#106. Enlightenment
Life on board was new, but Daphne couldn't really feel this newness. It was because she was afraid. Daphne was locked in her cabin. It felt like Asherad's ship would follow her and grab her. If she went out onto the deck, wouldn't Asherad see her from afar? Or would Asherad stand and greet her?
With that cruelly beautiful smile, and a cold anger.
Locked in her room, Daphne held her breath quietly. Daphne's fear was not trivial. Sometimes she thought that Asherad might pull back the blanket she was covered with.
To that extent, Asherad was an absolute being, a hunter who could always catch her in his grasp. Should she return to Asherad now? Should she ask for forgiveness?
After many failures, Daphne became more and more afraid the more she left. There was no sense of freedom. She was more anxious because she had never succeeded.
She was just anxious, worried that she might get caught and have to go back.
There was even a time when a sailor came in without knocking, and she screamed loudly, thinking it was Asherad. After that, everyone who came here knocked to get into Daphne's room.
The more it felt like she was leaving, the more scared Daphne became.
The cage she was locked in was so comfortable. If only she could please Asherad, so much would come pouring out. Just please him.
Could it be that running away was the wrong choice?
Daphne continued to suffer. She was leaving the place where she had been locked up since she was ten. Fear gripped her.
Asherad won't leave her alone.
What happened to Sarah? She'll be okay. Daphne kept thinking and thinking. The one who cared for Daphne as she quietly collapsed was the man who resembled Fabian.
“Eat.”
He brought food every day. Daphne accepted it without saying a word. The man said where she was now, that she was passing by some coast. Daphne had never seen a map, so she thought she was far away. However, she knew it was a consideration.
She still didn't know the man's name, but he was the only person here who knew her face.
Even when Daphne went to the bathroom for a moment, she kept her head down, fearing that people would recognize her.
At some point, Daphne realized that she was feeling nauseous. She was seasick. The nausea came so frequently. At some point, she felt dizzy even walking. Seasickness was making Daphne very uncomfortable.
But Daphne couldn't say anything. She was indebted to the people here, and she couldn't cause them any trouble by making them seasick.
'It'll be okay...'
She heard that some people get motion sickness when riding a carriage in the past. They said that if they continue riding the carriage, they will get used to it. They will get used to this journey that has no end in sight.
Daphne tried to calm her churning stomach and continued to stay locked in this familiar, low, and musty room like a coffin.
In this dark room where no light came in, Daphne groaned. Then one night, feeling suffocated, Daphne finally decided to go out onto the deck. She felt that if she got some cold air, her nausea would go away. As she was about to go up the stairs, a man appeared.
"What?"
Daphne said with a pale face.
“I came out because I felt a little stuffy.”
The man nodded and pointed to the door with his hand. The freedom felt strange. As Daphne stepped onto the stairs, her head spun, and her body collapsed.
Ioannis looked at Asherad, who was bowing his head. Asherad searched the forest himself with the knights. If it weren't for Ioannis, he might have called all the knights guarding the front lines.
The place that Ioannis searched was to the east. There was definitely evidence of human presence there. As he went deeper into the cave he found there, he found a place that connected to the river.
Perhaps Daphne's escape route was there. He hesitated as he looked at it. After much thought, Ioannis left the matter unasked. The country was at war, and he did not want Asherad to see Daphne again.
“Asherad. It’s time to boost the morale of the soldiers. This can’t be happening now.”
“Where did she go? Where do you think she went...”
“Asherad.”
“Did she just go over the mountain? Or did she cut through that huge forest?”
“..”
“The path to the river is a cliff. Did she jump off there?”
“Asherad!”
“Is she dead? Is Daphne dead?”
He raised his head, and tears fell from his eyes. He looked completely like a child. He was lying on the desk in the barracks, his eyes wide open with tears in his eyes, and he kept thinking about an escape route.
“Asherad. Come to your senses.”
Asherad looked up at the tent with a blank expression. His wide-open eyes had long since lost focus. He could not understand Daphne’s escape.
Why?
It compensated for the shabby life she had lived.
I gave you the love you so desperately wanted.
I've thought about my mistakes enough and tried harder.
Why?
You're saying you acted like you were 9 years old again? This time, so meticulously that I couldn't even see it?
Asherad could not forgive Daphne.
“If I catch you again...”
He thought of those clear blue eyes. He thought of that bright smile. He was envious of that.
“If I catch you again...”
“...”
“If I catch you again, I’ll cut off your legs.”
“...”
“If I leave your body behind, I won’t be able to run away again. Right?”
Asherad muttered in a gloomy tone. Asherad had already thought of Daphne crying over him with her limbs cut off.
Daphne had to become a tree. A tree rooted here and never moving. A being without legs, an eternal being. An eternal love. Someone who would be by her side forever and who could not run away from him.
What should he do with that severed leg?
He has to eat it, so it can't be put back on.
His reason was already disturbed, and he could not think properly. He imagined all the terrible things he could. And Asherad was in ecstasy. How beautiful it would be to cry. When he cut off the leg, he held the child's hand. And he will do it for their sake, saying it is okay.
She will become a beautiful tree and stay like that forever.
Asherad laughed bitterly.
He's already looking forward to that day.
Daphne opened her eyes. She was in her room. What happened to me? She thinks she fell down, but she opened her eyes.
"Uh!"
Daphne looked toward the door, where the man was sitting in the chair. Why, why...? The man looked up at her voice. Instead of asking if she was okay, he furrowed his eyebrows.
“You don’t do anything unless someone takes care of you.”
"Yes?"
“Did you expect someone to make you something you like when you don’t like the food? Did you expect someone to take care of you even when you don’t tell them you have severe seasickness?”
Daphne was dumbfounded by the man's harsh words. The man raised the corners of his mouth and grinned with all his might.
“You lived so well under that Emperor, yet you can’t even act like a human being. You’re causing harm to the person you brought with you.”
“...”
“So you wouldn’t have been able to run away on your own.”
Daphne stared at him blankly. Why was he so angry? Oh, right. If she were sick, that person would be upset. Daphne got up from her seat.
"Sorry."
“...”
“I couldn’t do anything because I was afraid you might be upset. I’m sorry.”
The man's eyes widened at Daphne's apology. He looked at her with a strange expression. Daphne gave up reading his face. The man was considerate, but he was not kind to her. That was all she could remember.
“How long was I down?”
"A day."
"Sorry."
Daphne spoke again. The man frowned.
“Miss Daphne.”
"Yes?"
“Don’t you ever make excuses for yourself?”
Daphne tilted her head at those words. An excuse? Was that something she had to do? But that man was already angry...?
The man sighed as he looked at that puzzled face.
"Wake up."
Daphne sat up. When he held out his hand, Daphne took it. That hand, that hand was so warm. It was like holding Fabian’s hand from before.
Daphne followed him. It was daytime, and light was pouring down from the stairs. Daphne climbed up the stairs and stood on the deck, where she had not been since boarding the ship.
The sky is blue and the clouds are white.
Daphne looked at the blue sea. The sunlight reflecting off it was beautiful. Looking around, she saw that it was a vast ocean, and she could not see anything of the Peneus Empire. The man looked at Daphne and said.
“See? No one can chase after you here.”
Daphne greeted the wind, blowing in a daze. It caressed her cheeks like a miracle. There was no more that damned palace, no more Asherad.
She was the only one here.
"Yes..."
Daphne, who had lived a life where she couldn't even defend herself. Daphne, who had always blamed herself. Daphne knew why this man had brought her here.
“I am Derek Pond.”
Only then did Daphne bow her head to the man who introduced himself. She looked at the sea that Derek was pointing at. She was now completely out of Asherad's shadow.
Tears flowed from Daphne's eyes.
I escaped.
I escaped from that human.
Life on board was new, but Daphne couldn't really feel this newness. It was because she was afraid. Daphne was locked in her cabin. It felt like Asherad's ship would follow her and grab her. If she went out onto the deck, wouldn't Asherad see her from afar? Or would Asherad stand and greet her?
With that cruelly beautiful smile, and a cold anger.
Locked in her room, Daphne held her breath quietly. Daphne's fear was not trivial. Sometimes she thought that Asherad might pull back the blanket she was covered with.
To that extent, Asherad was an absolute being, a hunter who could always catch her in his grasp. Should she return to Asherad now? Should she ask for forgiveness?
After many failures, Daphne became more and more afraid the more she left. There was no sense of freedom. She was more anxious because she had never succeeded.
She was just anxious, worried that she might get caught and have to go back.
There was even a time when a sailor came in without knocking, and she screamed loudly, thinking it was Asherad. After that, everyone who came here knocked to get into Daphne's room.
The more it felt like she was leaving, the more scared Daphne became.
The cage she was locked in was so comfortable. If only she could please Asherad, so much would come pouring out. Just please him.
Could it be that running away was the wrong choice?
Daphne continued to suffer. She was leaving the place where she had been locked up since she was ten. Fear gripped her.
Asherad won't leave her alone.
What happened to Sarah? She'll be okay. Daphne kept thinking and thinking. The one who cared for Daphne as she quietly collapsed was the man who resembled Fabian.
“Eat.”
He brought food every day. Daphne accepted it without saying a word. The man said where she was now, that she was passing by some coast. Daphne had never seen a map, so she thought she was far away. However, she knew it was a consideration.
She still didn't know the man's name, but he was the only person here who knew her face.
Even when Daphne went to the bathroom for a moment, she kept her head down, fearing that people would recognize her.
At some point, Daphne realized that she was feeling nauseous. She was seasick. The nausea came so frequently. At some point, she felt dizzy even walking. Seasickness was making Daphne very uncomfortable.
But Daphne couldn't say anything. She was indebted to the people here, and she couldn't cause them any trouble by making them seasick.
'It'll be okay...'
She heard that some people get motion sickness when riding a carriage in the past. They said that if they continue riding the carriage, they will get used to it. They will get used to this journey that has no end in sight.
Daphne tried to calm her churning stomach and continued to stay locked in this familiar, low, and musty room like a coffin.
In this dark room where no light came in, Daphne groaned. Then one night, feeling suffocated, Daphne finally decided to go out onto the deck. She felt that if she got some cold air, her nausea would go away. As she was about to go up the stairs, a man appeared.
"What?"
Daphne said with a pale face.
“I came out because I felt a little stuffy.”
The man nodded and pointed to the door with his hand. The freedom felt strange. As Daphne stepped onto the stairs, her head spun, and her body collapsed.
***
Ioannis looked at Asherad, who was bowing his head. Asherad searched the forest himself with the knights. If it weren't for Ioannis, he might have called all the knights guarding the front lines.
The place that Ioannis searched was to the east. There was definitely evidence of human presence there. As he went deeper into the cave he found there, he found a place that connected to the river.
Perhaps Daphne's escape route was there. He hesitated as he looked at it. After much thought, Ioannis left the matter unasked. The country was at war, and he did not want Asherad to see Daphne again.
“Asherad. It’s time to boost the morale of the soldiers. This can’t be happening now.”
“Where did she go? Where do you think she went...”
“Asherad.”
“Did she just go over the mountain? Or did she cut through that huge forest?”
“..”
“The path to the river is a cliff. Did she jump off there?”
“Asherad!”
“Is she dead? Is Daphne dead?”
He raised his head, and tears fell from his eyes. He looked completely like a child. He was lying on the desk in the barracks, his eyes wide open with tears in his eyes, and he kept thinking about an escape route.
“Asherad. Come to your senses.”
Asherad looked up at the tent with a blank expression. His wide-open eyes had long since lost focus. He could not understand Daphne’s escape.
Why?
It compensated for the shabby life she had lived.
I gave you the love you so desperately wanted.
I've thought about my mistakes enough and tried harder.
Why?
You're saying you acted like you were 9 years old again? This time, so meticulously that I couldn't even see it?
Asherad could not forgive Daphne.
“If I catch you again...”
He thought of those clear blue eyes. He thought of that bright smile. He was envious of that.
“If I catch you again...”
“...”
“If I catch you again, I’ll cut off your legs.”
“...”
“If I leave your body behind, I won’t be able to run away again. Right?”
Asherad muttered in a gloomy tone. Asherad had already thought of Daphne crying over him with her limbs cut off.
Daphne had to become a tree. A tree rooted here and never moving. A being without legs, an eternal being. An eternal love. Someone who would be by her side forever and who could not run away from him.
What should he do with that severed leg?
He has to eat it, so it can't be put back on.
His reason was already disturbed, and he could not think properly. He imagined all the terrible things he could. And Asherad was in ecstasy. How beautiful it would be to cry. When he cut off the leg, he held the child's hand. And he will do it for their sake, saying it is okay.
She will become a beautiful tree and stay like that forever.
Asherad laughed bitterly.
He's already looking forward to that day.
***
Daphne opened her eyes. She was in her room. What happened to me? She thinks she fell down, but she opened her eyes.
"Uh!"
Daphne looked toward the door, where the man was sitting in the chair. Why, why...? The man looked up at her voice. Instead of asking if she was okay, he furrowed his eyebrows.
“You don’t do anything unless someone takes care of you.”
"Yes?"
“Did you expect someone to make you something you like when you don’t like the food? Did you expect someone to take care of you even when you don’t tell them you have severe seasickness?”
Daphne was dumbfounded by the man's harsh words. The man raised the corners of his mouth and grinned with all his might.
“You lived so well under that Emperor, yet you can’t even act like a human being. You’re causing harm to the person you brought with you.”
“...”
“So you wouldn’t have been able to run away on your own.”
Daphne stared at him blankly. Why was he so angry? Oh, right. If she were sick, that person would be upset. Daphne got up from her seat.
"Sorry."
“...”
“I couldn’t do anything because I was afraid you might be upset. I’m sorry.”
The man's eyes widened at Daphne's apology. He looked at her with a strange expression. Daphne gave up reading his face. The man was considerate, but he was not kind to her. That was all she could remember.
“How long was I down?”
"A day."
"Sorry."
Daphne spoke again. The man frowned.
“Miss Daphne.”
"Yes?"
“Don’t you ever make excuses for yourself?”
Daphne tilted her head at those words. An excuse? Was that something she had to do? But that man was already angry...?
The man sighed as he looked at that puzzled face.
"Wake up."
Daphne sat up. When he held out his hand, Daphne took it. That hand, that hand was so warm. It was like holding Fabian’s hand from before.
Daphne followed him. It was daytime, and light was pouring down from the stairs. Daphne climbed up the stairs and stood on the deck, where she had not been since boarding the ship.
The sky is blue and the clouds are white.
Daphne looked at the blue sea. The sunlight reflecting off it was beautiful. Looking around, she saw that it was a vast ocean, and she could not see anything of the Peneus Empire. The man looked at Daphne and said.
“See? No one can chase after you here.”
Daphne greeted the wind, blowing in a daze. It caressed her cheeks like a miracle. There was no more that damned palace, no more Asherad.
She was the only one here.
"Yes..."
Daphne, who had lived a life where she couldn't even defend herself. Daphne, who had always blamed herself. Daphne knew why this man had brought her here.
“I am Derek Pond.”
Only then did Daphne bow her head to the man who introduced himself. She looked at the sea that Derek was pointing at. She was now completely out of Asherad's shadow.
Tears flowed from Daphne's eyes.
I escaped.
I escaped from that human.
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