11. The Cuckoo Girl
“Asherad, come to your aunt.”
Kalista, the youngest Princess of the Kingdom of Thalassa, opened her arms to Asherad. Asherad, who was watching, approached her with a big smile on his face and hugged her.
“Thank you for coming such a long way.”
"No."
The Kingdom of Thalassa was the homeland of Sabrina, the deceased mother of Asherad. First, Princess Sabrina and Kalista, who visited, had little contact. It was natural. Kalista was, so to speak, an adopted child.
Sabrina was the child of the deceased former Queen, and Kalista was the child of the King's concubine.
The King fell in love with Kalista's mother, a young and beautiful widow, and courted her aggressively. He eventually took Kalista as his daughter on the condition that she be made his Queen.
Kalista smiled broadly as she looked at her handsome nephew. The King's youngest daughter, Kalista, was as foolish as she was loved.
“But, His Majesty?”
“His Majesty is in the audience chamber, Aunt.”
Kalista nodded and looked at Asherad, her nephew, who was only three years younger than her.
'You're the most handsome man I've ever seen.'
Shiny, slightly curly jet-black hair. A high nose and large, sharp-lined eyes.
The young man, now approaching his twenties, clearly had a thrilling charm. The dark eyelashes in his slightly downturned eyes were beautiful.
“Asherad.”
“Yes, Aunt.”
Kalista couldn't take her eyes off her niece's face.
“I will escort you.”
Kalista's heart pounded as she held Asherad's hand.
“The Princess of the Kingdom of Thalassa.”
“Aren’t you getting married?”
“What are you talking about, you idiot? She is the younger sister of the late Empress.”
Daphne saw two figures walking through the corridor. The woman with reddish blond hair and amber eyes was clearly of noble birth. Asherad was holding her hand and smiling brightly.
“What are you talking about? Strictly speaking, not a single drop of blood was mixed between them.”
Daphne bit her lip as she listened to the maids' murmuring. They looked so perfect, standing facing each other in the hallway.
“His Highness, it’s time to start taking on a fiancée.”
“Hey, even so, they’re just aunt and nephew, so is that okay?”
People whispered to each other as they looked at the perfect picture. Daphne bowed her head.
“Daphne, come here.”
Daphne raised her head at Sarah's warm words. Sarah had been talking to her lately. How should she interpret this...?
“Sarah! Are you crazy?”
Amanda reached out her hand to dissuade her, but Sarah shook her head. Daphne approached Sarah.
“Don’t walk too far apart.”
"Yes..."
Daphne lowered her head further, feeling a little moved by Sarah's warm words. She passed by with the maids and glanced between them.
It was a breathtakingly beautiful painting.
“What should I do, really?”
Sarah added comfortingly. Daphne lowered her head with a gloomy expression.
“Why are you here?”
Daphne tilted her head at the red-haired knight. Most people who spoke to her only said negative things.
Get out, get out. You're dirty.
The question, “Why are you here?” could be interpreted as telling someone to get out of here, but the man’s face was filled with pure curiosity.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
“Have you come to see His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“...”
“His Highness the Crown Prince will not be looking for the young lady for the time being.”
She knew it, but it was a cold word. The place she went to without realizing it was the Crown Prince's Palace because Asherad hadn't called her.
She wanted to see his face at least. She hoped that even the wind that passed by would pass by her. The man who saw her face sighed and said.
“Ah, this is frustrating. Everyone can see that you’re younger than me, so I’ll just talk comfortably.”
“...”
“You, don’t you have any work to do? Why do you keep hanging around here?”
Although the speech was short, Daphne didn't feel particularly awkward. In fact, it was entirely up to the knight's discretion whether he used honorifics toward a commoner girl.
"Yes."
"Why?"
“His Majesty suddenly removed me from all work.”
“That’s strange. If you don’t do your work, won’t the other maids hate you? Will you get scolded again like that time?”
It was another painful word. Just as the man had said, she was hated. She was already hated, so there was really nothing left to hate. Daphne lowered her head.
Come to think of it, does this person also know that Olga had a crush on him in the past?
'Rumors about me are always spreading.'
Daphne had a gloomy expression.
“Oh, sorry, sorry.”
The knight spoke quietly and stood next to Daphne.
“Can I see His Highness the Crown Prince from here?”
It was the first time since Nowell that someone had approached her so friendly. Daphne took a step back in surprise.
"Why?"
“...”
“Oh, I’m Fabian.”
The man, standing with his back to the clear blue sky, smiled broadly and reached out his hand. Daphne was startled. Why, why, was this man reaching out his hand to her?
Other than Asherad, everyone was hostile towards him. Everyone was making fun of her and trying to 'punish' her?
“I, I, I am the cuckoo’s daughter?”
That was it. Daphne unconsciously shut her eyes tightly and shouted. Fabian burst out laughing.
“The cuckoo's daughter is your name?”
“...”
“That’s a funny name, Cuckoo Girl.”
Fabian chuckled. Normally, if you said something like that, they would know how to avoid it.
“I, I’m sorry, but... I...”
Daphne bit her lip, though she hated to curse her own mother. It was clear that this man had no idea who she was.
“I know, you’re the son of a bitch who deceived that seed.”
“...”
Do you know? Are you still doing this even though you know? Are you the kind of person who will incur the Emperor's wrath?
“Oh, but that’s too much. It’s been years since then, and everyone still ostracizes you?”
“...”
“It’s weird. Really.”
“That’s natural, since I am the daughter of a sinner.”
“Cuckoo Girl, you are not a sinner.”
The only one who said that was Asherad. Fabian casually said it to Daphne, who was wide-eyed.
“Besides, you are so pretty.”
In an instant, Daphne's face turned red.
“And, I like the sound of the cuckoo.”
That was Fabian and Daphne's first proper meeting.
Daphne woke up. Tears were streaming down her face. The overly soft bed that was wrapped around her body. She lifted her upper body.
A place that was still unfamiliar caught her eye. This was the Emperor's room, Asherad's room.
The owner of the room, Asherad, was asleep with his eyes closed. The sunlight streaming through the blackout curtains illuminated Asherad's eyes.
The youthful look he had before he went off to war had long since disappeared. Sharp jawline, firm lips, wide chest.
But when he closed his eyes, the pitch-black eyelashes and the red lips that had been constantly exploring her body were still there.
Daphne, who was looking at his face, looked down at herself. There were marks carved by Asherad everywhere. Although it was not visible, there must have been red marks all over her neck and chest.
Her body felt slightly sore.
Daphne sat outside the bed and stared out the window for a long time at the sunlight streaming in.
After a very long time, the man appeared in her dream.
“Fabian...”
A cracked voice leaked out from Daphne's swollen mouth. The man Daphne had seen when she was seventeen. The mischievous red-haired boy with blue eyes that were still childish and playful. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Fabian.
She could still clearly see the way he approached Daphne and told her she was pretty. It was all because of him. Because of him...
“Do you still remember that kid?”
A sinister voice was heard. Daphne turned around in surprise. A cold green eye caught her eye through a ray of sunlight.
Daphne's face hardened. It was a small voice that wouldn't wake him from his sleep...
Those green eyes flashed with madness for a moment. The moment she was about to get up from her seat in fear at the sight of Asherad's face, her wrist was grabbed and she was laid face down on the bed.
“Ugh...”
A hand slid under her side, and Asherad wrapped one arm around her waist, hugging her tightly and pressing her body against his.
Daphne tried to turn her head, but his teeth were already biting into the back of her neck.
“Remember that kid’s name?”
“...”
Daphne couldn't speak. One hand grabbed her breast. Perhaps it was the aftertaste of their sexual encounter all night, but she was soon aroused by the stimulation he was giving her.
He lifted up her slip, and her large hands stroked her soft thighs, then spread them apart.
“Why do you remember?”
Daphne let out a hot breath. The sloshing sound made her dizzy.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty...”
“You call him by his first name, and I'm just His Majesty?”
“Asherad, come to your aunt.”
Kalista, the youngest Princess of the Kingdom of Thalassa, opened her arms to Asherad. Asherad, who was watching, approached her with a big smile on his face and hugged her.
“Thank you for coming such a long way.”
"No."
The Kingdom of Thalassa was the homeland of Sabrina, the deceased mother of Asherad. First, Princess Sabrina and Kalista, who visited, had little contact. It was natural. Kalista was, so to speak, an adopted child.
Sabrina was the child of the deceased former Queen, and Kalista was the child of the King's concubine.
The King fell in love with Kalista's mother, a young and beautiful widow, and courted her aggressively. He eventually took Kalista as his daughter on the condition that she be made his Queen.
Kalista smiled broadly as she looked at her handsome nephew. The King's youngest daughter, Kalista, was as foolish as she was loved.
“But, His Majesty?”
“His Majesty is in the audience chamber, Aunt.”
Kalista nodded and looked at Asherad, her nephew, who was only three years younger than her.
'You're the most handsome man I've ever seen.'
Shiny, slightly curly jet-black hair. A high nose and large, sharp-lined eyes.
The young man, now approaching his twenties, clearly had a thrilling charm. The dark eyelashes in his slightly downturned eyes were beautiful.
“Asherad.”
“Yes, Aunt.”
Kalista couldn't take her eyes off her niece's face.
“I will escort you.”
Kalista's heart pounded as she held Asherad's hand.
***
“The Princess of the Kingdom of Thalassa.”
“Aren’t you getting married?”
“What are you talking about, you idiot? She is the younger sister of the late Empress.”
Daphne saw two figures walking through the corridor. The woman with reddish blond hair and amber eyes was clearly of noble birth. Asherad was holding her hand and smiling brightly.
“What are you talking about? Strictly speaking, not a single drop of blood was mixed between them.”
Daphne bit her lip as she listened to the maids' murmuring. They looked so perfect, standing facing each other in the hallway.
“His Highness, it’s time to start taking on a fiancée.”
“Hey, even so, they’re just aunt and nephew, so is that okay?”
People whispered to each other as they looked at the perfect picture. Daphne bowed her head.
“Daphne, come here.”
Daphne raised her head at Sarah's warm words. Sarah had been talking to her lately. How should she interpret this...?
“Sarah! Are you crazy?”
Amanda reached out her hand to dissuade her, but Sarah shook her head. Daphne approached Sarah.
“Don’t walk too far apart.”
"Yes..."
Daphne lowered her head further, feeling a little moved by Sarah's warm words. She passed by with the maids and glanced between them.
It was a breathtakingly beautiful painting.
“What should I do, really?”
Sarah added comfortingly. Daphne lowered her head with a gloomy expression.
***
“Why are you here?”
Daphne tilted her head at the red-haired knight. Most people who spoke to her only said negative things.
Get out, get out. You're dirty.
The question, “Why are you here?” could be interpreted as telling someone to get out of here, but the man’s face was filled with pure curiosity.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
“Have you come to see His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“...”
“His Highness the Crown Prince will not be looking for the young lady for the time being.”
She knew it, but it was a cold word. The place she went to without realizing it was the Crown Prince's Palace because Asherad hadn't called her.
She wanted to see his face at least. She hoped that even the wind that passed by would pass by her. The man who saw her face sighed and said.
“Ah, this is frustrating. Everyone can see that you’re younger than me, so I’ll just talk comfortably.”
“...”
“You, don’t you have any work to do? Why do you keep hanging around here?”
Although the speech was short, Daphne didn't feel particularly awkward. In fact, it was entirely up to the knight's discretion whether he used honorifics toward a commoner girl.
"Yes."
"Why?"
“His Majesty suddenly removed me from all work.”
“That’s strange. If you don’t do your work, won’t the other maids hate you? Will you get scolded again like that time?”
It was another painful word. Just as the man had said, she was hated. She was already hated, so there was really nothing left to hate. Daphne lowered her head.
Come to think of it, does this person also know that Olga had a crush on him in the past?
'Rumors about me are always spreading.'
Daphne had a gloomy expression.
“Oh, sorry, sorry.”
The knight spoke quietly and stood next to Daphne.
“Can I see His Highness the Crown Prince from here?”
It was the first time since Nowell that someone had approached her so friendly. Daphne took a step back in surprise.
"Why?"
“...”
“Oh, I’m Fabian.”
The man, standing with his back to the clear blue sky, smiled broadly and reached out his hand. Daphne was startled. Why, why, was this man reaching out his hand to her?
Other than Asherad, everyone was hostile towards him. Everyone was making fun of her and trying to 'punish' her?
“I, I, I am the cuckoo’s daughter?”
That was it. Daphne unconsciously shut her eyes tightly and shouted. Fabian burst out laughing.
“The cuckoo's daughter is your name?”
“...”
“That’s a funny name, Cuckoo Girl.”
Fabian chuckled. Normally, if you said something like that, they would know how to avoid it.
“I, I’m sorry, but... I...”
Daphne bit her lip, though she hated to curse her own mother. It was clear that this man had no idea who she was.
“I know, you’re the son of a bitch who deceived that seed.”
“...”
Do you know? Are you still doing this even though you know? Are you the kind of person who will incur the Emperor's wrath?
“Oh, but that’s too much. It’s been years since then, and everyone still ostracizes you?”
“...”
“It’s weird. Really.”
“That’s natural, since I am the daughter of a sinner.”
“Cuckoo Girl, you are not a sinner.”
The only one who said that was Asherad. Fabian casually said it to Daphne, who was wide-eyed.
“Besides, you are so pretty.”
In an instant, Daphne's face turned red.
“And, I like the sound of the cuckoo.”
That was Fabian and Daphne's first proper meeting.
***
Daphne woke up. Tears were streaming down her face. The overly soft bed that was wrapped around her body. She lifted her upper body.
A place that was still unfamiliar caught her eye. This was the Emperor's room, Asherad's room.
The owner of the room, Asherad, was asleep with his eyes closed. The sunlight streaming through the blackout curtains illuminated Asherad's eyes.
The youthful look he had before he went off to war had long since disappeared. Sharp jawline, firm lips, wide chest.
But when he closed his eyes, the pitch-black eyelashes and the red lips that had been constantly exploring her body were still there.
Daphne, who was looking at his face, looked down at herself. There were marks carved by Asherad everywhere. Although it was not visible, there must have been red marks all over her neck and chest.
Her body felt slightly sore.
Daphne sat outside the bed and stared out the window for a long time at the sunlight streaming in.
After a very long time, the man appeared in her dream.
“Fabian...”
A cracked voice leaked out from Daphne's swollen mouth. The man Daphne had seen when she was seventeen. The mischievous red-haired boy with blue eyes that were still childish and playful. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Fabian.
She could still clearly see the way he approached Daphne and told her she was pretty. It was all because of him. Because of him...
“Do you still remember that kid?”
A sinister voice was heard. Daphne turned around in surprise. A cold green eye caught her eye through a ray of sunlight.
Daphne's face hardened. It was a small voice that wouldn't wake him from his sleep...
Those green eyes flashed with madness for a moment. The moment she was about to get up from her seat in fear at the sight of Asherad's face, her wrist was grabbed and she was laid face down on the bed.
“Ugh...”
A hand slid under her side, and Asherad wrapped one arm around her waist, hugging her tightly and pressing her body against his.
Daphne tried to turn her head, but his teeth were already biting into the back of her neck.
“Remember that kid’s name?”
“...”
Daphne couldn't speak. One hand grabbed her breast. Perhaps it was the aftertaste of their sexual encounter all night, but she was soon aroused by the stimulation he was giving her.
He lifted up her slip, and her large hands stroked her soft thighs, then spread them apart.
“Why do you remember?”
Daphne let out a hot breath. The sloshing sound made her dizzy.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty...”
“You call him by his first name, and I'm just His Majesty?”
A wet, sloshing sound flowed out. Daphne had her back turned to Asherad, so she couldn't see his face.
But the discomfort and anger in his voice, her quickened breathing, and the touch of her buttocks only told of his excitement.
“Huh, huuuut!”
Daphne bit her lips as if she was biting them, but she couldn't resist his touch, and a sound escaped.
“Do you like that kid?”
“...”
“Did you like that kid so much that you chose him over me?”
“...”
“Did you love that kid?”
Asherad whispered the same words as before. The hand stimulating Daphne became faster. Daphne shook her head desperately, panting with excitement, and screamed.
“Ah, huh! If only it weren’t me!”
“...”
“If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t have had to die!”
Daphne began to sob, letting out hot breath. However, Asherad ignored her sobs and looked down at her.
Jewel-like tears fell from Daphne's eyes. Asherad raised the corners of his lips.
He was just a knight. A swordsman with only half a noble bloodline. He couldn't even compare to Asherad.
However, Asherad's face, looking down at Daphne, was dyed black.
“Spread your legs.”
Daphne did as he said, as usual. The woman who had been tormented all night accepted what he had without any difficulty.
"Don't cry."
“...”
“Don’t cry.”
Asherad licked Daphne's tears again and again, as if she swallowed the tears away, even the sticky sadness would disappear.
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