57. Fear
“You did something flashy and violent again.”
“...”
“It went according to plan, but didn’t it go too far?”
Ioannis spoke to Asherad, who was wiping blood in the room.
The day of the hunting competition was long. The dark moonlit night rose, and the faint light made Asherad's skin look even whiter. The red blood splattered on his cheek stood out.
"How is it?"
Ioannis shook his head at Asherad's question. Instead of answering him, he asked about Daphne's well-being.
“She’s sleeping. There’s no poison in the wound, and the wound on her chest isn’t deep either.”
“...”
“What a relief.”
“What a relief?”
Asherad raised the corners of his mouth. There was extreme disgust in his eyes.
Ioannis wondered what caused this disgust.
What did Asherad gain by doing such things to her, whom he cherished and laughed at as his own failure?
He was always rational. Except for Daphne, but most of the time. Ioannis asked curiously.
“Why are you so angry?”
“...”
“Asherad, you are angry now.”
Ioannis put his hand on Asherad's shoulder. Then Ioannis flinched as if he had been burned and pulled his hand away.
“You’re shaking.”
“...”
“Asherad.”
Asherad didn't say anything. The only thing that could be seen was the faint shadow on his back, indicating his trembling. Ioannis stared blankly at the trembling, weak man who could be compared to the sun god.
The man was lonely, as haggard as an old man, and as fearful as a child.
“What if, what if, she had died?”
Asherad said no more, but that one word was enough for Ioannis.
Asherad is now afraid. He chose Daphne as a means to check Kalista by exploiting her weakness. However, with the intervention of a third force called the Children of Shimer, Daphne's life was truly in danger.
He almost lost Daphne, completely and utterly.
His plans, which were always perfect, almost resulted in great loss due to variables.
The loss was Daphne's life, which would never come back. Ioannis's hardened face softened. A warmth, like looking at a baby bird hatching from an egg, settled in Ioannis' eyes.
“Asherad. In my view, you have learned fear.”
"Fear?"
Askelad frowned as if to say, “What are you talking about?” Ioannis said calmly.
“Yes. The fear that someone else might die because of you.”
It was a truly weak and childish feeling.
I felt such 'normal' emotions?
Asherad looked blank and lost in thought. When he realized what was causing this trembling, he felt sorry for his own trembling body. He gritted his teeth and said.
“There’s no way I could have that kind of altruism. That woman deserves to have her head cut off right now!”
It was nothing more than a vain pretense. He had searched so desperately for Daphne, had run to her and hugged her when he saw her tied to a tree, bleeding, and yet he pretended not to care. Even though his heart sank. Even though he held her tightly and shouted for her to be saved.
“With that plan you were only thinking about in your head, you probably never thought that the girl would die.”
“...”
“You’re afraid of that girl dying.”
Asherad gritted his teeth as if he was about to shout no. His eyes were blazing with anger at Ioannis. But he was unable to say anything in the end.
“Asherad, it is not a sin to cherish a person. Whether that woman is the one who ruined your life or the one who killed your mother.”
“...”
“Find the answer before you ruin each other further.”
“...”
“You can do it.”
Ioannis put his hand on his shoulder. Asherad looked up blankly. Ioannis was like the calm sea. Asherad said blankly.
“What can I do now?”
“What should I do? You have to appease that girl first.”
Ioannis said. It was Ioannis who rode in Daphne's escort carriage at Asherad's request. He noticed Daphne's anxious expression.
Moreover, Daphne secretly resented Asherad.
“Things turned out that way, but no one apologized to the poor girl.”
“...”
“Calm your heart. That comes first.”
That was all he could say, hoping that this immature, clumsy, helpless, ignorant person would be a little more honest.
Daphne blinked. She couldn't believe the person kneeling before her. Who on earth could that person be?
Of course, she knew who that person was. He wasn't even covering his face.
She just couldn't believe that this person was the one she knew. It was definitely a strange picture for the Empress Dowager to kneel before a mere concubine of the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, please get up. Why on earth are you...”
“I'm sorry.”
“...”
“I’m sorry. You were put in great danger because of me.”
At first glance, Kalista looked like she was out of her mind. She had a forced smile on her face, the corners of her mouth raised, like a doll. The smile on her beautiful face was quite bizarre.
“What are you talking about?”
“I should have taken better care of yours, but didn’t I kick you out, and that’s why you got hurt so much?”
“That... is the fault of those who attacked, not Your Majesty.”
Daphne desperately wanted someone to resolve this awkward situation, as she could not force the Empress Dowager to rise, and she was not in a position to 'generously' forgive her apology.
It was a time when Daphne didn't know what to do.
“Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager. If you continue like this, you will only provoke His Majesty’s wrath.”
A familiar voice was heard. Daphne looked puzzled.
The owner of the hard, unwavering voice was Ioannis. He strode over to the Empress Dowager, stood in front of her, and bowed to her.
“Viscount Turbol, no. I must be forgiven. By that young lady...”
“His Majesty will not forgive you for this.”
“...”
“Don’t embarrass Miss Daphne.”
He was not only direct but also disrespectful to the Empress Dowager, the most senior member of the royal family. Daphne blinked at his attitude.
Kalista's eyes twitched. The corners of her mouth twitched in anger.
“I purely ask for forgiveness...!”
“Have you been honest about what you did?”
At those words, Kalista closed her mouth. Ioannis looked straight into Kalista’s eyes. There was no disgust, no contempt, no disdain in those eyes that seemed as hard as stone. But that alone made Kalista flinch.
“Even if you cause such a big commotion, His Majesty will not forgive you. Instead, he will only become even more angry.”
“...”
“His Majesty the Emperor knows the obvious. Please go without making your face dirty.”
At Ioannis's words, Kalista got up. She glared at Daphne for a long time, then turned her head and looked at Ioannis as if she was going to kill him, then quickly walked away.
“In a place like this, if a person of high rank kneels before a person of low rank, the blame will fall on the person of low rank.”
Daphne was dumbfounded. She had no idea what he was talking about.
“Huh? What is that...”
“Even if the superior has committed a mistake, it is presumptuous to just stand by and watch the subordinate kneel and even ‘forgive him’.”
“...”
“First of all, you did a good job of not forgiving unconditionally to avoid the situation. However, I think you need to use your speaking skills to get her to step down.”
Daphne looked at Ioannis. He had hardly said anything when he escorted her to the carriage, but today he was very talkative. She felt a little uncomfortable with this man. She could not tell what he was thinking, in a different sense from Askelad.
At first, he seemed to be keeping his distance, but then he became friendly. Furthermore, this man was the son of the Duke of Turbol, who had tried to kill her. She was worried that he might be secretly wary of her as the daughter of a seductress.
“What brings you here?”
“I have been put in charge of escorting the young lady.”
Daphne opened her eyes wide. What the... The heir to a famous ducal family in the country would be her escort? Why?
“His Majesty's command.”
Asherad to himself? Ioannis said, looking at the confused Daphne.
“His Majesty is very sorry for Miss Daphne.”
“...”
Why is he saying that? And why is he saying it to her?
“I will take responsibility for Miss Daphne’s safety from now on. I will also educate you on how to handle situations like this.”
“...”
“Plus, I'm going to give the young lady a lesson.”
“You did something flashy and violent again.”
“...”
“It went according to plan, but didn’t it go too far?”
Ioannis spoke to Asherad, who was wiping blood in the room.
The day of the hunting competition was long. The dark moonlit night rose, and the faint light made Asherad's skin look even whiter. The red blood splattered on his cheek stood out.
"How is it?"
Ioannis shook his head at Asherad's question. Instead of answering him, he asked about Daphne's well-being.
“She’s sleeping. There’s no poison in the wound, and the wound on her chest isn’t deep either.”
“...”
“What a relief.”
“What a relief?”
Asherad raised the corners of his mouth. There was extreme disgust in his eyes.
Ioannis wondered what caused this disgust.
What did Asherad gain by doing such things to her, whom he cherished and laughed at as his own failure?
He was always rational. Except for Daphne, but most of the time. Ioannis asked curiously.
“Why are you so angry?”
“...”
“Asherad, you are angry now.”
Ioannis put his hand on Asherad's shoulder. Then Ioannis flinched as if he had been burned and pulled his hand away.
“You’re shaking.”
“...”
“Asherad.”
Asherad didn't say anything. The only thing that could be seen was the faint shadow on his back, indicating his trembling. Ioannis stared blankly at the trembling, weak man who could be compared to the sun god.
The man was lonely, as haggard as an old man, and as fearful as a child.
“What if, what if, she had died?”
Asherad said no more, but that one word was enough for Ioannis.
Asherad is now afraid. He chose Daphne as a means to check Kalista by exploiting her weakness. However, with the intervention of a third force called the Children of Shimer, Daphne's life was truly in danger.
He almost lost Daphne, completely and utterly.
His plans, which were always perfect, almost resulted in great loss due to variables.
The loss was Daphne's life, which would never come back. Ioannis's hardened face softened. A warmth, like looking at a baby bird hatching from an egg, settled in Ioannis' eyes.
“Asherad. In my view, you have learned fear.”
"Fear?"
Askelad frowned as if to say, “What are you talking about?” Ioannis said calmly.
“Yes. The fear that someone else might die because of you.”
It was a truly weak and childish feeling.
I felt such 'normal' emotions?
Asherad looked blank and lost in thought. When he realized what was causing this trembling, he felt sorry for his own trembling body. He gritted his teeth and said.
“There’s no way I could have that kind of altruism. That woman deserves to have her head cut off right now!”
It was nothing more than a vain pretense. He had searched so desperately for Daphne, had run to her and hugged her when he saw her tied to a tree, bleeding, and yet he pretended not to care. Even though his heart sank. Even though he held her tightly and shouted for her to be saved.
“With that plan you were only thinking about in your head, you probably never thought that the girl would die.”
“...”
“You’re afraid of that girl dying.”
Asherad gritted his teeth as if he was about to shout no. His eyes were blazing with anger at Ioannis. But he was unable to say anything in the end.
“Asherad, it is not a sin to cherish a person. Whether that woman is the one who ruined your life or the one who killed your mother.”
“...”
“Find the answer before you ruin each other further.”
“...”
“You can do it.”
Ioannis put his hand on his shoulder. Asherad looked up blankly. Ioannis was like the calm sea. Asherad said blankly.
“What can I do now?”
“What should I do? You have to appease that girl first.”
Ioannis said. It was Ioannis who rode in Daphne's escort carriage at Asherad's request. He noticed Daphne's anxious expression.
Moreover, Daphne secretly resented Asherad.
“Things turned out that way, but no one apologized to the poor girl.”
“...”
“Calm your heart. That comes first.”
That was all he could say, hoping that this immature, clumsy, helpless, ignorant person would be a little more honest.
***
Daphne blinked. She couldn't believe the person kneeling before her. Who on earth could that person be?
Of course, she knew who that person was. He wasn't even covering his face.
She just couldn't believe that this person was the one she knew. It was definitely a strange picture for the Empress Dowager to kneel before a mere concubine of the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, please get up. Why on earth are you...”
“I'm sorry.”
“...”
“I’m sorry. You were put in great danger because of me.”
At first glance, Kalista looked like she was out of her mind. She had a forced smile on her face, the corners of her mouth raised, like a doll. The smile on her beautiful face was quite bizarre.
“What are you talking about?”
“I should have taken better care of yours, but didn’t I kick you out, and that’s why you got hurt so much?”
“That... is the fault of those who attacked, not Your Majesty.”
Daphne desperately wanted someone to resolve this awkward situation, as she could not force the Empress Dowager to rise, and she was not in a position to 'generously' forgive her apology.
It was a time when Daphne didn't know what to do.
“Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager. If you continue like this, you will only provoke His Majesty’s wrath.”
A familiar voice was heard. Daphne looked puzzled.
The owner of the hard, unwavering voice was Ioannis. He strode over to the Empress Dowager, stood in front of her, and bowed to her.
“Viscount Turbol, no. I must be forgiven. By that young lady...”
“His Majesty will not forgive you for this.”
“...”
“Don’t embarrass Miss Daphne.”
He was not only direct but also disrespectful to the Empress Dowager, the most senior member of the royal family. Daphne blinked at his attitude.
Kalista's eyes twitched. The corners of her mouth twitched in anger.
“I purely ask for forgiveness...!”
“Have you been honest about what you did?”
At those words, Kalista closed her mouth. Ioannis looked straight into Kalista’s eyes. There was no disgust, no contempt, no disdain in those eyes that seemed as hard as stone. But that alone made Kalista flinch.
“Even if you cause such a big commotion, His Majesty will not forgive you. Instead, he will only become even more angry.”
“...”
“His Majesty the Emperor knows the obvious. Please go without making your face dirty.”
At Ioannis's words, Kalista got up. She glared at Daphne for a long time, then turned her head and looked at Ioannis as if she was going to kill him, then quickly walked away.
“In a place like this, if a person of high rank kneels before a person of low rank, the blame will fall on the person of low rank.”
Daphne was dumbfounded. She had no idea what he was talking about.
“Huh? What is that...”
“Even if the superior has committed a mistake, it is presumptuous to just stand by and watch the subordinate kneel and even ‘forgive him’.”
“...”
“First of all, you did a good job of not forgiving unconditionally to avoid the situation. However, I think you need to use your speaking skills to get her to step down.”
Daphne looked at Ioannis. He had hardly said anything when he escorted her to the carriage, but today he was very talkative. She felt a little uncomfortable with this man. She could not tell what he was thinking, in a different sense from Askelad.
At first, he seemed to be keeping his distance, but then he became friendly. Furthermore, this man was the son of the Duke of Turbol, who had tried to kill her. She was worried that he might be secretly wary of her as the daughter of a seductress.
“What brings you here?”
“I have been put in charge of escorting the young lady.”
Daphne opened her eyes wide. What the... The heir to a famous ducal family in the country would be her escort? Why?
“His Majesty's command.”
Asherad to himself? Ioannis said, looking at the confused Daphne.
“His Majesty is very sorry for Miss Daphne.”
“...”
Why is he saying that? And why is he saying it to her?
“I will take responsibility for Miss Daphne’s safety from now on. I will also educate you on how to handle situations like this.”
“...”
“Plus, I'm going to give the young lady a lesson.”
Ioannis asked, looking at Daphne's face, who looked confused as to what was going on.
“But before that, there’s one thing I’d like to ask you.”
“...”
“Do you love His Majesty?”
The man with brown hair was looking at Daphne with a stern expression. Was this a test or simple curiosity? Daphne bit her lip.
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