#130. It's you
"What...."
Olivia wanted to deny reality, but the man's voice came through clearly.
“Everything has a price.”
The man looked at Olivia with a sinister gaze, his eyes shining bright yellow. Olivia averted her gaze at the contempt.
“Why, do you feel sorry for them when you actually betray them?”
“...”
“But I can take responsibility. I’ll treat you like a gentleman.”
Olivia bit her lip. The King approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I’ll give you one day. We’re leaving soon anyway.”
“...”
“It can’t be too late.”
His rasping breath smelled like something was rotting. He looked around at the women, smiled, and disappeared.
She stood there blankly. In fact, she didn't think he would grant her request. But was it really necessary to be insulted like this? He called her 'wife'? Just how low had Asherad's status fallen? This question crossed her mind for a moment.
Tears streamed down her face.
Her fists trembled in helplessness. All she had was her body. She could do nothing. That was why she clung to Asherad's protection, barely breathing and living.
A half-and-half face and body. That's exactly what her utility is. Why am I powerless? She wished she had power.
“Save me.”
“Save me, Olivia.”
People approached Olivia, who was standing still. They were looking at her as if she were their savior.
“You, you made us like this.”
“I was taken away by those guys and treated mercilessly. It wasn’t that hard.”
The women were all telling Olivia to offer her body. Olivia's lips went up blankly. How was it different from the old days when she lived under Asherad? She wanted to escape Asherad's hands, hoping that others would not die, but she was still in his grasp. Everyone told her not to escape Asherad. To save her own life, and because she couldn't harm those around her.
There, her doctor was nowhere to be seen. Olivia quietly shed tears. She had a choice. She could leave them alone and save her pride. She left the women behind and walked back to the castle.
Just then, Ian's voice was heard.
"Mom!"
Olivia wiped away her tears. She looked back with a bright expression. She felt Asherad staring at her face, but she said nothing.
“Mom, where the hell were you? I found you.”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
“Let’s have lunch.”
"Yes..."
“Uh... we decided to eat together.”
Olivia looked at Asherad. Was he teasing Ian? No, Olivia shook her head. He had to be with Asherad anyway, and there was nothing wrong with following his father, Asherad. Olivia tried to think that way.
As the sun rose higher, they were led by Ian's hand to eat.
It was the first time they had a family meal. However, unlike the comfortable meal with Derek, it was so uncomfortable that it made her stomach churn. Olivia was kind to Ian as usual, but didn't even look at Asherad. Ian said.
“I... sir.”
Olivia looked at him with a start. When he looked at her as if asking what Asherad was, Ian said, looking embarrassed.
“Can you give me a little more soup?”
"What?"
Asherad's gaze lingered on his portion of soup. It was so unpalatable that he barely touched it.
“I’m hungry...”
“Ian, you should have told me that.”
Ian said at Olivia's words.
“Mom, you have to eat a lot. If you don’t, you might get sick.”
“Ian. You shouldn’t be rude to your father.”
“Why, Mom gave me a lot of concessions.”
Asherad said, "It was noisy because Ian was whining."
“It’s leftovers. Ask for some new soup.”
“But, it’s a shame.”
Asherad lowered his eyes at Ian's words.
“Did you raise him like this?”
Asherad looked at Olivia. She lowered her head with wide eyes. Count Locania gave her a generous amount of money. However, she wanted to live on her own, so she barely touched the money he gave her and lived on her own.
It was okay to have a house, but it wasn't completely affluent. Olivia didn't say anything to Asherad's scolding gaze. She knows. If she had been by Asherad's side, Ian would have received the best education and lived a life surrounded by good things.
“I’m sorry. I made your son eat the leftovers.”
“It’s food left over from my father, so what’s wrong with it?”
Ian said as if he didn't understand. Asherad stared blankly at Ian after what he had just said and silently handed him the soup. He ate the soup with joy. Olivia felt complicated at the sight.
“Let’s sleep separately today.”
“....”
“Ian. You, too, stay in your room. You know you can’t go out without permission, right?”
Ian frowned as if displeased at Olivia's words.
It was night. Olivia put Ian to bed. She sat on the bed and looked out the window. She drew the curtains, afraid that the moonlight would pour in and wake Ian.
She stared at the ceiling for a long time.
You don't have to save those women. You don't have to save them. But I want to save them. Just one body. I just have to sacrifice one body. What value is my body? Olivia looked at her own body and mocked herself coldly.
Asherad has no power. No matter how insensitive she is to power, she noticed that Peneus' army was small and the Pindus army was the main force. In addition, the King of Pindus was strangely comfortable with Asherad. He pretended to respect Asherad's opinion, but the King of Pindus was strangely superior.
So, to save the women, you have to go to him. Olivia thought of her neighbors. They all want to survive. They don't die because of her, but she still doesn't want them to die.
Olivia remembered that the King of Pindus had almost killed Ian. He had promised to spare the child, but had tried to take her body. He might not keep his promise. She knew that.
But does that mean she shouldn't do anything?
Olivia bit her lip and thought. But she slowly got up from her seat. There was no point in wasting time until tomorrow night.
She had no choice. Do nothing and let death take its course, or try something and lose it. What could she do about her own body, which was sacrificed to it?
She has given up on life out of guilt. It would be better to do something. At least, she wouldn't have to feel guilty about not doing anything.
Olivia put on her lips. The red rouge sparkled against the bluish night. She combed her hair and put on a suitable dress.
Then, she opened the door and headed into the hallway. The hallway was dark and empty. Her footsteps echoed. She knew where the king of Pindus’s bedroom was. It must be the lord’s bedroom. After a while, she stepped forward and saw a soldier standing at the door.
As she took a step forward, she suddenly felt a force grab her hand. Olivia tried to scream in surprise, but her lips were clamped shut.
She wasn't surprised. She felt a familiar scent and warmth. Olivia immediately turned around. Asherad was standing there.
Asherad roughly grabbed her wrist and dragged her. She resisted, but Asherad was unyielding. He soon pushed Olivia into his room and closed the door.
"You..."
Asherad's eyes changed. He was grumbling as if he were suppressing his anger. There was a faint rage in his eyes. However, unlike before when she had been afraid, Olivia was looking at him with a calm gaze.
“I... I... you...”
“...”
“What should I do with you?”
“...”
“Why, are you doing something like this? Huh? As my wife, why are you going to sleep with another man?”
“You’re really quick-witted.”
At Olivia’s cold words, Asherad grabbed her shoulder. He thought he would hold on tightly, but he didn’t. Instead, his arms shook as if he were controlling his strength.
“Why? Why on earth?”
He asked quietly. His voice was suppressed anger. It should have been terrifying, but Olivia coldly ignored it. This man won't kill her anymore.
“My body. He said that if I gave him just one of my bodies, he would release the women he had taken captive.”
“Is that all?”
"Yes."
"Ha ha ha..."
He looked up at the ceiling and smiled. The man's blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight.
“That’s all?”
“...”
“For the sake of women you don’t know, you’re selling your body and defiling my honor?!”
“...”
Asherad chuckled.
“You stupid Daphne. Don’t you know that man can hit you in the back of the head? He blackmailed you and took your son...!”
"I know."
Olivia answered firmly.
“What, you know?”
Asherad tilted his head. His face looked as if he simply could not understand.
“You could have just told me. Daphne, don’t you know what I’m thinking?!”
“...”
“You know what I mean. You didn’t say a word to me and went to spread your legs for another man...!”
Olivia couldn't stand it any longer. With a "thump," his face turned away. Olivia said with a cold face.
“Don't say that.”
“...”
“It’s all because of you.”
Olivia growled. Asherad looked at Olivia with a surprised expression. Has she ever been this violent toward Asherad? What did he do to deserve this? He ground his teeth.
“Did I tell you that I was a spy?”
“Do you think that’s what you’re talking about?”
She smiled darkly.
“Have you forgotten, Asherad? You are the one who made me like this.”
“...”
“You saved people’s lives in exchange for taking my body!”
Asherad's hair turned white. Olivia looked at him with reddened eyes.
“That man and you are no different! To me, you are the same, you are the same!”
“...”
“You are the one who taught me how to sacrifice my body! You, you!”
She screamed. There was a time when she wanted to say something like this. She didn't want it to take this form. She screamed.
Asherad shivered. He knew he was sorry. But he didn't know what he had done wrong. His apology was an apology for hurting her feelings. An apology for making a hell around him. But at this moment. Asherad knew what he had done wrong.
Tears flowed from his eyes.
He was no different from the lowly King of Pindus. He simply asked Daphne to give him her body.
Olivia waited for his venomous words to fly, for the violence that might come. But Asherad hugged Olivia's waist.
“I was wrong.”
“...”
“You were wrong, Daphne.”
“...”
“I was wrong.”
He had broken Daphne. He had made her unable to trust him. He had trampled on her last remaining pride and licked her tears like they were honey. Olivia looked at the weak man with wide eyes. He was reflecting.
Following the apology, he was learning what a mistake was.
"What...."
Olivia wanted to deny reality, but the man's voice came through clearly.
“Everything has a price.”
The man looked at Olivia with a sinister gaze, his eyes shining bright yellow. Olivia averted her gaze at the contempt.
“Why, do you feel sorry for them when you actually betray them?”
“...”
“But I can take responsibility. I’ll treat you like a gentleman.”
Olivia bit her lip. The King approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I’ll give you one day. We’re leaving soon anyway.”
“...”
“It can’t be too late.”
His rasping breath smelled like something was rotting. He looked around at the women, smiled, and disappeared.
She stood there blankly. In fact, she didn't think he would grant her request. But was it really necessary to be insulted like this? He called her 'wife'? Just how low had Asherad's status fallen? This question crossed her mind for a moment.
Tears streamed down her face.
Her fists trembled in helplessness. All she had was her body. She could do nothing. That was why she clung to Asherad's protection, barely breathing and living.
A half-and-half face and body. That's exactly what her utility is. Why am I powerless? She wished she had power.
“Save me.”
“Save me, Olivia.”
People approached Olivia, who was standing still. They were looking at her as if she were their savior.
“You, you made us like this.”
“I was taken away by those guys and treated mercilessly. It wasn’t that hard.”
The women were all telling Olivia to offer her body. Olivia's lips went up blankly. How was it different from the old days when she lived under Asherad? She wanted to escape Asherad's hands, hoping that others would not die, but she was still in his grasp. Everyone told her not to escape Asherad. To save her own life, and because she couldn't harm those around her.
There, her doctor was nowhere to be seen. Olivia quietly shed tears. She had a choice. She could leave them alone and save her pride. She left the women behind and walked back to the castle.
Just then, Ian's voice was heard.
"Mom!"
Olivia wiped away her tears. She looked back with a bright expression. She felt Asherad staring at her face, but she said nothing.
“Mom, where the hell were you? I found you.”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
“Let’s have lunch.”
"Yes..."
“Uh... we decided to eat together.”
Olivia looked at Asherad. Was he teasing Ian? No, Olivia shook her head. He had to be with Asherad anyway, and there was nothing wrong with following his father, Asherad. Olivia tried to think that way.
As the sun rose higher, they were led by Ian's hand to eat.
It was the first time they had a family meal. However, unlike the comfortable meal with Derek, it was so uncomfortable that it made her stomach churn. Olivia was kind to Ian as usual, but didn't even look at Asherad. Ian said.
“I... sir.”
Olivia looked at him with a start. When he looked at her as if asking what Asherad was, Ian said, looking embarrassed.
“Can you give me a little more soup?”
"What?"
Asherad's gaze lingered on his portion of soup. It was so unpalatable that he barely touched it.
“I’m hungry...”
“Ian, you should have told me that.”
Ian said at Olivia's words.
“Mom, you have to eat a lot. If you don’t, you might get sick.”
“Ian. You shouldn’t be rude to your father.”
“Why, Mom gave me a lot of concessions.”
Asherad said, "It was noisy because Ian was whining."
“It’s leftovers. Ask for some new soup.”
“But, it’s a shame.”
Asherad lowered his eyes at Ian's words.
“Did you raise him like this?”
Asherad looked at Olivia. She lowered her head with wide eyes. Count Locania gave her a generous amount of money. However, she wanted to live on her own, so she barely touched the money he gave her and lived on her own.
It was okay to have a house, but it wasn't completely affluent. Olivia didn't say anything to Asherad's scolding gaze. She knows. If she had been by Asherad's side, Ian would have received the best education and lived a life surrounded by good things.
“I’m sorry. I made your son eat the leftovers.”
“It’s food left over from my father, so what’s wrong with it?”
Ian said as if he didn't understand. Asherad stared blankly at Ian after what he had just said and silently handed him the soup. He ate the soup with joy. Olivia felt complicated at the sight.
“Let’s sleep separately today.”
“....”
“Ian. You, too, stay in your room. You know you can’t go out without permission, right?”
Ian frowned as if displeased at Olivia's words.
***
It was night. Olivia put Ian to bed. She sat on the bed and looked out the window. She drew the curtains, afraid that the moonlight would pour in and wake Ian.
She stared at the ceiling for a long time.
You don't have to save those women. You don't have to save them. But I want to save them. Just one body. I just have to sacrifice one body. What value is my body? Olivia looked at her own body and mocked herself coldly.
Asherad has no power. No matter how insensitive she is to power, she noticed that Peneus' army was small and the Pindus army was the main force. In addition, the King of Pindus was strangely comfortable with Asherad. He pretended to respect Asherad's opinion, but the King of Pindus was strangely superior.
So, to save the women, you have to go to him. Olivia thought of her neighbors. They all want to survive. They don't die because of her, but she still doesn't want them to die.
Olivia remembered that the King of Pindus had almost killed Ian. He had promised to spare the child, but had tried to take her body. He might not keep his promise. She knew that.
But does that mean she shouldn't do anything?
Olivia bit her lip and thought. But she slowly got up from her seat. There was no point in wasting time until tomorrow night.
She had no choice. Do nothing and let death take its course, or try something and lose it. What could she do about her own body, which was sacrificed to it?
She has given up on life out of guilt. It would be better to do something. At least, she wouldn't have to feel guilty about not doing anything.
Olivia put on her lips. The red rouge sparkled against the bluish night. She combed her hair and put on a suitable dress.
Then, she opened the door and headed into the hallway. The hallway was dark and empty. Her footsteps echoed. She knew where the king of Pindus’s bedroom was. It must be the lord’s bedroom. After a while, she stepped forward and saw a soldier standing at the door.
As she took a step forward, she suddenly felt a force grab her hand. Olivia tried to scream in surprise, but her lips were clamped shut.
She wasn't surprised. She felt a familiar scent and warmth. Olivia immediately turned around. Asherad was standing there.
Asherad roughly grabbed her wrist and dragged her. She resisted, but Asherad was unyielding. He soon pushed Olivia into his room and closed the door.
"You..."
Asherad's eyes changed. He was grumbling as if he were suppressing his anger. There was a faint rage in his eyes. However, unlike before when she had been afraid, Olivia was looking at him with a calm gaze.
“I... I... you...”
“...”
“What should I do with you?”
“...”
“Why, are you doing something like this? Huh? As my wife, why are you going to sleep with another man?”
“You’re really quick-witted.”
At Olivia’s cold words, Asherad grabbed her shoulder. He thought he would hold on tightly, but he didn’t. Instead, his arms shook as if he were controlling his strength.
“Why? Why on earth?”
He asked quietly. His voice was suppressed anger. It should have been terrifying, but Olivia coldly ignored it. This man won't kill her anymore.
“My body. He said that if I gave him just one of my bodies, he would release the women he had taken captive.”
“Is that all?”
"Yes."
"Ha ha ha..."
He looked up at the ceiling and smiled. The man's blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight.
“That’s all?”
“...”
“For the sake of women you don’t know, you’re selling your body and defiling my honor?!”
“...”
Asherad chuckled.
“You stupid Daphne. Don’t you know that man can hit you in the back of the head? He blackmailed you and took your son...!”
"I know."
Olivia answered firmly.
“What, you know?”
Asherad tilted his head. His face looked as if he simply could not understand.
“You could have just told me. Daphne, don’t you know what I’m thinking?!”
“...”
“You know what I mean. You didn’t say a word to me and went to spread your legs for another man...!”
Olivia couldn't stand it any longer. With a "thump," his face turned away. Olivia said with a cold face.
“Don't say that.”
“...”
“It’s all because of you.”
Olivia growled. Asherad looked at Olivia with a surprised expression. Has she ever been this violent toward Asherad? What did he do to deserve this? He ground his teeth.
“Did I tell you that I was a spy?”
“Do you think that’s what you’re talking about?”
She smiled darkly.
“Have you forgotten, Asherad? You are the one who made me like this.”
“...”
“You saved people’s lives in exchange for taking my body!”
Asherad's hair turned white. Olivia looked at him with reddened eyes.
“That man and you are no different! To me, you are the same, you are the same!”
“...”
“You are the one who taught me how to sacrifice my body! You, you!”
She screamed. There was a time when she wanted to say something like this. She didn't want it to take this form. She screamed.
Asherad shivered. He knew he was sorry. But he didn't know what he had done wrong. His apology was an apology for hurting her feelings. An apology for making a hell around him. But at this moment. Asherad knew what he had done wrong.
Tears flowed from his eyes.
He was no different from the lowly King of Pindus. He simply asked Daphne to give him her body.
Olivia waited for his venomous words to fly, for the violence that might come. But Asherad hugged Olivia's waist.
“I was wrong.”
“...”
“You were wrong, Daphne.”
“...”
“I was wrong.”
He had broken Daphne. He had made her unable to trust him. He had trampled on her last remaining pride and licked her tears like they were honey. Olivia looked at the weak man with wide eyes. He was reflecting.
Following the apology, he was learning what a mistake was.
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