then give him the choice.
Should we face the past directly, or should we just leave it in the past and cover it up?
Either way, Elze would support Shan's choice. Of course, Elze would do some follow-up work separately from Shan's choice, but for now, that was it.
“In the past.”
Shan slightly lowered his eyes. His expression was calm. It was impossible to guess what he was thinking just from his face. Elze spoke to him cautiously.
“I’ll go first and then...”
“No, let’s go together.”
Shan quickly organized the documents he was looking at and stood up. Going with him was not one of the options Elze had considered. Elze quickly stopped him.
“There’s no need for that!”
Shan's eyes hardened. He spoke in a heavy voice in front of Elze, who was flinching.
“I’d feel much better if I sent you to such a dangerous place and waited alone in the mansion.”
“...Ugh.”
“If it were the other way around, would you send me away alone?”
Shan's words made her cringe. When she thought about it, the answer came to her. Elze would never let Shan go alone. Elze surrendered to him without hesitation.
“Yes, I was being short-sighted. Let’s go together.”
Elze and Shan told Marle to go out, and they set off alone with Elijah. It was a quiet outing, with not even a coachman, as Rapine was in charge of driving the carriage.
Tarkun and Ivanna sat on the coachman's bench with Rapine, while Elze and Shan took their places in the carriage.
It was late. Everything was pitch black and quiet, except for the sound of a carriage running in the darkness with a lantern hanging from it. Elze looked out the window and asked Shan.
“How is the investigation going?”
Shan, who had been leaning forward silently, answered softly.
“Don’t worry. I left it to the experts.”
"Expert?"
“Liv Cullens.”
Elze, who had been thinking about his words for a moment, asked back in surprise.
“Lord Cullens?”
Elze tried to picture Liv in her mind. Liv, who always smiled brightly, seemed completely out of place for her to be interrogated. When Elze was completely shocked, Shan chuckled and said,
“He was always in charge of the investigation.”
“Have you ever stepped forward yourself?”
“Not really. There’s no need to do that.”
"I see."
And the two of them fell silent again. It wasn't because they had nothing to say, but because they had something heavy to say. Shan opened his mouth quietly.
“...That was in the past.”
Elze was waiting for Shan to start talking. When he looked at her, Shan was already looking at Elze. Her gaze was straight, and the emotions inside her were heavy.
“It doesn’t really matter to me.”
And he said in a very calm tone.
“I left her alone, not because I wanted to forgive or forget. I just...”
Shan paused for a moment, carefully choosing the words to express his feelings. After some hesitation, he finally spoke.
“It just really didn’t mean anything.”
It was true. It was a long time before Shan had the strength to take revenge on her. At that time, revenge was not important to Shan. He was feeling skeptical about life itself.
Shan knew himself well back then. He was nothing more than an empty shell. He was empty inside, and all that was left was anger. It was not the emptiness that could be filled by killing her, nor the anger that could be extinguished. It was the same whether he killed one of her or one of his enemies. Nothing could inspire Shan.
Then he met Elze. Shan smiled involuntarily as he recalled his memories. Elxe didn't seem to have changed much since they first met. But Shan had changed a great deal.
Who would have thought that I would love her this much?
“But things changed from the moment you said you would stand up for me.”
From the moment Elze got involved, even the past that he had previously thought of as nothing had meaning. Shan was amazed at how he changed like flipping a coin depending on whether Elze was present or not.
“You know what?
Shan chuckled softly and grabbed Elze's hand. Then he pulled her towards him and said,
“You are a rope to me.”
"Rope...?"
Elze blinked at the completely unexpected words. No matter how much she thought about it, a rope was not a pretty or nice-sounding word.
As she watched, wondering what on earth he was going to say, Shan kissed the back of Elze's hand. The simple kiss passed by like a feather. It was a pious kiss, like a knight offering it to his lady.
“Become a very strong rope that holds me tight and keeps me from being swept away by nothingness.”
But as the purple eyes locked deeply, the kiss that had been filled with affection gradually became sticky.
“Sometimes I really like the feeling of you holding me...”
Something sticky and flowing wrapped around Elze's body. As the heat rose inside her, Elze opened her mouth slightly and let out a hot breath. The sound of her exhaled breath sounded like a strange moan. Her face flushed.
“Did you know that I desperately want to never get away?”
There were no complicated or fancy adjectives. It was just a few blunt words, but her heart kept pounding.
His tongue swept over the back of her hand and licked her fingers. The feeling of her strong teeth biting down without hurting was refreshing. He kissed each and every one of her fingers without fail. After he had kissed each finger as if branding it, a muffled voice was heard.
“So, Elze.”
Shan whispered with a hint of a smile in his eyes.
“Hold me a little longer.”
How many people would be able to remain calm after hearing such words? Elze's face eventually turned bright red.
“All of you...”
Her hands felt hot as if she had been warmed by a hot fire. The feeling of their lips touching and passing by was vivid. Shan burst into laughter at Elze, who didn't know what to do. Elze said, glancing at him who was laughing.
“Where on earth do you learn to say things like that?”
“What did I learn? I just wanted to be honest about how I feel toward you.”
Despite all that, he was always talking nonsense. When Elze looked at him with disbelief, Shan added one more thing leisurely.
“You know, I’m not the type to talk much unless it’s necessary.”
“...”
Shan just smiled at Elze, who was still full of distrust, then kissed her palm with a soft sound before letting go.
And then, just in time, the carriage stopped. Tarkun and Ivanna could be heard muttering about something from the coachman's seat. The one who opened the carriage door was Rapine. He opened the door politely as if he were a rather elegant butler, and spoke.
“It’s better to walk from here. I’ll guide you.”
Shan and Elze got out of the carriage and walked along, guided by Rapine. Ivanna and Tarkun followed at a distance.
The carriage arrived on the outskirts of the capital. Far from the central Plaza de la Manuap, this was a red-light district catering mainly to the poor and those who wanted to have a dirty time.
It was a place that was abandoned and neglected by the Empire. Murders were so common that they were not even considered incidents, and people would just glance at it and pass by while dying right next to them.
“This is where the bottom lives gather.”
Rapine continued speaking in a quiet voice.
“They have nothing to lose, so you’d better be careful. Of course, it’ll end up on our side... but for now, it’s best to avoid attracting attention.”
As Rapine said, the atmosphere was so different that it felt like we were really in the Baluar Empire.
On the long street lined with red lanterns on both sides, drunken people were staggering around, shouting loudly. In some dark corners, people who were high on drugs were lying face down, their eyes blank.
Naked women tried to sell themselves to passing customers, beckoning them. Some dirty men openly touched their breasts or touched their buttocks, but the women were busy twisting their bodies and seducing them. It seemed as if they had no concept of being harassed.
It was a more severe sight than she had vaguely imagined. Naturally, her heart sank. Elze walked with a complicated feeling, but Rapine spoke softly.
“I’m sure you’ve been briefed by Ivanna, but since the Count is here, I’ll briefly explain again.”
As Elze nodded, Rapine began to explain in a quick but precise tone.
“It is said that she was unable to have children. Her husband seemed to have tried to embrace her with love, but he eventually divorced her because he was tired of her repeated infidelity. They gave her a certain amount of alimony and broke up cleanly.”
Rapine paused for a moment, then casually pushed aside a pedestrian who was staggering toward her. The drunken pedestrian lay down on the road.
“But since she had lived a life of luxury, she was not satisfied with living frugally, so she sold her body. And that’s how she ended up here.”
Rapine did not stop talking, but instead pushed Elze to the side of the road with his foot so that she would not be impeded by his steps.
Rapine continued speaking, leaving behind Ivanna giggling at the sight of the drunkard rolling away.
“To prevent any possible escape, several Kalias, including Epen, are monitoring the area.”
As they walked along Rapine for a while, the once hectic street became a little quieter. And the shops became more shabby. Rapine pointed to one of them.
“It’s over there.”
“Thank you, Rapine. Please wait nearby.”
“Yes, if anything happens, call me right away.”
Rapine followed Elze's words without a word. Elze looked at Shan. Shan had a blank expression.
“Shall we go in?”
He raised his eyebrows for a moment, then silently went ahead and entered the store. Instead of a door, the store had a transparent cloth covering the entrance. When he pulled back the cloth, the hanging bells rang loudly. Then a skinny man ran out.
“Oh my, come quickly...?”
The man who seemed to be the pimp of the store stiffened his face as soon as he saw Shan and Elxe. No matter how simply they were dressed, the two of them looked neat and elegant, and anyone could tell they were nobles.
There was no reason for the nobles to visit these brothels. Even in the capital, there were plenty of much neater and more beautiful prostitutes to trip over.
But the fact that they had come all the way to this place meant only one thing. It had an abnormal wall, and that the wall was so bad that it could even remove a single corpse.
The pimp made a face that said he would clean up the casket today. Even while watching that, Elze didn’t make any special excuses. The process might be different, but the result would be the same anyway. There was no need to talk at length with the pimp. Elze just blurted out her name.
“Rabia.”
He bowed and spoke to Elze.
“Are you talking about Rabia?”
The pimp's question was a bit suspicious, since he rarely looked for old prostitutes. But when Elze nodded, he agreed without a word.
“Yes. And what about the other one?”
“One of her is enough.”
“Huh...Two of you, one...”
The pimp glanced at Shan, then looked back at Elze, rubbed his hands together, and said.
“Then you have to pay extra...”
Before she could hear the end of the hazy words, Elze silently threw the gold coin. The pimp's eyes changed as soon as he saw the gold spinning around. The pimp quickly caught the gold coin and said with a cowardly smile.
“Oh, I’ll show you right away. Please wait a moment.”
He left Elze and Shan behind and hurriedly ran inside. As Elze looked around the store, she looked down at the torn sofa. The dirty sofa had a suspicious white stain on it. She didn't want to sit down, so she stood there with Shan and waited, and soon the pimp came running out in a hurry.
“Come this way! We have prepared the best room in our store.”
The place the pimp led them to was the innermost room. As soon as they entered the room, the smell of cheap perfume hit them. In the middle of the room, which was surrounded by furniture in tacky colors and had red lighting, there was only a large bed. It was a room that was truly decorated to its purpose.
“Rabia will be coming in soon!”
As the pimp closed the door and disappeared, Elze and Shan were left alone in the room. On one side of the room, a shelf was placed, and her eyes were drawn to the handcuffs, gags, and leather whips displayed. It was quite embarrassing to look at them with Shan. It was even more embarrassing to remain silent, so Elze said something.
“Hmm... I guess there are a lot of weird people...”
Just as Shan was about to answer, the door opened and a skinny woman came in, kneeling on the floor. She bowed her head and greeted him.
“It is an honor to serve you all. I will do my best tonight.”
The woman who finished greeting slowly raised her face. She looked at Elze with a bewildered expression for a moment, then opened her eyes wide when she saw Shan behind her.
“Shan...?”
Then she suddenly got up and shouted.
“Oh my God, Shan! It’s you. Isn’t it? Isn’t it?”
She muttered as if possessed, pointing at Shan.
“Such beautiful and captivating purple eyes... There’s no doubt about it. It’s definitely Shan.”
Elze was taken aback. She had not expected she to recognize Shan so immediately. But somehow Shan seemed to have expected this situation. He showed no signs of agitation.
In front of the indifferent Shan, Rabia began to shed tears. She trembled and whispered in a trembling voice.
“My angel, my devil, my beloved lover.”
“...”
Shan frowned when he heard that. It was a disgusting expression, but Rabia didn't seem to notice Shan's face at all. Unable to control her surging emotions, she rushed to Shan.
“You came to save me from this hell...!”
Rabia tried to hug Shan and give him a touching hug, but she couldn't.
“Whoa!”
With a loud thud, Rabia was thrown into the corner of the room. Elze kicked her away as she ran towards Shan like a madman.
Rabia, who was sitting on the floor, looked up at Elze with venomous eyes for interrupting her reunion with Shan, then quickly folded her tail and lowered her gaze.
Rabia had dealt with many guests and learned through experience which ones were dangerous. Elze's eyes were fierce as she glared at Rabia. She realized right away that Elze was a dangerous opponent.
“Let’s see, let’s see...”
Elze looked down at Rabia and spoke coldly.
“What are you doing to someone else’s husband right now?”
Crown Prince Raymond was extremely selfish and only acted according to his own selfish desires, not a villain who enjoyed the suffering of others. As Iarin said, it was right to assume that Duke Seraph was behind this incident.
Elze couldn't understand Duke Seraph. What did he gain by acting like this? Why was he so obsessed with that damn 'perfection'?
Just as Enoch Seraph could not understand humans, Elze could not understand him.
As Elze approached the four-wheeled carriage waiting in front of the Crown Princess' Palace while pondering her thoughts, Shan was standing in front of the carriage.
“...”
Shan looked at Elze without saying anything. Elze looked at his expression. But Shan’s face was calm. Her eyes and atmosphere were the same as usual.
He escorted Elze into the carriage. Shan and Elze took their seats, and the carriage door closed. The coachman cracked his whip and the carriage began to move with a jerk. And Shan finally opened his mouth.
“Elze.”
Elze volunteered to speak to him first.
“I’m sorry. You were worried a lot, right?”
But Shan gave an answer that Elze did not expect.
“It was folded very neatly.”
"Yes?"
“That’s right. The knights were impressed.”
It was the arm of the attendant. She was so angry that she just broke it haphazardly, but it seemed to have been fixed cleanly because there was a finger he had used. Shan said while secretly regretting that she had broken it so messily that it would be difficult to treat.
“I was really worried at first, but...”
Elze waited anxiously for the next words. Shan chuckled at Elze’s expression.
“When I saw the servant with his broken arm, my worries disappeared.”
“That... that’s fortunate.”
Shan took a deep breath. He took Elze's hand in his chin and played with it in his hand. Interlocking their fingers, Shan whispered.
“But I hope you don’t get involved with Crown Princess Iarin anymore. Every time you get involved, you’re in danger.”
Shan continued softly.
“If something had happened to you, Crown Princess Iarin wouldn’t have left you alone.”
But the soft words contained sharp content. Elze knew that Shan was not the type to joke about such things. Elze squeezed his hand and let go, saying,
“But Shan, when you know what happened last night, you’ll understand me a little bit.”
“...”
Shan neither denied nor confirmed Elze's excuse. Seeing a faint expression of discontent on his face, Elze slyly changed the subject.
“Is the servant’s interrogation still ongoing?”
“Not yet. We’re moving them to a safe place.”
Elze, hearing Shan's words, opened the neckline of her dress. Shan flinched greatly at the sudden exposure of her cleavage.
But Elze only took out what she needed. Shan's eyes widened as she took out the glass bottle hidden between her underwear. Elze handed him the glass bottle.
“It’s the Mazehag flower. It is said to cause hallucinations, and Her Highness has been taking it continuously.”
"...Ah?"
Shan was also amazed. Elze said, exhaling lightly.
“I’d like to talk to Duke Seraph.”
Shan seemed to have figured out the situation as soon as he heard the words Seraph Duke. Watching Shan frown, Elze spoke with her often crooked smile.
“Shall we make a seat?”
***
Liv hummed a song as he took each step down the stairs to the basement.
“I am a loyal vassal of Targayel!”
In stark contrast to the humming Liv, the surrounding scenery was grim. The cold black stone walls and the damp basement covered in moss gave off a gloomy atmosphere just by looking at them. It was not at all an atmosphere conducive to singing.
But Liv was alone and excited. The knights following behind seemed to be very familiar with Liv’s antics, and they walked on without any problem.
“Cirxus loves me the most! I am the greatest vassal of Targayel!”
It was around the time when Liv's song reached its peak.
“Liv Cullens.”
At the harsh call, Liv suddenly stopped singing. Then he waved happily at the man who was looking at him pitifully.
“Hey, Marle.”
When he greeted him with a bright smile and a freckled face, Marle frowned and said.
“What’s that weird song? I'm telling you to act appropriately for the time and place.”
At Marle's words, Liv protested with a look of injustice on her face.
“Then what should I do? Should I go and kill him?”
“That’s not what I meant. Take this.”
Marle handed Liv the folder he was holding. Liv flipped through the folder and muttered.
“Oh, this is the guy who harassed our madam.”
“To be exact, that includes Her Highness the Crown Princess.”
“What’s important about someone else’s madam? Madam is important.”
“..."
It was an unimaginable remark, but it wasn't exactly wrong, so Marle missed the opportunity to refute it. Liv giggled at Marle's slightly crumpled expression.
“Anyway, I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry.”
“Yes. I have written down here the details of the situation that Madam told me about that day. Read it. You will understand when you read it...”
Marle pushed up his glasses and declared firmly.
“It’s trash.”
It was rare for Marle to speak so sharply. Liv caught up in his curiosity, began to read the documents he had been skimming through carefully. And soon after, he grimaced and expressed his agreement in a tone of disgust.
“It’s trash!”
“Yes, even Lord Cirxus ordered that he be treated with special treatment.”
At that moment, a scream was heard from beyond the darkness that the torch could not illuminate. Marle and Liv glanced in that direction. However, they both immediately focused on the conversation as if nothing had happened.
“Getting information is the top priority. Do you know the situation? The Count of Epernon’s trial is just around the corner, so we need to get something.”
Liv responded coolly to Marle's earnest request.
“Well then. Have you tried something like this once or twice?”
“Yes, I’ll ask. I have a lot of work to do, so I’ll go up.”
After sending Marle away, Liv walked down the long hallway and headed towards the innermost part. The torch held by the knight behind him slowly ate away at the darkness, illuminating the front.
Finally reaching their destination, the knights unlocked the iron bars and hung torches inside. As the light came on, the man stuck in the corner stirred.
“Ugh... Ugh...”
He was the servant who had his arm broken by Elze. Was it because his eyes were blinded by the sudden light? He made a strange noise and could not open his eyes for a long time. Then, when he got used to the light, and saw Liv's face, he cried and hung on to the floor.
“I will tell you! I will tell you everything!! Please save me!!”
The chains hanging from his ankles made a rattling sound. Liv looked down at the servant's stool for a moment. He had been left in the dark for a day or so, and he was already half out of his mind.
Not only was his face covered in tears and snot and was covered in excrement, but his broken arm was strangely swollen from lack of treatment.
Liv sat quietly with his legs bent. Then he met the servant’s gaze and smiled faintly. The servant trembled at Liv’s smile. Liv asked slowly.
“Did you say you would tell me anything just now?”
“Yes! Yes!! If you just let me live...”
“Hey, don’t say anything yet.”
"Yes...?"
The servant looked at him in confusion at being told not to speak. Liv giggled.
“It’s already boring if you start talking like this. Isn’t it? You don’t even know if what you’re about to say is true or not.”
“Oh, no! I...!”
“Wow, no need to rush.”
Liv tapped the servant on the shoulder, then groaned as he sat up. With a crack, he released his hand and motioned to the side.
The knights who had been standing by handed him a thick club. Liv picked up the club and hit it against his palm a few times until it made a loud sound.
“Let’s just get hit lightly first!”
And then he said with a bright face.
“Then let’s start a conversation.”
***
The trial of the Count of Epernon has been one of the biggest controversies in central politics in recent times.
This was because Duke Seraph and Count Targayel, both pro-Imperial factions, supported different sides over guilt or innocence.
Duke Seraph was a noble among nobles who shared the history of the Baluar Empire. In contrast, Count Targayel was a nobleman who only had a deep family name on the outside, but he was from a humble family. Based on his reputation as a war hero, he entered the central political world through a political marriage and became the center of the new nobles.
The nobles saw this trial as a struggle between the established and emerging nobles within the pro-imperial faction and as an opportunity to reorganize the power structure within the pro-imperial faction.
What was particularly interesting was that Duke Wade, who was anti-royal and a leader of the established nobility, had joined forces with Count Targayel. It was surprising since the two had absolutely nothing in common. The nobles speculated about the reason behind the alliance and wondered what kind of trick the Wade-Targayel alliance would come up with.
However, most predicted the Duke of Seraph's superiority. It couldn't be otherwise, because first of all, there was clear evidence that the Count of Epernon was the culprit. In addition, Crown Prince Raymond's anger at being humiliated in front of a state guest was also great. It seemed that the destruction of the Epernon family could not be avoided by any means.
The general opinion was that the trial had already been decided, and Enochs Seraph was also confident of his victory.
If only 'that incident' hadn't happened.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Your Excellency Duke Seraph.”
After the meeting ended, a clear voice was heard among the nobles who were scattered here and there.
“...”
Enochs squinted his eyes silently. The low, mid-low tones were so familiar that they were almost tiresome. However, Enochs soon smiled brightly as if he had never squinted before and answered.
“That is so, Count Targayel.”
To the point where we have to call Shan Cirxus Count Targayel...
Enoch felt regretful that he could not cut off even one of Cirxus' fingers during the hunting competition. Shan smiled at Enoch and said to him.
“I have something to tell you... Is this a good time for you?”
The nobles around Enochs were in an uproar at Shan's request for dialogue. The conversation between the two people who were currently in the middle of the hottest issue could not help but arouse curiosity. Enochs spoke to them elegantly, with an indifferent expression.
“I will go and talk to the Count for a moment.”
And he moved to the lounge next to the conference room with Shan. Some nobles were smoking and talking in the lounge. However, they noticed the appearance of Duke Seraph and Count Targayel and quietly left. No one wanted to upset them.
The break room quickly emptied. As soon as he confirmed that no one was there, Enoch threw away the mask of humility he had been wearing.
“How are madam?”
Shan's demeanor immediately became fierce as soon as Elze was touched. Enoch leisurely provoked him while admiring his fierce appearance.
“I can’t forget the way she looked the other day. Every night, I draw those beautiful blue eyes.”
It was a remark that did not hide his perverted nature. However, it was not only Enoch who revealed his true nature. Shan was the same. He soon calmed down his rough momentum and said with a sneer.
“When Your Highness imagines my wife every night, I go to bed with her... I will at least send her my regards.”
Their eyes were burning. It was a conversation that was no different from grabbing each other by the collar and fighting, except that there were no curses exchanged. Enoch barely managed to keep a smiling face, but he couldn't hide his displeasure. However, before Enochs could counterattack, Shan took the initiative.
“I heard an interesting story recently.”
“...”
“There’s a story about a perverted servant in the palace who strangles sleeping people...”
His purple eyes shone secretly.
“Have you ever heard of it?”
Naturally, Enoch had no answer to Shan's question. His mouth was bitter. It seemed as if that foolish servant had fallen into the waters of Targayel.
In fact, Enoch had guessed that this would happen ever since he heard that Elze had spent a night at the Crown Princess' Palace.
Her stay was not planned. It was a sudden decision, so Enochs was not informed in time. If Enochs had known, he would have told him not to touch Iarin that night.
A small, distorted variable can spread out into a large area, and a picture that was drawn perfectly without a single flaw can be ruined beyond repair. All because of a simple distortion.
“That’s right...”
Anything less than perfection always made Enochs angry. Enoch barely managed to answer, trying to cool down his boiling insides.
“That is an interesting story, Count.”
Shan said with a low laugh at Enoch's answer.
“I would like to tell you this interesting story in detail, Your Highness.”
“...”
Shan leisurely put out his words one by one in front of the silent Enochs.
“A week later, after sunset, at the Hapyrion restaurant next to Plaza de Manuap.”
He cocked his chin cockily and gave a commanding tone.
“Shall we have dinner together, Your Highness?”
***
Finding a place to talk to Duke Seraph was much easier and faster than she thought.
Elze didn't know what Shan said, but Duke Seraph accepted it without hesitation.
Shan said that he had made the arrangements with a gentlemanly invitation. Elze couldn't believe that Shan had acted so gentlemanly, but she had to accept it since he said it himself.
Before meeting Duke Seraph, Elze, and Shan began their own preparations.
Before meeting with Duke Seraph, she had to gather as much information as possible. Of course, Elze had obtained evidence that could be considered a weakness of Duke Seraph, but in general, the more of these things the better.
Moreover, he is not an opponent that they can take lightly. He is the most outstanding of all the Seraphs who have inherited brilliant minds from generation to generation and is called the essence of Seraphs.
To be frank, in a battle of wits, Duke Seraph had a clear upper hand. Even if Elze and Shan had the advantage, he might find some subtle loophole and exploit it. They had to keep their guard up.
“Shan!”
Before the three-way meeting, Elze decided to take care of one thing she had been preparing for a long time.
“I’ll be back in a bit.”
Elze went to Shan, who was looking at documents in the study and spoke. Shan put the quill pen in his hand back into the pen holder and looked Elze up and down. Elze, who felt a pang in her heart under his gaze, spoke in vain.
“Don’t worry, I’ll go with Elijah and the others. Oh, and the documents on the right are all ones I’ve approved, so just check them.”
Elze wore a long jacket and trousers, and her hair was tied up and hidden under a hat. If you passed her in the darkness of the night, you would have thought she was a slender man.
Anyone who saw it would know that it wasn't the kind of outfit an ordinary noblewoman would wear. Even at first glance, it seemed like she was going to do something, so Shan frowned slightly and said.
“And where are you going?”
Elze avoided eye contact and answered calmly.
“I heard that Duke Seraph swept away all the blue-eyed prostitutes. I’ll check the red-light district.”
But Shan didn't miss the logical flaws. He pointed them out keenly.
“You don’t have to step forward yourself. That’s something you can delegate to your subordinates.”
That was true. Elze, who had been hit hard, couldn't say anything else and just rolled her eyes.
“Elze.”
Shan called her name softly. It was a silent urging for her, to tell the truth right away. But Elze hesitated to answer.
"Jmm..."
Shan's eyes narrowed at Elze's hesitant appearance. However, since there was no way out, Elze hesitated for a while before finally confessing.
“I’m trying to sort out your past.”
Shan's expression became subtle at Elze's words. In the past, Shan's first experience was rape. From there, he became very twisted and crumpled, becoming the Shan he is today.
The woman who first raped Shan was the wife of a wealthy merchant. However, she is now living a life of poverty, moving from one low-class brothel to another.
As soon as Ivanna reported the movements that Kalia had tracked, Elze made plans to go find her.
In fact, if possible, she wanted to go and come back without Shan knowing. She wanted to check first, prepare everything, and then give him the choice.
Should we face the past directly, or should we just leave it in the past and cover it up?
Either way, Elze would support Shan's choice. Of course, Elze would do some follow-up work separately from Shan's choice, but for now, that was it.
“In the past.”
Shan slightly lowered his eyes. His expression was calm. It was impossible to guess what he was thinking just from his face. Elze spoke to him cautiously.
“I’ll go first and then...”
“No, let’s go together.”
Shan quickly organized the documents he was looking at and stood up. Going with him was not one of the options Elze had considered. Elze quickly stopped him.
“There’s no need for that!”
Shan's eyes hardened. He spoke in a heavy voice in front of Elze, who was flinching.
“I’d feel much better if I sent you to such a dangerous place and waited alone in the mansion.”
“...Ugh.”
“If it were the other way around, would you send me away alone?”
Shan's words made her cringe. When she thought about it, the answer came to her. Elze would never let Shan go alone. Elze surrendered to him without hesitation.
“Yes, I was being short-sighted. Let’s go together.”
Elze and Shan told Marle to go out, and they set off alone with Elijah. It was a quiet outing, with not even a coachman, as Rapine was in charge of driving the carriage.
Tarkun and Ivanna sat on the coachman's bench with Rapine, while Elze and Shan took their places in the carriage.
It was late. Everything was pitch black and quiet, except for the sound of a carriage running in the darkness with a lantern hanging from it. Elze looked out the window and asked Shan.
“How is the investigation going?”
Shan, who had been leaning forward silently, answered softly.
“Don’t worry. I left it to the experts.”
"Expert?"
“Liv Cullens.”
Elze, who had been thinking about his words for a moment, asked back in surprise.
“Lord Cullens?”
Elze tried to picture Liv in her mind. Liv, who always smiled brightly, seemed completely out of place for her to be interrogated. When Elze was completely shocked, Shan chuckled and said,
“He was always in charge of the investigation.”
“Have you ever stepped forward yourself?”
“Not really. There’s no need to do that.”
"I see."
And the two of them fell silent again. It wasn't because they had nothing to say, but because they had something heavy to say. Shan opened his mouth quietly.
“...That was in the past.”
Elze was waiting for Shan to start talking. When he looked at her, Shan was already looking at Elze. Her gaze was straight, and the emotions inside her were heavy.
“It doesn’t really matter to me.”
And he said in a very calm tone.
“I left her alone, not because I wanted to forgive or forget. I just...”
Shan paused for a moment, carefully choosing the words to express his feelings. After some hesitation, he finally spoke.
“It just really didn’t mean anything.”
It was true. It was a long time before Shan had the strength to take revenge on her. At that time, revenge was not important to Shan. He was feeling skeptical about life itself.
Shan knew himself well back then. He was nothing more than an empty shell. He was empty inside, and all that was left was anger. It was not the emptiness that could be filled by killing her, nor the anger that could be extinguished. It was the same whether he killed one of her or one of his enemies. Nothing could inspire Shan.
Then he met Elze. Shan smiled involuntarily as he recalled his memories. Elxe didn't seem to have changed much since they first met. But Shan had changed a great deal.
Who would have thought that I would love her this much?
“But things changed from the moment you said you would stand up for me.”
From the moment Elze got involved, even the past that he had previously thought of as nothing had meaning. Shan was amazed at how he changed like flipping a coin depending on whether Elze was present or not.
“You know what?
Shan chuckled softly and grabbed Elze's hand. Then he pulled her towards him and said,
“You are a rope to me.”
"Rope...?"
Elze blinked at the completely unexpected words. No matter how much she thought about it, a rope was not a pretty or nice-sounding word.
As she watched, wondering what on earth he was going to say, Shan kissed the back of Elze's hand. The simple kiss passed by like a feather. It was a pious kiss, like a knight offering it to his lady.
“Become a very strong rope that holds me tight and keeps me from being swept away by nothingness.”
But as the purple eyes locked deeply, the kiss that had been filled with affection gradually became sticky.
“Sometimes I really like the feeling of you holding me...”
Something sticky and flowing wrapped around Elze's body. As the heat rose inside her, Elze opened her mouth slightly and let out a hot breath. The sound of her exhaled breath sounded like a strange moan. Her face flushed.
“Did you know that I desperately want to never get away?”
There were no complicated or fancy adjectives. It was just a few blunt words, but her heart kept pounding.
His tongue swept over the back of her hand and licked her fingers. The feeling of her strong teeth biting down without hurting was refreshing. He kissed each and every one of her fingers without fail. After he had kissed each finger as if branding it, a muffled voice was heard.
“So, Elze.”
Shan whispered with a hint of a smile in his eyes.
“Hold me a little longer.”
How many people would be able to remain calm after hearing such words? Elze's face eventually turned bright red.
“All of you...”
Her hands felt hot as if she had been warmed by a hot fire. The feeling of their lips touching and passing by was vivid. Shan burst into laughter at Elze, who didn't know what to do. Elze said, glancing at him who was laughing.
“Where on earth do you learn to say things like that?”
“What did I learn? I just wanted to be honest about how I feel toward you.”
Despite all that, he was always talking nonsense. When Elze looked at him with disbelief, Shan added one more thing leisurely.
“You know, I’m not the type to talk much unless it’s necessary.”
“...”
Shan just smiled at Elze, who was still full of distrust, then kissed her palm with a soft sound before letting go.
And then, just in time, the carriage stopped. Tarkun and Ivanna could be heard muttering about something from the coachman's seat. The one who opened the carriage door was Rapine. He opened the door politely as if he were a rather elegant butler, and spoke.
“It’s better to walk from here. I’ll guide you.”
Shan and Elze got out of the carriage and walked along, guided by Rapine. Ivanna and Tarkun followed at a distance.
The carriage arrived on the outskirts of the capital. Far from the central Plaza de la Manuap, this was a red-light district catering mainly to the poor and those who wanted to have a dirty time.
It was a place that was abandoned and neglected by the Empire. Murders were so common that they were not even considered incidents, and people would just glance at it and pass by while dying right next to them.
“This is where the bottom lives gather.”
Rapine continued speaking in a quiet voice.
“They have nothing to lose, so you’d better be careful. Of course, it’ll end up on our side... but for now, it’s best to avoid attracting attention.”
As Rapine said, the atmosphere was so different that it felt like we were really in the Baluar Empire.
On the long street lined with red lanterns on both sides, drunken people were staggering around, shouting loudly. In some dark corners, people who were high on drugs were lying face down, their eyes blank.
Naked women tried to sell themselves to passing customers, beckoning them. Some dirty men openly touched their breasts or touched their buttocks, but the women were busy twisting their bodies and seducing them. It seemed as if they had no concept of being harassed.
It was a more severe sight than she had vaguely imagined. Naturally, her heart sank. Elze walked with a complicated feeling, but Rapine spoke softly.
“I’m sure you’ve been briefed by Ivanna, but since the Count is here, I’ll briefly explain again.”
As Elze nodded, Rapine began to explain in a quick but precise tone.
“It is said that she was unable to have children. Her husband seemed to have tried to embrace her with love, but he eventually divorced her because he was tired of her repeated infidelity. They gave her a certain amount of alimony and broke up cleanly.”
Rapine paused for a moment, then casually pushed aside a pedestrian who was staggering toward her. The drunken pedestrian lay down on the road.
“But since she had lived a life of luxury, she was not satisfied with living frugally, so she sold her body. And that’s how she ended up here.”
Rapine did not stop talking, but instead pushed Elze to the side of the road with his foot so that she would not be impeded by his steps.
Rapine continued speaking, leaving behind Ivanna giggling at the sight of the drunkard rolling away.
“To prevent any possible escape, several Kalias, including Epen, are monitoring the area.”
As they walked along Rapine for a while, the once hectic street became a little quieter. And the shops became more shabby. Rapine pointed to one of them.
“It’s over there.”
“Thank you, Rapine. Please wait nearby.”
“Yes, if anything happens, call me right away.”
Rapine followed Elze's words without a word. Elze looked at Shan. Shan had a blank expression.
“Shall we go in?”
He raised his eyebrows for a moment, then silently went ahead and entered the store. Instead of a door, the store had a transparent cloth covering the entrance. When he pulled back the cloth, the hanging bells rang loudly. Then a skinny man ran out.
“Oh my, come quickly...?”
The man who seemed to be the pimp of the store stiffened his face as soon as he saw Shan and Elxe. No matter how simply they were dressed, the two of them looked neat and elegant, and anyone could tell they were nobles.
There was no reason for the nobles to visit these brothels. Even in the capital, there were plenty of much neater and more beautiful prostitutes to trip over.
But the fact that they had come all the way to this place meant only one thing. It had an abnormal wall, and that the wall was so bad that it could even remove a single corpse.
The pimp made a face that said he would clean up the casket today. Even while watching that, Elze didn’t make any special excuses. The process might be different, but the result would be the same anyway. There was no need to talk at length with the pimp. Elze just blurted out her name.
“Rabia.”
He bowed and spoke to Elze.
“Are you talking about Rabia?”
The pimp's question was a bit suspicious, since he rarely looked for old prostitutes. But when Elze nodded, he agreed without a word.
“Yes. And what about the other one?”
“One of her is enough.”
“Huh...Two of you, one...”
The pimp glanced at Shan, then looked back at Elze, rubbed his hands together, and said.
“Then you have to pay extra...”
Before she could hear the end of the hazy words, Elze silently threw the gold coin. The pimp's eyes changed as soon as he saw the gold spinning around. The pimp quickly caught the gold coin and said with a cowardly smile.
“Oh, I’ll show you right away. Please wait a moment.”
He left Elze and Shan behind and hurriedly ran inside. As Elze looked around the store, she looked down at the torn sofa. The dirty sofa had a suspicious white stain on it. She didn't want to sit down, so she stood there with Shan and waited, and soon the pimp came running out in a hurry.
“Come this way! We have prepared the best room in our store.”
The place the pimp led them to was the innermost room. As soon as they entered the room, the smell of cheap perfume hit them. In the middle of the room, which was surrounded by furniture in tacky colors and had red lighting, there was only a large bed. It was a room that was truly decorated to its purpose.
“Rabia will be coming in soon!”
As the pimp closed the door and disappeared, Elze and Shan were left alone in the room. On one side of the room, a shelf was placed, and her eyes were drawn to the handcuffs, gags, and leather whips displayed. It was quite embarrassing to look at them with Shan. It was even more embarrassing to remain silent, so Elze said something.
“Hmm... I guess there are a lot of weird people...”
Just as Shan was about to answer, the door opened and a skinny woman came in, kneeling on the floor. She bowed her head and greeted him.
“It is an honor to serve you all. I will do my best tonight.”
The woman who finished greeting slowly raised her face. She looked at Elze with a bewildered expression for a moment, then opened her eyes wide when she saw Shan behind her.
“Shan...?”
Then she suddenly got up and shouted.
“Oh my God, Shan! It’s you. Isn’t it? Isn’t it?”
She muttered as if possessed, pointing at Shan.
“Such beautiful and captivating purple eyes... There’s no doubt about it. It’s definitely Shan.”
Elze was taken aback. She had not expected she to recognize Shan so immediately. But somehow Shan seemed to have expected this situation. He showed no signs of agitation.
In front of the indifferent Shan, Rabia began to shed tears. She trembled and whispered in a trembling voice.
“My angel, my devil, my beloved lover.”
“...”
Shan frowned when he heard that. It was a disgusting expression, but Rabia didn't seem to notice Shan's face at all. Unable to control her surging emotions, she rushed to Shan.
“You came to save me from this hell...!”
Rabia tried to hug Shan and give him a touching hug, but she couldn't.
“Whoa!”
With a loud thud, Rabia was thrown into the corner of the room. Elze kicked her away as she ran towards Shan like a madman.
Rabia, who was sitting on the floor, looked up at Elze with venomous eyes for interrupting her reunion with Shan, then quickly folded her tail and lowered her gaze.
Rabia had dealt with many guests and learned through experience which ones were dangerous. Elze's eyes were fierce as she glared at Rabia. She realized right away that Elze was a dangerous opponent.
“Let’s see, let’s see...”
Elze looked down at Rabia and spoke coldly.
“What are you doing to someone else’s husband right now?”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment