91. Bad Relationship (2)
The man who entered the room looked like a mess. The buttons on the cloak that hung stylishly on his shoulders were undone and barely hanging on, and his neatly combed hair had long since become tangled.
The man who, more than anyone, detested everything dirty, vulgar, and unrefined, arrived at the room in such a disheveled state.
I can't believe it.
I can't believe it.
I can't believe it.
Askeraad opened his eyes wide and looked at the woman lying on the bed. He shook his head as if denying the situation and took a step forward. A sigh escaped from his closed mouth.
The woman lying on the bed looked like a corpse. Her face was pale, and her lips were also blue. He stroked Daphne for a long time.
Daphne was dying. He was certain she was dead. This was the last time she was seen alive.
But can we really say that the current Daphne is alive?
Daphne's face was without its characteristic warmth. He knew it well, having always touched her face and kissed her lips. He stroked her face again and again, as if he couldn't believe it. As if the warmth would come back.
Her pure white skin, her rosy cheeks, and her smiling red lips were so lovely. But now, everything is gone.
"Why..."
Only a few words of language came out of his teeth. Asherad's eyes wavered. His always-smiling, gentle mask collapsed, and he muttered like an idiot.
Why, why, why on earth?
There is no reason for that.
“You didn’t want to die.”
Daphne didn't want to die. If someone had thrown her a dagger and told her to kill herself, she would have stabbed him instead. Why would a woman who was so afraid of death die?
“I didn’t tell you to die.”
Rather, he threatened to kill others if she died. If she didn't want to die, why is she lying here?
“I tried not to hate you anymore.”
I've cleared away all the filth surrounding you. Now I can do something for you.
“I said I love you, I said I love you!”
Asherad shouted. His face turned red with anger. But he could not see any sign of fear or hurt on Daphne's face.
How many times have I said I love you, why, why are you dying? I... I?
What do you want me to do?
Asherad knelt beside Daphne's bed. It was clearly the same situation as before, except that the one kneeling was Asherad.
At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps was heard. Asherad knelt down beside Daphne’s bed and looked at her face again and again. Looking at her cold face, he finally realized that something was wrong.
“It was obvious.”
Asherad turned around at the sound of a voice behind him. Ioannis was looking down at him. Asherad glared at Ioannis with a gloomy face.
“What is obvious?”
“I guess she knew.”
“...”
“Your mother, she killed her mother.”
Asherad's eyes were filled with confusion. Ioannis sighed at the look on how face, knowing that.
“If you’re going to lock her up in a cage, you should be more affectionate and kind.”
“...”
“You are so immature when it comes to loving someone.”
"No!"
Asherad shouted. Ioannis looked at Daphne lying down. His face, which had always maintained a characteristic expressionless expression, was now slightly tinged with anger.
“What isn't it?”
“...”
“What on earth did you do?”
Asherad made a murderous expression at that cold voice. Asherad was already arrogant, thinking that he had done a lot for her.
“You didn’t give her anything she wanted.”
“...”
“Treating her like a dog, toying with her, and deceiving her.”
"That...!"
“I’m not talking about why you’ve been harassing that woman, I’m talking about why she chose death.”
His skin trembled at those harsh words. His breathing quickened. Ioannis spoke to Asherad, who was clearly angry.
“You should have given her love when you treated her like a dog.”
"Shut up!"
“At least, if you succeeded in keeping it in your arms, you should at least be a good ‘owner.’”
Asherad's eyes sparkled. On the other hand, Ioannis' eyes were cold.
“What do you know! How could I have done that?”
In Ioannis’ eyes, he saw the young Asherad. Always walking around with a bruise on his face, almost dying after being poisoned by the Emperor... He knew all too well that he was a Crown Prince who only had words to show off. It was only natural for him to harbor hatred. Would it have been better if he had just laughed at him while abusing him?
The Emperor, his father, coldly participated in the abuse and poisoned him, while his mother, in her sorrow, harshly punished Asherad.
“No matter what the situation was, what you did was vent your anger.”
Those words pierced Asherad's heart. Venting. Venting? That? That girl who walks around with that disgustingly bright smile is not at fault? All I did was vent my anger?
"Shut up."
But those words could not have reached Asherad, who had known and lived that way for a long time. He was a coward, and he had abandoned any sense of guilt in favor of the joy he felt when he saw Daphne.
“So do you think that’s a fair price?”
“You look like you want to die.”
Asherad was sullen. In fact, he was wearing a dangerous light. If Asherad went mad and ordered Ioannis to be killed, he would die without fail. No, Ioannis had never once taken Asherad's side before.
“You liked Daphne, didn’t you?”
“Don’t show your ugly side.”
Ioannis responded sharply. He looked at Asherad's distorted face and let out a low sigh. Asherad's expression twisted. Ioannis opened his mouth.
“Asherad. Why are you, who is rational in other places, not rational in this matter?”
“...”
“You took revenge on Miss Daphne. Miss Daphne suffered, and from then on, you two became evil... Ugh!”
Asherad could no longer bear it. He stood up and grabbed Ioannis by the collar. Ioannis's brown eyes glared at Asherad, and he spoke bluntly.
“You two have a bad relationship.”
"No."
“It’s a fate that should never have happened.”
“No!”
Asherad screamed at Ioannis' repeated words. He grabbed Ioannis by the collar and shook him. However, shaking Ioannis and covering his mouth did not change the truth.
“That’s what Miss Daphne said before she died.”
Asherad's eyes wavered at that. Daphne said that she was the one with the bad relationship? Herself?
“Absolutely not, because I’m not like that!”
Ioannis grabbed Asherad's hand by the collar and pulled it away.
“You are a child who has not yet fully grown up.”
“...”
“You are throwing a tantrum.”
This time, Asherad did not scream, but instead glared at Ioannis with reddened eyes. Ioannis continued speaking calmly at that sight.
“The important thing is not that you are not a bad person.”
“...”
“If she thought you were a bad relationship, then you are a bad relationship.”
It was true.
As he could not answer, Asherad looked at Daphne's closed face, took her hand, and placed his cheek on her cold hand. His desperate attitude of longing for warmth seemed like a desperate struggle. It was like a child trying to deny it and not listen to anything. Seeing that, Ioannis left his last words.
“That woman chose death to escape from you.”
“Shut up! Before I kill you!”
Looking at Asherad frozen next to Daphne, Ioannis clicked his tongue and left the room.
Asherad, who was left in the room, let out a hollow laugh. He put down Daphne’s hand and looked at the face of the woman lying down.
“Haha, is that what that idiot said?”
He stroked Daphne's hair.
“Is that right? Were you trying to run away from me?”
But Daphne, of course, did not answer. Even her breathing was faint. He swallowed something that was rising and thought about Ioannis’ words.
'You two have a bad relationship.'
He shook his head and grabbed Daphne's body, shaking it.
“Get up, you idiot.”
He shut his eyes tightly.
“Get up.”
Even though he shook his body, Daphne didn't move at all. It was Asherad who was impatient at that eerie, expressionless face.
“Suicide? Suicide? You tried to run away like this?”
Then suddenly he grabbed Daphne's hair.
“You can’t run away. You can’t run away.”
The hand holding her hair tightened. Daphne squinted her eyes in pain as the hair was pulled. If there was any movement, there might be hope. But she was a living corpse, and she was about to die.
“Get up, get up!”
Asherad screamed. Ah, Asherad finally realized. Daphne, who had been suffocating in this terrible relationship, had finally run away to him in a perfect way.
Even though she didn't want to die, she hated him so much that she returned to the arms of Ceres and was held in his arms. Now, Daphne is no longer in this world.
That alone was dizzying. He stared into space with empty eyes. Then he spoke with a much calmer face.
“Get up, Daphne.”
“...”
“Get up and apologize.”
He shook Daphne awake.
“You can’t run away, I will follow you even if you die.”
Death was not Daphne's perfect escape. Asherad was willing to chase after Daphne. Was it passionate love or intense hatred? Asherad laughed with tears in his eyes, imitating a lover who chooses death because he is crazy about love.
The man who entered the room looked like a mess. The buttons on the cloak that hung stylishly on his shoulders were undone and barely hanging on, and his neatly combed hair had long since become tangled.
The man who, more than anyone, detested everything dirty, vulgar, and unrefined, arrived at the room in such a disheveled state.
I can't believe it.
I can't believe it.
I can't believe it.
Askeraad opened his eyes wide and looked at the woman lying on the bed. He shook his head as if denying the situation and took a step forward. A sigh escaped from his closed mouth.
The woman lying on the bed looked like a corpse. Her face was pale, and her lips were also blue. He stroked Daphne for a long time.
Daphne was dying. He was certain she was dead. This was the last time she was seen alive.
But can we really say that the current Daphne is alive?
Daphne's face was without its characteristic warmth. He knew it well, having always touched her face and kissed her lips. He stroked her face again and again, as if he couldn't believe it. As if the warmth would come back.
Her pure white skin, her rosy cheeks, and her smiling red lips were so lovely. But now, everything is gone.
"Why..."
Only a few words of language came out of his teeth. Asherad's eyes wavered. His always-smiling, gentle mask collapsed, and he muttered like an idiot.
Why, why, why on earth?
There is no reason for that.
“You didn’t want to die.”
Daphne didn't want to die. If someone had thrown her a dagger and told her to kill herself, she would have stabbed him instead. Why would a woman who was so afraid of death die?
“I didn’t tell you to die.”
Rather, he threatened to kill others if she died. If she didn't want to die, why is she lying here?
“I tried not to hate you anymore.”
I've cleared away all the filth surrounding you. Now I can do something for you.
“I said I love you, I said I love you!”
Asherad shouted. His face turned red with anger. But he could not see any sign of fear or hurt on Daphne's face.
How many times have I said I love you, why, why are you dying? I... I?
What do you want me to do?
Asherad knelt beside Daphne's bed. It was clearly the same situation as before, except that the one kneeling was Asherad.
At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps was heard. Asherad knelt down beside Daphne’s bed and looked at her face again and again. Looking at her cold face, he finally realized that something was wrong.
“It was obvious.”
Asherad turned around at the sound of a voice behind him. Ioannis was looking down at him. Asherad glared at Ioannis with a gloomy face.
“What is obvious?”
“I guess she knew.”
“...”
“Your mother, she killed her mother.”
Asherad's eyes were filled with confusion. Ioannis sighed at the look on how face, knowing that.
“If you’re going to lock her up in a cage, you should be more affectionate and kind.”
“...”
“You are so immature when it comes to loving someone.”
"No!"
Asherad shouted. Ioannis looked at Daphne lying down. His face, which had always maintained a characteristic expressionless expression, was now slightly tinged with anger.
“What isn't it?”
“...”
“What on earth did you do?”
Asherad made a murderous expression at that cold voice. Asherad was already arrogant, thinking that he had done a lot for her.
“You didn’t give her anything she wanted.”
“...”
“Treating her like a dog, toying with her, and deceiving her.”
"That...!"
“I’m not talking about why you’ve been harassing that woman, I’m talking about why she chose death.”
His skin trembled at those harsh words. His breathing quickened. Ioannis spoke to Asherad, who was clearly angry.
“You should have given her love when you treated her like a dog.”
"Shut up!"
“At least, if you succeeded in keeping it in your arms, you should at least be a good ‘owner.’”
Asherad's eyes sparkled. On the other hand, Ioannis' eyes were cold.
“What do you know! How could I have done that?”
In Ioannis’ eyes, he saw the young Asherad. Always walking around with a bruise on his face, almost dying after being poisoned by the Emperor... He knew all too well that he was a Crown Prince who only had words to show off. It was only natural for him to harbor hatred. Would it have been better if he had just laughed at him while abusing him?
The Emperor, his father, coldly participated in the abuse and poisoned him, while his mother, in her sorrow, harshly punished Asherad.
“No matter what the situation was, what you did was vent your anger.”
Those words pierced Asherad's heart. Venting. Venting? That? That girl who walks around with that disgustingly bright smile is not at fault? All I did was vent my anger?
"Shut up."
But those words could not have reached Asherad, who had known and lived that way for a long time. He was a coward, and he had abandoned any sense of guilt in favor of the joy he felt when he saw Daphne.
“So do you think that’s a fair price?”
“You look like you want to die.”
Asherad was sullen. In fact, he was wearing a dangerous light. If Asherad went mad and ordered Ioannis to be killed, he would die without fail. No, Ioannis had never once taken Asherad's side before.
“You liked Daphne, didn’t you?”
“Don’t show your ugly side.”
Ioannis responded sharply. He looked at Asherad's distorted face and let out a low sigh. Asherad's expression twisted. Ioannis opened his mouth.
“Asherad. Why are you, who is rational in other places, not rational in this matter?”
“...”
“You took revenge on Miss Daphne. Miss Daphne suffered, and from then on, you two became evil... Ugh!”
Asherad could no longer bear it. He stood up and grabbed Ioannis by the collar. Ioannis's brown eyes glared at Asherad, and he spoke bluntly.
“You two have a bad relationship.”
"No."
“It’s a fate that should never have happened.”
“No!”
Asherad screamed at Ioannis' repeated words. He grabbed Ioannis by the collar and shook him. However, shaking Ioannis and covering his mouth did not change the truth.
“That’s what Miss Daphne said before she died.”
Asherad's eyes wavered at that. Daphne said that she was the one with the bad relationship? Herself?
“Absolutely not, because I’m not like that!”
Ioannis grabbed Asherad's hand by the collar and pulled it away.
“You are a child who has not yet fully grown up.”
“...”
“You are throwing a tantrum.”
This time, Asherad did not scream, but instead glared at Ioannis with reddened eyes. Ioannis continued speaking calmly at that sight.
“The important thing is not that you are not a bad person.”
“...”
“If she thought you were a bad relationship, then you are a bad relationship.”
It was true.
As he could not answer, Asherad looked at Daphne's closed face, took her hand, and placed his cheek on her cold hand. His desperate attitude of longing for warmth seemed like a desperate struggle. It was like a child trying to deny it and not listen to anything. Seeing that, Ioannis left his last words.
“That woman chose death to escape from you.”
“Shut up! Before I kill you!”
Looking at Asherad frozen next to Daphne, Ioannis clicked his tongue and left the room.
***
Asherad, who was left in the room, let out a hollow laugh. He put down Daphne’s hand and looked at the face of the woman lying down.
“Haha, is that what that idiot said?”
He stroked Daphne's hair.
“Is that right? Were you trying to run away from me?”
But Daphne, of course, did not answer. Even her breathing was faint. He swallowed something that was rising and thought about Ioannis’ words.
'You two have a bad relationship.'
He shook his head and grabbed Daphne's body, shaking it.
“Get up, you idiot.”
He shut his eyes tightly.
“Get up.”
Even though he shook his body, Daphne didn't move at all. It was Asherad who was impatient at that eerie, expressionless face.
“Suicide? Suicide? You tried to run away like this?”
Then suddenly he grabbed Daphne's hair.
“You can’t run away. You can’t run away.”
The hand holding her hair tightened. Daphne squinted her eyes in pain as the hair was pulled. If there was any movement, there might be hope. But she was a living corpse, and she was about to die.
“Get up, get up!”
Asherad screamed. Ah, Asherad finally realized. Daphne, who had been suffocating in this terrible relationship, had finally run away to him in a perfect way.
Even though she didn't want to die, she hated him so much that she returned to the arms of Ceres and was held in his arms. Now, Daphne is no longer in this world.
That alone was dizzying. He stared into space with empty eyes. Then he spoke with a much calmer face.
“Get up, Daphne.”
“...”
“Get up and apologize.”
He shook Daphne awake.
“You can’t run away, I will follow you even if you die.”
Death was not Daphne's perfect escape. Asherad was willing to chase after Daphne. Was it passionate love or intense hatred? Asherad laughed with tears in his eyes, imitating a lover who chooses death because he is crazy about love.
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