58. Say I love you
Asherad's steps stopped in front of the door.
“Ioannis is here?”
Asherad looked at Daphne’s room with cold eyes. Then, a soft voice was heard from beyond the room.
“Do you love His Majesty?”
At this moment, Asherad wanted to drag Ioannis out of the room and kill him. How dare you, how dare you ask such questions?
But Asherad stood there as if under a spell. It was as if his feet had turned to stone. He could neither run away nor enter.
He waited for the woman's answer, desperately denying it.
Tell him you love me.
Tell me I love you.
What?
It was funny even when he thought about it himself. How could he be so stupid that he couldn't do anything because he wanted to steal the words "I love you" from the woman who treated him like a dog?
The warmth of the hallway was cool, but Asherad's body was hot. He heard a thumping sound in his ears. It was his heartbeat. The sound of his heart beating so fast made him feel like a criminal waiting for his verdict, and he waited for her sentence.
"No."
The answer was as expected: guilty.
Actually, it was an answer he had already expected, but he felt like he had been hit in the head with something.
He doesn't love her, that woman.
Asherad's steps stopped in front of the door.
“Ioannis is here?”
Asherad looked at Daphne’s room with cold eyes. Then, a soft voice was heard from beyond the room.
“Do you love His Majesty?”
At this moment, Asherad wanted to drag Ioannis out of the room and kill him. How dare you, how dare you ask such questions?
But Asherad stood there as if under a spell. It was as if his feet had turned to stone. He could neither run away nor enter.
He waited for the woman's answer, desperately denying it.
Tell him you love me.
Tell me I love you.
What?
It was funny even when he thought about it himself. How could he be so stupid that he couldn't do anything because he wanted to steal the words "I love you" from the woman who treated him like a dog?
The warmth of the hallway was cool, but Asherad's body was hot. He heard a thumping sound in his ears. It was his heartbeat. The sound of his heart beating so fast made him feel like a criminal waiting for his verdict, and he waited for her sentence.
"No."
The answer was as expected: guilty.
Actually, it was an answer he had already expected, but he felt like he had been hit in the head with something.
He doesn't love her, that woman.
The person who only looked at him like that says she doesn't love him.
Beautiful clothes, shiny jewelry, a warm and comfortable room, a large mirror, and delicious food. Despite all this, this woman says she doesn't love what she's surrounded by.
At that time, she had a face so innocent that it was almost foolish, and her eyes sparkled as she said that she would stay by his side.
So should he throw her back into the abyss?
If he pats her head there, will her eyes light up when she sees him again? Will she beg for love?
Or should he kneel before her? The weight of this strange emotion was shifting here and there.
How disgusting it is to have the heart of a woman who never wished for misfortune waver.
Even though he was stuck on the battlefield for three years, he never forgot the sadism that made him want to cause misfortune. How close is that feeling to love?
Asherad smiled bitterly.
He turned his back on the visitor. He didn't hear what was being said. No, actually, even if he did, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
That was a lie.
***
“Don’t you love His Majesty?”
Ioannis asked, not seeming particularly surprised. Daphne decided to assume that the whole thing had reached Asherad.
Even if she said she loved him, he wouldn't believe her. She had cursed so much. Daphne had even screamed and thrown a tantrum.
All she could show was lies mixed with some truth, not lies that could arouse caution.
“But I will always be by his side.”
“...”
“As long as His Majesty so desires.”
Because she had no choice. In this suffocating space, she had no choice but to live under Askeraad's thumb. Go with the flow, as he wanted. Like that. Was he surprised by those words? The man was silent for a long time.
“I like it when you’re honest.”
She tried to say more, but Ioannis didn't ask any more questions. Daphne's expression was hard.
“The first thing I want to tell Miss Daphne is.”
“...”
“Everything you do in the palace will be reported to His Majesty. Be careful about everything.”
The first teaching was like that. Daphne knew it too. It was so simple that Daphne passed over that cruel teaching.
***
Daphne was able to get up from her seat exactly ten days later. What was curious was that Asherad had not visited her even once during those ten days.
Now, is it neglect again? Daphne couldn't understand Asherad's actions.
She smiled coldly. It seemed that his great love had cooled down. The occasional conversation with Ioannis or with Amanda and Sarah was the only time when she could relieve her boredom.
As Daphne had expected, Amanda cried as soon as she saw Sarah. But Sarah, on the contrary, seemed to be in a state of shock. Daphne remembered that Sarah had not told her that she was alive.
Why didn't Sarah tell Amanda?
Anyway, the two of them quickly became close again. They chatted without hesitation in front of Daphne, and listening to their conversations made her feel like she was back in her old days as a maid.
It's not that she misses that time.
However, she also remembered the days when she didn't know anything and just wanted Asherad's touch. Those days when she received Asherad's gaze were the happiest days of her life.
Her peaceful world was made of deception.
“It’s comfortable here.”
"That's right."
“I told you, if you hadn’t come, we would have been in big trouble.”
“You should thank Daphne.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Daphne laughed at Amanda's forced words. She frowned when she saw that.
“Oh, right, Daphne. The staff at the clothing store will be here soon. You need to get some fall clothes made.”
"...Yes."
“I heard there’s going to be a big Raphael art festival this fall?”
Daphne's eyes widened. The Raphael Festival was one of the competitions held every five years. It was a place where famous and new painters presented their paintings, and it was also the reason why the Peneus Empire was renowned for its art.
“Since when has she been so interested in art?”
Sarah slapped Amanda in the ribs as she spoke in a sarcastic tone.
“We'll have to ask the King to take you.”
Daphne's face lit up. She had been putting off going to see Asherad day after day.
Now there's a reason to see Asherad.
***
“Is that true?”
The nobles, including Duke Turbol, were all shocked. They could not believe the words that came out of Asherad's mouth.
“Are we finally welcoming the mistress of the empire?”
At that moment, the nobles of the Asherad faction and other factions all cried out in joy. Asherad, who had only had lovers, finally declared that he would take the Empress.
“However, how can I get a bride just by looking at the names of kingdoms and families written on a map or piece of paper?”
He rested his chin on his hand and spoke indifferently.
“I will hold a ball and meet the girl I like.”
Meeting the bride of your choice at a ball. How fairytale-like and romantic. But the person who said that didn't seem to be expecting such excitement.
Rather, if you're bored, you might as well be bored.
Ah, the power-conscious nobles noticed right away. The ball was a nominal reason, and he was wary of taking in the daughter of a powerful noble.
But where was the empty seat of the Empress? Furthermore, the term 'ball' meant that Asherad was no longer only including foreign Princesses and royal daughters, but also the nobles of this country as candidates for her bride.
“It would be perfect if it overlaps with the Raphael Art Festival season.”
“Is it that early?”
The nobleman, who was thinking about a lineup of fancy dresses to catch the Emperor's eye, asked urgently. Asherad said with a faint smile.
“Didn’t you say that time was of the essence?”
There were only a few months left. They were at a loss at the Emperor's bombshell announcement. Asherad stood up to give them time to babble.
As he walked out of the conference room, a servant followed him.
“Your Majesty, Lady Daphne is waiting for you.”
“...”
Asherad ignored the words and continued walking. He looked at the sky. The sky was blue as autumn approached, the weather was clear, and his heart was tattered.
***
“Why aren’t you coming?”
Daphne waited for Asherad, but he did not return to his room. Daphne felt anew funny. She had never dared call him before. But now it felt natural to call him.
Did the man notice that cheeky gap?
When everyone was asleep, Daphne finally got up from her bed. As she was reaching for the doorknob to leave the room, the door suddenly slammed open.
It was Asherad. He was wearing a loose shirt with a slit in the front again, and the corners of his red lips were raised.
“Daphne. Were you waiting for me?”
As she nodded, Asherad smiled even more deeply. Daphne felt something ominous.
“Since His Majesty hasn’t come, I was going to go...”
“No way. No way.”
“...”
“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep today.”
He passed Daphne and sat down in the chair. It was just a chair, but he sat with his legs crossed, so it looked like a throne. He rested his chin on his hand and asked Daphne.
“Daphne, come here.”
That smile was somehow as dazzling as before. Daphne approached that dangerous face as if she were entranced. Across the table, when she was about to sit down, Asherad spoke.
“Not there, but here.”
Asherad pointed under the chair with his hand. The corners of his mouth, which had been raised to try to look friendly, suddenly dropped.
Asherad was telling her to sit under the chair like she used to.
Like a dog.
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