35. The Whims of Asherad
Daphne's room was moved.
It was a spacious room, not a tiny room where rats might build a nest. The ceiling was high, the walls were a bright yellow, the bed was soft, and there was even a table and chair.
Daphne walked around the room as if looking around. She could actually 'walk' around. That alone made the room valuable.
In the corner, she saw a mirror with a gold frame. Daphne looked at her own face in the mirror and stepped back in surprise.
"Mom?"
Daphne approached her in surprise, not knowing what her full face looked like from the small mirror Sarah had lent her.
At twenty-one, she resembled the mother she so desperately wanted to be.
The blond hair that had been colorless when she was young had become a bright yellow blond hair, as if melted gold had been extracted. Her face was pale, but her lips, which had been kissed persistently by Asherad, were red.
I really look like my mom.
Daphne reached out and touched the mirror. It felt colder than she had expected. Only the senior maids and the head maid were allowed to use this kind of full-length mirror.
It was the first time Daphne had seen her entire body since she was a child. It was not bad to see her own face and the face of her mother, whom she had forgotten. Daphne held her hand to the mirror and looked at her face for a long time.
Then, she was embarrassed when she saw white moisture forming on the mirror where she had placed her hand, and she took her hand away.
You have to be careful. The fact that you're in this room right now is purely on Asherad's whim. You never know when he might lock you in that room again.
Just coming from that moldy, rotting abode to this room was enough to make her weep with joy.
But Daphne was not happy.
Duke Turbol tried to kill Daphne, and Asherad was furious and brought her here, calling her his 'lover'.
Although he said he had a lover, it would be more like a concubine. Since he is currently single, she is not given the derogatory title of government or concubine.
In any case, she had to wallow in the gutter if Asherad wanted her to. Everything was decided by his mood, and Daphne suddenly realized that Asherad had changed her room simply out of anger at the Duke for infringing on his authority.
What could be more transient than emotions? They keep changing, and Asherad will soon order her to return.
Daphne knew nothing about Asherad.
“Ahhhh!”
Her thought would be the same. That precious Asherad would not have sex with that lowly thing. Still, she went to see her out of concern, but she remembered coming back relieved to see her ugly and ash-covered appearance.
Kalista had always been of noble birth and was not the type to deliberately harass such a lowly being. It was a blow to her pride.
No matter how emotional she was, she didn't feel the need to touch Daphne because she thought she might be useful.
Could it be that Asherad took action before going to the battlefield?
To keep Kalista out of reach, no, to avoid attracting her attention?!
“Ahhhh!”
That was even more heartbreaking! That he cared so much about that shabby woman? That he cared that much?!
Why didn't I do anything?
In fact, Kalista had received a lot from Asherad, but this betrayal washed it away. Then why did they kiss?
Kalista closed her screaming mouth and opened her eyes wide, lost in thought. When she couldn't think, she banged her head against the wall like a woodpecker.
It was a nervous habit that had developed since the Kingdom of Thalassa.
“Oh, yeah. Yeah, that’s obvious.”
Kalista smiled wryly.
“Yeah, that’s right. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense.”
Kalista laughed to herself. The absurdly cheerful conclusion had been reached.
Asherad loved her!
He brought Daphne into his government to protect her, fearing that the Duke of Turbol might cause trouble. Yes, how could he bring in such a dirty woman?
How could she, so sensible, young, fresh, and beautiful, be compared to that shabby and mean thing?
“Hahahahahaha!”
Kalista still came to self-centered conclusions.
The fact that Asherad had told her to keep quiet had long since disappeared from her mind. Even if she had remembered it, she would have comforted herself by thinking that it was just an act to fool the Duke of Turbol.
What made her shiver was that even that beggar was treated as a lover, as a 'legitimate' woman next to Asherad.
Although Kalista had earned the title of Supreme Empress, there was one thing she could not do: formally unite with Asherad.
She chewed her lips jealously. And then she came to a clear conclusion.
“Yes, just kill her again!”
Just like she killed her husband by feeding him poison with her own hands.
I'll take my time and see if I can get my chance. And then I'll kill that woman all at once.
Daphne was dressed and attended to by maids. The maids of the Emperor's palace. They were the ones who always pointed at Daphne with disapproving eyes.
They treated Daphne, who had been officially made the Emperor's mistress, with respect. It was a splendid dress, different from the one given to her by the late Emperor.
A tight-fitting dress, like a bright red rose, exactly the kind that a government would wear.
Daphne was wearing it and was getting her makeup done for the first time.
It took a long time to get dressed up, but it was desolate without a single word of conversation. What would happen to her next? No one told her.
Asherad, who might have told her, had not visited her since she was brought here. The only thing she received was an invitation to breakfast from the Emperor.
Thanks to that, she's able to decorate it like this...
The maid who had been putting on her makeup lowered her hand and bowed as if she were done. When she got up and turned her head, the maids forgot to bow and stared blankly at her.
No way. Are you playing some kind of trick on my face?
The vanity table, which was not meant for dressing up, had no mirror, and Daphne walked back to the full-length mirror.
"Uh..."
Daphne was speechless. The makeup was done well. Contrary to her worries, the maid didn't play a trick on her. Rather, it was too good, which was the problem.
Her slightly dark skin was pale, and a touch of her cheek completely breathed life into her that she had been lacking. The lipstick applied thickly to her red lips also went well with her, without looking excessive.
In addition, the tight-fitting red silk dress further revealed Daphne's slender body. Daphne had a truly splendid beauty worthy of a 'government.'
Daphne looked at herself in the mirror for a long time. Without makeup, she saw her mother's face, but with makeup and a different look, she looked completely different.
Somehow, she felt sorry about that.
“Where do we eat...?”
Daphne asked hesitantly. Then one of the absent-minded maids flinched and said.
“Just follow me..."
Daphne nodded and stepped into the hallway. She looked around the familiar yet unfamiliar hallways of the Imperial Palace that she had always cleaned and swept.
As she was about to turn around, she suddenly heard a voice.
"Daphne!"
Who is calling me? Daphne tilted her head, then looked back again with a start.
"Sarah?"
Sarah was running towards her. Daphne's eyes fluttered. Surely... Surely I thought Sarah was dead?
But the brown eyes and the freckles on the tip of her nose were definitely Sarah's. She was alive. She wasn't dead! Er heart was pounding with overwhelming emotion!
"Sarah!"
Daphne smiled brightly at the good fortune that had come to her. Sarah was alive!
Oh, thank goodness! She didn't seem to be hurt at all. She was still wearing her neat maid uniform and white apron.
Daphne's tears welled up in her eyes without her knowing it. As she ran away, she knew that Sarah would die. She ran even though she knew that.
She pretended it wasn't true, but she felt sorry. She had no idea how she could repay her sins. And yet, Sarah is still alive.
“Daphne! You finally got caught.”
The first thing the kind Sarah said was her concern for Daphne.
Daphne's face darkened at Sarah's words. As Sarah approached, the maids retreated. She looked around Daphne and clicked her tongue.
“Sarah, what happened? His Majesty didn’t do anything to you?”
“Yeah. Surprisingly.”
As Sarah said, she looked really fine. Sarah said with a big smile.
“Actually, I got in big trouble.”
What? Daphne looked surprised. Sarah raised the corners of her lips and said playfully.
“I was kicked out of the palace.”
Daphne looked at Sarah with wide eyes. Sarah seemed to find Daphne's surprised expression amusing.
"Sarah..."
“I just wanted to save my life.”
There was a strange, lingering feeling at the end of those words.
Daphne's room was moved.
It was a spacious room, not a tiny room where rats might build a nest. The ceiling was high, the walls were a bright yellow, the bed was soft, and there was even a table and chair.
Daphne walked around the room as if looking around. She could actually 'walk' around. That alone made the room valuable.
In the corner, she saw a mirror with a gold frame. Daphne looked at her own face in the mirror and stepped back in surprise.
"Mom?"
Daphne approached her in surprise, not knowing what her full face looked like from the small mirror Sarah had lent her.
At twenty-one, she resembled the mother she so desperately wanted to be.
The blond hair that had been colorless when she was young had become a bright yellow blond hair, as if melted gold had been extracted. Her face was pale, but her lips, which had been kissed persistently by Asherad, were red.
I really look like my mom.
Daphne reached out and touched the mirror. It felt colder than she had expected. Only the senior maids and the head maid were allowed to use this kind of full-length mirror.
It was the first time Daphne had seen her entire body since she was a child. It was not bad to see her own face and the face of her mother, whom she had forgotten. Daphne held her hand to the mirror and looked at her face for a long time.
Then, she was embarrassed when she saw white moisture forming on the mirror where she had placed her hand, and she took her hand away.
You have to be careful. The fact that you're in this room right now is purely on Asherad's whim. You never know when he might lock you in that room again.
Just coming from that moldy, rotting abode to this room was enough to make her weep with joy.
But Daphne was not happy.
Duke Turbol tried to kill Daphne, and Asherad was furious and brought her here, calling her his 'lover'.
Although he said he had a lover, it would be more like a concubine. Since he is currently single, she is not given the derogatory title of government or concubine.
In any case, she had to wallow in the gutter if Asherad wanted her to. Everything was decided by his mood, and Daphne suddenly realized that Asherad had changed her room simply out of anger at the Duke for infringing on his authority.
What could be more transient than emotions? They keep changing, and Asherad will soon order her to return.
Daphne knew nothing about Asherad.
***
“Ahhhh!”
Kalista let out a nervous scream and flipped the table over, causing something to break with a crash.
“I should have killed her from then on, from then on!”
She should have torn that disgusting face off, pretending to be negative. Kalista knew this from watching Asherad's actions.
Clearly, Asherad cherishes the woman. The daughter of a nymph clearly has the power to seduce men. Otherwise, it would be impossible for the mother and daughter to seduce the rich man.
It even has the witch's blood.
But the problem was, Kalista was dying to have that blood!
She was resentful! In the three years that Asherad was gone, Kalista had the chance to tear that woman apart! If she had known that she was the one who had his attention, she would have killed her right then and there.
But for three years, Kalista forgot about Daphne's existence. She clearly felt a sense of discomfort and foreboding when looking at the woman, so why did she forget so easily?
First of all, Olga, the maid of the Crown Prince's palace who had served Asherad since he was young, denied that she was the one who had slept with him.
“I should have killed her from then on, from then on!”
She should have torn that disgusting face off, pretending to be negative. Kalista knew this from watching Asherad's actions.
Clearly, Asherad cherishes the woman. The daughter of a nymph clearly has the power to seduce men. Otherwise, it would be impossible for the mother and daughter to seduce the rich man.
It even has the witch's blood.
But the problem was, Kalista was dying to have that blood!
She was resentful! In the three years that Asherad was gone, Kalista had the chance to tear that woman apart! If she had known that she was the one who had his attention, she would have killed her right then and there.
But for three years, Kalista forgot about Daphne's existence. She clearly felt a sense of discomfort and foreboding when looking at the woman, so why did she forget so easily?
First of all, Olga, the maid of the Crown Prince's palace who had served Asherad since he was young, denied that she was the one who had slept with him.
Her thought would be the same. That precious Asherad would not have sex with that lowly thing. Still, she went to see her out of concern, but she remembered coming back relieved to see her ugly and ash-covered appearance.
Kalista had always been of noble birth and was not the type to deliberately harass such a lowly being. It was a blow to her pride.
No matter how emotional she was, she didn't feel the need to touch Daphne because she thought she might be useful.
Could it be that Asherad took action before going to the battlefield?
To keep Kalista out of reach, no, to avoid attracting her attention?!
“Ahhhh!”
That was even more heartbreaking! That he cared so much about that shabby woman? That he cared that much?!
Why didn't I do anything?
In fact, Kalista had received a lot from Asherad, but this betrayal washed it away. Then why did they kiss?
Kalista closed her screaming mouth and opened her eyes wide, lost in thought. When she couldn't think, she banged her head against the wall like a woodpecker.
It was a nervous habit that had developed since the Kingdom of Thalassa.
“Oh, yeah. Yeah, that’s obvious.”
Kalista smiled wryly.
“Yeah, that’s right. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense.”
Kalista laughed to herself. The absurdly cheerful conclusion had been reached.
Asherad loved her!
He brought Daphne into his government to protect her, fearing that the Duke of Turbol might cause trouble. Yes, how could he bring in such a dirty woman?
How could she, so sensible, young, fresh, and beautiful, be compared to that shabby and mean thing?
“Hahahahahaha!”
Kalista still came to self-centered conclusions.
The fact that Asherad had told her to keep quiet had long since disappeared from her mind. Even if she had remembered it, she would have comforted herself by thinking that it was just an act to fool the Duke of Turbol.
What made her shiver was that even that beggar was treated as a lover, as a 'legitimate' woman next to Asherad.
Although Kalista had earned the title of Supreme Empress, there was one thing she could not do: formally unite with Asherad.
She chewed her lips jealously. And then she came to a clear conclusion.
“Yes, just kill her again!”
Just like she killed her husband by feeding him poison with her own hands.
I'll take my time and see if I can get my chance. And then I'll kill that woman all at once.
***
Daphne was dressed and attended to by maids. The maids of the Emperor's palace. They were the ones who always pointed at Daphne with disapproving eyes.
They treated Daphne, who had been officially made the Emperor's mistress, with respect. It was a splendid dress, different from the one given to her by the late Emperor.
A tight-fitting dress, like a bright red rose, exactly the kind that a government would wear.
Daphne was wearing it and was getting her makeup done for the first time.
It took a long time to get dressed up, but it was desolate without a single word of conversation. What would happen to her next? No one told her.
Asherad, who might have told her, had not visited her since she was brought here. The only thing she received was an invitation to breakfast from the Emperor.
Thanks to that, she's able to decorate it like this...
The maid who had been putting on her makeup lowered her hand and bowed as if she were done. When she got up and turned her head, the maids forgot to bow and stared blankly at her.
No way. Are you playing some kind of trick on my face?
The vanity table, which was not meant for dressing up, had no mirror, and Daphne walked back to the full-length mirror.
"Uh..."
Daphne was speechless. The makeup was done well. Contrary to her worries, the maid didn't play a trick on her. Rather, it was too good, which was the problem.
Her slightly dark skin was pale, and a touch of her cheek completely breathed life into her that she had been lacking. The lipstick applied thickly to her red lips also went well with her, without looking excessive.
In addition, the tight-fitting red silk dress further revealed Daphne's slender body. Daphne had a truly splendid beauty worthy of a 'government.'
Daphne looked at herself in the mirror for a long time. Without makeup, she saw her mother's face, but with makeup and a different look, she looked completely different.
Somehow, she felt sorry about that.
“Where do we eat...?”
Daphne asked hesitantly. Then one of the absent-minded maids flinched and said.
“Just follow me..."
Daphne nodded and stepped into the hallway. She looked around the familiar yet unfamiliar hallways of the Imperial Palace that she had always cleaned and swept.
As she was about to turn around, she suddenly heard a voice.
"Daphne!"
Who is calling me? Daphne tilted her head, then looked back again with a start.
"Sarah?"
Sarah was running towards her. Daphne's eyes fluttered. Surely... Surely I thought Sarah was dead?
But the brown eyes and the freckles on the tip of her nose were definitely Sarah's. She was alive. She wasn't dead! Er heart was pounding with overwhelming emotion!
"Sarah!"
Daphne smiled brightly at the good fortune that had come to her. Sarah was alive!
Oh, thank goodness! She didn't seem to be hurt at all. She was still wearing her neat maid uniform and white apron.
Daphne's tears welled up in her eyes without her knowing it. As she ran away, she knew that Sarah would die. She ran even though she knew that.
She pretended it wasn't true, but she felt sorry. She had no idea how she could repay her sins. And yet, Sarah is still alive.
“Daphne! You finally got caught.”
The first thing the kind Sarah said was her concern for Daphne.
Daphne's face darkened at Sarah's words. As Sarah approached, the maids retreated. She looked around Daphne and clicked her tongue.
“Sarah, what happened? His Majesty didn’t do anything to you?”
“Yeah. Surprisingly.”
As Sarah said, she looked really fine. Sarah said with a big smile.
“Actually, I got in big trouble.”
What? Daphne looked surprised. Sarah raised the corners of her lips and said playfully.
“I was kicked out of the palace.”
Daphne looked at Sarah with wide eyes. Sarah seemed to find Daphne's surprised expression amusing.
"Sarah..."
“I just wanted to save my life.”
There was a strange, lingering feeling at the end of those words.
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