53. Assassination attempt
Kalista forced a smile as she thought of Daphne. Her teeth ground at the thought of the being who had accompanied him in the carriage. Asherad opened his eyes wide and smiled brightly.
“You think too highly of me, Mother. The best of my prey are yours.”
Kalista's cheeks blushed shyly. Some of those who were watching also blushed. Although it was obvious, Asherad's flattery melted people's hearts. At that moment, Asherad smiled and said.
“So, mother, as an adult of the royal family, I ask you to take good care of my woman.”
In an instant, Kalista's face, which had been smiling brightly, hardened. The friendly atmosphere became stiff at Kalista's change.
Some looked back and forth between Asherad and Kalista with expressions of interest. Asherad's expression did not change, but Kalista’s lower lip was trembling.
“I guess you could do that?”
Asherad gripped Kalista's hand tightly and asked. She wanted to scream at him at that moment, asking if he was crazy and why she should tolerate such a lowly thing.
But Kalista looked around. This was where the women of society gathered.
No matter how much she may be, she is the mistress of the royal family. She would not be foolish enough to froth at the mouth and act out abusively in such an official setting.
“Of course.”
The one who committed the offense was Asherad. He would be a generous adult of the royal family. But he only cares about his lover.
Knowing my heart, knowing my love...!
“There is no one I can ask this favor of except my mother.”
“...”
“You know what I’m thinking, Mother.”
With a strange smile, Asherad stroked Kalista’s wrist. He held her hand in his large hand for a moment, then released it. His calloused palm brushed Kalista’s soft wrist. Kalista’s face flinched subtly.
That smile was devilish.
You know my heart.
What? But the lingering, bland tone stimulated Kalista's imagination again.
'You know that my true love is you.'
'You know she's your substitute, don't you?'
'You know the sublime love I have for you.'
You know, that was it. Kalista nodded like a girl who had been confessed to. She could not refuse and incur Asherad's hatred by kneeling and offering up her prey.
Kalista nodded again, fascinated by his face. After Asherad left, the people looked back and forth between Asherad and Kalista.
It was as if she had been enchanted and then released. It was clearly an insulting request to publicly ask a royal adult to look after her lover, but Kalista had fallen under Asherad's spell of enchantment.
“Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager must be very pleased!”
“You two look so good together!”
“As expected, today’s main character is Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
People began to approach Kalista and flatter her brightly. Kalista smiled shyly and nodded. Artemisia was amazed to see that she looked exactly like a lady who had received the oath of Asherad.
Kalista smiled brightly. She was the Queen of this hunting competition. She would reign over all the women, like a female waiting for her mate to bring her game.
She will be the only woman. I will kill all of them, too.
The corners of her red lips went up. Asherad, who had left the women, whispered something to Daphne while riding on his horse.
It was on a different level from the politeness he had shown to Calista. But Asherad suddenly smiled and kissed Daphne on the cheek.
Kalista's eyes lit up as she watched the scene from afar.
He chuckled, patted Daphne on the head, and left with the men.
***
'Stay there. The Empress Dowager will look after you.'
Asherad pointed towards Kalista and told the women to gather together.
'I'll be back.'
Daphne blinked at those words. There was no grand talk of catching prey.
He had already told Kalista that he would give her everything. In fact, she didn't need prey. Daphne felt more fear of bloodshed than romanticism about the hunting competition itself.
But, he patted her head and said, "I'll be back." When was he this affectionate? No, he was affectionate. This is a kindness that can be shown even to a guard dog. Daphne tried not to remember the hand that patted her head.
She was serious now. The Empress Dowager is taking care of her? Now, the women's time began, half a day until the men returned. Daphne glanced at Kalista. Artemisia among those women?
She took a step forward. As Daphne approached the women, the laughter disappeared, and silence fell.
Daphne gulped at the gaze that observed her with bated breath. Daphne smiled at Kalista, who was sitting there.
“Welcome.”
Kalista didn't have any public service. That was natural, since she was a commoner with no title.
“Hello, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager.”
Despite Daphne’s polite greeting, Kalista’s face did not soften. Contempt, annoyance, anger. Daphne could feel her anger even on her skin, so she averted her eyes.
“You have come to a place that is too precious for you.”
“...”
“Since you’re here, why don’t you take a break with your friends? You can even go for a walk.”
She waved her hand as if swatting away a troublesome fly. Then the maids led Daphne away. They laughed at the obvious treatment of her as a maid.
Daphne, who had come to the corner where the maids were standing, found herself being met with mocking, laughing gazes.
She saw Artemisia looking at her with a look of resentment. Daphne smiled inwardly at her.
She had no intention of being a laughing stock in the presence of noble ladies.
She guessed that's enough since they've said hello.
Daphne quietly walked away from the tent where the women were. Daphne had decided to just walk through the forest like Kalista had said.
Then someone who often followed Daphne said:
“Hey, wait a minute!”
Daphne looked back. A woman in a maid's uniform called out to her with an anxious expression. Daphne stopped and looked back.
“Are you okay?”
"Yes."
Why, this is the first time she's received such kindness. The short-haired maid bowed her head shyly and said.
“Hey, that road is good for a walk. Instead of staying here, why don’t you go for a walk there?”
Her eyes were moist, perhaps sympathizing with Daphne's humiliation. When she looked in the direction the maid was pointing, she saw, and sure enough, a small path.
"Thank you."
“Don’t go too deep, do you need something to eat?”
“No. It’s okay.”
Daphne was truly grateful to this kind maid. It would be fine if she just walked around the outskirts without going too far. Then she wouldn't need to eat.
Daphne thought as she walked along the well-worn path. Entering the forest, Daphne experienced happiness.
The earth felt warm underfoot. The heavy scent of trees, incomparable to that smelled in the garden, soothed her nose. Daphne saw people coming from across the path.
Are they walkers from another family?
Should I say hello?
Daphne, who had been walking without thinking, turned around and ran away in fear without realizing it.
The ropes and knives in the men's hands were not ordinary!
Moreover, none of them had any patterns on their clothes. Only the permitted nobles and their attendants were allowed to enter the Alron Forest. In other words, they were all intruders.
“Catch her!”
The hunters started running towards the herbivores that had run away with their animalistic senses.
Daphne wanted to die. But when others rushed to kill her, she ran as fast as she could, her skirt fluttering in the wind like a deer being chased by a predator.
The silk shoes came off.
He was afraid of those who followed him.
That murderous gaze was real.
She had to go to the awning where the women were gathered. However, the moment she saw a man who seemed to be part of the same group suddenly appear at the end of the path, Daphne entered the complex forest.
The escape route was also blocked. Was it fortunate that she was small? As she entered the narrow space between the trees, her pursuit speed slowed down. She had no time to find a way to break the situation.
She was just running away. They were definitely chasing Daphne. Daphne squeezed her eyes shut. All she wanted was for Asherad to show up.
Isn't Daphne running away right now? She was doing something so disgusting that it made her teeth chatter. So, if he shows up now...
Pee-pee!
"Ah!"
Something brushed Daphne's shoulder. It took her a moment to realize that it was a dagger. Daphne hid behind the thick trees again.
Daphne gasped for breath, and her heart pounded for a moment.
What if Asherad doesn't come? What if Asherad isn't always watching her? What if there's no one assigned to watch her?
A faint sense of despair and anxiety rose. The sound of footsteps was heard in the bushes. Tears welled up in Daphne's eyes. Where was this human when she needed him most? Where...!
Daphne ran again. Her breathless steps became slower and slower. Those who specialized in killing smiled bitterly. Daphne stopped walking. Another group of men in black appeared between the trees.
They drew their daggers.
Daphne anticipated her own death.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment