38. I love you
“You made a lot of noise at the restaurant.”
As he heard the words that came out of his mouth, Asherad stopped flipping through the documents and looked up. A man in a black uniform was standing like a stone in front of the desk.
The man with brown hair and brown eyes seemed to have little change in expression. Asherad asked, looking at the young man who did not seem embarrassed or ashamed even when mentioning the Emperor's affairs.
“You seem very interested.”
“Come in.”
The young man's firm mouth, square jaw, sharp eagle eyes, and thick eyebrows all resembled his father, the Duke of Turbol.
“Did the Duke of Turbol jump up and down?”
"Yes."
Ioannis Turbol, the successor to the Turbol family, looked at Asherad, who seemed to care nothing about it.
“I am not interested in your private life.”
“...”
“But I don’t understand.”
Ioannis stared intently into Asherad's eyes.
“What do you want? The ruin of that woman’s life? Love?”
Asherad deliberately looked out the window. A smile appeared on his red lips as if he were listening to music.
“I don’t care what you do, but I don’t want your reputation to be tarnished.”
When Asherad did not answer, Ioannis turned and walked out of the office.
John Turbol who became the Emperor's close friend for his service in the war. As expected of the successor of the Turbol family, he had a somewhat too upright side.
Rather than thinking that it was acceptable because they were friends, it was something that had to be done. Putting aside his feelings about the Duke of Turbol, Asherad moved his quill.
Daphne.
He teased the name Daphne.
"I love you."
Asherad sweetly confessed his love to her by name. It was as gentle as speaking to a lover's name.
Bam!
He plunged the sharp nib into the name. Black ink spread across Daphne's name like a drop of blood.
"I love you."
Askeraad muttered expressionlessly as he watched the black ink spread out.
“Daphne, get up and look out the window. The summer garden is really pretty.”
Sarah pointed to the window. Daphne didn't even answer.
The sound of birds chirping echoed through the air. Outside the window, beautiful green leaves were softly sparkling. Even green is boring if you just look at it, and in Daphne’s direction, scarlet daffodils were in full bloom. It would have been nice to look at and enjoy the scenery, but Daphne didn’t even roll her eyes in that direction.
Perhaps the time when she showed the most vitality was when she thought about 'running away'.
She tried to find a way to escape from him and start a new life, and although she was afraid, she stood up to him. For the first time, she rebelled against the world that oppressed her.
But it ended in failure. The first attempt resulted in the loss of Fabian, and the second only confirmed that she was in his grasp.
So what can Daphne do?
There was nothing she could do.
So she won't do anything.
Daphne was truly a pet dog. She ate when he gave her food, wore pretty clothes when he gave her clothes, and responded when he loved her.
A pet dog does not need willpower. Its only role is to greet its owner by wagging its tail. No thought is required from its existence.
So, she has no choice but to live like a dog without thinking about anything.
Daphne lay in bed, lost in thought.
In fact, this thought wasn't something she had thought about properly either. She just felt helpless first, and that was why she hadn't done anything. She had already thrown away her life.
It's a life where you have to be used to being played by Asherad's whims and people pointing fingers at you. No matter how hard you try, you won't get anything, and you'll just be pushed around and fall into the abyss.
Daphne would lie down in bed whenever she had the chance. The bed always smelled good and was soft. She would lie there and sleep when she felt sleepy, and wake up when she woke up. When Asherad came, she would kiss him.
“How long do you plan on lying down?”
“...”
“Daphne. Why on earth aren’t you doing anything?”
Daphne didn't answer Sarah's question. Should she do something? She didn't deserve to do what she wanted to do, she didn't know what she liked, and she didn't feel the need to make any effort for the future.
“I don’t know what to do.”
"Daphne..."
Sarah looked at Daphne lying down and knit her eyebrows together. Then she let out a small breath. She approached Daphne with a somewhat complicated expression and stroked her hair.
Even her eyes blinked slowly, like a perfect doll.
“There’s a lot to do.”
Sarah whispered quietly. When Daphne rolled her eyes, she continued whispering.
“If His Majesty loves you, then carry His Majesty on your back and ascend to a high position. Wear the pretty clothes you’ve never been able to wear, eat the delicious food you’ve never had, and punish those who have tormented you.”
“...”
“Oh my, why am I saying this?”
Sarah stuck her tongue out, then sighed again. She seemed to think she had made a slip of the tongue.
“What next?”
"What?"
“What’s next?”
Sarah couldn't answer that. Daphne closed her eyes with dry, emotionless eyes and spoke.
“I wish I were dead when I woke up.”
Sarah bit her lip at Daphne's whisper.
“Daphne, you shouldn’t say such things! You have to live! And Sir Fabian’s share too!”
Daphne snickered at those words. She felt extremely guilty about Fabian. But that was it. She was tired of feeling guilty now.
Maybe because she blamed herself too much, that feeling became dull.
“You should at least think about getting revenge on the person who did that to you! Don’t you have such thoughts?”
Daphne looked up at Sarah. Sarah, who was always kind, seemed confused for some reason.
“It’s strange that a kind person like you would say something like that. Would you do that?”
“Of course I will!”
At Sarah's words, Daphne looked up at the ceiling and said.
“You did, but I didn’t.”
“...”
“I know it won’t work anyway, so why waste my efforts... Now it’s hard to even breathe.”
“I wish I could just melt into the bed."
Asherad finally read the revulsion on Daphne's face. He was delighted. Blood rushed between his legs. He spoke with a low gasp.
“Why, we could have been brother and sister. If your seed was my father’s seed.”
Daphne shook her head at the mockery. When did it turn out to be a lie? ... And they had already slept together. But what kind of brother is he?
Reading the obvious rejection, he finally grabbed Daphne's arm and kissed her neck.
“Call me Uncle.”
“No... Ugh!”
A goosebump ran down her cheek at the sticky tongue. Daphne twisted her waist. He quickly untied the knot Daphne was trying to untie and pulled down her dress.
“You made a lot of noise at the restaurant.”
As he heard the words that came out of his mouth, Asherad stopped flipping through the documents and looked up. A man in a black uniform was standing like a stone in front of the desk.
The man with brown hair and brown eyes seemed to have little change in expression. Asherad asked, looking at the young man who did not seem embarrassed or ashamed even when mentioning the Emperor's affairs.
“You seem very interested.”
“Come in.”
The young man's firm mouth, square jaw, sharp eagle eyes, and thick eyebrows all resembled his father, the Duke of Turbol.
“Did the Duke of Turbol jump up and down?”
"Yes."
Ioannis Turbol, the successor to the Turbol family, looked at Asherad, who seemed to care nothing about it.
“I am not interested in your private life.”
“...”
“But I don’t understand.”
Ioannis stared intently into Asherad's eyes.
“What do you want? The ruin of that woman’s life? Love?”
Asherad deliberately looked out the window. A smile appeared on his red lips as if he were listening to music.
“I don’t care what you do, but I don’t want your reputation to be tarnished.”
When Asherad did not answer, Ioannis turned and walked out of the office.
John Turbol who became the Emperor's close friend for his service in the war. As expected of the successor of the Turbol family, he had a somewhat too upright side.
Rather than thinking that it was acceptable because they were friends, it was something that had to be done. Putting aside his feelings about the Duke of Turbol, Asherad moved his quill.
Daphne.
He teased the name Daphne.
"I love you."
Asherad sweetly confessed his love to her by name. It was as gentle as speaking to a lover's name.
Bam!
He plunged the sharp nib into the name. Black ink spread across Daphne's name like a drop of blood.
"I love you."
Askeraad muttered expressionlessly as he watched the black ink spread out.
***
“Daphne, get up and look out the window. The summer garden is really pretty.”
Sarah pointed to the window. Daphne didn't even answer.
The sound of birds chirping echoed through the air. Outside the window, beautiful green leaves were softly sparkling. Even green is boring if you just look at it, and in Daphne’s direction, scarlet daffodils were in full bloom. It would have been nice to look at and enjoy the scenery, but Daphne didn’t even roll her eyes in that direction.
Perhaps the time when she showed the most vitality was when she thought about 'running away'.
She tried to find a way to escape from him and start a new life, and although she was afraid, she stood up to him. For the first time, she rebelled against the world that oppressed her.
But it ended in failure. The first attempt resulted in the loss of Fabian, and the second only confirmed that she was in his grasp.
So what can Daphne do?
There was nothing she could do.
So she won't do anything.
Daphne was truly a pet dog. She ate when he gave her food, wore pretty clothes when he gave her clothes, and responded when he loved her.
A pet dog does not need willpower. Its only role is to greet its owner by wagging its tail. No thought is required from its existence.
So, she has no choice but to live like a dog without thinking about anything.
Daphne lay in bed, lost in thought.
In fact, this thought wasn't something she had thought about properly either. She just felt helpless first, and that was why she hadn't done anything. She had already thrown away her life.
It's a life where you have to be used to being played by Asherad's whims and people pointing fingers at you. No matter how hard you try, you won't get anything, and you'll just be pushed around and fall into the abyss.
Daphne would lie down in bed whenever she had the chance. The bed always smelled good and was soft. She would lie there and sleep when she felt sleepy, and wake up when she woke up. When Asherad came, she would kiss him.
“How long do you plan on lying down?”
“...”
“Daphne. Why on earth aren’t you doing anything?”
Daphne didn't answer Sarah's question. Should she do something? She didn't deserve to do what she wanted to do, she didn't know what she liked, and she didn't feel the need to make any effort for the future.
“I don’t know what to do.”
"Daphne..."
Sarah looked at Daphne lying down and knit her eyebrows together. Then she let out a small breath. She approached Daphne with a somewhat complicated expression and stroked her hair.
Even her eyes blinked slowly, like a perfect doll.
“There’s a lot to do.”
Sarah whispered quietly. When Daphne rolled her eyes, she continued whispering.
“If His Majesty loves you, then carry His Majesty on your back and ascend to a high position. Wear the pretty clothes you’ve never been able to wear, eat the delicious food you’ve never had, and punish those who have tormented you.”
“...”
“Oh my, why am I saying this?”
Sarah stuck her tongue out, then sighed again. She seemed to think she had made a slip of the tongue.
“What next?”
"What?"
“What’s next?”
Sarah couldn't answer that. Daphne closed her eyes with dry, emotionless eyes and spoke.
“I wish I were dead when I woke up.”
Sarah bit her lip at Daphne's whisper.
“Daphne, you shouldn’t say such things! You have to live! And Sir Fabian’s share too!”
Daphne snickered at those words. She felt extremely guilty about Fabian. But that was it. She was tired of feeling guilty now.
Maybe because she blamed herself too much, that feeling became dull.
“You should at least think about getting revenge on the person who did that to you! Don’t you have such thoughts?”
Daphne looked up at Sarah. Sarah, who was always kind, seemed confused for some reason.
“It’s strange that a kind person like you would say something like that. Would you do that?”
“Of course I will!”
At Sarah's words, Daphne looked up at the ceiling and said.
“You did, but I didn’t.”
“...”
“I know it won’t work anyway, so why waste my efforts... Now it’s hard to even breathe.”
“I wish I could just melt into the bed."
Sarah said, biting her lip.
“If that’s too hard, you might as well run away.”
“Sarah, you got fired once for that.”
“...”
“What are you talking about? I managed to survive the second time, but the third time is out of the question.”
Sarah seemed thrilled.
“Then are you going to continue living like this?”
“I don’t know about that either.”
Daphne spoke weakly and looked up at the ceiling. She had been curious about new things for a moment, but a terrible sense of lethargy was taking over her.
Daphne didn't see Sarah's expression. She might have pitied her, or she might have found her pathetic.
But Sarah was not Daphne. Ironically, with the old Emperor dead and no threat, she had long since lost all fear.
“Is it broken?”
She could smell Asherad's perfume on her nose. Daphne didn't turn her head. Daphne turned her head and looked at Asherad.
Asherad was looking down at her. Daphne untied the knot of the loose dress she was wearing as if it were nothing more than a matter of course. Asherad had provided it so that he could easily take it off at any time.
Asherad watched it quietly and said.
“What are you doing?”
Daphne tilted her head. Isn't this what he came here for? This must be it...
Daphne frowned and looked at herself and Asherad. Asherad narrowed his eyes at that.
"Stop."
“...”
“You said you were a dog, but are you really a dog?”
Asherad sneered, but Daphne paid no attention to his mockery and sarcasm.
On the other hand, Asherad's heart sank. Daphne was strange. He felt nothing from Daphne, who was negative but had rich emotions anyway.
The way she just mechanically untied her coat and tilted her head really reminded him of a dog.
Just as dogs trained by noble ladies tilt their heads when they are not praised in the same situation, so did Daphne.
This woman's voice is good. If he gets drunk on this woman, she will breathe out sweet breath again. At that moment, he will feel alive again.
No, maybe not now. Maybe even that is gone now...
Asherad placed his hand on Daphne's delicate neck. If he applied enough strength to it, he could break it right away.
Asherad felt the pulse pulsating from Daphne's neck. Here it is. If you just press here... Daphne was looking at Asherad with a puzzled expression.
A literally puzzled expression. It seemed like even if he really strangled her, she would probably show a pained expression and not ask to be spared.
He did not strangle Daphne, but looked down at her.
“Call me Uncle.”
"...What."
“If that’s too hard, you might as well run away.”
“Sarah, you got fired once for that.”
“...”
“What are you talking about? I managed to survive the second time, but the third time is out of the question.”
Sarah seemed thrilled.
“Then are you going to continue living like this?”
“I don’t know about that either.”
Daphne spoke weakly and looked up at the ceiling. She had been curious about new things for a moment, but a terrible sense of lethargy was taking over her.
Daphne didn't see Sarah's expression. She might have pitied her, or she might have found her pathetic.
But Sarah was not Daphne. Ironically, with the old Emperor dead and no threat, she had long since lost all fear.
***
“Is it broken?”
She could smell Asherad's perfume on her nose. Daphne didn't turn her head. Daphne turned her head and looked at Asherad.
Asherad was looking down at her. Daphne untied the knot of the loose dress she was wearing as if it were nothing more than a matter of course. Asherad had provided it so that he could easily take it off at any time.
Asherad watched it quietly and said.
“What are you doing?”
Daphne tilted her head. Isn't this what he came here for? This must be it...
Daphne frowned and looked at herself and Asherad. Asherad narrowed his eyes at that.
"Stop."
“...”
“You said you were a dog, but are you really a dog?”
Asherad sneered, but Daphne paid no attention to his mockery and sarcasm.
On the other hand, Asherad's heart sank. Daphne was strange. He felt nothing from Daphne, who was negative but had rich emotions anyway.
The way she just mechanically untied her coat and tilted her head really reminded him of a dog.
Just as dogs trained by noble ladies tilt their heads when they are not praised in the same situation, so did Daphne.
This woman's voice is good. If he gets drunk on this woman, she will breathe out sweet breath again. At that moment, he will feel alive again.
No, maybe not now. Maybe even that is gone now...
Asherad placed his hand on Daphne's delicate neck. If he applied enough strength to it, he could break it right away.
Asherad felt the pulse pulsating from Daphne's neck. Here it is. If you just press here... Daphne was looking at Asherad with a puzzled expression.
A literally puzzled expression. It seemed like even if he really strangled her, she would probably show a pained expression and not ask to be spared.
He did not strangle Daphne, but looked down at her.
“Call me Uncle.”
"...What."
Asherad finally read the revulsion on Daphne's face. He was delighted. Blood rushed between his legs. He spoke with a low gasp.
“Why, we could have been brother and sister. If your seed was my father’s seed.”
Daphne shook her head at the mockery. When did it turn out to be a lie? ... And they had already slept together. But what kind of brother is he?
Reading the obvious rejection, he finally grabbed Daphne's arm and kissed her neck.
“Call me Uncle.”
“No... Ugh!”
A goosebump ran down her cheek at the sticky tongue. Daphne twisted her waist. He quickly untied the knot Daphne was trying to untie and pulled down her dress.
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