93. If it disappeared
The Queen of the kingdom of Thalassa was in a state of confusion. She was forcibly taken to the restroom by the King, and stared blankly at the wall.
"Honey."
When the King, who had been comforting the Queen by patting her shoulder, looked at her face, the Queen said:
“Could it really be that nothing happened?”
“...”
“It’s strange. I thought the Emperor would definitely kill my daughter...”
“...”
“If that’s acting, it’s amazing. No one can imitate it.”
The King nodded as if he understood. That was it. The Emperor's face, which had turned pitch-black, seemed to have lost all traces of his noble dignity. It was unimaginable for him to see the ruler of a country. The brat was a brat.
“I guess that child’s death was so sad.”
The King sighed as well. If this were the case, he could not raise the issue of Kalista's death publicly, for fear of being accused of provoking the grieving Emperor. Asherad was openly courteous to the Empress Dowager. The only time he would become enraged was when someone touched his lover.
“Could it be that the Emperor also loved Kalista?”
“Nonsense!”
The King shouted at the Queen's words. The Queen bit her fingernails and became lost in thought. Before she could go any further, the King spoke hurriedly.
“The Emperor had a lover. She even almost poisoned the Emperor!”
The King knew of Kalista's evil deeds after hearing the truth from Veronica. A troublemaker who alternately does crazy things because she likes Asherad. That's the kind of person Kalista was to the King.
If it weren't for his wife, he would have kicked her out long ago. If someone hadn't taken out Kalista, he would have stepped forward and killed her. Fortunately, someone did.
“But it’s strange... Could it be that the lover was just something he created to satisfy his desires, and the one he really loved wasn’t Kalista?”
Indeed, Kalista's delusions were not unfounded. The King clicked his tongue at the recurrence of that chronic disease.
“Anyway, I need to find out about Kalista’s death. She was in good health when I sent the letter.”
The King continued, swallowing the word “excessive.”
“Even if it is not the Emperor’s fault. If it is the Empire’s fault, then Emperor Asherad will pay the price...”
“Oh my god, you!”
The Queen screamed in panic.
“How can you ask such a thing of a man who is mourning the death of Kalista?”
In her imagination, Asherad was already a man who had passionately loved Kalista. They could not be together, but they loved each other desperately and were separated by death. Asherad had already become a pitiful man.
“I don’t allow that. Don’t do it!”
King Thalassa loved that foolishness, but not at this time. How sensitive she must be when it comes to her daughter.
Since Asherad would take care of it to some extent anyway, he would have to be satisfied with that.
Just then, a knock was heard.
The royal couple looked at the door.
Daphne was dreaming. A wistful dream about her childhood that could never return. In the dream, she was nine years old and headed to the palace.
The servant left Daphne, the daughter of a wicked woman who was harassing the virtuous Empress and threatening the good Crown Prince's position, behind. A tree nymph appeared to her as she lost her way.
A beautiful boy with black hair and green eyes like leaves. The boy kindly showed her the way. The conversation with the boy while finding the way was so enjoyable. When they reached their destination, Daphne felt regretful but also took great courage.
“Your name is...”
How long had she hesitated before asking that question? For her, who had no friends her own age, the existence of this boy was so wondrous and amazing.
“It’s Asherad.”
As he said that, the boy narrowed his eyes and smiled. His smile was so captivating that it made her cheeks turn red.
“So, see you later, Daphne.”
Daphne smiled at that. She wished she could see him again. She wanted to become friends with that kind boy.
That day, Daphne looked at the Emperor, but she wasn't paying attention at all. She just looked at the Emperor's kind eyes and smiled, thinking that he resembled Asherad.
Even after returning home, Daphne thought about Asherad. She recalled the conversations she had had with him and his handsome appearance, even though she had not heard her mother's kind call.
Are all the people in the palace that beautiful?
She wishes she could be that kind of person, too.
How nice it would be if that guy were her friend.
Slightly curly hair, kind eyes, a doll-like nose, red lips. Daphne blushed as she recalled that face.
She hopes they meet again. It'll be nice to meet again.
She picked up the charcoal she had hidden and continued to draw Asherad's face.
She hummed a tune as she looked at the boy's face, lost in her imagination.
“Daphne. We meet again!”
Asherad approached Daphne, who had returned to the palace, with a bright smile. He took Daphne's hand and guided her around every corner of the palace.
Affection that seemed like it would melt away. A soft and warm hand. Daphne took that hand and smiled like an idiot.
A beautiful and kind boy. Daphne was already captivated by him.
If she were to marry like her mother, she thinks shr would like someone as affectionate as this person.
A person who is never absent like a 'fake' father, who doesn't lock his mother up out of anxiety, and who constantly whispers sweet nothings to her.
She wishes she could marry someone like that.
Daphne was still imagining. Strangely, as she imagined, it became reality, and Daphne was walking with Asherad in the palace.
Just then, the wind blew and tossed his hair. Daphne smiled at the beautiful sight, but then gasped and screamed.
It was because dark bruises were visible through the loose shirt that had been blown by the wind. His body was colorful, as if all the parts that could not be seen had been painted. He even had a wound that had been covered in blood. What the heck is that? It was a terrible wound that someone had hit him with.
She flinched back from the fluttering body. To Daphne, who was speechless for a while, the boy in the dream spoke coldly.
“It’s because of you.”
At that moment, Daphne's reality shattered. Daphne screamed. But no sound came out. This was a dream. In this distant space, Daphne recalled the terrible reality over and over again. She sobbed for a long time.
Daphne knew what would become of that boy.
He will become like her father and will lock herself up.
He will mercilessly kill everything around her.
He will come to her and hug her as she sobbed and cried in that bloody rain, and dare to say the most terrible word in the world, love.
How she wishes she could go back to that time.
Sometimes she doesn't know anything.
Back to that time when she was smiling purely while looking at Asherad.
Back to that time when she knew no misfortune.
She wants to go back to that time when she received lots of her mother's love.
Then a rustling sound was heard. When Asherad raised his head, her hands were hanging limply.
"Daphne!"
He thought Daphne was dead. He thought his world was over. The limp hand moved and climbed back onto the bed.
Daphne was moving.
He was filled with joy as he watched the miraculous situation. Daphne was moving. She could live. She was awake! He saw the color return to Daphne's face and sincerely thanked God.
Daphne continued to move her body and opened her eyes. Asherad saw bright blue eyes like jewels. Looking at this person who was lost in this ecstasy, Daphne suddenly opened her eyes wide.
“Asherad?”
A question without any emotion was asked of him.
The Queen of the kingdom of Thalassa was in a state of confusion. She was forcibly taken to the restroom by the King, and stared blankly at the wall.
"Honey."
When the King, who had been comforting the Queen by patting her shoulder, looked at her face, the Queen said:
“Could it really be that nothing happened?”
“...”
“It’s strange. I thought the Emperor would definitely kill my daughter...”
“...”
“If that’s acting, it’s amazing. No one can imitate it.”
The King nodded as if he understood. That was it. The Emperor's face, which had turned pitch-black, seemed to have lost all traces of his noble dignity. It was unimaginable for him to see the ruler of a country. The brat was a brat.
“I guess that child’s death was so sad.”
The King sighed as well. If this were the case, he could not raise the issue of Kalista's death publicly, for fear of being accused of provoking the grieving Emperor. Asherad was openly courteous to the Empress Dowager. The only time he would become enraged was when someone touched his lover.
“Could it be that the Emperor also loved Kalista?”
“Nonsense!”
The King shouted at the Queen's words. The Queen bit her fingernails and became lost in thought. Before she could go any further, the King spoke hurriedly.
“The Emperor had a lover. She even almost poisoned the Emperor!”
The King knew of Kalista's evil deeds after hearing the truth from Veronica. A troublemaker who alternately does crazy things because she likes Asherad. That's the kind of person Kalista was to the King.
If it weren't for his wife, he would have kicked her out long ago. If someone hadn't taken out Kalista, he would have stepped forward and killed her. Fortunately, someone did.
“But it’s strange... Could it be that the lover was just something he created to satisfy his desires, and the one he really loved wasn’t Kalista?”
Indeed, Kalista's delusions were not unfounded. The King clicked his tongue at the recurrence of that chronic disease.
“Anyway, I need to find out about Kalista’s death. She was in good health when I sent the letter.”
The King continued, swallowing the word “excessive.”
“Even if it is not the Emperor’s fault. If it is the Empire’s fault, then Emperor Asherad will pay the price...”
“Oh my god, you!”
The Queen screamed in panic.
“How can you ask such a thing of a man who is mourning the death of Kalista?”
In her imagination, Asherad was already a man who had passionately loved Kalista. They could not be together, but they loved each other desperately and were separated by death. Asherad had already become a pitiful man.
“I don’t allow that. Don’t do it!”
King Thalassa loved that foolishness, but not at this time. How sensitive she must be when it comes to her daughter.
Since Asherad would take care of it to some extent anyway, he would have to be satisfied with that.
Just then, a knock was heard.
The royal couple looked at the door.
***
Daphne was dreaming. A wistful dream about her childhood that could never return. In the dream, she was nine years old and headed to the palace.
The servant left Daphne, the daughter of a wicked woman who was harassing the virtuous Empress and threatening the good Crown Prince's position, behind. A tree nymph appeared to her as she lost her way.
A beautiful boy with black hair and green eyes like leaves. The boy kindly showed her the way. The conversation with the boy while finding the way was so enjoyable. When they reached their destination, Daphne felt regretful but also took great courage.
“Your name is...”
How long had she hesitated before asking that question? For her, who had no friends her own age, the existence of this boy was so wondrous and amazing.
“It’s Asherad.”
As he said that, the boy narrowed his eyes and smiled. His smile was so captivating that it made her cheeks turn red.
“So, see you later, Daphne.”
Daphne smiled at that. She wished she could see him again. She wanted to become friends with that kind boy.
That day, Daphne looked at the Emperor, but she wasn't paying attention at all. She just looked at the Emperor's kind eyes and smiled, thinking that he resembled Asherad.
Even after returning home, Daphne thought about Asherad. She recalled the conversations she had had with him and his handsome appearance, even though she had not heard her mother's kind call.
Are all the people in the palace that beautiful?
She wishes she could be that kind of person, too.
How nice it would be if that guy were her friend.
Slightly curly hair, kind eyes, a doll-like nose, red lips. Daphne blushed as she recalled that face.
She hopes they meet again. It'll be nice to meet again.
She picked up the charcoal she had hidden and continued to draw Asherad's face.
She hummed a tune as she looked at the boy's face, lost in her imagination.
“Daphne. We meet again!”
Asherad approached Daphne, who had returned to the palace, with a bright smile. He took Daphne's hand and guided her around every corner of the palace.
Affection that seemed like it would melt away. A soft and warm hand. Daphne took that hand and smiled like an idiot.
A beautiful and kind boy. Daphne was already captivated by him.
If she were to marry like her mother, she thinks shr would like someone as affectionate as this person.
A person who is never absent like a 'fake' father, who doesn't lock his mother up out of anxiety, and who constantly whispers sweet nothings to her.
She wishes she could marry someone like that.
Daphne was still imagining. Strangely, as she imagined, it became reality, and Daphne was walking with Asherad in the palace.
Just then, the wind blew and tossed his hair. Daphne smiled at the beautiful sight, but then gasped and screamed.
It was because dark bruises were visible through the loose shirt that had been blown by the wind. His body was colorful, as if all the parts that could not be seen had been painted. He even had a wound that had been covered in blood. What the heck is that? It was a terrible wound that someone had hit him with.
She flinched back from the fluttering body. To Daphne, who was speechless for a while, the boy in the dream spoke coldly.
“It’s because of you.”
At that moment, Daphne's reality shattered. Daphne screamed. But no sound came out. This was a dream. In this distant space, Daphne recalled the terrible reality over and over again. She sobbed for a long time.
Daphne knew what would become of that boy.
He will become like her father and will lock herself up.
He will mercilessly kill everything around her.
He will come to her and hug her as she sobbed and cried in that bloody rain, and dare to say the most terrible word in the world, love.
How she wishes she could go back to that time.
Sometimes she doesn't know anything.
Back to that time when she was smiling purely while looking at Asherad.
Back to that time when she knew no misfortune.
She wants to go back to that time when she received lots of her mother's love.
She wishes all traces of that 'bad relationship' would be erased.
Please.
Be erased.
Go away.
Go away.
Daphne hoped and hoped.
Asherad was looking down at Daphne. Daphne still wasn't dead. It was strange. Her pulse was weak, and her body hadn't completely cooled down. Daphne was holding on to life with all her might.
Asherad placed Daphne in his room and watched her. Even the faint sound of her breathing, when he put his ear to her, seemed to give him hope, and when the hand he held grew cold, he felt as if he was falling into hell.
For several days, Asherad couldn't sleep at all. He felt that if he fell asleep, Daphne would laugh at him and leave him. If he were watching her, she wouldn't be able to leave because she was scared.
Asherad grabbed Daphne's arm. He remembered when he first met her. Asherad was like that. On the surface, he was kind, but he couldn't hold back his hatred, so he grabbed her shoulder tightly.
But was it superficial kindness? He couldn't answer that question either. He hated this girl. He hated that bright face that seemed to be loved, that fragile timidity that caught someone's attention.
Yet, when he heard the girl's smile and chatter, it was as if a tree had grown in his desolate space. There, he could breathe.
Yes, that was why he hated her. That he could be something that gave others something to breathe. His mother and father only made a suffocating expression when they saw him, and Asherad couldn't show his clumsiness and timidity.
He hate her.
But he knew too well.
The innocent girl was not guilty.
Ioannis blamed him, but in fact, Asherad knew first.
He know.
He had no justification for revenge. That was why he couldn't let go. He had to continue this sticky relationship. That way, he wouldn't become a hateful 'someone'. His relationship with Daphne was already doomed from the start.
How could she love someone who treated her like a dog? And when his own mother killed Daphne's mother, his revenge became forced.
But Asherad hated Daphne. He hated the fairy girl he had grown up with and loved, and he brooded over her hatred.
He took pleasure in deceiving her. But the problem was that he had fallen in love with her. His love was never meant to be.
He knew it all along, and he was even more eager to get his hands on this woman. He held Daphne's hand and rested his forehead on the back of her hand.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
We have a bad relationship.
You're right, Daphne.
We couldn't do anything about it.
Ioannis was right. What Asherad had done was to inflict harm on a helpless girl. He was powerless, but he still had the strength to torment Daphne.
It would have been better if he had been powerless.
If he had no power, if he were helpless, this would not have happened.
He had the power to send Daphne to the abyss, just in time. He covered his face with both hands. He was filled with bitter regret. How much better it would have been if the past had never existed.
If only he could start over again...
Please.
Be erased.
Go away.
Go away.
Daphne hoped and hoped.
***
Asherad was looking down at Daphne. Daphne still wasn't dead. It was strange. Her pulse was weak, and her body hadn't completely cooled down. Daphne was holding on to life with all her might.
Asherad placed Daphne in his room and watched her. Even the faint sound of her breathing, when he put his ear to her, seemed to give him hope, and when the hand he held grew cold, he felt as if he was falling into hell.
For several days, Asherad couldn't sleep at all. He felt that if he fell asleep, Daphne would laugh at him and leave him. If he were watching her, she wouldn't be able to leave because she was scared.
Asherad grabbed Daphne's arm. He remembered when he first met her. Asherad was like that. On the surface, he was kind, but he couldn't hold back his hatred, so he grabbed her shoulder tightly.
But was it superficial kindness? He couldn't answer that question either. He hated this girl. He hated that bright face that seemed to be loved, that fragile timidity that caught someone's attention.
Yet, when he heard the girl's smile and chatter, it was as if a tree had grown in his desolate space. There, he could breathe.
Yes, that was why he hated her. That he could be something that gave others something to breathe. His mother and father only made a suffocating expression when they saw him, and Asherad couldn't show his clumsiness and timidity.
He hate her.
But he knew too well.
The innocent girl was not guilty.
Ioannis blamed him, but in fact, Asherad knew first.
He know.
He had no justification for revenge. That was why he couldn't let go. He had to continue this sticky relationship. That way, he wouldn't become a hateful 'someone'. His relationship with Daphne was already doomed from the start.
How could she love someone who treated her like a dog? And when his own mother killed Daphne's mother, his revenge became forced.
But Asherad hated Daphne. He hated the fairy girl he had grown up with and loved, and he brooded over her hatred.
He took pleasure in deceiving her. But the problem was that he had fallen in love with her. His love was never meant to be.
He knew it all along, and he was even more eager to get his hands on this woman. He held Daphne's hand and rested his forehead on the back of her hand.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
We have a bad relationship.
You're right, Daphne.
We couldn't do anything about it.
Ioannis was right. What Asherad had done was to inflict harm on a helpless girl. He was powerless, but he still had the strength to torment Daphne.
It would have been better if he had been powerless.
If he had no power, if he were helpless, this would not have happened.
He had the power to send Daphne to the abyss, just in time. He covered his face with both hands. He was filled with bitter regret. How much better it would have been if the past had never existed.
If only he could start over again...
Then a rustling sound was heard. When Asherad raised his head, her hands were hanging limply.
"Daphne!"
He thought Daphne was dead. He thought his world was over. The limp hand moved and climbed back onto the bed.
Daphne was moving.
He was filled with joy as he watched the miraculous situation. Daphne was moving. She could live. She was awake! He saw the color return to Daphne's face and sincerely thanked God.
Daphne continued to move her body and opened her eyes. Asherad saw bright blue eyes like jewels. Looking at this person who was lost in this ecstasy, Daphne suddenly opened her eyes wide.
“Asherad?”
A question without any emotion was asked of him.
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